Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 June 2016 1 Corinthians 12: 27

21 Jun 2016 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 12:27.  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).

Aye mih friends and family – Scrip-Bit family included of course – welcome to another wonderful Tuesday on planet earth! The Lord’s on His heavenly throne running things, and Jesus is with us through the inner presence of the Holy Spirit! So what can be better than that eh? Absolutely nothing! 

Ah mih people, Jesus is so beautiful, I don’t see how people can not LOVE Him, and want to serve and worship Him in all sincerity and truth! 

Yeh friends, I truly don’t understand how people can dislike Jesus and abuse and blaspheme Him. He has the best religious teaching going, even the best philosophy for living this earthly life; one of peace and LOVE and good cheer! One couldn’t ask for more! 

But such is the fallen and dark nature of our human souls that we refuse to see the light even when it’s shining all around us. But thankfully, we smart humans will embrace Jesus in all His glory and wonder and live to serve Him now and forever! 

And all God’s children declared a loud and proud ‘Praise the Lord in Jesus’ name! Amen.’  

And to support all of what we’ve just said, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with a strong sense of purpose and true belief. As one now: ‘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.’ 

Oh friends, oh friends, that li’l mantra so warms the cockles of my heart when I declare it, that…that I don’t know what to say afterwards! Hn! 

To know that I am indeed a beloved child of God and a friend of Jesus…and can simply live this life and share His awesome LOVE with the world…well that is just so mind boggling and extraordinary! 

I do hope that you, my fellow believers feel the same way, because if you don’t you are missing out on the most exciting and transformational part of your lives, since true LOVE for Jesus just lifts us up and encourages us so much! 

And we’ll continue with our theme from yesterday; members of the body of Christ, of His church, because it is very important for each believer to know and understand His place and role in that most august organization. 

Our Bit tells us quite plainly: ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’ 

Yes my brethren, we are all a part of Christ’s great organization called the church, with all that’s needed to make it great, but it’s oh so necessary for the members of that organization to pull together to do that. Listen to the scholars’ input on that verse. 

’12:27. In one succinct statement, the apostle expresses both the unity and the diversity of the body of Christ. The absence of the definite article in Greek (ho, “the”) before the expression ‘body of Christ’  emphasizes character: since they are Christ’s body, their actions and attitudes toward one another should reflect His character.’ 

Oh my fellow believers, that last line there says it all; since we belong to Christ’s organization, our attitude and character ought to reflect that of Jesus! But does it? That’s the million-dollar question. 

Unfortunately, I don’t believe that it does, or at least not to the extent that it should. If we were truly reflecting the character and attitude of Jesus as an organization, there wouldn’t be so much division and disharmony within it, none of the greed, the backbiting, the resentment, and pure hatred that exists in some parts of it. 

As we said earlier, Christ’s character is one of peace, LOVE and good cheer, and that in no way represents the present day church of Christ! 

And before we go any further, listen to the scholars’ description re the Body of Christ. ‘12:27. The church in the New Testament is called the “body of Christ,” and reflects the spiritual organism of the whole church on earth. When the local church is called the body of Christ, the spiritual aspect is emphasized. 

Illustration: As the church is considered to be the body, so individual members are seen as parts of the body. For any church to function properly, every member must do his or her part in a harmonious spirit of cooperation with the other members. Had the church at Corinth learned this lesson, many of their problems would have been solved. 

Application: When Christians disrupt the harmony of a church, they bring reproach on the body of Christ. (First ref. Matt.16:18; Primary Ref. I Cor. 12:27).’ 

Oh friends, that’s the problem of today’s church right there! The spirit of harmonious cooperation is sadly lacking in many of the local churches and also in the entire body of Christendom! 

No wonder we’re bringing such reproach on Christ and His body, and people are leaving His organization as well as crying it down and calling it totally hypocritical! 

And there is a lot of truth there, since the heathen doesn’t see or perceive us as good and kindly and LOVING people from the attitude, behaviour and character we publicly display.  We behave just as badly, and sometimes even worse than them! That obviously gives Jesus a bad name and turns off the unbelievers, thus making of no effect our trying to bring them to Him. 

Ah mih people, there’s a simple solution to all of that yes, all the confusion and disharmony, the resentment, anger and hatred, backbiting and hypocrisy can be avoided if we’d just implement the words of the song: ‘Let God be God! Let God be God in your life!’ 

Yes friends, if we’d just allow the Lord to work in our lives as He desires, most of our problems would vanish, and we’d become much more like the harmonious body of Christ that we’re meant to be. 

