Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 October 2022 Psalm 46:1.

25 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 46:1.       God is our refuge and strength, a very present (an abundantly available) help in trouble. 

It’s another beautiful, warm, sunshiny day in paradise friends! Please give thanks that we have been blessed to see it. For no matter how grave and unsurmountable our problems might seem, I’m sure we are all mighty glad that we woke up this morning to have another go at solving them. (smile) And please don’t forget that we follow the greatest problem solver ever, Jesus Christ, He who calms the stormy seas and quiets the howling winds. 

And believe me, if He can quiet the seas and the winds, then He can most certainly handle any of our mortal problems. But first we have to believe that He is able to do it, and then take those problems to Him, for He can’t solve what He doesn’t know we need solving. Oh, in His omniscience He certainly knows our problems, and might solve some of them of His own accord, but in general we need to take them to Him, not just wait on the off chance that He will do it on His own. 

And I guess that’s one of the problems many of us face in these trying times; for whatever reason, we don’t take our problems to Christ, or at best we only take them when we cannot solve them in our own strength. But that’s not wisdom my people. The first place we should take our troubles to is at the feet of Christ, not the last place, like so many of us unwisely do. 

Please remember these strong and encouraging words of the sons of Korah from Psalm 46. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present (an abundantly available) help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (the heart) of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.   Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3) 

Yes friends, our Creator and omnipotent God has all the parts to solve any problems in which we find ourselves immersed. Why not take them to Him eh? And His Word tells us so often, that that’s the very thing to do when troubles arise. So, let’s take a look at some of the many scriptures that encourage us thus nuh, hopefully then we’ll remember and go to God first, the next time we are tried and troubled. (smile) 

Now, these next verses, wise words of Cousin Sol, are ones we all know and claim to LOVE, but obviously don’t sufficiently put into action, otherwise our problems would not be as overwhelming as they are. He wisely advises us to: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6) 

And if we truly believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then that is Scripture 101! It’s the very essence, the very purpose of believing. Yes, you ought to trust and surrender your life to the one you claim to believe in, otherwise believing is just a figment of your imagination. And sadly, it’s that way with many of us supposed believers, because we only talk a good talk, but don’t walk it, and continue to live our lives in our own strength…until the heifer dust hits the fan. Then we run crying to God to fix it, and expect Him to do it, and do it immediately too! 

Oh, what a bunch of sad, hypocritical ingrates we are my people! That’s why our lives and our world is so messed up. And why shouldn’t it be eh, when some of us are trying to push God out of His own creation, while some of us who claim to believe are not walking in true faith, not doing what true faith calls for, either sitting on the fence or happily fornicating with the enemy. What we unfortunately lack is unity, true unity, not just talk unity. And where there is no unity, there cannot be peace or prosperity, only confusion, strife, and all the negative problems those things bring. 

And that’s why Bruh Paul so painstakingly advised us in his letter to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing 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) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) 

Yes my brethren, if we desire true peace in our souls, then we have to begin by taking EVERYTHING, yes EVERYTHING to God in prayer! And it doesn’t matter whether it’s big or small, significant or insignificant. Once it’s in our lives, then it’s also a concern of our God, for He is interested in EVERYTHING that goes on in our lives. 

Why do you think the Lord caused the prophet Isaiah to write to his people in the time of their trouble: ‘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) And why do you think Peter wrote these wise words to the early believers? ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) 

Yes my people, our Creator, our God, our heavenly Father indeed cares for us, else why would He send his sinless Son, Christ Jesus to die on the cross of Calvary to save our sinful souls eh? But we must take what He says and what He expects of us seriously, meaning be obedient to His Word, to His dictates. It’s foolish to expect to be disobedient, yet blessed with divine attention. And when we talk about our God so intently caring for us, how can one get any more explicit and understanding than these comforting words of Jesus from His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28) 

Oh my fellow saints, that says it all! Jesus is the answer to ALL of our problems, for EVERYTHING in our lives! And until we get that straight in our hearts and minds, and begin truly behaving in the appropriate manner, our trials and tribulations will continue to perplex and discombobulate us. Anyhow, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Jesus, let’s go home now declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, let’s go out and do just that nuh; share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…true trust and surrender are not found in mere talk…but in sincere, heart-felt action… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 October 2022   Lamentations 3:22-23.

23 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Lamentations 3:22-23.        It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Here it is again my people, Sunday, The day of the Lord! The Sabbath Day, that we should keep holy and gather in sweet fellowship to praise and give thanks to Almighty God our Creator and Provider for all that He’s done, is doing, and has promised to do for us. And all God’s children gave a mighty and grateful shout of ‘Praise the Lord!’ 

Now, today’s song is a very popular one amongst the brethren, and is aptly titled ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness.’ And would you believe we’ve never sung it in our Sunday worship. I was most amazed when I decided to sing it today and went looking for it amongst the archives. But it was nowhere to be found, so I had to research it from scratch. The song was written by Thomas O. Chisholm born in Franklin, Kentucky – (1866-1960). He wrote the poem in 1923 about God’s faithfulness over his lifetime and sent it to William Runyan in Kansas, who set it to music. It was published the same year by the Hope Publishing Company with which Runyan was affiliated and soon became popular among church groups. 

