Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 October 2023 Genesis 49:8.

13 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 49:8.         Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: …thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

And it’s one of those Friday the 13th days, when all the old wives tales surface. Tales like don’t walk beneath a ladder today, or don’t let a black cat cross your path. There’s also the superstition that the number 13 itself is unlucky, that’s why you don’t find 13th floors in buildings or elevators. But be that as it may, we’ll still joyfully declare ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Although this was just a four-day work week. (smile) So, without further ado, let’s get down to the Father’s business. That means to continue looking at Bruh Joseph’s amazing and intriguing story, as we promised if God spared life. And since He most mercifully did so, let’s get to it! 

We’ve reached the point where the old patriarch Jacob, hitherto known as Israel, calls his sons together to bless them. And it’s from him that we derive the twelve tribes of Israel. Now there are actually eleven sons of his loins, but we’ve seen where He adopts or calls the first two sons of Bruh Joseph his. But when the Promised Land is divided up, Bruh Joseph doesn’t have a tribe, but his two sons do, which makes it twelve. Anyway, Jacob on his deathbed calls his sons together and blesses them according to the order of their birth, with Reuben the oldest first, and Benjamin, the youngest last. 

The scholars tell us: ‘Jacob concludes his life as other saints who spoke a blessing before their end: Isaac (Gen. 27), Moses (Deut. 33), Joshua (Josh. 24), and Samuel (1 Sam. 12).’ Now, we don’t have either time nor space to go through all the blessings, so we’ll only go through the two most important ones, Bruh Joseph’s, because it’s his story we’re dealing with, and Judah’s because his line turned out to be the most influential. And just for interest’s sake, those two have the longest blessings. 

So, let’s begin with Bruh Joseph’s blessing. Jacob said: ‘Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely (bitterly) grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength (remained strong), and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 

Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under (beneath), blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed (excelled) above the blessings of my progenitors (ancestors) unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.’ (Gen. 49:22-26) 

Yes friends, though Bruh Joseph was separated from his brothers through envy and jealousy, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept him strong, showed him favour in his many trials, and eventually blessed him with great honour and material wealth, and he would go on to do well, if he kept walking with the Lord. 

As for Judah, Jacob said: ‘Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in (on) the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee (reminiscent of Bruh Joseph’s dream). Judah is a lion’s welp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped (crouches), he couched (lies) down as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 

The sceptre (symbol of kingship) shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering (obedience) of the people be. Binding his foal (donkey) unto the vine, and his ass’s (donkey’s) colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with (darker than) wine, and his teeth white with (whiter than) milk.’ (Gen. 49:8-12) 

And what does all of that mean eh? Let’s get some insight from the scholars. They say ‘The key thought is expressed as the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. The sceptre was a symbol of royal power. Lawgiver, according to Speiser, refers to a mace. Etymologically (in its origins), it is something pertaining to a legislator or one in authority, and from the context, an analogue of (comparison to) the sceptre. When a dignity was seated, the staff would rest between his feet. 

Jacob was not saying his (Judah’s) rule would end when Shiloh came. On the contrary, this term denotes the turning point at which the superiority of Judah will continue, and at that time to be enlarged to embrace all nations. Shiloh is a hidden name for Messiah; it is made up of three grammatical parts (sh–l– oh) meaning “Him to Whom it (the Sceptre or Kingdom ) Belongs.” It is not to be taken as a proper name for Messiah, nor does it refer to the town where the tabernacle was later established, for this would be meaningless prophetically. 

The phrase and unto him shall be the gathering of the people be means, literally, “And unto him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” This can refer only to the Messiah. Thus the reference to a lion in verse 9 points to that One who is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” (Rev. 5:5). Verses 11 and 12 describe the millennial prosperity (cf. Is. 11:1-9; Ezek. 34:23-31; Amos 9:11-15).’ 

Yes my people, it sounds very complicated and difficult to understand, but the long and short of the story is that Judah would be the tribe, the line from which the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would come. That’s why Jacob prophesied so mightily in Judah’s blessing. And it just goes to show all the foreshadowing that the Lord did when compiling His Word. Even from the days of Jacob a Messiah was in the works. That’s why we say the Lord is indeed the greatest dramatist there is! But He is also the Creator and Controller, the One to whom we need to go for divine help for our earthly problems. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And the operative words in that prayer my people are ‘by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ So please, let’s be about setting a good example nuh. Much LOVE!

