Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 February 2020 2 Timothy 3:12.

28 Feb 2020 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 3:12.    Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
 
Wow! Just look at the smiles and all the high fives nuh…It must be Friday…and month end too, when some people also get paid! And I can imagine the amount of people who are dying for today, and thus the work week to end, so they can run to the watering holes and drown their tiredness and sorrows in man-made fire-water, before they listlessly journey home to a sad existence. 

But friends, please remember that we are in the Lenten season and we need to cut down on some of our indulgences. Instead of going to the watering hole to expensively drown one’s sorrows, why not go to the church, or to anywhere quiet and have them expunged for free by the mighty psychiatrist Jehovah Rapha – Healer Extraordinaire! 

And the good thing about Dr. Rapha is that besides being free and good, He is ALWAYS available, just a prayer away! And many of us believers are right now caught between a rock and a hard place, so let’s hie us hither to that goodly doctor nuh, who’s record for healing is exemplary. The only condition is that you want to be truly healed! 

Like any other doctor He can’t heal you until you come and seek Him out and ask for His magnificent and magnanimous help. And yuh know I just LOVE those two words – magnificent and magnanimous – because they so admirably fit out wonderful God! He’s big and bright and bold and beautiful! He’s also wealthy and generous to a fault! There’s no one as wealthy and as generous as Him! How can we not LOVE, adore, worship and reverence Him eh? 

That’s because too many of us are looking for handouts and for freebies, we don’t want to work for what we want, and never expect anything to go wrong in our lives because He’s such a good God! But friends, God never promised us that life will be all wine, song and roses. He just promised to be there to help in time of need. And He ALWAYS IS! 

Remember too that Jesus said we’d find tribulation in this world, but we ought to cheer up because He had overcome the ungodly world. (John 16:33) And Bruh Paul puts it thus to Timothy: ‘Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’ So believers ought not to expect a quiet and easy life, though most of us won’t suffer the trials and tribulation of Jesus, Bruh Paul and a lot of the early Christians. 

Look also at Bruh David’s life and listen to his words: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’ (Ps. 34:19)  So things aren’t that bad, and with the Lord’s help we will come through with flying colours.  

And I finally got off the hotel compound yesterday. Went up into the country to visit the area where the duchess grew up and the grave sites of her family. Passed places like Bluefields, Brompton, Fyffes Pen. Stopped at a cousin in Black River, then went on to Negril, where I had a dip in the salt, an exotic cocktail and a jerk-burger. It seems I also lost my watch somewhere on the grounds. 

Ah Lord eh! I seem to be losing a lot of things lately. Is that what maturity brings? (smile) Left here around twelve, didn’t return until almost nine at night, tired like a dog. (smile) I’m supposed to be out on the road again today, but heading in the opposite direction… And yes, I hear you all clamouring for the workingman’s monologue. (smile) 

So here he is in all his glory. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday and the weekend draws nigh! It’s party time! Oh no, I forgot is Lent and the wife going to be on mih case to not only stop drinking but to go to church too! Steups! But why should I stop drinking just because is Lent eh? I might be Christian in belief, but ah doh practice it, so why be a bleeding hypocrite and stop drink and go to church and hob nob with all them big bleeding hypocrites in there eh? 

Ah not going to fool people and make them feel that I’m something I’m not. I might not be great in many of thems eyes, but I know who I am, and I like mihself and am proud of who I am. So let them keep deh church yes and carry on with all deh hypocrisy, I not going to help them condone it nuh. I have my own way to talk to God, don’t need them strait laced nonsense! Thank God for Fridays and weekends oui!’ 

And yes friends, a lot of people use that excuse for not going to church. And yes, Christ’s church is full of hypocrites and hypocrisy. But yuh know what, we are all hypocrites to some extent, so staying away from church doesn’t make you any better than those who go to church. But that’s another argument for another time. 

Let’s sincerely declare our weekend song, our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’ 

Now my fellow church going hypocrites, (smile) that’s what we ought to be about on the weekend; rest and rejuvenation so we can continue to fight for the cause of Christ in the upcoming week with a strong sense of purpose buoyed by enormous confidence and the rightness of His LOVE Revolution! 

Oh friends, it’s ever so important to give of our best in Jesus’ work, so that when our time is at hand, we can truthfully say like Bruh Paul did: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith;’ (2 Tim. 4:7) 

And that being true, this will also be true: ‘Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:8) 

So my fellow believers, let’s keep on trying to do our best for Jesus nuh, so that at the latter day we can receive the crown of righteousness He has to offer. I can’t think of anything better to work towards in this evil and ungodly world. Much LOVE!

