Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 March 2018 Jeremiah 17:7.

07 Mar 2018 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 17:7.   Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Oh friends, does it ever stop; the adversity and calamity? Apparently not, because it seems that New York and the surrounding U.S. States are due to be hit with another winter storm today, but with more snow than rain this time. And that while some people are still without power from the deluge last week. 

Ah Lord eh! And some of it can definitely be blamed on climate change. And speaking of climate change, I went to an Ecumenical Service last night, on the World Day of Prayer, where the topic was reviving the environment, in specific reference to the country of Surinam, and the betterment of the lives of it’s female population. 

Yuh know what? I think that EVERYDAY should be a World Day of Prayer because we have so many problems to deal with around our world, that one day is definitely not sufficient. But in this current world order, we get so busy that we don’t have time to do the things we need to do. 

And what does ‘BUSY’ mean? According to Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) ‘BUSY means Bondage under Satan’s Yoke.’ And that’s a fact. Satan has us so busy doing the non-essential things that we don’t or can’t find the time to do the essential ones, like look after our planet and have greater communication with our awesome God. 

But thank God that some of us are wise enough to flaunt God’s LOVE and power in Lucifer’s evil face. Only problem is that there ought to be plenty more of us doing it. But not to worry, time longer than twine, and with our faithful Christian fervour, we WILL increase those numbers substantially. 

We have to start right now though friends, because who knows how much time we have before Jesus returns. And once He does return, ALL bets are off. That brings us to our Bit, the same one from a couple of days ago. I had planned on using it yesterday, but the Lord apparently saw a greater need for yesterday’s message yesterday. And who am I to say Him nay eh? (smile) 

‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.’ Yes my faithful breddren, those are words of gospel truth! Remember in the last message with this Bit, we saw how Jeremiah described the God-centred man as a flourishing tree despite calamitous times. 

Now listen as the psalmist, in the very first Psalm, corroborates Jeremiah’s statement. ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder) day and night. 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps.1:1-3) How wonderful is that promise eh my people! 

And we’ll continue featuring scriptures that corroborate our Bit. Hear the psalmist from Psalm 146 – The blessedness of trusting God. ‘Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation). His breath goeth forth (spirit departs), he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:’ (Ps.146:3-6) 

Now why would we turn to someone other than the Lord God Almighty eh; the One who made the universe and all it contains? No good reason that I can see friends. I definitely want to be bosom buddies with the greatest power, the most LOVING and merciful Being in the universe. No One or nothing else will do. It’s just pure common sense. 

Now hear Isaiah in his appeal to his Jewish people to turn to the Lord for help. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all that wait for him.’ (Is.30:18) 

And the scholars offer this explanation: ’30:18-33. Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him, He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God.’ 

Oh friends, I like that last line. I think it puts it all in the right perspective. ‘A confident and dependent trust in God.’ That’s exactly what we’re talking about my people! So let’s wisely set ourselves up to try and achieve that goal nuh, for it’s the only one that really matters. Once we achieve that, everything else will flow smoothly from it. 

In the meanwhile, let’s declare our current position in Christ Jesus through our Wednesday Wail, boldly letting the world know that without a doubt, we’re moving on with the Master. 

As one, in sincerity and truth now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! 

I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And what a glorious future that will indeed be my fellow believers, for Jesus has promised it! Much LOVE!

…trust and obey…there’s no better way…to be happy in Jesus…than to trust and obey…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 February 2018 Luke 18:1.

21 Feb 2018 Leave a comment

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

Luke 18:1.   And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not faint (lose heart).

Looks like it’s going to be another warm, wet and rainy day in my neck of the woods…but that’s better than a cold, white and snowy one any time! (smile) Yeh friends, the winter weather seems to have eased up a little, and are we ever thankful for small mercies! 

And today it seems like we’ll be dealing with prayer in some form and fashion, so let’s begin with two tidbits on the subject. The first comes from the renowned Pastor, F.B. Meyer, who reputedly said that ‘The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.’ 

And there seems to be a lot of truth in that statement, for it’s not that God doesn’t answer our prayers, but rather we don’t pray enough. And why is that eh mih people, when we keep saying that prayer is the most powerful weapon in the world? 

