Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 January 2023 Philippians 4:11.

28 Jan 2023 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:11.        Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

So, it’s our lazy day Saturday, but unfortunately I couldn’t stay in bed and be lazy like I desired, because I was just fresh like a daisy, rearing to go. (smile) Imagine that nuh! And what was I so excited to get up and see? Another cold and cloudy day with snow in the forecast. 

Well, if we are expecting more of the white stuff, and we still have plenty left over from the last bout, then apparently winter has finally reached my area. But that’s what we are all about at this time of year anyway, so we just have to grin and bear whatever comes our way. Therefore, let’s get our act together, and, as we do on Saturdays, check out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

And this first one is rather interesting. It says: ‘I am letting go of things that don’t bring me happiness or peace.’ Wow! What a novel idea! (smile) And it would be ever so good if many of us in today’s busy and pressure-filled society would do that; just let go of the things that don’t bring us peace or happiness. And some of us might have to let go of a lot of things because we have so many things in our lives that are not bringing peace or happiness to our blighted souls. 

But the truth be known, there is ONLY ONE WAY to get true peace on this sinful and fallen earth, that’s by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. And why is that? Well because He is the Prince of Peace and His peace is far different than what the world offers. Listen to Him tell it: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) 

Glory Hallelujah my faithful brethren! What an awesome promise! And if you still don’t believe that Christ can bring you peace amidst the world’s troubles, then listen to this other affirmation of His. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And that ought to sober us up and stop our flagrant, wasteful worrying because it’s the undeniable truth! 

Then there’s this quote: ‘My life isn’t perfect, but I am thankful for what I have.’ Now that’s the declaration (yesss!!!) of a mature believer! One who has peace in Christ and knows that life isn’t perfect, in fact it will never be perfect, but they are nonetheless thankful for whatever they have. 

Like Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengetheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:11-13) There again friends, it’s our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who strengthens us and allows and helps us to endure whatever circumstance we encounter, and to do so with a thankful spirit. Isn’t He just great! He surely is! 

That brings us to this next quote: ‘No matter how good you are, people will judge you according to their mood and needs.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth! Especially in today’s selfish and fraudulent society! It’s sad, but people are so needy and unstable, more so since almost three years of the Covid pandemic, that they are liable to turn on you for no good reason, on a whim and fancy, although you are doing your best to help them. 

So that’s the unfortunate state to which our society has fallen. It’s every man for himself, regardless of what that selfishness and greed causes. And in getting there, through the revered auspices of the social media, we’ve become a rather judgemental society. Yes, it’s now the custom for us to expound on matters that we know absolutely nothing about. And the sad part is that through the social media we can do that anonymously, without being taken to task for our atrocious behaviour and comments. 

But that’s the new world we live in. Jesus’ admonition on the subject has now been completely thrown out the window. Do we even remember that He said: ‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye be not judged (condemned). For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again.’ (Matt. 7:1-2) But too many people are getting away with unfair judgement because of the anonymity provided by social media. 

However, as the old people would say, we all get our comeuppance at some time in some way. The Lord is a just God and He will judge rightly and justly. And because of all the above, we come to this last unwise quote. ‘LOVE yourself first and everything else falls into line.’ Now that’s not what Jesus teaches, but with the sorry state of our world, you really can’t blame people if they behave thus. It takes a strong, confident and mature believer to put others before themselves. 

And how does Jesus desire us to live? He says: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) That means we ought to LOVE God, ourselves and our neighbours with all of our being. It’s of supreme importance in our faith walk. 

One of the many problems we face though is that too many of us don’t LOVE ourselves, and that’s not meaning in a narcissistic, vain or self-absorbed manner, but just genuinely caring for and liking ourself. When we look in the mirror, we must see someone whom we like, someone whose company we don’t mind being in, someone we’re willing to treat kindly. But until we can do that for ourselves, we’ll never be able to like our neighbours, because you can’t give away what you don’t have. So today, I’m pleading with us to get serious about LOVING God and ourselves, so that we can LOVE our neighbors and bring about the kind of world that Jesus desires. Much LOVE!

…in a world filled with hate and evil…only true LOVE and goodness…can make an appreciable difference… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 April 2022 Philippians 4:13.