So let’s put our hearts and voices together and sing a rousing, mid-tempo, soulful, but oh so scintillating version of this amazing song, so that heaven will have no doubt that we are indeed grateful for God’s awesome faithfulness. Singing: ‘Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be. (Refrain: Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!) 

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and LOVE. [Refrain] Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! [Refrain] Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!)’ 

That was wonderful my brethren! Now there’s no doubt in heaven about our sincerity. So let’s look at some background info on the song. It seems that Chisholm’s life was ordinary. He grew up on a farm, was converted to Christianity at age 26, then became a minister in 1903, and according to one article ‘His aim in writing was to incorporate as much Scripture as possible and to avoid flippant or sentimental themes.’ And He’s certainly done that in this one. 

Then, in 1994, Greg Scheer wrote these words about the song and it’s author. ‘Unlike many hymns that have heart-wrenching stories behind them (for instance “It Is Well With My Soul”), “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is inspired by the simple realization that God is at work in our lives on a daily basis. He (Chisholm) wrote, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.” The hymn reminds us that God doesn’t only work in dramatic or miraculous ways, but also in simple, everyday ways. It also reminds us that Jesus has never failed us in the past, so we have no reason to doubt his faithfulness in the future.’ 

And isn’t all of that the God-awesome truth my fellow saints! It certainly is! For we serve a marvellous God filled with compassion and faithfulness. And apparently it’s these heart opening words of truth found in Jeremiah’s Lamentations that the song is based on. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) And believe me, that’s the gospel truth, for if our God wasn’t merciful and compassionate, we’d have been destroyed long ago. 

And I like how this second commentator compares Chisholm’s experiences to that of Jeremiah. He says: ‘Jeremiah, on the other hand, was in tumultuous circumstances when writing Lamentations. The people to whom he prophesied did not listen, and he was ostracized and completely alone because of what God called him to do. He also lamented the consequences of their faithlessness. God allowed them to be conquered by the Babylonians, resulting in their entire world being laid to waste. 

But in the midst of that utter devastation, Jeremiah still offers them hope on the horizon: they are not completely destroyed because of the LORD’s compassion and faithfulness, and in the morning, after this “dark night of the soul,” things will be better. So whether we are at a place in our lives where everything is pretty ordinary, or whether we are in a period of grief: no matter what our circumstances, God never changes and is faithful to us, sustaining us in his compassion and faithfulness each and every day.’ 

More gospel truth friends, for which we should be eternally grateful. Now let’s look at a few scriptures that corroborate and solidify what we’ve been saying. And I like this first one from the prophet Malachi, when talking to his people about the payment of tithes. ‘For I am the Lord I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein, (in what way) shall we return?’ (Mal. 3:6-7) 

And yuh know what friends? It’s the very same thing the Lord is saying unto us today. We have turned away in great droves from Him, being sinful and disobedient, but He’s still pleading with us to  return to His fold, where we will find goodness and mercy, rest and peace. And do we ever need those things in these turbulent times. But we stubbornly refuse to accept His call, despite the serious problems in which our world is currently floundering and going down for the count. 

Then, there’s this verse from the pen of the psalmist Asaph. He writes: ‘But he (God), being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.’ (Ps. 78:38) Oh my people, we cannot dispute those sentiments of Asaph, because they are totally true. How many times have we turned away from the God of our forefathers eh, and He has not completely destroyed us? We shouldn’t even be alive to tell the tale right now, but for His mercy and compassion for his frail and foolish creation. And yet we claim that He does not LOVE us. Hogwash! 

And we’ll end with these words from Psalm 36, where Bruh David declares: (yesss!!!) ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-kindness), O Lord, is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains (mountains of God): thy judgements are a great deep (ocean): O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.’ (Ps. 36:5-7) 

And if we want to alleviate the sure destruction that seems in store for our world, if we continue on our current path, I can assure us that there is no better place for mankind to put their trust right now, than in the Lord God Jehovah! So please my people, I am pleading with us to take time and sincerely and seriously ponder that wisdom today. For it will do us a world of good. Much LOVE!

…a word to the wise…is usually sufficient…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 October 2022 Psalm 146:5.

22 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 146:5.       Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.

Awright friends, it’s another colourful, sunshiny autumn morn in my area! All thanks and praise be to our great and merciful God! Yes, I’m surely thankful for being able to see this lazy Saturday morning unfurl. And wherever you are, whatever the weather or your personal situation, if you opened your eyes this lazy Saturday morning, then I’d strongly advise you to also give much thanks for that heavenly blessing, because there are many others who did not get that awesome opportunity of seeing a new day. 

Please remember these immortal and very wise words of the psalmist from way back when. ‘Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:4-5) And with that wise and wonderful scripture under our belt, (smile) let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now this first quote tells an awesome truth. It says: ‘We generate fears while we sit. We overcome them by action.’ And I know that many of us can identify with that, because it’s when we are not productively engaged that we get into the most trouble and feel the most fearful. As the old saying goes, the devil finds work for idle hands to do. And it’s quite true, for when you are inactive your mind wanders to all sorts of unlikely places and scenarios, many induced by the enemy’s suggestions and deceptions, and thus you are more susceptible to fear and anxiety. But when we are busy doing stuff, especially God’s will for our lives, there’s little or no time for fear to intrude into our hearts, bodies and souls. Glory be! 

