The Importance of Living in the Light and Presence of Jesus Christ!

30 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 3:20.       For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds shall be reproved (exposed).

Yes friends, on this last day of November, our lazy-day Saturday has arrived, windy and cold, but with more sunshine than cloud, and we’ll take it however it comes, for we can laze around in any kind of weather. (smile) And I did manage to get in some early morning laziness, so I’m not feeling too envious of those of you who can afford to spend the whole day doing nothing. But enough laziness, let’s get to the Lord’s business, and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.

 As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And it’s always a wonderful experience to come into the amazing presence of our great God; to get into deeper intimacy with Him, for that’s His greatest desire. So let’s never forget that He made us to have deep intimacy with Him, to LOVE Him as He LOVES us! The Lord needed a creation to LOVE, to show His great kindness and compassion to, in return for obedience and loyalty. And there’s nothing that warms the cockles of His heart like His creation seeking deeper intimacy with Him. 

It’s unfortunate though, that with the free will He also gave us, not many of His creation are using it to choose Him, but rather to choose the sinful pleasures and evil deeds of the world controlled by the fallen angel Lucifer. It obviously breaks His heart to see so many of us falling under the evil spell of the great deceiver, but thankfully our God is the God of hope, hoping that many more, if not all of us, will one day receive His Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. 

Listen, as Peter spells it out in his second epistle. ‘But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 3:8-10) 

Oh my people, the Lord in His everlasting kindness is giving us a long time to come to repentance and thus obtain salvation, for He will prefer that none of His most marvellous creation suffers hellfire and damnation. However, He will not wait forever, and after the many warnings He’s given us, one day, Jesus will simply appear unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, bringing with the Him the final judgement of man. And if you’re still an acolyte of Satan, then you will suffer the same punishment as him, being cast into the lake of fire, with eternal separation from Almighty God. 

Now that is the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul, which means you need to repent and receive salvation as soon as possible, in fact RIGHT NOW, for who knows if Jesus will return to Rapture us sometime today, and if you’re not ready, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe! You’ll have to go through the Great Tribulation which will be nothing like the earth has ever seen before, and after that, the judgement! 

So, wouldn’t it be much better to be amongst this lot as Bruh Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. ‘For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (trumpet) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever (always) be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess. 4:16-18) 

Oh my fellow believers, those are indeed comforting words! How can they not be? Knowing that when Christ returns to rapture His church that those of us who held on to Him till the very end, both dead and alive will rise to meet Him in the skies certainly gives one comfort and encouragement to stay strong and live for Christ despite the many trials and tribulations we will face in this evil and ungodly world. 

And I like this brief commentary on the Rapture: ‘When Christ enters the cloud, he brings us with him, not just the first disciples. As he took on our humanity and took it to the cross, so he brings us into the presence and glory of God. As he pours grace upon us, he makes us sharers in the Divine Presence.’ Now what could be better than that eh? Absolutely nothing!  

And yuh know the whole thing is not rocket science nuh, but simple common sense, for if the sinful pleasures of this world are short-lived, and Satan has nothing to eventually offer but hellfire and damnation, why take up with him eh? Why subjugate yourselves to his awful lies, deceits and half-truths of which he is a master. On the other hand, if you adhere to Jesus then you will probably enjoy a tough but decent life down here on earth, then a marvellous one with Him in heaven for all eternity. There’s absolutely no comparison! Jesus wins hands down every time! 

But, for whatever reason, many of us seem enamoured with the keeper of the darkness and live for him. I guess it’s like Jesus said: ‘And this is the condemnation, that (the) light is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds shall be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:19-21) 

Oh, my fellow saints, that’s a marvellous note for us to end on today! So please, let’s spend some of our lazy-day Saturday time pondering the truth of those words as they apply to us nuh. Are our deeds evil, thus we hide from the light…or are our deeds filled with truth, and thus we are guided like a moth to the flame of Christ? It’s time to take serious account of our spiritual condition! Much LOVE!

…we were granted wisdom and free will…that we could choose…eternal life with Christ…not eternal death with Satan…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit    8 September 2023 Genesis 39:9b.

08 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 39:9b.       how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.

And without fail, the exclamation ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! has gone up around the world. But though the day is somewhat bright and shiny, there’s a threatening cloud cover hovering in the background. And the recent heatwave seems to be over, with a return to more normal temps for this time of year. 

However, in keeping with the cooler weather, some trees are already beginning to lose the green colour in their leaves, heralding the beautiful, colourful season of autumn, but also a precursor to the cold, dreaded time call winter. (smile) But that’s the way God planned it for these northern climes, and if you don’t like it, then you are free to move somewhere else, where there’s sunshine and hot temps all the year round. 

Yes mih bredrin, in this crazy world of ours, we’re always complaining about something, mostly about what we don’t have and believe we deserve to have. But life doesn’t revolve around complaining, but around praise to Almighty God! As the saying goes: ‘Complain and remain; praise and raise!’ And until we start doing much more of the latter, our circumstances will remain the same. 

But enough philosophizing, let’s get to the dramatic and most interesting and intriguing story of Bruh Joseph. Yesterday we left him in his master Potiphar’s house prospering under the favour of God. But just as bad things must end sometime, I guess all good things must also end sometime, especially when the evil one inserts a hand into the circumstances. And this he did in Bruh Joseph’s case. 

The Bible tells us: ‘And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her (longing) eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in this house (he knows not what is in this house except through me), and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.’ (Gen. 39:7-9) 

Wow! What self-discipline and loyalty to refuse such a salacious invitation! And please notice what Bruh Joseph called the proposition, not only ‘great wickedness’ but more importantly, ‘a sin against God.’ That shows exactly where his mind and spirit were steadfastly focused. But yuh know when Satan gets the bit in his mouth, he relentlessly keeps pulling at it, and thus Potiphar’s wife kept bugging Bruh Joseph to sleep with her. 

But he kept refusing, until the Bible tells us: ‘And it came to pass, about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business (work); and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment (coat), saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment (coat) in her hand, and fled, and got him out.’ (Gen. 39:11-12) 

Ah friends, what lengths Satan often drives us to eh! The woman refused to give up her goal of having Bruh Joseph lie with her, possibly because her pride was hurt at his constant refusal, and she was even willing to assault him to have her way. As the scholars put it: ‘Her first approach involved flattery (vs. 7), then the drawn-out enticing (vs. 10), and finally the ambush (vs.12).’ And as they say, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And it’s often the gospel truth too, like it was in this case. 

We read in the Word: ‘And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment (coat) in her hand, and was fled forth (outside), That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock (laugh at) us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment (coat) with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment (coat) by her, until his Lord came home.’(Gen 39:11-16) 

Ah Lord eh, the evil games Satan has us play over foolish pride! And as the scholars note, that was the second time Bruh Joseph’s coat was used in deceit about him. Remember how his brothers used his coat of many colours dipped in goat’s blood and torn up, to prove to his father that he was dead. ((cf. 37:31-33). And obviously, when poor Potiphar came home dead tired from a hard day at work, his deceitful wife spun him the same tale. 

‘And it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me, that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.’ (Gen. 39: 19-20) 

And who says being a true believer is easy eh! But what else could Potiphar do, except believe his wife. Doubting her would have created even more strife and deceit in the household. But it’s been said, that deep down Potiphar, knowing Bruh Joseph’s loyalty to him and to his God, did not believe Bruh Joseph would commit such a heinous crime. And that’s possibly why he did not have Bruh Joseph put to death asap, as he most certainly was able to do. 

But unfortunately, we see the same deceitful measures being applied on a very large scale today, and whether they are all true is another story. However, it’s having unfortunate consequences for the men, because once the allegations are made, without any questions asked, they are adjudged guilty by our judgemental society. And even if the allegations are later proven to be totally untrue, the men’s reputations and futures are nonetheless indelibly tarnished. 

But that’s another story for another place and time. Now let’s go the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, to seek mercy and grace in our desperate time of need. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now let’s remember that divine help calls for obedience and sincerely doing the Lord’s will. Much LOVE!

…living sincerely for Christ…is very seldom…a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ   

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 May 2022 Proverbs 29:18.

10 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 29:18.      Where there is no vison (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

So, what’s new this spring Tuesday morning in May of 2022 eh friends? A sunny day when the trees all seem to be finally blooming, putting on their new look of bright green for the upcoming season, returning to an energetic life after remaining dormant for so long in the cold, dreary depths of winter. 

And I know that most of us would reply ‘same old, same old,’ to the above question. But what’s really wrong with same old eh? Nothing at all! Because that’s what life is all about; that’s how we learn, by repetition. If we had a new situation every day we wouldn’t know or learn anything. And sadly, that’s how it’s shaping up these days when we are all hungering and clamouring for something new, and quickly getting bored and frustrated although we have so many new toys to keep us occupied. 

In our recent rush for speed, we’ve developed very short attention spans, which make us quickly disenchanted with new stuff. But let me put this other question to us. What do you think will, or would have happened to us if our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ had a short attention span, and was easily bored and frustrated like us eh? We’d certainly be left out in the rain, in the dark, in the cold, without a safe place to shelter. 

But thankfully Jesus is strong and steadfast, and not worried about the same old, same old that He does by constantly saving us from making foolish mistakes and interceding for us every day to His Father. So please, let’s get wise and give up this foolish rush for speed and change nuh, because it’s causing us to lose the ability to truly enjoy life, the abundant, same old life that Christ died for us to have. 

Our appreciation for the things and people in our lives are plummeting each day, because we have so many things, we can’t keep count or enjoy them properly. And as per people, too many relationships these days are only surface deep, so false and plastic, that there’s little trust and true enjoyment to be found in them. And sadly, the relationships and situations that words like loyalty and honour breed are quietly disappearing from our vocabulary and society. How unfortunate my people, because those are the basic things that make a society rich and powerful and enjoyable, without their members having to keep a constant watch for dishonor and disloyalty which are rife in our world today. 

When a society has lost its trustworthiness then it’s on its way down. When a person’s word is no longer sacred, when even the laws can be successfully manipulated to cause hurt and dishonour, then that society is no longer growing like a strong, tall and steadfast cedar of Lebanon, but is withering like a cursed fig tree. And believe me, withering like a cursed fig tree happens much quicker than the growth of a cedar of Lebanon. So, once a society gets on that path of destruction, its demise happens rather quickly. 

And that’s why proper leadership is ever so important for a society or any organization to function properly. No wonder Cousin Sol says in his wisdom that:’ ‘Where there is no vison (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) And that’s the indisputable truth! Where there is no moral or divine inspiration in leadership, then people cast off restraint and do whatever they feel like. 

Sadly, that’s exactly what’s happening in our world today. Our leaders seem more interested in a grab for power, self-aggrandization and war-mongering than in building a moral and godly civilization. We’re even trying to remove God from our society, so why should we be surprised at the way our world is going since, as the scholars tell us: ‘Morality is based on adherence to God’s revealed will.’ And if there’s no God, then there can’t be any revealed will. 

And unfortunately, all that we’ve spoken of above is reflected in these few words of author Adrian McCullen in an article titled ‘Where there is no vision the people perish,’ on the website medium.com. He writes: ‘Society has reached a stage where more people are dying from abundance than from lack. Obesity and obesity-related illnesses kill more people than starvation. People are at a point where their basic needs have been met.’ That’s in our western based societies. 

And we see the perfect example of the lack of divine vision and inspiration in the state of Israel when the Lord called Samuel. The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious (rare) in those days, there was no open vision.’ (1 Sam. 3:1) 

And the scholars explain: ‘The severity of Israel’s apostasy (rejection of God)  (cf. Jud. 21:25) caused a dearth of God’s revelatory work. The condition was perpetuating and self-defeating. (cf. Prov. 29:18) By God’s grace, the prophetic institution would receive impetus and standardization in the person and work of Samuel. (cf. 3:21; 19:20) 

Ah friends, our current world is now almost like that of Israel back then. And that reference to Judges 21:25 in the scholars’ explanations spells it out in spades. It says: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ And unfortunately, that’s the same philosophy that’s taking hold in our current society. The moral law of God is being rejected for that which we consider appropriate to our personal needs. 

So why the surprise when we discover that our world is sinking into the morass, of death and decay eh? When we do our own thing and don’t follow God’s law, we will suffer and eventually perish, unless we come to our senses like Israel did under Samuel. It’s as simple as that. So, for those of us who are trying to live the righteous life, as set out in God’s law, let’s go home now declaring (yessss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong 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 the world. Amen!’ 

Now it behooves us to go and do just that; share Christ’s amazing LOVE and friendship with those we meet, so that they too can come to LOVE and worship Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…God’s law works to build up…man’s law to destroy…   

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8​      

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 August 2021 Micah 7:7.

25 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Micah 7:7.      Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

 Oh my, it’s the mid-week blues day…Wednesday! Yes, only two days of the working week have gone by, and there are two more still left to go, which leaves you in a sort of no man’s land, in limbo, not knowing whether to be happy that half the week’s gone, or sad that there’s still another half to go. Thus the blues day of Wednesday! 

Ah mih people, we can be so trifling and petty! Instead of thanking the Lord for another day on His beautiful earth with His many blessings, and that we at least have a job to go to, unlike so many others in these troubled and trying times. Although we may not like or appreciate our job, the hard, cold fact of the matter is that it takes care of our basic necessities, putting bread on our tables and a roof over our heads. But no, too many of us would rather lol around and do nothing all day. How could we ever get any satisfaction from constantly doing nothing eh? Especially when you don’t even have the funds, or the wherewithal to do fun nothings! (smile) 

In our rush to achieve material things and earthly power, our society has reached such immoral and evil heights that we no longer have a heart for God nor each other. It recalls the prophet Micah’s lament over the moral sins of Israel way back when. In his despair, he laments: ‘The good (loyal, faithful) man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. 

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly (successfully), the prince asketh (asks for gifts), and the judge asketh for a reward (bribe); and the great man he uttereth his mischievous (evil) desire: so they wrap it up (scheme together). The best of them is as a brier (thorny or prickly plant): the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation (punishment) cometh; now shall be their perplexity.’ (Mic. 7:2-4) 

And if we are truthful friends, we will admit that’s a very good and accurate description of our current society! Things like loyalty and faithfulness have gone out of style. Some of our young people don’t even know the meaning of those words, having never encountered the situations and behaviour to which they refer. Too many of us are just out for blood, just out to get whatever we can from whomever we can, and be it family, friend, or foe, it doesn’t matter in the least. We just want whatever we think should be coming to us. Even the best of us is sharp and prickly like a thorn bush, which isn’t a good recommendation! 

And we have gone so far along the wide and winding path to destruction, like Israel did, that Micah’s advice and warning now stands us in good stead, just like it did Israel. It’s so sad when he warns: ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.’ (Mic. 7:5-6) 

Yes friends, it’s all true! You can’t be too careful, because nowadays everyone seems to have some nefarious scheme up their sleeves. And if you can’t trust your lifelong friend, or your wife, who can you trust then eh? In actual fact NOBODY! And we are seeing an increase in family quarrels and sibling rivalry, as well as increased litigation over petty and unimportant stuff. Fraud, or as we so nicely label it, ‘white collar crime’ is so rampant that we can’t keep up with it, even if we dared to try. 

And the sad part is that all these fraudsters are doing with the money they get by fraudulent means is spending it wastefully on lavish living. You can only own and enjoy so many, houses, cars, boats, yachts and planes, as well as indulge in only so much wine, women and song. Your body will eventually give out, if your funds don’t depart first. But friends, there is good news… yes good advice from Micah. Despite all the immorality and evil around him, he unabashedly declares: ‘Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.’ (Mic. 7:7) 

And that my brethren is the only hope for our society. If we don’t turn to the God of our forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob very soon, like right now, our society will keep plunging into the dark abyss of depravity and sin, and will eventually become of no account, or extinct, like so many other immoral and depraved ones that have gone before. That’s the long and short of the story my people! Without our turning back to Jehovah God, and allowing His Son Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and show us the way to the Father, we’re done, like dinner. 

Are the blinkers put over our eyes by Satan so strong that we can’t see the gradual, but ever quickening demise of our society, even the earth we inhabit? When have we ever experienced so many disastrous natural disasters all at once eh? Right now, we have wildfires burning all over the world. Many are suffering from drought and famine, while many more are suffering from excessive rainfall and floods. And we also have volcanoes going off all over the world like crazy. But we are fighting over climate change, instead of seriously dealing with it. 

Look at the pandemic that’s so suddenly hit us and doesn’t seem like it’s going away any time soon because we can’t agree on what it is and how to handle it. And I won’t even mention the widespread strife and many wars that are currently taking place in so many divided places around the globe. And if you want to, you can also consider the enormous state of poverty and economic suffering that currently exists in a world that has enough for everybody, because a few have too much, while many have too little. 

And it’s so cruel and heartbreaking to see that even in this time of pandemic that the rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. And what really hurts is that the rich have no conscience, they go around boasting about their increase in material wealth, while they keep the poor in economic sufferation! But as Micah said so long ago: ‘the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation (punishment) cometh; now shall be their perplexity.’ Yes people, we all shall get our comeuppance sooner or later, and if we don’t repent and turn away from our evil deeds now, there will soon be much weeping and gnashing of teeth. End of Sermon. 

Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to make a difference, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. Altogether now: ‘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 though it’s difficult under our current circumstances, please, let’s never forget that if we endure to the very end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…to God the Father be the glory…through Jesus Christ the Son…                                                                                                                               

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                        

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 September 2017 Matthew 5:41.

23 Sep 2017 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:41.   And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain (two).

Oh friends, autumn has begun with a bang in my area! On the first day, yesterday, the temperature was in the high twenties. And for the weekend, a heat warning has been advised by the Health Department because the temps will be in the thirties all weekend. Wow! Usually by this time the leaves would be brown and falling. 

And wonder of wonders, no little cyclones of leaves from my lane have begun spinning around my driveway as yet, as that’s where they all seem to gather in their death knell. Even when all my trees are bare, my driveway is full of them. But right now all the trees are still green, though we haven’t had any rain for at least a couple of weeks during the nice weather. 

Unfortunately, a lot of others can’t say the same thing because they have gone through devastating losses because of hurricanes, earthquakes or fires. Ah Lord eh! What’s causing all this sudden unusual disaster eh? Is it simply climate change, or God’s wrath on our sinful souls? Who knows? 

But the smart thing would be to try and improve our caretaking of the planet, and turn our eyes and hearts heavenward in repentance to our ever merciful and forgiving God. Those are the only two actions that make sense in these calamitous days my people. Anyway, all true Christians should be praying even more than before, and helping our unfortunate brethren in any way we can. 

Now since today is Saturday, let’s look at some quotes from our friend Anselm for this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And this week they were all simple one-liners, like: ‘Upgrade your values.’ Now that should be always a priority in our lives, but the fact is that as we get more intelligent and prosperous, our standards are sadly falling. But who cares? Jesus does, as He expects diligence and excellence from ALL His followers. 

And Anselm also recommends: ‘Don’t stop working towards your dream.’ Now why would we want to do such a foolish thing eh, when working towards fulfilling them is exactly why God put dreams and desires in our hearts? We need to cherish them, hold them close to our hearts and make every effort for them to come true. And if they adhere to God’s law and will, they will eventually do so, but we do have to keep working diligently and enthusiastically towards them and never give up. 

And this quote is interesting. ‘Someone’s opinion is not your reality.’ So true! Ofttimes the opinions of others just don’t jive with what you are about. But please don’t just dismiss them offhandedly; learn to wisely consider those opinions, for sometimes they do contain a grain of truth or wisdom. (smile) 

And thus, you can also ‘Take full responsibility for your life.’ Now that quote brings forth a sarcastic chuckle, because we all know that in today’s world, shunning responsibility is the name of the game. It’s always everybody else’s fault but our own. It’s called the blame game: blame everybody else but ourselves. 

But then in the last quote, Anselm tells us that we should ‘Give more than you are paid for.’ Hn! Hn! Another no-no in this society! We don’t even want to do what we’re paid to do, much less to give more. Chuh! It’s ingrained in our work habits, to do as little as we can get away with; to take advantage of the benefits wherever we can. So doing extra is just very seldom an option in this modern day and age. 

But it was very important to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ as He talks about LOVING our enemies in the Sermon on the Mount, from which our Bit comes. ‘And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain (two).’ 

So friends, shirking our duty and not willing to give more than we are asked for does not fall into Jesus’ portfolio at all. He expects us ALWAYS to live up to our responsibility and to do and give more than we’re asked. That’s just another example of why, as Christians, we should not be following the dictates of the world. We must be in the world, but not be of the world. 

Now here’s an explanation of our Bit from the scholars. ‘5:41. In ancient times government agents were in a position to compel forced service upon a subjugated people. A Roman soldier, for example, could compel a Jewish native to carry his armour or materials for one mile. Jesus now states that if someone compels you to walk a mile, go with him twain. The believer is to be willing to “go the extra mile.” Doing double our duty not only proves our loyalty to human authority, but likewise proves the spiritual intention of our heart.’ 

Ah mih people, how many of us supposed Christians hold to that action eh? Not as many as should, for we insist on following the poor example of the world, because it’s so much easier, less challenging and less responsible too. But my brethren, as true believers, we should instead be following the outstanding example which Jesus set, and wants us to follow, even though it’s difficult and very challenging. 

Yes friends, Jesus is all about coming up higher in EVERY walk of life, and to be His sincere followers, we need to fashion ourselves after Him. Nothing else will do! Much LOVE!

…the tests and trials of this life…are God’s way of remaking us…into the image of Jesus…

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 July 2017 Psalm 95:6.

09 Jul 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 95:6.    O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Oh Glory to God my fellow believers for blessing us with another bountiful day on Planet Earth! And also for giving us the wonderful privilege of being able to gather together, in His sanctuary this Sabbath Sunday morning, to praise and worship Him and to hear His awesome word, which, as its truth seeps into our hearts and souls will strengthen us, by giving us His mercy, grace and guidance to face the upcoming week! 

What a wonderful God we serve and worship my people! Every day He gives me greater reason to make that declaration. And when I reached out for a song of praise and worship for us to sing today, I just felt like getting closer to our Maker, hence this old hymn, ‘Nearer My God to Thee,’ written in the 19th century by Sarah Adams. 

It is based on the topic of loyalty and the scriptures of Genesis 28:11-13, when God spoke to Jacob at Bethel and promised to make his progeny abundant and prosperous. It’s also based on Psalm 42:2: – An intense longing for God. ‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before him.’ 

Therefore friends, this morning, if our souls indeed thirst for the living God, then let’s offer the sacrifice of praise from our lips, as we endeavour to get closer, or as close as we can get to Him on this our earthly journey. So in full voice, in unison and perfect harmony, let’s sing! ‘Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me, Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. (Refrain: Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!) 

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, Darkness be over me, my rest a stone; Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. (Refrain) There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n; All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n; Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. (Refrain) Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise, Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise; So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. (Refrain) 

Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky, Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly, Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. (Refrain) There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest, There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest; Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!’ 

Oh faithful saints of Christ, that was marvellous! And as we sang, one could feel the strong and beautiful presence of God in His house! The heartfelt feelings were so sincere that He had no choice but to grace us with His Holy presence! 

Now let’s continue in that same vein; the sincere seeking and longing for and getting closer to God by invoking the glorious words and advice of our Bit. ‘O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.’ That’s the ultimate act my brethren; coming before the Lord in sincere, heartfelt prayer! Why, you ask? 

Listen as the psalmist explains after our Bit. ‘For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand (under His care). (Ps.95:7a) There could be no better reason than that friends: we are beholden to our great and wonderful God in each and every aspect of our lives! We are His people, and He cares for us, both in LOVE and by providing our earthly needs every day. 

But then the psalmist does something strange; he pleads with us: ‘Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation (rebellion); and as in the day of temptation (trial or testing) in the wilderness. When your fathers tempted (tried) me, proved me, and saw my work.’(Ps.95:7b-9) 

Now why would anyone in their right mind, rebel against God and try to test Him eh? Especially after they had seen the wonderful miracles he had performed on their behalf while bringing them out of four hundred years of bondage in Egypt? Only a people mad with lustful desires of the flesh, egged on by Lucifer could be so obtuse as to rebel against their maker. 

Consequently, the psalmist, speaking on God’s behalf, continues: ‘Forty years long was I grieved with (disgusted with) this generation, and said, It is a people that do err (go astray) in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.’ (Ps.95:10-11) And God fulfilled His promised, when only Caleb and Joshua of all those who had left Egypt, set foot in the Promised Land. 

For forty years the Israelites wandered aimlessly in the desert because of their disobedience to Almighty God. And friends, it just boggles my imagination that they could be so stupid after seeing all the miracles of God! No other group of people, to this day, has seen God work so miraculously on their behalf. Just the parting of the Red Sea should have been enough to convince them forever. 

However friends, they saw it and didn’t believe, we didn’t see it, but let’s be wise nuh; let’s believe and be obedient, otherwise we will not enter into God’s rest. And let these words of Jesus to His doubting disciple Thomas, be a sure promise to us. ‘Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’(John 20:29) 

Words of absolute wisdom my brethren! Words to wisely and confidently live by! Much LOVE!

…true faith in Jesus…means…believing…without…or before seeing…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 February 2017 John 3:16.

23 Feb 2017 Leave a comment

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

John 3:16.   For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Well a bright and blessed Thursday morning to you my Scrip-Bit friends, family and neighbours! 

And I do hope that the day finds you filled with ‘expectant faith and hungry hope’ in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for that is the wisest thing any of us can do in this crazy and evil world. 

Every day we hear and see more discouraging things and events in our hate-filled, angry, resentful, corrupt and crime riddled societies. Steups! Almost everything these days has negative connotations! 

Whatever happened to the positive things like LOVE, friendship, kindness, loyalty and trust eh? We spout a whole lot about LOVE, but it’s not the real thing, just a selfish, egotistic, shallow and oftimes false emotion. 

And the supposed LOVE that exits today can change at the drop of a hat, if the person who claims to be expressing it doesn’t get their way, whether it be the erotic or brotherly kind. And the sad part of that situation is that it’s getting worse and not better. 

What’s it going to take to change it eh friends, so that our children’s children don’t have to live in this warmongering, cutthroat society? 

Only one thing; the LOVE of Jesus Christ as exhibited by us Christians! 

If we don’t stand up strong and faithful and battle the enemy with the most lethal weapon in the universe – LOVE- then we’ll be wasting the tremendous sacrifice that our heavenly father and His sinless Son made on our behalf. 

Yuh think the Lord really wanted to send His Son to die for a bunch of ungrateful sinners? Or that Jesus wanted to give up His life by going through such a horrendous death? 

No way Jose! But they LOVED us so much and that was the only plausible solution, if the Father was to remain righteous and just and abhor sin!

Just listen to our Bit nuh: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ 

Now that might not strike the heathen as being revolutionary, but it ought to strike reverential fear and gladness into EVERY ONE who claims to be a Christian, right down in their very hearts and souls! 

Why? Because that’s the only reason we have the option to bypass Hades and Beelzebub and look forward to salvation, heaven and eternal life with the Holy Trinity! 

Now how could that not move us eh, if we are true believers? That ought to galvanize us into serious action; into standing strong and fighting mano-a- mano against the enemies of LOVE! 

But sadly, too many of us so-called believers have become complacent and enamoured of the things of the world, to the detriment of the things of God. 

Ah friends, I’m just the messenger, and all I can do is to point out what I see as the problems and try and encourage us to do better. Every one of us will have to answer to the Lord at some stage of the game, so please take these warnings seriously and let’s put aside whatever is keeping us back from fighting the good fight for Jesus. 

Now enough of my haranguing, (smile) let me tell you what God’s Word says. Hear Bruh Paul to the Romans, as he talks about the results of justification. 

‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. 

But God commendeth (demonstrates) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now (having being) justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.’ (Rom.5:6-9) 

What more can I say to get us sincerely stirred up eh mih breddren? I really don’t know. If that doesn’t stir us up, then we’re just a bunch of ungodly ingrates. 

Anyway, listen to what the scholars have to say about this verse. ‘5:8. Christ died for us: His death was vicarious. That is, He did not die merely for our benefit but in our place. His was a substitutionary sacrifice.’ 

Yes friends, Jesus died so that we didn’t have to die, so that we could be set free from the bondage of sin through His death! 

Hope that makes a big enough impact on us, disturbs our consciences sufficiently to wake us up to reality. And if it does, then we can go home with clear consciences declaring our Thursday Blessings. And remember, a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over someone. 

There is power in the Word my brethren, so let’s declare it now in perfect harmony: ‘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 everyday! Amen!’ 

Yes my beautiful and precious people of God, let’s take all those blessings now and go out and share them with others, as our Lord and Saviour Christ desires. Much LOVE!

…only real LOVE…will ever stop the world from going in its current zig-zag direction…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 November 2016 Luke 10:62.

09 Nov 2016 Leave a comment

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

Luke 10:62.   And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Well friends, a new day has dawned, both literally and figuratively! Someone once said these wise words; expect the unexpected, and have we ever been hit by the unexpected – Donald Trump is the new President-elect of the United States of America. 

Ah Lord eh! I don’t know if to rejoice that a different time is coming, or to hold my head and bawl having listened to his foul, negative rhetoric over the long period of the U.S Election campaign. 

Let’s hope that a lot of the stuff he said was just bluster, and that he will work instead to bring a sense of healing to the country that’s become so severely divided over the last few months. 

Whatever happens though, this is indeed a time for ALL Christians to stand up steadfast and strong and be counted, for in one way or another our faith and its institutions will surely be affected. 

To tell the truth, the whole world be affected, because as the U.S goes, so does a lot of the world. And a lot of people all over the world are indeed shaking their heads in astonishment and dismay at Trump’s surprise win. 

But as I’ve been saying all along, too many people in the U.S believed what Donald Trump said, and his rallies were getting bigger all the time, plus the media gave him so much attention that we had to respect the possibility that he could pull off the win. 

It’s a done deal now though; the Lord in His own mysterious way has allowed it to happen. He obviously has a plan and a purpose in mind, so the sooner we stop questioning it and try to work with or around it, the better off we’ll be. 

And all God’s people said a loud and somewhat less than genuine ‘Amen!’ 

Oh my people, it’s not the end of the world, just a hump in the road, though possibly a significant one. That doesn’t mean we have to give up on our faith, we need to keep keeping on, possibly even more than before. 

And to help us do that this most significant Wednesday morning, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail with a strong sense of purpose and enormous enthusiasm. 

Wailing: ‘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!’ 

Ah mih people, though times may be difficult and somewhat unnerving, there is no reason to be afraid, it’s still great to be alive; to feel that awesome breath of God just pumping through us. But that also means there are plans of God in place for us to accomplish on this earthly journey. 

That brings us to what I think is a rather appropriate Bit for today: ‘And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’ 

And the scholars explain: ‘9:62. Fit, occurring elsewhere only in 14:35 and Hebrews 6:7, means “suitable” or “usable.” One who makes life’s lesser matter of greater priority than God’s work is of little use to him.’ 

Now when and why did Jesus use those words? Several people were coming to Him, wanting to be His disciple, but first wanted to go and do something else. This one fellow said to Jesus: ‘Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.’ (Luke 10:61) 

Sorry friends, when we become Christians, it’s not just for the pleasure and promise of going to heaven, but also to serve the Lord faithfully down here on earth. His work must always come first, not the world’s. 

As Bruh Paul pointed out to Timothy: ‘Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having LOVED the world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.’ (2 Tim.4:9-10) 

Yuh see friends, Demas found the world more interesting than Christ’s work and forsook the ministry. Unfortunately, that’s what happens to many of us; we are drawn to the glitter and glamour of the world and thus place Christ’s work last. 

Remember what He said about trusting one master. ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ (Matt.6:24) 

And the scholars tell us: ‘6:24. This kind of spiritual double vision causes one to believe he can serve two masters. Total loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty to one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. kurios) is a lord or an owner. 

That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage. Therefore Jesus rightly proclaimed, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

The term ‘mammon’ is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions of wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’ 

And sadly friends, these days a lot of us, too many, both Christians and non-believers, are enslaved by the material possessions of the world. It’s thus impossible for us to put God’s work first. 

And we’ll close with this other edifying statement from Jesus. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:32) 

And that’s gospel truth my brethren! So if we want to experience the goodness of God, then we have to make Him, NUMBER ONE, in ALL aspects of our lives. That’s the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!

…true and total loyalty to Christ… should be the Christian’s number one aspiration…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 October 2016 1 Samuel 30:6b.

30 Oct 2016 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 30:6b.    …but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Okay friends, this Sunday morning let’s begin our praise and worship with this joyous hymn, penned by Charles Wesley. It’s one we all know and treasure, so let’s raise our voices to the heavens in harmony and true surrender, believing what we sing. 

All together now: ‘LOVE divine, all LOVES excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down; Fix in us thy humble dwelling; All thy faithful mercies crown! Jesus, Thou art all compassion, Pure unbounded LOVE Thou art; Visit us with Thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart. 

Breathe, O breathe Thy LOVING Spirit, Into every troubled breast! Let us all in Thee inherit; Let us find that second rest. Take away our bent to sinning; Alpha and Omega be; End of faith, as its Beginning, Set our hearts at liberty. Come, Almighty to deliver, Let us all Thy life receive; Suddenly return and never, Never more Thy temples leave. 

Thee we would be always blessing, Serve Thee as Thy hosts above, Pray and praise Thee without ceasing, Glory in Thy perfect love. Finish, then, Thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be. Let us see Thy great salvation  Perfectly restored in Thee; Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, LOVE and praise.’ 

Ah mih people, what a beautiful hymn! And it resonates with so many practical aspects of our faith, of our everyday lives. For instance it talks about, ‘take away our bent for sinning.’ Now I can’t think of a better desire than that!  Then we sang ‘set our hearts at liberty.’ Oh how good that would be – freedom from the restrictive chains of sin! 

And then we’d truly be a ‘new creation… changed from glory to glory…lost in’ the awesome wonder that’s Jesus, as we serenade and praise Him with true LOVE! 

Oh friends, I guess that’s what you’d call the perfect Christian. Unfortunately though, too many of us don’t even come close to being perfect. For one thing we still speak with forked tongues, and still desire to wallow in the mire of the things of the world, instead of the things of Jesus. 

Remember, we’re just supposed to be in the world, but not a part of it. And that can sometimes get difficult and confusing, but please remember too that our lives are in the best hands that exist – Almighty God’s. And nothing is too hard or too difficult for Him to do on our behalf. 

So when the pressures of life get to us, we feel all alone on a desert island and no human help seems to be forthcoming, it’s Jesus we need to turn to. We need to do as our Bit says: ‘…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ 

Yes friends, when Bruh David’s people wanted to stone him because their families had been taken captive and their city burnt, he had no alternative but to encourage himself in the Lord, to let his faith rise up and seek God’s strength and wisdom.  

The Good Book tells us: ‘And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.’ (1 Sam.30:8) And so said, so was it done! 

Bruh David pursued the marauding Amalekites with his six hundred men, but along the way, at the brook Besor, he left two hundred behind who were too weak and faint to go on. And as the Lord would have it, they found a young Egyptian slave whom the enemy had left behind because he was sick, and after feeding and reviving him and promising not to slay him, he led them to the Amalekites camp. 

