Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 June 2016 1 Corinthians 12: 27‏

22 Jun 2016 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 12:27.    Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).

Welcome, welcome one and all to this glorious summer’s day! Yes friends, it’s now officially summer in the northern climes, as of last Monday evening! Glory be! 

The strange part though is that we’ve been experiencing some rather strong winds for the past couple of days, along with some reassuring summer temps. But who knows what our omnipotent and ever-wise God is up to and about eh? Nobody! 

Anyway, we do know that He’s working all things out for our good, for those who LOVE Him and are called to participate in His wonderful world, and that’s enough for true believers like us. We’re in much, much better hands than All State! (smile) 

And to prove that we sincerely believe that, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail with great gusto and superior faith. 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!’ 

Ah mih people, how glorious that future with Jesus will be! And yuh know what, though life can be somewhat rough sometimes, I’m still grateful to be alive, because as far as I’m concerned my best days are still ahead of me. I haven’t done anything as yet to leave my mark on the world, which means that better days are still to come. 

Consequently, I can’t afford to look to the past, else it will only muddy up the present and disrupt the great plans God has for me in the future. 

Oh friends, we have to believe that God has great plans for our lives, otherwise life won’t be worth living! Christians won’t created to lead, mediocre, hodge-podge lives, but strong, vibrant, meaningful, god-like and purposeful ones! 

But we won’t be able to do that until we sincerely accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour and genuinely work with Him to bring to pass His good plans for our earthly days. 

And all God’s people declared a loud, proud and grateful; ‘Hallelujah! All praise and glory to Jesus, our ever-faithful and ever-LOVING Lord and King!’ 

And that brings us to our current Bit: ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’ 

Yes my people, we are supposed to be one body in Christ, composed of different parts, as members, and that consequently means there is a certain kind of behaviour and attitude that’s expected of us. Unfortunately though, we are not coming up to scratch, which means that Christ’s organization is also not coming up to scratch, since we are its purveyors. 

Now let’s hear what Bruh Paul said to the Corinthians a long time ago, because it also pertains to us in these trying and desperate times. ‘And God hath set some in the church (appointed these), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities (varieties) of tongues. 

Are all apostles? are all prophets? Are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?’ (1 Cor.12:28-30) 

And the obvious answer to all of that my friends is a big NO! 

So what? Bruh Paul provides the answer. ‘But covet (desire) earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.’ (1 Cor.12:31) 

And here the scholars give us a lengthy explanation of what Bruh Paul means. ’12:31. But covet earnestly the best gifts: This expressions explains why the apostle has arranged the list in verse 28 in order of priority. He wants his readers to be clear in their own minds as to which gifts are the best. 

Obviously, his intent is to steer them away from the more spectacular gifts such as tongues. Covet here is not to be construed negatively but means “earnestly desire.” 

A more excellent way: The import of this statement is to be seen in Chapter 13. Paul will show that a better way is not through contentious striving but through LOVING. 

Many feel that Paul is here showing how the gifts are to be administered, that is, in LOVE. However, the use of way (Gr. hodos) in the sense of “a path” instead of the way (Gr. tropos) in the sense of “manner,” and the statement of 14:1, indicates that Paul was pointing out a path of life superior to a life spent seeking and displaying spiritual gifts. 

Paul’s interest here is not to instruct his readers in how they may best use their gifts, but how to have their priorities straight. They should strive for LOVE, not spiritual gifts.’ 

Ah friends, I hope we understand what the scholars are saying: that though spiritual gifts are important, our priority should not be striving to get and display them, but our priority should be walking in LOVE. 

For as he says in the opening of Chapter 13 – The way of LOVE – ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (LOVE), I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal. 

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (LOVE), I am nothing.’ ( 1 Cor.13:1-2) 

So you see friends, regardless of what spiritual gifts we have, if we don’t have the overwhelming gift and attitude of LOVE, we are nothing, of no importance! 

And the scholars share some important and interesting info re verse 1. ’13:1. Tongues of men and of angels: Such was the association of tongues speaking in pagan worship at Corinth. When a priest or devotee spoke in tongues, it was considered that he spoke in the language of the gods.’  

