Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 March 2022 Mark 10:15.

27 Mar 2022 Leave a comment

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

Mark 10:15.      Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

And sadly friends, I must inform you, that on this the Lord’s day, some of heaven’s white precipitate, has precipitated down to earth! (smile) Yes, there’s a light covering of snow on the ground this Sunday morning that began sometime after six thirty, because I looked outside at that time and the place was clean. But now, a couple hours later, it’s white. And who knows what will eventually happen, although the good news is that a short while ago, I saw the sun valiantly shining through up in the eastern skies. So anything is still possible. 

And as we gather for worship, either physically in the Lord’s sanctuary, or by some electronic means, let’s banish all anxiety and worry from our souls and spirits, because the Creator of the universe and all therein dwells within us, through the power of His Holy Spirit and has unlimited compassion and LOVE for us. That’s why we’ll open today’s proceedings with this marvellous and very popular Christian hymn written by American hymnwriter and novelist Anna B. Warner, around 1859, that demonstrates that amazing LOVE. It’s aptly titled ‘JESUS LOVES ME!’ 

Wow! What an honour and a privilege to be LOVED by the Creator and Saviour of the world! So let’s cut the talk and offer up our sacrifices of praise in a joyful, soulful, heartfelt, up-tempo version, letting all earth and heaven know that we are truly blessed by, and are sincerely grateful for the LOVE of Christ!  

Altogether now: ‘Jesus LOVES me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. (Refrain: Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! The Bible tells me so.) Jesus LOVES me! This I know, As He LOVED so long ago, Taking children on His knee, Saying, “Let them come to Me.” (Ref ) – Jesus LOVES me still today, Walking with me on my way, Wanting as a friend to give Light and LOVE to all who live. – (Ref.) 

Jesus LOVES me! He who died Heaven’s gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in. –  (Ref.) Jesus LOVES me! He will stay Close beside me all the way; Thou hast bled and died for me, I will henceforth live for Thee. (Ref.) Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! For the Bible tells me so.’ 

And friends, if we can’t believe the Bible, the unalterable truth of God’s Word, then I don’t know what we can believe nuh! And according to the website Godtube: ‘The Bible tells us that God LOVES each and every one of us, despite our sins and faults. Be comforted by the simple lyrics of ‘JESUS LOVES ME’ and remember that our Creator is Almighty and ALL-LOVING. He is with us each step of the day and will never leave our side. We may be weak, but He is our strength.’ 

Oh my Christian brethren, that’s the gospel truth, and we need to believe it so badly in these tough and very trying times, if we are to live a successful life in and for Christ! And we do need to come to Jesus like little children in total trust and faith if we want to receive His grace and mercy. Remember His comparisons to the kingdom of heaven and children? 

When talking about greatness to the disciples, the Good Book tells us: ‘And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such child in my name, receiveth me.’ (Matt. 18:2-5) That tells us in no uncertain terms that if we want to be great in God’s kingdom, we have to be humble and trusting like a young child, not the way the world considers greatness, with arrogance and self-importance. 

Then there’s this testimony from the gospel of Mark, where parents brought their children to be blessed by Jesus, but the disciples rebuked and turned them away. ‘But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer (allow) the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them. And blessed them.’ (Mark 10:14-16) 

Wow mih people! Hearing that, how can you not be enamoured of Jesus eh?  And I want to share two very interesting explanations of the scholars on those verses. As per 10:14, they say ‘Mark often stresses Jesus showing of strong feeling.’ Now that’s the attitude of a truly caring person. And they cite these references for that conclusion. (1;41, 43; 3:5; 7:34; 8:34; 9:19). Then for 10:16, they write. ‘Every parent knows that no child is perfect. But Jesus sees their refreshing openness to new things, their eagerness to learn and follow, a welcome contrast to adult self-dependence and cynicism.’ 

And that hit’s the nail right on the very head! You can’t accept Jesus unless you’re open and eager to learn. And all Jesus desires to teach us is based on the principle of LOVE – LOVE for God, for oneself and for one’s neighbour, as He emphasizes in Matt. 22:37-40, when asked about the greatest commandments. Now, listen to how Bruh Paul puts it all together when he writes to the Ephesians re a prayer for inner growth. 