29 Apr 2022 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:13.      I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.​

Oh what a beautiful day! And for a Friday to boot, the start of the weekend! And the temperature might even come up a little higher than it’s been doing the last few days. Wow! As the man says in his song: ‘It’s too much of a beautiful day not to have a good day. So hope everything is blessed my neighbour. Have a beautiful day! Doh care what nobody say, just have a beautiful day!’ 

And if the Holy Spirit of Jesus dwells within us that should be automatic, with only peace and LOVE pouring forth from us, no hatred whatsoever. So, with the sunshine shining all around us physically, and the awesome light and LOVE of Jesus shining through us…Oh Mama! There’s no reason not to have a good and blessed day, regardless of whatever comes against us! 

And I know that some of us will complain and say, you don’t know my circumstances, and that’s true, but I’ve had rough circumstances too, and the Lord brought me through them because I trusted in Him to do so. And He will do the same for you, if you put your total trust in Him, because it’s all a matter of faith and trust! And yes, He’s promised to bring you through it all eventually, safe and sound, but also a tad more mature. 

However, you’ve got to learn to accept and believe the Lord’s promises, some three thousand in the Good Book, despite the turbulent circumstances. And that only happens by constant association with Him, that’s prayer, and serious meditation on His word, and remembering all the other times that He’s brought you through the storm unharmed…and doing it all with a good attitude too. (smile) 

No, it’s not easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight. But listen to these encouraging words of Bruh Pal written to the church at Philippi when they began helping him again financially, after some lean times in their church. ‘But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last your care of (concern for) me hath flourished again (been revived); wherein ye were also careful (though you surely did care), but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’ (Phil. 4:10-11) 

Yes friends, Bruh Paul was in a disgusting Roman jail when he wrote this, but he did not come upon that sentiment overnight, but through much hardship and suffering, aided and abetted by the Holy Spirit and the supreme trust in God’s promises that He would bring him through it all. 

And the scholars tell us that ‘Paul’s ability to be content despite the circumstances assures the readers that his joy of verse 10 is not solely over his “need” being met at their expense. He implies that he could have done without their financial aid. For justifies this implication. I have learned …to be content: The Greek here suggests that contentment is a lesson learned neither in a classroom nor overnight, but through many practical experiences in life.’ 

Consequently, he could say quite sincerely: ‘I know both how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:12) And all of that simply means he’s disciplined himself to ‘to tighten his belt in lean times,’ and to live good in the prosperous times. In other words, he’s learned the secret of how to be satisfied in all circumstances. 

And I like how the scholars say: ‘Paul has acquired the skill for successfully living with little and with much, the latter probably being harder.’ Then they quote Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish writer, in support of that last assertion. ‘For one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity.’ And we just have to look around us in our confused and crazy society and see that it’s true. But then Bruh Paul throws out his real mainstay, the real reason he can accomplish all those tough things. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) 

Oh mih people, that’s it right there! Only with the strength of Christ working in us can we do those tough things, especially in tough times! But please note that that strength which emanates from Christ is not to do anything that we please, like lustful or greedy pleasures, but to do what’s in His will for us. That’s something we should all be very clear on. Christ’s strength imbues us to do His will, not our sinful desires. 

And though we might be able to manipulate some situations, please remember there will always be negative consequences for going against God’s will. That’s why Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) keeps drilling it in our heads that the best way to live this life is to ‘Obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him!’ And you cannot find a better all-around philosophy than that! 

So, hopefully having made our point that Christ is the greatest thing since sliced bread, (smile) let’s end today’s session by going to the throne of grace in prayer, through our Friday Chant, seeking help in these serious times of need. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means 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 both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, the only way to ensure that the Lord will look down on us with a positive answer is to keep whatever promises we’ve just made. Let Him see them truthfully written in our hearts and manifested in our outward behaviour. Much LOVE!

…only with Christ working in and through us…can we live a truly successful life… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 October 2021 Philippians 4:11.

