Today’s Scrip-Bit    9 September 2023 Genesis 39:21a.

09 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 39:21a.         But the Lord was with Joseph,

Oh friends, unfortunately there’s no bright sun shining outside, just a mess of threatening dark clouds. But the day is still young, and who knows what can happen; the mighty sun can still win the battle against those dreary clouds and shine forth valiantly. That’s the attitude, we believers ought to have, one of constant hope and positivity. 

And I guess some of you are wondering what I’m doing up so early on a lazy-day Saturday morning? Well, the truth is, by my standards, I went to bed early, and thus after a certain amount of time in bed, the various parts of my anatomy took umbrage that we were still lying there, and they began to act up negatively. And if it wasn’t for my absolute refusal to get up at such an early hour, despite the pain, we would have been up even earlier. 

Brother! What a life when you can’t lie in your warm, comfortable bed for more than four hours at a time without having your aches and pains act up and drive you out of that wonderful cocoon. (smile) But as we say, them’s the breaks, we just have to grin and bear it! Anyway, enough of my griping, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer with all sincerity and truth. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, that simple, heartfelt prayer touches my soul and calms me, makes me feel like I’m truly in God’s presence. Now, let’s get to that wonderful, God-engineered saga of Bruh Joseph. Yesterday we left him wrongfully cast into prison for sexual assault on his master Potiphar’s wife, but friends, when the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob writes your story, then you can be sure it’s unlike any other. So, let’s hear how the Bible reveals the story after Bruh Joseph was cast into prison. 

It says: ‘But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy (LOVING-kindness), and gave him favour (caused him to be viewed with favour) in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison, and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it (it was his doing). The keeper of the prison looked not to anything (did not look into anything) that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.’ (Gen. 39:21-23) 

Oh what a mighty and faithful God we serve my brethren! Yuh see, although Bruh Joseph was innocently undergoing some tough times, the Lord still made his life somewhat easier by causing him to experience the favour of those above him. And you’ll notice that in each instance, he was given power over others, so that he could learn the leadership skills he needed if he was to handle his God-given role properly. 

And who says our God isn’t a great dramatist eh? He’s the greatest of the great! In fact, He is the Creator of the genre! Just look at His book, the Bible, there’s no other tome in all of history that has so much drama, from Genesis right down to Revelation, thousands of years of history, it’s filled with pure drama, drama like no man can pen! And if yuh think you’d seen drama in Bruh Joseph’s story, believe me, the best is yet to come. 

The Lord writes it that Pharoah’s butler (cup-bearer) and baker offend him, and he places them in the same prison with Bruh Joseph. ‘And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward (were in custody for a while.’ (Gen. 40:4) Now the plot thickens. And the scholars explain that ‘when the captain charged Joseph with them, he gave Joseph control over administrative affairs in the prison, not merely over high-ranking prisoners (cf. 41:12).’ 

So, we know that Bruh Joseph was literally running the prison, while the captain of the guard merely enjoyed the title and perks that came with the position. But then, as the Lord would have it, both the butler and baker dream a dream the same night about Pharaoh. And when Bruh Joseph came in the next morning, they were totally sad and downcast. And he asked them ‘Wherefore look ye so sadly today? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.’ (Gen. 40:7-8) 

Now the scholars make a significant point here, when in response to the dreams of the perplexed baker and butler, they say that ‘Joseph’s immediate response was do not interpretations belong to God?’ And they point out that God was always the immediate response of his mind and give these references to prove it. (Gen. 39:9; 41:16, 51-52; 45:8) And if you look them up, you’ll see that yes, God was always uppermost in Bruh Joseph’s mind, just like it ought to be uppermost in ours. 

Now, let’s take a gander at the dreams of the butler and the baker. The butler dreamed that there was a vine before him: ‘And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes. And Pharoah’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: yet within three days shall Pharoah lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place (position): and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.’ (Gen. 40:10-13)  

Now that was certainly good news for the butler, and after interpreting the dream, Bruh Joseph made this request of him. ‘But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.’ (Gen. 40:14:15) 

And finally, we have the first recorded complaint of Bruh Joseph in all of his misfortunes. No doubt the unfair situation was eating away at his soul like a venomous cancer, but he never appears to complain about it before. How many of us would have borne such unfair misfortune so doggedly eh? Not many. We would have been up in arms crying out about the unfairness and injustice, the unfair restriction of our rights, and whatever other complaint that came to our minds. 

But my fellow saints, sometimes when we’re doing God’s will and the going gets tough, He expects us to hang in there with a good attitude, trusting in His faithfulness, in His promises that he will never leave nor forsake us, and always make a way for us where there seems to be no way. That’s what it means to walk faithfully with God! Much LOVE!

…our faith walk will always have bumps and potholes along the way…but we must be trusting enough…to know that God will see us through those rough periods… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 September 2023 Nehemiah 2:8b.

02 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Nehemiah 2:8b.       And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.

And another beautiful lazy-day summer Saturday is on tap! Yes friends, this Labour Day weekend, the last of the summer break, promises to be a fine one, so let’s enjoy it to the max, but without confusion and conflict. Let’s be compassionate and kind to all we come into contact with, for that’s the way of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that’s how He lived his life here on earth. And since we are His agents and ambassadors down here, we ought to follow the LOVING example that He set us. 

