Today​’s Scrip-Bit 20 March 2019 Philippians 1:6.

20 Mar 2019 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 1:6.   ​Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.
 
‘It’s spring! It’s spring! Springtime is here! Thank God it’s spring!’ Hn, hn, hn! Yeh friends, the Spring Equinox has finally reached the North Country, but please don’t be deceived by the ebullient nature of that statement because that’s just man’s calendar. Mother Nature however, doesn’t hold to man’s demarcation of time, she does her own thing, so the temps will not always be above freezing, and some of that white stuff is possible in the next month or so.  

And having set the record straight on that topic, let’s move on to this interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, titled ‘What is Your Schedule, God?’ The first time I read it, I had to laugh because it applies so appropriately to my present position and no doubt to some of you readers also. 

So please pray with me: ‘Lord Many years ago Martin Luther King said “It is God’s nature To make something out of nothing. That is why God cannot make anything Out of him who is not yet nothing.” In ways I had never anticipated, Lord Slowly but persistently You continue Your hammering and crushing In every hidden crevice of my life. 

You seem determined To reduce me to nothing In order to make something. I wonder… What is Your schedule, God? As You creatively continue To reshape and remake me How long will it last? Lord, could You hurry a little’ 

My sentiments exactly my people! It’s taking a rather long time for Him to complete His renovations in me! Oh I know that I will be a much better person, both physically and spiritually when He’s done, but did I need so much work, that it’s taking so long? (smile) I guess He seems to think so. And He’s the Boss, the Renovator, so there’s not much I can do but grin and bear it, knowing that He’s faithfully promised that He eventually will work out all things for our good. 

Even the bad stuff, He’ll make eventually work in our favour. And there’s also this other important and incomparable promise found in the Bible verse for today’s poem, which is also our Bit for today. In the immortal words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ 

Ah mih people, our God is not a wishy-washy deity, who just does things vikey-vie, but an outstanding and upstanding Father figure who has an airtight plan and completes what He begins! That means that though I’ve been going through some rough times as He renovates me, and it seems to be taking a rather long time, I can yet be assured that he will finish those renovations in His own timing. 

We all know that His timing and ours very seldom coincide; (smile) we want it done now for now, but He’s in no rush whatsoever. That’s why He gives us His powerful grace to bear up under such tough and unwanted conditions. 

Now hear what the scholars say about our Bit. ‘1:6. Will perform it is said “will finish it.” Paul is convinced that the work of grace that God began in the Philippians at conversion will be divinely continued until the day of Jesus Christ. That is, the Lord will keep working in these believers until Jesus returns to earth, at which point He will finish His work, bringing it to completion. This speaks of the Christian’s eternal security. For God had a purpose in view when He began His saving work in the Philippians, and that purpose will neither be abandoned nor unrealized.’ 

Give our great God some thanks and praise my brethren, because He also has a purpose in saving us, and that purpose will neither be ‘abandoned nor unrealized!’ Wow! You can bet your bottom dollar on that! The Lord will continue working in and on each of us until Jesus comes back to claim His birthright! Isn’t that good news? Yes, it sure is wonderful news, to know that our heavenly Father is on the ball, even though we may not like what His work entails in our earthly days. 

But we’ve just got to hang on to those promises of His, the many promises found in His awesome Word, like those above and like He’ll never leave nor forsake us, will always comfort us, give us beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, keep us safe under His mighty wings from the always lurking enemy and life’s inevitable storms, just like a mother hen protects her chicks! And the list goes on and on my faithful followers of Christ! 

Remember, we are partners in this life with our Maker; that means He has a part to do, and we also have our part to do. And as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say: ‘God will not do our part, and we can’t do His part, though we often try to!’ And that’s gospel truth friends! So our part of the covenant is to hold on tightly to the promises of the Almighty, and walk obediently to His will, regardless of the circumstances, and just let Him get on with His renovation and renewal of our lives. 

Remember His thoughts and ways are higher than ours and a thousand days in His sight is like one in ours, so we will very seldom see eye to eye. (smile) But all will turn out well if we just believe and hold steadfast to His Word! It’s not always easy to do, but He’s also given us the grace and the help of His Holy Spirit do it. So let’s stop complaining and just get with the programme nuh! Jesus didn’t have it easy, so why should we have it so eh? No reason whatsoever! 

So let’s smarten up, and with the Lord’s strength and joy in our hearts, let’s go home declaring (steups – wrong again) our Wednesday Wail, telling the whole world our wonderful and enviable position in the Lord Jesus Christ, our most wonderful Leader and Saviour! 