Then there’s this interesting quote: ‘What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.’ And I believe there’s much truth in that, for in achieving one’s goals, provided they are worthwhile in God’s eyes, then your personal growth is also enhanced in ways you cannot see or even imagine. But that’s exactly what the Lord desires of us, has planned from day one for each of His creations; growth and maturity in His fold, steadily moving forward to a likeness or uncanny resemblance to His Son Jesus Christ. 

As Bruh Paul writes in Romans: ‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29) Yes friends, from the very beginning God planned to make every Christian increasingly more like Christ, moving them along life’s path from glory to glory. (Eph. 3:18) So technically speaking, whenever we achieve goals, be they bad or good, we grow either in godliness or evil, but God’s avowed purposed is for all to grow in likeness to His Son, and I guess Satan also wants those under his control to grow in evil-doing like him. 

And it all segues quite nicely into this next quote. Yes, the second quote is like unto the first. (smile) ‘Dreams don’t have to just be dreams. You can make it a reality; if you just keep pushing and keep trying, then eventually you’ll reach your goal. And if that takes a few years, then that’s great, but if it takes 10 or 20, then that’s part of the process.’ Now that’s what we’re talking about! Dreams become goals, and goals become reality, but not necessarily in a short time, for early on there are usually mistakes and failures, but through persistence, and strong belief in God and one’s goal, you can eventually succeed. 

If you look around our world at the many stunning inventions and amenities we enjoy, they all began with a dream, that was then turned into a goal, and then worked hard and long at to achieve. From the dream to the reality, it’s all a process, more often long than short, and it’s the same with our becoming like Christ; it doesn’t happen overnight, or easily, but it’s a lifelong process with plenty of ups and downs, however, there’s a marvellous reward of salvation and eternal life at the end. 

And this next quote amplifies it all. ‘The moral of my story is the sun always comes out after the storm. Being optimistic and surrounding yourself with positive LOVING people is for me, living life on the sunny side of the street.’ Now isn’t that what we are all seeking and searching for? To be surrounded by positive LOVING people, that will help us live on the sunny side of the street. Unfortunately though, that’s one of the most difficult things to do in this current evil, ungodly world, because Satan’s appeal is so widespread that people can no longer be trusted to have your back. 

We’re becoming increasingly greedy and selfish, behaving like ungodly crabs in a barrel, all struggling to reach the top without regard to the welfare of those around us. So, we must be optimistic, for that’s what Christ, our Leader teaches, but we must also be very careful in these treacherous times of whom we let into our private sanctuaries. And yes, after a storm, there’s usually the sun shining brightly, but please note that there are more storms in the forecast, because storms are simply a natural part of life. 

We just have to be as prepared as we can be, and trust our Lord and Saviour to lead and guide us through them successfully, since we don’t have the power to do so on our own. That’s why the Good Book warns us in Psalm 146: ‘Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation)…Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.’ (Ps. 146:3, 5) Now that says it all friends: Mankind can’t help us with salvation, and his trustworthiness in earthly matters also leaves a lot to be desired. Only Jehovah God can be trusted to help us fix our lives in a worthwhile manner. 

And that brings us to this last and very interesting quote. ‘When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there.’ And my fellow believers, the only time and place you can truly see beyond yourself is when you see yourself through the eyes of our gracious and merciful God. When you are convinced that salvation is yours, that you have been reconciled to the Father, have become a child of God, made righteous through belief and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, with total surrender to His awesome will for our lives. 

That is the pinnacle God wants us all to desire, to reach for with perseverance and trust, and eventually achieve. So please, let’s keep reaching forward for said pinnacle nuh, because it’s where the Prince of Peace dwells, and only when we get there, will we ever find true peace. Much LOVE!

…peace I leave with you…my peace I give unto you…not as the world giveth…give I unto you…let not your heart be troubled…neither let it be afraid… (John 14:27) 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 October 2022 Philippians 3:14.

19 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 3:14.       I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And it’s another day for us to give much thanks to our Creator for enabling us to see. It’s just that I didn’t see it until late. (smile) Ah, my imbalanced life will be my certain destruction. Just can’t seem to adopt the early to bed, early to rise rule, although I like to get the Bit out at a decent hour. But what to do eh? I try…and most days I don’t do too badly, but every so often I fall through the cracks, so to speak. And I hope that you all read an apology in there. (smile) 

Now today, I want to offer us some wise and encouraging words from the pen of Dr. Robert H. Schuller, founder of the Hour of Power Ministries, from his Book of Daily Motivation and Inspiration. And the first thing we’ll check out is what he terms ‘The Possibility Thinker’s Creed.’ Please read with me: ‘When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath, or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine – with God’s help.’ 

And that’s certainly what we believers ought to be doing, especially in these troubled and scary times. We’ve got to keep keeping on, keep on pushing through, regardless of the obstacles that seem to be strewn all over our way. And we can only do that successfully, as Dr. Schuller so rightly points out, with God’s help! 

The problem though is that today’s believer doesn’t have the backbone and belly, the spine that we need to get us up and moving. We’ve become too soft and sedentary through the easy living that’s the hall mark of our society, but which in fact is the bane of our lives. It’s taken all the strength, the determination and iron out of our will, so that we no longer have the energy, or the will to fight things through to the end, we give up as soon as the going gets somewhat rough. 

