Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 October 2020 Isaiah 30:21.

06 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

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Isaiah 30:21.     ​And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Wow! It’s Tuesday already? Yes mih bredrin, Monday done, and Tuesday take over now! Reminds me of Sparrow’s famous kaiso – Jean and Dinah – ‘The Yankees gone, and Sparrow take over now.’ So we have to forget Monday and concentrate on Tuesday, because we can only live one day at a time, for that’s all we get, all the Lord’s given us; one day at a time. So let’s be upbeat as we declare that this is the day the Lord has given us, and then let’s rejoice in it, because it’s been given to us by the Lord for that exact purpose! 

Yeh, it might be a li’l confusing, but you know what I mean. (smile) Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice! That’s what the people of God do, for they have seen the light in the darkness, and that light, that bright, shining light, whose name is Jesus, is oh so good! Give Him thanks and praise my people! 

Now here’s an interesting quote that the Director of Alumni Relations of the University of the West Indies, Celia Davidson Francis, recently shared in her news update, as an encouragement to us all in these trying times. It comes from the work of the French-Algerian, author, journalist and philosopher, Albert Camus (1913-1960). 

He said: “In the midst of hate, I found, there was within me, an invincible LOVE. In the midst of tears, I found, there was within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found, there was within me, and invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found, there was within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” 

And that’s the living truth my people! We all have that little space within us that’s been set there by our Creator, that can come up strong when things get tough. The only problem is that we have to activate it for it to come to life and help us stand strong and push back at our enemies. And for us believers in Christ Jesus, it’s His Holy Spirit that helps us activate that push back. But again, we have to listen to the prodding and pushing and pleading of the Holy Spirit, as it leads and guides us, else nothing positive will happen. 

And my fellow believers, do we ever need the wisdom and advice of the Holy Spirit in these turbulent times to help us be strong and steadfast and walk the straight and narrow path as we ought. And we can outlast these tough times by listening to the Holy Spirit that dwells within each one of us. That’s why Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) could say without any hesitation: ‘tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’ That’s because the Holy Spirit of God enables us to be tough and withstand the tough times. 

And do I ever get a high from, and have to chuckle at the mysterious ways and the faithfulness of our wonderful God! Yeh friends, I just decided to stop and look for a scripture to corroborate what I’ve been saying, so I turned to the opened Good Book next to me. I hadn’t looked at it before, just saw that it had opened at Isaiah when I opened it earlier. And lo, and behold, what do you think I espied with my own two little eyes eh? (smile) This most amazing and encouraging verse that so deftly describes the actions of the Holy Spirit in our lives. ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) 

Oh my people, that’s what Isaiah said to the Israelites many moons ago when he appealed to them to turn to the Lord for help. But thankfully that has all changed for the better, because with the coming of Jesus and the New Covenant, each and every believer, as soon as they accept Christ as Lord and Saviour receives the Holy Ghost as well, who comes to dwell within them to lead and guide them into all righteousness! 

Glory be mih people! How blessed are we to have the Holy Spirit of God Himself dwelling within us, showing us the way to live a godly and righteous, a joyful and abundant life! Mama Yo! We couldn’t ask for anything more or anything better! Our big problem though is that we don’t listen, and/or we don’t hear. 

Now listening and hearing are two entirely different things. The first means an active act or expectation of hearing something at some time or other. It’s like faith, so we’re paying attention, waiting with great expectation. Meanwhile, hearing is basically anything and everything that’s going through our ear-waves, stuff that we’re not necessarily expecting or paying particular attention to, stuff that we can ignore or do with as we please. However, as believers, we are supposed to listen to, to expect that still, small voice that’s the Holy Spirit to talk to us, to lead and guide us in the way we should go. 

Now too many of us don’t listen for that still small voice, or if we do, when we hear it, we ignore it’s advice. So what else can we expect but unwise doings then eh? Remember Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to the disciples? ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-17) 

And Jesus did fulfill that promise at the first day of Pentecost after He ascended back to heaven. That day all the disciples were sitting together in a room ready to enjoy the feast day; ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4) 

Oh mih people, what a glorious day that was; the day when believers were first baptized with the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised in Acts 1:5. ‘For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And from that day onwards, all believers receive the Holy Ghost to indwell them, when they accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour! What a magnanimous and magnificent Deity we serve and worship my brethren! 

So let’s go home now letting all and sundry know who we are, and to whom we belong, by declaring (awrightttt!) our Tuesday Mantra. In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

It now behooves us to go out and show that trust and spread that wonderful LOVE with those who don’t know Christ. Much LOVE!

…you can’t hear…if you don’t listen…and you can’t be successful…if you don’t obey… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 October 2020 Romans 12:21.

05 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

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

Romans 12:21.     ​Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

So what shall we say this Monday Morning in the early autumn days of this unprecedented year of 2020 eh? One thing comes to mind – that the Lord does indeed move in mysterious ways His miracles to perform. Yuh realize how many of the world leaders who never believe in the Covid virus and made fun of it, eventually got it? The leaders of the U.K., Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Belarus, and some others whom I don’t remember all contracted the Covid-19 disease because they took it for a joke. 

