Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 December 2019 Psalm 73:26.

30 Dec 2019 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:26.    ​My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
 
Awright, so it’s the Monday after Christmas and the one before the New Year, and yuh feeling even more miserable, tired and sluggish than normal, what with all the fattening food and drink you recently guzzled and imbibed and the resultant lethargy it produced! (smile) Yeh friends, I know the feeling, there’s no celebration like Christmas, and seeing the wide variety of goodies available, can really make you gluttonous. I’ve already put on a couple pounds and the season not finished yet. 

And though we know we going to feel terrible come Monday morning when is time to go to work, we just can’t turn away from the pile of good looking and sweet tasting food and drink available. And now we paying the price; can hardly get up, and we complaining everlasting, as though somebody did we something. (smile) But that’s the style nowadays; blame everybody else for our mistakes. Anyway, doh worry, we have your problem covered, and by the time we finish, you’ll be so energetic and enthusiastic to go to work, you won’t even recognize yuhself. 

So join us in a moment of prayer, that most powerful tool on the face of God’s great earth. It’s something we call our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and it helps to dissolve all fears, doubts and anxieties; it cleanses all the ills that affect you on Mondays. So altogether now, in humility and sincerity. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. 

We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Yes, I can see that the moods and attitudes are already improving. All glory to our great and wonderful God! And by the time you spin around and are ready to leave home, you’ll be so energized and enthusiastic, you’ll be ready to fight the most dangerous wild animal for Jesus’ sake! (smile) Yeh friends, that’s how mightily the Holy Spirit of God moves in us. That’s why we can proudly and confidently declare the reassuring words of the psalmist Asaph: ‘My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ 

Ah my brethren, even the godly psalmist Asaph, at one stage struggled to understand how the wicked could be so prosperous. That is: ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.’ (Ps.73:17-19)

In the sanctuary, he received a divine perspective on the situation. The Lord has set up the wicked to fail eventually. But Asaph did not realize that until then, and seeing the wicked prosper even throughout their entire lives, ‘it almost caused him to stumble spiritually and lose his faith.’ 

Thus he said, after understanding the situation: ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden (held) me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.’ (Ps. 73:22-24)

Oh my people, let’s not worry about the prosperity of the wicked nuh, for the Lord has promised to deal with them accordingly, and we know He keeps all of His promises. Let’s just be concerned with our own personal relationship with our heavenly Father, for when the day of judgement comes, He won’t be asking us questions about anybody else, His focus will be directed on us personally. 

That means we need to get it right asap. And in that respect, I like the question Asaph poses just before our Bit. ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.’ (Ps.73:25) Now that ought to also be our stand if we truly mean the words of our Bit, because in truth, whom else do we have but our God-head eh? Nobody! 

So let’s end like Asaph did nuh: ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (are unfaithful). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:27-28) 

And all God’s people said a loud and proud: ‘Praise the Lord. Exalt His holy name, for He is worthy to be exalted!’ Much LOVE!

…the wise ones…live like if judgement day is today…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 September 2019 Psalm 73:26.

18 Sep 2019 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:26.    ​My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.
 

And after Tuesday comes Wednesday – the hump day of the week! And what a hump that was to climb. We left the hotel in Cape Town around eleven in a taxi headed for the airport to catch a one o’clock flight to Joburg, to catch connecting flights to Atlanta and Paris. Due to some unforeseen circumstances the duchess and I were booked on separate flights back home. 

We got to Cape Town Airport where the nonsense began; I was forced to walk to the gates because they said I was not booked for a wheelchair. The porter who accompanied us didn’t tell us that until we were almost at the security entrance, otherwise I would have argued with the lady, because I’ve been travelling to and from the gates by wheel chair ever since my trip began. 

But the Lord is good and watches over His people. Thankfully these gates were not as far as some of the others, and I managed it…with the Lord’s help of course. We got on board the Mango Airways flight and took off for Joburg on time; the flight out two days earlier had been delayed for over an hour. 

And it’s in Joburg the fun began. Hn! For some reason although Air France is an international airline, its dispatch office is located in the Domestic Section of the airport. So after checking my luggage in the Domestic Section, I had the long trek over to the International section to actually catch the flight. And as always, the Lord looks after His own. I had a wonderful African lady pushing me by wheelchair. 

