Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 January 2021 John 15:5b.

John 15:5b.     ​for without me ye can do nothing.

And then it was Saturday; the day for rest and laziness! (smile) Ah friends, it’s another good day in the life! And though life is not always the best it can be, we’re certain that the worst day with Christ, is better than the best day without Him! Oh glory be! 

That’s how important He is to us! Give Him thanks and praise my people, for without Him, we’d be in an even worse bind than we’re in now, and it’s only through Him that we can see a light shining in the darkness and a hope for a blessed tomorrow! Bless His holy name! 

And all God’s children said a loud, proud and grateful ‘Amen!’ Yes friends, as our great God proclaims, so let it be! 

And again, this past week I have received no quotes from our friend Anselm, so I can’t challenge my mind to come up with reasons and answers to his declarations. (smile) I have no idea why, but please, let’s pray that all is well with him. 

But not to worry, I still have some wonderful info for us, this time from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H Schuller) from His Hour of Power Devotional. 

Oh mih people today we’re talking about that wonderful but ever so difficult to achieve word termed ‘Success.’ Yes, we all want it, so bad that some of us will even kill or die for it, while others refuse to put in the effort that success calls for…yet we want, and even crave it. 

And we not talking about what the world calls success, but what God considers success. And they are two radically different things, although they can both include some of the same parameters. But here are some ideas from Gramps Schuller about that marvellous thing called success. 

‘Success? It does not happen without total aliveness generated only by a revitalized imagination.’ Yes friends, as most other things, success begins in our minds! We first have to think the thoughts with a refreshed mind, one that is set on achieving a worthwhile goal. 

And then we have to keep our minds set on it, focused on the desired end, while we put in the necessary effort to make it all come true. No, it’s not always easy, but with faith, trust, and God’s divine help, we can achieve whatever we want to, once it’s within His will. 

And that’s one of the important things for believers; whatever we want to achieve must be within God’s will, or plan for our lives. And Gramps Schuller even offers us ‘A Prayer for Success.’ 

Please pray with me: ‘As I become a success with your help, Lord, let me never forget that what I am is more important than what I do. Faith stimulates success. Hope sustains success. LOVE sanctifies success. So I cannot and I dare not succeed without your power, peace, and pressure in my life, Jesus Christ. Amen.’ 

Yes precious people of Christ, only with Him churning mightily in us, can we ever hope to be truly successful. Oh, we can sell our souls to Beelzebub and achieve what the world terms success, but it won’t be as sweet and lasting as that acquired through the auspices of Almighty God. That’s for certain sure! 

And as an epilogue to his prayer for success, Gramps Schuller says: ‘Be open. Be humble. Correctable. Educable. Then you will hear God’s voice. You will see God’s plan. Grab onto it, give it all you’ve got, and you will inherit the earth!’ 

Wow! That’s the awesome truth friends, and the one true way to true success! God must be in our plans and lives for us to achieve worthwhile success! And it’s not me saying that, but the Good Book. Remember these awesome words of Jesus where He quite clearly spells it all out for us. 

‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 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 15:4-5) 

Oh fellow saints of Christ, it couldn’t be any clearer than that! And don’t you just LOVE it that our Leader, our Lord and Saviour doesn’t mince words, doesn’t engage in spin and double-speak, but tells it exactly like it is, and if you don’t like it, then tough tits! (smile) 

I wish most of our other leaders in today’s world would be so open, even some of our church leaders, who have unfortunately adopted the speaking habits of the world. And Bruh Paul, who didn’t mince words either, (smile) said the same thing to the Corinthians. 

‘And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able (sufficient) ministers of the new testament (covenant); not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.’ (2 Cor. 3:4-6) 

Yes my brethren, without Christ in us we are so insufficient it isn’t funny. That’s why Bruh Paul explained his defection from the old tenets of Judaism, from the externalized Mosaic Law, to the internalized covenant with Jesus. 