He asks that God, ‘the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named (from whom the Christian spiritual life is derived). That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye be rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all the saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height, And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:14-19) 

Yes my fellow saints, Bruh Paul prays there that we would be divinely enabled to live a successful Christian life filled with the virtues and character of God, and truly come to know and understand all the various aspects of Christ’s magnificent and unmatchable LOVE! Then he ends by stating: ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church of Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21) 

And yes friends, Bruh Paul knew that the Lord God Jehovah had the power and interest to do all that He asked for in the Ephesian church. Now, the important question is, do we truly believe that God can do those same things in our lives today? And until we do, we will not be able to live the successful Christian life that Christ sacrificed Himself for us to have. As they say, a word to the wise is sufficient. Much LOVE!

…to come to Christ…one must possess a child-like spirit… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 February 2022 Psalm 42:2a.

07 Feb 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 42:2a.     My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. 

Well, a good Monday morning my Scrip-Bit friends and family! It’s time to rise and shine and begin another new day in God’s great universe. But first thing we need to do every day is to give thanks for being alive, for being able to have the awesome breath of Jehovah God still coursing through our human bodies. That’s a great privilege and gift, because if you read the obits, you’ll see many who didn’t receive that privilege and gift this morning. And since we are alive, it means that the Lord still has important work for us to do down here on planet earth. 

But the only way to find out His plan for each of us, is by sincerely seeking Him out and asking what He has in mind. However, we can’t just go to God in any wishy-washy manner, but we must be primed, hungry and thirsty to know His will. And one of the best opening prayers in the Good Book is that from Psalm 63 – God satisfies the thirsting soul, where Bruh David solemnly declares: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.’ (Ps. 63:1) 

Yes my brethren, that’s how we ought to long for communion with our God; like a thirsty man in a desert, as though we will die from thirst if we don’t contact Him to get the living water that His Son Jesus, our Lord and Saviour has offered to those who sincerely believe in Him. And it’s not only Bruh David who wrote that way, but also the sons of Korah. Listen to them from Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God. ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after (longs 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 God?’ (Ps. 42:1-2) 

Oh my people, do we have that insatiable hunger and thirst for God and the things of God? We ought to, if we are true believers. For, like Jesus says in the Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6) 

As the scholars explain. ‘Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, experience a deep desire for personal righteousness, which in itself is proof of their spiritual rebirth. Those who are poor and empty in their own spiritual poverty recognize the depth of their need, and they hunger and thirst for that which only God can give them. They shall be filled refers to a complete satisfaction. The psalmist proclaimed: ‘He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. (Ps. 107:9).’ 

And we all know that’s the indisputable truth my fellow saints! When we come to the Lord seeking Him and His amazing gifts, He fills us up with His Spirit, and all the other good things that we need to do His will. Consequently, Bruh Paul did not pray for believers to be rid of problems, or not experience any, but for them to experience inner growth that would enable them to handle the problems in a Christian manner. 

Listen to his prayer for the church at Ephesus. ‘That he (God) would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man: That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye be rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph: 3:16-19) 

Wow! What a rich and marvellous prayer! And if it all seems a bit much for our understanding, let’s allow the scholars to explain. ‘3:16-19. In these verses, Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his Spirit (v.16), that is, that they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. (2) That the readers be able to comprehend…the LOVE of Christ, that is, to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’ 

Now that is the kind of prayer we ought to be making for our fellow believers, not to simply bless them, although that’s better than nothing. (smile) And having awakened both our bodies and spirits with a hunger and thirst for both spiritual and physical food, let’s go to our omnipotent God for help and guidance, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, as we step out today to do His kingdom work. 

Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’

Now,, let’s remember if we want those prayers to come through, we have to change our evil ways and become faithful believers. Much LOVE!

