Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 July 2023   2 Peter 3:9b.

08 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Peter 3:9b.      God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Thank the Lord for lazy-day Saturdays! Yes, without them we’d be totally flummoxed; confused and perplexed about this life we’re living. But these lazy-day Saturdays give us a chance to sit back and relax, to think and reason, as well as to do nothing, to just allow the senses and the body to drift wherever they may desire. (smile) And that’s why they say B.S baffles brains! 

Anyway, I’ve already used up most of my lazy-day time, so let’s get back to reality. It’s nice to be lazy, and the Father does give us some leeway for it, but the facts be known, without exception, He still expects us to take up our cross every day and follow Him. So let’s get down to the Father’s business. And we’ll begin by declaring (yesss!) our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Oh my fellow believers, that’s such a beautiful and heartfelt prayer; just wishing us closer to our great God, our Comforter, our Provider and Place of Refuge! And there’s nothing that we can ever desire that’s more useful and beautiful than getting closer to God! In fact, that’s one of the main reasons He created us; for close and intimate communion with Him. But unfortunately, for whatever reason, many of us have unwisely decided to turn away from Him, and that hurts His heart and seriously disappoints Him. 

And wouldn’t it hurt your heart too if after your children went astray, you gave up your best possession, your only Son, to offer them an olive branch, an offering of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation and they totally refuse your offer? Oh, you most certainly would! So let’s put that in our pipe and smoke it nuh, and consider how God feels after He sacrificed His one Son Jesus, for a bunch of ungrateful sinners, who are now blaspheming His holy name and trying to kick Him out of the universe that He created. 

And the sad part of the whole situation is that our reluctance to accept God’s grace and mercy,  seems to hurt Him more than it does us. He has nothing to lose by our unwise actions, and we have so much to gain, but because of His abiding great and unconditional LOVE for us, it breaks His heart when we turn down His offer of salvation and eternal life. The Bible tells us: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his own LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)  

And remember what we read in the scriptures yesterday? That God is ‘not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:5b) Yes my friends, the Lord doesn’t want any of His most wonderful but ungrateful creation to perish in hellfire with Satan and thus be eternally separated from Him. It’s just like when our children choose an unwise path to tread, we feel sad and distraught, because we know that that path can only lead to heartache and destruction. 

And it’s even more heartbreaking when we offer our sincere help and it’s refused. Just think how that makes us feel, and multiply that terrible feeling several times, and it might just give us a li’l insight into how our heavenly Father feels about our turning away from His overtures of grace and mercy. And it’s not only with the coming of Jesus that the Lord was unhappy with our behaviour and desired eternal life for us. 

No, from way back in the time of the prophet Ezekiel, He also made clear His express desire on the subject, when He said to Ezekiel: ‘Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked: but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezek. 33:11) 

Oh my people, it’s the very same question the Lord is putting to us today; why should we die when we can live eternally with Him in paradise? It makes no sense whatsoever! And how often has this same question been posed to us eh? Moses posed it to the children of Israel, when he said: ‘I call heaven and earth to record (as witnesses) against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) 

That obviously didn’t hold the Israelites for long because they continued with their rebellious behaviour and complaining, never contented attitudes. Then later on, Joshua in his last years again warned the Israelites: ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood (the Euphrates river), or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other Gods.’ (Josh. 24:15-16) 

But they did forsake the Lord, all down through the ages, for which they suffered serious consequences. Now friends, our situation is very similar to theirs; we have the option of choosing to live for Jesus or to go down the destructive path that Beelzebub has set before us. And the latter option is fraught with danger and destruction, not to mention eternal separation from God, the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul. 

It’s like Joshua said to his people. ‘If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt (harm), and consume you, after that he hath done you good.’ (Josh. 24:20) And that’s exactly what happened to them on several occasions, and what will happen to us if we forsake the Lord and serve Satan. All throughout the Bible the Lord warns about the destruction of the wicked. 

Psalm 37 tells us: ‘Mark the perfect (blameless) man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.’ (Ps. 37:37-40) 

That says a whole lot friends, re the ends of the wicked and the righteous. And in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Himself warned: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow (difficult, confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt. 7:13-14) 

Now, in light of all we’ve said, the best and wisest option we have here on earth is obviously living for Jesus, following the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. And as for me and my house…we will serve the Lord! Much LOVE!

…to live for now…or to live for the hereafter…that is the question… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 May 2023 Galatians 5:25.

23 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Galatians 5:25.         If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

And then it was Tuesday; a mostly sunny day as my computer tells me, with temps in the high teens. Now that’s not too bad for the penultimate week in May, but obviously we’d prefer some warmer times so we can get the real summer programme going. (smile) That hasn’t stopped the walkers, the runners, cyclists or the convertible tops from coming out and the lawn mowers from barking every day. But that’s how it is in these northern climes after a long, cold winter, we’re just dying to get outside in shorts and t-shirts and enjoy the bright, warm, summer weather, not worrying about snow and cold and dressing up warmly. 

Now some people might not appreciate the changing seasons, but it does have its own attractiveness. And I hear some murmurs: ‘What blooming attractiveness has winter got eh?’ (smile) Well for some winter enthusiasts that’s the best time of the year; they can go skiing, skating, and all the other fun things they do in the winter. And just for your information, I’m not one of those. (smile) 

Anyway, today I believe we should continue looking at the lusts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit that we began looking at yesterday. And, we had decided that carnality, or our inherent human nature did not fit in with the law of God’s Spirit, which was very evident from all the stuff that Bruh Paul listed under carnality. (Gal. 5:19-21) Now, I guess it’s only fair that we should discover what’s the opposite of all those evil and heart-wrenching things. (smile) 

Bruh Paul calls them the fruit of the Spirit. ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness (kindness), goodness (generosity), faith (faithfulness, dependability), Meekness (courtesy and consideration of others), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.’ (Gal. 5:22-23) And there you have it friends, the fruit of the Spirit; the things that Christians ought to allow to flourish in their lives, not the evil and insane things that our flesh causes us to lust after. 