…one truth from the Bible…is worth…more than all the wisdom of man…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 March 2023 Isaiah 42:8.

30 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 42:8.           I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Ah mih people, the current weather situation in our world is nothing if not interesting. Take for example, yesterday in my area. It opened bright and sunshiny…that is until the early afternoon, when it began to rain. Then in the midst of the rain, big flakes of wet snow began coming down in showers. Then that stopped, and in the early evening hours the sun came back out bright and sunshiny, the ground was fairly dry with only a bit of snow left there. So, in a few hours we went from one extreme to the next, and then back again! What a life! 

Unfortunately, that’s how life seems to be trending nowadays. You can’t take anything for granted any longer. What was once fairly stable is now unstable, and that includes people, as well institutions and as things like the weather. The only thing that seems to be weathering the strains of time is the Word of God. And so it should, although many of us are either trying to change it to our own benefit, or remove it completely from our lives. 

But there’s a reason why the Word of God found in the Bible has stood the test of time and will continue doing so. That’s because it is the inerrant, true and godly inspired word of our Creator, filled with His wisdom and guidance for earthly living. And if it is godly direction, then it should last till the end of time, ringing with wisdom for each new generation. You know it’s the most maligned book in the universe, but every year it’s also the best-selling tome.  And what’s a tome? 

The dictionary gives the definition of a tome as a large, scholarly book. And yuh better believe there’s no larger and more scholarly book than the Bible, or Good Library. Yes, it’s so scholarly, that it’s a library in itself, containing numerous books within it. (smile) And as we said recently, one truth from the Good Library is worth more than all the wisdom of man. Wow! And man does have a lot of wisdom, that’s just to tell you the wisdom to be found in God’s Word. 

And since the Lord Himself has said through the prophet Isaiah that His thoughts and ways are ever so much higher than man’s, (Is. 55:8-9) it’s only logical to expect His wisdom to outshine that of His finite and frail creation. And that’s why it’s so illogical and foolish for us to try and live life without God, and even more foolish to try to remove Him completely from our society. That just will never happen, as He said quite clearly also through the prophet Isaiah. ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’ (Is. 42:8) 

Now what’s in that clear and simple sentence that we don’t understand eh? The Lord will NEVER allow a finicky, finite creation of His to unseat Him from His throne of power. So why do we still insist on trying to do it eh? Haven’t we learned from the example of Satan, the once mighty archangel Lucifer, who dared to try and usurp the power of God? And what happened to him eh? He and all of his foolish followers were summarily kicked out of heaven to make their sorry way in the dungeons of Hades, with hellfire and damnation, as their just desert! 

And it’s the very same thing that caused Satan to fall that’s causing us to suffer the wrath of God; that’s foolish pride! And if you don’t believe me, then let’s check out the story as told by the prophets. Ezekiel says of Lucifer, the Morning Star. ‘Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; (cherubim: angelic being of the highest order that guard the Lord) and I have set thee so thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 

Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee… Thine heart was lifted up (became proud) because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness (splendour): I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.’ (Ezek. 28:14-15, 17) That’s the same thing that’s happening to us today my fellow believers; because of our great advances in all areas of life, we have become too proud of our achievements, forgetting that it’s with the Lord’s power and help that we have made those advances. 

Meanwhile, Isaiah says of Satan: ‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Morning Star), son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend unto heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides (farthest sides) of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides (the lowest depths) of the pit.’ (Is. 14:12-15) 

Yes friends, Satan was a mighty angel until He got too proud and desired to overthrow God. Yuh hear all the ‘I will’s’ He proclaimed. But he never attained any of them. Instead, he was kicked out of heaven with his followers and thus became the originator and chief perpetrator of sin. And I like how the scholars describe His modus operandi. ‘Satan’s subtle nature is reflected in the first temptation (Gen. 3:1) (where he deceived Eve), and in his titles “angel of light,” (2. Cor. 11:24) and “him that deceiveth the whole world.” (Rev. 12:9) His present day activities include opposing the will and work of God, counterfeiting the work of God, and destroying all that is good. 