I don’t know nuh. It’s possibly because we don’t truly believe it, or we’ve offered up prayer to our heavenly Father that was not in His will and He refused to answer it, so we end up believing that prayer is a waste of time. But please remember my brethren, the Lord only answers prayer when it’s within His will. 

You can’t go and ask Him for a whole lot of worldly things to satisfy your fleshly desires and expect Him to answer you positively, or even answer you at all. Remember too, that He looks at the motives of our hearts, rather than the words we utter through our mouths, for they can be very different to what’s really in our hearts. 

And the next thing we want to say about prayer, is that it should be our FIRST CHOICE, not our LAST RESORT. Mama Mia! 

And is that ever a problem in the lives of many believers. When a problem arises we’re quick to run to the phone or the I-pad or whatever form of social media we’re using and ask our friends and acquaintances for help, and only when we can’t get a man-made solution, we run to God in desperation and expect Him to help us immediately. 

That’s so wrong my people. In ALL circumstances, God should be the FIRST person we run to, and if He so desires, then He will direct us to go to other people. Remember that our God doesn’t like to play second fiddle. If He can’t be first fiddle, then He doesn’t want to be in the band. (smile) 

And you know it’s amusing that when troubles hit a lot of people who don’t really believe in God, the first words out of their mouths are ‘Oh God!’ So you see friends, two of our basic problems in our prayer life is that we don’t go to God FIRST, and we don’t offer up enough prayers that fall within the realm of God’s will. 

Consequently, our Bit for today is based on the wise and wonderful advice of Jesus. ‘And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not faint (lose heart).’ 

Oh my believing brethren, if our Lord and Saviour said it, then it must be true. And we have a whole lot of examples of Him constantly getting alone and praying to His heavenly Father. In fact, prayer ruled His life; He did nothing of significance without first consulting the Father, and so should we. 

And Jesus is not the only one who advises us to be strong in prayer. Bruh Paul famously tells us in 1 Thessalonians: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) And to Timothy, he writes: ‘I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.’ (1 Tim.2:8) 

Yuh see friends, prayer should be our constant companion, because that’s how we communicate with God. If we are to take ALL our problems to Him, then it’s logical to expect to do a lot of praying in many different places. Oh my brethren, I can’t over emphasize the importance of prayer in a believer’s life, for it’s the basis of all we say and do, it’s how God leads and guides us, in conjunction with His Holy Spirit that dwells within us. 

Now listen to this interesting example of Bruh David crying out to God in prayer, as he pleads for protection against his oppressors. ‘Hear the right (a just cause), O Lord, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, that goeth forth not out of feigned (deceitful) lips. 

Let my sentence (vindication) come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal (upright). Thou hast proved (tested) mine heart; thou hast visited me (searched me out) in the night; thou hast tried (examined) me, and shalt find nothing (evil): I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.’ (Ps.17:1-3) 

Now that’s a wonderful prayer friends, but not all of us have the gift of words that Bruh David had, and the Lord doesn’t really need any long and involved prayers, simple but heartfelt words will do. But the important thing is that we pray’ pray often and pray everywhere, without losing heart. 

Now let’s declare our Wednesday Wail to proudly let the world know of our wonderful association with Jesus. With loud voice and strong sense of purpose 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 that future is surely going to be glorious my people! Much LOVE!

…a future with Jesus could not be anything…but marvellous and glorious…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 February 2018 1 John 3:18.

14 Feb 2018 Leave a comment

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

1 John 3:18.   My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Oh boy, it’s another bright, sunshiny day in the neighbourhood! Thank You Lord! If we have to put up with the snow and cold, then we should at least have some sunshine to brighten up the gloom those things produce in our spirits. (smile) 

And I’m in a quandary here; don’t know what to write on; Ash Wednesday or Valentine’s Day, as both of them fall on the same day. Hn! The former begins the season of Lent for believers; a serious time of introspection, fasting and prayer. 

On the other hand, the latter is a time of joy and celebration and the time of the biggest display of LOVE in our hate-filled, angry and resentful society. And even though it smacks of a lot of insincerity and commercialism, how can you write off any kind of LOVE at all eh, when we so badly need it? 