Hn! How can you ever take something the Lord allows, and as widespread and dangerous as it is, especially with its unknown qualities and behaviour, as a joke eh? And friends, I just realized that I left out the most famous (in his own mind) and powerful leader and mocker of them all…the one and only President of the U.S. of A! How could I have done that eh when all yuh hearing on the news these days are uncertainties, lies, innuendoes, and half-truths concerning his supposed illness. 

He’s acquired such an aura of disbelief that many people don’t believe that he’s sick, it’s just another ploy in his vast arsenal of tricks and dirty deeds to win the upcoming election. His presidency has been fraught with so much distaste that many normally good-natured folks are praying for him to die from the Covid-19. And it would be a fitting death too, as he has so badly mismanaged the crisis. But all in all, I don’t think that is the Christian thing to do. The Lord will repay him in His own time and way for his wrongdoing. 

So let us remember the words of the Good Book and heed its warning. ‘To me belongeth vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them with haste.’ (Deut. 32:35) Those were Moses words to the Israelites in the early days. And the psalmist, in his writings – How long shall the wicked triumph – cried out in the same manner that many of us are crying out today as the wicked seem to be prospering ever so much, while the righteous are suffering. 

‘O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself ( shine forth). Lift up thyself (rise up), thou judge of the earth: render a reward ( repay with punishment) to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?’ (Ps. 94:1-3) Notice, in his anguish, how he repeats himself for emphasis. And that’s a very relevant question in these difficult and dangerous times friends, for the wicked and the wealthy are prospering even in these lean days. 

It’s a proven fact that during this Covid-19 season the rich has gotten immensely richer, while the poor has gotten immensely poorer! No wonder a lot of people are crying out for justice, for vengeance! But then we are led by Bruh Paul to keep our faith, to trust our God, who never fails to keep His promises, just in His own time and manner. Hear him in his missive to the church at Rome. 

‘Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men (Have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath (don’t take angry action): for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire (shame and remorse) on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:17-21) 

What more can I say eh friends? That’s Bruh Paul’s teaching; his revelation from God, so we need to acknowledge and live by it. Let’s wait for our God to take His vengeance upon our enemies nuh, that’s His portfolio. Ours is to live good. And yes, I know that’s difficult to do when we’re surrounded by so much evil and wickedness, but with God’s grace and mercy uplifting us, we can certainly overcome evil with good. Now, let’s go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and release all our anger, frustration, anxieties, fear, needs, wants, desires, and whatever’s troubling us to His listening ear, because that’s His will. 

All together now, humbly, but confidently: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’  

And since we’ve just vowed repentance and pleaded for forgiveness, mercy and grace, let’s keep our vow and receive the Lord’s blessings nuh, for that’s what He requires of us. Much LOVE!

…good will always overcome evil…for Christ will always defeat Satan… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 October 2020 Psalm 49:20.

02 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

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Psalm 49:20.     ​Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

And yes, at long last is Friday; the day that ends our work week! So we’re joyful and happy and ready to behave like leggo-beasts! But please remember we still can’t go bar hopping and gallivanting on a Friday evening after work like we used to! Forget about the happy hour an’ them and just go straight home and be safe. That’s my li’l chat for today! (smile) 

Now let’s see what the ordinary workingman has to say on this first Friday in chilly, leaf turning colour and falling October. ‘Yeah! TGIF! Thank God is Friday and another weekend is here to rest mih tired and somewhat bored bones. Yes, staying home so all the time, especially since the Covid-19 numbers going up again in my li’l corner of the world, is getting somewhat tiresome. Ah not a big go-outer, but when I want to go out, I want to be able to go without having to put on mask and look all around me, and stay away from people, to make sure I don’t catch anything to bring back to mih family. 

And the people an’ them, especially the younger ones, just won’t learn to physically distance and wear deh mask and wash deh hands and be careful. No, they want to party… and the sad thing is that they can’t party nuh, they don’t really know how to have a good time. For them that is drinking and falling down stupid and not knowing what happening. Steups! 

An’ by the way, yuh see who finally catch the Covid business? The one and only Donald Trump, the august President of the United States, dictator in waiting; a man who been denigrating the virus since it begin, and saying is just stupidness and it soon pass and yuh doh need no mask when it causing so much unnecessary deaths in the U.S. 

Well the same way the Lord does move in mysterious ways and is no respecter of people, is the same way Covid does move, so now it finally prove to him the foolishness of his ways…at least ah hope so. But Trump is such an ignorant, arrogant, greedy, hungry for dictatorship power, know it all, that one never know with him nuh. 

And ah hope the people living under him finally wake up and see him for what he really is; a blooming … put in yuh own description. (smile) But as for me and my house, we going to try and stay safe and keep thanking the Lord for Fridays and the weekends yes!’ 

Ah mih people, the ordinary workingman is sure worked up today. And so he should be when people not behaving how they should and just spreading the blooming virus willy nilly! All over the world the Covid numbers climbing again, mostly because people stop paying attention to the safety procedures. So what we expect eh, when those are the only things we have to slow down the spread of the virus? Until we get a good vaccine – and people take it – masks and hand washing and physical distancing are the only useful things we have. 