Now here are some interesting and important words from the scholars on the fruit of the Spirit. ‘In contrast to the works (plural) of the flesh, which any individual is capable of performing, the fruit (singular) of the Holy Spirit can be produced only by God. Christian character thus results from “Christ living in me” (2.20). For this fruit to develop, all nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit must mature. 

Illustration: The character of Christ is the fullest manifestation of this fruit in the New Testament. Though Jesus did not recognize the traditions of men, His enemies were unable to prove any charge against Him. Application: So today, Christians should allow the Holy Spirit to develop this character within them, so they might be blameless before others and not hinder the testimony of Christ.  (First Ref. Ex. 35:31; 36:2; Primary Ref. Gal. 5:22-23; cf. Phil. 1:6).’ 

Yes friends, the best way for us to manifest the character of Jesus is by developing the fruit of the Spirit…all nine of them. And remember it’s singular ‘fruit’ not plural ‘fruits.’  That’s when our light will truly shine and our salt will be saltier than ever! And since I know that very few of us will read those scriptures referenced above, (smile) the first two from Exodus are about the Lord filling certain workmen with the Spirit of wisdom to do His work. You already know the third reference, to the fruit of the Spirit.  

And the last are these words of comfort and assurance from 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.’ (Phil. 1:6) That means if the Lord begins working on the flourishing of the fruit of the Spirit in you, He will not stop it, until He takes you home, or Christ returns. 

Now here are some more interesting words from Bruh Paul to the Galatians after telling them about the fruit of the Spirit. He says: ‘And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections (its passions) and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory (conceited), provoking one another, envying one another.’ (Gal.5:24-26) Yes, my faithful brethren, those acts of the flesh simply destroy or not allow the fruit of the Spirit to flourish in us. 

And James, Jesus’ brother gives us a very good example of how these things kill our witness and draws us away from God, rather than towards Him. He thus asks: ‘From whence come wars (conflicts) and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts (desires for pleasure) that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill (murder), and desire to have (covet), and cannot obtain: ye fight and war (battle), yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures). 

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is (makes himself) the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy (yearns jealously)? But he giveth more grace (greater grace than the world’s attractions). Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hearts ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye doubleminded.’ (James 4:1-8) 

Now that’s excellent advice my people. We have to draw near to God, especially in these very turbulent and confusing times, for He is the true source of our power. And neither can we refute James’ argument at the beginning when He says that our basic human lusts cause many of our problems. We either don’t ask for what we want, or we ask for the wrong things; things to use to satisfy those lustful pleasures. We all know that our God detests the proud spirit of man, so He wants us to come to Him humbly and ask for the right things; things that will uplift us, make the fruit of the Spirit flourish in us, and thus grow our testimony for Christ. 

And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do just that, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong voice: ‘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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now friends, it’s our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with all those we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…though Christians must live IN the world…we are not supposed to live LIKE the world… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 April 2023   1 Peter 1:2.

05 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 1:2.Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

A good Wednesday morning to you, my fellow believers in Christ Jesus! The weather’s not great, and I can hear the rain falling outside, on what’s supposed to be a rainy day. And there couldn’t be a more fitting opening on this Wednesday of Holy Week, than this one by Peter at the beginning of his first epistle. He writes: ‘Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like (the same kind of) precious faith with us through the righteousness of (our) God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.’ (1 Pet. 1:1-2) 

Yes friends, grace and peace to all you who have sincerely received Christ Jesus! It’s a great honour and privilege to be invited to receive Him. Why? Listen to how Peter explains it. ‘According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to (by) glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-4) 

Oh my fellow saints, yuh see the immense benefits we enjoy when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! We are thoroughly blessed through numerous promises and acts of God, so that we can partake of His divine nature, and be able to fight the evil and corruption that’s in the world. What a great and caring God we serve my people! No other supposed god does that for His followers. ONLY the great I AM! 

So, when we receive Christ, we receive salvation and all the other good things that believers get, like the indwelling of the Holy Ghost and the seeds of the fruit of the Spirit. But that’s not the end, in fact it’s just the beginning, because Christ expects us to follow the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit as we live this earthly life, and also to nurture and grow those seeds of the Spirit which have been planted in us. That’s LOVE, joy, peace, patience, good ness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23) 

In other words, after receiving Christ, believers are expected to grow, to mature in the Christian faith, in the same way that newborn babies start out by drinking milk, but gradually progress to eating solid food. It’s not good enough to just keep eating baby food for the rest of your lives, although that will not stop you from getting into heaven, but it will certainly cut down drastically on your heavenly rewards, since you will not be able to witness and have strong testimony for Christ, through which others, the unbelievers and the heathen are encouraged to come to Him. 