I guess in one sense you can say that the bacchanal of Carnival is over now, and we begin the season of Lent with a fiery burst of LOVE! Oh how wonderful that would be if the LOVE went a li’l deeper and was more sincere and lasting! But beggars can’t be choosers, so if we get even a small amount of LOVE in this LOVELESS world we have to be grateful and say, ‘Thank You Lord!! 

Meanwhile, on the Lenten side of the ledger, we need to get serious about our walk with God and delve into what it truly means to be walking in sincere tandem with Him. We need to empty our spirits, as Jesus did when He was led into the wilderness to suffer forty days of temptation at the hands of the evil Lucifer. 

He spent His days in prayer and contemplation with fasting, a way of building His belly and backbone to withstand the rigours of His upcoming ministry. He knew that His ministry would not be easy, and that was the Lord’s way of strengthening Him. 

And in this season of Lent we ought to try and be strengthened in like manner my faithful and believing brethren. If we want to be like Jesus, to grow in Christ-likeness, then we have to do some of the things He did, follow in His footsteps as much as possible. And tuning out more of the world than usual, in these next forty days, is something we can do, and ought to embark on. 

I guess you can call it the yearly cleansing of our spirits. But however we do it, the important thing is to get closer to God, by putting aside some of the worldly things that usually occupy our time, and giving Him more of our time, studying His word more closely and meditating on it, so we can discover its true meaning for our lives. 

And yuh know what friends? As we spend more time in serious reflection, we will understand God better, and His most wonderful attribute, that of LOVE, will seep into our hearts and souls even more. Wow! How amazing that would be if we could get the majority of the world to reflect on God’s Word and discover His awesome and unconditional LOVE! 

And on this Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, I believe the most appropriate Bit for today, is the same one we had yesterday. ‘My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.’ 

Yeh mih people, please, please, I implore us to bring out true LOVE in our daily lives, show it to our fellow man in living colour, in sincere actions, because that’s the only way we will truly make this world a better place. Not to mention that it’s only true, sincere actions of LOVE, that anyone will truly want to come to Christ. If we keep preaching that Christ is LOVE, and don’t show true LOVE, then we’re making a mockery of Christ and all that He stands for. 

As John says earlier on: ‘For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should LOVE one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew (murdered) his brother (Abel). And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.’ (1 John 3:11-12) 

Now listen to the scholars’ explanation of that last verse. ‘3:12. See Genesis 4:8. Of that wicked one refers to a child of the Devil (v.10). Cain killed Abel because their conflicting allegiances (Cain’s to Satan, Abel’s to God) were plain to see by their respective actions. 

John seems to be saying: “If even wicked Cain could see that a man’s character is revealed ultimately, not in what he says he believes, but in what he does, should not Christians be able to see this as well?” 

Of course we should my brethren! As we said yesterday, LOVE is an action word, and only through our actions can we outwardly manifest it. But sadly, so many of us lack LOVE in our souls, that we obviously can’t show it. We can’t give what we don’t have. 

However, if we’re serious about giving LOVE, then all we have to do is go to God and sincerely ask Him to fill us with it. But then that means spending time with Him, something that so many of us unfortunately shy away from. 

Anyway friends, this Ash Wednesday/Valentine’s Day is the right time for us to come to the trough and drink of God’s grace, mercy, LOVE and forgiveness. Remember, it did not just happen by chance, but God programmed it that way, to accomplish His purpose. 

Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know our blessed position in Christ. All together 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!’ 

Now that’s truth and wisdom of everlasting proportions! Much LOVE!

…if one is consistently hanging with Jesus…then one’s future can only get brighter and brighter…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 February 2018 Psalm 34:1.

07 Feb 2018 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 34:1.   I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

And the place is white again…Chuh! What’s with this snow business eh? True, it’s not a lot, but snow is snow, regardless of how much falls. (smile) But then again, I’d rather the snow than the 6.4 earthquake that occurred in a tourist area of Taiwan yesterday. A picture I saw showed a big building leaning, like the Tower of Pisa, at about a 40 to 45 degree angle to the ground. 

Ah Lord eh! We have enough natural disasters to undergo, without causing the many man-made ones that constantly bombard us. But friends, let’s never forget that the Lord is in control and nothing happens in this world without His allowing it, for whatever reason or purpose He has in mind. 

For His thoughts and His ways are so much higher than ours. The most we can do is pray for those undergoing disastrous situations, and ask the Lord to lead and guide us safely along the path that He’s planned for each of us. 