…just like our bodies can’t survive without physical food…our souls and spirits can’t survive without spiritual nourishment… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 March 2021 Ephesians 3:17.

21 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 3:17.     ​ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye be rooted and grounded in LOVE,

Gather round friends, gather round your technological devices let’s have worship! Let there be praise and singing, adulation and exultation of God’s holy name throughout His universe! For it is the right thing to do on the Lord’s Sabbath! And the Lord looked down from His high heaven and saw that His people were being obedient to His word, and He said: ‘It is good!’ And God is especially grateful when we make the necessary effort, despite the pandemic lockdowns, to praise and worship Him, because it means that our hearts are in the right place, our motives are sincere, and that’s what He most desires of us. 

So let’s begin by singing one of our favourite songs of worship nuh, Jesus LOVES Me. Yes mih bredrin, we going to mash that up today. Glory be! But before we do, here is some background info on the song, from the Wikipedia website.”Jesus LOVES Me” is a Christian hymn written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915). The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of an 1860 novel called Say and Seal, written by her older sister Susan Warner (1819–1885), in which the words were spoken as a comforting poem to a dying child. 

The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury (1816–1868). Along with his tune, Bradbury added his own chorus “Yes, Jesus LOVES me, Yes, Jesus LOVES me…” After publication as a song it became one of the most popular Christian hymns in churches around the world, especially among children.So let’s belt it out in a nice, sparkling, scintillating, harmonious, up-tempo version nuh. 

As one sweet voice: ‘Jesus LOVES me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. (Refrain: Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! The Bible tells me so.) Jesus LOVES me! This I know, As He LOVED so long ago, Taking children on His knee, Saying, “Let them come to Me.” (Refrain) – Jesus LOVES me still today, Walking with me on my way, Wanting as a friend to give Light and LOVE to all who live. 

(Refrain) – Jesus LOVES me! He who died Heaven’s gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in. (Refrain) – Jesus LOVES me! He will stay Close beside me all the way; Thou hast bled and died for me, I will henceforth live for Thee. Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! The Bible tells me so. Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! The Bible tells me so.’ 

And isn’t that the awesome truth friends? Why else would Jesus sacrifice Himself for us on the cross at Calvary, taking such brutal punishment for sins He had not committed eh? There could only be one reason: LOVE! True compassion for us, not wanting us to end up in eternal damnation with the evil Satan. 

And the website God Tube gives us this comforting explanation. ‘The Bible tells us that God LOVES each and every one of us, despite our sins and faults. Be comforted by the simple lyrics of ‘Jesus LOVES Me’ and remember that our Creator is almighty and all-LOVING. He is with us each step of the day and will never leave our side. We may be weak, but He is our strength.’ Now that ought to boost our trust and faith and strength in Him! 

Oh friends, it all comes down to that marvellous and wonderful word LOVE! Hear Jesus when He spoke to the disciples re the promise of the Holy Spirit. ‘He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that LOVETH me: and he that LOVETH me shall be LOVED of my Father, and I will LOVE him, and will manifest (reveal) myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man LOVE me, he will keep my words: and my Father will LOVE him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode (home) with him.’ (John 14:21-23) 

And the scholars tell us that ‘the divine indwelling of verse 23, is conditional on LOVE, and obedience to Jesus’ words. The Word of the gospel is primarily (though not exclusively) in view here.’ Try as we want friends, to be true believers, we can’t get away from LOVE, or obedience to Jesus words; one leads naturally to the other, they are inseparable. 

And that’s why Bruh Paul prayed thus for the Ephesians, and we also ought to pray for ourselves and others. ‘That he (God) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye be rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:16-19) 

Oh my people, Christ’s LOVE for us is so big, so enormous, so wide, deep, long, and high, that it’s only through the help of His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, that we can ever come close to understanding it! Yes, we need divine enablement to successfully live the Christian life. That’s the only way that the characteristics and virtues of God will ever develop in us. So as we go about our business today, let’s concentrate on those two immortal words nuh; LOVE and obedience, for they are the basic foundation of our very lives in Christ Jesus. Much LOVE!