So, to help us do just that, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, saying that simple, heartfelt prayer, opens me up, does exactly what it says, slows my thoughts and quiets my soul, so that I am more receptive to God’s overwhelming and awesome presence. So, let’s sit quietly for a moment nuh, and enjoy the peace that comes with that prayer. As the psalmist would say: ‘Selah.’ – pause and ponder it. (smile) 

And now that we have paused and pondered our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, and hopefully put some peace and calm in our souls, let’s see what the Lord has for us to talk about today. And the Good Library opened upon the prayer of Nehemiah, the Babylonian king’s cupbearer, after he received the news in Babylon that Jerusalem was in bad shape. He was told: ‘The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction (distress) and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.’ (Neh. 1:3) 

And in those olden times, when the walls and gates of your city were broken and burnt, that meant you were easy prey for all and sundry. Now it’s important to note Nehemiah’s reaction to that information. The Bible tells us: ‘And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.’ (Neh. 1:4) 

One wonders why he had such a heartfelt reaction to the situation of his homeland Jerusalem when previously he was not amongst the important personages there. In fact, not much is known about Nehemiah’s early life, but the Lord obviously put it in his heart to remedy the situation, and apparently he fasted and prayed about it for a few months, offering up his famous prayer of repentance, which can be found in Neh. 1:5-11. 

This last verse is possibly the most important part of that prayer. ‘O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.’ (Neh. 1:11) And yuh know what my people? Nehemiah could later report to those at Jerusalem: ‘And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.’ (Neh. 2:8b) 

Yes, after seeing Nehemiah’s sad countenance, when he came to deliver his wine, the Persian King, Artaxerxes enquired as to his low spirits. ‘Why is thy countenance (face, expression) sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of the heart.’ (Neh. 2:2) The king was very perceptive. And though Nehamiah was afraid of the king’s reaction, he nonetheless laid out the situation for him, and asked to be allowed to return to his homeland and rebuild the walls and the gates. 

Now, one must realize that in those days the king had absolute authority; he could do exactly as he pleased, and asking such a request, if it displeased the king, Nehemiah’s head could easily have rolled without any recourse to justice, for the king was the sole arbiter of justice. But when our God is in control, even the most unlikely things happen my fellow saints. And to the surprise of all, the king granted Nehemiah’s request; gave him the necessary papers to get all he needed and those to provide him free passage and the authority to be governor of Jerusalem while the rebuilding took place. 

I don’t know if Nehemiah himself could believe the blessings that were poured out on him, by the king, through the great mercies of God. But he went to Jerusalem, brought order to the chaos that existed there, and completed the task of rebuilding the walls and gates in a record 52 days. ‘So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul (Aug. to Sept) in fifty and two days.’ (Neh. 6:15) 

And all that despite serious opposition from three main characters. Sanballat the Horonite ( a Samaritan), Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem, the Arab. Nehamiah writes: ‘When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant , the Ammonite, heard of it (his coming to Jerusalem to straighten things out), it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.’ (Neh. 2:10) 

Then later on, when Nehamiah finally got the people to understand what he was all about. He writes: ‘Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.  

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion (heritage), nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.’ (Neh. 2:18-20) 

Oh my people, yuh see what strong faith in our great God can do? Nehemiah wasn’t afraid of his detractors, for he had the king’s authority, the people’s backing and the Lord’s favour all on his side. And I like how he reproached the three stooges who kept bothering him: ‘The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build.’ 

Yes my brethren, those same words are still applicable to us today! Our great God is still on our side, and with His awesome help we too can arise and build a great and godly society, but we need to be inspired and be as faithful as the Israelites were back there in the disastrous situation in Jerusalem. 

And believe me, we do have a very disastrous situation in our current world, that needs fixing very quickly, and only with God’s help and our unwavering faith will it ever get done! So please, let’s get to it nuh. The Lord is waiting for us to strengthen both our hands and our faith so that we can do His marvellous and oh so necessary work! Much LOVE!

… it doesn’t matter who you are…when God gives you a job to do…He also gives you the wherewithal…the strength and the tools to do it…                             

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 August 2023 Psalm 73:17.

26 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:17.        Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

‘Beautiful days are here again! Glory Hallelujah!’ Yes friends, after a few wet, dark and cloudy days, our lazy-day Saturday has opened bright and sparkling, with blue skies all around. We’ll never refuse a beautiful day, even if it’s on a lazy-day Saturday. (smile) And I guess you’re wondering what I’m doing up so early on this day given over to laziness. Well, I just happened to get up early and decided to get a move on, to enjoy my lazy time after the Bit, rather than before it. So, with all of that in mind, let’s begin by saying our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ Oh my people, don’t those words just bring a calm, relaxing presence to your spirit, body and soul? They surely do to mine! 

Now, yesterday we promised that if God granted us life, today we’d continue looking at that rather interesting and appropriate Psalm 73, which talks about the prosperity of the wicked. And since we are still alive and kicking, (smile) let’s get to it. In the first part of the psalm yesterday, we saw how the wicked can prosper right throughout their lives despite Bruh David saying in Psalm 37, that they will soon be destroyed. And that fact got the psalmist Asaph to wondering about the purpose of righteousness when the wicked were prospering in their wickedness while seriously oppressing the righteous.

And it almost caused him to stumble. As he said: ‘For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps, 73:3) Now that situation affects all of us, for it’s a sort of contradiction to God’s word. But what we have to realize is that God didn’t say exactly when He would destroy the wicked, just that He would do it. 

