Today’s Scrip-Bit   3 January 2024 John 14:15.

03 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 14:15.        If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.

Well, at long last all the holiday celebrations are over and we can get back to reality; the reality of real life, of mundane, same old, same old days of working! And furthermore of working to pay all the bills we’ve incurred during the long time of festivities. (smile) I’m sure some of us will be moaning and groaning when we see the credit cards bills come in later this month, somewhat belatedly asking ourselves why we had to buy all that unnecessary stuff. But them’s the breaks my brethren, if you dance to the piper, then you’ve got to pay for his tunes. (smile) 

But not to worry, this is the year that we will all get wise and sensible, because we will all buckle down and live for Jesus. Yes, friends, we’ll put all of our efforts into living for Jesus, just getting more intimate with Him day by day. And that way we won’t be worried about our bills or any of the other things that might come against us, for in Jesus’ arms we’ll be safe and secure! He will guide us in the right way, through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us to be our Guide, Leader and Comforter. 

However, to accomplish that, we need to LISTEN to His guidance and then FOLLOW it! That’s what’s been holding us back all this time, for even when we hear the Spirit’s guidance most of us don’t follow it. So how do we expect to experience the abundant life that Christ died for us to have eh? Remember this whole Christian business is basically about obedience! You can believe, but if you don’t obey, then you’re rebellious and thus sinful! Remember Jesus’ warning words? ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) 

That’s oh so plain and straight forward my people! LOVE demands certain obligations! Even in our human relationships, when we claim to LOVE someone, there are things we must do for and to them. LOVE calls for sacrifice! Sacrifice like Jesus made on our behalf. And talking about obedience, Jesus again showed us the way. 

Listen to Bruh Paul in his letter to the Philippians ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, (emptied himself of all his godly privileges): And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2:5-8) 

Yes my fellow believers, Jesus came to earth as man, but didn’t invoke all His divine privileges, instead he gave them up and lived like the human being he’d become, like us, and was completely obedient to the Father, even to going to the cross that He had no real desire to do. but the Father required it of Him, and His great LOVE for the Father caused Him to do it. It’s the same way that He expects our great LOVE for Him to cause us to obey His desires. 

And furthermore, on the topic of Jesus’ obedience, hear how the author of Hebrews puts it. ‘Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.’ (Heb. 5:8-9) Yuh see that my fellow saints, though Jesus was God’s Son, He still learned the reality of the hard human way by the suffering He underwent, even to His sacrificial atoning death on the cross of Calvary, which gave Him the authority to become our Saviour and our giver of eternal life. 

And I like this explanation re Jesus’ suffering and obedience put forward by John Piper. “He learned obedience” means that Jesus moved from untested obedience into suffering, and then through suffering into tested and proven obedience. If you think about it, if you are good enough, you can learn a new task without failing. And the new task that Jesus had to learn every hour, especially at the end of his life was: Can I endure this suffering that I have never experienced before, this new obedience that I have never performed before in the history of the universe? Can I learn and do this perfectly without failing, without falling into unbelief and murmuring? 

And the answer of Hebrews is yes. He could and he did. He learned obedience in what he suffered, and he never, never, never failed once in the process of perfect learning, proven, tested obedience. In all of Jesus’s suffering, he was being tested. Would he add obedience to obedience until he had grown into the complete, perfect, tested man, that is, the man who had been fully and completely proven and who had responded with perfect obedience, so that he could be described as fully perfected, not meaning that he passed from sinfulness to sinlessness, but that he passed from untested obedience to fully tested obedience? 

And I think the answer to Chris’s question about what Jesus was moving toward is not merely that he was moving toward a completed, tested perfection, but that he was moving toward fulfilling a perfect salvation for us sinners. Remember Hebrews 2:10 goes like this: “It was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” 

Yes sir! Jesus became the perfect person to be the author of our salvation through His suffering and obedience though being sinless. And if there’s one thing we cannot say about Jesus is that He came to earth and lived the easy life that His godly privileges entitled Him to! No way! He abrogated, revoked, rescinded those things that would have given Him the easy life and chose to see the true reality of life on earth through His own eyes and servanthood. 

That’s why when we say we LOVE Him we shouldn’t be just paying lip service, but actually following His example of LOVE for the Father, doing what was required of Him. And please remember that Jesus will NEVER ask us to do more than He did, or not help us to do whatever He asks of us! That’s the very foundation of our Christian faith! and until we truly believe that and act upon it, our faith will be really worthless. 

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

And if we endure to the very end with Jesus, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask of imagine! So let’s plan to be there right at the very end nuh! That’s eternal wisdom! Much LOVE!

…LOVE is the greatest attribute…but it also calls for great sacrifice and total obedience…that’s just the nature of LOVE… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 October 2023 Genesis 48:11.

11 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 48:11. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed (offspring).

And then it was Wednesday…somewhat cloudy, but still with a hint of sunshine. (smile) Thankfully though, it seems like there was some heavenly precipitation during the night, which the earth badly needed, for there’s been very little incidence of such precipitation during the last few weeks. 

And what shall we talk about today eh? I guess it’s time to get back to the story of Bruh Joseph for it’s not yet finished, there’s still more interesting and intriguing stuff to come. Now, the last time we saw Bruh Joseph he had been to see his father Jacob (Israel) in the land of Goshen where the family had settled in Egypt and had promised to take his father’s remains beck to Canaan to be buried there besides his fathers.  

