The Scriptures are God’s Infallible and True Guidebook for Godly Living!

28 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 119:105.       Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Another glorious summer day seems to be in the offing on this last Wednesday in August, as we wind down the summer holidays to the Labour Day Weekend, when all the fun and games of summer come to screeching halt. Chuh! The Ex (Canadian National Exhibition) closes. School reopens, adults go back to work and the long weekends are now fewer and further between. (smile) But that’s just the way it is these northern climes…after the summer comes the fall when you get ready for winter, then winter comes and you hibernate. 

But let’s remember that through it all, both the bad times and the good, we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, to whom nothing is impossible, and His Holy Spirit as our Guiding Light, who will lead us on to glory, if we pay sincere attention to His guidance. But it all begins and ends with us knowing the Word of God, constantly reading and meditating on it, for as the Lord told Joshua, ‘for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) 

We need to write that indelibly in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds friends, if we desire to achieve success in this ungodly and evil world. Yes, it’s only by following God’s Word that we will rise above the evil and ungodly wiles of the devil. And the scriptures says it quite plainly: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) That is gospel truth my people! When you allow God’s word to lead you, you will never go wrong. 

And Cousin Sol says as much in this section of Proverbs that deals with keeping the Father’s Commandment, and a warning against adultery. He writes: ‘My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:’ (Prov. 6:20-23) 

Then Cousin Sol goes on to tell about how keeping God’s word will keep you from falling prey to an evil, adulteress woman. (Prov. 6:24-29)  But the truth of the matter is that the keeping of God’s law will also keep you from falling prey to Satan’s many other deceitful schemes. Yes friends, our safety net all depends on knowing God’s law and keeping it! And for a more detailed testimony on the subject, let’s listen to Cousin Sol’s father, Bruh David from Psalm 19. He expounds thus on the perfection of God’s law: 

‘The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting (restoring) the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the (drippings of the) honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’ (Ps. 19:7-11) 

Oh my people, what good news that is, re the benefits of knowing and keeping God’s law. Wow! It certainly is awesome: it makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, and is much more to be desired than gold, even fine gold, and it’s even sweeter than honey, or the drippings from the honey comb! Brother! What a magnificent thing is the Lord’s law, and such a wonderful thing to have always at one’s beck and call! 

Meanwhile, the apostle Peter puts it this way about the Lord’s law. Early on in the passage he talks about being on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, and being an eyewitness to His majesty. ‘For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 

We have also a more sure word of prophecy (the prophetic word made more sure); whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (origin). For the prophecy came not in old (any) time by the will of man: but the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ (2 Pet. 1:17-21) 

And there again Peter refers to the Lord’s law as a light shining in the darkness, that shines in our hearts when Jesus ,the day star, comes into them. But the general meaning of the passage is the assurance of the infallibility of the scriptures, because the revelation of God’s word didn’t originate with men, but came to them directly through the Holy Ghost. Thus we can lay our lives down on the truth of scripture. And let’s hope and pray that we’ll all continue doing that today, keeping the Lord’s commandments and enjoying the benefits that emanate from so doing. 

Now, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’

And furthermore, if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, looking forward to seeing you there at the very end! Much LOVE!

…who is Jesus…the author of our salvation…and the light that shines in the darkness…to show us the true way…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 February 2024 Psalm 139:23.

14 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 139:23.        Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts:

Welcome to Wednesday friends, the middle day of our work week! The Carnival partying is over now, but a whole lot of other stuff has been put on our plates on this Wednesday in mid-February. I don’t know if this has ever happened before, but I can’t remember experiencing it, where Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day. But that’s what’s happened this year. And it’s certainly an interesting concept! Personally, I don’t see them as contrary to each other, and it might even be a good idea to celebrate them together each year. (smile) 

Valentine’s Day, where we shower others with LOVE and gifts of LOVE; the greatest attribute of our wonderful God Jehovah, and Ash Wednesday, when we get serious about communing with God, checking ourselves to see what’s wrong with us, how our spiritual selves are doing, with repentance, fasting and prayer being uppermost in this Lenten Season. To my mind, nothing’s wrong with sharing LOVE and engaging in soul searching at the same time. (smile) In the memorable words of Bruh David from Psalm 139, we can be strong and courageous, and ask: ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps. 139:23-24) 

Oh my people, that’s a wonderful thing to do in these forty days of Lent, but it’s also very difficult, because we don’t know what the Lord will come up with, what He’ll find hidden in our hearts. And those who know that there’s unresolved wickedness in our hearts will definitely want to stay away from it. But this is a time when Christians ought to get serious about their faith and so engage in some long overdue house cleaning; that’s spiritual house cleaning. We can’t be afraid of confessing what‘s in our hearts, for this is a time of spiritual purging, and that’s what the Lord expects of us, and with sincere repentance will come forgiveness. 