And furthermore, our job is not to be envious of them, but to remain righteous and do God’s will, believe His promises and live in obedience to his plan for our lives, like Bruh David says in Psalm 37:4-8. Delight, commit, trust, rest in the Lord, etc. etc. ‘For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but they that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. (Ps. 37:9)  

But, fortunately, the psalmist Asaph, after almost stumbling, found the cure for his ailment. As he writes, it was not ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (Ps. 73:17) And the scholars explain: ‘The second part of the psalm is prompted by the content of verse 17. Not until the psalmist entered God’s sanctuary and received a divine perspective on the wicked’s prosperity, did he find his answer to the problem. 

He saw the destiny of the wicked: ‘Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brough into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.’ (Ps. 73:18-20)  

Then he repented of the envy that he had so foolishly allowed to envelop him. ‘Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins (pierced in my mind). So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.’ (Ps. 73: 21-22) And as the scholars tell us, then he finally ‘found his happiness solely in a warm and growing relationship with God (vs. 23-28).’ 

So let’s see what those verses say nuh. ‘Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden (held) me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73: 23-28) 

Now friends, that’s the kind of strong and steadfast declaration (steups!!!) we believers ought to be sincerely making, especially in these dark and troubled times, when the wicked are prospering more than ever, and the poor and righteous are suffering through no fault of their own. And it’s certainly not easy to do when all the unfairness and inhumanity are blatantly being perpetrated right before our very eyes. But we need to stand strong on God’s word, that the wicked will be destroyed in God’s time, while if we stay righteous, we will inherit His goodness and mercy. 

And, as the scholars conclude: ‘The point of the psalm is driven home even more dramatically when remembering that Asaph, the author, was a spiritual man who grew up with deeply religious training. (1 Chr. 15:16-19; 16:4-7; 2 Chr. 5:12; 29:30)’ Yes friends, Asaph was one of the singers appointed by Bruh David to accompany the ark of the covenant. The Bible tells us: ‘And he (Bruh David) appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel: Asaph the chief…’ (1 Chr. 16:4-5) 

And from 2 Chronicles 29, we read: ‘Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.’ (2 Chr. 29:30) Yes my faithful brethren, Asaph was a very bright, influential and spiritual man in Bruh David’s time, and that’s why to this day, we still sing the psalms he wrote. So if a man of his stature could fall prey to the envy of the prosperity of the wicked, why wouldn’t so many more of us today, who are not nearly as spiritual and righteous? 

And it just goes to show the power of Satan, once we allow him into our souls. That’s why it’s ever so important for us to do as Peter says: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-11) 

And my fellow saints, there are no better words for us to end on this lazy-day Saturday. So please, let’s read and inwardly digest them, then put them into action in our lives. It will be one of the best decisions we can ever make! Much LOVE!

…commit thy way unto the Lord…trust also in him…and he shall bring it to pass…. (Ps. 37:5)  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 August 2023 Psalm 30:5b.

19 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 30:5b.       …weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

And it’s a cool and windy but sunshiny lazy-day Saturday! So there’s nothing to complain about; just oodles of time to laze around in good weather. (smile) Unfortunately though, some of us don’t have that luxury, we have to be about our Father’s business. And since my lazy time has been cut short, I’ll be selfish and take you along with me. So please accompany me as we declare (yesss!!!) our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

Altogether now. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And without fail, that simple, heartfelt prayer touched something in me, opened up a pathway, as it were, that led directly to God’s awesome presence. It’s the kind of thing that happens when you open up your heart to the Lord and pour out all that’s in it. When you pray for things like God’s unceasing nearness, His awesome LOVE and peace, and the ability to know Him more, His presence just naturally shows up and quietens our hearts. It’s like Bruh David cried out in Psalm 30 – Praise for God’s Holiness. 

He unashamedly proclaims: ‘I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave (Sheol, the place of the dead): thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (grave).’ (Ps. 30:1-3) Yes friends, it’s the Lord who keeps us and our souls alive and refreshed, and not mired in the pit of unrighteousness. 

Therefore, as Bruh David continues: ‘Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (His holy name). For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.’ (Ps. 30:4-5) And how wonderful is that eh my fellow believers? It certainly is, for there’s no other god like our God, who doesn’t retain His anger at us, or hold our sins over our heads for ever and ever. But for that very reason we have to be humble and not boast or be prideful when we receive the Lord’s favour. 

As Bruh David said: ‘And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved (shaken). Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit (grave)? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord be thou my helper.’ (Ps. 30:6-10) 

Ah my fellow saints, you see how quickly the Lord can take away His favour if we allow His goodness to make us become proud and haughty. Regardless of how much favour and LOVING-kindness our God pours out on us, He expects us to remain humble and obedient to His every word, not get too big for our britches and stop considering or forget where our prosperity came from. 

But sadly, that’s something way too many of us do. The Lord blesses us, and we are joyful at the moment, but soon forget it, or become so accustomed to His blessings that they longer move us the way they ought to. But please remember that just as blessings can be bountifully bestowed, they can also become non-existent if our behaviour becomes inappropriate. Remember too that the Lord is no respecter of persons; be we big or small, weak or strong, our positions in life doesn’t matter. It’s all about how we react to Him and His favour. 