But what does the ole fella know eh? He ain’t no scientist. But hear these magnificent and oh so true words from the Good Book nuh, taken from Psalm 49 – Trust in God, not in wealth – by the sons of Korah. ‘Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.’ (Ps. 49:20) 

Yeh friends, we are supposed to be a little lower than the angels, but higher than the beasts, have dominion over them, but when we don’t pay serious attention to God’s Word, then we become just like the beasts. And hear how Cousin Sol puts it in Ecclesiastes, where he’s writing as the Preacher. ‘For that which befalleth (happens to) the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre-eminence (advantage) above a beast: for all is vanity (futility).’ (Eccl. 3:19) 

Yes, it would seem that man and beasts share the same common fate, but later on though, in 12:7, Cousin Sol does affirm that man’s spirt returns to God after death. ‘Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.’ (Eccl. 12:7) So friends, in that most important fact, we are not like the beasts, because our spirits return to God for judgement after death. But when we behave foolishly and ignore God and His Word and Will, then we truly behave like beasts. And unfortunately, in these most disturbing and dangerous times, when we should all have our wits about us, too many of us are behaving like the beasts! 

But thankfully, with our great and wonderful God, all things are possible, and He offers forgiveness and mercy without restraint, to all those who call upon Him in sincerity. So let’s do that now nuh, through our Friday Chant, let’s call on Him for divine help. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. Yuh know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife causing. We not accustomed to that kind of life Lord, and it really telling on us. And we know we can’t handle it on our own, that 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 virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the sure and 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, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets 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!’ 

So the corollary to all that now is for us to go out and behave like faithful and trusting believers – like we claim above – and handle the situation the way the Lord desires us to handle it! Much LOVE!

…it’s time for Christians…to stand up strong…and make a real and sincere difference… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 September 2020 Psalm 4:7.

30 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 4:7.     Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn (grain) and their wine increased.

Well it’s another brand new day in the life my friends and fellow believers. And yes, like always, it’s filled with all the new mercies and compassions that our Lord God has promised! What a divine blessing and incomparable benefit! But we have to joyfully accept them and then productively use them, for them to be of any real benefit to us. So let’s hope, like the manna the Lord fed the Israelites with so long ago in the wilderness, we have gathered up our mercies and compassions for this day and have put them to work to the benefit of His holy name and will. For that’s the main purpose of our lives on this planet Earth; doing His Will while obeying His Word. 

And that’s all I have to say this morning! (smile) But our friend Ruth Harms Calkin has something wonderful to share with us; it’s a poem called ‘Beautiful Things Happen,’ and it’s taken from our One Year Book of Bible Promises. So please pray with me: ‘O God such beautiful things happen when I meet You day by day In quietness and confidence. There is a deep inner wholeness And the assurance of Your guidance.

 I am not so easily disturbed By changing circumstances. I am less dependent on others And more dependent on You. My eyes may be full of tears But my heart is full of joy. In discovering Your hidden treasures I learn how deeply I am treasured by You. When day by day I am responsive To Your whispered secrets You do more for me in one day Than I could do for myself in a lifetime.’ 

Now isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren! The Lord does more for us in one single, solitary day than we could ever do for ourselves in a whole lifetime! But all those things don’t just come automatically; we have to seek Him and meet and greet and reverence and worship and enjoy His friendship,LOVE, grace and mercy that He gives so freely to those who ask for and receive it. Remember friends, in God’s economy, asking and receiving are very important. Remember these crucial words of Jesus: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt. 7:7) 

And his brother James follows that up with these immortal words: ‘Ye lust, and have not: ye kill (murder), and desire to have (covet), and cannot obtain: ye fight and war (battle), yet ye have not, because ye ask not.’ (James 4:2) Yes friends, we try to do all those things in our own strength, but the true answer to life is going to our heavenly Father and asking Him for whatever we desire. And James spells out the problem even further: ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures).’ (James 4:3) 

And isn’t that the indisputable truth? It certainly is, because when we do ask, we too often ask for unimportant things, lustful things of the world, things that don’t pair up with God’s will for us. And we have this interesting explanation on the subject from the website www.ibelieve.com/faith: ‘Tragedy and shock often prompt us to panic, when it should prompt us to pray. The most powerful weapon we’ve been given to wield often gets shelved for worry, manipulation, and comparison.’ And that’s another indisputable truth! In times of trouble, instead of turning to God with the most powerful tool in the universe, prayer, we unwisely try to manipulate and work things out on our own. 

So the long and short of the story is that we must not only ask, but ask for the right things. And I’m chuckling here because I went off on a tangent there. It wasn’t my intention to talk about all that asking stuff, but it just seemed right and important to mention at this time. 

Anyway, getting back to our poem: ‘Beautiful Things Happen.’ Beautiful things do happen when we surrender our all to God and come humbly and confidently to Him each and every day to renew our fellowship with Him. And though our circumstances might be somewhat rough and difficult, like they are right now, when we encounter Christ, right where we are, though the tears may be flowing like a river from our eyes, because of those unfortunate circumstances, our hearts will be overflowing with joy because we know that our great and wonderful God is ALWAYS near and will ALWAYS look after us once we place our lives in His mighty and oh so compassionate hands. 