But when we keep the evil locked up in our hearts without confession, that’s when we suffer the most, for we’ll be very miserable and unhappy because the evil will continually eat at our souls and spirits while the Holy Spirit keeps nudging us to confess. And it’s also interesting how these forty days of Lent commemorate the forty days our Lord and Saviour spent fasting and praying in the wilderness, after the Holy Spirit led Him there. But, it’s also somewhat incomprehensible to us human beings with lesser minds, how and why that all happened. 

The story begins when Jesus comes to John the Baptist at the Jordan River to be baptized. But John refuses, saying that it was he who needed to be baptized by Jesus. ‘And Jesus  answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now (allow it): for thus it becometh us (it is fitting for us) to fulfill all righteousness. Then he (John the Baptist) suffered (allowed) him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. And lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ (Matt. 3:15-17)  

Now, that was all well and good, but hear what happens directly after. ‘Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred (hungry). (Matt. 4:1-2) That’s when the devil came to tempt Him, and when he usually comes to tempt us; when we are tired and hungry and not on our best strength, but filled with fear and doubts. However our Lord and Saviour Jesus was up to the task, and rebuked the evil one three times using the Word of God, before he got tired and left Him alone, until another time. 

And that’s something very important to note. The devil doesn’t ever go away for good. When you resist him, he takes a break until the next opportune time. So that’s something we have to do all our earthly lives; keep resisting the ever-tempting enemy. And why was Jesus led up into the wilderness as soon as He was baptized and the Father made known His pleasure in him? That was to strengthen, to test him, so that He could attain the spiritual power necessary to begin His earthly ministry, for it’s only after those forty days and nights of fasting did Jesus begin to preach. 

And I think we need to look at one more scripture as we begin this Lenten season where fasting, prayer and holiness are expected to be in vogue. (smile) And it’s these words of Jesus on Fasting. ‘Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites (pretenders), of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.’ (Matt. 6:16-18) 

Yes my fellow believers, we don’t need to make a spectacle of ourselves and let the whole world that we’re fasting; or doing anything at all. For Jesus also taught the same thing on giving and prayer. Whatever we do, prayer, giving, fasting, it’s not to be done unto man, but unto God, so we simply go about our business as usual, without any outward fanfare. Once our heavenly Father knows what we’re doing, that’s sufficient. And with all of that good stuff on our plates, to learn and inwardly digest, (smile) let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

As one voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And it’s been promised, that if we endure right down to the very end with Christ, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s plan to me there and enjoy it nuh! Much LOVE!

…sharing LOVE and soul searching…go together like a hand and glove…

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ                  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 February 2024 Psalm 46:10a.

07 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 46:10a.       Be still and know that I am God:

A blessed Wednesday my people, as we rise and greet this new day, and assert with faith and thanksgiving: ‘This is the day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And if we’re wise, we’ll do just that because it’s our heritage, our gift of God. I like how Cousin Sol says it in Ecclesiastes. ‘There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour (his soul should enjoy good). This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.’ (Eccl. 2:24) 

And the scholars explain: ‘When a man toils in his own strength, he is bound to suffer pain and grief. The answer then is to enjoy his work by receiving it as a gift from God.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth! When we look at what we have and do as gifts from God, a sense of peace and rightness comes over us and we labour in a much more joyful spirit than otherwise. So, on this middle day of our workweek, when we catch our second wind, please, let’s listen to the voice of the Spirit of our great God, and allow Him to bring us that joy of the Lord that’s our strength, that we might do His work with sincerity and truth, and be good examples of salt and light in this dark and evil world. 

And I believe that this piece from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin will help us do just that. It’s titled ‘A Listening Heart,’ and I’m sure that I’ve shared it already, but it’s good enough to share again. (smile) So please read with me: ‘I remember vividly the lesson I learned from my husband one day as he came home from his office weary and depleted. It had been a difficult day. He needed to talk. My day had been difficult too. Countless interruptions, phone calls, guests coming for brunch the next day. I wanted to listen, so I suggested that he follow me from room to room while I dusted furniture. 