The Bible then tells us: ‘And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself (collected his strength), and sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me. And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed (descendants) after thee for and everlasting possession.’ (Gen. 48:1-4) 

And if you don’t remember that incident at Luz where the Lord blessed Abraham, you can read it again in Gen. 28:10-22. And I’m chuckling here, as I consider the complex and complicated life of Jacob, a veritable schemer from the day he was born, holding on the heels of his twin brother Esau, then got Esau to sell his birthright for some lentil stew. (Gen. 25:24-34) Then to make matters even worse, in liaison with his mother Rebekah, he stole Esau’s firstborn blessing by dressing up in goat skins to assimilate Esau’s hairy skin. (Gen. 27) 

Oh, what wrongs some mothers cause their children to commit! And in spite of those schemes and several others he hatched during his younger years, the Lord till chose to bless him abundantly, even to making him the father of the nation of Israel. That just goes to show that our God is no respecter of people, in the sense that our wrong doings don’t prevent Him from using us in a big way, when it suits His purpose. 

Then the Bible continues, with Jacob saying to Joseph. ‘And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. And thy issue (offspring), which thou begettest (are born to you) after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel (Joseph’s mother) died by (beside) me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in (on) the way of Ephrath: the same is Bethlehem.’ (Gen. 48:5-7) 

So Jacob tells Joseph of his mother’s death, the one true LOVE of Jacob’s life, and decides to call Joseph’s two sons his. Then the Lord ramps up the drama even more. The Good Library describes it thus: ‘And Israel (Jacob) beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he (Jacob) said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim with (for) age, so that he could not see. 

And he (Joseph) brought them near unto him; and he (Israel) kissed them, and embraced them. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed (offspring). And Joseph brought them out from between (beside) his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both. Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him.’ (Gen. 48:8-13) 

Now, let’s remember how important the blessing of the firstborn, given with the right hand, was in that culture. They got more than the others and were the apparent heirs to the father. That reminds us of how Jacob tricked his father Isaac, who was also fairly blind, into giving him the firstborn’s blessing, when it really should have gone to his brother Esau, and the problem here is that once that blessing is made, it cannot be rescinded or changed. And the story escalates in eccentric intrigue. (smile) 

The Bible tells us: ‘And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly (knowingly); for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Jsoeph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, (cf. Gen. 28:10-19) bless the lads: and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 

And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s right hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.’ ( Gen. 48:14-20) 

Mama oh Mama! Is the intrigue and eccentricities never to end. But we must note that unlike Isaac unwittingly blessing Jacob instead of the firstborn Esau, Jacob had his wits about him when he blessed Ephraim before the firstborn Manasseh. Who knows why he did it. But the Scholars have some theories on the matter, however we’ll check them out tomorrow, God sparing life, because it would make the Bit much too long today. (smile) Now, let’s go home declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail to all the world, letting them know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

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

And it’s been further promised that if we endure to the very end with Jesus, that that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So please, let’s plan to meet right at the very end with Jesus nuh! Much LOVE!

…only when you live for Jesus…can you enter the eternal halls of heaven… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 January 2023   1 Timothy 6:12.

07 Jan 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 6:12.        Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.

Can you imagine that the first week of 2023 is already in the annals of History? Yes, it is! These past few years have been behaving like a Jamaican fella called Usain Bolt. They only bolting through their paces, regardless of circumstances, with no respect for man nor beast. (smile) I think though that’s just our perspective, for the Lord has set their pace from time immemorial and nothing has changed in his realm. Anyway, this lazy Saturday is a much better day than the last few; the place is dry and still above freezing, with a tad of sunshine fighting through the clouds. 

But enough talk, because we have a lot of stuff to consider from our friend Anselm this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first thing he does is wish: ‘Happy New Years to all my friends and family.’ Then continues with these words of wisdom. ‘Things to think about for 2023: 1. Talk less; listen more; 2. Remind yourself you are not the General Manager of the Universe; 3. Sit on your ego; 4. Take one day at a time; 5. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it; 6. Pray.’ 

Now I can’t find fault with any of that, because it’s all a part of what I’ve been trying to encourage us to do for this New Year, that’s live for Jesus! Then he solemnly advises in the next quote: ‘A fantasy noted down with a date turns into an objective. An objective partitioned into ascertained strides turns into an arrangement. An arrangement bolstered by activities makes your fantasies work out as expected. So, this New Year, take your fantasies, travel the distance to their goal and make them a reality.’ 

Now that’s also ever so true. Our successes usually begin with dreams which we consciously set out to make come true, and we nurture them every step of the way by doing what’s necessary to bring them to fruition. They don’t just blossom and flower like the grass, overnight, but lots of patience, elbow grease and LOVE have to be consumed on them before they become reality. That means we have to put plenty effort into bringing our dreams to fruition; ofttimes work very hard and sacrifice a lot. 

Like Bruh Paul said to Timothy. ‘Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:12) Yes friends, that’s how we need to go through life; fighting the good fight, both for Christ and for the dreams that God’s put in our hearts. So, let’s promise ourselves to do just that this new year nuh, because godly warriors are badly needed in this ungodly and evil world. 

Meanwhile, the next quote tells us: ‘Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.’ And that’s wonderful advice. As followers of Jesus, we must never bow to the world, its ways and its standards. We must always endeavour to bring the world up to our level, not drop down to its substandard level. Remember, we are the light of the world, and we are supposed to shine as such, lead the way, set the example. Remember what John said in his gospel. ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.’ (John 1:5) 

That light was Jesus! And I like how one translation explains it. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it.” In this sense, it isn’t just that Jesus has overcome the darkness. It’s that He presents such a stark contrast to the defeated sentiment of this world that the darkness does not even understand or comprehend His light.’ Glory be my people! That’s how we ought to be; like Him! And Martin Luther King Jr. apparently said it this way. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only LOVE can do that.” 

And is that ever the gospel truth! Therefore, this year, let’s pledge to be true lights of Christ nuh. And while doing that, we can also do what this other quote says: ‘Tell someone you LOVE them today, because tomorrow is not promised. To my family and friends, I LOVE YOU.’ Now that should come as no surprise to us, because it’s all a part of living sincerely for Christ. However, saying ‘I LOVE you,’ is something that we don’t do enough of. We expect others to take it for granted. But that’s not how Jesus operates, in His kingdom the spoken word is also important. Remember, it’s how the Lord created the world and all therein, through the spoken word. 