Now this walk, I just would not have been able to make because the joints were already crying out from the traipsing around I did the previous day on Robben Island and Table Mountain. We went up and down and all around, with the poor, tired duchess pushing a trolley with her luggage, as her Delta Airline was ensconced in the International section. Finally she checked her luggage, then we went through security, which though crowded, wasn’t too bad, definitely not as invasive as some of the others around the world. 

She then wandered down to one side to collect some tax refund for something she’d bought in South Africa, while the lady pushed me in the other direction, towards the boarding gates. She finally left me at a restaurant aptly named the Dyner, where the duchess would later meet me. I made sure I got a seat right at the front of the restaurant so I could see her, or she me, when she came up. And as my flight was earlier than hers, I ordered a juicy hamburger and vanilla ice cream milkshake. 

Remember this was our first meal of the day. By the time the duchess arrived, I was well into my meal. She was none too happy though for the line to get the tax return had been pretty long and what she actually got back didn’t seem worth the wait. And wonder of wonders, before I could even finish my meal, a young fellow showed up with a wheelchair to take me to the boarding gate, which was still some distance away. But like the gentleman he was, he waited for me to finish. 

I kissed the duchess goodbye, then we headed for the boarding gate. Brother! I don’t know why these airports have such long distances between where you enter and exit nuh. The problem is that the airports nowadays are simply too large, and if you’re not a young, or rather an able somebody, you’re in trouble to get from one point to the other. We eventually got to the gate where the wheelchair bound were loaded on to a bus and driven out to the plane on the tarmac. The other passengers were also driven out by bus to the plane which was a good distance away from the departure gate. 

Then the herding began: we were packed like sardines into the last two sections of the large plane. There were ten seats across; three on the right, three on the left, and four in the middle. The aisle space was so narrow that my hand luggage could not be wheeled down the aisle, but had to be carried. It’s a good thing one of the stewards offered to take it for me. Now Air France is okay, but I still prefer KLM. It just has a more relaxing feeling to it, and the stewards seem friendlier. 

But I really can’t complain because the Air France people treated me well. When they began serving the meals, I asked this one lady if she could serve me last because I had just had a big meal at the airport. Her reply certainly surprised me. Although it wasn’t their normal procedure, she would do it because I was such a nice man! Yuh see people, the ole fella’s not as bad as some of you think! (smile) 

It took a li’l while for her to come back with my meal, and one older lady next to me kept saying that the stewardess had forgotten me, but I assured her that she had not. And after all the cleaning up had been done, she did come back with my meal. My Achilles heel though throughout the ten-hour flight to Paris was my rear end. Brother! Did it ever hurt from all the sitting down; starting with the two hour plane ride from Cape Town, then the long ride in the wheelchair, and a further ten hours of sitting to Paris! 

And surprisingly a white, older gentleman sitting next to me did not get up during the entire flight, not even to go to the bathroom. He just sat there watching Lady Gaga, then Bono, then slept like a baby, and got up to watch more videos, while I kept getting up and walking around just to relieve the pressure on my rear end. (smile) 

However, the ole fella did make it through the flight. It wasn’t easy. But here’s why? As Asaph the psalmist said so wisely, so long ago: ‘My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ Yes friends, without the Lord’s help, I certainly could not have made it through all the physical trials of this trip. 

That’s why as Asaph also advised. ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:28) And if you’ve also done that, then it’s time for us to go home declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know our position in Christ Jesus. 

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 what a glorious future it will indeed be! Much LOVE!

…trust in the Lord…with all thine heart…and lean not unto thine own understanding… (Prov.3:5)

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 May 2019 Psalm 73:26.

24 May 2019 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:26.    ​​My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.

 

Another beautiful day has dawned in my area friends…hope it did in yours too! But regardless of the physical weather, most of us will just be glad that it’s Friday, and having the bright light of Jesus shining in our souls on top of that, what’s happening outside doesn’t matter that much! 

Yes, glory to God my faithful saints in Christ! It’s the start of the weekend, a short workweek for us in Canada, with the Queen Victoria Day holiday on Monday gone. But we’ll be looking on in envy as the U.S. celebrates its Memorial Day holiday next Monday, while we have to go and labour for the whole five days! 