So, apparently Bruh David got a li’l too big for his britches and the Lord removed His favour, which troubled him, and he came back crying for help, for mercy. But even that shows the kind of person Bruh David was. He wasn’t too proud to beg when he’d done wrong. But some of us are so proud and arrogant, that even when we know we’ve done wrong, be it before the Lord or our fellow man, we refuse to apologize and/or ask for mercy. We’re just so full of ourselves and our supposed importance that apologizing or asking for mercy and help are beneath us. But that’s why we suffer so many setbacks and disappointments. 

Meanwhile those who drop the false pride and ask for forgiveness and help, usually receive it, because our God is a forgiving and merciful God when He sees the sincerity of our hearts. Consequently, Bruh David could afford to write: ‘Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth (the ragged clothes of my mourning), and girded me with gladness. To the end that my glory (my soul) may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.’ (Ps. 30:11-12) And that’s how it ought to be my people! 

Now the scholars tell us that there’s no certainty of when and for what purpose the Psalm was written, but ‘In later Judaism the psalm was used in the celebration of Hanukkah (the Jewish festival at Christmas) and at the presentation of firstfruits. The main idea of the psalm, in any case, is clearly expressed: Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing (vs.11). The joy and thanks voiced in the final two verses, however, are only the aftermath of David’s thanks (vs. 1-5) for the Lord’s chastening hand on a boastful servant (vs. 6-10).’ 

Please friends, let’s remember God’s awesome truth this lazy-day Saturday. ‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons). My son, despise not thou the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the LOVETH he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.’ (Heb. 12:5-6) 

Now that’s a most appropriate scripture for us to end on today. So, I implore us to spend some of our lazy-day Saturday meditating, contemplating and pondering on it. ‘It shall be health to our navels (bodies), and marrow (strength or refreshment) to our bones.’ (smile)  (Prov. 3:8) Much LOVE!

… as our dear departed Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) would say…the best way to live this life…is to obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 August 2023   1 Samuel 2:1a.

12 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 2:1a.       And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn (strength) is exalted in the Lord:

Oh my people, it’s a classic lazy-day Saturday in my area. It’s dark and cloudy, windy with sprinkles of rain. Ideal for just sitting or lying down and lazing away the day. But, unfortunately, I’ve already had my morning lazy time, so let’s turn to the Father’s business. And we’ll begin by saying our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer…but not in a lazy manner though. We have to pull ourselves up and be sincere and serious, if we want to receive a positive response. 

So, as one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And it’s amazing how that simple, soul-searching prayer always affects me more than I expect. I guess because it opens up my spirit to the true nearness of God, and shows how easy it is to connect with Him if we truly desire to do so. And since it seems like God spared our lives, (smile) today we’ll continue talking about the prophet Samuel, the first of the great Hebrew prophets, after Moses, and the last judge of Israel, for after him, kings reigned over Israel, starting with Saul, whom Samuel anointed. 

Now, yesterday we saw how Samuel’s mother, barren and socially despised for her unfortunate condition, sincerely prayed to God, ‘with bitterness of soul and sore weeping’ for a man child, whom she promised would be the Lord’s servant all his life. And the Lord granted her petition not only with Samuel, but with three sons and two daughters. That’s the overwhelming generosity of our great God. And Hannah kept het vow to God, for when Samuel was about three years old, she went to Eli the priest with a sacrificial bullock and gave him into the Lord’s service. 

‘And she said (to Eli), Oh my lord, as my soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him. Therefore also I have lent (granted) him to the Lord, as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.’ (1 Sam. 1:26-28) 

Now that was an incredibly brave and faithful move by Hannah, for she had promised that if God gave her a son, she would place him in the Lord’s service for all his life. And she faithfully kept that vow, unlike so many of us who plead with God to do stuff for us and make all sorts of promises, but then never follow through with our promises. Remember though, as Cousin Sol says in Ecclesiastes, the Lord has no pleasure in fools, or those who don’t keep their promises. Better not to promise, than to promise and not pay. (Eccl. 5:4-5) 

But yuh know something friends, we hear a whole lot about Samuel and his great work in God’s service, but I don’t think we hear enough about his mother Hannah, who in his very early years inculcated God’s goodness and mercy into her son, just like Mary, Jesus’ mother disappeared from view for most of his later life, but was very instrumental in raising Him to be the man He became. 

And just like Mary, Jesus’ mother waxed poetic and emotional in song (the Magnificat) after hearing about her impending pregnancy with the Messiah, the Son of God, (Luke 1:-56), likewise Hannah raised up her voice in praise and thanksgiving with this song after God’s miraculous gift of motherhood. 

‘And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn (strength) is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over (smiles at) mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation- There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceedingly proudly; let not arrogancy (arrogance) come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased (ceased to hunger): so that the barren hath born seven; (cf. Ps. 113:9) and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lords, and he hath set the world upon them. 

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn (strength) of his anointed.’ (1 Sam. 2:1-10) 

Oh my brethren, another great song and poetic masterpiece to be found in the Bible, God’s everlasting Word! That’s why it’s the most important and bestselling Book in the universe! And the scholars explain that ‘Hannah owes her strength and newly found success to the Lord’s provision for her. Her psalm (vs. 1-10) praises the Lord for giving her victory in the issues of life.’ 