Now here is a li’l something from a Laura Palmer; couldn’t figure out which one, because there are so many, but whoever it was, certainly had their wits about them. And the quote says: ‘The past should be culled like a box of fresh strawberries; rinsed of debris, sweetened judiciously, and served in small portions, not very often.’  

And isn’t that the awesome truth friends! We should not dwell in the past. We can’t totally forget it, but we must not let it define our futures. We need to stop dwelling in the past and wishing for the good old days. Why? Because the best days of our lives are still ahead of us! 

And I firmly believe that. Why would the Lord keep us down here if He didn’t have something better planned for us eh? We need to have a positive mindset my people; where we look to the future; a future filled with the Lord’s wonderful promises! 

Looking back at the past too much is only going to taint our vision of the future. Once we learn to not make the same mistakes we did before, we’ll be okay to move forward. As they say, you can’t know where you’re going, unless you know where you came from. But where you came from should not overly colour where you’re going. But what a way the ole fella waxing philosophical this morning eh! (smile) 

And one of the things that will help us keep looking to the future and not the past, is doing like Bruh David declares in our bit. ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.’ Yeh friends, if we keep looking to the Lord, keep singing His praises, keep magnifying and glorifying Him, we’ll be too busy looking forward to have time to look back. 

As Bruh David continues: ‘My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.’ (Ps.34:2) Are we doing that my friends; boasting in the Lord, and not in ourselves or the frivolous and temporary things of man? I certainly hope so, because EVERYTHING but the Lord is expendable! 

And furthermore, if we don’t talk of God, how will others learn of Him eh, especially the weak and poor and sick and humble, who need Him so badly?  And Bruh David provides for that with this glorious invitation: ‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’ (Ps.34:3) 

Oh mih people, mih people, I’m extending that very invitation to all of us now! Please magnify and exalt the Lord with me! Besides, it’s our bounden duty; it’s what we were created to do! We’re supposed to be the earthly version of the heavenly praise and thanks crew. 

Listen to the Good Book. ‘And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest (cease) not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts (living creatures) give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever; 

The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (by your will they exist.)’ (Rev.4:8-11) 

Oh friends, yuh see what a wonderful time is had in heaven, just thanking God, giving Him His rightful due! Now that’s all they seem to do up there, and it would be wonderful if we could do it as much down here. But obviously that’s not possible to the same extent. However, it can be, and definitely needs to be done much more than we’re currently doing it. 

So let’s ‘wisen’ up nuh mih fellow believers, let’s get truly serious about our magnificent and magnanimous God, and exalt His holy name throughout the whole earth! That will bring even more singing and glorifying in heaven! 

Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, stating our unashamed position in Christ. All together now, in sincerity and truth: ‘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 people, mere words cannot describe how glorious that future really will be nuh! Much LOVE!

…true believers…always find a way…to talk about and exalt their God…

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 December 2017 John 1:14.

27 Dec 2017 Leave a comment

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

John 1:14.   And the Word was made (became) flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

And then it was Wednesday! Yeh friends, that means the long Christmas weekend is over and most of us have to go back to work now. Hn, hn! Most of us will be dead tired and won’t get much done this upcoming week, even though the massa constantly flashes his bullwhip at us. 

That’s because we had such a good time celebrating the birth of Christ. And though they’ve stopped playing, or rather inundating us with Christmas music, and we have to go back to work, the season is not over yet. Not by a long shot! (smile) 

And we’ll continue the peace, LOVE and good cheer for a li’l longer with ‘A Christmas Prayer,’ from Gramps Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. It’s too nice to pass up, just because we’re two days removed from Christmas Day. 

Please pray with me. ‘You lead me, Jesus Christ, to thoughts of God. I see you in a manger carved from a tree. I see you as a young man with hands that reach to touch hearts that hurt. Your caring reaches out like the strong and kind branches of a gentle tree reach out to invite road-weary and travel-worn wayfarers to quiet rest. 

I see you again hanging on a tree with outstretched arms taking in the whole world. From your cross, you show me that God will stop at nothing to save my soul. So, I celebrate God’s LOVE today as I celebrate your birth around a twinkling Christmas tree, I pray, my life, like yours, O Lord, may be tall and upright as a pine tree pointing, reaching, sharing, sparkling, life-giving; solid, sturdy, strong-rooted in God’s LOVE, a beautiful soul, evergreen forever. Amen.’ 