So for all you Scrip-Bit friends and family in the U.S. of A, please remember Granny’s warning: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business!’ And don’t give the enemy a chance to find a chink in your spiritual armour and thus cause confusion in your soul! (smile) 

The Memorial Day holiday remembers those brave and unfortunate souls who fell while serving in the country’s Armed Forces. And as always, there’ll be lots of politicking and remembrances, while unfortunately, many of those who served but are still alive, are being treated like second-class citizens and suffering want like you’d never belief! 

It’s certainly amazing how they can trot out the veterans at times like this, then forget them for the rest of the year. But I guess that’s just the inequality that’s to be found in a supposedly equal society. Out of sight, out of mind! But enough of me, the ordinary workingman is just dying to bellow out his weekend song: 

‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! And thank God that the week was short too! But yuh know that slave driver of a boss is something else yes! What yuh think he do last Tuesday? He try to outsmart we to do two days work in one, by promising some extra money for overtime! Steups! But ah not sure if anybody at all take him up on the offer nuh! Normally, the ole crook, the cheap so and so, doh like to pay overtime, but since everything fall behind, he trying to play nice nuh! 

Good for him yes! I work hard enough in a regular week, what I want to work overtime for when I get a break on a holiday eh? But forget he though yes! The weekend’s here! Wow! And the weather should be decent enough to go outside and frolic! So just bring it on! Party, party, party! Thank God for Fridays and weekends oui!’ 

Ah mih friends, it’s oftimes refreshing to see how the ordinary workingman just lays it all out there, unashamedly wearing his passion on his sleeve! Unfortunately though, we, as sincere believers in Jesus Christ can’t afford to break down as many walls. We need to be a tad more conservative, but it doesn’t mean we can’t be joyful, just be more careful! (smile) And so our Friday Chant is somewhat different to the workingman’s song. Let’s chant it out now nuh with sincerity and true sense of purpose. 

As one loud voice! ‘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!’ 

Yeh friends, we can party too, but we just have to run a constant interference check on the enemy, because he’s only too happy to jump gleefully on us when we get out of Jesus’ loop! That’s why we need to constantly remind ourselves and sincerely proclaim these immortal words of Asaph, the psalmist. ‘My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.’  

Yes precious people, our flesh and hearts are weak, sinful and tend naturally to ungodliness, that’s why we need a strong tower, a rock to cling on to, and that rock is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. No wonder He warned the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, when they could not stay awake and pray with Him. ‘Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ (Matt.26:41) 

And isn’t that the awesome truth! We see it happening to Asaph, as he declares (yes!): ‘But as for me, my feet were almost gone (had almost stumbled); my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps.73:2-3) 

Ah mih breddren, that is so easy to do! The wicked are prospering all around us today too, and we say to ourselves, like Asaph: ‘Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world (are always at ease); they increase in riches.’ (Ps.73:12)  But how can that be eh, when the Lord promised us so much for following Him? 

And I like how Asaph discovered the truth: ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.’ (Ps.73:17-19) 

Yes friends, the Lord has promised to look after the righteous and destroy the wicked, and He does keep His promises. So we must not allow what we see going on in the world to make us doubt Him. He will do all He promised in due time, in His time. As Bruh David said in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread.’ (Ps.37:25) 

And as Asaph concludes his psalm: ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed them all that go a whoring from thee (who are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare (right ho!) all thy works.’ (Ps.73:27-28) 

Now that my brethren is wisdom to the highest heaven! Please, let’s take it for ourselves nuh! Much LOVE!

…trust in God…with all thine heart…and lean not…unto thine own understanding…In all thy ways acknowledge Him…and He shall direct thy paths… (Prov.3:5-6)

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 July 2018 Lamentations 3:24.

16 Jul 2018 Leave a comment

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

Lamentations 3:24.   The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him.

Oh yes mih people, it’s a hot and humid Monday…but that’s no excuse to have the Monday summertime blues! Definitely not! Just think ahead for a moment; just think how we’ll be dying for, just begging the Lord for this same kind of weather in the next few months nuh, when the cold descends upon us with a determined vengeance. (smile) 

So please, let’s get with the programme nuh, let’s enjoy the time, enjoy each and every minute we’ve been granted down here on earth in this crazy summertime of 2018. Instead, let’s emphatically and joyfully declare like the psalmist did so long ago: ‘This is the day the Lord has made we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ 

Wow mih breddren! That’s the kind of attitude and approach our gracious and merciful God wants to hear us adopt. But just in case you can’t chase away those Monday summertime blues all on your own, then let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, the true antidote for just such an ailment. 