The law did bring men to the end of themselves, but with condemnation, while the New Covenant of Christ did not condemn, only convict unto repentance and salvation. So what yuh say we gladly and tightly embrace that New Covenant to the very end eh, so that we can have life, eternal life? (smile) 

And we’ll end with some final words from Gramps Schuller on that most important, but oh so hard to achieve quality, success. ‘Success is never-ending and failure is never final to that person who knows how to revitalize and renew the God-given powers of creative imagination.’ And that’s the indisputable truth! 

So let’s NEVER give up on God, or on ourselves nuh, and keep renewing our creative imaginations by reading and studying His word, praying and being obedient to His will. That’s the way to true success! Much LOVE!

…stop trying…and you’re a failure…never quit…and you can be a success… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 August 2018 Hebrews 7:24.

Hebrews 7:24.   But this man (Jesus), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Aw shucks friends, Monday’s done – like dinner! (smile) And you’ll notice that we weren’t plagued by any of the evil forebodings we had conjured up in our minds for the first day of the workweek. Glory to God! It was all just peace and quiet, LOVE, joy and friendship in Jesus Christ! Mama Yo!

So let’s just keep it like that today too nuh. And the best way to start out is by declaring this mind-setting acclamation: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. We WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’  And having set our minds on that, we can now go out and bring it to pass. And to help us do that, here is this ‘Prayer for Success,’ from Gramps Schuller’s (Robert H. Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. 

Please pray with me. ‘As I become a success with your help, Lord, let me never forget that what I am is more important than what I do. Faith stimulates success. Hope sustains success. LOVE sanctifies success. So I cannot and I dare not succeed without your power, peace, and pressure in my life, Jesus Christ. Amen!’ That’s all gospel truth my brethren! Without those wonderful and powerful attributes of Jesus we cannot succeed in this evil and ungodly world! 

And Gramps Schuller continues: ‘Be open. Be humble. Correctable. Educable. Then you will hear God’s voice. You will see God’s plan. Grab onto it, give it all you’ve got, and you will inherit the earth!’ More words of indisputable truth friends! 

And you know what hold us back more than anything else, is not that we don’t believe etc. etc. but we don’t give it all we’ve got for a sufficient length of time. Yes my people, we give up way too easily. Just think if Jesus had given up on us, what would have happened eh? 

It’s sure scary to think about no forgiveness of sins, no mercy or grace, no salvation, no eternal life. Hn! But He persisted, even though He knew the severe trials He would have to face. And because of His persistence, He overcame them. Likewise my brethren, we, His faithful followers ought to be persistent in all that we do in His name. 

And our Bit shows just how persistent and persevering is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘But this man (Jesus), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.’ Yeh friends, all the other important priests died, and so did Jesus, but He rose from the dead and continues living and working on our behalf. 

‘Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.’ (Heb.7:25) Ah mih brethren, how blessed we are when we follow Jesus! He not only died to pay for our sins and help us be reconciled to the Father, but even now, He is sitting at the right hand of God interceding for us. 

He never stops pleading on our behalf! Glory to His Holy Name; the one that’s higher than any other, and the one that all must bow to! So are we as persevering and persistent in our work on His behalf? I don’t think so, otherwise the world would not be as evil and ungodly as it is, neither would there be so many people willing and pushing, even clamouring to have God removed from our society. 

And the reason for that ungodliness lie heavily both on the church as an organization and we individuals within it. And here I’ll just recall a couple scriptures on the persistence of the early church. ‘And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.’ (Acts 2:42) 

‘And they continuing daily with one accord (mind) in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat (food) with gladness and singleness of heart (simplicity). Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be (were being) saved.’ (Acts 2:46-47) 

Friends, that just shows how fervent and persistent the early church was about living for Christ. Unfortunately though, in today’s feckless and spineless society, we seem to be more enamoured of the things of the world, than those of God. But that’s a fool’s wisdom my people. Now here is a passage of scripture I hope will encourage us to keep on keeping on regardless of what comes against us. 

‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb.12:1-3) 

Yeh friends, the times are evil and ungodly, and only as we believers are persistent and true in following Jesus, will, or can they ever change. So let’s think about all Jesus did for us, and is still doing, and make that extra effort to run our race for Him nuh, for His glory. 