…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…that’s divine wisdom… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 March 2021 Ephesians 3:20.

11 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 3:20.     Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

And then, rather quickly, it was Thursday, the penultimate day of the work week, and our lives are still somewhat confused by the pandemic and racial unrest. However, despite how things may appear, regardless of all the worries and pain, if you believe that your life is in Almighty God’s hands, then those problems will become very surmountable! Yes friends, once you are in God’s hands, problems never seem as worrisome and problematic! 

Oh, you will still have them, because that’s just a part of life on this planet, but once you’re walking with Him, once you are a follower of His wonderful Son, our Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, He’s always there to help and comfort you through His Holy Spirit that indwells all His followers! 

Wow! What awesome comfort and assurance! No other Deity can provide such emotional relief and trust, because no other Deity is alive and well and powerful like the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But the important thing is that we have to embrace all the promises and benefits that the Lord has provided. They don’t come to us automatically. We have to make the decision to come to Christ and accept that He is Lord and Saviour. 

And today, what we’re going to look at is the first act in that action. (smile) It’s called prayer, or talking to God in reverential awe; humbly, but with confidence, as Hebrews tells us: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) 

Now, prayer is not only asking God for stuff we want, or think we need, it goes much deeper than that. It is in essence a communing of our spirit with that of the Father, who originally breathed His Spirit in us to give us life. And when we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour, His Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us to lead and guide us and to help us commune with the Almighty. Part of the Holy Spirit’s job is also to help us in prayer. 

Bruh Paul puts it like this to the church at Rome. ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (weaknesses): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts (God) knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.’ (Rom. 8:26-27) 

Yes precious people, the Holy Spirit interprets our innermost feelings that we cannot put into words and aligns them with God’s will. For remember, before the Lord grants our requests, He looks at the motives of our hearts, to see if they’re selfish, greedy and outside of His will. 

But getting back to actual prayer. Let’s look at how Bruh Paul prayed for others. It’s strange, but he didn’t usually pray for people’s troubles to go away and that sort of thing, he mostly prayed that they would have inner growth, and thus be able to handle the problems from a point of greater maturity. Here’s how he prayed for the Ephesians, the church at Ephesus. 

‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named (derived). That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:14-19) 

Oh, I know that it seems like a long and complicated prayer, but in essence it’s fairly simple. Here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘3:16-19. In these verses Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his spirit (vs.16), that is, they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. (2) That the readers be able to comprehend…the LOVE of Christ , that is, to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’ 

Oh my people, doesn’t that sound like a complete prayer? It surely does! When we are strengthened by the Spirit, then we can understand Christ’s LOVE, then live the way He desires us to live, through strong and mature faith, ‘rooted and grounded in LOVE.’ And there’s no other way to live the Christian life my friends. 

But Bruh Paul wasn’t done with his prayer. He continues: ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21) And the scholars tell us: ‘3:20. In making the three above petitions (vs. 16-19) Paul has not asked for too much. For he prays unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that he can ask or think.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Our God is omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present, that means He can do all things, knows all things and is everywhere at the same time! And that’s why He is GOD! So let’s try to adopt some of those prayer principles that Bruh Paul established nuh. Let’s not just pray for troubles to be over, or success to be gained, but for us to receive what we need to grow and mature in the faith, have our inner man strengthened. We will all end up better off and living a more complete Christian life. 

And now, since it’s Thursday, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!) our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has magnanimously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. Altogether now, in 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!’ 

Oh friends, it’s time for us to now share those blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…Christ came as a servant…and He expects the same of His followers… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 June 2018 Ephesians 3:20.

24 Jun 2018 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 3:20.   Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

Ah mih breddren, it’s another rainy day in my area. Now that’s good for the plants and the animals, but it will force our church picnic to be held indoors, for a second consecutive year, if I’m not mistaken. However as usual, I went to the early service, that’s why the Bit is so late, and hopefully will go back later to get some of the good food that’s always present at our picnic. (smile) 

Anyway, please don’t let the rain keep you from attending the Lord’s sanctuary today. You know, for some reason, Christians use the simplest excuse to not go to church. But whom do you think suffers, God? No, we mortal fools do. Anyway, let’s open the proceedings with some praise and worship to soften up our hearts and make them more receptive to God’s word. 