How does Cousin Sol put it in Proverbs: ‘Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.’ (Prov. 16:24) And the scholars explain: ‘The proverb likens the effects of honey to gracious words. These would be words of encouragement, appreciation, comfort or anything positive. Just like honey, these words reach the soul and feel good. We all know how kind words uplift us especially when we need them.’ That’s the indisputable truth! 

And it brings us to the last quote, or rather the last set of instructions for this new year. Our friend Anselm proclaims: ‘This is my change of address notice for 2023: I have moved out from 1 Beggars Alley, located at 2 Poverty Lane at the corner of Bleak and Buster Circle. As of today, I have a brand new home. My new address is: Living Well on 3 Abundance Drive, located at the corner of Blessings Street and Prosperity Peak. No longer will I allow myself to travel on the Begging Peter to pay off Paul route, located at a dead-end Intersection called: I Don’t Have, it connects with Borrowers Junction. 

I no longer hang out at Failure’s Place, near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Point. I’ve moved on to an Upscale Community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to succeed. Look at me, each day that I’m awake, I am thankful to be a product of my new environment. All my clothes are tailor made. I’m dressed in life’s finest. Let me introduce you to all of them: Conceive, Believe, Act on, Have Faith, Be Persistent, and Always be Prepared to Achieve. Life is good because God is good! 

Care to change your address? We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.’ 

I guess that says it all. 2023 is the year that we must all make big strides for Jesus, if we expect our world to improve and not flounder even further and finally implode. Only we sincere believers can make that happen, working with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Please, I plead with us, to get serious and do our bounden duty; that’s fight the good fight for Christ in this new year of 2023!  Much LOVE!

…one cannot fight a good fight…unless one truly believes…in one’s leader and their cause… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 December 2022 Luke 9:23.

10 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Luke 9:23.        If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And once again, this new day, this lazy Saturday has dawned grey and overcast. However, my computer weather forecast tells me that it will eventually be mostly sunny. Let’s hope that is true, because there’s nothing worse than a cold, cloudy day. And since I’ve already lazed out as much of the day as possible, (smile) I’ve got to get right into the Bit, considering the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now the first quote tells us: ‘Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.’ Well, that’s at least partly true, because some things, if you don’t believe in them, you’ll never experience them. That’s just the nature of those things. It’s like belief and faith in Christ. If you don’t believe in Christ, have sincere faith in Him, you’ll never experience the wonderful things He has in store for you. All the many miracles, or what some might call magical moments, in a life lived exclusively for Him. 

It’s the faith, the belief that creates the opportunities. And how is faith defined? ‘The substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) Exactly my faithful brethren! Faith is what we hope for, the positive expectation of what we don’t see, but know that it will come along eventually. And that segues very nicely into our next quote. ‘Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.’ 

That’s the gospel truth. Many of us can think back to moments we never really valued at the time they were happening, but now, many years later, realize how important and valuable they were in our life. I can think of several right off the top of my head. Unfortunately though, not properly appreciating the moments of life when they occur, is a sad drawback to the human nature. 

Why? I don’t know! But we just seem to pass over some moments without paying proper attention to them. And that’s ever so possible and plentiful in our busy society. And later on, we so often hold our heads and bawl: ‘Oh how I wish I’d paid more attention to such and such, or so and so!’ But then it’s too late my people. Let’s hope that this will give us a wakeup call, to consider all the moments in our lives, so that we don’t pass over some of the real important ones, and only have vague memories of them as we go back and forth in our rocking chairs. (smile) 

Meanwhile, the next quote succinctly informs us: ‘To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.’ And that’s the glorious truth! Be it in the evil doings of this world, or in the wonderful kingdom of Christ. To gain much, one must usually expend much; in time, money, energy, faith and hope! That’s because big rewards just naturally come from big expenditures in whatever you’re seeking to achieve. And if you think that’s not true, then listen to Jesus as He sets out His basic rule for discipleship. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

Now if that isn’t a big risk, I don’t know what is. It means that every day we have to put aside our own desires and do God’s will. Be like Jesus said in His darkest hour in the Garden of Gethsemane: ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except (unless) I drink it, thy will be done.’ (Matt. 26:42). Yes friends, Jesus would have surely preferred not to go to the cross, but He was willing to do it if it was the Father’s will. Likewise, we are expected to put our desires aside and do Jesus’ will if we want to receive big rewards in heaven. 

Please note that all the people mentioned as being of great faith and doing great things in the Bible, all took great risks and sacrificed much. Names like Abraham, who packed up and left his family simply on God’s say so. A God He did not even know. Likewise, Moses, led the Israelites at great sacrifice to himself. Bruh Joseph experienced much heartache and betrayal in his young life, but he held on staunchly to the promise of His God and was eventually greatly rewarded by being made the Prime minister of Egypt, then the greatest power on earth. 

Look at the lives of Bruh David, Bruh Paul, Job, etc. etc. All laid down their own desires to follow that of their God, and were well rewarded, not necessarily here on earth, but definitely in heaven, where Jesus said it was the best place to store one’s treasure. (smile) 

And then, there was this quote: ‘To live a fulfilled life, we need to keep creating the ‘what is next’, of our lives. Without dreams and goals there is no living, only merely existing, and that is not why we are here.’ Now, all of that is technically true; without dreams and goals we’re merely existing, and that’s not why God made us. But to live a truly fulfilled life, one must be living for Jesus! For He is the only one who can bring real fulfillment to our souls and spirits. 

The world might bring fulfillment to our bodies, but those pass away back to the dust from which they were originally formed. However, our souls and spirits live on, and that’s why they ought to be properly taken care of. And remember only Jesus gives eternal life, peace, true joy and unconditional LOVE! But that doesn’t mean that our desires and dreams are unimportant to our God. Definitely not, since he is the One who originally put them there! 