We tried it. while I dusted the piano, he talked. When I cleaned the clanging piano keys he continued, but with a trace of impatience. Next the stereo, then the tables. When I moved, he moved. Suddenly he grabbed my shoulders. ‘Please listen to me!’ Frankly I was shocked. “Honey, I heard every word you said.’ ‘I mean listen with your heart!’ I dropped the dust cloth. We sat down, and I gave my full attention. No body signals, no folded arms, no finger tapping. I was again aware of the tremendous responsibilities my husband carried. He needed my understanding. He thanked me profusely for listening. 

That night I remembered how often God had said to the children of Israel. ‘If my people would only listen.’ I thought of God’s yearning for an intimate relationship with us. He waits for our response to his still small voice. He longs for our listening hearts, How we must grieve him when we don’t listen.’ And is that ever the gospel truth my fellow believers! It certainly grieves the heart of our wonderful and ever-LOVING God when we don’t listen to Him, because He knows that the good He has in store for us will bypass us, and we’ll suffer the pangs of this world unnecessarily. 

Now, here are a few scriptures that prove the point. The Bible tells us of the Lord’s warning to the Israelites: ‘And Moses went up unto God and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare (sustained) you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar (special) treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.’ (Ex. 19:3-6) 

What a blessed message friends! Straight from the mouth of the Lord their supposed God! But did they listen and obey His voice? No! And you’re asking why the Israelites didn’t listen to God? This commentary gives us some idea of the basic reason. ‘Why did the Israelites continue to disobey God, even when they always would be punished for their actions? Disobedience comes from lack of faith and lack of faithfulness. Their mentality was often that of a weak God, a God who couldn’t do much for them or who they didn’t want to serve.’ 

And, unfortunately that is the basic reason why so many of us today still refuse to listen to the voice of God; our faith is small, and we don’t consider God to be the true omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present Deity that He is. And we refuse to serve Him too because we like the evil lusts and pleasures of the world rather than the things of God. Then there’s this marvellous invitation from God to the Israelites again, this time through the prophet Isaiah. 

‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me (listen closely), and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness (abundance). Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.’ (Is. 55:1-3) 

Yes friends, another instance where the Lord invited the Israelites to listen to Him, and they again refused. And He also pleads with us in the New Testament. That day on the Mount of Transfiguration, where ‘Jesus’ face did shine as the sun and His raiment (clothes) was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them (Peter, James, John) Moses and Elias (Elijah) talking with him (Jesus). Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias (Elijah). While yet he spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye (listen) to him.’  (Matt. 17:2-5) 

But yet we still don’t listen, because we find the discipleship of Jesus, the narrow path, is too onerous, compared to the wide open, but very destructive path of the world. But please my faithful brethren, it’s to our benefit to listen. And as the psalmists, the Sons of Korah so wisely advised in the Bible Promise for our reading: ‘Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in all the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.’ (Ps. 46:10-11) Please, let’s remember that and listen to the still small voice of God speaking to us through His messenger, the Holy Spirit. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. Altogether: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, see you there! Much LOVE!

…to spend eternity in heaven rather than hell…one must listen and obey…

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ                  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 February 2023 Matthew 4:7.

21 Feb 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 4:7.       Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt (test) the Lord thy God.

And it’s a cloudy Tuesday morning after our Family Day holiday, with a winter storm on the horizon. But let’s hope that we used yesterday to rebuild the dying embers of the family unit that’s oh so important to the smooth, safe and steady running of our society, and not simply as a day to party hearty. But yuh better believe that a lot of hearty partying will going on in places like Brazil and T&T because today is the biggest, as well as the last day of the Carnival festival, and everybody will come out to play their biggest and best mas today. For come tomorrow that sacrificing, self-denying season of Lent begins. 

And it never ceases to amaze and amuse me how one day we have no qualms about anything, anything goes, then next day, we so pious and holy and trying to be like Jesus as He spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and praying. Now, the sad thing is that I’ve been hearing that many people no longer even celebrate or recognize the Lenten season; every day is just like any other. What’s next eh? 

At least with Lent in our spirits, we had some vestige of God still remaining, but when you remove that too, then there’s nothing at all. Oh, we do celebrate Easter and Christmas, but even those celebrations have become so commercialized and secular that many supposed believers don’t even pay much attention to the spiritual aspects, but like the unbelievers use them as simply another chance to get their jollies on. 