So, starting today, right now, let’s let go and allow God to truly work in us nuh, for that is indeed the highest level of wisdom! Much LOVE!

…for Christianity to be successful…Christians must privately live…and publicly show…the true character and attitude of Jesus Christ…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 June 2013 1 Thessalonians 3:12

30 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 3:12:    And the Lord make you to increase and abound in LOVE one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.
 
Oh Friends and fellow believers, welcome to a brand new day! And though it may seem the same as any other day, I can guarantee you that it’s not. No day in God’s making is ever the same, because He creates them anew, right from scratch every 24 hours. He lays in new mercies and blessings for us to enjoy, new paths for us to follow, new people to meet, new things to do, plus new trials to go through and overcome that will make us grow and mature in our faith.
 
Therefore, let us give Him some thanks and praise this Sunday morning, for bringing us safely through the dark, fearful night of yesterday, into the bright and sparkling sunshine of today, a today filled with a multitude of opportunities for our personal growth, as well as the furtherance of His glorious kingdom.
 
And as we are wont to say, let’s say it loud and clear: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will most certainly rejoice and be glad in it!’
 
And for all of us who believe in Christ as Lord and Saviour, I hope that we will go to His sanctuary sometime this weekend, whenever we celebrate the Sabbath, and have joyful fellowship with other believers. That’s because the Lord’s house is where His children should find the utmost comfort, confidence and renewal of spirit with others of like mind.
 
Unfortunately though, for one reason or another, many believers don’t find comfort and a welcoming spirit in their churches, and that’s rather sad.  For if you can’t find comfort and solace in God’s house, amongst others like yourself, where else are you going to find it eh?
 
Oh my brethren, God’s house, from the most broken down, run of the mill church building, to the most beautiful modern sanctuary, in fact wherever two or three are gathered together in His Name, those places are supposed to be the most welcoming and encouraging places on God’s great earth!
 
And if they aren’t, then we, Christ’s supposed followers are not doing our jobs. Some churches are so cold, unresponsive and unwelcoming that I don’t know how they expect people to come there and worship. Nary a smile you see, or a chuckle you hear in some of them, while others take it to the other extreme, have it like it’s simply a party affair.
 
But Friends, it’s essential that we have a fine blend in our churches; a blend and balance of seriousness and levity to evoke both aspects of our human nature. One extreme is just as bad as the other.
 
That brings us to our Bit: ‘And the Lord make you to increase and abound in LOVE one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.’
 
Bruh Paul is here praying for the church at Thessalonica, as he habitually did for all the churches. ‘To the end (so that) he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father (our God and Father), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.’ (1 Thess.3:13)
 
Yes Friends, we definitely ought to do better in our churches, so that when Jesus comes again, He’ll find us fairly blameless, not the nest of vipers that we’ve recently become.
 
That led Bruh Paul to open Chapter 4 with an appeal for purity. ‘Furthermore, then we beseech (urge) you brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.’ (1 Thess.4:1)
 
There he begins exhorting them on the essence of living a practical Christian life. And you can read verses 2-12, where he talks about staying away from sexual immorality, the passion of lust, fraud, vengeance, deceit, etc. Instead though, we should be seeking things that pertain to and promote brotherly LOVE, as we ‘are taught of God to LOVE one another.’ (1 Thess.4:9b)
 
Ah mih people, are we finding those positive actions and attributes in our churches today? To some extent I guess. But sadly we have too much of the negative aspects, that’s why there are so many denominations and sects, divisions and divisiveness in the supposed one body of Christ’s church. We’re not different religions, but ONE CHRISTIAN BODY!
 
And we’ll close with some encouraging words of Bruh Paul in his second letter to the church at Thessalonica. ‘We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is meet (fitting), because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity (LOVE) of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.’ (2 Thess.1:3)
 
Oh Friends and fellow believers, that is the goal to which we should all be working and striving towards, so that Christ’s church here on earth can truly reflect His wonderful, LOVING character and make unbelievers greatly desire to become a part of it. That’s one of our stated purposes, as we see from Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus told His disciples to go out and spread the Word to the whole earth.
 
We’re surely not doing too good a job at it right now, and until we do, Christ’s church here on earth will not progress as it should, and there’ll be no one to blame but ourselves. Do we want to have that black mark against our earthly watch? I doubt it very much.
 
Oh Friends, we have all the tools we need to do it lying dormant and unused within us. And you know the saying if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. That’s exactly what’s happening to us.
 