As loud and as enthusiastically as we can now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

And do words of sincere prayer ever raise the adrenaline levels in our souls my people! There is nothing else like, or as effective as it, in this whole wide world. No wonder Cousin Jerry, despite all his ‘sufferation’ could confidently declare in our Bit: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him.’  

And the psalmist Asaph concurs with Jerry, as he confidently proclaims: ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ (Ps.73:25-26) 

Oh my fellow believers, are we able to declare those kinds of statements as emphatically as Asaph? I certainly hope so. But if we can’t just yet, then it’s something we should be working very diligently towards. As I read those words it reminded me of Horatio Spafford, the fellow who wrote our yesterday hymn, ‘It is well with my soul.’ 

He had to have had that kind of and level of faith to be able to pen those immortal and poignant words after experiencing so much tragedy in his life. And the writer of Psalm 119 puts it this way. ‘Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. I entreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.’ (Ps.119:57-58) 

Of course our great, wonderful and magnanimous God will be merciful to us if we sincerely offer our whole heart to Him, for that’s what He’s all about: magnanimity and mercy! But we have to give Him our all, not just a part that we figure we can’t handle. 

And Cousin Jerry puts it thus earlier on. ‘The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former (maker) of all things; and Israel is the rod (tribe) of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.’ (Jer.10:16) 

Glory be my fellow believers! And through the auspices and sacrifices of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we have been made a member of God’s tribe, we also are a part of His inheritance! What a blessed inheritance! Please, let’s make the most of it nuh, don’t throw it away and waste Jesus’ awesome sacrifice on our behalf. 

And we’ll close with these immortal and oh so encouraging words of the psalmist Asaph. ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:28) That’s wisdom of everlasting proportions my brethren! Please, I implore us to seriously embrace it. Much LOVE!

…wisdom and logic both dictate…that drawing close to our Maker…is our raison d’etre…the reason for our very existence…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 January 2017 Psalm 73:28.

28 Jan 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:28.   But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

Cloudy days are here again…but at least it’s dry. (smile) Yeh mih breddren, I don’t know where the sun has gone these last couple of weeks nuh, but we do have the SON, and that’s the most important one of them all. Glory to God! 

So it’s Saturday, what’s on the agenda eh? Cleaning and household chores, grocery shopping, resting, relaxation… Whatever it is, please make sure that the Lord is totally involved in it with you, otherwise it won’t work as well, or it might not even work. 

Remember our amazing and awesome God wants to get involved in every aspect of our lives, even down to the tiniest bit, and He feels sadly left out if we don’t include Him. 

Now here are some quotes from our friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us. First off, he tells us that: ‘History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.’ And that’s no lie! We’ll keep on making the same mistakes until we wake up to the wrong we’re doing and change it. 

Now here is one that runs contrary to the modern day world. ‘We must take responsibility for what is in our life.’ Oh friends, our world has become such an irresponsible place that it’s not funny. 

No one wants to take responsibility for anything. The blame game has become one of our favourite pastimes. But until we become responsible for all that we do, life will remain rather miserable. 

And this one says: ‘When we change who and what we are within our hearts, our lives follow suit and change too.’ Now that’s the only way any change will ever last! 

And finally: ‘Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.’ Oh people, life is like a boomerang; whatever you let fly, will eventually come right back to you. It’s God’s basic principle of ‘you reap what you sow.’ 

That brings us right back to where started, having God totally involved in our lives, as so well advised by our Bit. ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ 

Now let’s back up a tad and hear how Asaph was haunted by the prosperity of the wicked. ‘For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps.73:3) 

Ah friends, that’s still happening to too many of us today. The wicked are still prosperous and too many of us supposed Christians are wanting what they have and consequently selling our souls to the wrong people to get earthly wealth. 

But please remember the immortal words, the everlasting promise of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33)  

Now if you’re not diligently working under that promise, then you’re unwise, and no true follower of and believer in Christ. 

But getting back to Asaph. He was falling under the spell of the wicked and earthly riches…’Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.’ (Ps.73:17-19) 

Oh my fellow believers, Asaph didn’t understand the situation until he spent time in God’s sanctuary. Maybe some of us need to do that too, so we’ll understand that we don’t have to worry about the riches of the wicked, the Lord will do that in His own time. 