And why is Lent so important to believers eh? Because it’s a time of spiritual cleansing of removing ourselves from all the frivolity and idolatry of the world. A lot of Lenten activity is based on fasting, but I believe the most important aspect is actually seeking God during those times of fasting. Fasting by itself means nothing. As one commentator on the Got questions.org website puts it: ‘Fasting is a practice found throughout Scripture. A fast in the Bible is usually a voluntary, total abstinence from food for a set time for the purpose of devoting oneself to seeking God. Fasting denies our flesh what it wants so that we can focus more clearly on strengthening our spirits.’ 

And therein lies the rub: just denying the flesh doesn’t automatically bring God closer. It has to be a conscious decision to turn to God during those times of turning away from fleshly pursuits. And there is no better example of that than Jesus, who, as soon as He was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, and He heard the voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,’ (Matt. 3:17) was immediately led away, by none other than the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to fast and be tempted by the devil. 

The Bible tells us: ‘Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.’ (Matt. 4:1) Can you imagine that? One minute being feted as being a wonderful Son, then next sent to endure severe hunger and temptation. But there was good reason for Jesus’ fasting and temptations. It was preparing Him for his public ministry and all the tough times He would have to undergo while thus involved. 

And I like how the Got questions.Org commentator explains it. He says: ‘During those forty days, when Jesus’ flesh was at its weakest, He endured relentless temptation from Satan. Satan offered Him alternatives to God’s plan, compromises that would satisfy His natural desires, and attacks upon His very identity as the Son of God (Matt.4:3). Jesus used the Word of God, not His own strength, to defeat those temptations and remain victorious over sin. He demonstrated for us that fasting can strengthen us spiritually when we use it to draw closer to God.’ 

Now that’s the basic benefit of fasting; giving up some of the flesh to help us draw closer to God. When there’s not a whole lot of fleshly stuff bothering us, then we can indeed get closer to our heavenly Father. And believe me it’s ever so important to do that on a regular basis. I’m not talking about just regular praying, but times when we get downright spiritual, so hungry for the things of God, that we just drop everything else and sincerely go searching for Him. That’s when we lay out our whole heart and soul before Him; empty ourselves and ask Him to cleanse, to rejuvenate us, to heal our brokenness, and give us new strength and faith to keep on keeping on in His holy will. 

And there’s one very important thing to note about Jesus’s time of fasting and temptation. When the devil tempted Him, He quoted the scriptures in rebuttal. For example, when Satan commanded Him to make bread out of the stones, He simply replied: ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ (Matt. 4:4) Now that scripture can be found in Deut. 4:3. 

Then, when the devil took Him up to a pinnacle of the temple and told Him: ‘If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt (test) the Lord thy God.’ (Matt. 4:6-7) And that can be found in Deut. 6:16. 

Now that’s the way we ought to counter the devil’s temptations, with cutting words of scripture, then He leaves us alone for a spell, but only for a spell, because once we’re alive, he’ll keep coming back with more temptations. He doesn’t give up, and neither should we.

 Note what the Bible says after the devil took Jesus up on a high hill and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and promised them to him, if He would bow down and worship him. Jesus staunchly reprimanded him. ‘Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.’ (Matt. 4:10-11) And again that answer of Jesus can be found in either Deut. 6:13, or 10:20. 

But friends, we cannot get rid of the devil for a spell with scripture unless we know the scriptures. That’s why it’s ever so important to read, meditate and learn them. And I believe that this Lenten season is an excellent time for us to hunker down with the Good Library and devour its monumental wisdom. It will do us more good than we can ever ask or imagine! 

Now, for those of us who are sincerely on board with Jesus, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And it’s now our bounden duty to go out and do just that; share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…the weak and willing flesh…must be countered by a strong and resolute spirit… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 June 2021 Mark 1:11.

06 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mark 1:11.     And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

And the heat wave is on this Sunday morning in Southern Ontario! Hope your A/C units are working well, otherwise you are liable to burn up in the heat – a small preview of what hell is like. (smile) And come to think of it, that might just motivate us to turn to Christ! For if we can’t stand this minor earthly heat, then how we going to stand the blazing heat that’s supposed to exist in Hades eh? But since we not going there, we don’t have to concern ourselves about how hot it is, just think about getting through this earthly summer weather in good stead with Christ, our Lord and Saviour. 