And let’s not forget this magnificent advice of Bruh David, which he wrote from personal experience: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:1-5) 

Obviously you won’t get everything you want, especially if it conflicts with God’s will, but my people, that’s the only way to live a truly fulfilled life on God’s great earth! That brings us to this last quote, another dilly. ‘The most wasted of days is one without laughter.’ And yuh better believe it! A day without laughter is indeed a wasted day. Now, we’re not talking about just maniacal, delirious laughter, but moments when the soul and spirit exude a joy that lifts us up, that enables us to continue steadfastly on the straight and narrow road. 

And Cousin Sol, in his infinite wisdom, described laughter thus. ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Prov. 17:22) Yes friends, it’s been scientifically proven that laughter is one of the best, and the cheapest medicines ever. Here are some of the things laughter does. It lowers blood pressure; reduces stress hormone levels, and right now stress is the biggest killer in our society. Laughter also works your abs. Oh yeah! When you laugh your stomach muscles contract and expand like when you intentionally exercise your abs. 

It improves cardiac health; gets your heart pumping and improves blood flow. It boosts ‘T-cells’ a natural immune system that helps us fight off sickness. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, another facet of our natural pain relief system. And finally, laughter produces a general sense of well-being. It certainly does! And doctors have discovered that those with a positive outlook on life, who laugh a fair amount, also live longer than those who are on the negative side of the equation and don’t laugh as much. So please, let’s go out today and be positive, bask in the joy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and laugh a lot, so we can live longer! Much LOVE!

…living for Jesus might be tough…but it’s always interesting… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 November 2022 Matthew 7:7.

12 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 7:7.       Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

So, after our holiday Remembrance Friday, we come to lazy Saturday. And I’m sure many of us are glad that it’s Saturday since we had a rollicking good time yesterday. And why not, with no work and a long weekend ahead? But friends, let’s remember that too much of a good thing stops being good after a while, and can instead turn disastrously bad. And that applies to partying more than many other things. So, as we’ve recently said, it’s best to let Bruh Paul and Jeeves’ advice control our behaviour. The first says, moderation in all things; the second speaks of a modicum of circumspection in all we do. 

And we ought to get that fixed permanently in our souls, because today’s world is one of excess, we overdo everything, take everything to the limit. But that’s a certain formula for trouble. We therefore need to curtail some of our overboard behaviour, if we desire to stay out of trouble. End of Sermon! (smile) 

Now let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.’ Oh, the basic idea might have some truth to it, but nowadays people aren’t afraid to say what they want. I think it’s the exact opposite; they are too quick and bold-faced to say what they want, and even what they are entitled to, because we live in a society that preaches entitlement instead of responsibility. 

But nonetheless, ofttimes we don’t get what we want, because we don’t ask for it. Jesus said to ‘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) And Jesus doesn’t lie, but there’s one moderator to those statements. You obviously have to be a born-again believer in Christ, but above all, you must ask what’s in the Father’s will. And James further enlightens us, that, ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.’ (James 4:3) Now that’s no lie, since it’s what so many of us really do. 

Anyway, what Jesus is doing there is emphasizing the importance of prayer, which includes asking and getting answers from God. However, as the scholars inform us, ‘prayer is more than just asking; it is confession, adoration, thanksgiving, and fellowshipping with God. By its nature, prayer is talking with God. It is the basis of the successful Christian life, and is so important that not praying is considered a sin (1 Sam. 12:23). Illustration: Jesus pointed out that God heard the prayer of a humble publican (tax-collector) rather than that of a proud Pharisee (Luke 18:14). 

Application: God will answer our prayer when we obey Him (1 John 3:22), confess sin (Ps. 66:18), abide in Christ (John 15:7), ask according to the will of God (1 John 5:14), ask in faith (Mark 11:24), have pure motives (James 4:3), and live peaceably with our mate (1 Pet. 3:7).’ Oh my fellow believers, you see all the things that fall under the simple terms of asking, seeking and knocking! (smile) You’ve a lot of scriptures to look up today, and you can’t claim to not have time, because it’s lazy Saturday, and laziness here doesn’t mean not opening your Bible Library. (smile) I just did, and those reference scriptures are all spot on! 

That brings us to this quote. ‘Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.’ And that’s the gospel truth! Because the only perfect person is, was, and always will be Jesus Christ. And I don’t like the words chase or catch in that sentence, because they seem to give it a sense of rushing and trying to catch something unattainable, when excellence doesn’t need to be chased or caught. It needs to be worked towards and achieved. It’s a continual process, not a hurried action. 

And though Jesus doesn’t expect us to be perfect, since we were not created to be such, He does expect us to be excellent, and to be thus, requires diligence; that’s patience, hard-work, perseverance, strong faith and belief. So, excellence is an integral aspect of working for Jesus. That leads us to this next quote: ‘You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.’ Now that’s somewhat of a laugh, because since we are not perfect, it’s highly unlikely that nothing is impossible in our own strength. 

But there’s one to whom NOTHING is impossible, that’s Jesus Christ! And if we hook up with Him, then, and only then will all things be possible through us. Remember when Jesus spoke to the disciples about a camel passing through a needle’s eye? He told them: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God ALL things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) And that’s the truth in spades my brethren! With our Creator, ALL things are possible, and until we sincerely and truly believe that, we will not see the miracles and the goodness and mercies He wants to do in our lives. 