18 Oct 2021 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:11.     Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

And since the universe unfurls exactly as its Creator programmed it to do, today is Monday! That’s what the printout says, and there is nothing we can do to change it, so we might as well just accept it and say, ‘the Lord be praised!’ (smile) Yes friends, we don’t have much, if any say in how the world turns, which means we had better learn to accept and be contented in whatever state we are in, allowing the Holy Spirit of Jesus to lead and guide us, knowing that in the end we will be well looked after by our heavenly Father, who has promised to work all things out for our good. 

And as Tim Sullivan says in the opening remarks of his sermon of how to abound and how to be abased, on the workerstogetherwithhim.org website. ‘To everything there is a season. Some seasons are of ease and others are of struggle. Life certainly has its ups and downs. But God desires that we know true contentment in all seasons, regardless of the circumstances that surround us.’ 

Now all of that is gospel truth, as Cousin Sol articulates as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes: ‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.’ (Eccl. 3:1) And the Lord expects believers to handle whatever comes against them in any and every season with zeal and panache, with style and flair. (smile) And it’s great if we can handle the ups and downs of life with equanimity, that’s a calm and composed manner, especially in the difficult times. It’s not an easy thing to do though. 

That brings us to the encouraging words of Bruh Paul in his epistle to the church at Philippi, when talking about his appreciation of their gift. ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’ (Phil. 4:11) And therein lies the Christian’s problem: being content does not come as naturally to us, as complaining does. (smile) We have to learn how to be content. And that takes a lot of learning in a lot of difficult situations. 

Hear the scholars’ explanation on that verse. ‘4:11. Not that I speak in respect (because) of want: Paul’s ability to be content despite the circumstances assures the readers that his joy of verse 10 is not solely over his “need” being met at their expense. He implies that he could have done without their financial aid. For justifies this implication. I have learned …to be content: The Greek here suggests that contentment is a lesson learned neither in a classroom nor overnight, but through many practical experiences in life.’ 

Yuh better believe that friends, you can’t learn contentment in any classroom or in a short period of time. It’s only learned by going through the many hard knocks of life. As Bruh Paul continues: ‘I know both how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:12) 

And the scholars tell us: ‘4:12. By listing some specific examples, this verse elaborates upon the very general and broad “in whatsoever state I am” of verse 11. Be abased means literally to discipline oneself, that is tighten the belt in lean times. To abound means to live in prosperity. Every where and in all things I am instructed (or “in all circumstances I have learned the secret of how”) to be full, that is “well-fed.” Paul has acquired the skill for successfully living with little and with much, the latter probably being harder.’ 

And to back up that statement, they quote the British Philosopher Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) ‘For one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity.’ And surprisingly that is very true. There are many who will withstand adversity better than prosperity. But here is the kicker, the engine power that makes the whole situation work. Bruh Paul’s proclamation: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil 4:13) All power and glory be to God, my fellow saints! 

Yes friends, that’s how we can abound and be abased and not lose hope and faith and trust in Almighty God! Now listen to the scholars: 4:13. The apostle’s ability of knowing how to live skillfully on little or in prosperity does not mean that he is a spiritual superman. The reason he can live in such extremes is not owing to his own ability. Rather he can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth him, thus enabling him to adapt to his various, ever-changing circumstances. God orders Paul’s various circumstances, and God gives him the strength to be content in them all, trying and perplexing though they may be.’ 

And that’s exactly what He does for every one of His children! God orders our steps, and He also gives us the wherewithal to handle them. That’s the kind of God He is, a fair, just, righteous and LOVING God! And the sooner we understand and appreciate that fact, the sooner we will make inroads into living the contented life. Now, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s seek His omnipotent help with the many problems we are currently experiencing. 

As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now let’s go out and keep those promises we just made, so that the Lord can bless us and our land. Much LOVE!

…you can’t strong in ALL circumstances…unless the power of Christ is within you…                                                                                                             

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 August 2021 Philippians 4:13.

18 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:13.     I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

So Wednesday has rolled around once more, in the quickly passing weeks of summer. And I wish someone could tell me why the weeks of winter don’t pass even half as quickly. (smile) They just seem to drag on and on and on. But that’s life in the northern climes, and with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we handle them just the same, though we need to be a bit more careful in the nasty weather. That means with Jesus guiding our lives we can do anything that’s necessary. 

