Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 July 2023 James 2:17.

12 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

James 2:17.       Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Now Tuesday was nice and hot and summery until the evening hours when it turned cool, and windy with a thunderstorm. And would you believe that during the night outside was cooler than the air-conditioned inside. And this morning when I went out to do some blood tests, it was chilly as ever. The computer earlier on told me that rain was coming, then shortly thereafter told me it will be mostly sunny. 

So who knows what we’re going to get today, this middle of the work week Wednesday, when we try to catch our second win, that enables us to fight the good fight all the way down to Friday? The important thing though is that we have life, the awesome breath of God flowing through us, mightily LOVED by our heavenly Father, created a little lower than the angels but crowned with glory and honour. (Ps. 8:5) 

The unfortunate thing though friends is that so many of us don’t behave like we have that glory and honour of God, which takes us back to yesterday’s Bit, ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:’ (James 1:19) This current version of mankind is certainly the opposite of those wise words. We’re rather quick to speak, and speak a lot, quick to get angry and hardly ever listen. 

Now yesterday we stopped where James was saying that anyone who was not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, his deeds will be blessed. (James 1:25) And he continues in this vein. ‘If any man among you seem to be (thinks he is) religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain (useless). Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’ (James 1:26-27) 

And that’s what Christianity is all about my people! Remember Jesus’ great compassion for widows and orphans, the sick, the poor and the lonesome. He came to save the downtrodden. And throughout the Bible there are numerous verses that indicate that God LOVES the widows and orphans. Psalm 68 describes Him as: ‘A father of the fatherless, and judge (defender) of widows, is God in his holy habitation.’ (Ps. 68:5) Meanwhile Isaiah 1:17 instructs on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Learn to do well (good); seek judgement (justice), relieve (reprove) the oppressed (oppressor), judge (vindicate or defend) the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ And Jesus even promised: ‘I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:8) 

So helping those in need is what we should be focused on, physical help as well as spiritual and emotional concern. That leads us to these powerful verses in 1 John. ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good (goods or riches), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion (heart) from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him? (1 John 3:16-17) It obviously doesn’t! 

That’s why James continues later on in his epistle about the relationship between faith and works. ‘What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ (James 2:14-17) 

And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! We can have all the faith we want, but if we don’t have some sacrificial work in that faith, it’s basically useless, because faith is not just believing, but also doing! As James continues: ‘Yea, a man my say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.’ (James 2:18) 

Faith and works just have to go hand in hand my brethren if any of them are to be worthwhile. That’s why sometimes when we try to evangelize the poor and downtrodden, instead of filling them with scripture, we first need to fill them with food, clothing and shelter, that way they will be more amenable to receiving the good news of Christ’s gospel.  

Remember when Jesus talked about separating the sheep from the goats? (Matt. 25:31-34) What reasons did He give for that separation eh? ‘For I was an hungred (hungry), and ye gave me meat (food): I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord….when did we do all these things unto you…. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt. 25:35-37, 40) 

Yes friends, that’s what Jesus is looking for in His followers; kindness to our brethren, especially if they are poor, sick, a stranger, widowed or orphaned. Our basic faith might get us into heaven, but it’s our selfless, sacrificial works that are going to earn us heavenly rewards. And it all begins by speaking less and listening more, so that we can understand the truth of the kingdom of God. 

Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world 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 as we keep reminding, if we endure with Christ right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please let’s us e that as one more bit of encouragement to endure to the very end! Much LOVE!

…Jesus set the example of doing good works…so that His followers could follow it… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 March 2023 Matthew 7:21.