Then this last quote tells us: ‘When we let fear be our master, we cannot be happy and free as a butterfly. But when we choose to trust the journey and embrace LOVE and joy, we are free to fly.’ Now that is quite true, but the problem is how do we trust the journey and embrace LOVE and joy? And the answer is, ONLY in sincere belief and trust, full surrender to Jesus Christ! Yes, friends, that’s the only way we can ever be free to fly like a butterfly! Remember what the scriptures say in Nehemiah? ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) 

So, without the joy found in the Lord, you cannot have a strong spiritual life. And you can only get the joy of the Lord through Jesus Christ, for He made that quite clear, when He proclaimed: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) That tells us in no uncertain terms that if we want to fly free like a butterfly, we need to put our trust in Jesus, for Hs is the epitome, the personification of JOY and LOVE! You cannot get those two things in this evil and fallen world without having Jesus as the Lord and Master, the Leader, Provider and Guide of your life! 

That says it all my fellow saints. So please, let’s go out today and live for Jesus nuh. Our world is quickly and sadly falling apart and He’s expecting, trusting us to try and keep it together until He returns. Let’s not disappoint Him. Much LOVE!

…only in Jesus…can we be perfect… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 October 2022 Matthew 14:27.

15 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 14:27.       Be of good cheer (take heart, courage) it is I, be not afraid.

It’s raining, it’s raining on this lazy autumn Saturday morning! A chill is in the air, ‘cause the wind’s a blowing, so the trees are dancing, their multi-coloured leaves a waving this way and that!  And I’ve been enjoying every bit of this lazy Saturday morning…that is until now, when I can’t put off writing the Bit any longer. Oh, the tough times some of us have to bear eh. (smile) Anyway, as they say, you can run but you can’t hide, especially from the good Lord. So, let’s do what we always do on Saturdays; see if we can make heads or tails of the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now this first quote says: ‘I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.’ And that’s true to a certain extent. When we make up our minds on what needs to be done, in other words when we make a purposeful decision, we generally get a feeling of strength behind it, and we let go of the fear and anxiety that indecision usually causes. But what happens when we can’t make a decision eh, when indecision just bathes us in a stream of fear, especially in this crazy world of today. We keep living in fear and anxiety, keep living the substandard life that those emotions produce. 

But when we live for Jesus…Glory be! Fear is no longer our nemesis, for with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, our Master and Guide, we can move along productively and courageously even in the midst of anxiety and worries. That’s because living for Jesus brings a peace of mind that the world cannot offer. Remember this great promise of our omnipotent God, through the prophet Isaiah? ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) 

Yes friends, that’s the promise Jehovah God made to His people long ago, and He’s kept it up to this day, because He’s not a deity that ever reneges on His promises, like some false gods do. And remember too that some of Jesus’ favourite words were ‘Fear not.’ And He said it so often that we don’t have space nor time to relate them all, only these few. Think of the occasion when Jesus went walking on the water to the disciples on the boat out in the sea. They were terrified as though they saw a ghost and cried out in fear. ‘But straightway Jesus spoke unto them saying, Be of good cheer (take heart, courage) it is I, be not afraid.’ (Matt. 14:27) 

Then there’s that time that Jairus, the synagogue leader came to Jesus to heal his young daughter, but while they were on the way, Jairus’s servants came and told him that the girl was dead. What was Jesus’ response to that news? He told Jairus: ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole (saved).’ (Luke 8:50) And what about when Jesus and the disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee and a terrible storm blew up on them, while Jesus lay asleep in the back of the boat apparently unconcerned. They woke him, terrified of drowning. ‘And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.’ (Matt:8:27) 

There you have it in a nutshell my fellow believers. The three basics for handling fear are to believe, take heart or courage, and have faith in Jesus, for He is our Good Shepherd, and the shepherd always looks after the sheep. (smile) That brings us to these next two quotes. The first tells us. ‘If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.’ And the second advises. ‘When it comes to luck, you make your own.’ Now I chose to lump them together because I believe they basically say the same thing; you have the power to make your life the way you want it, and to change it whenever you feel like doing so. 

Now again, that’s true only to a certain extent with the free will that God’s given us. But how many of us have tried to change our lives when we felt like doing so and just ran into so many roadblocks that change became virtually impossible eh? That’s because the hand of the Lord was in our affairs, like it always is. (smile) Let’s not forget these very important words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘The preparations of the heart in man (a man’s plans belong to him), and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.’ (Prov. 16:1) That means we can plan all we want, but it’s the Lord’s will that will eventually come to pass, because He is sovereign over even the thoughts and words of man. 

And later on in Proverbs, Cousin Sol repeats that advice this way. ‘There are many devices (plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov. 19:21) And I can personally testify to that through hard experience. I never planned to be a writer on scripture, had plenty other secular plans in mind, still do, but then the Lord waylaid me, wouldn’t take no for an answer, and eventually brought all my other ventures to an end. Yes friends, the best laid plans of mice and men usually go astray when the Lord peruses them. (smile) So though we have some leeway to make changes in our lives, what the Lord wants is usually what we’ll become. 

And that certainly contradicts this next quote. ‘Our lives are stories in which we write, direct and star in the leading role. Some chapters are happy while others bring lessons to learn, but we always have the power to be the heroes of our own adventures.’ Again, it’s only true to the extent that the Lord allows us to write and star in our own production. But as we all know, He has a plan for each and every life that He creates, and when He’s ready to put His plan into effect, it’s wisest to simply accept it without any hassle, for He will just keep on making your life more miserable until you accept His dictate. 

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about, because that’s what He did to me when He brought up this Bit idea. I laughed and said I couldn’t because I wasn’t sufficiently knowledgeable in scripture, and that was the truth. But He kept after me, placing obstructions in my way, until I had no choice but to agree. And when I began it was merely a verse of scripture. But through my perseverance and His faithfulness, it’s grown over the last fifteen, almost sixteen years, where I now find myself writing too much instead of too little. (smile) And that’s why I can vouch for the Lord’s faithfulness. He never gives you a task without the tools and the help to do it. 