And as is our custom when we gather to worship on the Lord’s Day, be it in person in His sanctuary, or through technological means, we open with a song of praise and worship. And today’s hymn titled ‘I Need Thee Every Hour’ is a magnificent anthem to how much we do need Jesus Christ. The song was written by Anne Hawks, an American poet and gospel hymnist, in 1872, with the music annotated by Pastor Robert Lowry. 

The website Godtube claims that Hawks explained the purpose of the hymn thus:”For myself, the hymn was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on the wings of love and joy, instead of under the stress of personal sorrow.” And they report Lowry as saying: “I believe it was the expression of her own experience. It came to me in the form of five simple stanzas, to which I added the chorus to make it more serviceable. It inspired me at its first reading. It first appeared in a small collection of original songs prepared for the National Baptist Sunday-school Association, held in Cincinnati, Ohio in November 1872, and was sung on that occasion.”  

Meanwhile the website umcdiscipleship.org claims ‘to have a personal account of the genesis of the song: Hawks writes, “One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks during a bright June morning [in 1872]. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me — ‘I Need Thee Every Hour…'” 

However, ‘Following the death of her husband, Hawks reflected on the power of her song: “I did not understand at first why this hymn had touched the great throbbing heart of humanity. It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace.”Ah friends, such is the mysterious working of our great God. He causes us to do stuff that doesn’t take on any serious personal importance until much later on, when something happens in our lives, and that same stuff is there to comfort and help us. 

So, having gotten all that info on the hymn, let’s finally sing it nuh, lifting up our hearts and voices to heaven with sincere need.‘I need thee every hour, Most gracious Lord, No tender voice like thine, Can peace afford. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee.) I need thee every hour, Stay thou near by, Temptations lose their power, When thou art nigh (Chorus) 

I need thee every hour, In joy or pain, Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. (Chorus) I need thee every hour; teach me thy will, and thy rich promises in me fulfill. (Chorus) I need thee every hour, Most holy one, Oh make me thine indeed Thou blessed Son. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee. I need thee, Oh I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee…I come to thee…’

Oh my people, what heartfelt sentiments, sentiments that are all basically about intimacy with God. And today, we’re just going to look at some scriptures that deal with that intimacy. Now it was a hard choice because there are so many, and I therefore chose those that spoke to my heart. And the first one is obviously these words of Moses to the Israelites, which Jesus hailed as the greatest commandment. ‘And thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.’ (Deut. 6:5) If we’re talking about intimacy with God, we must totally give our all to Him. 

Then there are these magnificent words of intimacy written by Bruh David: ‘As the hart panteth after (deer long for) the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before him?’ (Ps. 42:1-2) And if those words of Bruh David didn’t inspire you to intimacy with God, then try these: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land.’ (Ps. 63:1) How much more intimate can we get than by sincerely longing to be with our Maker, our Provider and our God eh? 

Now hear Jesus to the disciples. ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me.’ Wow! That’s intimacy personified! One abiding in the other! You couldn’t get any closer than that! 

And we obviously could not leave out this gem from Bruh Paul: ‘But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ…That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.’ (Phil. 3:7, 10) Yes friends, Bruh Paul wants to experience the stuff that Christ went through so that he could have a real personal experience, suffering His death, as well as His resurrection. Now that’s what you call hungering for real intimacy! 

Now, let’s close with what I believe is the most intimate scripture, that at Christ’s baptism: Mark describes it thus: ‘And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened (torn open), and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ (Mark 1:9-11) 

Oh my fellow saints, I think that is the greatest picture of intimacy we can ever get; that wonderful interaction between Father, Son and Holy Ghost, our wonderful Triune Godhead! I’m sure it warmed the cockles of Jesus’ heart, that the Father chose to acknowledge Him before the earthly crowd, and have His Spirit empower Him for His upcoming ministry. 

Now, since we are representatives of Christ, we surely need to have intimacy with Him. And the best way to get it is, as He says, abide in Him, and let Him abide in us, for when we do that, both the Father and the Holy Spirit will also come to abide in us. Then we can show intimacy to those around us. It’s all in a day’s walk with Jesus my people! Much LOVE!

…our God created us…above all else…for intimacy with Him…                                                            

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8           

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 March 2021 Matthew 17:5.