But that’s not what a true believer does my friends. A true believer keeps on pressing forward despite the obstacles that come against him or her. Like Bruh Paul so aptly writes to the church at Philippi. ‘Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended (arrived): but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:13-14) 

Yes, my fellow believers, Bruh Paul’s determined purpose was to ‘know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death.’ (Phil. 3:10) And he was not prepared to allow anything or any person to stop him from reaching that goal, throwing behind him all his education and past Christian achievements, he plowed ahead for ‘the high calling of God, that’s the divine summons extended to the believer for salvation.’  And that’s how we ought to be focused in these trying and very deceptive times, which seem to be leading to the last days. 

Now some more encouraging words from Dr. Schuller. In one devotional, he writes: ‘Do not be discouraged if you do not accomplish everything that you set out to accomplish.’ And brother, is there ever a word in there for me, because I still have so many things I want to accomplish before I depart this life, and it doesn’t seem like I’m making any progress towards many, or rather, any of them. And you’ve got to realize that I’m no longer a spring chicken, (smile) so time is not my friend right now. 

However, like Bruh Paul and Dr. Schuller say, we’ve got to keep on pushing through… with God’s help. And these days, the wise words of Cousin Sol come up before me very often when I consider the desires the Lord’s placed in my heart, that don’t seem to be coming through. ‘There are many devices (schemes, plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov. 19:21) And it hurts me to think that some of the plans I have, many of them for God’s glory, won’t come through, unless He gives me plenty more time down here on earth to accomplish them. But I’ve got to remember that He is the Boss, and like it or not, what He says goes! (smile) 

Now a couple more truths from Dr. Schuller. He says: ‘There are two major reasons why people fail. Both stem from a lack of mountain-moving faith.’ And before we get into the reasons, let’s check out how he describes faith. ‘Faith is affirming success before it comes. Faith is making claims to victory before it is achieved. This is very difficult to do, but most important.’  

Hence these reasons for failure. ‘(1) People who fail are often people who are indecisive. They cannot make decisions swiftly and surely. The fast moving opportunity is past before they decide – too late – to take hold. (2) Then some decisive people fail because after making the decision, they fail to move forward with an expectant confidence. They grab the opportunity, only to lose nerve, get cold feet, and begin to wonder if they have done the right thing. They have gripped the plough but now they are looking back. Want to be a success? Develop the ability to appraise opportunities intelligently, seize opportunities swiftly, and promote those opportunities confidently.’ 

And I believe that we can all benefit from those wise words of Dr. Schuller, because we all have sometime or other been indecisive, lacking in sufficient faith, and thus unable to move forward when opportunities have come our way. And today I’ve promised myself that we’re not going to be late and also long. (smile) That means we’ll stop here. There’s enough good info to sink our teeth into. No need to add more. 

So, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Jesus, let’s get to declaring… Chuh man!!! I have to shake my head and laugh yes, because although I concentrate on spelling that word right, I still end up spelling it wrong. But that’s just the devil winning a minor one. Let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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, as I like to remind us, if we endure with Jesus until the end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Wow! So let’s use that as encouragement to endure nuh! (smile) Much LOVE!

…living for Jesus is not easy…but if we’re serious…He gives us the wherewithal to do it… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 October 2022 John 14:15.

18 Oct 2022 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, well, well! If we haven’t opened our eyes to another wonderful day on God’s great earth! That’s always the best gift of every day! (smile) And hopefully, we’ve all given our heavenly Father thanks for that magnificent opportunity He’s so unselfishly and lavishly bestowed on us. And yes, it’s a somewhat cloudy and definitely chilly Tuesday morning in my area, but the surrounding scenery is indeed beautiful. What with all the many varied colours of the leaves in this autumn season, you can’t beat it for artistic excellence. I believe God put His best artistic talents to work when He created autumn. (smile) 

And I’m sorry for those of you who live in a constantly tropical climate, because it’s a work of God you’ll unfortunately never see and thus won’t ever totally appreciate His amazing craftsmanship. Oh, I know you’ll claim that after the beautiful autumn season comes that awful time called winter, but then again, if you’ve never experienced winter, you’re also not going to have the full experience of God’s outstanding creativity, since a winter landscape is also incredibly beautiful. (smile) Now, you don’t have to like living in the four seasons as experienced in the northern climes, but as an aficionado of art and change, they can be truly eye-opening to God’s majestic and superb powers of creativity. 

Enough though on the artistry and beauty of the seasons, listen up to this amazing sight I witnessed last Sunday morning as I came out of church. As I was about to head over to the parking lot on the far side of the church where my car was parked, I found my way blocked by a long line of Canada geese stately stepping across the parking lot in front of me, actively blocking the path to my car. And for those of you who know Canada geese, they always take their own sweet time, except when they are running you down for some infringement they believe you’ve committed. 

But here was this long line, at least a dozen of them, slowly moving along before me, behind a leader who obviously knew where he or she was going and was not in any hurry to get there. It took a couple minutes for the main party to cross over to the bank of the parking lot and totter down the side onto the paved roadway at the bottom. But thankfully, as always, there was a party of five stragglers bringing up the rear of the line, so I finally slipped between them out to my car. They didn’t seem to care much as they went about picking and checking the area for any scraps of food available. 