That brings us to this last quote. ‘Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.’ And that’s the gospel truth, especially if you are a follower of Christ Jesus! We ought never to take a back step to the world, but to step forward into the light and make the world a better place for Jesus. But unfortunately, not enough of us supposed believers are doing that. Instead, we’re playing second fiddle to the dictates, pleasures and evils of the world. 

But please remember that in Jesus’s band, there is only ONE fiddler, that’s Him, and if we want to be a part of it, then we have to come to terms with that fact and stand up strong and steadfast in His marvellous name, and not play second fiddle to the world. As He so passionately desires and zealously stated: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16) 

So please my fellow saints, let’s go out into this evil world and do as Jesus desires of us nuh – shine our lights! That’s our bounden duty. Much LOVE!

…only in Jesus…can we find what our heavenly Father desires for us… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 July 2022 Luke 18:27.

16 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

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

Luke 18:27.       The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

And then it was Saturday – our lazy day! And boy oh boy, did I ever feel like being lazy all day! And in keeping with that feeling, though I was already late waking up, I nevertheless lay there in bed, awake, thinking all sorts of delicious lazy thoughts. But then, as always, reality intruded, it burst my lazy bubble; the Lord’s work needed to be done, and I needed to get my lazy self, up and about to do it! Ah brother, no rest for the wicked nor the righteous! And I muttered an insincere: ‘Thank you for the reminder, Lord!’ (smile) 

So, as we do on Saturdays, let’s see what interesting quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘Positive thinking is more than just a tagline. It changes the way we behave. And I firmly believe that when I am positive, it not only makes me better, but it also makes those around me better.’ Yes, that’s quite true. We can’t just talk positive thinking, but like everything else we must put it into action for it to bear fruit. And when we do that, it not only makes us better, but also rubs off on those we encounter. 

But let me make one proviso here: positive thinking as the world proposes can’t make miraculous changes to your life. Oh yes, it will help you some, but the real test comes when your positive mindset includes Jesus! Oh glory be mih people! When Jesus is actively in our lives, miracles happen all around us all the time, we become doers of seemingly impossible stuff, because as He said. ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.’ (Luke 18:27) And once you believe that, even if your faith is only as big as a small grain of mustard seed, you too can move mountains, do miracles, (Matt. 17:20) 

So, it’s not simply positive thinking we need to improve our lives and situations, but more importantly strong belief in Jesus and the fact that all things are possible through and with Him. As Bruh Paul said so confidently to the Philippians: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phill. 4:13) And that’s the glorious truth my faithful brethren! We can do anything that Jesus wants us to do, because He empowers us to do whatever He desires of us! 

That brings us to this next quote that’s in a similar vein to the first one. It tells us that ‘An attitude of positive expectation is the mark of the superior personality.’ Now in the world that might be true to a certain extent, but as we just saw, mere positive thinking doesn’t move mountains, it’s only when Jesus is involved in that positive mindset that things truly begin to happen. 

And then, with Jesus, we never have issues of superiority, for as He says, ‘I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble)’ (Matt. 11:29) That means we don’t think we’re better than anybody else, so we wouldn’t say we have a superior personality, but possibly more wisdom, we’re wiser than most because we have the good sense to choose Jesus above all the foolish, perishable trappings of the world. 

Now, isn’t it just wonderful to have Jesus in our lives? It certainly is, for it enables us more than the unbelievers to handle the next quote, which says: ‘What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.’ Yes friends, our attitude towards life in general and our individual circumstances in particular is what sets us apart from the unsuccessful throng, or multitude. As the quote so truly specifies: ‘Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.’ 

And do we ever know about that. For though simple opportunities may seem to abound, every one of them will present some difficulty at some stage of the game. It very seldom ever runs smoothly all the way through. And it’s only when we have the belly and backbone that comes from knowing Jesus that we can fight through those difficulties and not give up. 

Likewise, in most difficult situations there is usually an excellent opportunity for us to get hold of and pursue to a successful end. But there again, we need the perspicacity, the insight, the shrewdness inspired by our walk with Jesus to discern those fruitful opportunities within those difficult situations, and purposefully go after them. Oh, what would we do without Jesus eh? I don’t know nuh. (smile) 

And all of it culminates in this last quote which advises us to: ‘Cultivate an optimistic mind, use your imagination, always consider alternatives, and dare to believe that you can make possible what others think is impossible.’ Now all of that is obviously good advice, whether or not you believe in Jesus. But the crowning glory of it all is that when you sincerely believe in Jesus, then you can indeed make those things that others think impossible, possible, because ALL things are possible to and through Him!  

And please don’t think that Jesus isn’t all for positive thinking and optimism, because He is. He is the most positive thinker and greatest optimist that ever lived! Just check out these facts about Him nuh. Who else would think that His dying, His shed blood could pay for all the sins of mankind eh, from beginning to end? He had to be a powerful positive thinker and optimist. 

And likewise, who else but a major optimist and positive thinker would think to only leave a dozen, mostly uneducated men to evangelize the world eh? And that’s exactly what Jesus did. And look at how far we’ve come in doing that. Most of the known world now know about Jesus, and the number of those who don’t Him are getting fewer each day with the marvellous advances we’ve recently had in communication technology. And neither should we forget that in Jesus’ vocabulary and kingdom, the words ‘quit, give up, and can’t do it’ don’t exist…and never will! 

Now, let’s go out into the cruel, evil and ungodly world and just live for Him, because He not only died for us, to wash and make us clean from our abominable sins, but He also rose for us, so that we too could rise again on the last day and be with Him in heaven, where He is right now, sitting at the Father’s right hand, advocating on our behalf! 

Oh my fellow saints, all that Jesus has done, and is still doing, is strictly for our benefit. So please, let’s remember that nuh, and show some gratitude by sincerely living for Him! Much LOVE!

…if there’s only one word and/or thought that should guide our lives…it’s JESUS… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 November 2021 Matthew 19:26.