Now friends, how many of us sincerely praise the Lord when He gives us obvious victory in the issues of our lives eh? Not enough of us, because we have become so accustomed to His largesse, we start taking it for granted and don’t appreciate it as much as we ought to. But we have to change that entitled, unappreciative attitude, especially in these trying and troubled times when we need Almighty God so much more in our lives! And I know Hannah’s song is one many of us didn’t know about until now. 

But that’s why it’s so important to study the Bible, for there are so many hidden gems contained therein. And the beauty of it all is that they all speak to us in different ways, as the Lord sees fit to direct us. So what might pertain specifically to you at one stage of your life, might not pertain to me, and vice versa. And what’s truly amazing is that you can read a passage of scripture several times and get a different perspective on each reading. That’s because it’s God’s inerrant and irreversible truth, written to give us direction in all aspects and situations of life. 

Now, on this cold, dark, rainy lazy-day Saturday, let’s spend some of our lazy time perusing God’s Word and/or simple talking to Him nuh, opening up our hearts and souls to Him like Hannah did; first with sincere prayer over her serious situation, then with praise and rejoicing after He had given her victory. That’s all our God really expects of us yes; to communicate seriously and sincerely with him. Let’s do just that today nuh. It will make a whole lotta difference in our lives! Much LOVE!

…there’s no greater peace, joy and victory to be had…than in sincere communication with our Maker… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 August 2023 Psalm 68:1.

05 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 68:1.       Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

Oh friends, it’s Lazy -day Saturday…and do I ever need it, after a rough outing at the Pan Alive Festival last night in Toronto. What a fiasco that turned out to be, especially after my pardner and I got there early, about six o’clock, when it was officially scheduled to begin. The only thing on time was the box office, an improvement over last year. The doors weren’t even opened, but that was not a big problem because the crowd was still very sparse. I guess they learned from previous experience that it never starts on time. 

Then at 7.15, they promised to begin at 7.30. Somewhere in the eight o’clock vicinity they opened with some Indigenous drumming, and then a Nigerian drummer did his thing. Then as happens every year, they couldn’t find the judges. The first panside didn’t play the first note until 8.30, and then it sounded terrible because they put it through the sound system which wasn’t properly set up for the pans. The whole night we were plagued with reverberations and problems with the sound system, where the pans were concerned. And nobody in the crew thought to do something about it. 

So the next three bands played through it, but then the fifth band, Pan Masters, walked off the stage and they were forced to fix it. That meant the last three bands Pan Masters, Pan Fantasy, and Afro Pan sounded more like they should sound. And as far as I’m concerned, Pan Fantasy mash them up again! (smile) Ah Lord eh? When are we going to learn to plan things properly and have them set up on time? That’s why our reputation for putting on functions is so terrible. 

Anyway, when they got the sound problem fixed for the pans, D.J Bad Lad began playing some old tunes and the partying in the stands truly began, with a crowd that had by then increased substantially. In the beginning I vowed that would be my last Pan Alive Concert, but by the end, at 12 am. I might have changed my mind, (smile) because the vibes are usually beautiful at the pan festival. It’s sad though, that after their boast of putting on the show for fifty something years, they still can’t get it right. 

Enough of my jabbering though. Let’s get serious and invoke our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And do I ever need that refreshing of the Lord’s Spirit this Saturday morning. It just reminds me that I’m no longer a spring chicken and I can’t try to burn the candles at both ends at the same time. (smile) And today we’re just going to keep things simple and extol our great God through these marvellous words of Bruh David in Psalm 68 – subtitled – The Triumphant God. 

The scholars tell us that the psalm probably details the moving of the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Obed-edom to the new location on Zion’s mountain in Jerusalem. (2 Sam. 6:2-18) That’s when Bruh David danced before the Lord with all his might; an expression of spiritual joy, although his wife Michal saw his conduct as unbecoming of the king. In the psalm Bruh David reflects on the blessings of God on His people, Israel, and the conquest of her foes. 

Please proclaim with me: ‘Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God: sing praises to his name: extol (praise) him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, (a shortened form of Lord), and rejoice before him.’ (Ps. 68:1-4) 

Yes friends, that’s how we, the righteous of the land ought to extol and praise the name of the Lord! And even when we come griping and complaining to Him, our first words must always be of praise and reverence, of respect for His overwhelming sovereignty, His dominance over the universe He so wonderfully created. In this case, after Bruh David gave thanks and praise, he then proceeded to elucidate the goodness of our magnificent Creator on His people’s behalf. 

Let’s read again: ‘A father of the fatherless, and a judge (defender) of widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary (lonely) in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains (into prosperity): but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.’ (Ps. 68: 5-6) Please note that my people, our God is a defender of the poor, the downtrodden and lonely. He stands up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. So please be careful how you treat any who fall into those categories, for you will have the Lord God Almighty to deal with. 

And Bruh David continues his exaltation of the works of Jehovah God on Israel’s behalf. ‘O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped (rain) at the presence of God: even Sinai (Mt. Sinai) itself was moved at the presence of the God, the God of Israel. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.’ (Ps. 68:7-10) 

And that’s no lie friends, the Lord always prepares of His goodness for them that fear and reverence Him. So please, on this lazy-day Saturday, let’s take a little of that lazy time and reflect on God’s goodness in our own lives nuh. I guarantee that it will open our eyes wide with surprise at the amount of goodness He has actually bestowed on us, and that will oh so joyfully deepen the beautiful feelings of intimacy we each share with Almighty God! Much LOVE!