Some of the others had also remained on the grassy bank seeking sustenance, but along the roadway, there was still the long line of geese dutifully following their leader, in all trust and faithfulness, physically acknowledging their trust and faith in his or her leadership. And it suddenly struck me that the whole scenario was a rather appropriate simile for our faith and trust in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Many of us acknowledge Him as our leader, and a fair amount of us follow His awesome lead, but just like with those Canada geese, some of us straggle and stray far behind, while others pick around at the edges. 

Now those two latter sets, remind me of the supposed believers, who are bent on seeking fulfillment in their own wisdom, despite the divine anointing of their leader, Christ Jesus. But please my fellow believers, let’s remember some of the comments our Lord and Saviour, our Leader, the Son of God made about not staying close to Him. And the most important is probably this first remark. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) Yes friends, we cannot truly belong to an organization unless we sincerely follow the rules and regulations as set out by the leadership. 

As John in his first epistle points out. ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome)’ (1 John 5:3) And that’s the gospel truth, God’s commandments are not burdensome. They just feel so because we have free will and thus believe we should do what we want. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that my brethren. Here’s why not. 

After telling the disciples to keep His commandments, Jesus explicitly announces to them: ‘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 my people, Jesus didn’t mince words there! He told it just like it is. Without Him, we are unable to live this earthly life successfully. And the sooner many of us believe that, the sooner many of us will be so much better off, physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

But such is the ‘own-way’, hard-headed and stubborn nature of mankind, that we just like to do our own thing, even if it’s not getting us anywhere. Doing our own thing seems to build our ego, despite it keeping us on the bottom rungs of the ladder of life. And it’s a strange phenomenon of life, that you are not fit to lead, until you learn to follow. Exactly what Jesus did when He came to earth. The Good Book clearly tells us, that though He was God, He didn’t behave in an arrogant, snobbish manner, but became humble and obedient, even unto death on the cross. (Phil. 2:6-8) 

So, it makes sense that we are not fit to lead our own lives until we learn to follow the leadership of Jesus. (smile) And even then, on our own, we will still be always behind the eight ball, because we just were not made to be on our own. Our Creator, Jehovah God made us to live in fellowship, in sincere communion with Him. That means He did not give us the parts that are necessary for living a good and true life on our own. And you’ll notice that regardless of the wealth and power you accumulate in this earthly life, there will always be something missing in your soul and spirit, there will always be a li’l empty pocket, a li’l empty space in our souls that can only be satisfied when it’s filled with the LOVE, compassion and power of Christ Jesus. 

Now that’s a space God left for Himself in our souls, and only when we fill it with Jesus, will our souls ever enjoy true peace and happiness. My friends, please, let’s remember that we are not our own, never were and never will be. We were first made by God for Himself, and then when we sinned and fell out of His good graces, He later purchased us back with the sinless blood of His Son, shed on Calvary’s Hill. As the Good Book says in no uncertain terms. ‘For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:20) 

And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do just that, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one sincere voice: ‘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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And now my faithful brethren, let’s go out and put all those words into action nuh, by sharing the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…some of us like to play the game follow the leader…but following Jesus is no game…it’s for real…and the stakes are high…hellfire and damnation…or eternal life… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 October 2022 Hebrews 4:16.

16 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 4:16.       Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

So friends, Sunday, that day of peace, rest and fellowship, has rolled around once again. It’s interesting to note how quickly it seems to come back. Perhaps that’s because the Lord knows how badly we need to fellowship together and receive His awesome grace and mercy to renew our souls and spirits, while we offer up to Him the thanks and praise He so richly deserves. 

And looking forward to Sunday ought to be one of the joys of the Christian brethren, although some of us find going to church on Sunday an irritating inconvenience, a pain in the neck that just disrupts our sleeping program. Well then, find a church that gathers at a later hour, so you won’t be inconvenienced, (smile) because gathering with other believers in worship is a rather important aspect of the Christian walk of life. 

Anyway, for those of us gathered today, let’s open the proceedings with the usual song of praise. Today’s number is one titled ‘Come Boldly to The Throne of Grace.’ That’s something the Good Book advises us very often to do, but so many of us still refuse to do it. Let’s see if we can’t persuade a few more to do so by singing the song. Therefore, in a sincere, mid-tempo, harmonious riddim, let’s offer up sacrificial voices of praise. 

Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk. Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free. 

Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in.’ 

Oh my people, there’s absolutely no doubt about that last line. Anytime you go boldly to the throne of grace, the Lord will ALWAYS gladly accept you, NEVER turn you away, for He’s in the business of saving souls. What does the song say? ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth my brethren. Listen to how Jesus puts it nuh. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) Glory Hallelujah! Thank God for Jesus! Because it’s through His selfless work down here on earth that we can now go boldly to the throne of grace, that’s right to the Father’s throne and ask for mercy and forgiveness. 

Hear how Bruh Paul wrote it to the church at Ephesus, when talking about God’s plan from the vey beginning of time. ‘According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph. 3:12) Yes my fellow believers, as the scholars explain, we do ‘have boldness (freedom of speech before God), and access (the right of  entering His presence) with confidence (the assurance of being heard by God) by the faith of him (through relying upon Christ to gain God’s ear.’ 

That’s surely wonderful news, because before Jesus came and spilled His sinless blood on Calvary, only the high priest could venture into the holy of holies, had access to the mercy seat in the inner sanctuary of the temple, one day a year to seek forgiveness for the people. But Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension tore down that veil, that large curtain in the temple that supposedly hid the Lord from His people. Now all who acknowledge Christ’s name can boldly and confidently go themselves before the Father. 