And for all you know, some of us still hold that belief today. However my people, please, please, let’s stop seeking the spiritual gifts to magnify ourselves, and instead, simply walk in the way Jesus did nuh – the way of LOVE! For that’s our priority as Christians! Much LOVE!

…and now abideth faith, hope and charity (LOVE)…these three…but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE)… (1 Cor,13:13) 

P.S. Please excuse the lateness of the Bit. It was just one of those late mornings. I was outside on my porch at 3.am communing with my Creator, enjoying the peace and quiet, while listening to the rain fall softly on the earth. Sometimes we just have to do these things. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 May 2015 Matthew 22:37‏

08 May 2015 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 22:37.    Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Well Friends, I don’t need to tell you, (smile) but I will anyway: it’s Friday! And like clockwork, the working masses declare a loud and joyful: ‘Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here! Glory Hallelujah! And what a weekend it will be, with Mother’s Day and the hot weather! Thank God for that yes!’

Yes, the weather’s been pretty good this past week, but still no blessings of rain, and today we’re expecting thirty-degree temps. Wow! Can you imagine the mess it’s going to be with cottages been opened, motorcycles and rag tops (convertibles) out in full swing.

The traffic won’t be any different, and with all the road construction and stuff going on, it’s going to be a real pain in the butt getting anywhere fast. The backyard parties will be a flourishing with barbecues a flaming and drinks and food being guzzled down.

But Friends, please let’s remember to do that all with a modicum of circumspection nuh, and not give the enemy a chance to get a foothold in our lives. For when we celebrate, we tend to let our hair down and thus give him room to deceitfully inveigle himself into our lives.

And as always, to help us gain the right perspective for the weekend, let’s chant our Friday Chant with sincerity, wisdom and overstanding. All together now: ‘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.’

Yes my people, we’ve got to set some hard and fast boundaries before we get into the celebrations, so that they won’t be marred by the guile and lies of Lucifer and his evil henchmen.

And the best way to do that is by concentrating on the words of our Bit. ‘Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’

Oh Friends, there is no better way to keep Beelzebub out of lives than by focusing on Almighty God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

And I guess by now you’ve realized that the operative word for today is again that wonderful emotion called LOVE! Ah my people, LOVE is what makes the world go round, not money or power, and it’s also what our world desperately needs right now, if we’re going to stop it from both imploding and exploding.

For sadly, man’s inhumanity to man has reached a very cruel and critical stage. We no longer seem to care if our fellow man lives or dies, once we’re doing okay. But that’s a very shallow and selfish way to look at life my brethren.

Just stop for a moment and think what we’d be like if the Father had said, ‘Oh chuh! Let’s just leave those worthless, ungodly sinners to suffer in their own mess yes.’

We’d be headed for Hades and the torments of hellfire and damnation! But instead, with His ever-LOVING heart, He developed a plan, a tough one too, on Him and His Son, so that we, the same ungodly sinners could be saved, washed white as snow, and be reconciled to Him!

And all God’s people gave a loud and glorious shout of ‘Praise ye the Lord, for His wondrous works and saving grace to the undeserving children of mankind!’

Yes my fellow believers in Jesus Christ we ought to be very, very grateful to our heavenly Father for all that He’s done for us. But enough talk, let’s get to the meat of the session. And since I can’t get some of you to go to your Bible, I’ve decided to bring the Bible to you in all its glorious and living colour.

Let’s hear Bruh Paul speak rather eloquently on the way of LOVE!  Pay serious attention now class. (smile) ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (LOVE), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (LOVE), I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (LOVE), it profiteth me nothing.

Charity (LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; charity (LOVE) envieth not; charity (LOVE) vaunteth not (does not brag on) itself, is not puffed up (arrogant). Doth not behave itself unseemly (rudely), seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (keeps no accounts of evil); Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity (LOVE) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail (cease); whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away (cease). For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect (complete) is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass (mirror) darkly (dimly); but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope charity (LOVE), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor. 13:1-13) 

And there you have it brethren, Bruh Paul’s famous treatise on God’s most wonderful attribute! Now let’s allow it all to sink deeply into our consciousness nuh, so that we can become all that God has planned for us to become; strong, steadfast, sincere, faithful and LOVING beings, just like Him.

We talk about becoming Christ-like, well the first step in that transformation is to learn to LOVE! Let’s take it nuh my people. Much LOVE!