A Christian can overcome Satan when he remembers four basic principles: First, though Jesus is greater than the Devil (1 John 4:4), a Christian must still have a healthy respect for the Enemy; even the archangel Michael did not confront Satan except in the name of the Lord (Jude 9). Second, a wise Christian will evaluate his life and avoid those situations where he is most likely to be tempted  (1 Thess. 5:22). Third, he should resist the Devil by submitting to God (James 4:7-10). Finally, the Christian should always be prepared by wearing the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:13-17)’ 

No my fellow saints, we can’t go wrong if we follow those four basic principles. And thus, having a li’l better knowledge of Satan and his evil self, let’s go home now declaring (chuh!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. As one strong voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

So, with all those marvellous blessings in our possession, it’s time for us to go out and use and share them just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…Satan’s been defeated twice by Jesus…in whom then will you trust… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 March 2023 Psalm 23:1.

20 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Oh friends, on this sunny but chilly Monday morning, we want to open with some monumental news! Yes, it is a momentous occasion! One where we hear and understand that The Bible is God’s Word to us. That it is still fresh through all the ages, and if we read it, we will find God’s exceptional wisdom on its pages! Wow! What magnificent news that is my people! Because it means that all of us who are sincerely seeking wisdom just have to read the Bible, God’s Word to find it. 

Yes friends, wisdom is right at our finger tips, no further than the Bible that sits looking pretty on your desk or table, but is truly gathering dust, since you don’t read it. And by the way, here’s this other piece of monumental information: One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man! That’s worth another Wow! Yes mih bredrin! Imagine that nuh. One li’l truth from God’s Word is worth more than all of man’s wisdom! Meaning to say that man’s wisdom is not worth very much, especially when compared to God’s.

 So why then do we all insist on learning and spouting the wisdom of man and not God’s eh? If man’s wisdom is worth so little, we should all be hungry and thirsting for the wisdom found in God’s Word. But to get that means reading God’s Word, the Bible, which so many of us claim to be too busy to do. That’s why so many of us are unwise in an unwise world, because the world doesn’t value God’s Word and His immortal and infinite wisdom. 

And it’s the basic answer to all of the earth’s problems. If you ignore the Word of the Creator of the universe and all therein, and the amazing truths it contains, how can you ever live a successful life, either individually or communally? No way Jose! The fly in the ointment here is that in addition to His Word, God also gave us free will to do as we please, sincerely hoping though that we’d be wise enough to read His Word and then follow His plan for our lives. But unfortunately, too many of us are trying to do it our own way without God’s help, and that is a sure and perfect recipe for disaster. 

Jesus Christ. God’s Son, whom He sent to earth to help us see the light said it quite simply and clearly. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Now that’s one of the essential truths of God’s Word. If we seek His kingdom and His righteousness before anything else, then we will have all our needs fulfilled. How did Bruh David put it in that marvellous psalm that we all know and revere with our mouths but not our hearts: ‘The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) 

And what does a shepherd do for his sheep eh? ‘A shepherd is committed to a flock and the one responsible for guiding the sheep, protecting them, and attending to their needs. So, to serve as a shepherd means to demonstrate commitment to the well-being of other people. It involves watching out for them, helping them, and teaching them.’ Therefore, that means if the Lord God Almighty is our shepherd, then He is thoroughly committed to our well-being. And His Son Jesus Christ said it in so many words. ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) 

And that’s exactly what He did; gave His sinless life on the cross of Calvary so that we, His sheep could be saved, could have victory, salvation and eternal life. So why is it so difficult to follow him eh? So hard to read God’s Word, believe it and then live it, despite all the marvellous examples of great men of God laid out in that Good Library, we call the Bible? I truly don’t know. Instead, we’re all going crazy for the things of the world and its evil doings, which don’t truly satisfy, and therefore we have to continually run them down, regardless of how much we have already accumulated. 

But friends, here is another word of wisdom for us. When you live for Christ, you don’t have to run down anything because God’s favour, grace and blessings run you down! But I guess we all have to find out the uselessness in running down the things of the world for ourselves before we believe. Meanwhile, here are the words of Bruh David, who as we all know personally lived them, and consequently experienced the joy of God’s favour. Hopefully, hearing them again will light a spark in our own souls and lives and wake us up to the reality that God, through Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to go. 

