Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2019 John 3:16.

24 Dec 2019 Leave a comment

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

John 3:16.    ​For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 

And then it was Tuesday…Christmas Eve! Wow! One more day to the Big One! And the preparations are certainly in full swing now; the food is plentiful – too plentiful, the decorations are plentiful – too plentiful, with Christmas trees and stockings and all the other whatnots that show up at Christmas time. Yes, the house seems more congested than ever…too much stuff – not enough room for the people who are supposed to be celebrating. 

And NO, I’m not a grinch or some such negative Christmas person, but I think we tend to overdo the physical and worldly aspects of the season and don’t pay enough attention to the spiritual side. But that’s just my humble opinion… so who’s paying any attention to it eh? (smile) And to help us get a li’l more into the spiritual aspect of the season, let’s get into something interesting from Gramps Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. It’s aptly titled ‘A Christmas Prayer.’ 

Please pray with me: ‘You lead me, Jesus Christ, to thoughts of God. I see you in a manger (food trough) 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!’ Oh my fellow believers, what beautiful Christian sentiments, so appropriate for not only this festive Christmas season, but for all the year, for all our lives! 

And yuh know friends, the whole thing is so simple, but through our foolish pride and stupid disobedience we make it seem so complicated. Yes mih people, it’s all simply about LOVE; about the LOVE of God! And consequently our LOVE for Him and for our fellow man. And if you don’t believe me, let’s look at some relevant scripture that proves my point. First off is this momentous declaration (steups!) by none other than Jesus Himself, re the purpose and reason for His coming to earth as a man. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ 

Oh my people, we all know that monumental scripture, and mouth it often, but do we ever take a moment to truly think about it, and how it ought to affect our lives? I don’t think so. Or if we do, not nearly enough, because it’s only the LOVE of God that caused Jesus to come to earth at Christmas, so He could eventually save our sinful souls by dying on Calvary’s sacrificial cross; nothing else but LOVE my brethren!  And how should this wonderful and marvellous emotion be played out in our own lives? 

Listen to Jesus again, as the foppish, hypocrite Pharisee lawyer asked Him: ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:36-40) Yuh see mih breddren, EVERYTHING, from day One, right to the end of time, has to do with LOVE!  

And the apostle John puts it all so beautifully in his first epistle. ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE. In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:7-11) 

That’s it in a nutshell people! God first LOVED us, that’s why we’re celebrating the birth of Christ in this Christmas season. And furthermore, He requires His followers to both LOVE Him and our fellow human beings. That’s not a desire or a wish; it’s His command! So please, in this time of over-the-top celebrations, when there’s still so much, sickness, poverty, homelessness, hatred, strife and war in our rather prosperous world, please, I implore us, as true believers in Christ, let’s sincerely show the LOVE of God to those around us nuh, especially the less fortunate, for that’s when we’re most Christ-like. 

Now let’s go home this Christmas Eve day declaring (yeah!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. Altogether now in strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ Now let’s go out and walk that talk, like we ought to. Much LOVE!

…and now abideth…faith, hope, LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor. 13:13)

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 December 2016 Zephaniah 3:17.

27 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

Zephaniah 3:17.   The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in (quiet you) in his LOVE, he will joy over thee with singing.

Ah mih breddren, it’s Tuesday, the last day of this extra long weekend! Let’s hope that we all used the earlier portions properly, raising up Christ as the most important part of it all, for the whole shebang is all about His marvelous and miraculous birth! 

And since the Christmas season is not yet over, I want to share with us this morning ‘A Christmas Prayer,’ from my Hour of Power Devotional by Gramps Schuller (Dr, Robert H. Schuller). 

Please read 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.’ 

Oh friends, isn’t that beautiful? It surely is! Gramps Schuller covers the whole gamut, from birth to death in words and feelings so rich in imagery that we can’t escape its hold. 

And wouldn’t it be wonderful if our lives can be tall and upright like a pine tree, exhibiting all those graceful and grateful aspects of Christianity, which can only be accomplished if our roots are deep and strong in God’s LOVE! 

Yeh, it certainly would turn this evil and ungodly world upside down on its ear. (smile) So let’s keep working diligently on it nuh my fellow believers, and not waste Christ’s birth, life and death, as we seem to be currently doing. 

Be that as it may though, let’s check out this interesting Bit that I was led to today. ‘The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in (quiet you) in his LOVE, he will joy over thee with singing.’ 

That is the wonderful promise the Lord made to His people Israel through the prophet Zephaniah, of their ultimate supremacy. And friends, that is exactly what the Lord began with the birth of Jesus! He came mightily in our midst, to save us, to bring us comfort and joy, with songs of celebration! Oh what a wonderful God we serve, my faithful breddren! 

And would you believe that earlier on in that same chapter there are two more promises along those lines. In the first part of the chapter that deals with Jerusalem’s sin and redemption, the scripture says thus. 

‘The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgement (justice) to light, he faileth not (never fails); but the unjust knoweth no shame.’ (Zeph.3:5) 

Then later on, the Good Book declares: ‘Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgements, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see (fear) evil (disaster) any more.’ (Zeph.3:14-15) 

And did our ever-faithful and ever-LOVING God ever fulfill those promises beginning with the birth of Christ! 

And through His Holy Spirit, our marvellous God has given us all the tools so that we won’t fear, but can rejoice in comfort, for our salvation has been paid for by the spilled blood of Christ, and life eternal, in His wonderful company is ours to bask in. What more can we ask eh friends? Not much really. 

Now I want to share two last scriptures, both from Isaiah, re our God’s rejoicing over us. While talking of the restoration of Zion, Isaiah declares: ‘For as the young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.’ (Is.62:5) I just LOVE promises like that! 