…Jesus desires good work from His ambassadors…so He can reward them abundantly…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 August 2019 John 16:33.

20 Aug 2019 Leave a comment

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

John 16:33.    ​These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
 

And then it was Tuesday – the day after the ever-difficult day of Monday! (smile) Hope that all is well this morning and that we have less difficulty going out today than we did yesterday. But the problem is that difficulties have a way of helping us to grow, for when we just enjoy the good life we don’t grow in Christ at all. 

And this morning I have a li’l something from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional that reminds us of the sublime purpose of difficulties in our lives. He calls it ‘To Face Difficulties.’

 Please pray with me. ‘Truly, Father, all things work together for good to those who LOVE You. Thank you for the difficulties that produce divine dividends. I know that pain is only a phase of the growing process: that seed buried alive under suffocating ground in a windowless grave agonizes before it ruptures into new life. I know that I build hard muscles in my heart, mind, and body only when I lift heavy loads. 

I thank you for tough times that produce calluses that could save my spirit from softness that could be weakness. There have been times, O Lord, when only through great difficulty have I learned the valuable lessons. I was too blind to see, too arrogant to believe, or too stubborn to accept any other way than by a bed of pain. 

I praise you for the times an open door slammed in my face and forced me out of an old rut that I never would have had the courage to leave, and led me down the road to a beautiful new life. I thank you for heartbreak which caused me to bury the hatchet and speak to someone with whom I had for far too long been out of touch. Thank you, Father, for life’s priceless times of fruitful difficulty. Amen!’ 

And yes friends, only when we can thank the Lord for those difficult times that build our faith and strength and trust in Him can we truthfully say that we’re growing in Christ! That’s Christianity 101! 

That leads me to think of all those believers out in the eastern parts of the world who are currently and constantly suffering persecution for simply believing in Christ, and are steadfastly refusing to renounce His precious name, standing strong through their difficulties, and thus growing in their faith. 

And that’s as opposed to us out here in the free western world where we can worship Christ in peace and freedom, we bitch and complain about every li’l problem and difficulty that crops up in our spoiled, lazy and complacent lives. Chuh! I’m tired hearing supposed Christians complain! And it’s even possible that we complain more than the unbelievers too. We live better than 90 percent of the world, but we also complain more than them. Life is just too nice and easy with us. 

And many believers feel that because they believe in Christ life should be just one, long, sweet, easy walk down the path of righteousness. But friends I have some unfortunate news for us; the path of righteousness  has NEVER, and will NEVER be a sweet, easy walk! Just check out what Jesus had to go through nuh. And though we won’t go through as rough a time as He did, it certainly won’t be all wine, women and song! 

Because it’s only when we face rough and tough times that we can grow, through having to actually exercise our faith and trust in Christ Jesus, our supposed Lord and Saviour! The same way we build physical muscles by lifting heavy weights, the same way we need to face difficulties to build our Christian faith! But unfortunately, too many of us are so weak and wimpy that it makes Jesus shake His head in disappointment. 

Please remember Jesus’ serious words to the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ 

Yeh friends, in Jesus’ own inimitable style, He tells us the bad news along with the good, in one verse of scripture. Life will be rough, but settle down, look up, and be at peace, because I have already given you the victory. But so many of us are so spineless that we whimper and cry at the first sign of difficulty. 

But hear how Bruh Paul told it to Timothy: ‘Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’ (2 Tim.3:12) And Bruh Paul was an excellent example of those words. We wouldn’t have the wonderful news of Christ’s gospel today if he had simply refused to go through the numerous difficulties he faced in spreading it. 

And long before Bruh Paul, Bruh David said it thus: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ (Ps.34:19-20) And Bruh David also knew what it was to face stormy times, but such was his trust and faith in the God of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that he never wavered from it, even when his life was on the line. 

So my fellow believers, it’s of the utmost importance that we stand strong and steadfast when difficulties come along, because we know that the Lord will never leave nor forsake us in the midst of them, but better still, He will help us to go through the fire and the flood and come out even stronger and more faithful than when we entered the time of storm! Now that’s a convoluted sentence of which Bruh Paul would be proud! (smile) 

But hear his famous words on the subject to the church at Rome. ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom.8:37) And indeed we are! Glory be mih breddren! Rejoice and shout for joy because our Jesus has given us the victory! Now let’s go home declaring (yo!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole wide world know who and whose we are. 

In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘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 mih people, let’s do our bounden duty by going out and cheerfully sharing the awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others nuh, as he so desperately desires of us! Much LOVE!

…true believers in Christ…will show their joy and cheerfulness…during times of adversity…because of their overwhelming faith in Him…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 September 2018 John 16:33.

08 Sep 2018 Leave a comment

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

John 16:33.   These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

‘Shalom friends, Shalom! Peace! Everlasting Peace! May the peace of God, that peace that passes all human understanding, which is instilled in us by the Holy Spirit, be unto you and yours this somewhat cloudy Saturday morning!’ 

And all God’s people said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord!’ For there is nothing that’s so badly needed right now in our world, than peace, the peace of Almighty God! And though it’s cloudy, the sun is valiantly pushing through, just like our efforts in Jesus Christ to transform this evil world, to have His LOVE Revolution conquer it! Have faith my brethren. If we persevere in Jesus’ name, it will happen. 

Now let’s look at some of our friend Anselm’s quotes for this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.’ Now that’s simply logical. If you look at things differently, then in the majority of cases, they will appear differently to you. I guess it’s all about our perspective. 

And the second one tells us: ‘You are not stuck where you are unless you decide to be.’ And isn’t that the glorious truth! My people, wherever we are, is where we have decided to be, at least for the time being, otherwise we’d be somewhere else. 

That’s unless we’re living for Jesus, and He has us in a particular position or situation right now that we don’t like, and as far as we’re concerned, He is moving us too slowly from glory to glory. But even then, we can always change it. It might not work out for the best under your terms, but it’s always changeable. 

Now this quote is simple but ever so important in a believer’s life. ‘Spread LOVE wherever you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.’ Yeh friends, that’s what Jesus has called us to do, ‘SPREAD LOVE!’ 

His kind of LOVE; the kind that’s sincere and true and really caring and compassionate, not the empty, insincere, deceitful words that the world utters. That means whoever we interact with, we must leave them with a li’l bit of Jesus, so that their souls and spirits can be lifted through His awesome power. 

That leads us to this last quote: ‘With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.’ That’s also very true my people! We might not be able to always control our situations, but we always have the power to control our attitudes towards them. 

What did Jesus say about such situations? ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

Wow! What assurance friends! Our Lord and Saviour has already overcome the world, so we should not allow our circumstances to drag us down and keep us down for too long. Through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us, we can have peace in even the most unpleasant and unpalatable situations. 

Bruh Paul told Timothy in no uncertain terms: ‘Persecutions. Afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’ (2 Tim.3:11-12) 

And that’s indisputable truth! Once we stand up and proclaim the name of Jesus, the enemy WILL come against us. But as the Good Book says, he will come against us one way, but flee seven ways! Glory to God! 

Now let’s end up with some significant scriptures on peace. Hear Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, re Christ: ‘For he (he himself) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition (division) between us.’ (Eph.2:13) Yeh people, by His death and resurrection Christ has broken down all barriers between Jews and Gentiles. We are all one body, one church under His name now. 

Meanwhile to the Colossians, Bruh Paul advised: ‘ And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.’ (Col.3:14-15) Oh friends, LOVE is the crowning grace of a believer, and right behind it is peace! 

And to the Philippians, Bruh Paul wrote: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard, sustain) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:6-7) 

Now isn’t that wonderful! Though we don’t understand God’s peace, we certainly have it available to us. So let’s use it nuh mih breddren, for it’s wisdom personified. Much LOVE!

…walking with Christ…brings tranquility of mind…frees us from fear and worry…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 October 2013 Matthew 5:10

31 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:10.    Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 
Oh Friends, it’s the last day of October, can you imagine…  But that also makes it Halloween Day. Steups! Just look at how the pagan rites have been inculcated into our Christian calendar nuh!
 
And it’s only been used as another money-making day by the merchants; candies, costumes and pumpkins. And the uglier and more evil looking your costume, the better dressed you’re considered!
 
Yes Friends, it’s Halloween; time for goblins, witches, et all! Ah Lord eh!
 
We start our children from small with the nonsense. And just to show how evil our world has become, nowadays you can no longer send your children trick or treating by themselves, even in your own neighbourhood, since recently so many evil things have been happening to them. 
 
Sadly, it doesn’t even have to be Halloween for our children to go missing, as I received an e-mail last night that a sixteen year old young lady who lives on my street has been missing since last Friday.
 