Please read with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’ (Ps. 23: 1-6) 

Oh friends, if we look at all the things Bruh David wrote there, we will see that he experienced it all. His life wasn’t easy, but God never promised us an easy life. He promised us a full, abundant and interesting one. And that’s a big part of our problem as believers. We think that because we’re following Jesus, life should be easy. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth, because Jesus said it quite clearly. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That doesn’t mean easy living my brethren, but rather a sacrificial sense of purpose, because Christianity was not made for cowards. 

So now that we’ve acquired some godly wisdom, (smile) let’s go to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and place all our problems before Him, as He’s said in His Word that we ought to do. Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to turn our words into sincere action, so that the Lord can do His part. Much LOVE!

…if you’re seeking wisdom…why go anywhere else than to the fountainhead…Almighty God…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 June 2021 Revelation 1:8a.

02 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 1:8a.     ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,

On and on we go friends, walking down the road of life with our marvellous Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! You know, every day seems the same, but they are all different when you partner with Jesus, because He makes every day special, unique, in its own way. Now who else can do that for us eh? Nobody! Not a single soul can give us the joy, the hope, the peace, the LOVE, the salvation and friendship that we find with Jesus! 

Wow! No wonder so many of have chosen, and are choosing to follow Him right down to the very end! And that decision is the wisest one we can ever make, for when we live for Jesus, our earthly lives may sometimes be rough, but our end will be great, greater than if we follow any other path. And why is that you ask? Well let’s hear some scriptures that ought to bring the true story to you and help you decide to live for Jesus. 

The Book of Revelation, Jesus’ account of what’s to happen, as He revealed to His disciple John on the isle of Patmos tells us in the early verses: ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.’ (Rev. 1:3) And believe me friends, the time is truly at hand. The world is in such an ungodly and unstable mess, that even if God doesn’t put forth His hand to destroy it, it will implode soon, because of the inordinate strife, anger, sickness and inhumanity that’s permeating it right now. 

Then, the terrible way in which we’re treating the earth, continually ravaging it for our greedy, selfish purposes, without any plans for replenishing it, there must come a time when there’s nothing left to be ravaged. And though Bruh Paul wasn’t referring to the physical earth when he proclaimed: ‘For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain (suffers birth pangs) together until now,’ (Rom. 8:22) we can certainly make a point for its continual physical deterioration through all the mining and deforestation and other bad treatment we inflict on it. 

Then look at the number of volcanoes that are currently erupting all over the globe, many of which have been dormant for long periods. I don’t know if we have ever had so many erupting simultaneously as we do today. And when we add the other natural disasters that seem to be occurring more often, with greater intensity, there’s little hope for us, unless we quickly and completely change our attitudes towards God, each other and the earth. 

Now, it doesn’t matter so much what happens to our physical bodies, but it’s of the utmost importance what happens to our spiritual selves when the physical body returns to the earth from whence it came. And I’m here to tell us that following Jesus is the best thing we can do for our spiritual lives, which shall live on for a long, long time after our physical bodies die. 

And John vividly details, some verses later in his revelation: ‘Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds (the tribes) of the earth shall wail (mourn) because of him. Even so, Amen.’ (Rev. 1:7) Those words refer to Christ’s return to earth to establish His kingdom, not to the Rapture. There, everyone will see Him, including all those who rejected Him, and wanted Him dead and participated in His death, will then repent and mourn. 

But hear what Jesus tells John. ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev. 1:8) The scholars tell us that ‘Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and refer to God’s eternality and sovereignty, and possibly to the fullness of God’s self-revelation.’ Now God revealing Himself to us should come as no surprise, for He’s done it right down through the ages through His prophets. 

And I like how from heaven, just like on earth, when Jesus appears to John, who falls down at His feet as though dead. He tells him: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’ (Rev. 1:17-18) Yes friends, Christ is alive and well! 

The scholars explain: ‘As God in the Old Testament is called “the living God,” so Christ is he that liveth. He became dead when He humbled Himself to die on the cross (Phil. 2:6-8), but then rose to live for evermore. Three tenses of Christ’s existence are emphasized: (1) His ever-abiding life; (2) his death as God-man; and (3) His resurrection to everlasting and authoritative life. He has authority over death and judgement and therefore has the keys of hell (hades) and of death (cf. 20:14).’ 