However, there’s one very important thing we ought to note. We can go to the Father in boldness and confidence, but NEVER in arrogance or pride, ALWAYS humbly, because as Cousin Sol reminds us in Proverbs, the Father still dislikes arrogance, pride or haughtiness; they are all an abomination to Him. (Prov. 6:16-17) So please don’t be fooled by those words ‘boldness’ and ‘confidence,’ they don’t give you a  carte blanche approach to God, freedom to behave however you want, you still have to mind your p’s and q’s. (smile) 

Now listen to a more detailed explanation of that ability to go directly to God by the author of Hebrews, as he talks about the sympathetic Christ. ‘Seeing then we have a high priest that is passed into (through) to the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:14-15) 

Ah mih people, that’s what so great about Jesus, He personally knows what it’s like to suffer the trials and tribulations found down here on earth, so He has the ability to empathize with us in our suffering. No other deity has that ability. That’s why we can carry our burdens, our problems, anxieties, whatever is troubling us to Him. Remember too His Great Invitation, for those who labour and are heavy burdened to come to Him for rest. (Matt. 11:28) So we’re being very foolish if we refuse to carry our troubles to Him who suffered like us, though without sin, and thus understands what trouble is all about. 

But here is the scripture that wraps it up tightly nuh, as the author of Hebrews ends his writing on the sympathetic Christ. ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) And my fellow saints, with the absolute mess that our world is currently in, I don’t think there’s ever been a time in New Testament History that we’ve ever needed God’s grace and mercy like we so desperately do right now! 

So please, let’s turn our sincere steadfast attention to the heavenly throne nuh, and seek that grace and mercy we so badly need if our world is to be saved from total destruction. Much LOVE!

…only God’s saving grace and mercy…can improve mankind’s lot… 

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

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   14 October 2022 Philippians 4:5.

14 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:5.       Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.​

And then it was Friday, the big day, somewhat cloudy in my area, but nonetheless still worth shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! That’s because many of us are still suffering from the after-effects of the Thanksgiving weekend just past. (smile) Yes, when you’re running on emergency power, it’s always a blessing to find time to recharge those life batteries. 

And that’s what the weekend is really for; rest, relaxation and recharging for another tough workweek. But we’ve become such pleasure-seeking animals in this last generation, that we seldom get much rest and recharging, because we’re out there trying to catch up on all the pleasure and partying we’ve missed during the week. So, when Monday rolls around, as it inevitably does, we have to go back out to work in a tired frame of mind and body again. 

Now it’s obvious that if we’re tired in both body and mind that our work is going to suffer. We’re not going to put out our best effort, and the diligence and excellence that we talk about so much will be lacking. And that’s not good for followers of Christ, because His watchwords are diligence and excellence! As Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley likes to say: ‘Look your best, be your best, and do your best.’ That should be the basic motto of the Christian believer. Always trying to do our best in Christ’s name. 

And there’s nothing that says we cannot enjoy ourselves, but too much of anything is bad for us. We ought to keep our lives in some semblance of balance. And it’s not always easy to do, especially with the feast of pleasures that are currently available in our pleasure-centred world and are constantly been thrown up in our faces. That’s why Bruh Paul, after telling the Philippians to rejoice, however warned them: ‘Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.’ (Phil. 4:5) 

And what does all that mean? Here is an interesting excerpt from Godtube website, highlighting the Barnes Bible commentary on the subject. “Let your moderation be known unto all men – That is, let it be such that others may see it. This does not mean that they were to make an ostentatious display of it, but that it should be such a characteristic of their lives that it would be constantly visible to others. 

The word “moderation” – ἐπιεικὲς epieikes – refers to restraint on the passions, general soberness of living, being free from all excesses. The word properly means that which is fit or suitable, and then propriety, gentleness, mildness – They were to indulge in no excess of passion, or dress, or eating, or drinking. They were to govern their appetites, restrain their temper, and to be examples of what was proper for people in view of the expectation that the Lord would soon appear.” 

And as per, ‘The Lord is at hand -The idea is, that the expectation that the Lord Jesus will “come,” ought to be allowed to produce moderation of our passions, in our manner of living, in our expectations of what this world can furnish, and in our desires of earthly good. On him who feels that he is soon to die, and to stand at the bar of God – on him who expects soon to see the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven, it cannot fail to have this effect. 

People indulge their passions – are extravagant in their plans of life, and in their expectations of earthly good for themselves and for their families, because they have no realizing sense of the truth that there is before them a vast eternity. He that has a lively expectation that heaven will soon be his, will form very moderate expectations of what this world can furnish.’ 

Yes friends, the believer can’t afford to be ostentatious, or overly proud and carry on with the behaviour that rises out of that kind of temperament, for remember that actions speak louder than words, and if we are guilty of too much carousing, pride and arrogance, and such ungodly things then the unbeliever will never come to Christ when we witness to them. They will just laugh at us, realizing that we’re only talking the talk, but not walking the walk. In other words, we are just like them in our actions, where it counts ever so much more. 