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

And please remember, that future will be even more glorious than we can think or imagine! Way to go mih people! Much LOVE!

…a house built on sand will not stand…but one built on the rock that’s Jesus…will surely last forever…

P.S. Yuh see what happens when you all get the ole fella excited…he just keeps on writing…(smile)  Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 July 2015 Colossians 3:2‏

06 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:2.    Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.

Oh Friends, oh Friends, a fair number of hypocrites came to church yesterday, (smile) and did we ever sing and dance, praise and worship God, and enjoy each other’s company! Wow! So much so that we all left the house of God in great spirits, with our LOVE, peace and godly enthusiasm boosted sky high! Oh Glory to God, my people!

That’s why on this summer’s morn, this Monday morning, we are able to get up and get ourselves together to go out and labour without a lot of fuss and complaining. We set the tone for the rest of the week by affirming our convictions with Almighty God on the first day. And that’s why I keep advising us, that our Sundays set the tone and tempo for our Mondays.

Now for those of us whose spirits are still burdened and heavy laden, let’s get our act together by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with much verve and gusto. As one earthly, but angelic sounding choir, let’s sing.

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

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

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

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

Oh Friends, that was wonderful, marvellous! And most importantly, Jesus was thrilled. You could tell by the dazzling smile on His face as lost in the music, He swayed and wielded – no, not wielded, because that carries a sense of a crude, rough and heavy manner – but rather, as He gently, lightly, but firmly caressed the air with His conductor’s baton. (smile)

Yes my people, I don’t know what happened, but we are definitely on the ball this morning. As we sang, we must obviously have done what our Bit says. ‘Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.’

Oh, if we could only do that in all the other areas of our lives, what a truly wonderful world this would be! But unfortunately that’s not the case; the things of the world still hold too much sway over us; we’re way too materialistic and not sufficiently spiritually concerned. And per the Good Book, my brethren, that is not a very good or wise way to be.

Cousin Sol puts it this way in Proverbs. ‘Labour not to be rich (do not overwork): cease from thine own wisdom.’ (Prov.23:4)

And why is that? As Bruh Paul explains to Timothy. ‘But they that will be (desire to be) rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction).

For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil; which while some coveted after, they have strayed from the faith (for which some in their greediness have strayed from the faith), and pierced themselves through with many arrows.’ (1 Tim.6:9-10)

Ah Friends, what absolute truth! When our main ambition is to be rich, to be materially wealthy, we lose sight of our godly purpose and fall into all sorts of compromises and wrong doing, just to make money. In other words we make money our idol, our god.

And that’s obviously not right. At least not in the eyes of our Creator and heavenly Father, who has faithfully promised that if we seek His righteousness, He will provide us with all we need to be  successful in this world. (Matt.6:33) Unfortunately, too many of us don’t seem to believe Him and thus kill ourselves working for the almighty dollar.

Now here is an important explanation from the scholars. ‘6:10. The root of all evil means a root or source of all kinds of evil. The LOVE for money is not the only source from which evil comes. Coveted after means that some have “striven after” money as the goal of life.’

Yes my brethren, money, in and of itself is not bad, and we definitely need it to live, but when we make amassing it our be all and end all, begin coveting it, that is when we lose our way. Remember the last of the Ten Commandments; thou shalt not covet. (Ex.20:17) And that means anything that belongs to someone else. Any time you covet anything, it’s a sin. So the moral of the story is to not let material wealth be your guiding light, but rather Jesus, the true light of the world.

Now let’s conclude with some more wise and wonderful advice from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute  (give), willing to communicate (share); Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19)

Oh Friends, what powerful and wise words! The scholars explain them thus: ‘6:17-18. Paul charges wealthy believers (1) not to be proud and look down on those who are not rich, (2) to confide in God, rather than in unstable riches, (3) to be rich in good works by generously sharing their surplus of financial resources with the needy. To be ready to distribute is to be generous in sharing. To be willing to communicate is to be liberal in giving.’

Now please notice as the scholars remind us: ‘Salvation is not purchased by the giving of money, but generosity demonstrates the reality of one’s faith. Since the believer trusts God and not money, he gives. This giving shows where his heart is and that he views his wealth in light of eternity.’

More words of wisdom Friends, so please let’s ponder on it all and then come to some right conclusions re our attitude towards money, for that will certainly make or break us. Much LOVE!

…money is good and necessary…but LOVING it…allowing it to rule your life…is fraught with many serious pitfalls…