…ALL believers enjoy the tremendous goodness of God…it’s just that we don’t acknowledge it like we should… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 July 2023 Psalm 24:1.

29 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 24:1.       The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

And what a perfect way to begin a lazy-day Saturday: dark and cloudy, raining and somewhat humid! Yes friends, that fits in very well with the kind of Saturday morning we desire, where there are no pressing circumstances to attend to, and one can simply take one’s time to do anything…or nothing. (smile) Anyway, my lazy time for this morning has already been used up by lying in bed, so it now behooves me to get to the Father’s business. Therefore, let’s now offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity of heart, mind, body and soul. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Now, that’s cutting straight to the chase. No messing about with a whole lot of unnecessary, flowery words, but getting right down the nitty gritty, letting the Lord know how much we LOVE, desire and need Him, how grateful we are for His awesome presence and nearness in our lives, the way He comforts and relaxes us, and He’s oh awesome and amazing that we just thirst and hunger to know Him more, to get ever closer to His magnificent person that just overflows with LOVING-kindness! 

Wow! There’s certainly no other God as wonderful as our God Jehovah! In fact, there’s no other God BUT our God Jehovah! All other supposed gods are fakes and failures, dead to the world! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the One True and Living God in existence, the One who made the universe and all therein! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to these words of Bruh David from Psalm 24, which prove my declaration. (steups!!!) Read with me: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers).’ (Ps. 24:1-2) 

Meanwhile Ethan the Ezrahite writes in Psalm 89: ‘O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab (Egypt) in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon (mountains) shall rejoice in thy name. 

Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgement (righteousness and justice) are the habitation (foundation) of thy throne: mercy (LOVING-kindness) and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed are the people who know that joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn (strength) shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defence: and the Holy One of Israel is our king.’ (Ps. 89:8-18) 

Oh my fellow saints, what a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve! A God whose foundation is based on truth, justice and LOVE! And the truth is that I wasn’t planning to include so much of the psalm, possibly just verses 11and 12, but when I read all that beautiful and powerful description about our great God, I just had to include it. (smile) 

And my people, we can never know too much about wonderful God or give Him enough glory. So please, wherever, whenever and however we encounter God’s praises, let’s take serious note of them and file them in our hearts so that later on we can bring them to remembrance and use them for His glory and our praise. That takes us to another great passage of scripture extolling God’s greatness, where Bruh David blesses the Lord, as the Israelites generously made their offerings to build God’s temple. 

Read with me: ‘Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: And David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.’ (1 Chr. 29:10-13) 

Oh friends, what a powerful exaltation on our wonderful God’s behalf! And the beauty of it all is that Bruh David knew in spades what he was talking about, because all throughout his long, interesting and contrary life, he felt the power of God working in and for him. And the same thing will happen to us if we stand up strong and live for the Lord the way Bruh David did! He wasn’t perfect, but through thick and thin, He made the Lord his constant companion, always seeking His will and His favour. 

And that’s all the Lord asks of us yes: to seek His will and favour. But we’re so rebellious and so intent on doing our own thing because of our free will, that we often stumble and fall, and only then become wise and cry out to the Lord for help. But friends, a lot of those mistakes can be avoided if we wake up and walk with the Lord right from the very beginning. 

But no, we foolishly want to spread our wings and fly in our own strength, forgetting that we’re not birds, who were meant for that purpose. We were made to walk, and the only way we could ever fly, even like the lowly sparrow, much less soar like the mighty eagle, is with the help and strength of Almighty God. Please, let’s remember that when we try to get ahead of ourselves. Much LOVE!

…in the beginning…God created the heaven and the earth… (Gen. 1:1) 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 July 2023 Jeremiah 29:13.

15 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 29:13.       And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And it’s a cool, cloudy morning, with rain in the offing, but it’s the perfect kind of atmosphere for a lazy-day Saturday my bredrin! Where you don’t need to do anything or go anywhere, but just relax and laze some time away in idle but not evil thinking. (smile) Hopefully though, within that lazy time, we will communicate with our heavenly Father, for although doing nothing is sometimes an option, disregarding Him, is never one! 

And if there’s one thing our heavenly likes better than one on one communication is corporate worship, because it shows Him that there is unity in the body of Christ, and with the general state of the world, that most certainly warms the cockles of His heart. So, let’s communicate with Him right now through our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Oh my people, that prayer never ceases to touch me! I guess because it brings home to me the awesome presence and wonder of our great God spiritually interacting with us with amazing compassion and kindness as we humble ourselves and ask for His grace and mercy. Wow! I hope we realize what an awesome and amazing God we serve, one full of LOVE and tenderness towards His most precious but disobedient creation! 

Yes friends, when you truly seek to know the Lord, you’ll be surprised at the unusual and unexpected places you’ll find Him, see His unerring hand at work. It’ll be so unnatural that you’ll know without a doubt that it’s the hand of God moving in your life! Likewise with little things that will suddenly jump out at you. In the greater scheme of life, they’ll be small and insignificant, but somehow or the other they will make a big impact on you, opening your eyes to miraculous and mysterious ways in which our God moves. 

And one of the reasons I believe we don’t see out God more, or appreciate Him more, is because we tend to look for Him in the big things of life. However, He is more present and available, easier seen in the li’l, seemingly unimportant, everyday aspects of life. And a lazy-day Saturday is just the time to look for Him, to seek Him in all the most unusual and unexpected places. 