Yes friends, our God deeply LOVES and treasures each of His creation. He made NOTHING that He doesn’t LOVE! Remember the remarkable words the Good Book says about the creation? ‘And God saw that it was good…’ (Gen. 1:25) And yes, our sins have disappointed Him greatly, but He still LOVES us so much that He sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ to die for us so that we could be saved from hell fire and eternal damnation! But we need to come to Him! I can’t declare (yeahhh!) how important that is my people. The onus is now on us to accept God’s grace and mercy! 

Now listen to these most reassuring words of Bruh David from Psalm 4 – An evening prayer of trust in God, which are the Bible Promises for our Poem and also our Bit. ‘There may be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn (grain) and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.’ (Ps. 4:6-8) 

Mama Mia! Oh mih people, yuh read them marvellous words of Bruh David! Brother! What could be better than that eh? NOTHING really! When you fellowship and commune with the Lord during the day, you can sleep like a baby at nights, without any worries or real concerns, because He makes those who trust and sincerely believe in Him to sleep in peace! Glory Be! 

Yes, the ole fella’s excited! And if you aren’t excited after reading all that we’ve said today, then ah sorry for yuh yes! And then yuh wonder why life treating yuh so rough and tough. Chuh! It’s simply because yuh not putting enough trust and faith in the Lord God Almighty and living the way He desires you to. And He knows you won’t be perfect, because He’s never made any perfect human beings. But He does require us to come to Him and commune with Him on a regular basis, so that He can give us the desires of our hearts. And not the lustful, ungodly desires, but the true and godly ones! (smile) 

Ah mih people, there’s so much more useful scripture I wanted to quote, but time and space have run out. Maybe tomorrow we can continue, God willing. But now let’s go home declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus! 

All together now in strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘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 we need to remember, that if we do endure until the end, our future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Give our wonderful God some much deserved praise my people!Much LOVE!

…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 September 2020 2 Corinthians 12:10b.

28 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 12:10b.     ​For when I am weak, then am I strong.

And as the weekly cycle cycles through its seven-day cycle, it inevitably comes right back to that awesome but much despised day we term Monday! Hn, hn! And no, I’m not mentally challenged because I refer to Monday as being awesome, because so it is. Why? Because, unfortunately, it is the first day of our work week and wakes us up from our weekend lethargy and is thus ofttimes liable to a veritable barrage of abuse, which it confidently takes every week, without batting an eyelash, like a stalwart soldier, and keeps coming back for more, unperturbed by the venomous diatribe so often hurled its way. 

Wow! What a sentence! Bruh Paul would have been proud of it. (smile) But the truth is, I wish that more of us supposed believers were more like Monday, tough and battle-ready, able to withstand the rigours of this pilgrim world, rather than the complaining, fragile Friday, so many of us resemble. Yes friends, Monday has committed no crime. It just happens to be the day that gets us up off of our fat, lazy and lethargic derrieres, so that we can go out and earn our keep, and for that reason alone, we intensely dislike it. But it completely ignores us and keeps doing its job, coming back every seven days to taunt and haunt us. 

And that’s how true disciples of Jesus ought to be; not giving up, even in the face of persecution, of intense trials and tribulation, but getting up every time we fall down and continuing to preach Christ and testify to the good news of His gospel with renewed energy, sincere enthusiasm and expectant hope of a brighter tomorrow. And how do we do that you ask? By remembering the promises of God, found in His holy Word, having them writ indelibly in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, so we can raise them up when necessary, and also what He’s already done for us. 

So we’ll just quote a few scriptures that I believe should be at the top of our list. The first is what Jesus asked us to do; what we call the Great Commission. ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ ( Matt. 28:19-20) So that’s what He requires of us, and most importantly, He’s also promised that while we are doing His bidding, to be constantly with us, through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. 

Then there’s this from Bruh Paul. ‘I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Yes friends, whatever we need to do, whatever adaptations we need to make, we can do them with Christ’s enabling power. So that if need to live abased, we can do it with confidence in Christ’s strength, and likewise if we need to live prosperously. That brings us to this awesome promise where God rebuffed Bruh Paul’s prayer to remove a thorn in his flesh, letting him know in no uncertain terms: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness (weaknesses).’ (2 Cor. 12:5) 

Glory be mih people! If we sincerely believe that, then we can conquer anything that comes against us. As Bruh Paul proclaims: ‘For when I am weak, then am I strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:10b) Yes friends, we’re always strong, if not in our own strength, then surely in the Lord’s! 

Now here’s some more assurance that was revealed to Bruh Paul. ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) So we have no doubt that God will continue to work His good deeds in us through His marvelous grace, to make us more like Christ, move us from glory to glory until whenever Christ returns. That gives us eternal security, ‘for His saving work will neither be abandoned nor unrealized.’ 

And the last scripture is also awesome and very reassuring. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Mama Mia! So if we are called to do God’s work and do it with LOVE and obedience, no matter what, then He will work it all out for our good eventually. But my people, having all those promises means nothing unless we talk to God, communicate with him through the awesome medium of prayer. So let’s do that right now nuh, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, letting Him know our fears and concerns and asking for His divine favour to help solve them. 

All together now, humbly, but confidently.‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’ 

Now we need to display that supposedly sincere repentance in our everyday behaviour, for He’s looking at our hearts, not merely listening to our words. Much LOVE!