25 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 17:5.     ​This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Here we are again people; alive and kicking on another wonderful day in God’s great universe! And all I can say is that we are BLESSED! Most certainly BLESSED to awaken to this day, even though everything’s not going our way. But we are also assured that God is on the case, looking after our affairs, setting it up so that in the end everything will work out for good! 

Wow! What a wonderful God we serve and worship my brethren! Let’s give him some thanks and praise nuh, for allowing us to see another day, for all the new mercies and compassions that He’s prepared new just for today! As I said a few days ago, with our God, there’s no stale stuff left over for the next day! No sir! Every day, everything is brand new! 

And do we appreciate His wonderful blessings? I certainly hope so. But it’s obvious that many of us still don’t appreciate Him, else we wouldn’t be trying so hard to get rid of Him from our society. And how many times do I have to remind us that He won’t ever allow it eh? He’s the supreme ruler and if it’s one thing He doesn’t play with it’s His glory. 

Hear what He says on that subject nuh, through the prophet Isaiah. ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’ (Is. 42:8) Here Isaiah is talking about the servant of God (the Messiah) coming to earth to glorify God through His earthly ministry. And though man may, and has most certainly disobeyed God and tried to give His glory to false gods and graven images, from God’s perspective, He, the Lord, the Creator will not allow it to happen. 

Oh, He might declare that He is a jealous God, in respect to His covenant with believers, (Ex. 20:5, 34:14) But He is not a selfish God, and He does share His glory with His Son Jesus Christ, who is a member of our Triune Godhead, as so many passages of scripture declare. 

Let’s look at a few nuh. Matthew records Jesus words as He foretells His passion (death) thus: ‘For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.’ (Matt. 16:27) Meanwhile, Mark puts it this way. ‘Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ (Mark 8:38) 

Now hear Jesus from John’s gospel, as He speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit. ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of (what is) mine, and shall show (declare) it unto you. All things the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.’ (John 16:13-15) 

And some more from John, when Jesus prayed for Himself and His own. ‘These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify thee: As thou hast given him power (authority) over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self (alongside thee) with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.’ (John 17:1-5) 

Oh friends, those are words of extreme importance to us believers. Why, you ask? Because the time had come for Jesus to be glorified on the cross and in the resurrection, and that the salvation and eternal life we so highly cherish, depended directly on Jesus’ glorification. Let’s also remember that ‘Eternal life is more than an endless existence. It is a personal relationship with God.’ 

And finally, these words from Peter, re Christ’s temporary glorification at the transfiguration. ‘For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.’ (2 Pet. 1:16) Yes friends, Peter, along with James and John, were eyewitnesses at the transfiguration of Christ, when He was revealed in all His glory. (Matt. 17:1-8) 

The scholars tell us that ‘This was a foreshadowing of Christ’s coming in power and glory to establish His kingdom. The presence of Moses and Elijah on the mountain represented all those who enter the kingdom by death or translation. The declaration of the Father, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.’ (Matt. 17:5) reinforces Christ’s dominion over His kingdom. Application: Since Christians live expectantly looking forward to the return of Christ, they ought to give Him first place in their lives today, just as He will have in the kingdom. (First Ref. Matt. 17:1-9; Primary Ref. 2 Pet. 1:16; cf. Heb. 9:12.) 

Now that makes perfect sense friends. It’s best to give Jesus first place in our lives right here and right now, so we can get accustomed to it, for when He comes in all His glory with His angels, we won’t have any choice. (smile) And it’s now time for us to go home proclaiming our Thursday Blessings. Note, I didn’t say declaring (awright!) because I was afraid of spelling it wrong. (smile) But I did spell it right there. 

So as one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!  I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! 

I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

It’s now our bounden duty to go out and share those blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…it’s wise…to get prepared for Jesus’ Second Coming…while we wait and look expectantly for it… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 November 2020 Matthew 3:17.

19 Nov 2020 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 3:17.     ​And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Awright, so we running a li’l long and late this cloudy Thursday morning… so what else is new eh? (smile) But that was just due to a rather late bedtime. I am trying to reform, to change my nocturnal habits, but even with the Lord’s help it is proving to be a somewhat formidable task. And I guess it would, if deep down you don’t really want to change. (smile) 

And have you ever noticed that when yuh running late that the enemy always manages to insert his obnoxious self into your business to try and make you even later? Well, just now, as I was coming down the basement stairs with my cup of java, the basement door knocked the elbow of my hand that held the cup and spilled some of it on the steps. Steups! Thus I had to stop and clean up the strong, sweet java wasted on the floor. And those are all my excuses this morning…and I am sticking to them because they are the indisputable truth! 