Then we come to this most pertinent instruction of Jesus’ to John. ‘Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.’ (Rev. 1:19) According to the scholars ‘This is the key verse of the Book. Revelation has three major sections: (1) the things which thou hast seen – chapter 1, especially the vision of Christ (cf. vs. 11 -: “what thou seest”); (2) the things which are – chapters 2 and 3, the conditions in the churches; and (3) the things which shall be hereafter – chapters 4-22, beginning with the judgements of the Tribulation period (cf. 7:1) – “after these things”). 

Ah mih people, I know many of us don’t like or read, or understand the Book of Revelation, because it can be confusing and has some gory details that turn us off, but in truth, it’s the best Book of the Bible, because it tells us exactly what will happen at the very end to those who follow Jesus sincerely and those who don’t. It doesn’t mince words at all. However, I think we’ll stop here for today, since it will get much too long if I continue with it all at once. Tomorrow, God spare life, we will get into Revelation a little more, and hopefully, by the time we are finished, we’ll all have a better idea of what’s going to happen in the future. 

So, for those of us who are totally interested in walking with Jesus, let’s go home now declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Him. 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 to further boost our enthusiasm, let’s remember that if we endure to the end, the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…one truth from the Bible…is worth…more than all the wisdom of man…                                                   

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 October 2016 Psalm 30:5.

06 Oct 2016 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 30:5.    For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.

Thursday, oh Thursday! How beautiful you are in your own right! But sadly, you are simply considered the day before, the precursor to Friday, and thus your importance and natural beauty is denied. But don’t worry, because some of us do appreciate you for what you are – Thursday, and not merely the day before Friday. 

Ah friends, it’s a beautiful Thursday morning in my neck of the woods, and we do appreciate Thursday for what it is. Now please check out this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is simply titled, ‘In the Morning.’  

And it says: ‘Today, Lord I have an unshakeable conviction A positive resolute assurance That what You have spoken is unalterably true. But today, Lord My sick body feels stronger And the stomping pain quietly subsides. 

Tomorrow… And then tomorrow If I must struggle again With aching exhaustion With twisting pain Until I am breathless Until I am utterly spent Until fear eclipses the last vestige of hope 

Then, Lord Then grant me the enabling grace To believe without feeling To know without seeing To clasp Your invisible hand And wait with invincible trust   For the morning.’ 

Ah mih people, how often do we prayer that kind of prayer eh, especially at nights, when fear seems to overtake us much more easily than in the daytime? We’re sick or troubled, and everything just seems so difficult from one day to the next. 

But at least, as believers we know exactly where to go and lay our burdens down, where to cast our care, whom we can trust with the most intimate details of our lives – Almighty God, the One who made us and still cares for us. In tough times our faith must lead us to Him and nobody else. 

And quite appropriately, the Bible verse for that poem is also our Bit, which comes from Psalm 30 – Bruh David’s thanksgiving for deliverance from death.

But before we get into our Bit, I think it’s important to hear the verses before it, how Bruh David began this wonderful psalm. He begins it obviously with thanksgiving, remembering God’s goodness. 

‘I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave (Sheol – the place of the dead): thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (grave). 

Sing unto the Lord, O Ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (holy name).For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.’ (Ps.30:1-5) 

Yes my brethren, life does seem to hold much more sorrow in the nighttime, when it feels that our God has forsaken us. But as Bruh David says, the Lord’s anger doesn’t last very long, He always eschews life instead of death, and thus when the morning comes everything seems brighter. 

Something about the daylight raises our faith to a higher level than at nights. I guess in the darkness it’s much harder to see, and thus more difficult to grasp the hand of God. But friends, we need to remember that all things must pass. 

They might not pass as quickly or as smoothly as we desire, but if we hold on to that unbreakable faith and trust in our omnipotent God, then at some stage of the game, He will work it all out for our good. 

Oh, I know that waiting on God’s timing under such difficult and painful circumstances is not easy, but what else are we going to do eh? No other supposed God has a better plan for our lives, so in wisdom, please, let’s hold on to the promises of our Creator, knowing that at the right time He will indeed come through for us. 

Now let’s look at a couple of scripture verses from Isaiah, which reinforces the words of Bruh David. They deal with the Lord’s everlasting LOVE for Israel. 

‘For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting (LOVING) kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.’ (Is.54:7-8) 

Oh friends, though our God may occasionally get angry with us, His anger will not last forever, because He is basically a God of mercy and LOVING-kindness.