And all of that is gospel truth my brethren! Without God’s great and merciful LOVE, we’d be nowhere, still swimming in a sinful sea of muck and evil. But through Jesus’ amazing birth, God has given us a solution to our sin problem…’Just believe in Him, ‘ He says…’Only believe…’ And your sins will be forgiven and your souls washed white as snow! What an awesome promise my people! One that we’d be very foolish to pass up. 

That brings us to our Bit: ‘And the Word was made (became) flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.’ What a revelation! 

As John says at the start of His gospel: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.’(John 1:1-5) 

Yeh friends, Jesus was with the Father from the beginning of time, there was a perfect fellowship between them. Jesus was distinctly divine and created the world through the spoken word. That’s why our words have such power today my people. 

But then Jesus put on the human flesh and came to live with us, but we didn’t understand or appreciate Him. How sad! He came to lift us out of the sinful sea of darkness and evil on which were then travelling and bring us into His bright light; the light that leads us on the straight and narrow path. 

As Bruh Paul declares in Galatians: ‘But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.’ (Gal.4:4) 

And the scholars offer these explanations: ‘4:4. The fullness of time corresponds to “the time appointed of (by) the Father in 4:2. Made of a woman (or, born of a woman”). This stresses Jesus’ humiliation at leaving His preexistent glory and becoming man; without having done so He could not have died for our sins. Made under the law (or, “born subject to the law”); He was born a Jew under the law in order to free those under the curse of the law. (4:5).’ 

And verse 5 and onward says: ‘To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.’ (Gal.4:5-7) 

What a beautiful scene friends! If we believe in Jesus and try to walk in His ways, we are adopted by God and thus become a Son of God too like Jesus, and an heir with Him! Wow! How can anything be better than that eh? So as we go home today, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know just how tight we are with Jesus nuh. (smile) 

As one huge chorus now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And what a glorious future that will be, precious people of God! Much LOVE!

…walking with Jesus isn’t always easy…but it’s ALWAYS beneficial…to the human soul…

 

 

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

06 Dec 2017 Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, boldly letting the world know of our faith and our wonderful position in Jesus Christ. As one strong and solid voice now. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! 

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And what a glorious future that will be my fellow believers! Much LOVE!

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 November 2017 Ephesians 3:20-21.

01 Nov 2017 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 3:20-21.   Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Cloudy days are here again…But Jesus drives all those dark clouds away when He greets us with His bright and sunny smile, an endearing brotherly hug and a heartfelt ‘I LOVE You!’ 

Oh friends, there’s no better way to wake up each and every day than in the wonderful embrace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Glory Hallelujah! 

And all I can say to those who refuse to have that kind of awakening, is that they are being rather foolish and shortchanging themselves of a most wonderful experience. And in the long run, denying themselves of ‘Enormous Rewards,’ as this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin tells us. 

Please pray with me. ‘O dear God Thank You for teaching me The enormous rewards Of walking obediently with You: There is joy without guilt Freedom without fear Satisfaction without sordidness Purpose without confusion Friendship without compromise Forgiveness without penance Fulfillment without disappointment.’ 

Wow, mih people, Wow! Where else can we find such joy and satisfaction than in walking obediently with the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob eh? NOWHERE ELSE! 

And all of that is only possible as Bruh Paul declares in our Bit: ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ 

Yeh friends, it’s ONLY the Holy One of Israel who can do such things! And what Bruh Paul was praying there for, is the same thing that I am praying for us all; prayer for inner growth. 

And hear how Bruh Paul puts it. ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height: And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph.3:14-19) 

Ah mih breddren, what a bold and caring but entirely doable prayer, because our heavenly Father can do all he requests and even more! 

Now here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘16-19. In these verses Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his Spirit (v.16), that is, that they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. 

(2) That the readers be able to comprehend…the LOVE of Christ, that is, to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, the character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’  

Yes faithful friends, followers of Jesus have desperately needed those prayers all down through the ages, and so do we today. And we possibly need them more than some of the other saints because of the dreadfully evil and ungodly world in which we now live. 