Remember what Moses said to the Israelites about repentance and seeking the Lord. ‘But if from thence (their disobedience and idol worship) thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” (Deut. 4:29) And many years later, on the Lord’s behalf, Jeremiah gave the Israelites the same warning, or solution for their problems during their captivity in Babylon. 

‘But I know the thoughts that I have toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord…’ (Jer. 29:11-14) 

Ah friends, the message is still the same today. When we are in distress, when problems overwhelm us, or we’re simply lonely or aimless, whatever the situation, seeking God with our whole hearts is the wisest decision we can make! And how do we seek God with our whole hearts? One commentary gives us this answer: ‘When Jesus gave His life for us on that cross, when God prioritized our salvation above everything else, it wasn’t for us to make Him a side thought. But for us to surrender our lives to Him and embrace the one He has for us. This is how we seek God with our whole heart.’ 

And this other commentary encourages us: ‘God is a God hearing prayer; he listens to the requests of his people, and answers them in his own time and way; which is no small encouragement to pray unto him.’ That’s for sure! If He is our Creator, our Provider, our Heavenly Father and controls all that happens in our lives, it’s only logical and sensible that we need to seek Him out for help in our topsy-turvy lives. 

Seeking and searching are ever so important in our Christian faith my brethren. Jesus set the stage for that when He warned: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Then He followed it up by later declaring (yesss!!!) ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) 

That undoubtedly means that Christians should always be asking, seeking and knocking, looking for the truth in all situations, as well as seeking to open the hearts of others so that they too can know Jesus and seek and serve Him with their whole hearts. Oh my fellow saints, our Christian life is supposed to be one of action, always moving along a path that leads to Jesus, doing our best to personally seek and serve Him, as well as spread the good news of His gospel to the many who have never heard it. 

And we can only do that successfully if we are united, united as one church, one body of Christ. So, let’s begin today by seeking unity amongst ourselves nuh, let’s ask for it, knock on closed doors for it. Let’s desire and actively pursue a unity that will propel Christ’s church to the forefront of this world, its rightful place! Much LOVE!

…to seek…to search…to find…that is the Christian’s duty… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 July 2023   2 Peter 3:9b.

08 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Peter 3:9b.      God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Thank the Lord for lazy-day Saturdays! Yes, without them we’d be totally flummoxed; confused and perplexed about this life we’re living. But these lazy-day Saturdays give us a chance to sit back and relax, to think and reason, as well as to do nothing, to just allow the senses and the body to drift wherever they may desire. (smile) And that’s why they say B.S baffles brains! 

Anyway, I’ve already used up most of my lazy-day time, so let’s get back to reality. It’s nice to be lazy, and the Father does give us some leeway for it, but the facts be known, without exception, He still expects us to take up our cross every day and follow Him. So let’s get down to the Father’s business. And we’ll begin by declaring (yesss!) our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Oh my fellow believers, that’s such a beautiful and heartfelt prayer; just wishing us closer to our great God, our Comforter, our Provider and Place of Refuge! And there’s nothing that we can ever desire that’s more useful and beautiful than getting closer to God! In fact, that’s one of the main reasons He created us; for close and intimate communion with Him. But unfortunately, for whatever reason, many of us have unwisely decided to turn away from Him, and that hurts His heart and seriously disappoints Him. 

And wouldn’t it hurt your heart too if after your children went astray, you gave up your best possession, your only Son, to offer them an olive branch, an offering of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation and they totally refuse your offer? Oh, you most certainly would! So let’s put that in our pipe and smoke it nuh, and consider how God feels after He sacrificed His one Son Jesus, for a bunch of ungrateful sinners, who are now blaspheming His holy name and trying to kick Him out of the universe that He created. 

And the sad part of the whole situation is that our reluctance to accept God’s grace and mercy,  seems to hurt Him more than it does us. He has nothing to lose by our unwise actions, and we have so much to gain, but because of His abiding great and unconditional LOVE for us, it breaks His heart when we turn down His offer of salvation and eternal life. The Bible tells us: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his own LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)  

And remember what we read in the scriptures yesterday? That God is ‘not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:5b) Yes my friends, the Lord doesn’t want any of His most wonderful but ungrateful creation to perish in hellfire with Satan and thus be eternally separated from Him. It’s just like when our children choose an unwise path to tread, we feel sad and distraught, because we know that that path can only lead to heartache and destruction. 

And it’s even more heartbreaking when we offer our sincere help and it’s refused. Just think how that makes us feel, and multiply that terrible feeling several times, and it might just give us a li’l insight into how our heavenly Father feels about our turning away from His overtures of grace and mercy. And it’s not only with the coming of Jesus that the Lord was unhappy with our behaviour and desired eternal life for us. 

No, from way back in the time of the prophet Ezekiel, He also made clear His express desire on the subject, when He said to Ezekiel: ‘Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked: but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezek. 33:11) 

Oh my people, it’s the very same question the Lord is putting to us today; why should we die when we can live eternally with Him in paradise? It makes no sense whatsoever! And how often has this same question been posed to us eh? Moses posed it to the children of Israel, when he said: ‘I call heaven and earth to record (as witnesses) against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) 

That obviously didn’t hold the Israelites for long because they continued with their rebellious behaviour and complaining, never contented attitudes. Then later on, Joshua in his last years again warned the Israelites: ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood (the Euphrates river), or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other Gods.’ (Josh. 24:15-16) 

But they did forsake the Lord, all down through the ages, for which they suffered serious consequences. Now friends, our situation is very similar to theirs; we have the option of choosing to live for Jesus or to go down the destructive path that Beelzebub has set before us. And the latter option is fraught with danger and destruction, not to mention eternal separation from God, the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul. 