So please don’t be upset and give up, if it seems that He’s taking too long to come to your rescue. Just believe that He is walking by your side through the fiery trial, and in His own time, He will bring you safely through it. That’s what faith is all about. 

Now let’s go home triumphantly declaring our Thursday Blessings…And who says Thursday is not important eh? It’s full of blessings. (smile)

And remember too that a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over some one. So as one now, with plenty enthusiasm and sincerity, faith and trust in Almighty God, let’s bless ourselves. 

‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! 

I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

Now let’s go and put all those blessings into positive action, as Jesus desires of us, displaying heavenly wisdom. Much LOVE!

…one truth from the Bible…is worth more than all the wisdom of man…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2015 Jeremiah 31:33

09 Aug 2015 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 31:33   But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts (mind), and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Well my brethren it’s the first day of the week, Sunday! And we all know what that means? It’s time to get ourselves out to God’s sanctuary, whether it’s a big cathedral, a secret basement hiding from persecution, or simply in the open air, under the blues skies of heaven. And there, in whatever physical space we’re located, however large or small our numbers, we praise and worship Him as one body; that of Christ’s church. 

Remember Jesus promised ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20)  And He is indeed a faithful keeper of His promises. So Friends, it’s time once again to renew the strength, faith, encouragement and passion for Jesus that we get when we come together to sing and praise Him in all sincerity and truth. 

It gives us the spiritual wherewithal we need in the upcoming week to face the evil world in which we dwell, and fight a good fight of faith for Jesus. Without God’s grace propelling us on my people, we will just be sitting ducks for Lucifer, since we are unable to do very much in our own frail human strength. 

And before we go any further, let me remind us of two things – I think it’s time to trot them out again. (smile) The first is that ‘The Bible is God’s word to us; still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages.’ It’s hard to argue with that eternal truth my brethren. 

But how will we ever know what it says and gain the wisdom it details eh, when in too many cases God’s Word simply sits collecting dust somewhere in our homes; that is if we own a Bible at all? 

And the second revelation is that ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man.’ And there’s simply no disputing that indisputable truth, (smile) although many try to and fail miserably! 

But the point I’m trying to make is that we definitely need to do more Bible reading my fellow believers. And not simply reading, but more like studying and meditating, so that the Word of God can filter into our innermost beings and raise the level of our faith in and knowledge of God, two things we desperately need to live successfully down here on planet earth. 

And all that rambling eventually brings us to our Bit. (smile) ‘But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts (mind), and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ 

Ah Friends, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! Here the prophet Jeremiah is declaring to the Israelites that God was going to make a new agreement with them to replace the old one made at Mt. Sinai, when Moses received the law on tablets of stone. However, this time, the law would not be written on stone tablets but in their hearts, so that everyone could know and reckon individually with Jehovah God. This will be the biggest and the best covenant; the one that will last for all time.  

And as the scholars explain: ‘the new covenant assimilates the elements of the promises made to Abraham and channeled with progressive light through David, and brings them to full realization. Thus the final blessing of Abraham’s seed will find fruition in Israel’s possession of the Promised Land in perpetuity under the rulership of Christ, the Greater Son of David, the Seed par excellence. 

Further, by faith in Christ, Gentile believers also become the spiritual seed of Abraham and members of the family of God. Although the new covenant is now operative, and is attended by the ministry of the Holy Spirit who is resident in believers’ lives, the full realization of the new covenant, as the capstone of all covenants, awaits the second coming of Christ. 

He will give to Israel the promises distinctive to that nation, and will rule over the earth in an unprecedented period of universal peace, prosperity, and the full knowledge of the abiding presence of God’ 

Yes my people, that new covenant now just awaits Jesus’ second coming for it to be fully realized. Aren’t you grateful for all that? We surely ought to be. Note I didn’t mention any references in the scholars explanations because there just too many, and I know that most people would not check them out anyway. (smile) But a lot of it you can find on your own, if you are interested, through diligent checking, studying and meditating on the Word. 

And we’ll continue with the verse after our Bit. ‘And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.’ (Jer.31:34) 

And all God’s people loudly and boldly declared: Oh what a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve and worship!’ That’s for certain sure my brethren! 