We need to get ourselves solidly under the umbrella of God’s LOVE, mercy and grace, and concentrate on building His body, His church here on earth. 

Now hear Asaph’s conclusion. ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden (held) me by thy right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom I have in heaven but thee? 

And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (who are unfaithful to thee). 

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:22-28) 

Ah friends, there’s nothing left for me to say, but to implore us to listen to Asaph, to take his wise advice and follow the Lord God Jehovah, for that is wisdom of heavenly proportions. Much LOVE!

…to faithfully and diligently follow Jesus…that is the uniting call of all Christians…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 December 2016 Psalm 119:57.

18 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

Psalm  119:57.    Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. 

And then it was rain, mixing up with the snow, and with the lower night time temps, more likely than not turning to ice. Yes friends, that’s what we’re looking forward to this Sunday before Christmas 2016; an icy world. 

But yuh know what? That’s not going to stop us from going to the Lord’s sanctuary and celebrating His Sabbath Day. We going to get there, even if we have to walk and/or crawl. (smile) 

And when we get there we’re going to have glorious fellowship, with plenty thanks and praise and worship and preaching of the Word, so that we can leave feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, strong and full of confidence to go out and live a good and true Christian life in the upcoming week. 

Now let’s begin the praise and worship with this beautiful hymn, ‘O Come All ye Faithful.’ Yes my brethren, please let our faithful voices raise our praise and glory to high heaven in perfect harmony!  

‘O Come All Ye Faithful Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

O Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing all that hear in heaven God’s holy word. Give to our Father glory in the Highest; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning, O Jesus! For evermore be Thy name adored. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.’ 

Ah mih people, this is the season of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’s birth in the lowly stable in Bethlehem, and we ought to be celebrating it with lots of enthusiasm, passion and spiritual awareness. Remember, Christmas is the occasion that got the whole Christian thing; the ball of salvation, forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, justification and the promise of eternal life rolling. 

And if we don’t fully appreciate it, we won’t be able to fully appreciate what it caused either. So please tone down the worldly activities, and instead raise the godly ones, for without Jesus there would be no Christmas, no gifts, no set of food, in fact no celebration at all at this time of year. 

And now that I’ve said my piece, (smile) let’s turn to our Bit, a powerful acknowledgement of God’s place in the psalmist’s life. ‘Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words.’ Yeh friends, the Lord ought to be our portion, and we ought to faithfully keep His words if we claim to be believers in His Son Jesus Christ. 

Now today I want to look at some other scriptures that uphold, which corroborate the words of our Bit. Let’s begin with something from Numbers. ‘And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance (a possession), for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.’ (Num.18:20-21) 

So Aaron and his descendants, the priests, would own no land in Israel. The scholars explain it thus: ‘18:8-20. In recognition of their altar service, the priests were to receive parts of the sacrifices, firstfruits of the harvest, and firstborn animals (cf. Lev.6:14-7:36; 27:26-33). The priests’ families could also eat from these offerings as long as they were “clean.” Their inheritance would be God Himself, who provided for their needs through His people’s gifts. (v.20) 

‘18:21-24. Tithing was now provided for the tribe of Levi (Gen.14:20; 28:22: Lev.27:30-33). The tithe was a payment for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation (v.21; cf.31). It also compensated for their lack of an inheritance in land. Later they were given 48 villages which were scattered throughout the land (34:16-35:8).’  

That means those in charge of running the tabernacle, had no other duties but looking after God’s house, and the Lord provided food for them from the gifts of the people. Now hear Bruh David from Psalm 16, where he seeks preservation and blessing. 

‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest (upholds) my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have a goodly heritage (inheritance). I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins (heart) also instruct me in the night seasons.’ (Ps.16:5-7) 

Meanwhile, Jeremiah in his Lamentations boldly declares: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:24-26) Wonderful advice my fellow believers! 

And we’ll end with some more wonderful advice, this time from the psalmist Asaph, from Psalm 73 – The mystery of prosperous wickedness. ‘My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (that are unfaithful). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:26-28)  

Oh friends, the Lord God Jehovah, Creator and Controller of the universe, ought to be a big part of our lives if we truly believe. Now let’s take some time today and consider how big a portion He is in our lives, and as always, ask Him to help us make it bigger. For that’s wisdom of enormous proportions! Much LOVE! 