Now hear this final scripture of promise under new heavens and a new earth. ‘And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 

There shall be no more thence an infant of days (who lives but a few days), nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die a hundred years old; but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.’ (Is.65:19-20) 

Oh friends, I can surely live with promises like those! Now let’s go home strengthening ourselves in the promises of God, by declaring our Tuesday Mantra, with the zest, the passion and strong belief it deserves. 

As one now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

Oh people, oh people, what can be better than being LOVED by an omnipotent, caring and compassionate God, and being a friend of Jesus eh? Nothing my brethren, absolutely NOTHING! Much LOVE!

…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 August 2014 Psalm 134:2

24 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 134:2.     Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.

Well hello there mih lovelies! It’s a new day –Sunday –the day of the Lord, when we gather in His sanctuary to praise, worship, give thanks and glorify His Holy Name!
 
And all God’s children boldly declared: ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord who hath blessed us with all good things!’
 
Yes Friends, as usual, today will be filled with a whole new slew of blessings and mercies from our magnificent and majestic God! Thus His people joyfully proclaim: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. We WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’
 
Ah mih breddren, what a wonderful God we serve! Who else would still fill our coffers with mercy and forgiveness in spite of our less than exemplary service and obedience eh?  Nobody else Friends, nobody else! That just goes to show how much He LOVES us and desires a personal relationship with each and every one of us.
 
It’s just like and earthly family, where the parents provide for and look after the children, nourish, protect and LOVE them, but not always unconditionally like our God LOVES us. That’s the big difference! Our God will never turn His back on any of His children. We are the ones who stray, who walk away from Him.
 
But yuh know what? Whenever we choose to return to His wonderful and LOVING fold, He is always there to welcome us back with open, outstretched arms and wrap us in a big bear hug, gently whispering in our ear how much He missed us and how glad He is that we’ve come back home.
 
Ah mih people, what a glorious Father we have in heaven! It’s just like the parable of the Prodigal Son that Jesus told.
 
So now that we’ve established what a great and magnanimous Deity we worship, let’s put on our Sunday-best and get ourselves out to the sanctuary and fellowship with other believers. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a big sprawling fancy church building, or an old wooden shack, because it’s not the building that matters, but the people within it.
 
And please note that dressing up to go to church is not to incite envy and jealousy from your fellow believers, as so many of us do, (smile) but as a mark of respect and appreciation to Almighty God, though He doesn’t really care so much about our dress, but more the state of our hearts.  
 
Now let’s check out Psalm 134, from which our Bit comes. It’s an exhortation to praise.  And according to the scholars it’s ‘apparently antiphonal: the people call on the priests to bless the Lord (vv. 1-2); the priests respond by pronouncing a blessing on the people (v.3).’
 
So let’s get on with it my people: ‘Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.  The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.’ (Ps.134:1-3)
 
Yes Friends, it’s short, but certainly to the point!
 
Now hear how Bruh Paul puts it to Timothy: ‘I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.’ (1 Tim.2:8) That’s certainly a wonderful idea, my brethren!
 
And the scholars have this to say about that verse. ‘2:8. I will…that men pray every where (or, “I intend…that men in every locality pray”): The Greek word andres means “males.” Men are to lead audibly in public prayer; women are to pray silently.
 
This directive remains the same “in every locality,” geography being no factor. The manner in which men are to pray is that of lifting up holy hands, that is, with a pure life, which is without wrath and doubting (disputes).’
 
And though women now conduct public prayers, the requirement for doing so is still the same; without anger, resentment and disputes. As Bruh David says so wisely in Psalm 133; the joy of brotherhood: ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’ (Ps.133:1)
 
Oh my brethren that is gospel truth, and what Jesus desires of His followers here on earth. But unfortunately that unity doesn’t exist in Christ’s earthly body, His church, as strong and prevalent as it ought to. There is still too much dissension, disagreement, resentment, envy and jealousy in the church.
 
We’re supposed to all come under one umbrella, that of the Lord God Jehovah, with pure and humble hearts and clean spirits, all for the purpose of worshipping, of fellowshipping, of exhorting and encouraging and teaching each other, so that we can stay strong and grow, become mature in Christ and spread the good news of his gospel through the living example of our lives.
 
But obviously that’s not happening, hence the poor view that so many unbelievers have of Christians and the sad state of our very troubled and strife filled world. Every day I hear about the hypocrisy with which we are viewed. And I dare say Friends, that if we, as Christians had a better testimony amongst the heathen, our world would definitely not be as war torn and strife filled.
 
Please remember that we are the ones Jesus is depending on to bring the world to Him, to salvation and eternal life.  And if we falter on the job, then numerous souls will miss out on the good things that Christ died for them to have, meaning His tragic and very painful death would have all been in vain.
 
Oh my people, we can’t allow that to happen. So please let’s get our act together nuh, let’s clean up whatever we need to, so that when we go out into the world, others will notice a difference in us; that the light of Jesus is truly shining through us, that we’re truly the salt of the earth, and they will want to become like us, for remember that examples work more forcibly on the human mind than words.  
 
Remember too, Jesus’ last directive to the disciples, the Great Commission, of which we are now the recipients: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’ (Matt.28:19-20)  
 
Let’s concentrate and ponder on that today nuh Friends, truthfully considering how we are individually obeying Christ’s directive, and then let’s invoke the Lord’s help to improve our obedience to it. For if we don’t improve, our world will sink even deeper into the evil morass in which it’s now wallowing. Heavenly wisdom is desperately calling for us to respond favourably. Much LOVE!
 
…it’s all about truly LOVING our God… sincerely LIVING our Faith…and diligently SPREADING His word…