Remember, we are the eyes, ears, hands, feet and mouths of Christ here on earth. The only chance some may have to see Christ is through you, through your witness and testimony. That’s why Peter continues in his writings to encourage believers to grow in spiritual maturity. ‘And beside this (but for this very reason), giving all diligence, (after salvation) add to your faith virtue (moral excellence); and to virtue knowledge (spiritual truth); And to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience (endurance, perseverance); and to patience godliness (God-likeness); 

And to godliness brotherly kindness (brotherly LOVE – Gr. philadelphian); and to brotherly kindness charity (volitional LOVE- Gr. agape – a decision to LOVE, not an emotional feeling). For if these things be in you (are yours), and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off (short-sighted), and hath forgotten that he was purged (cleansed) from his old sins.’ (1 Pet. 1:5-9) 

Yes my faithful brethren, those are areas in which we all need to grow in spiritual maturity. We are not all at the same level, but for all of us it’s a lifelong cycle. Yes, spiritual growth never ends for the Christian believer. Not until Christ takes them home. And in his epistle to the Philippians, Bruh Paul confirms that, when he says: ‘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.’ (Phil. 1:6) Once God begins a good work in us, He won’t ever stop until Jesus comes for us. 

And if we don’t aspire to spiritual maturity, we’re forgetting that we were cleansed of our sin by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, that we were bought with a price…and a very high one at that. And the least we can do is to improve our knowledge and spirituality as befits believers, so that we can be good ambassadors for Christ here on earth. And Peter continues to explain. ‘Wherefore the rather, brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (stumble): For so an entrance shall be ministered (supplied) unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ (1 Pet. 1:10-11) 

And the scholars explain those last two verses thus. ‘Ye shall never fall: The author is not referring to falling from salvation but to failure in Christian living. The everlasting kingdom refers to the eternal realm of God where Jesus is the undisputed Ruler. It is synonymous with heaven. Thus the one who acquires the virtues of verses 5-7 will have a rich inheritance in heaven.’ 

And I know that all of us desire to have a rich inheritance in heaven, but we have to begin by working for it down here on earth. As Christ said, store up your treasures in heaven where they are well protected, rather than on earth where they can rot and rust and be stolen. That’s wisdom in spades friends! And for those of us who have sincerely taken those words to heart, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus. 

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 having said all of that, let’s remember that if we endure until the very end, then the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Wow! I can’t wait to experience it! I hope you can’t too! Much LOVE!

…growing in spiritual maturity isn’t easy…but it’s surely interesting and worthwhile…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 February 2023 Luke 23:42.

04 Feb 2023 Leave a comment

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

Luke 23:42.       Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Come Saturday morning, me and my friends, we will linger and laze in bed, or wherever it suits us…until we can linger and laze no more…and are forced to get up and face the realities of life. And I’m sorry to say that has already happened to me. Chuh! I was lingering and lazing quite nicely in bed, when the reality of having to write the Bit hit me head on. (smile) But them’s the breaks! The important thing though, is that we do spend some time lingering and lazing and not all of it simply facing the realities of life. End of philosophizing. 

Now, let’s see how the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week matches up to the realities of life, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘Always remember that your present situation is not your final destination. The best is yet to come.’ And I believe that to be very true, for even in my advanced years, I still believe that the best years of my life are still out ahead of me. I haven’t done anything worthwhile, earth shaking or moving, haven’t left my mark on the world as yet, haven’t defined my legacy, so it must mean that better things are yet to come. (smile) 

And when you have Jesus working in, with and through you, then you know that better things are always in the offing. The best of them all being with Him in heaven and all the good things He’s prepared there for us. I like to look to the promise Jesus made to the one criminal crucified alongside Him, who sincerely pleaded: ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:42-43) Wow! What an awesome Lord and Saviour we have. Without even one word of reproach to the sinner, Jesus promised that he would be in heaven with Him that very day. 

So it’s obvious that His faithful followers can expect the same. Glory be! Praise His holy name! And the next quote kindly informs us that ‘Beauty isn’t about having a pretty face it’s about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and a pretty soul.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Beauty, like the world considers it, is only a façade, an outer appearance that looks good for a while, but like all earthly things eventually decays and/or disappears. As the saying goes, beauty is only skin deep. True beauty though is something that exists on the inside, and doesn’t decay or disappear, but lasts forever. 

It’s when we have Jesus and all that He stands for running through our hearts, minds, bodies and souls that true beauty shines out. That means having things like the fruit of the Spirit emanating from us. And in Bruh Paul’s words to the Galatians, that consists of: ‘LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith (faithfulness), Meekness (courtesy and consideration towards others) and temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.’ (Gal. 5:22-23) Now when those things shine forth in our lives, that’s when we have or see true beauty! 

Meanwhile, the next quote serves up this powerful food for thought. ‘If you have a family that LOVES you, a few good friends, food on your table and a roof over your head. You are richer than you think.’ And that’s more gospel truth my fellow believers! If you possess those things and have sincere people like that around you, then you are amongst the richest people in the world. Why? Because money may be able to buy food and put a roof over your head, but it cannot buy true friends and a LOVING family, which are really the most important things in this life. 

Who do you run to when life gets rough, when, you’re sick, discouraged, hurting and totally devastated? Obviously your friends and family, which certainly includes Jesus, since He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother! So please, let’s not allow the materialism of the world to blind us to the importance of friends and family in this life. For as Jesus so rightly said: ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal.’ (Matt. 9:19) Thieves cannot break through and steal family nor friends, neither can moth and rust cause them to decay. 

That brings us to this quote: ‘Truth is like a surgery; it hurts but it heals. A lie is like a painkiller; it gives instant relief but has side effects forever.’ Oh friends, today’s quotes are ever so chocked full of gospel truths! (smile) For truth does hurt, but the hurt eventually disappears, while the trauma that arises from the invocation of lies never seem to end. It’s always there, haunting us in the least appropriate moments. Truth though, cuts out the bad or diseased parts and leaves the remainder to heal in peace. 