24 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 7:21.Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Well, here we are again on another new day, filled with God’s new mercies and compassions. But since this is Friday, the end of the work week, which we look forward to so much, on account of the couple of days off from work, when it finally arrives, we offer special thanks for it. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And that’s an utterance heard all around the world. Whether it’s a sincere prayer or not, well that’s another question. (smile) 

But let’s get down to business. Yesterday, we promised that if the Lord gave us life and strength to see today, then we’d continue looking at some of the last things Christ said in his Sermon on the Mount. We spoke of the two foundations on which to build our lives, Jesus, the Rock, and Satan, the sinking sand. Also of the two paths that we can take in living this earthly life: the strait and narrow road that leads to Jesus and eternal life, or the broad and wide way which leads to hellfire, damnation and eternal separation from Almighty God. 

Then we ended on the note about the false prophets who come around to entice us into sin and following the wrong path. And unfortunately, just as back in Jesus’ time there were many of those false prophets, that Jesus referred to as sheep in wolves clothing, there are many of them today too. Those preachers who have denied or distorted the truth of the gospel, and we follow them to our own demise. But thankfully, Jesus, with His great skill as a Teacher, didn’t just tell us about the false prophets and leave us hanging there. 

No. He also gave us a way to divine them. He says: ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil (bad) fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil (bad) fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast in the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.’ (Matt. 7:16-20) 

Yes friends, the true test of a prophet or preacher is their fruit. In other words, their conformity to the scriptures, both by their doctrines and the actions of their lives. And we see what happens to the false prophet. His unfruitful life causes him to be cut down and thrown into hellfire, eternal punishment. Now there’s one last thing to talk about today. That concerns these very important words of Jesus. 

‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in thy name have cast out devils (demons)? and in thy name done many wonderful works (miracles)? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ (Matt. 7:21-23) 

That’s the gospel truth my brethren, and it is a tough nut to crack. But as the scholars explain: ‘Not everyone professing Christ is genuinely saved. Even the outward verbal acknowledgement of His Lordship is in itself not enough to save the unbeliever apart from true repentance and faith. A genuinely saved person is one that doeth the will of my Father. That means continually living in obedience to the will of God as the normal course of his life.’ 

End of story my people. We can talk and carry on about Jesus all we want, but at the end of the day, if our fruit is not good, and we haven’t been doing God’s will on a steady basis, our witness will not be recognized. Yes, it’s simple to believe in Jesus, but it takes a concerted, serious and total effort to live sincerely for Him. As Bruh Paul, when talking about God’s Righteous Judgement, says in his letter to the Roman church: ‘For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.’ (Rom. 2:13) 

Now, there’s neither time or space to get into all the scripture surrounding that verse, but the scholars’ explanation will suffice. ‘God can judge on the basis of works because He is impartial and because the law is immaterial. The Gentile will not be judged on the basis of the Jews’ law, and the Jew will not be excused by the Gentiles’ lack of law. Works demonstrate the heart’s true condition. Conscience is sufficient grounds for condemnation because it establishes a framework of right and wrong and reflects the law written in their hearts.’ 

That means having the Holy Spirit living in us to lead and guide us into all righteousness and truth, is a sufficient basis on which the Lord can judge us. And it brings us to these similar words of James. ‘But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word , and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding (observing) his natural face in a glass (mirror): For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (what he does).’ (James 1:22-25) 

Oh friends, it all comes right back to Jesus’ statement: ‘Ye shall know them by their fruit.’ Whether we be Gentile or Jew, false prophet or true, our works will speak voluminously about the state of our hearts. And no, we won’t get salvation by our works, because that’s only available as a free gift of God’s grace, and we must believe, but what happens after we believe eh? God needs to see the fruit of our belief from a true heart, not just works for works sake. That means earthly works will have some say in our heavenly rewards. But the works must be built on the foundation of Jesus, because, as Bruh Paul says, all works will be tried by fire, and only those found to withstand the fire will be rewarded. (1 Cor. 3:10-15) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, in prayer, through our Friday Chant asking for divine guidance and wisdom to help with our many problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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, it’s time to sincerely keep our part of the covenant, so that God can keep his. Much LOVE!

…living for Christ calls first for belief…then showing it in good works… 

P.S. Yes, it’s long…but it’s early…and oh so LOVERLY! (smile) Much LOVE!

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