And just as the believers in earlier ages received the strength and understanding through Christ’s Spirit to handle their earthly affairs, likewise, if we stay faithful and obedient to God, we will be able to handle whatever comes against us, with the help of Holy Spirit that dwells within and walks besides us. 

And all God’s people declared a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Thank You heavenly Father for sacrificing Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our abominable sins! We LOVE You, praise and adore Your glorious name, and promise to live for You all our lives! Amen! And again we say Amen!’ 

Now my fellow saints, remember what Cousin Sol says about promises, especially to God. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.’ (Eccl.5:4) 

So since we have vowed to live for Him all our lives, we had better begin doing so right now, so that He doesn’t consider us fools. (smile) And we’ll begin by declaring our Wednesday Wail, which explains our current standing in the obedience to God. 

Now with strong voice and sincere heart, let’s joyfully tell the world: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! 

I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And what a glorious future that will be be my fellow believers! Just keep that in mind as we continue our pilgrim’s journey, and it will certainly strengthen our resolve. Much LOVE!

…only in living for Christ…can mankind be assured of a glorious future…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 October 2017 Psalm 23:3a.

25 Oct 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 23:3a.   He restoreth my soul…

Awright mih breddren, the ole fella is alive and kicking; kicking some serious butt too on this somewhat cloudy Wednesday morning in the fall of 2017! Glory to God! 

Oh my aches and pains are still there, and whatever’s wrong inside is still wrong, but my spirit has been rejuvenated. More glory to God! 

It’s just that lately so many things over which I had no control have been coming against me, that it was only a matter of time before the ole bod, the spirit and soul got tired. 

When you suddenly find out that what you thought was improving, wasn’t really improving, while other things were still going wrong, and you’re constantly moving from one doctor’s appointment or medical institution during traffic jam hours, it does make for a difficult time. 

Oh, I’ve been going along quite okay despite the numerous problems, not given up hope and standing strong in faith, but in the face of all that negative stuff, it was inevitable that the spirit would sag some. 

However, after writing yesterday’s Bit, I just decided to refuel my spirit, lift my level of passion for life higher, bring it back to a level that allows me to function with more authority and energy. As the saying goes, doctor heal thyself, with me it was spiritual man, refuel thy spirit. (smile) 

I’ve decided that like Bruh David did, to encourage myself in the Lord some more. Let the aches and pains, and whatever else is wrong, do their thing, I won’t let them stop me from doing mine. They will obviously slow me down, but that’s fine, once they don’t stop me completely. 

I know the Lord’s doing a major renovation in me, and it’s not going to be easy, but I also know that if he begins a good work in me, then He WILL see it through to completion. 

Plus He won’t give me more than I can handle, and will also help me pass through the fire unscathed, so that when I come out on the other side, I’ll be brand new! Glory Hallelujah! 

That brings us to our simple but oh so important Bit from that great psalm of Bruh David, ‘The Lord is my shepherd.’ ‘He restoreth my soul…’ 

Yeh friends, the Lord does just that when we surrender all our aches and pains and whatever is bothering us to Him. But we also need to trust and believe and write God’s promises indelibly in our hearts and souls, so that when life comes against us, we’ll be able to use them to stand steadfast and strong. 

Let’s remember that we’re the head and not the tail; above and not beneath; sure conquerors with Jesus by our sides. In fact, He’s already given us the victory over hell, death, the grave and their evil keeper Lucifer. But it all takes a magnum of faith, especially in these pretty evil and ungodly times. 

However, please remember Bruh Paul’s admonition to the Ephesians: ‘And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Holy Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Eph.5:18-20) 

Yeh friends, that’s the only way we can remain strong and grow in the LOVE and knowledge of God. And here is an interesting explanation from the scholars on the ‘Fullness of the Holy Spirit.’ 

‘5:18. The words be filled here mean “be continually filled,” emphasizing that the fullness of the Spirit is a repeated experience for believers. When a person is drunk with an alcoholic beverage, his walk, talk and sight are controlled by alcohol. 

God desires that the minds of Christians be controlled by the Holy Spirit so that they will walk in the Spirit, speak on behalf of God, and understand the things of God. Because people are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at salvation, they do not need to get more of the Holy Spirit, but the filling of the Spirit occurs when the Holy Spirit gets more of the believer. 