And today we’ll sing a soulful ditty from Olivia Newton John’s Album, ‘Grace and Gratitude,’ titled, ‘Let Go and Let God.’ With strong voices and sincere hearts now, let’s sing: ‘When you can’t find your direction, And when your heart won’t guide you home… Let go – and let God. When your dreams are broken in the dust, And you’ve lost the will to trust… Let go – and let God. 

(Chorus: Let the signs remind you, we are passengers. Let the signs remind you to surrender, to surrender. Let go – and let God. (Background vocals – When you’re holding in your…when you’re holding in your…when you’re holding in your…when you’re holding in your…Let go – and Let God.) 

When your faith is a dying fire, and there’s no spark to feed the flame… Let go – and let God. When your courage fails you, and the well of hope runs dry… Let go – and let God. (Chorus Let the signs remind you…etc.  Let go – and let God…Let go – and let God.’ 

Oh my people, those are such excellent and reassuring words for us in all aspects and times of life. It’s the wisest thing for us to do; to just let go and let God be God in our lives, for that’s all He really asks of us. But like stubborn, hard headed children, since He’s given us free will, we want to do our own thing and just make a mess of our lives in so doing. 

That’s why today, we’re going to consider Bruh Paul’s prayer for inner growth in his letter to the Ephesians, for only through inner growth and maturity in our Christian faith, are we fully able to let go, to surrender our all to God and let him control our lives. 

Listen to Bruh Paul: ‘For this cause (Paul’s mission to the Gentiles) I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named (derived), That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height: And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph.3:14-19) 

Oh precious people of God, those are exactly the same things we need prayer for today; that we be strengthened by God’s mighty Spirit, so that we can successfully live the Christian life.  And for Christ to dwell sincerely in our hearts rooted and grounded in LOVE, as well as understand the great, the enormous LOVE that Christ has for us. And to be filled with all the fullness of God, ‘that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in us.’ 

And how do we come by all of that wonderful stuff eh? By doing what Bruh Paul did, praying to Almighty God! As our Bit so powerfully declares: ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.’ Yeh friends, that’s who is able to make all that wonderful stuff happen to and for us! 

As the scholars tell us: ‘3:20. In making the three above petitions (vs.16-19), Paul has not asked for too much. For he prays unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.’ Yes mih breddren, the God we serve and worship can indeed do much much more than we can ever ask or imagine. Our finite and puny minds can never come up with something He can’t do. 

Bruh Paul reminds the Corinthians: ‘Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor.1:25) Hn! And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul, then listen to the Lord Himself through the voice of the prophet Isaiah. 

‘For my thoughts (purposes, intentions) are not your thoughts, neither are your ways (directions) my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is.55:8-9) And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! For if God couldn’t do much more than us, why would we need Him eh? No reason whatsoever! 

Unfortunately though, that’s what some foolish men are preaching and too many foolish men believing! But can the same fools guarantee anything to man, their breath of life, or how long it will last? No! That should remind us of Jesus’ parable re the rich fool, who had so much that he thought he’d just big build bigger and better storehouses to provide for his later years. But when his soul was required of him that same night, he was unable to stop it. 

Ah friends, please don’t listen to the false teachers and preachers that abound in today’s society. Please read and meditate on the Good Book for yourself, so you’ll know what’s true from what is not. For the Lord is the One who created us and works all things in our lives. And as Bruh Paul ended that chapter: ‘Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen!’ (Eph.3:21) 

Please enjoy a blessed day! Much LOVE!

…once more I ask…how can the created…ever be greater than the Creator eh…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 May 2014 Luke 2:40

28 May 2014 Leave a comment

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

Luke 2:40.   And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Oh Friends, it’s such a joy to be able to sit on my front porch or back deck, in very little clothing, and just enjoy the heat of the sun pulsing through my arthritic body! Glory Hallelujah!