…the bigger the portion of God in us…the better…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 October 2015 Psalm 73:26

25 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:26.    My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (the rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Sunday, Sunday! Oh how glad we are that it’s here at last! For it’s the day that most Christians, most believers in Jesus Christ gather together in the Lord’s sanctuary to fellowship with each other; to sing and praise, give thanks, worship and glorify our wonderful Creator and Provider. Glory Hallelujah! 

It’s also a time of rejuvenation; a time when our spirits are lifted, our faith and trust increased, our confidence strengthened, as the immutable and holy Word of God flows through, percolates in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls! 

And all God’s people shouted loudly and proudly: ‘Blessed be the Lord our God who sacrificed His Son Jesus Christ so that we could be reconciled to Him, and who now pours out His never-ending bounty on us, more than we can ask or even imagine! Thank You Lord. We offer up our sacrifice of praise and vow to walk obedient to your will. In Jesus name. Amen.’ 

Yes Friends, it is indeed a wonderful, a magnificent God we serve, and every day I open my eyes to greet a new day, I can’t help but give Him some serious thanks and praise for all that He’s done, is doing and has promised to do in my life. Glorify Him my people, for there’s none else like Him! No other supposed deity even comes close to Him, for they are all dead, but our Jehovah God is alive and kicking; kicking mightily too! 

So this Sunday morning, let’s all make it a stated purpose to get to His sanctuary and enjoy much needed fellowship with other believers nuh, so that our souls can be primed and ready to meet and greet tomorrow, Monday, with a burst of enthusiasm and rich desire to get out into the working world and serve the Lord with all that we possess. 

Remember, the tempo, the mood, the attitude towards the first day of the work week, and all those that follow, are set, are determined by how we spend the first day of the week, Sunday. So please get out and renew your faith, raise your hopes today. End of sermon! (smile) 

Oh Friends, some of you might think that I’m joking, or just being overzealous, but the reality is that our God does faithfully reach out to those who trust in Him. Let’s take the case of the psalmist Asaph. Way back when, he saw the wicked prospering and couldn’t understand it. 

Consequently, he almost fell into the snare of the ungodly, wanting to have their prosperity. Many of us fall for the same scam today. But through the goodness, the LOVING-kindness of God, he woke up in time and saw the foolishness of that mindset. Therefore, he could contritely admit in Psalm 73 – The mystery of prosperous wickedness. 

‘Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins (grieved in my mind). So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden (held) me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy council, and afterward receive me to glory.’ (Ps.73:21-24) 

Oh my people, as I said just now, many of us today are still being wowed by the prosperity of the wicked, but please believe that is only a temporary situation. They will all eventually get their rightful comeuppance; death and destruction. 

But those who sincerely follow the risen Lord, the atoning Saviour Jesus Christ, will be guided away from wickedness by His Holy Spirit which indwells each and every believer. Then, like Asaph says, at the end of our earthly days we will be received in glory to our heavenly home. 

Now hear how Asaph continues: ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (the rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ (Ps.73:25-26) 

My brethren, my brethren, do you hear that declaration of faith and trust which includes our Bit! Can we declare likewise, with the same confidence? I surely do hope so, because unless we can, we will be seriously shortchanging ourselves in the mercies and blessings of our awesome God. 

And why is that? Listen to the next verse from Asaph. ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (who are unfaithful to thee).’ (Ps.73:27)  

Yes Friends, wickedness and unfaithfulness may pay for a time, and might look rather enticing, but believe me, it will not get you into heaven, will not bring you salvation and eternal life. Only trust and belief in Jesus Christ will do that. 

And Asaph confidently and wisely ends the psalm thus. ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:28) 

Glory Hallelujah my people! Words of unadulterated wisdom! And if you haven’t declared those sentiments as yet, I’ll advise you to do so as soon as possible. And today, right now, will be a most appropriate time to do it. Because, remember when Jesus returns in all His majestic glory and splendour, which could happen at any time, if you are found wanting, then it will be too late, and as the old people would say, crapaud smoke yuh pipe! 

So please, please, I implore us, let’s not be found wanting, let’s put our absolute trust in Jesus right now, let’s surrender our entire lives to Him, so that we will be received into glory at the end times. That’s wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!