Illustration: As we establish our relationship with God through confession of sins (1 John 1:9) and yield to Him (Rom.6:13), we can be filled with the Spirit if that is our desire (Matt.5:6) and prayer (Luke 11:13). Application: Every Christian should be filled with the Spirit in order that he may have God’s power to serve Him. (Acts 1:8) (First Ref. Ex.35:31; Primary Ref. Eph.5:18; cf. 1 John 2:27.)’ 

Ah my people, it’s of the utmost importance that in these last days, we allow the Holy Spirit of God to get more of us! Please check out those references above, they give great insight into the use and power of God’s Spirit. 

And to help us improve in our use and value of the Holy Spirit, let’s go home vociferously declaring our Wednesday Mantra with all truth and sincerity. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! 

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. 

I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And that future WILL indeed be glorious friends! Much LOVE!

…it’s time for God’s Spirit to be lifted up in us… so that we can better do His work and will…

P.S. Please excuse the tardiness of the Bit. I just got up late, and even then thought it was 7.45, when it was 8.45. What to do eh? Aging is a helluva thing! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 September 2017 Psalm 18:20.

06 Sep 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 18:20.   The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

Ah friends, not a day seems to pass without some sort of bad news in our world eh? The latest is the hurricane Irma, that’s begun raising Cain in the West Indies yesterday, blowing it’s powerful Category 5 self over Antigua and Barbuda and apparently heading for other islands in the northern end of the archipelago. 

And if it doesn’t change its trajectory, it will most likely hit the eastern side of the North American mainland by the weekend. After the ravages of hurricane Harvey in the past couple of weeks, it would be total chaos if Irma were to hit the mainland. 

This calls for very serious prayer my people, the most powerful force on the earth. It also calls for repentance and turning back to God. Who knows why all these natural disasters are occurring at this time eh? Maybe it’s a warning? God might just be trying to get our attention. But even if it is not, there’s no harm in erring on the right side of the equation? 

And it’s no secret that our society is as sinful and ungodly as it’s ever been, and in a serious negative free fall, what with all the strife and unrest between the powerful nations of the world. We can certainly use some respite from all the posturing and warmongering…and only sincere prayer and repentance can bring that about. 

It won’t, and it can’t happen overnight, but we’ve got to make a start. As the Chinese proverb says: ‘The longest journey begins with the first step.’ 

My people, it’s time we took that first step in returning to worshipping the God of our forefathers, bringing God back into our homes, schools, public places and all areas of our society, because that is the only way that we will survive. 

The Good Book shows where the Lord brought serious adversity on His chosen people, Israel, when they were disobedient and turned to idol worship. But when they repented and turned back to Him, He took them back with LOVING arms, because that’s the kind of God He is; the God of second chances. 

So if the Israelites were smart enough to realize their error, why can’t we be too eh? We’re supposed to be so much wiser and more educated and affluent and have a higher standard of living. But that’s possibly the problem right there; we think we know too much, and in reality we don’t know anything. 

Anyway, a word of warning to the wise; let’s pray, let’s sincerely repent and get back to worshipping the One and Only True Living God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That’s the wisest thing we can do right now. 

And our Bit certainly points us in that direction. ‘The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.’ 

Yeh mih people, it’s no secret, the Lord rewards us when we do right, when we live righteously. And by no stretch of the imagination can we say that our world is in a righteous mode right now. In fact unrighteousness is the order of the day! 

Bruh David was a man like all of us, he did his fair share of wrong and suffered his fair share of adversity too, but he knew where his strength came from, on which side his bread was buttered, so he stuck with the Lord God of Israel, who wrought mighty deeds through him. 

Just check out this example. When Bruh David had a chance to kill his archenemy Saul in the wilderness, he refused to do it, because Saul was the Lord’s anointed. (1 Sam.24:1-15) And after Bruh David talked to Saul about the situation, the ole reprobate Saul, said, ‘Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 

And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast showed this day how thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 

For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away (get away safely)? Wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.’ (1 Sam.24:16-19) 

Yeh friends, even the evil Saul knew that the Lord rewards righteousness, so why aren’t we seeking more rewards through our righteousness eh? Our world currently seems to be fixated on the things of evil, of darkness of ungodliness, which can only work to our eventual demise my brethren. 