So let’s follow the leading of the Holy Spirit nuh! Let’s allow it to ramp up our passion and energy and LOVE for Jesus and go out there into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us and get the job done! That’s truly following in Christ’s footsteps! Much LOVE!
 
…how can we say we LOVE Jesus…when we’re not doing as He desires eh…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 March 2013 1 John 4:2

23 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

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

1 John 4:2.     Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is God.
 
And then it was Saturday! One of the two days a body can sleep in, if it so desires. However, some of us are still not that lucky because we either have to get up and look after young children, or get out and do the weekly shopping, which we’re too tired to do after a stressful work day. But please remember Friends, that whether you can sleep in or not, God’s new mercies and blessings are still showered down every day, and if we look for them, we’ll surely find them. I believe that’s possibly the biggest reason why believers don’t see God’s blessings. We hear a lot of talk about new mercies and blessings every day, but many of us are left wondering about the whereabouts of God’s riches. That brings us to one of two problems; we expect whatever God offers us to just fall directly into our laps, without any work on our part. But that’s not always the case my people. Oftimes we have to seek out, search for those blessings, cause God will not always spoon feed us with whatever we want or whatever He offers. As He says, if you seek me, you’ll find me. (Deut.4:29) That refers to everything that has to do with God. We should always be seeking Him, talking to Him, praising and thanking Him. Many times we whine about not receiving a blessing, when it’s right in front of us, if we’d only look for it. That brings us to the second problem; the size of the blessings. Many of us subconsciously think of blessings and mercies as being large in size and provide bountiful resources. But the truth is that most are small, everyday occurrences that just make our lives a tad easier, or puts a smile both in our hearts and on our faces. So it’s time to stop looking for the big prize all the time, for that makes us miss the small ones that are there everyday. The whole point is we should try to be more proactive than reactive. Let the passion and LOVE for Jesus cause us to want to know Him, to want to work diligently on His behalf. But we also need to be careful and not allow that passion to run away with us, by examining things very carefully before committing to them. It’s like our Bit. ‘Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is God.’ Yes Friends, we need to know that what we’re doing and believing is truly of God, as our Bit warns. Then John continues his exhortation: ‘And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.’ (1 John 4:3) And yuh better believe mih people that the antichrist spirit is alive and kicking throughout the world right now, more widespread and with better deceptive tools than in John’s day. And as John earlier declares: ‘I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.’ (1 John 2:21-22) Now here’s a note from the scholars on the antichrist. ‘The term antichrist refers to anyone usurping the place of Christ or opposing Christ. But the title of the Antichrist identifies a person who emerges during the Great Tribulation to lead Satan’s strategy on earth. The term is used five times in the New Testament and only by John, although the Antichrist of the Great Tribulation is identified by many other names and titles in Scripture: “that wicked” (2 Thess.2:8); “the son of perdition” (2 Thess.2:3); “the wilful king” (Dan.11:36) He is chiefly depicted in the Scriptures as an immensely powerful political leader. He apparently heads the revived Roman Empire, but will not be revealed until after the Rapture (2 Thess.2:3). He is the ultimate opponent of God, God’s plans, and God’s people. The presence of so much false teaching, John implies, reminds believers of the constant threat posed by evil to believers. Yet they need not fear; they need only be diligent and not slack.’  And the main reason believers need not be afraid is stated in John’s next verse. ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) And all God’s people shouted a glorious ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ because Jesus is stronger than Lucifer. The scholars note it thus: ‘Christ indwells believers; Satan is likewise the lord of his own followers. But Christ is greater than he who wreaks havoc in the world. Have overcome is in the perfect tense, stressing the abiding nature of their victory. Their strength lies in the fact that they are (born) of God.’ Now that’s sure refreshing and assuring! And John continues: ‘They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.’ (1 John 4:5) That’s so true! Those who bow to the spirit of the antichrist are of the world, a world which prefers the teachings of the false prophets and antichrist agents to that of God’s truth. How sad Friends. But thankfully my fellow believers, as John further declares: ‘We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.’ (1 John 4:6) And here’s how the scholars explain that verse. ‘Those who acknowledge the truth of the apostolic (New Testament) witness to Christ will recognize and conform to the teaching John is presenting. Those who do not are animated by a common and unifying spirit of error. John warns his readers against this spirit by contrasting their false views of Christ with the views that he, a personal follower and witness of Christ proclaims.’  Yeh Friends, it’s only logical that we should accept John’s proclamation, since he personally walked with Christ here on earth. In any case though my people, the important thing is that we always seek to find the truth…and not the world’s truth, but that of Jehovah God, which has the divine ability to set us free from both spiritual and physical bondage in this evil, ungodly world. So please, let’s try and make that our life’s goal, because it is wisdom at its highest level, and our diligent efforts will also be highly rewarded at the end time. Much LOVE!…the enemies of Christ seek ways to defame Him…but true believers know the truth…because of His Holy Spirit that dwells in them…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 February 2013 Job 34:21

06 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

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

Job 34:21.     For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Wednesday, and the sound of the pre Lenten celebrations are all around. But next week this time, the partying will be over, and we’ll be doing ashes instead, as the Lenten season of praying, fasting and close encounters with Almighty God proliferate. Now isn’t it surprising how at that particular time of the year, how so many of us can turn to God and behave in a somewhat more appropriate fashion? Why can’t we do that through more of the year eh? Partying and seeking God are not mutually exclusive things. In fact, seeking God leads to more joy and happiness in one’s life. So let’s see if we can’t raise the level of our relationship with the Father all through the year nuh, and not just during the Lenten season. Anyway, here’s a little something I want to share. I saw it just now on a 3 x 5 card at the front of my desk. Yes, it’s one of those things I pass everyday, but very seldom see. It says: ‘God’s tape measure goes around hearts, not heads.’ And isn’t that the living truth Friends! God doesn’t measure our heads, otherwise He wouldn’t have a tape measure big enough to go around the many extremely swollen heads that are running around right now. Instead, He measures our hearts; how full, or big they are with true LOVE and adoration for His Son, Jesus, and how obedient we are to His will. And it’s so sad that too many believers will get small measurements when God measures our hearts, because our motives, LOVE for God and each other are not as strong and pure as they should be. That brings us to our Bit: ‘For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.’ Yes mih people, we talk a big talk about our omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present God, then go out and do nonsense; stuff that doesn’t fit who we are as believers. Now if our God is so powerful, all-knowing and all pervasive, isn’t He going to see and know our wrong doings? Of course! But I guess we don’t think about that when the evil Beelzebub gets in our hearts and minds and leads us astray. The time to think Friends is before the deed’s done, not after, when the possible consequences stare us in the face. And despite all the evidence to the contrary, some of us still genuinely believe we can fool God and get away with it. Hn! How wrong, how naive and foolish that is my brethren! For as Elihu, Job’s buddy, continues after our Bit: ‘There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For he will not lay upon man more than right (need not further consider a man); that he should enter into judgement with God (go before God in judgement). He shall break in pieces mighty men without number (inquiry), and set others in their stead (place). Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth (overthrows) them in the night, so that they are destroyed (crushed). He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only (alone): That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.’ (Job 34:22:30) Yes Friends, there is no hiding from our mighty, merciful, but just God! In His time He will set justice upon all who deserve it. Our only hope is to trust in Jesus and follow His lead as best we can, otherwise the Lord will eventually call us to account for all our wrongdoing. And it’s obvious that there’s way too much wrongdoing in all aspects of our lives, all over God’s earth! Do you imagine He will let it all go unpunished? Absolutely not! Even as we speak, He’s in the process of righting some wrongs, and meting out the appropriate punishment. We need to remember that our god is a God of LOVE, but also a God of justice. And justice must be done in His kingdom. Why do you think He went to such extraordinary lengths to lay our sins on Jesus, then sacrifice Him? So that justice could be done, and we wouldn’t have to pay the hefty price of death, eternal separation from Him. That’s why Bruh David warns in Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous. ‘What man is he that desireth life, and LOVETH many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile (deceit). Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth.’ (Ps.34:12-16) Yes my people, our God doesn’t sleep, neither is He tired. He rules His creation, our universe and all therein with a mighty hand! Just listen to what He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, against His chosen people Israel, when they went a whoring after other Gods. ‘Behold I will send for many fishers (fishermen), saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. And first I will recompense (repay) their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.’ (Jer.16:16-18) Oh Friends, though the Lord will eventually bring His chosen back to the Promised Land, they will pay for their disobedience. Please, let’s remember that today, and consider our own lives, and repent from any known disobedience, so that we won’t suffer the rightful justice we deserve, but will instead be blessed by His forgiving mercy and grace. That’s wisdom at its highest level. Much LOVE!…continual disobedience may bring big rewards in Lucifer’s world…but in God’s righteous and just kingdom…it brings sure punishment…