Unfortunately though, in this troubled and ungodly world, it’s extremely difficult to discern truth from lies because the words are bandied about so much that they have now become impossible to differentiate one from the other. Lies are constantly being shouted out as truth, and if you hear them often enough, you can sadly believe them as truth. The opposite is also happening; truth is being touted as lies. And furthermore, it’s now the accepted thing that everybody has their own truth. 

Ah Lord eh! My mind is truly finite yes, because I can’t fathom how to have several truths on the same subject. The only basis of truth that I know of comes from the Good Book, God’s unchangeable, true and infallible Word! That’s where real truth abounds and where we should go to find it, if we sincerely desire it. And here’s the clincher: ‘Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) Now that’s how we discern truth from lies! 

And this last quote is also a gem. Our friend Anselm really outdid himself this week. (smile) It wisely advises: ‘Give. But don’t allow yourself to be used. LOVE. But don’t allow your heart to be abused. Trust. But don’t be naive. Listen. But don’t lose your own voice.’ Wiser advice could never be given! It’s essential to do all those things: Give, LOVE, Trust and Listen. However, it’s also essential that we keep a close watch when we do them, for there are negative sides to them all, and if we aren’t careful, the enemy can cause them all to blow up in our faces with disastrous negative results. 

So when you give, pay close attention to whom you’re giving and what they are doing with what you give. Likewise, when you LOVE, LOVE deeply and genuinely, but still keep a close watch over your heart so that it’s not eventually broken and abused. The same goes for trust, especially in this current untrustworthy world. It’s imperative that we seriously evaluate in whom and what we place our trust, not just go trusting things and people willy nilly. And listening is also a most important part of the whole equation, for we can’t know what others are thinking and saying without listening. 

But please, please, in these vile and evil times, it’s of the utmost importance that we believers in Christ Jesus not lose our voices. In fact, this is the time when our voices should be heard more than ever and louder than ever, because we need to bring our world back to God and away from the negative doings of the enemy! Ah friends, life is not easy, never was and never will be, but when you have the Spirit of Jesus dwelling within you, leading and guiding you, then you are able to live it the right way; that means spreading the gospel by words and sincere deeds. Please, let’s endeavour to do that seriously and sincerely from today nuh, because our world desperately needs the truth and life that emanates from Christ Jesus! Much LOVE!

…our world’s on the brink of the precipice…only the diligent endeavours of Christ’s people…can prevent it from going over… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 December 2022 Luke 2:10.

23 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Luke 2:10.        And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

At last it’s Friday! And many shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday’ have gone up around the world! But in my area we’re especially thankful that the major snowstorm forecasted for yesterday never materialized. Praise the Lord! Instead, wind and rain materialized. However, we’re not yet free from the crazy machinations of the weather, for as we speak, freezing rain is coming down outside my window, and who knows how or when it will end.  And believe me, the freezing rain is indeed worse than the snow; have you slipping and sliding any which way, while freezing up on your windshield, often making visibility extremely difficult despite your wipers strenuously working. (smile) 

So, the proviso for yesterday still holds true for today: don’t go out unless you have to! And since the Lord was gracious enough to give us life this Friday morning, I guess we ought to continue with looking at the Christmas story as we promised. Now we ended yesterday talking about the necessity of humility and peace in Jesus’ philosophy, things that the world doesn’t value very highly. The warmongers, the arrogant, and haughty are whom the world celebrates. But not Jesus. In His kingdom you must be humble, seek peace and be willing to serve others! And that’s the example He gave us during His time here on earth. 

Unfortunately though, too many of us supposed Christians display none, or very little of those attributes that Jesus considers so important to His cause. But that’s another sermon for another day. (smile) Let’s get back to the Christmas story. As we said yesterday, the lowly shepherds were the first people to know of the birth of Jesus. Can you imagine this surreal scene. The shepherds are watching over their flocks in the middle of the night, when the Good Book says: ‘And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon (stood before) them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore (greatly) afraid.’ (Luke 2:9) 

And who wouldn’t be afraid eh, if an angel of the Lord suddenly appears in the dark of night with all the Lord’s glory shining round him? And these were mostly unschooled, uneducated, poorer folk, so their fear factor was possibly even higher than most. ‘And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ (Luke 2:10-12) 

And then a heavenly host, a multitude of angels suddenly showed up and began making music, singing and praising God. (Luke 13-14) Can you imagine the shepherds’ predicament? But before we move on, hear this interesting explanation from the scholars on the subject of ‘Swaddling clothes. They were bandage-like strips of cloth wrapped around an infant to ensure that the limbs would grow straight. Not to swaddle a child would be a form of abuse (Ezek. 16:2-4). This wrapping would aid the shepherds in identifying Jesus.’ 