27 Nov 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 19:26.     With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

So what does Saturday have to say for itself eh? Nothing much nuh. Just a weary sigh, as it tries to recover from a rough work week. Unfortunately, that is made even more difficult when it looks outside and sees the sun and the dark clouds struggling to see who is going to rule the roost for the day. Ah Lord eh, it complains. It’s always a battle, always a struggle, always a fight to see who will rule. Why can’t we just live in simple peace and harmony eh? 

Then it sighs again, as the reality hits home. Apparently, that wasn’t meant to be until Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom. So, till then, like we have no choice but to keep up the good fight as we live for Jesus. And on Saturdays, we try to philosophize biblically (smile) on the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us in the past week as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

The first one says: ‘It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.’ And that’s fairly true. A bad, or ‘no can do’ attitude at the beginning of any task will just make it even more difficult than it is already. We have to inject some measure of positivity into our thinking if we even expect to accomplish the task, much less accomplish it with as little heartache as possible. 

That applies even more when you are a believer in Christ, because He has promised to strengthen and help you in everything you do, once it falls under His will. So, as a Christian, you must come to everything with a positive, I can do this though it seems difficult attitude, because your help comes from Christ, your Lord and Saviour, your Enabler. 

Meanwhile, the next quote tells us to ‘Limit your “always” and your “nevers.” Now that’s a very good idea. You know how we like to use those two words a lot; for example, we’ll ‘always do this or that,’ and we’ll ‘never do that or this.’ Well for our sake, it’s wise to cut down on the times we say always and never, since those absolute pronouncements have a habit of coming back to bite us in the butt, like a boomerang comes back to the one who throws it. And I can testify to that from personal experience, because in my younger years there were a couple of things I promised myself to never do, but, as life would have it, I ended up doing them. 

Then we come to this interesting quote. ‘What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.’ I believe that has a lot of truth to it, if your goals are worthwhile in the first place. That’s because to achieve your goal you have to work at it and while you are working you are also growing character wise. So, by the time you have reached your goal, you will be at a higher level of maturity than when you began. 

And growth in our earthly walk is as important a part of setting goals as achieving them. We have that picture laid out perfectly before us as believers, when we consider that we need to walk in the Spirit and at the same time, bear the fruit of the Spirit. Bruh Paul wrote thus to the Galatians. ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.’ (Gal. 5:16-17) 

So friends, to achieve our goal of bearing good fruit, as Christ desires of us. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And what is the fruit of the Spirit that’s so important to us? 

Bruh Paul characterized it thus: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith (faithfulness), Meekness, temperance (self-control): against such there is no law… If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.’ (Gal. 5:22-23, 25) The goal is to bear good spiritual fruit, (those nine things listed above), but to do that we have to walk in the Spirit, and as we do both things, we will become more spiritually mature with each step we take. 

That brings us to this quote: ‘Believe you can and you’re halfway there.’ That’s oh so true, for without belief in the success of whatever you are planning to do, you will put a negative spin, or curse on it before you even begin. Jesus said it so often during His earthly sojourn. It’s a sister quote to the one we dealt with above:  ‘It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.’ Our prevailing attitude is always very important in whatever we do. With a good or positive attitude, we enhance the success of our project, while with a bad or negative attitude, we sort of jinx our project from the very start. 

Now here is our last quote, which says: ‘Nothing is impossible. The word itself says “I’m possible!” The play on the word ‘impossible’ is certainly interesting. But then again, as believers in Christ Jesus, we all know that nothing is impossible, because all things are possible with the Creator of the universe. 

Jesus Himself said so when talking to the disciples about it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. The Good Book tells us: ‘When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:25-26) 

Oh my fellow saints, what a wonderful note to close on this cloudy Saturday morning. Please, let’s spend some time considering all the ramifications of that most encouraging statement. Much LOVE!

…Christians…the most optimistic people on planet earth…                                                                                                                                       

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 April 2020​ 1 Peter 1:3.

13 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 1:3.    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
 
And the Easter Celebrations continue, though somewhat muted because of the Coronavirus pandemic. But do you think anything at all can stop we believers from celebrating Christ’s revolutionary resurrection that assures us of life after earthly death? No way Jose! Yes, we couldn’t get together physically like we are accustomed doing at such a joyful time, but it in no way lessens the importance and awesome promise of the amazing event and consequently celebrations and church services were held in all forms and fashions, with the help of our modern technology. 

But unfortunately, so far, that modern technology has not been able to come up with an answer for the virus that’s causing us so much devastation, grief and heartache. But also, as true believers and followers of Christ, whom we believe can do anything, we keep hoping and praying and believing that a cure, an antidote, will soon be found. Yes friends, we are indeed ‘prisoners of hope.’ (Zech. 9:12) And speaking about ‘prisoners of hope,’ I recently read an article by one Joshua Ryan Butler with that exact title, and he had a rather interesting characterization of ‘hope.’ 

He says: ‘Hope is a revolution, a powerful presence that breaks in from the future and transforms today. Jesus’ arrival has brought God’s destiny for humanity crashing into the now – an explosion of life into a world marked by the death. It changes everything.’ And is that ever so true! Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection certainly catapulted us into the future, showing us God’s great, preordained plan for our lives. And there is no better verse of scripture that describes that situation than these words of Peter: 

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ And has Jesus’ resurrection ever given us hope for the future, for salvation! The scholars explain: ‘1:3-2:10. The Christian’s destiny: salvation. Salvation means “deliverance.” Peter’s view of salvation is ultimate salvation, that is, when the believer will be rescued from this world into the presence of God.’ 

But remember what Joshua said in his definition of ‘hope’ above? It ‘breaks in from the future and transforms today.’ That means we don’t have to wait till we die to enjoy the benefits that Jesus died for us to have, but can begin enjoying heaven down here on earth right now! As Jesus said: ‘The thief cometh not but (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) And that’s the beauty of the Christian faith and life! We also have a now, as well as a then. 

The only problem is all of that doesn’t just happen automatically; there are some requirements, the first one being Jesus’ directive to Nicodemus: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God…. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3, 5) So if we don’t meet that requirement, then we can forget about salvation through Jesus. Then we have to believe in Jesus as the Way, the Truth, the Light and the Life. All of which gives us hope that leads and morphs into faith, which makes us strong and keeps us going. Glory to God, my fellow believers! 

And now that we’ve said all that, let’s turn to the operating system of the situation; the real work horse of the Christian life, the ultimate means of communication with our Saviour and Father; prayer! Yes friends, prayer is our very life blood! Without it we’re just lost and alone; but with it, in God’s company, we’re powerful and NEVER alone! So let’s talk to our Father right now about our greatest need at this current time nuh; relief from the Covid-19 pandemic. Yes, in strong voice, with confident humility (smile) let’s cry out to Him for help through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

All together now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Easter Monday morning we’re alive, and hopefully haven’t contracted the virus that’s causing havoc around our world. Despite the crucial lockdown, those of us considered essential, still have go to work, and we’re somewhat fearful, because we have no idea, how, when and where the virus might strike. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have 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, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction. 

Please show us how to successfully handle this scourge that’s plaguing the earth, and help the scientists to find a positive solution, a sure antidote to it as quickly as possible. And for those who have already contracted the virus, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them Father. 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!’ 

And now that we’ve fulfilled one aspect of our role in our covenant, our partnership with God, let’s go out and do the rest, basically living for Jesus, with supreme hope and faith in our hearts. And as He has faithfully promised, the Father will do the parts we can’t do. Much LOVE!

…without living hope…and strong faith…one can’t live for Jesus…

Today​’s Scrip-Bit 19 March 2019 Matthew 6:19.

19 Mar 2019 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:19.   ​Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal:
 
Ah friends, what a shock it is to the system when one gets up and sees your whole area clothed in white! Hn! Especially after the warm weather of the past week has conditioned one’s mind – falsely it would seem – to believe that all that white stuff business was a thing of the past and the distant future of next winter! But obviously that’s not so! 

And though it’s not a great amount of snow, no amount of snow at all is welcome! (smile) But since we’re such sturdy people, especially we believers, with plenty backbone and belly, we’ll just grin and move along as normal, what with the Lord providing ALL our needs through His riches in glory, through Jesus Christ our wonderful Lord and Saviour! 

And all God’s children loudly, proudly and gratefully declared (right ho): ‘All praise to the name of Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God who was slaughtered to pay for our abominable sins! Bless His holy name and worship sincerely at His cross!’ 

Oh my people, what would we have done without Jesus eh? I shudder at the very thought of not having all the wonderful stuff He has made available to us, and greatly desire to be able to make others understand what it all means; how if they don’t have Him in their lives, they’re totally lost, headed for hell and eternal damnation with the fallen evil angel Satan, and what that would mean for their eternal livelihood. 

But since the Lord in His eternal wisdom gave us free will, free will to choose whatever kind of life we want to live, it is an uphill battle to convince others to accept Jesus and leave the flashy, but empty and hell bent things of the world alone. 

Oh, it’s not that Jesus doesn’t want us to have nice things and to be prosperous, otherwise He wouldn’t have made this telling statement: ‘The thief cometh not but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) 

Yes friends, Jesus died so that we could have life, a full and prosperous one, wisely living it in full communion with Him. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of His dying eh? The problem though, is that with our natural sinful nature, we tend to gravitate to the sinful, lustful things and treasures of the world. 

But hear how Jesus classified that stuff nuh: ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal:’ 

Ah mih people, truer and more sensible words were never spoken! And it doesn’t take a genius mentality to see that. All the things of the earth that we treasure at some stage either rot or can be destroyed, or stolen, and to make matters worse, when we die we can’t carry any of them with us. So why spend our earthly lives foolishly trying to amass treasures of the world eh? 

Instead, as Jesus so wisely proclaims: ‘But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:’ (Matt.6:20) Glory be my people! The treasures we need to accumulate are the ones that will not rot or be destroyed by insects or stolen…and the only treasures of that kind are found in heavenly places! 

That means to be wise, we have to concentrate on accumulating the heavenly kind of treasure, for as Jesus also mentioned: ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ Matt.6:21) And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! If we are concentrating on earthly treasures, then our hearts will be here on earth with them, but if heaven is our future destination, then out thoughts and efforts will be aligned with heavenly things. 

And it’s not like when we live for Jesus that we become poor and needy, but on the other hand all our needs are fulfilled. Listen to Jesus again: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) 

Oh my people, our wise and wonderful God knows that we need food, clothes, money and houses to live and He has faithfully promised that if we live for Him, keep Him first place in our lives, that all those things will be provided for us. As Bruh David so rightly says in Psalm 27 – The Lord is my light and my salvation. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps.27:13) 

Yeh friends, what’s the purpose of believing in the Lord if you don’t expect to see the things He’s promised eh? None whatsoever! And if you still don’t believe that you can get all things through Christ, then please remember who is still regarded as the richest and wisest man who ever lived… Cousin Sol! 

And why and how? Because he believed sincerely in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and asked for wisdom to rule his people, not wealth and long life, but our God is so wonderful and so magnanimous, that He also gave him those things in abundance, just like how Jesus died so that we can have life in abundance. 

Wow! I just hope all this makes a difference to somebody today! (smile) But for those of us who already sincerely believe, let’s go home declaring (right ho) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are! In strong voice and deep sense of purpose: 

‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

Now let’s go out and share it all with those who don’t believe for that’s what Jesus desires of us! Much LOVE!

…when you live for Jesus…you live for eternity in heaven with Him…

 

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