…to stand strong in God…we must first know…and then sincerely believe…the promises in His Word… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 September 2020 Romans 8:14.

26 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:14.     ​For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Saturday, oh Saturday! You lazy, restful day! How I do LOVE thee! I won’t even bother counting the ways because there are way too many! (smile) But on a serious note though, many more of us ought to take the opportunity of spending a lazy, restful Saturday in our own homes and spaces with our own bubblicious people (people of our bubble) instead of going out and giving the virus more chances to proliferate than it already has. Be sure that if you give it the opportunity it will gladly take it. 

That’s why we are seeing cases trending upwards in so many areas that were doing good before restrictions were lifted. And basically it’s not the lifting of the restrictions causing the problem nuh, it’s the people refusing to follow the safety precautions that’s making matters worse. So please use wisdom and common sense in all your movements. And that’s my rant for today! (smile) Now let’s see what goodies our friend Anselm had to offer this week as he aspires to inspire us to a better tomorrow. 

And the first quote, or rather the first two say, as they are intertwined: ‘Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.’ And ‘Practice the philosophy of continuous improvement. Get a little better every single day.’ Now that seems to make perfect sense. It’s always better to improve a li’l every day, than to make one big, long jump, because then you don’t really experience or appreciate the full benefits that moving slowly along the continuum of life and learning have to offer. 

I guess it’s like the Lord has us believers moving a li’l every day, from glory to glory, as we try to become like Christ in character and attitude. We wouldn’t really grasp the full meaning of the situation because at every step there are certain things, be they problems, nuances etc. needed for good and true growth. That means those strategic and important insights can only be gained and understood if we actually confront them. 

And I think this next quote falls right in line with what we’ve been talking about. ‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.’ Now that’s oh so true! Very seldom will we find something great that has blossomed directly from one thing or situation. It usually takes a few, sometimes even many things and situations to come together to make a great doing. So we should not be against or offended by small things or tasks. 

Yes, I know our society blindly likes to worship at the altar of great things and tasks, but if we look closely at the lives of the supposed superstars – remember there’s only ONE real Superstar; JESUS – you’ll find that they didn’t just rise to prominence overnight, but had been struggling in the background for ages before their light finally burst forth on the main stage. That’s why we ought not to deny or look down on small things or small beginnings, for like in the normal state of nature, most things, trees, animals, humans, all start out small and over the course of time, with the proper nourishment and incentives grow big and strong. 

So lowly, menial jobs are not to be considered beyond your scope, because at the bottom is where many of those currently at the top started, and there’s no better way to learn anything than to begin at the bottom. That brings us to this next interesting quote: ‘We are too busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet.’ I guess that means we’re concentrating on one particular thing with such steadfastness, meanwhile something else that’s also important, or even more important, is passing us by unnoticed. 

And I believe that happens a lot in this crazy, unfocussed world, where we jump from thing to another as the mood or feeling takes us, or our influencers lead us. But friends, as believers in Christ, we need to concentrate fully on what He has asked us to do. And He certainly hasn’t asked us to jump from one flower to the next like a bee or butterfly, that’s their job, ours is to be steady and complete stuff, before we move on to something else. And that’s why so many of us have no true balance in our lives; our efforts are unfortunately scattered hither, thither and yon. 

Without a fair sense of balance, our lives won’t be as productive as they ought to, or can be. That brings us to the last quote: ‘Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.’ And that’s the indisputable truth friends! Only if we listen to their lies and deceits and believe them, can others ever make us feel inferior. Remember, we are true believers in Christ, which means we have Him, His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, and as the Good Book says so plainly: ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.’ (Rom. 8:14) 

And NO child of Jehovah God can ever be inferior! That’s just not possible. Inferiority is NOT, and NEVER will be in our DNA! So please don’t listen to the foolishness of this world, when others try to put you down or make you feel less than you are. Hear the Good Book again. ‘For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.’ (Rom. 8:15) 

Yeh friends, as a true believer in Christ, there’s no need to fear or cower from this world, for as the scholars tell us: ‘8:15. The Spirit of adoption: The Holy Spirit places the believer as a son in God’s family. Abba is Aramaic for “father.” This is the intimate name used only by members of the family. It’s use here denotes the intimacy of the believer’s relation to God.’ So my people, if we have such an intimate relationship with the Creator of this universe that we can call Him, ‘Father,’ how can we ever consider ourselves to be inferior eh? 

‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.’ (Rom. 8:16-17) Oh precious people, if we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, then there’s no inferiority whatsoever in us! As the scholars explain: ‘8:17: Joint-heirs with Christ: All believers share all of the inheritance together. They also have the promise of glorification if their lives are lived devotedly and sacrificially unto the Lord.’ 

What more can I say eh? Nothing, but for us to keep on living devotedly and sacrificially unto the Lord, despite the many trials and tribulations that come against us, so that we can receive the promise of glorification when Jesus assumes His rightful throne. Much LOVE!

…a word of encouragement…is like a kiss from heaven…so let’s offer many words of encouragement nuh…  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 September 2020 Psalm 118:8.