Wow! How different from our procedures today! Wrapping up a child like that now, would probably get you charged for abuse. (smile) However, when all the hoopla had ended and the angels had gone away, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem and check out the angel’s news. The Good Book says: ‘And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger (feed trough). And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered (marvelled) at those things told by the shepherds…And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.’ (Luke 2:16-18, 20) 

Ah friends, what a marvellous story! And you’ll notice whom the Lord chose to spread the news of our Saviour’s birth? The poor, lowly shepherds, not the entrenched news media of the day! And they were excited over the news and began praising and glorifying God! That wasn’t the reaction though of the religious leaders and supposedly important people of the society. Anyway, the Lord got the news disseminated the way He desired, and that’s the important thing. (smile) 

But you know one of my favourite verses of scripture deals with Mary and all the things she experienced and heard during Christ’s lifetime. And it’s a simple but very provocative verse. ‘But Mary kept all these things, (that were told by the shepherds) and pondered them in her heart.’ (Luke 2:19) And it wouldn’t be the last time that was written of her. When Jesus was presented in the temple at the eight day, as was the custom, the priest Simeon and prophetess Anna also said wonderful things about Him. ‘And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.’ (Luke 2:33) 

And again, after a visit to Jerusalem, Jesus, as a twelve-year-old had strayed away from the caravan on the way back home, and his parents found Him three days later in the temple ably conversing with the wise men. And we all know Jesus’ answer to His mother’s condemnation. ‘How is it that ye sought me? wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.’  (Luke 2:49-51) 

Ah mih people, Mary’s life certainly was not easy. From the day she accepted the Lord’s offer of bearing the incarnate Son of God, it became a roller coaster ride, unto the very end when she had to look at her first born impaled by big, rusty nails on an old wooden cross. But the Lord in His utmost faithfulness, gave her the wherewithal to handle it, like He gives most mothers the ability to raise their children and handle whatever problems they encounter. Now, let’s go to God, and open up our hearts to Him, through our Friday Chant. 

‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. 

And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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 if we want to receive positive answers to our prayers, then we need to do the things we promised. Much LOVE!

…Christmas…a joyful season…despite the many ills in our world… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 December 2022 John 13:34.

19 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

John 13:34.       A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.

And then it was the Monday of Christmas week, and I hope that we are all excited to go to work this morning to meet and greet our friends and co-workers with a ‘Merry Christmas and a ‘Happy New Year!’ Yes my people, if the Monday before the birth of Christ can’t get us enthused about work, then I don’t know what will, especially when a lot of us don’t do much at this time of year anyway. (smile) What with the shopping, office parties and what not. 

But please, I implore us to take a moment every so often and remember the real reason for this Christmas celebratory season, which is unequivocally the birth of Christ, some two thousand years ago. Without that incarnate birth of the Son of God, there would be no holidays and/or celebrations now. So, as the old people would say, let’s give jack his jacket and Jim his gym boots. Yes, let’s give Jesus the recognition He so appropriately deserves, by remembering Him in our hearts and souls and sharing the miraculous and marvellous story of His birth with others. 

Let them know that Jesus’ birth was the first step in God’s plan of salvation, in His plan to bring us woeful sinners who had gone astray from Him, back into His fold. To redeem us, to make us righteous, to reconcile us back to Himself, so that we could be rightly called the children of God, and eventually enjoy eternal life in His company! Now nothing could be better than receiving God’s unmerited grace and favour my faithful brethren! 

And we who believe, are supposed to be His disciples, His ambassadors and spread His Word all over the earth. As he said in the Great Commission He assigned to us: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach 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.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) Now that is our basic assignment as believers. 

And I just LOVE how Bruh Paul explains the spreading of Christ’s gospel, as he talks about righteousness by faith in Christ to the church at Rome. Quoting the prophet Joel (Joel 2:32), he writes: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.’ (Rom. 10:13-15) 

And it’s ever so interesting how Bruh Paul uses his vast knowledge of the Old Testament scripture to make his New Testament points. In that last verse he quoted Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15. Now not everybody needs to be a preacher, but every believer needs to know and grow in the scriptures so that they can share their faith with others. For how can you truly share what you don’t know about eh? Neither do we have to breathe down people’s necks with the scriptures, but the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us when an opportunity arises for us to witness in Christ’s name. 

And there’s no better season to witness than at Christmas time, when everyone is joyful and receptive to good tidings. But friends, you know the best witness ever? Our everyday lifestyle. If we model it on that of Christ, then we won’t have to do any shouting from the rooftops, but others will just see the difference in us and want to live the life we’re living. 

And that’s just what I want us to go out and do this Monday morning, and all through this Christmas week: live a life that’s reflective of Christ; one filled with LOVE, kindness, compassion, mercy, goodness, gentleness and peace, while getting in some scriptures edgewise, as the Holy Spirit directs us! I don’t think we can do a better job of reminding the world of the reason for this holiday season than to live a rich and full life based on Jesus’ teachings. 

So, this Christmas season, let’s be the salt of the earth and light of the world as He desires. Not forgetting this most important directive: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

Oh my fellow saints, it’s remarkable that because of the birth of Christ, this is the season when even the unbelievers show LOVE and caring to each other, so why can’t we do the same eh? And I’ll leave us to ponder for a moment on that thought.   Selah. Now, let’s go to God in heartfelt prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

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

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

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

Now, it’s time to get our hearts and our motives right with God showing the world the LOVE of Christ! Much LOVE!

…only the birth of Jesus… could bring peace and tidings of good things…to our embittered and embattled world… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 December 2022 Romans 8:35a.

16 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:35a.        Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ?

And then it was Friday, but I don’t know how many of us sincerely trumpeted the mantra: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ That’s because we eventually got the snow that was forecasted, which turned back to rain in the evening, and then everything froze up overnight, so that this morning, ice is more the problem than snow. And to make matters even worse, a thin layer of fog is also hovering over my area. So, the driving conditions must have been somewhat difficult and dangerous, even the walking conditions with ice all around. 

But that’s all a part of living in the northern wintry climes. (smile) And even if you don’t like it, you handle it like the stalwart child of God that you are. Yes friends, with God’s omnipotent help, we are indeed able to handle anything that comes against us. Let’s remember these ever true and encouraging words of scripture as we go out to do the Lord’s bidding today. 