Oh Friends, there’s no other deity who is as interested in the lives and welfare of His people like Almighty God, and who wants everyone to come to salvation and eternal life through faith in His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And it’s all so wonderful that I just want to stand up, jump and shout for joy! (smile) 

Yes Friends, Christians ought to be the happiest and most joyful people on planet earth, given all the stuff; the promises, the grace, the mercy, forgiveness, compassion and unconditional LOVE that the Most High God has for us. Wow! 

So please let’s show that joy nuh through the way we talk and live our lives, so that we can encourage others to come to Jesus and be born again into a new spiritual life. That is the epitome of wisdom! Much LOVE!

…truly following Jesus…transforms our hard hearts of stone…into soft ones of flesh…like His…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 February 2015 Luke 1:37

20 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:37.        For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Well a good Thursday morning to all you beautiful followers of Jesus Christ, and avid readers of the Scrip-Bit; a sure help in time of need, a catalyst to help us stay focused on the Word of God, especially in this time of prayer, fasting and reflection called Lent! Yeh Friends, the Bit is here just to help, to encourage, educate, and guide us some, re the Word of the Lord on this earthly pilgrimage. You still have to read and study the Word for yourself. And while we’re on the subject of God’s Word, let me remind us of two invaluable things that we should all know and remember. The first one is ‘The Bible is God’s Word to us, still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages.’ And the second very invaluable thing is that ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man.’

Oh Friends, those are two indisputable facts, and if we keep them at the forefront of our lives, they will serve us with the utmost faithfulness and fill us with a strong sense of purpose!

So on this second day of Lent of 2015, let’s promise ourselves to read and study God’s Word more than we‘ve been doing thus far, and also believing its many truths, so that we can attain to greater wisdom in God’s kingdom. And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful, ‘Praise the Lord! Amen!’

Yes my people, thanking and praising our mighty, magnificent, majestic and magnanimous God are constant lifetime actions and activities of a true believer! Every day we ought to thank Him for the breath of life He’s allowed us to have, the new mercies, blessings and forgiveness He’s prepared to shower down on us to enable us to do His will.

And remember He has a plan, a good one, (Jer.29:11) for each and every life that He has created, and once you awaken to a new day, it means that He still has a purpose for you to pursue, otherwise you wouldn’t be alive and kicking. That means we have to be constantly aware of what God is doing and wants to do in our lives, or we’ll miss the glory train bound for heaven. (smile)

And that would be the saddest thing, for it will mean eternal separation from Almighty God. Oh Friends, right now I can’t even bear thinking about being separated from my heavenly Father for all eternity!

So as true followers and believers in Jesus Christ, let’s be wise nuh, let’s step up to the plate, to the wicket, put our best foot forward and do the things we know that will please Him and simultaneously glorify the Father, furthering His wonderful kingdom. That’s all He’s asking us to do yes. And is that so difficult to do? NO! Not if we read God’s Word and wisely follow it.

As our Bit says: ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’ And we all know that, or at least claim to know it. So if we are diligent in reading, studying and obediently putting God’s Word into action in our lives, we will be well able to do whatever is necessary.

And that’s faithfully borne out by the true and famous words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil.4:13) That’s gospel truth Friends, and should be wrapped around our hearts with unshakeable belief and steadfast faith!

The words of our Bit were spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary, the mother of Jesus, when he came to tell her of the impending incarnate birth of her son. And Mary’s faith always amazes me! Now hear how this betrothed teenaged virgin, from a backwater town in Galilee called Nazareth, answered the angel Gabriel after a few minutes of conversation.

‘And Mary said, Behold the handmaid (maidservant) of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.’ (Luke 1:38)

Wow! Oh Friends, how many of us today, even in these supposedly enlightened times, would respond so calmly if we were faced with such a situation eh? Not too many, even though we claim to have the highest faith and believe that nothing is impossible to God! And all that shows is that we are not as truly mature and strong in the faith as we claim.

We saw that happen with Sarah when the angel of the Lord visited her and Abraham and promised they’d have a son of their own loins despite their rather advanced ages (between 80 and 100). Sarah laughed within herself, God obviously heard and was displeased.

So much so that He asked: ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ (Gen.18:14) And it came to pass; only much longer than Abraham and Sarah expected.

But please remember my brethren, that our God is ALWAYS faithful to His promises. They may not happen when and how we desire them, but in God’s own way and time ALL of His promises will be fulfilled!