Our job as Christians is to try and prevent that by living for Christ and showing others the way to Him. What say we that we begin doing that seriously now eh, if we want our world to not only survive, but also prosper under the Lord’s generous hand? Our children, and our children’s children are depending on us my brethren. Let’s not fail them. 

And if our hearts are right, then we can sincerely declare our Wednesday Wail. ‘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 friends, let’s go out and help others to sincerely declare that nuh, for it is the heartfelt desire of Jesus. Much LOVE!

…as disciples of Jesus…we are to share His LOVE with others…not keep it to ourselves…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2017 Proverbs 9:10.

09 Aug 2017 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 9:10.   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (Holy One) is understanding.

Another glorious day is in the offing friends! And to make matters even better, our names or pictures have not shown up in the obits today! Glory to God! 

So let’s be thankful and enjoy the day, proudly declaring, as the psalmist did: ‘This is the day which the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps.118:24) 

For sure, because we would be foolish to do otherwise since Jesus sacrificed His sinless life so that we could live an abundant one. 

Now here is a li’l something to remind us that though life is good, it’s not always wine and roses. (smile) I don’t remember where I got it from, but recently I found it amongst some papers on my desk. 

I believe I shared it sometime back, but like so many of these things, they never get stale and are always good for retelling. And I seem to have given it the title of ‘The Promises and Non-Promises of God.’ 

Please read with me. ‘God hath not promised skies ever blue, flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, joy without sorrow, peace without pain. 

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide, swift, easy travel, needing no guide; God hath not promised we shall not bear many a burden, many a care. 

But God hath promised strength for the day, rest amid labour, light for the way; grace for the trials, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying LOVE.’ 

And that’s more than enough for us friends! Our generous and gracious God gives us enough to live each day walking in His will! That’s all we need since we can only live one day at a time. 

That’s why His mercies are new every morning. Every day He gives us a fresh start. So please let’s be wise, grab on to it and run our race with patience, perseverance and understanding, for that’s the only way we’ll ever make it successfully to the finish line. 

And to ensure us of doing just that, we need the immortal words of our Bit written indelibly in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (Holy One) is understanding.’ 

Yeh friends, until we learn to acknowledge and rightly esteem the Lord God Jehovah our lives will not run smoothly. That’s because we won’t understand what life is all about. And as we said yesterday, wisdom is basically about living successful lives. 

So it follows that if you don’t have wisdom, you can’t live successfully. But then, true wisdom comes only from appreciating, revering, and sincerely worshipping God. Which in turn means that we have to come to God in sincere faith before we can get that wisdom to live a successful life. Hope it makes sense. (smile) 

Now let’s turn to a couple of scriptures which highlight the importance of that somewhat ephemeral but oh so necessary accoutrement, wisdom. Listen to that great man of God, Job, as he expounds on wisdom being the Gift of God. 

‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof (the value); neither is it found in the land of the living.’ (Job 28:12-13) 

Then he goes on to say that it cannot be found in the sea, nor can it be purchased for gold or other precious jewels. (vs.14-27) So where and how can wisdom be had then? 

‘And unto man he (God) said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28) What more can we say eh friends? If God says that’s how it is, then that’s exactly how it is! 

Now hear Cousin Sol with another tot of wise warning. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7) 

And is that ever so true. So many of us are foolishly turning away from God in these evil times, so how shall we ever have widespread wisdom eh? 

And the scholars explain that verse thus. ‘1:7. The fear of the Lord means submission to the Lord and His revelation. When one is afraid of something, he either runs from it or submits to it. The latter idea is in view here. 

It is a healthy fear, like the fear of electricity or the fear of one’s parents, which causes one to act in an appropriate manner. The beginning does not mean that “the fear of the Lord” is left behind in the course of acquiring wisdom, but it is the controlling principle of wisdom.’  

And so my fellow brethren in Christ, now that we’ve beefed up our understanding of true wisdom, let’s go home showing that we are indeed on the right track nuh by loudly, sincerely and truthfully declaring our Wednesday Wail. 

All together 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, isn’t it just wonderful living with, for and through Jesus! Much LOVE!

…truly living for Jesus…shows that one has acquired true wisdom…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries