Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 December 2017 Psalm 118:5.

06 Dec 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 118:5.   I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place.

Oh precious people of God, it is Christmas time; the season of peace, LOVE and goodwill to all men, in honour of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

And what a magnificent time it can be, if we don’t forget that Jesus is the reason for the season and keep Him first place in our hearts as we busily rush around making preparations for this joyful occasion. 

Yes friends, we need to keep ourselves reminded of that all-important fact, otherwise the incredible noise and the hullabaloo of the secular world and their avowed intention to remove Jesus from our society, will drown it out of our hearts, minds and souls. 

And today I want to share a quote that resounds with the atmosphere of the season. It’s attributed to Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961), Swedish, diplomat, economist and author, who served as the second Secretary General of the United Nations, and was killed in a plane crash in Zambia, while on his way to investigate some irregularities. 

He reputedly said that: ‘Forgiveness is the answer to the child’s dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean.’ 

And doesn’t that perfectly fit this Christmas season, when Christ came as a child, the miracle that was to fix our broken and fallen sinful nature, offering forgiveness, while eventually washing us white as snow, and thus making us clean again, so that we could communicate in holiness and righteousness with our heavenly Father? It sure does to me! 

And I guess that’s why Christmas is such a time of forgiveness, where joy and laughter, peace and goodwill triumph over the usually selfish, morose and negative rest of the year. The wonderful Spirit of Jesus is in the air my brethren! Glory to God for His LOVING-kindness to the children of men! Let’s keep His wonderful Spirit alive as we keep shouting, ‘Merry Christmas to All…and to All a Happy New Year!’ 

That brings us to our Bit: ‘I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place.’ 

Ah friends, isn’t it wonderful to have the Lord to cry out to in times of trouble? It surely is! No other faith has that divine promise of hearing and responding in positive fashion to our requests. And we see it in so many places in the Good Book. Yesterday we saw Bruh David crying out for help, and receiving it. 

Now let’s look at a couple of other situations where heartfelt pleas were made to the Father, and He responded positively. The psalmist in Psalm 120 – Prayer for deliverance from lying lips – begins by declaring: ‘In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.’ (Ps.120:1-2) 

Oh my fellow believers, in these deceitful, strife filled and ultra-talkative times, many of us need to cry out to the Lord for help in that area, for truth is sadly lacking in our society. And one of the best examples of our Bit is Jonah’s cry from the belly of the fish after he had disobeyed the Lord’s directive to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. 

‘Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine (because of my) affliction unto the Lord, and he heard (answered) me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst (the heart) of the seas; and the floods compassed me about (surrounded me): all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then said I, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.’ (Jon.2:1-4) 

Yeh friends, I am sure being in that fish’s belly for three days and nights was certainly hell for Jonah. But please note that though he was disobedient and being punished for it, he never lost faith in the LOVING-kindness and forgiveness of his God. 

Later on in the chapter he declares: ‘When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto (went up to) thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities (worthless idols) forsake their own mercy (LOVING-kindness). But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ (Jon.2:7-9) 

Oh my people, yuh see even when we are in the most desperate and distraught situations, it is never too late to call on our wonderful God. Jonah did it, as it were from the very depths of hell. And what was the response? ‘And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.’ (Jon.2:10) 

Even so will the Lord cause us to be released from our misery if we call upon Him in humility and sincere belief, because that’s what He is all about; LOVING-kindness, mercy and forgiveness. Friends, oh friends, please remember that and NEVER lose faith in Him, regardless of the circumstances! 

Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, boldly letting the world know of our faith and our wonderful position in Jesus Christ. As one strong and solid voice 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 what a glorious future that will be my fellow believers! Much LOVE!

…Christmas…the time of joy and LOVE…celebrating the miracle of the coming of Jesus…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 July 2015 Psalm 139:1‏

29 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 139:12.  O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Oh Friends, it’s ‘Summertime, And the livin’ is easy. Fish are jumpin’, And the cotton is high. Oh your daddy’s rich, and your mama’s good looking, So hush little baby, Don’t you cry.’

Yes Friends, let’s live the words of the Gershwin Brothers lyrics and not cry and complain because it’s the time of year we so avidly look forward to; summer. The days are hot and sticky, but we’re thankful it’s not freezing and we have to dress up in several layers of clothes and spend so much time inside.

And it’s certainly amusing and thought-provoking the way the weather plays on our emotions and our responses to each season. In winter we’re somewhat dour and sour (smile).

Then when spring comes along we lighten up some, a rebirth of enthusiasm seems to take place. As the cooler winds blow and the trees come out in their spring green colours, we begin to get lively with all sorts of dreams being born.

And when the big one hits, when summer finally rolls around, oh we just get crazy and let it all hang out. But not for very long though, because as fall, as autumn rolls in, the trees soon start losing their leaves, although they first provide us with some beautiful fall colours, but a depressive mood creeps in.

Then when the first snowfall hits… Chuh! We get sad and morose again thinking about the long, cold, dreary days and nights of winter and long to get away to somewhere warm and sunny. Hn, hn!

What a life mih people! But it’s ours and we’ll be foolish not to enjoy it as much as we can, for remember Jesus said that He came to give us life, and that more abundantly. (John 10:10)

So regardless of the temperature or the kind of weather we’re currently enjoying, please, let’s go out everyday and enjoy it to the best of our ability, knowing and believing that it’s another beautiful gift from God, and that He has something important planned for our day, that’s why we’re still alive. End of sermon! (smile)

And since today is Wednesday, let’s wail on nuh. Please wail with me. ‘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 that’s exactly how it ought to be my brethren! Our focus should always be on Jesus, for He is indeed the Way, the Truth, the Life and the Light of our salvation. Glory to God!

And we’ll continue today with our Bit from that beautiful Psalm 139 –The everlasting presence and power of God. ‘O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.’ Yes Friends, our God knows all about us, as intimately as we can be known, because He created us, formed us in our mother’s womb, and we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made.’

And Bruh David reminds us of that, as we continue from where we left off yesterday. ‘My substance (frame) was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously (skillfully) wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unformed); and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned (the days fashioned for me) when as yet there were none.

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.139:15-18)

Yes Friends, our God planned, designed and formed us, writing the details of our members in His book before they even existed, even before they began forming. Then He sat and LOVINGLY watched us grow in our mother’s wombs. Isn’t He just a marvellous Deity? He surely is!

Now the scholars grace us with some info on the Comparative Attributes of God as it pertains to Psalm 139, and I would be greatly amiss if I didn’t share it with you.

‘Psalm 139. The comparative attributes of God contrast human abilities with the divine nature. Everyone has some knowledge, but only God has all knowledge (omniscience). Everyone has presence, but only God has presence at all times everywhere (omnipresence). Every person has some degree of power, but only God has unlimited power (omnipotence).

Illustration: Psalm 139 lays a foundation for understanding the comparative attributes. The omniscience of God is seen in verses 1-6. The omnipresence of God is seen in verses 7-11. The omnipotence of God is seen in verses 12-16.

Application: A Christian’s response to the comparative attributes of God should be to surrender to His leadership because He is wise, He is able to protect us, and He knows the true way to life with Himself. (First Ref. Gen.3:8; Primary Ref. Ps.139:1; cf. Eph.1:8).’

So Friends, it is only sane and sensible that we hand over leadership of our lives to the One who created us and controls our days and destiny down here on this earth, and through salvation in heaven, or death and destruction in hell, till eternity. Nothing else makes sense, since we can’t control much of what happens to us.

And we’ll close with some more wise and telling words from Bruh David. ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps.139:23-24)

Ah mih people, let’s do that this morning nuh… Let’s cry out to God to search our hearts and minds and clean us up and lead us on the straight and narrow nuh. For that is indeed wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!

…the smartest bet we can ever make…is to put all our hopes and dreams on Jesus…to WIN…no show or place bets…because Jesus is indeed the irrevocable, irreversible and ultimate WINNER…Glory to God…