And we shall end today with a solid reminder of that from the prophet Habakkuk. ‘For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.’ (Hab.2:3)

Yes Friends, whatever God has promised us, WILL come to pass, please let us wait patiently, with true and expectant faith for it, and we will NOT be disappointed. That’s the wisdom of God! Much LOVE!

…how patiently and expectantly we wait on God’s time and ways…shows the true extent of our faith…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 December 2013 Psalm 89:1

14 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 89:1.   I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
 
Oh Friends, on this cold and windy Saturday morning in this 2013 Christmas season, with a severe snowstorm in the offing, I’ve been directed to remind us of two highly important things in this our earthly lives.
 
Now the first reminder is that the Bible is God’s Holy and unchangeable Word to us, still fresh as when He first gave it, many many centuries ago. And if we read it, we will most certainly find God’s wisdom laid out in its pages.
 
And that’s not only divine truth my people, but also a major part of why we’re not, as a society, attaining more successfully to wisdom. We’re simply not reading God’s Word enough, so how can we ever hope to become truly wise eh? For without true wisdom we cannot successfully navigate the deceit, the lies, the evil machinations and all the other negatives that come against us in this godless world.
 
And the second thing I’ve been guided to point out is that ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man!’ Now isn’t that also the God-awesome truth my breddren? It surely is! And besides, it’s the most important truth you’ll hear today!
 
And what does all that add up to eh? When we are filled with God’s wisdom and truth from His Word, it enables us to lead a good and sensible life. As Cousin Sol so wisely declares: ‘For wisdom is a defence (a protective shade), and money is a defence: but the excellency (advantage) of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.’ (Eccl.7:12)
 
And that’s definitely more divine truth my people! A lot of stuff might be good or bad for us, but when we have excellent knowledge through God’s Word, of the workings of the world and this earthly life, then it puts us a step or two ahead of those without it.
 
Oh Friends, this crazy, evil and ungodly world unfortunately has us putting the cart before the horse, so to speak. That means we do everything else first, then if we have a spare moment, and feel so inclined, we might just open the Good Book and quickly peruse a few pages. But that’s ever so wrong my people! The Good Book should ALWAYS COME FIRST in our deliberations!
 
For logically speaking, if it’s so full of wisdom and knowledge and understanding and all those other good and useful things, how can we go out into the current two-faced world and lead a wise and sensible life without first consulting that mighty tome of God’s directives eh? Ole Sherlock would certainly have considered that an elementary observation my brethren. (smile)
 
And having done as directed, let’s turn to our Bit: ‘I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.’
 
Now that, my Friends, is one of the many worthwhile things regular reading and studying of the Good Book will have us consistently doing. And there’s nothing like singing the praises of our most wonderful Deity, whose faithfulness and LOVING-kindness has been proven from time immemorial, right down to this very day.
 
And I know that many of us can personally testify to that irrefutable, incontestable fact. And just to prove that all we’ve said above is the absolute truth, let’s look at some scripture on the topic from God’s Holy Word.
 
And we’ll begin with some verses form that epic bit of writing, Psalm 119, where the author boldly proclaims: ‘For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled (stands firm) in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth (stands). They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.’ (Ps.119:89-92)
 
And that, my fellow believers still applies to all who populate the earth today!
 
Now hear this short but mighty verse from the prophet Isaiah, re comfort and trust in the Lord. ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.’ (Is.40:8)
 
Oh mih people, mih people, what strong, faithful and comforting words!
 
And if you think that the Lord didn’t truly imbue Isaiah with such a worthy insight, then listen to God Himself, through His Son Jesus, tell it like it truly is. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.’ (Matt.24:35)
 
There’s no need to say anymore my brethren, for you’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, Jesus Christ incarnate, who WAS, IS and WILL ALWAYS BE the Creator and Supreme Ruler of this universe! 
 
Nuff said for today, my Friends. Now let’s spend some time pondering what we’ve read and heard and hope that it will encourage us to come together more often with our heavenly Father, reading and studying His Word, and also baring our souls to Him, so that we can all attain to greater wisdom, for that’s what He truly desires of all His human creation. Much LOVE!
 
…Wisdom is the principal thing…therefore get wisdom…and with all thy getting…get understanding…  (Prov.4:7)