And so, to help us handle the tough battle between our flesh and our spirit, Bruh Paul therefore advised. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing 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) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:6-7) 

Yes mih bredrin, that’s the only way we can successfully overcome the enemy when he begins throwing all his pleasure-filled darts at us. As they say, take it all to God! And that’s the gospel truth. And if that’s really so, then let’s take our troubles right now nuh to our gracious and merciful God through our Friday Chant. 

As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the several viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the threatening to boil over discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And now, as whenever we go to God in prayer, there are things we need to do before He will do what He needs to do. So please, if we desire Him to work on our behalf, then let’s get busy doing the things we know we ought to be doing nuh. Otherwise our prayers are a waste of time and breath. Much LOVE!

…if our Ying and Yang aren’t in balance…then our souls and spirits can’t function in Christ-like efficiency…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 October 2022 Deuteronomy 8:18a.

13 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 8:18a.        But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth…

Awright, so it’s a wet and cloudy Thursday autumn morn. But we are still thankful for it, because it means the Lord still believes we are doing good work for Him down here, or, on the flip side of the coin, we’re not doing enough and is therefore giving us another chance to do better. (smile) But whatever the reason, it behooves us to make the most of the day, because who knows if we’ll see tomorrow, or another today. 

And yuh better believe we are indeed grateful for the little rain that fell overnight, because we haven’t seen any heavenly blessings around here for some time. And it’s not like it was big showers, but merely protracted drizzles. However, a little is better than none at all. It also reminds us of the serious drought and famine that so many parts of our world are currently suffering.  As they say, it’s either feast or famine; some are having no rain, while others are being deluged with water from heaven causing floods and so much calamity where life is already very difficult.

 It’s a time for serious prayer my people. A time to return to the God of our forefathers in true repentance because He is the ONLY ONE who can make things right. And we’ve become so arrogant and self-centred with all our technological inventions and immense knowledge that we foolishly believe that we can solve any problems we come across, and thus have chosen to get rid of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from our society. What foolishness! For He is the backbone, the foundation of any strong and prosperous society. 

Yuh know, we say that History is a record of the past that helps us to understand the present, but again, arrogantly we have dismissed true history from our minds, even to the point of rewriting it to fall in line with what we are currently promoting. But please note, that regardless of what we call history, the truth of it will always come out. And that truth is simply that any nation or society that eschews the grace and mercy of Jehovah God, eventually suffers and dies. 

And that we can see from the true history of our world. It’s littered with so many originally God-fearing nations, who got prosperous with God’s help, then after a season of prosperity, like we are currently doing, turned away from Him, foolishly deciding that we could handle it on our own. When will we ever learn eh my brethren? We just have to look at the Jewish people, God’s own people, to understand His immense and oh so important role in our lives. 

So, let’s see if we can use a li’l logic and reasoning here to support our position. (smile) Now, Bruh David, one of the foremost Jews of all time, wrote these marvellous words in Psalm 24, subtitled, ‘The king of glory.’ Please read them with me. ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and all that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers).’ (Ps. 24:1-2) Now that tells us that the Lord God Jehovah created the world and all therein. 

And then in their Holy Book, the Torah, which outlines Jewish history, their leader, Moses unequivocally states. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.’ (Deut. 8:18-20) 

Yes friends, that’s very clear and concise. As the scholars say: ‘Yahweh alone gave Israel the ability to get wealth, and the blessing the nation enjoyed was the result of His covenant with the people and was the outcome of His promise to their forefathers.’ And in the history of Israel, we so often see that whenever they prospered, God was at the forefront of their nation. 

But unfortunately, the same thing happened to them that’s happening to us right now; whenever they got prosperous, they felt they no longer needed God and turned away to their own devices. And every time they did that, got too big for their britches, the nation went into a tailspin was besieged, conquered or taken into captivity. However, when they woke up, came back to their senses, repented and returned to God’s fold, He forgave them and allowed them to prosper again. 

Now doesn’t that touch a sensible and sensitive chord in our hearts and minds, at least intimating that the Lord God Jehovah has a hand in our destiny, and turning against Him might well spell our demise? And even if you are not convinced by that argument, (smile) then try this one on for size nuh. Since we believe that we are so great and powerful in our own strength, why then is our world in such a sorry state of strife, sickness and poverty eh? We’ve tried every solution, every system known to man to right our world, but nothing seems to work. 

Sorry, there’s one solution we haven’t yet tried, that’s turning repentantly and sincerely back to Almighty God! Now, if nothing else seems to be working, doesn’t it make sense to at least try that? It surely does. And we have nothing to lose, for our own efforts are continually driving us down into the mire of destruction. But with Almighty God at our helm once again, we possibly have a whole lot to gain. So what’s it to be eh my people? Continual descent into the depths of destruction, or an awakening, a renewal of mankind under the mighty, merciful, gracious and forgiving hand of Jehovah God, our Creator and Provider; the one who gives us the ability to prosper in His world? 

The answer is entirely up to us, as individuals and as members of the church of Christ. Now, I’m not saying that the stunning calamity in our world right now is the work of God’s hands, but He surely isn’t preventing it from happening. And that ought to tell us something; He’s trying to convey a serious message to us, namely He doesn’t like our current behaviour and desires us to repent and return to His fold. So friends, since we are supposed to be God’s wisest creation, let’s wake up and admit the error of our ways nuh. The Israelites were mighty stupid at times, but when calamity struck them, they were wise enough to turn back to the God of their fathers, who forgave them and renewed their prosperity. Why can’t be as wise eh? 