From the pen of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, not things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35-39) 

Oh my people! What a powerful and encouraging bit of scripture! It’s something we ought to hold on to for dear life! And if you don’t believe me, then please listen carefully to the scholars, who say: ‘We cannot be separated from God’s LOVE, because it is set forth in a person who is God Himself, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. God’s desire to redeem believers cannot be frustrated because He is infinitely greater than any potential enemy. His plan will be realized because it is his purpose (vs.28).’ 

Wow! If we are under God’s domain, no one can take us away, since He is the most powerful being in the universe. And per the scholars’ reference to vs.28, let’s refresh our memories about just what it says. (smile) ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Yes, my brethren, more rich and true assurance that regardless of our problems, those who sincerely LOVE the Lord and are obedient to His will, will eventually end up on the good side of the ledger, because that’s His acknowledged purpose, and no one or nothing can thwart God’s purpose. 

But we can only appreciate that fact if we truly LOVE and reverence the Lord. That means we have to dig down deep and raise up the faith that’s planted within us. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to grow the seeds of its fruit planted in us. We’re talking about fruit like ‘LOVE, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, meekness, faithfulness and self-control. Now, it’s certainly a big task to grow all those different fruit of the Spirit, especially at the same time, but it can be done, if we follow the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the divine Gardener. (smile) 

Ah friends, I do hope that we are taking the Word of the Lord seriously and doing our best to live for Christ because that’s the only way we’ll ever be able to have joy and peace on this earth, and then enjoy eternal life with Christ when our earthly days are over. For, as we keep saying, the only other option available is hellfire and damnation with Satan. And I don’t know about you, but I won’t even consider the thought of such a horrible end, much less work towards it. And there is so much scripture warning us of that disastrous end that we ought to take it seriously. 

Remember what Moses said to the Israelites? ‘I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) And please, let’s take these poignant and oh so true words of Jesus to heart. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he sent his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17) 

Yes, my fellow saints, you think the Creator of the universe would have sent His Son to earth to die on our behalf if the end times won’t be hellish and damnable? Of course not! But He did, that means the end won’t be pleasant for those who don’t believe in the Son of God. I can’t say it any clearer than that. And if you’re still not sure, then it’s still wise to hedge your bets and believe. If it turns out to be not true, then you haven’t lost anything, you had an interesting life anyway. But if it turns out to be true, then you’ll be sailing on the good ship of Jesus, all the way to heaven and eternal life. You simply can’t lose if you believe in Christ! 

Now, let’s go to the throne of God in prayer, through our Friday Chant, and seek His divine help for our earthly problems. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land.

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. 

Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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 if we want to receive positive answers from heaven, then we need to keep our promises and do our part in the partnership with God! Much LOVE!

…what more do we need to truly believe in Jesus eh…what more…                                                                                                                                          

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 December 2022 Luke 9:23.

10 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Luke 9:23.        If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And once again, this new day, this lazy Saturday has dawned grey and overcast. However, my computer weather forecast tells me that it will eventually be mostly sunny. Let’s hope that is true, because there’s nothing worse than a cold, cloudy day. And since I’ve already lazed out as much of the day as possible, (smile) I’ve got to get right into the Bit, considering the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now the first quote tells us: ‘Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.’ Well, that’s at least partly true, because some things, if you don’t believe in them, you’ll never experience them. That’s just the nature of those things. It’s like belief and faith in Christ. If you don’t believe in Christ, have sincere faith in Him, you’ll never experience the wonderful things He has in store for you. All the many miracles, or what some might call magical moments, in a life lived exclusively for Him. 

It’s the faith, the belief that creates the opportunities. And how is faith defined? ‘The substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) Exactly my faithful brethren! Faith is what we hope for, the positive expectation of what we don’t see, but know that it will come along eventually. And that segues very nicely into our next quote. ‘Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.’ 

That’s the gospel truth. Many of us can think back to moments we never really valued at the time they were happening, but now, many years later, realize how important and valuable they were in our life. I can think of several right off the top of my head. Unfortunately though, not properly appreciating the moments of life when they occur, is a sad drawback to the human nature. 

Why? I don’t know! But we just seem to pass over some moments without paying proper attention to them. And that’s ever so possible and plentiful in our busy society. And later on, we so often hold our heads and bawl: ‘Oh how I wish I’d paid more attention to such and such, or so and so!’ But then it’s too late my people. Let’s hope that this will give us a wakeup call, to consider all the moments in our lives, so that we don’t pass over some of the real important ones, and only have vague memories of them as we go back and forth in our rocking chairs. (smile) 

Meanwhile, the next quote succinctly informs us: ‘To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.’ And that’s the glorious truth! Be it in the evil doings of this world, or in the wonderful kingdom of Christ. To gain much, one must usually expend much; in time, money, energy, faith and hope! That’s because big rewards just naturally come from big expenditures in whatever you’re seeking to achieve. And if you think that’s not true, then listen to Jesus as He sets out His basic rule for discipleship. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

Now if that isn’t a big risk, I don’t know what is. It means that every day we have to put aside our own desires and do God’s will. Be like Jesus said in His darkest hour in the Garden of Gethsemane: ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except (unless) I drink it, thy will be done.’ (Matt. 26:42). Yes friends, Jesus would have surely preferred not to go to the cross, but He was willing to do it if it was the Father’s will. Likewise, we are expected to put our desires aside and do Jesus’ will if we want to receive big rewards in heaven. 