…knowing, trusting, LOVING and walking with Jesus…is the ONLY panacea for our troubles…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 June 2015 Psalm 73:26

06 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

 Psalm 73:26.  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (the rock) of my heart, and my portion forever.

And then it was Saturday; hopefully a day of rest and relaxation after a long week of commuting and traffic jams, morning and evening. Hn! But unfortunately, for a lot of us, it is a time to catch up on the housework and grocery shopping that we could not do during the week.

Ah Lord eh! Whoever talked about the lots of recreation time we would have with all the modern inventions and conveniences were sadly wrong, because this modern world is far busier, more intense and stressful that that of our parents. Now they didn’t have the conveniences that we have, but neither did they have to rush around and do all the stuff that we need to do today.

With most mothers working today, baby-sitting has become a major part of the problem, and it still takes time to load and unload the dishwasher, the clothes washer and dryer and clean the house. Then the current economic outlook is not the greatest, and consequently many people are losing their jobs, which creates even more stress and confusion.

Not only that, but the relatively few jobs that are available are mostly part-time, or contractual, with low wages and little or no security. And to make matters worse, the prices of everything, including rent and other accommodation keep going up, while wages are not keeping in step. So we are constantly falling behind in our buying power. No wonder the anxiety, worry, tension and stress in this most advanced and modern society.

What a mess we have made of God’s wonderful world my people! But all is not yet lost Friends. As believers in Jesus Christ we always have hope. As Jeremiah says in his Lamentations: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.’ (Lam.3:24)

That brings me to an interesting point of view I recently received from my good buddy Anselm, who is always trying to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And he says: ‘To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It’s not about winning and losing; it’s about every day hard work and about thriving on a challenge. It’s about embracing the pain that you’ll experience at the end of a race and not being afraid. I think people think too hard and get afraid of a certain challenge.’

And there is a lot of truth in that point of view, especially in these trying times when the world isn’t looking so rosy.  And remember too Friends, that is how our Lord and Saviour Jesus operated: He worked hard every day, thriving on the challenge of getting others to believe that He was the promised Messiah.

And though the going was often pretty rough, He wasn’t afraid, and never shirked from the challenge that the Father gave Him; to be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the entire world. That means if we want to be Christ-like, to be transformed into His image, then we too need to step up to the plate and do whatever God has planned for us, without too much whining and complaining. 

And we have a wonderful Bit today that encourages us, that gives us the belly and backbone, the manly parts to stand strong and face the challenges of this earthly life. The Psalmist Asaph said it in no uncertain terms. ‘My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (the rock) of my heart, and my portion forever.’

Oh what an uplifting and soul strengthening declaration that is my brethren! It’s also gospel truth, so it’s therefore something all believers should willingly and excitingly embrace. Ah mih people, we do need lots of gumption and strength to live in this current  fallen world, and there’s no better place or way to get that than from Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider.

And we’ll look at a few scriptures which echo the sentiments of our Bit. Let’s begin with Psalm 84, from the sons of Korah. They enthusiastically declare: ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles (lovely are thy dwellings), O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God… Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will still be praising thee.   Selah.’ (Ps.84:1-2,4)

Oh Friends, is our flesh crying out for the living God? It ought to be, but I have a sad feeling that our flesh is crying out more for the things of the world which moth and rust can destroy. (smile)  

Now listen to Bruh David’s take on the subject from Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God. ‘As the hart panteth after (the deer longs for) the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’ (Ps.42:1-2)

Yes my people, the souls of believers ought to be seriously thirsting after Almighty God, who created us and still provides for us, each and every day! And please note that all the psalmists agree that our God is a LIVING GOD, not lifeless objects like other supposed deities.

And all God’s children joyfully and gratefully shouted out: ‘All praise, thanks and glory be to the living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who is the source of all our strength and our fountain of life!’ Words of wisdom and absolute truth my brethren!

And we shall end with the two verses after our Bit. ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed them all that go a whoring from thee (who are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73: 27-28)

Ah Friends, what a wonderful way to end today’s Bit! So please go in the peace, LOVE, wisdom, grace, mercy and forgiveness of our omnipotent Living God! Much LOVE!

…to long for…to hunger and thirst for Almighty God…is the hallmark of a true believer…

 

 

 

 

Next Newer Entries