14 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 118:8.     ​It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

So here we are on a Monday morning in mid-September of this historic year 2020, amidst numerous calamities, many trials and much tribulation, overwhelming adversity like most of us have never seen before – and are not liable to see ever again. But the sad fact is that they are here with us, we can’t run away and hide from them, or simply wish then away, that means we have to step up to the plate and deal with them mano-a-mano. 

And the first step in dealing with any problem is one we all know, but don’t invoke as often as we should. I’m referring to turning to Almighty God in prayer; taking our problems to Him and asking for His divine guidance and wisdom in handling them. The sad fact is that too many of us first try to solve our problems ourselves, or turn to other humans, and when that doesn’t work, then, and only then, will we probably turn to God as a last resort. But friends that’s the ultimate in stupidity! 

Remember what the psalmist advises: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to put confidence in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps. 118:8-9) So, regardless of the earthly status of a human being, our trust and confidence in them ought to be very carefully considered and not taken for granted. That in turn means, our great and sovereign God ought to be our avenue of FIRST resort, rather than the LAST! That kind of action shows up our foolish pride and our lack of faith in Him. 

And you know one thing our God dislikes with a passion is foolish pride that shows up in our not trusting or needing Him. Hear how Bruh David puts it on the Lord’s behalf: ‘Whoso privily (secretly) slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer (endure).’ (Ps. 101:5) And Cousin Sol further reminds us that amongst the seven deadly sins that the Lord hates is ‘A proud look (haughty eyes), a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.’ (Prov. 6:17) 

But unwisely, those are the very things that we have chosen to pursue in our society. We trust man more than God, so much so that we’ve been trying to get God completely out of society, having already removed Him from our schools, our homes and public places. Sadly too, even a lot of what we preach in the church nowadays is not His truth. And don’t talk about lying tongues and the shedding of innocent blood… Brother! Those are some of the hallmarks of our modern, technological society! 

And we can also add a few more things that are abominations to our God, but which rank very high in our society. ‘A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (devises wicked plans), feet that be swift in running to mischief (evil). A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.’ (Prov. 6:18-19) Yes my people, all those things which the Lord finds abominable, despicable and distasteful, unfortunately are mainstays of our current society. So what else can we expect if we do all that God dislikes eh? Nothing but pain and sorrow, heartache and calamity! 

But the wonderful thing about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is that He is a most forgiving God, and if mankind repents and turns from his evil ways, the Lord is willing to forgive Him. In fact, He’s rather ecstatic when that happens, it warms the cockles of His heart. And I don’t know how many times I have to say it before we believe it: the Lord might not have brought all our worldwide problems upon us, but He has certainly allowed them because He’s tired of our evil ways and our trying to get rid of Him. That’s it in a nutshell. 

And until we realize the error of our ways and turn back to Him in repentance, our problems will keep on driving us crazy. Therefore, in true wisdom, let’s take our problems to God in sincere prayer this morning nuh, so that He can alleviate, or show us how to alleviate them. So in faithful confidence, with humble, sincere hearts, let’s present our petitions heavenward, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’ 

Now, our next move my brethren is to reduce the sin and evil in our hearts and in our land. For remember the Lord doesn’t just listen to our words, but more importantly He checks to see if the motives of our hearts are right. And remember too that we’ve just made a vow to repent and turn back to the Lord, so these words of Cousin Sol writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes are of the utmost importance. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.’ (Eccl. 5:4) End of story! Much LOVE!

…the created cannot overthrow the Creator…Lucifer tried…and failed miserably… (smile)

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 September 2020 Matthew 6:19.

12 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:19.     ​Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal:

So it’s Saturday! What’s new with the world eh? Nothing nuh! Just more of the same old, same old; overwhelming evil, violence, hate and strife, with not enough peace, LOVE, forgiveness and godly attitudes to quell those negative enemy traits. But if there’s one thing we believers know, is that there’s a righteous, graceful and merciful God sitting on His throne in the high heavens watching down on us, and contrary to popular opinion He IS in control of ALL things, and in His time, in His own inimitable style, will right ALL that’s wrong with this world, working ALL things out for good to those who LOVE Him! 

And that’s the gospel truth friends, so let’s just hang in there in strong faith and blessed assurance, knowing that ALL promises will be fulfilled in due course of time. Now let’s see what goodies our friend Anselm sent us this week nuh, as he sincerely aspires to inspire us to a better tomorrow. Hear this first one, which is simple logic. ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.’ Now that’s obvious isn’t it. As Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, ‘You can’t do the same thing all the time and expect to get a different result.’ 

But that’s exactly what a lot of us do. We keep going round the same mountain with the same attitudes, but expect things to change. That’s impossible friends! And it leads us nicely into this next quote: ‘Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them.’ And isn’t that the unfortunate truth! That’s why we keep going around the same old mountain, with the same old results. Things will only change when we fess up to our problems, face them squarely in the face and get to work on them! 

Good example is the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for forty years because they were afraid to go into the Promised Land when the Lord told them to. And when they said they were ready, He said no, it’s not your timing but mine. So He let them continue wandering, allowing the old ones to die, while He built up the courage and strength of the younger ones. So that only Joshua and Caleb of those who came out of Egypt ever set foot in the Promised Land. But please note that during all that time, their clothes nor shoes never wore out, and He fed them continually with manna! Such is the magnanimity of our God, even when He’s trying to teach us a lesson. 