And with this Halloween stuff you have to be very careful with the stuff your children collect, because evil people have been putting needles and other dangerous stuff in them. Chuh blast!
 
Oh Friends, I seriously believe it’s time we do away with this Halloween day and all the evil that it’s come to represent. I know that most likely I’m in the minority on that subject, and some of you might see me as a killjoy, but that’s okay, I can live with that stigma, people have been saying stuff about me since I began showing in mother’s womb. (smile)
 
But I guess we won’t get rid of Halloween anytime soon because the parents have been brainwashed into it, and the merchants won’t quietly give up such an opportunity to make easy money.
 
And from all that rambling, I guess it’s easy to figure out that I won’t be participating in the nonsense. Yuh know, on one hand we tell the children that too much candy and sugar is bad for them, but in the next breath we take them out in their evil looking costumes to collect as much candy as they can.
 
And then we wonder why the children are the way they are! Steups! Let’s just hope the Lord blesses them with the wisdom and common sense – which their parents seem to lack – to go easy on the stuff. 
 
Anyway, I want to apologize for a typo in Yesterday’s Bit, where instead of saying before we ‘can’ enjoy God’s goodness and LOVING-kindness, I said ‘can’t.’ But I know that all you true believers knew what I meant, because you all are wise enough to pick sense from nonsense. (smile)
 
Just like I said sometime last week about putting our money where ‘out’ mouth is, instead of ‘our’ mouth. That just shows though that the ole fella is very human, and thus liable to err, but hopefully not too often. But enough of this preamble rambling, we have a Bit to deal with.
 
A Bit which says: ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’
 
Yeh Friends, we now getting down to the nitty gritty of the Beatitudes! It’s no longer just about being nice and godly, but actually about enduring suffering; physical, mental and emotional, all for Christ’s sake! How do we like them beans now eh?
 
Most of us won’t like them too much because we just like to have everything nice and easy, no ‘sufferation’ whatsoever. But my people, we need to remember these most memorable and encouraging words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
 
That means we WILL suffer trials and tribulations, in this predominantly evil and troubled world. But we’ve got to bear up under them with a good attitude because Jesus has already overcome the world and all its evil machinations.
 
That brings us to the scholar’s take on the subject: ‘5:10. As Jesus develops His message, He clearly teaches that such a life cause His people to be in direct contrast to the world in which they live. Therefore He reminds us, ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake.’
 
The plural use of “ye” in verse 11 indicates that He foresaw this persecution as touching ALL His followers. Notice 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 
 
Oh Friends, it’s rough, but true! The kingdom of heaven is not for wishy washy or ‘fraidy, fraidy’ people. And many of us out here in the free Western world are just that. Meanwhile, other Christians in more restrictive parts of the world, are being persecuted left, right and centre for simply believing in Jesus and wanting to serve and worship Him.
 
Many of us would cave in if we ever felt that kind of pressure. We’re doing it now without any pressure at all. But millions of believers around the globe are still standing steadfast and strong for Jesus, despite the serious persecution they’re facing! Glory Hallelujah! 
 
And it sure makes me feel bad to see that we out here, who have it so good, are complaining and whining about so many petty and unimportant things, merely talking the talk without walking the attendant walk. 
 
Oh my people, it’s imperative that we at least send up some real heartfelt prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being so terribly persecuted. So today I’m asking us all, during our time of daily prayer, or at any time at all, to pray for our persecuted brethren all around the world.
 
Remember. prayer is the most powerful tool in God’s great universe!
 
And we’ll close with an encouraging word from Peter, re the subject of suffering and reward. ‘And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy (blessed) are ye:
 
And be not afraid of their terror (threats), neither be troubled… For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit.’ (1 Pet.3:13-14, 17-18)
 
Oh my fellow believers, I know it’s difficult to live a good life for Jesus, but He did it for us, and as the scholars say: ‘In the will of God we are sometimes called to suffer for well-doing as a testimony to others.’
 
And we can certainly do it if we hold close to Jesus and let His Spirit lead and guide us, while raising up all the things we need to truly serve Him, from our spirit, where it’s ALL been already planted.
 
We only need the power of the Holy Spirit now to bring them to the fore. And that my Friends, is a true mark of divine wisdom. Much LOVE!
 
…our earthly duty is to…LOVE our God…LIVE our Faith…and SPREAD His Word…let’s start doing that in all seriousness nuh… 
 
P.S.  Oh Friends, it’s long, but worthwhile. As Jesus said, we can’t always have it short and easy. (smile) Much LOVE!