…herein is LOVE…not that we LOVED God…but that He LOVED us…and sent His Son…to be the propitiation of our sins… (1 John 4:10)

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 June 2012 Isaiah 6:9

29 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Isaiah 6:9.    And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Well Friends, I don’t have to remind you that to day is Friday, the eve of the weekend, because I can hear you loudly and joyously shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes mih people, we’ll be free from work for two days. Some of you appreciate that while others groan and mutter: ‘Chuh! What is two days eh? What can you do in two lousy days?’ Plenty mih breddren, plenty! No need to get sour and miserable because it’s only two days, and most likely you have a lot of your own stuff to do at home that you can’t do during the workweek. Instead you should be counting your blessings, because plenty people don’t have any days off at all, or any jobs either. So if you have stuff to do at home, just call up Jesus and ask for His help. He’ll gladly show you how to handle all that you have to do. So please put a smile on your beautiful face made in God’s image, some joy in your heart and join us as we chant our Friday Chant. With much verve and gusto, as one voice now: ‘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.’ Hope that helped all of you out there chewing sour grapes. (smile) Remember it’s the attitude we bring to the circumstance that’s important, that makes the difference, rather than the circumstance itself. Now that fits in quite nicely with our Bit: ‘And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed (keep on listening), but understand not; and see ye indeed (keep on seeing), but perceive not.’ Ah mih Friends, that was the Lord sending Isaiah to tell the people of Judah about their sinful, unrighteous living. But as the scholars declare re ‘Isaiah’s Commission: God warns Isaiah that his ministry, for the most part, will fall on deaf ears. The syntax of the sentence indicates that hear ye indeed means “keep on hearing.” Thus Judah will continue hearing but not heeding the prophet’s warning.’ And that my Friends is exactly what’s happening in our evil, unrighteous world today. The gospel is being preached loud and clear, far and wide, yet people are not hearing it, nor understanding what’s happening. They’re seeing the constant and numerous calamities that are befalling our world but are not taking heed of them. No wonder the Lord continued telling Isaiah: ‘Make the heart of this people fat (dull, uninterested), and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.’ (Is.6:10) The scholars have this to say about that verse: ‘Make the heart…fat…ears heavy…shut their eyes indicates that the more he preaches, the more the people will harden themselves to his message.’ Not understanding it all, Isaiah sought some confirmation: ‘Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate. And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking (many forsaken places) in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten (for consuming): as a teil (terebinth) tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them (stump remains when it is cut down), when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof (its stump). (Is.6:11-13) The Lord was referring here to the Babylonian captivity, after which only a tenth of the people shall return to Judah. And we all know that the prophecy was fulfilled. Oh my people, please see the similarity between Judah’s day of reckoning and ours nuh! We are living in similarly sinful and wicked times, unconcerned, or rather trying to eradicate the ONE TRUE God Jehovah from our midst, for the carnal lusts of the flesh and Beelzebub’s evil doings. But Friends, just like Judah, one day our number will play; unimaginable death and destruction will reign down on us, leaving only a handful who heard, saw and believed to be saved. As Jesus said when the disciples asked why He spoke to the multitudes in parables: ‘Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries (hidden truths) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.’ (Matt.13:11) Now according to the scholars: ‘A “mystery” in the Bible implies a sacred secret into which one must be initiated in order to understand it. The mystery revealed would be the new form of the kingdom during the interval between the first and second advents (comings).’ ‘Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith…’ And he went on to quote Isaiah’s prophecy. (Matt.13:13-15) Oh Friends, when Jesus quotes the Old Testament, be assured that we should sit up and take serious notice. People were living in great sin, abandoning God in Isaiah’s time, also in Jesus’ time, and now too in ours. My people, the end times are definitely drawing nigh. It can happen on any day, at any time, so please pay close attention and do whatever needs to be done to guarantee your salvation and eternal life with Jesus. Let’s not be found wanting and be amongst the group Jesus just spoke of, but of this one: ‘But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you. That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.’ (Matt.13:16-17) Oh Friends, we can only be numbered amongst that latter group, if we gladly embrace Jesus and all that He stands for RIGHT NOW! Please be wise and do so. Much LOVE!…to him that hears of Jesus…and does not believe…his will be eternal separation from Almighty God…