Then there’s this: ‘If you don’t ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers. A question asked the right way often points to its own answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis.’ Again, that’s simple logic. But sadly, logic is something that’s being constantly levered out of our society. We’re now been barraged by things and people called ‘influencers’ paid to influence us with their lifestyle, regardless of how foolish or distasteful and useless it is. And too many of us don’t ask questions as to why these things are being done. We just follow them blindly! 

Ah the pull, the power of social media to dictate our lives! Steups! What a foolish, gutless, monkey see, monkey do society we’ve become. Yes friends, we can’t see or understand what’s happening unless we ask questions, and the right ones at that! Let’s wake up and start doing that nuh, instead of merely accepting whatever social media and the supposed experts say nuh! Let’s start charting our own God-led paths, instead of those the world is setting out for us. And here’s one way to do that: ‘A relentless barrage of “why’s” is the best way to prepare your mind to pierce the clouded veil of thinking caused by the status quo. Use it often.’ 

Not foolishly though. Don’t just ask questions for the sake of asking questions, but develop a strategy of asking sensible and to the point questions on matters that interest you. Nobody likes a body who just keeps pestering them, asking questions willy nilly, without any good or apparent reason. Questions though, wisely asked and with proper timing can lead to a well-spring of growth and phenomenal understanding of the ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores’ of this world and our earthly existence. 

That brings us to the last quote: ‘Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.’ Well how could they eh, when they inherently pertain to growth and progress? The problem though is what we consider growth and progress. Is it the world’s version, or God’s version? I suggest that God’s version is the much better one! Here’s why in a nutshell. This from Jesus, the Son of God, and if He doesn’t know the truth, then who knows it eh? (smile) 

‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.’ (Matt. 6:19-20) 

Wow! What wonderful advice my brethren! So if that’s a fact – and if Jesus says so, then it is so – why would I want to have the worldly version of growth and progress eh? Then all my treasures would be liable to theft and ruin by rust and moth. But when I desire the godly version of growth and progress, then all that I achieve is safely stored in heaven. As Peter says so awesomely: ‘To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that faded not away, reserved in heaven for you.’ (1 Pet. 1:4) 

Oh my people, nothing bad or evil can touch anything we store away in heaven, there is never any loss or lessening of our treasures stored there. However, to be able to store away stuff in heaven we need to follow this golden rule – from Jesus again, which means it must be true. ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That means we need to have Almighty God as our Number ONE priority!And just like He looked after the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness, He will look after us, granting us ALL the necessities we need for earthly living and also storing up some for us in heaven! 

Now how does the world’s version of growth and progress compare to that eh? Not very well, because all the wealth and power you may amass under the world’s evil prince, can be lost in the bat of an eye, like the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:16-21, where the rich, greedy man decided to break down and build bigger storehouses for his wealth, but that same night the Grim Reaper came calling as he generally does rather unexpectedly. And what did the rich fool leave with eh? Nothing! 

And neither did he have anything stored in heaven, because in his earthly life, he was not rich towards God. So all his earthly work, progress, growth and possessions turned out to be of absolutely no use to him. My people, please let’s learn from his story nuh, and be wise and be rich towards God in our earthly lives. That’s wisdom to the nth degree!Much LOVE!

…earthly things are nice…but heavenly ones look better and last longer… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 August 2020 1 Peter 5:6.

31 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 5:6.     ​Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

Happy Independence Day T&T! Congratulations on 58 years of sterling nationhood! (1962-2020) And in that time you have certainly made important contributions to all aspects of human life – been a beacon of hope and light in the Caribbean! We wish you many long years of success as an innovative, refreshing and enduring nation. 

Wonder how the celebrations going to go on today with the pandemic situation and the resultant lockdown? Oh not to worry, T&T is the best partying nation in the world. Nobody LOVES a party like we, and we going to find some innovative way to celebrate Independence Day. It surely won’t pass without some kind of celebration, regardless of what the law says. (smile) You can bet yuh bottom dollar on that! 

However, it’s Monday, the last day of August, and most of us are not concerned about celebrations, but rather about the start of a new work week, and possibly anxious about what this week in this year of calamity will bring. But as the Good Book tells us, when worries beset us, take them all to the Good Lord in prayer and He will ease the anxiety in our souls. 

Peter puts it thus: ‘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) And since that’s gospel truth, let’s do it now nuh through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. So in confident, but humble voice, let’s come before God’s throne and empty our hearts of all the confusion and uncertainty residing there. 

All together now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’ 

And yes friends, we have certainly sinned against our great God, fallen into wilful disobedience, and are now experiencing the consequences of that disobedience. As Jeremiah says in his lamentation over Israel’s adversity. ‘Wherefore doth (how can) a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try (examine) our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted (pursued) us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.’ (Lam. 3:30-44) 

Oh my people, if the Lord could punish His chosen people for their wilful disobedience, why wouldn’t He do the same thing to us eh? Yes, He is indeed patient and long suffering, but even the Lord’s patience will run out at some time if His prize creation keeps going headlong down the path of evil and disobedience. But here’s why He is indeed a great God, the ONLY TRUE and LIVING GOD! 