So what shall we talk about today eh friends? Well the Good Book opened today on an interesting subject, the temptation of Jesus, so I assume that’s what the Lord wants us to talk about. (smile) Anyway, after Jesus’ public baptism by John in the Jordan River, where John felt unworthy to baptize His awesome cousin, since He needed no repentance for sin, saying to Him: ‘I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?’ (Matt.3:14) But Jesus reasoned thus with him: ‘Suffer (allow) it to be so now: for thus it becometh us (is fitting for us) to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.’ (Matt.3:15) 

And the scholars explain: ‘3:15. Suffer it to be so means allow it to be or let it happen. Jesus sought this outward identification with John’s ministry to fulfill all righteousness. By identifying Himself with those He came to redeem, Jesus inaugurated His public ministry as the Messiah. In regard to the Jewish religious observances, such as synagogue worship, attendance at feasts, and payment of temple tax, Jesus always met the duties of a faithful Jew.’ And we all know what happened when Jesus was baptized by John. As a young boy, it used to be one of my favourite passages of scripture. 

Hear how the Good Book describes it nuh: ‘And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ (Matt. 3:16-17) Wow! Can you imagine being on the banks of the Jordan that day and experiencing that momentous experience! Unless is John alone who saw and heard it. 

And again we have some interesting info from the scholars: ‘3:16-17. In the process of His baptism Jesus went up…out of the water, the prepositions suggesting that He was completely in the water and came up out from it, again indicating immersion. The descending of the Spirit of God fulfilled the predicted sign to John in order to indicate the true Messiah (cf. John 1:33, Is. 11:2). The dove was a symbol of innocence and purity (cf. 10:16) and served as an ideal symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit. 

The voice from heaven is that of the Father (see also 17:5 where He speaks at the Transfiguration and just prior to the Crucifixion), giving His verbal approval to the ministry of His beloved Son. There can be no doubt that all three persons of the Trinity are actively involved here as distinct persons of the Godhead. The Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and the Son is baptized.’ 

Only our great God can do such things you say! And you are right! No other supposed deity can manage a task like that! And I’m chuckling here friends because I’m realizing that we are not talking about Jesus’ temptation but His baptism. And yuh think we God easy…not at all nuh, because that is what first came to my mind to talk about, but I figured that it was easier to get my mind around the temptation situation than the baptism. But the Lord, in His awesomeness, slyly guided me back to where He wanted me to go! 

Mama Mia! How can I not LOVE Him plenty plenty eh, because He is so faithful, and never gives me a task without giving me the enabling, grace, power, mercy and strength to perform it. Even when I shy away, He is wonderful enough to draw me back to where He wants me to be. And since we in Christ’s baptism, I guess it’s only right to check out the sign that John the Baptist was given for knowing the Messiah. Hear the Good Book from the gospel of John. 

One day while John the Baptist was baptizing by the Jordan, the Pharisees sent some messengers to find out who he was. And when John admitted that he was neither Christ, Elijah, nor Isaiah they wondered aloud why then was he baptizing if he was none of those three? (John 1:19-25) 

‘John answered them saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me (ranks higher than me), whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me (ranks higher than I): for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 

And John bare record (witness) saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode (remained) on him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record (witness) that this is the Son of God.’ (John 1:26-34) 

Now doesn’t our God work in wonderful ways! And I’ve always wondered about John the Baptist and Christ’s relationship, seeing that they were cousins. But the scholars answered my question. They explain that ‘Before Jesus’ baptism, John knew Jesus only as a good cousin, not as the Lamb of God. Not until he saw the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus did John realize that He was the Son of God.’ Our God does move in mysterious ways, way beyond our level of thinking, so anything’s possible. (smile) And to avoid any controversy and confusion between the gospels of Matthew and John, I guess ‘the next day’ John talks about is the day after Christ was baptized. 

And now that we’re all up to date on Jesus’ baptism and not His temptation, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!) our Thursday Blessings, that have been so magnanimously bestowed on us by our most magnificent and magnanimous heavenly Father. Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

It’s now our bounden duty to go out, or stay in, in these Covid-19 times, and share them just as generously as they were shared with us. Much LOVE!

…except a man be born…of water and of the Spirit…he cannot enter into the kingdom of God… (John 3:5)