And for those of us who are willing to work for God, He has generously endowed us with a marvellous set of tools to do it. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So, let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now, if we are to reap any positive benefits, let’s go out and sow good seeds in the name of Jesus Christ nuh! Much LOVE!

…you only reap what you sow…sowing sin and disobedience reaps destruction…sowing obedience and righteousness reaps eternal life… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 October 2022 Romans 13:12.

12 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Romans 13:12.       The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Wow! It’s Wednesday already…and I’m up early! Went to bed early too. (smile) Don’t know if that’s good or bad, but it’s what we have to work with, and it’s what we’ll do. The important thing is that we’re alive, and thus have important work to do for Christ as His followers down here on this crazy planet called earth. And the best time to do it is right now, for remember Bruh Paul’s warning to the church at Rome. ‘And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.’ (Rom. 13:11) 

Oh friends, is that ever the gospel truth! Darkness has covered us for far too long, and it’s been centuries since Bruh Paul wrote that missive to the Roman church, which means Christ’s coming is closer than ever, and gets closer with each passing day, and we cannot afford to let Him return and find us in a state of slumber or inactivity. It’s therefore time for us to get up and begin doing what we know we ought to be doing; that’s encouraging the many souls that are still living in the darkness of the prince of this world, to come out of that repressive and intolerable darkness into the splendid light and freedom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

And Bruh Paul continues his warning: ‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.’ (Rom. 13:12) Oh yes my brethren, the truth of the matter is that plenty of us so called believers are also living under the cover of darkness, despite our claim to be living in light. And it’s high time that we recognize our insufficiencies and throw off the cloak of darkness that we’ve been hiding under for oh too long. It’s time believers wake up and get moving, the world is getting darker and more evil every day, and it desperately needs our help to move it toward the light of Christ. 

Remember that old saying, the darkest hour is the one before the dawn? Well right now is the darkest hour of the world! The dawn, that‘s Christ Jesus, will soon be appearing and how will it look if so many of us supposed believers are not ready for His august return eh? And even worse, that we‘ve not helped as many as we should, to be also ready for it. It certainly won’t look good on our report card. For when that day of judgement comes and the Lord asks us what we did with our time down here on earth, what are we going to say eh? 

So as Bruh Paul further advises: ‘Let us walk honestly (properly), as in the day; not in rioting (revelry) and drunkenness, not in chambering (licentiousness) and wantonness (lewdness), not in strife and envying.’ (Rom. 13:13) And the sad fact is that many of us supposed believers are still living the way Bruh Paul sets it out. We are still running down the wealth, power and pleasures of this evil world. And how unseemly and unfortunate is that eh? It sets a rather bad example for those whom we should be reclaiming by our Christian behaviour, not joining with them in their worldly life of revelry and licentiousness. 

And the antidote for that inappropriate behaviour is, as Bruh Paul says: ‘But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.’ (Rom. 13:14) Ah mih people, we all know that resisting the lusts of the flesh in this flesh based world is not easy, but as a child of God, a believer in Jesus Christ, we all have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, which helps us to refute and refuse the things of the flesh; that is if we are prepared to listen to and heed His guidance. 

And that’s the problem right there. We don’t pay sufficient attention to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit which has been purposely sent to help us live the difficult Christian life here on the evil earth. So how can we expect to function as true believers eh? We talk a good talk, but don’t put that talk into action. And we are all guilty of that. Can you imagine the glorious state our world would be in right now, if all the talk that we believers talk was actually put into action? Glory be! Satan would be pulling out what li’l hair he still has in total fright! But unfortunately, it’s we believers who are pulling out our hair in despair over the evil and violence, the horrific darkness that’s quickly overcoming our world. 

Now, here are a few explanations from the scholars re those verses above. As per verses 11-12, they say: Sleep means insensitivity to the demands of Christ on the Christian’s life. Now is our salvation nearer: The coming of Christ to deliver us from this sinful world grows nearer every day. The night is the time while Christ is out of the world, and the world has been delivered into the control of the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2) The day is a reference to the time when Christ will return and establish His reign of righteousness.’ 

And just to jostle our memories and disturb our consciences, (smile), we’ll quote Eph. 2:2. It says: ‘Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.’ Ah friends, before we were saved by Jesus’ spilled blood on the cross of Calvary, we walked according to the tendencies and purposes of this world, all of which were and still are opposed and hostile to God’s system. But since Jesus saved us, we ought not to be walking that same ungodly wide and destructive pathway. 

That’s why the scholars’ explanation of verse 14: is so important. ‘Make not provision for the flesh: One should not seek opportunities to satisfy the deep-seated desires of the sin nature, but should seek occasion to manifest works that are consistent with the new life in Christ.’ Now, please, please, let’s ponder those words today nuh, and see where we are still trying to satisfy the lusts of our flesh, and take them before the Lord and ask for His divine help to handle them. That’s the only way we will ever truly come into the light from the darkness in which so many of us are sadly still enveloped. 

And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home now declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most intimate position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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!’ 

Now, just a li’l reminder that if we endure to the end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Wow mih bredren! Just think that we can’t even imagine how great those times with Christ really will be nuh. Let’s hope that will cause us to be even more faithful and trusting…and to endure. Much LOVE!

…finite minds…can never truly comprehend…the events or state of infinity… 

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

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