It’s like Joshua said to his people. ‘If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt (harm), and consume you, after that he hath done you good.’ (Josh. 24:20) And that’s exactly what happened to them on several occasions, and what will happen to us if we forsake the Lord and serve Satan. All throughout the Bible the Lord warns about the destruction of the wicked. 

Psalm 37 tells us: ‘Mark the perfect (blameless) man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.’ (Ps. 37:37-40) 

That says a whole lot friends, re the ends of the wicked and the righteous. And in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Himself warned: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow (difficult, confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt. 7:13-14) 

Now, in light of all we’ve said, the best and wisest option we have here on earth is obviously living for Jesus, following the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. And as for me and my house…we will serve the Lord! Much LOVE!

…to live for now…or to live for the hereafter…that is the question… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 July 2023 Matthew 16:6.

01 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 16:6.       Then Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Well friends, this Lazy -day Saturday has certainly opened into a bright and sparkling summer’s day, although with some warnings of smoke. But, despite that negative attachment, it promises to be a wonderful celebration of our country’s birthday! So, a Happy Canada Day to all you my Scrip-Bit friends and families! May the Lord bless us with all we need to enjoy this memorable weekend, as we remember that Canada is still one of the few countries you can move around with a fair amount of freedom and without too much provocation re racial and religious and political matters. 

And most of all, let’s remember the One who gave us all the good things that we have; Almighty God, and give Him the proper thanks, praise and reverence that He deserves. Now, as one sincere voice, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Oh my faithful brethren, every time we say that prayer, it touches something deep within me. I guess it just seems to bring us closer to our heavenly Father in real time. And it seems to be ever so appropriate for a lazy-day Saturday, where we have no pressing commitments, so we can afford to relax and spend some satisfying quiet time with our Creator and Provider, our Comforter and place of Refuge. And I hope you all feel the same way, and do spend some quiet time with the One who LOVES us so much that He sacrificed His only Son Jesus for our benefit. 

And do I ever LOVE the Good Library, for as always, when I don’t know what to say and I open it, it always points me to something interesting. And today it opened unto the 16th Chapter of Matthew where Jesus had just finished berating the Pharisees and Sadducees re asking for a sign from heaven, an outward miraculous manifestation, then left them standing in awe and confusion. (Matt. 16:1-4) Then He went on to warn the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

The Good Library relates it thus: ‘And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them. O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets you took up?’ (Matt. 16:5-10) 

And it is indeed amazing that the disciples could forget the two miracles Jesus did with little food to serve a multitude and then have plenty left over. And those miracles you can find in several of the gospels, but for easy access, I’ll just quote them from Matthew; Chapter 14:15-21 and Chapter 15:32-38. So they should have realized that it really had nothing to do with them not bringing bread, for if the situation truly warranted it, Jesus had the awesome power to provide actual bread for them, to fill all their physical needs and still have much left over. 

But their young, uneducated minds never considered those things, thus Jesus had to explain it further to them. ‘How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, but that ye should beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Then understood they how he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine (teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ (Matt. 16:11-12) And yuh know what my fellow believers, that warning of Jesus still holds true for all of us today, because there are still many out there who are teaching a false or incorrect gospel, one slanted to their own unscrupulous desires. 

That leads us to these prophetic words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers (irreconcilable), false accusers (slanderers), incontinent (without self-control), fierce (brutal), despisers of those that are good, 

Traitors, heady (reckless), highminded (haughty), lovers of pleasures more than (rather than) lovers of God: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-7) 

Oh my bredrin, I don’t know if these are the last days or not, because there are many arguments over the signs etc., but what I do know for sure is that all those things Bruh Paul warned Timothy about are very rampant in our current world. And if you don’t see them, then you’re living with your head in the sky or in the dirt. Lawlessness and irresponsibility are at unbelievable heights. Promises are made and broken without remorse. Pleasure is our number one activity. And we boast so much about what we don’t have that it’s shameful. 

Oh friends, apostasy, that’s abandonment and renunciation of our religious beliefs is definitely alive and well. You see people all over the place turning away from God, and there’s even a foolish movement afoot to try and completely rid our society of God. Hn! That’s undoubtedly a fool’s wisdom! For it will never happen, because God will never allow it. He might allow us to do all sorts of other nonsense, but rid the society of His awesome presence…NEVER! 

And we’ll close with a couple of explanations from the scholars on those verses above. They say that ‘A form of godliness is mere religion without power or spiritual life. Paul commands Timothy to turn away from those false teachers who prey upon silly women laden with sins, who are especially susceptible to false teachers. Ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth condemns not intense study, but some esoteric quest for truth apart from God’s word.’ 

And is there ever much questing for truth today my fellow saints. Never knew there could be more than one truth. But everybody seems to have their own truth in these perilous times. And those who don’t have it, are unfortunately searching for truth in all the wrong places, when it’s right in front of their very faces, in the Word of God! Much LOVE!

…hereby knoweth ye the Spirit of God…every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh…is of God… (1 John 4:2)    

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

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