‘And when he (the slave) had brought him (David) down, behold they (the Amalekites) were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 

And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.’ (1 Sam.30:16-18) 

Yuh see friends what is possible when we totally surrender our lives to the Lord and place our complete trust in Him. If Bruh David had just sat around moaning and groaning like the rest of his men, they might probably have ended up stoning him. But instead, ‘he encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’  And why wouldn’t he eh? He’d be rather foolish not to, after all the wonders and miracles that the Lord had previously done in his life? 

Now that’s where a lot of us fall down my people. When times get real rough, we tend to forget God’s promises and all that He’s already done for us. But that’s the time when we need to remember His many blessings and mercies, so that our faith can be lifted, our trust in Him strengthened, and our circumstances turned around through His wise guidance. 

And I want to close with this example of Bruh David’s godliness and generosity.  After they defeated the Amalekites and returned with all the spoil, the selfish ones who had fought declared that the two hundred, who had remained at the brook of Besor, should only get back their families and none of the spoil. 

But Bruh David overruled them. ‘Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.’(1 Sam.30:23) Then he made it a law from henceforth that all should share in the spoils of war. He also sent some of the spoil back to the people of Judah who had suffered at the hands of the Amalekites. 

And the scholars offer an interesting take on Bruh David’s doings there. ’30:26-31. David’s sharing of the spoils of the victory over the Amalekites not only assured them of his gratitude for their friendship and help during his days of flight from the presence of Saul, but would convince his allies of his loyalty, despite the time spent with Achish (the Philistine king). Moreover, it would prepare their hearts for his soon-coming kingship.’  

Ah friends, that’s what Christianity is all about; integrity, character and sharing the spoils God has blessed you with, especially if you’re a leader! Much LOVE!

…true faith means…never giving up…even under the greatest adversity…because our God is always there to help us…

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 September 2016 Proverbs 28:20.

09 Sep 2016 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 28:20.   A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (go unpunished). 

And then it was Friday – the day that we all LOVE and anxiously look forward to all week, because it heralds the beginning of the weekend. 

Then we can all joyfully declare ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here at last! Glory to God! If I had to go to that so and so work one more day…Steups! I would certainly have gone crazy! I need sometime for mihself, to do what I want to do, without any foolish supervisor constantly looking over mih shoulder and barking orders!  Thank God for Fridays and the weekend yes!’ 

Yeh friends, we all need a break from work, but the problem stems from how we use that break. If we use it just to satisfy our lustful and sensory pleasures then we’re not helping ourselves or fulfilling God’s mandate. But sadly, that’s what too many of us do and consequently we fall into the enemy’s trap. 

So with that in mind, let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, which gives us a better perspective on how to use the weekend. Chanting as one, in harmony and unison: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. 

Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ 

Now that’s a much better way to handle the weekend – with a good balance of activities and one that will also glorify our heavenly Father! And remember, glorifying Him is one of our main duties on this planet earth. 

So let’s have a look at our Bit, the same one as yesterday. ‘A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (go unpunished).’ 

Ah mih breddren, our great and wonderful God has spelled it out as simply as possible – if you are obedient to His word, He will bless you abundantly, otherwise you and yours will be cursed forever. Now what is so difficult to understand about that eh? 

I really don’t know nuh, but we still are too closely wedded to the things of the world and not to those of heaven. And then we wonder why blessings are not flowing down upon us like rain, instead of the serious calamity and disasters that are currently flooding our lives and our world. 

Oh friends, a lot of it has to do with our continual and blasphemous rejection of Almighty God, the awesome Creator of heaven and earth and all therein. Our intentional desire to drive Him out of our society will not endear us to Him, so why do we do the sinful things we do, then try to call upon Him when adversity hits eh? That makes absolutely no sense my people. 

Now let’s check out a couple scriptures that point out the gross stupidity of our behaviour, starting with these words of wisdom from Cousin Sol. ‘Blessings are upon the head of the just (righteous): but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just (righteous) is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot… The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’ (Prov.10: 6-7, 22) 

Oh brother, it just boggles my imagination when we do some of the stuff we do that is totally repugnant to our God and His word, then expect Him to bless us and make us prosper, when it’s so clear that that will never happen. 

Listen here now to one of the great promises of blessings in the Good Book. It concerns tithes, where the Jewish people were disobedient, just like we are today. 

The Lord’s speaking through the prophet Malachi. ‘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? 

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be enough room to receive it. 

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome (delightful) land, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal.3:6-12) 

Oh friends, what could be simpler than that eh? We follow God’s law of tithing, giving ten percent of our earnings to Him, so that His priests and the widows and orphans and strangers can have food, and He’ll bless us so greatly that we won’t even have room to store it! 

Mama Mia! What an awesome promise! And we know that our God is ever faithful to keeping His promises. But I guess most of us don’t appreciate the promise, that’s why we don’t tithe. But please remember friends, that not tithing is disobedience, for the Lord has made it a sure and serious condition of our loyalty to Him. 

Anyway my people, let’s get wise nuh, let’s sit down today and ponder all that we’ve said, and see how we shape up in obedience to God’s word, then sincerely ask Him to help us do better. You know He won’t refuse such a request, because He desires us all to become as Christ-like as possible. Much LOVE!

…promises…promise…promises…oh how faithful and true…rewarding and worthwhile…are the promises of Almighty God…

 

 

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