Please note that all the people mentioned as being of great faith and doing great things in the Bible, all took great risks and sacrificed much. Names like Abraham, who packed up and left his family simply on God’s say so. A God He did not even know. Likewise, Moses, led the Israelites at great sacrifice to himself. Bruh Joseph experienced much heartache and betrayal in his young life, but he held on staunchly to the promise of His God and was eventually greatly rewarded by being made the Prime minister of Egypt, then the greatest power on earth. 

Look at the lives of Bruh David, Bruh Paul, Job, etc. etc. All laid down their own desires to follow that of their God, and were well rewarded, not necessarily here on earth, but definitely in heaven, where Jesus said it was the best place to store one’s treasure. (smile) 

And then, there was this quote: ‘To live a fulfilled life, we need to keep creating the ‘what is next’, of our lives. Without dreams and goals there is no living, only merely existing, and that is not why we are here.’ Now, all of that is technically true; without dreams and goals we’re merely existing, and that’s not why God made us. But to live a truly fulfilled life, one must be living for Jesus! For He is the only one who can bring real fulfillment to our souls and spirits. 

The world might bring fulfillment to our bodies, but those pass away back to the dust from which they were originally formed. However, our souls and spirits live on, and that’s why they ought to be properly taken care of. And remember only Jesus gives eternal life, peace, true joy and unconditional LOVE! But that doesn’t mean that our desires and dreams are unimportant to our God. Definitely not, since he is the One who originally put them there! 

And let’s not forget this magnificent advice of Bruh David, which he wrote from personal experience: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:1-5) 

Obviously you won’t get everything you want, especially if it conflicts with God’s will, but my people, that’s the only way to live a truly fulfilled life on God’s great earth! That brings us to this last quote, another dilly. ‘The most wasted of days is one without laughter.’ And yuh better believe it! A day without laughter is indeed a wasted day. Now, we’re not talking about just maniacal, delirious laughter, but moments when the soul and spirit exude a joy that lifts us up, that enables us to continue steadfastly on the straight and narrow road. 

And Cousin Sol, in his infinite wisdom, described laughter thus. ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Prov. 17:22) Yes friends, it’s been scientifically proven that laughter is one of the best, and the cheapest medicines ever. Here are some of the things laughter does. It lowers blood pressure; reduces stress hormone levels, and right now stress is the biggest killer in our society. Laughter also works your abs. Oh yeah! When you laugh your stomach muscles contract and expand like when you intentionally exercise your abs. 

It improves cardiac health; gets your heart pumping and improves blood flow. It boosts ‘T-cells’ a natural immune system that helps us fight off sickness. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, another facet of our natural pain relief system. And finally, laughter produces a general sense of well-being. It certainly does! And doctors have discovered that those with a positive outlook on life, who laugh a fair amount, also live longer than those who are on the negative side of the equation and don’t laugh as much. So please, let’s go out today and be positive, bask in the joy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and laugh a lot, so we can live longer! Much LOVE!

…living for Jesus might be tough…but it’s always interesting… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 October 2022 Psalm 146:5.

22 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 146:5.       Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.

Awright friends, it’s another colourful, sunshiny autumn morn in my area! All thanks and praise be to our great and merciful God! Yes, I’m surely thankful for being able to see this lazy Saturday morning unfurl. And wherever you are, whatever the weather or your personal situation, if you opened your eyes this lazy Saturday morning, then I’d strongly advise you to also give much thanks for that heavenly blessing, because there are many others who did not get that awesome opportunity of seeing a new day. 

Please remember these immortal and very wise words of the psalmist from way back when. ‘Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:4-5) And with that wise and wonderful scripture under our belt, (smile) let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now this first quote tells an awesome truth. It says: ‘We generate fears while we sit. We overcome them by action.’ And I know that many of us can identify with that, because it’s when we are not productively engaged that we get into the most trouble and feel the most fearful. As the old saying goes, the devil finds work for idle hands to do. And it’s quite true, for when you are inactive your mind wanders to all sorts of unlikely places and scenarios, many induced by the enemy’s suggestions and deceptions, and thus you are more susceptible to fear and anxiety. But when we are busy doing stuff, especially God’s will for our lives, there’s little or no time for fear to intrude into our hearts, bodies and souls. Glory be! 

Then there’s this interesting quote: ‘What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.’ And I believe there’s much truth in that, for in achieving one’s goals, provided they are worthwhile in God’s eyes, then your personal growth is also enhanced in ways you cannot see or even imagine. But that’s exactly what the Lord desires of us, has planned from day one for each of His creations; growth and maturity in His fold, steadily moving forward to a likeness or uncanny resemblance to His Son Jesus Christ. 

As Bruh Paul writes in Romans: ‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29) Yes friends, from the very beginning God planned to make every Christian increasingly more like Christ, moving them along life’s path from glory to glory. (Eph. 3:18) So technically speaking, whenever we achieve goals, be they bad or good, we grow either in godliness or evil, but God’s avowed purposed is for all to grow in likeness to His Son, and I guess Satan also wants those under his control to grow in evil-doing like him. 

And it all segues quite nicely into this next quote. Yes, the second quote is like unto the first. (smile) ‘Dreams don’t have to just be dreams. You can make it a reality; if you just keep pushing and keep trying, then eventually you’ll reach your goal. And if that takes a few years, then that’s great, but if it takes 10 or 20, then that’s part of the process.’ Now that’s what we’re talking about! Dreams become goals, and goals become reality, but not necessarily in a short time, for early on there are usually mistakes and failures, but through persistence, and strong belief in God and one’s goal, you can eventually succeed. 