And for those of us who have decided to do just that, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the world know who and whose we are. In strong voice, with sincere hearts 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!’ 

Now let’s go out and do exactly that, so we can effect, bring about, some badly needed godly change in our world. Much LOVE!

…the saints in heaven are watching…are cheering us on to run a good race…let’s not disappoint them nuh…

 


Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 August 2014 John 15:5

John 15:5.    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.
 
Aye Friends, is mid-week Wednesday! That means we’re halfway through the workweek. Only a couple more days to go before some freedom time…

And all God’s people prayerfully declared: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Thank You Saviour Jesus! Thank You for all you’ve done, all you’re presently doing, and all that you’ve promised to do in the future! Right now we need some more of your LOVE, mercy, saving grace and strength to keep persevering and walking worthy of You.
 
Please enable us to be worthy ambassadors of your kingdom as we face the evil world that surrounds us. Help us to be in it, but not of it, as You desire. This we pray in Your glorious name! Amen.‘
 
Now here is what we can do to help ourselves. Here is a prayer for success from Dr. Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power Devotional. I believe I’ve shared it already, but that was probably a year ago, and no prayer is ever too trite or unimportant not to be prayed again. And I believe we need this one right now.
 
Please pray with me: ‘As I become a success with your help, Lord, let me never forget that what I am is more important than what I do. Faith stimulates success. Hope sustains success. LOVE sanctifies success. So I cannot and I dare not succeed without your power, peace and pressure in my life, Jesus Christ. Amen.’
 
Yes Friends, in a nutshell, we need all those things to be successful, but remember the Number One ingredient for true success, is the warm and LOVING presence of Jesus in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds.
 
Regardless of what the world advocates, without Jesus as our guiding light and His Word our principal guidebook, we’ll never obtain true success.
 
That’s why Jesus drilled it into the disciples’ heads: ‘Now ye are clean through (because of) the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
 
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 15:3-5) 
 
And that’s the gospel, gospel truth my people! Without Jesus in our lives, we can’t do much at all. That’s why it’s so necessary to stay close to Him, to consult with Him through the Holy Spirit that indwells us, as to how to go forward successfully with the divine plan He has for each of our lives.
 
And we’re not talking about success as the world sees it, with the physical accumulation of wealth, power and celebrity status, but as Jesus sees it, with righteousness, LOVE, mercy and forgiveness, because that’s the only real, true and lasting success there is; everything else fades away eventually.
 
Bruh Paul describes our helplessness thus to the Corinthians. ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves: but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor.3:5)
 
And no truer word has ever been spoken my brethren! That’s the gospel truth in another nutshell! (smile)
 
And Jesus went on to warn: ‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.’ (John 15:6-8)
 
And we all know that the fruit Jesus is talking about here, is what Bruh Paul so vividly describes to the Galatians: ‘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.’ (Gal.5:22-23)
 
And we shall end with some wise and choice words from Hosea when he entreats Israel to return to the Lord, as we very much need to return to Him today, in these sad, strife-filled, ungodly times.
 
Thus says the Lord: ‘I will heal their backsliding, I will LOVE them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots in Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
 
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine, the scent (remembrance) thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir (cypress) tree. From (In) me is thy fruit found.
 
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall (stumble) there in.’ (Hos.14:4-9)
 
Yes Friends, the only way to bear good fruit is to have Jesus as our riding partner, have Him riding shotgun for us, as they did on the stagecoaches in the days of the wild, wild West, where a man with a big shotgun rode upfront, beside the driver as protection from marauders.
 
In fact, life today certainly resembles the days of the Wild West, where law and order was very difficult to keep, where everybody taught it right to do their own thing.
 
So my people, let’s get out there and show them what true believers are really like nuh, by living with Jesus in our hearts, and showing by example, the fruit of the Spirit that we’re successfully bearing. That’s wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!
 
…to dress for success…you must have Jesus residing in you…