Jeremiah himself said it earlier on: ‘For the Lord will not cast off forever. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly (with delight), nor grieve the children of men. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, To turn aside the right of man (justice due) before the face of the most High, To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.’ (Lam. 3:31-36) 

Yes my brethren, our God is a merciful God, but He is also a holy and just Deity and to be true to His Word, He must cause justice to be done in the affairs of man. So if we have sinned and come short of His Word, then it’s expected that at some time we will suffer the negative consequences. But as He promised, if we repent and turn back to Him, He will indeed forgive us and heal our land. And without a doubt, right now our land is in dire need of healing, and the Lord God Jehovah is the ONLY ONE who can do it. 

So let’s wise up nuh, let’s show ourselves to be the wise and wonderful creation He wonderfully made and repent and joyfully receive Him back into our society, so that our children, and our children’s children will have a decent future to look forward to. That’s wisdom for the ages! Much LOVE!

…the wise way to do life…is to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him… (Dr. Charles Stanley) 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 August 2020 Psalm 139:17.

30 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 139:17.    ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!​

Grace and peace, mercy, LOVE and forgiveness to you my fellow saints in Christ from God our Father, this last Sunday of August in this crazy year of 2020! Our heavenly Father desires that we use all those gifts to withstand whatever adversity we’re going through, assured in the knowledge that He cares for us and won’t forsake us under any circumstances. Faith friends, faith, that’s what those gifts ought to grow in us. But enough of me, (smile) it’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time to celebrate the Lord’s Day with some praise, thanksgiving and worship. 

And plenty of us still can’t go to the physical sanctuary and worship together, so we’ll do it by technology, as we’ve been doing for the last how long. Hn! Did you ever imagine there’d come a day when we couldn’t gather together physically and hug and kiss and worship our God? But that’s what faith is all about; even in adversity we find a way to get the job done. 

And to open our worship I decided that the most appropriate hymn for today would be our old favourite written by Johnson Oatman Jr. titled ‘Count Your Blessings!’ That decision was made because yesterday we spoke about having an attitude of continuous prayer and giving thanks in all circumstances, as well as counting our blessings. And you ask, what’s the purpose of counting our blessings? Well it’s simple: ‘to be grateful for the good things in your life, often to stop yourself becoming too unhappy about the bad things.’ 

Yeh mih people, to keep us joyful in the Lord our God, remembering that the joy of the Lord is our strength. And the website http://www.godtube acclaims: “Count Your Blessings” is a wonderful song to sing any day of the year as a reminder of the many blessings of God, even during hardships. You will feel joy and contentment after joining in with this hymn!’ Wow! 

So since we counted our blessings yesterday, and got such a great number (smile) we should have no problems in bursting out in sacrificial praise this morning. So all together now, in perfect harmony, in an up-tempo beat, let’s remember our many blessings and give our wonderful God much thanks and praise for them. 

‘When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. (Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.) Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain] 

When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain] So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.’ 

Yes friends, we did find joy and contentment after singing that song! Oh mih bredrin, when we spend time counting our blessings, we really see what God has done and is still doing in our lives! The website http://www.godtube expresses it this way: ‘God truly gives us so many blessings each and every single day. Some may even be so small that we might overlook them. The classic hymn ‘Count Your Blessings’ truly reminds us to stop and give thanks for all God has done in our lives. This is definitely a pause we all need to take. Amen.’ And in this increasingly busy, confused and uncertain world, we all need to make that pause every so often, when the cares of the world start closing in on us. 

Now here’s an amazing scripture form Bruh David from Psalm 40 – Praise for answered prayer – describing just how marvellous and generous our God is to us. ‘Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order (recounted) unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.’ (Ps. 40:5) And that’s the awesome truth my brethren, for as godtube says above, some of them are so small that we tend to overlook them. 

And in Psalm 139 – The everlasting presence and power of God – Bruh David declares (yesss!): ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps. 139:17-18) And if you think that’s all, please listen to Bruh Paul’s greeting to the Ephesians. ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.’ (Eph. 1:3) 

Yes friends, Bruh Paul is praising the Lord because He has bestowed all spiritual blessings on His people. And the scholars offer this synopsis of that verse. ‘These spiritual benefits are granted to the believer and are retained in heaven for him, being progressively dispersed to him on earth in accord with his need and spiritual growth….This verse, therefore, makes five points: (1) What has God done? He has blessed us. (2) With what? With every spiritual blessing. (3) When? In eternity past. (4) Where are these blessings? In heaven. (5) How did God do this? By Christ.’ 

Oh precious people, what a marvellous God we serve, one who has our wellbeing uppermost in His mind and blesses us accordingly. I don’t know what more we can ask for nuh. And we’ll end with this interesting quote from whom I don’t know (smile), but it is very relevant. ‘If you always find yourself numbering your troubles, you will never find time counting your blessings. There is no use becoming frustrated in your difficulties while you have all opportunities hiding in them for a turnover.’ 

Let’s ponder those words today nuh, as we enjoy the Lord’s day. Much LOVE!

…if you are a believer…counting one’s blessings…ought to come naturally… 

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