I’ve done that for the last two afternoons, and is it ever wonderful to actually feel the sun’s heat, not just see it shining brightly, while shivering from the cold that envelops us. It seems that at long last some truly summer weather might be upon us.

But please don’t get too excited and carried away Friends, for the weather people have forecasted lower temps until the weekend. I guess with the ever-changing weather patterns, that’s the new nature of the beast. Anyway, there’s not much we can do about the weather, but once we ‘re standing steadfast in faith, we will be able to deal with whatever comes our way.

Now here’s an interesting prayer from one of my favourite preachers, Gramps Schuller (Robert H. Schuller) from His Hour of Power Devotional. I think I might have shared it before, but that’s neither here nor there, because prayer is always fresh and timeless, regardless of age or how often we say and hear it.

And this prayer is titled ‘FILL ME!’ Wow! Even the title sounds good! (smile)

My people, let’s pray: ‘O Lord, like the thirsty deer which goes to drink from the mountain spring; like the growing flower which turns hungrily to the satisfying sun; like the empty pitcher which is carried to the fountain to be filled; so I come, O God, knowing that in this time of prayer my soul will be filled with your LOVE and your truth. Thank you! Amen.’

Yes my brethren, I surely hope that the Lord did fill you with His goodness, His mercy, forgiveness, peace, LOVE and whatever else you need to walk in faith with Him today. That’s why His mercies and blessings are new every morning; to give us our daily bread and lead us safely along life’s very treacherous paths.

And to show how our great and generous God fills us with what we need, let’s look at a couple scriptures, beginning with our Bit. ‘And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.‘

Oh Friends, that’s Jesus, the Good Book’s talking about, after He was presented to the Lord at the temple and Simeon had His prophecy fulfilled. (Luke 2:21-40)

And before that, almost the same thing was said about John the Baptist. ‘And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing (manifestation) unto Israel.’ (Luke 1:80)

The scholars note though: ‘2:40. Jesus’ progress may be compared with that of John (1:80). The former overshadows the latter from the very start.’

And that was how it should be! Our God doesn’t leave things to chance, but has a set plan for everything. We even have Jesus, in the Beatitudes talking about God filling us. ‘Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt.5:6)

And the psalmist proudly proclaims: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’ (Ps.107:8-9)

Then we have Bruh Paul preaching at Lystra, before they stoned him and left him for dead. Hn, hn! What a man was our Bruh Paul my people!

‘(God) Who in times past (past generations) suffered (allowed) all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling out hearts with food and gladness.’ (Acts 14:16-17)

Then we have him praying for the inner growth of the Ephesians. ‘That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph.3:17-19)

Now that was Bruh Paul’s general style; praying that his people would be filled, infused with the knowledge of God. And my brethren, there’s no doubt that our God fills us with whatever we need to walk holy and faithfully before Him.

And we’ll close with a scripture from the earliest of times, when the Lord was instructing Moses about the building of His tabernacle. This refers to the craftsmen. ‘And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship… and in the hearts of all that are wisehearted (gifted artisans) I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee.’ (Ex.31:1-3,6b)

See mih Friends, right from the beginning, God gave us the tools to do whatever He asked of us, and it hasn’t changed up to this day, and never will. That’s because He’s just that kind of God; kind, just and wise, empowering us to do His bidding, because He knows, without it we’ll fail miserably most of the time.

Therefore don’t be afraid to ask Him to fill you with whatever you need to do His will. You’ve got to ask, if you want to receive. Jesus said it. That’s means it’s heavenly wisdom. Much LOVE!

…for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord…as the waters cover the sea… (Hab.2:14)

P.S. Please excuse the lateness, but I went to bed late, got into a good novel (smile), then some fool or crook called on the phone around two a.m, and thinking that it must be something important at that hour of the morning, I answered it, only to get an annoying beep for my troubles. Chuh! That certainly didn’t help my sleep any. But not to worry, it’s all good! Much LOVE!