We have that ever-faithful promise from the Good Book, where Bruh Paul writes to the Philippians: ‘Not that I speak of in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:11-12) 

Yes friends, in these contrary times we believers must be good examples of contentment so that others can learn from us. And yes, contentment is something that’s learned, not in the classroom either, or overnight, but continuously through the hard knocks of life. We have become so accustomed to easy living that we complain about every single thing, and that’s the wrong attitude for believers to have. 

We need to be much more disciplined than we are; being able to tighten our belts in the hard times, or as the old people would say, band we belly when things rough, and then be able to live without airs and graces when the times get good. But it’s all a learning process, an acquired way of living. And what’s the basic underlying factor of our ability to do with or without? Bruh Paul tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) 

Glory to God my brethren! Yes indeed! Christ is the one who gives us the strength to live that contented life, both in need or in prosperity! Christ is the one who enables us to adapt to the various situations we encounter in this crazy and undisciplined world. Whatever He tells us to do, or wherever He sends us, He gives us the wherewithal to handle whatever comes against us. But the problem is that we don’t pay sufficient attention to Christ’s commands, that’s why we so often find ourselves in hot water, or out of our league. 

Then we blame Him, but we are the ones who need to bear the blame for our lack of obedience to His instructions. Remember Jesus’ warning to the disciples: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5) 

And I like how after all the palaver, Jesus throws in that last statement that clarifies the whole situation: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ And that’s a fact friends! Without Christ in our lives, we can’t do much of anything that’s really worthwhile. But with Him running the show, oh brother, we can be supermen, do miracles, show wonders, prophecy, speak in tongues, etc. etc.! That’s why Christ is such a valuable part of our lives. 

And one thing I like about Jesus is that He does not mince words, but tells it straight and true. As He said above, ‘for without me ye can do nothing,’ later on He tells the disciples: ‘Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you.’ (John 15:14) And earlier on He was just as blunt: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) And again He tells them: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

Yuh see friends, our entire discipleship is based on keeping the commands of Christ, which basically boil down to having LOVE for each other, that’s treating each other kindly and with compassion, like Christ treats us. And only as we show that LOVE for each other to the world, will they recognize that we are indeed His disciples. And I’m sad and sorry to say that we are not showing that LOVE for each other to the world as much as we need to. 

That’s why so many are turning away from God, or simply refusing to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. They see us supposed Christians as merely a bunch of ole hypocrites, who talk a good talk, but don’t walk it, like the Pharisees of old did! And they are quite right! There’s too much infighting, dissension and evil doing within Christ’s church; too many petty differences that breed unnecessary resentment and strife. And until we clean up our own backyard, we can’t fault the neighbours for not wanting to run with us. 

So please my brethren, this time of much strife, sickness and natural disaster, is the perfect time for us to do that, the time to come together and show the real beauty of living for Christ. Remember Christ is depending on us, His ambassadors, His earthly agents to do His work with diligence and excellence, something we are currently not doing. Yes, my fellow saints in Christ, let’s raise the level of our standards nuh, instead of following the world and lowering them. That’s Christ’s desire for us in these trying times! 

Consequently, with that on our minds, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ. 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!’ 

Oh my, my! And please remember friends, that if we endure to the end, the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! So please let that wonderful thought drive us this Wednesday morning as we go out to do Christ’s work. Much LOVE!

…until you start living for Christ…you will not know how wonderful it is…                                                                                                                       

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 July 2021 Philippians 4:12a.

09 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:12a.     I know both how to be abased (suffer want), and I know how to abound:

Well at last we have awakened to the sun and not dark, cloudy skies! (smile) As they say, you never truly appreciate the sun until you’ve seen the rain…and literally too much of it. But as good believers we must learn to be contented in whatever situation we find ourselves. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians from a Roman prison regarding the gift they sent him. ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (regarding need): for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased (suffer want), and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:11-12) 

Yes friends, Bruh Paul is saying that he was grateful for the financial contribution of the Philippians, but he could also have done without it, because he had learned how to be contented in times of plenty, as well as in times of scarcity. And then he added that verse we all find so easy to quote, but don’t fully understand: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phil. 4:13) Please note though, as the scholars explain: ‘The Greek here suggests that contentment is a lesson learned neither in a classroom nor overnight, but through many practical experiences in life.’ 

And that’s the indisputable truth my people! Contentment in all circumstances, or merely contentment itself, is a hard-earned lesson offered and majored only in the school of hard knocks, the school of life. But then again, it’s only through the grace and power of Christ that we can learn such an important lesson. Let’s never forget that aspect of it. And on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Website, I found this interesting commentary on the subject by Joy Allmond. She says: ‘It’s part of the human condition – we often want what we don’t have or what we see other people getting. Discontentment is a disease of the heart running rampant, even among the most faithful believers in Christ.’ 

Then she goes on to give some examples of discontentment, which basically break down to greed, envy, jealousy and selfish pride. And follows it up with this question, one that we can, ought to all ask ourselves. ‘Why are we so easily discontented? We could assume people in the above scenarios are too busy focusing on their circumstances and not on God.’ Now isn’t that the living truth? It certainly is. Most of our discontent comes from focusing on our circumstances and not on God and His awesome ability to change or improve them. 

Ms. Allmond then tells us a couple of ways to put our focus on where it belongs – in humility and praise. Yes friends, when we concentrate on those two areas of our spiritual lives, we won’t have time to make comparisons and become disappointed or discontented. That’s because our focus is totally concentrated on God, not the circumstances currently surrounding us. And the two biblical examples Ms. Allmond gives are first on humility, Bruh Paul’s words above to the Philippians. 

She then explains: ‘Paul wrote this letter from a Roman prison, having been incarcerated for sharing his faith. By our standards here in the United States, this is a very unfair predicament. Yet, Paul did not feel he was short of anything. He was humble to accept the circumstances he had been given, because he was humbled by the grace he had been given by God when he became a follower of Christ. He knew, at that point, that he possessed that most important thing he could ever obtain – assurance of salvation and a right relationship with his Lord.’ Now do we know that my faithful brethren in Christ? I surely hope so, otherwise we are definitely missing an essential aspect of our Christian faith. 

Then on the subject of praise, she highlights the passage of scripture where Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi. ‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God (were praying and singing songs): and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands (chains) were loosed.’ (Acts. 16:25-26) And we all know what happened afterward; no one escaped, but the jailer and his family were saved, and no doubt some of the other prisoners too, which was God’s real purpose behind the earthquake. 

Ms. Allmond’s commentary on that scripture is also interesting. ‘In this passage, Paul was imprisoned (at an earlier time), along with Silas, for spreading the Gospel. They had been stripped and beaten severely. Instead of complaining or lamenting, the two men began to sing praises to their God. It’s probably safe to say they didn’t feel like praising the Lord, but they chose to have a grateful heart. They literally “brought down the house” with their songs of praise! The floor of the prison was shaken by an earthquake, and everyone in their midst were set free (chains loosed). Not only were the other prisoners set free (chains loosed) by their praise, the heart of the jailer was changed (verses 31-40). 

It’s interesting to see that their attitude about their circumstances not only pleased God, it impacted other people – it freed them. We can become so caught up in our attitude of discontentment that it affects the people in our paths. It could even keep them from wanting to know Christ. Do you think the jailer would have been attracted to a relationship with Christ if he sensed a bitter heart in Paul and Silas? Let’s commit to freedom from the bondage of discontentment through attitudes of humility and praise. By doing this, we can do more than live the abundant life in Christ that was intended for us. We can impact the world by living this outwardly for those around us to witness.’ 

Oh my fellow saints of Christ, I could not put it any better than that. So please let’s take that wise and wonderful advice to heart nuh, for it will certainly benefit us all. And there’s no better time to begin doing that, than right now, (smile) by going to our great and wonderful God in humble prayer, acquainting Him with our problems, through our Friday Chant. 

As one strong, confident, but humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the various other areas of strife are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means 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 both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’  

Now that all sounds wonderful, but please remember that unless we do change our evil ways, and become truly faithful believers, our prayer will not be positively answered. Much LOVE!

…the Lord searches our hearts…for right and sincere motives…before He answers our prayers…                                                                                           

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