If you look around our world at the many stunning inventions and amenities we enjoy, they all began with a dream, that was then turned into a goal, and then worked hard and long at to achieve. From the dream to the reality, it’s all a process, more often long than short, and it’s the same with our becoming like Christ; it doesn’t happen overnight, or easily, but it’s a lifelong process with plenty of ups and downs, however, there’s a marvellous reward of salvation and eternal life at the end. 

And this next quote amplifies it all. ‘The moral of my story is the sun always comes out after the storm. Being optimistic and surrounding yourself with positive LOVING people is for me, living life on the sunny side of the street.’ Now isn’t that what we are all seeking and searching for? To be surrounded by positive LOVING people, that will help us live on the sunny side of the street. Unfortunately though, that’s one of the most difficult things to do in this current evil, ungodly world, because Satan’s appeal is so widespread that people can no longer be trusted to have your back. 

We’re becoming increasingly greedy and selfish, behaving like ungodly crabs in a barrel, all struggling to reach the top without regard to the welfare of those around us. So, we must be optimistic, for that’s what Christ, our Leader teaches, but we must also be very careful in these treacherous times of whom we let into our private sanctuaries. And yes, after a storm, there’s usually the sun shining brightly, but please note that there are more storms in the forecast, because storms are simply a natural part of life. 

We just have to be as prepared as we can be, and trust our Lord and Saviour to lead and guide us through them successfully, since we don’t have the power to do so on our own. That’s why the Good Book warns us in Psalm 146: ‘Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation)…Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.’ (Ps. 146:3, 5) Now that says it all friends: Mankind can’t help us with salvation, and his trustworthiness in earthly matters also leaves a lot to be desired. Only Jehovah God can be trusted to help us fix our lives in a worthwhile manner. 

And that brings us to this last and very interesting quote. ‘When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there.’ And my fellow believers, the only time and place you can truly see beyond yourself is when you see yourself through the eyes of our gracious and merciful God. When you are convinced that salvation is yours, that you have been reconciled to the Father, have become a child of God, made righteous through belief and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, with total surrender to His awesome will for our lives. 

That is the pinnacle God wants us all to desire, to reach for with perseverance and trust, and eventually achieve. So please, let’s keep reaching forward for said pinnacle nuh, because it’s where the Prince of Peace dwells, and only when we get there, will we ever find true peace. Much LOVE!

…peace I leave with you…my peace I give unto you…not as the world giveth…give I unto you…let not your heart be troubled…neither let it be afraid… (John 14:27) 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ            

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 September 2022 Matthew 7:13.

25 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 7:13.        Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate and broad the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many they be which go in thereat.

It’s the Lord’s day friends, the Lord’s day, so gather round, let’s give thanks and praise for being alive to see another Sunday, and being able to fellowship with each other, despite the rainy weather conditions, either physically in the Lord’s sanctuary, or by telecommunications. Remember, there’s no distance in prayer. What a glorious day Sunday is; one where believers all over the world gather to celebrate Christ and His marvellous doings for mankind! 

So let’s open, as we always do, with a song of praise and thanksgiving. And today’s song is an old one, we don’t know who wrote it, or when, but it’s in the vein of the Negro Spirituals, made popular during the time of slavery. It’s titled ‘One More River To Cross.’ We all know it, so let’s sing it with plenty passion, in a soulful, mid-tempo, down home, Southern, hand clapping bluesy style. 

But before we open up our harmonious pipes in sacrificial praise, we have a spoken intro, borrowed from the song ‘One more mountain to climb,’ that sounded very appropriate for our song too. (smile) It says: ‘(Hey Lord, my troubles never seem to end, Tell me, are you still my friend? I got such a heavy load. When will I reach that glory road?)  Now that’s a question I’m sure we would all like a positive answer to. (smile) 

And then we begin swinging with the chorus. (Chorus: One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb One more valley that I’ve gotta go thru then I’m leaving my troubles behind One more battle with the devil, then I know he’ll understand I’m going thru with Jesus, Hallelujah, Holding to His nail scarred hand, holding to His nail scarred hand.) Oh, I’ve had a lot of troubles and trials, in my little life span And when I’m standing alone, and the battle gets hard, I always do the best I can I’ve crossed a million valleys, and shed a million tears, But when I come to the River of Jordan, Hallelujah, then I’ll have no fear (repeat)

 (Chorus: One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb One more valley that I’ve gotta go thru then I’m leaving my troubles behind One more battle with the devil, then I know he’ll understand I’m going thru with Jesus, Hallelujah, Holding to His nail scarred hand, holding to His nail scarred hand.) Yes, There’s been a lot of people talking ‘bout me since I’ve walked this narrow way But that’s just another little valley, I came thru it when I prayed, I’ve climbed a lot of high mountains and crossed a lot of little streams But when I see ol’ Jordan cold and dark, that’ll be the last for me (repeat)

 (Chorus: One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb One more valley that I’ve gotta go thru then I’m leaving my troubles behind One more battle with the devil, then I know he’ll understand I’m going thru with Jesus, Hallelujah, Holding to His nail scarred hand, holding to His nail scarred hand.) repeat.’ 

Ah mih people, what peace and joy it brings to a believer’s heart to be able to sing such encouraging and uplifting songs! And the wonderful thing about that song is that it names many of the problems we go through in this earthly life, but if we’re wise, we’ll find Jesus, and go through them all holding His nail scarred hands by which He was cruelly impaled on the cross at Calvary, all for our sins. 

Wow! Thus, the problems of this world pale in comparison to the peace, joy and LOVE we get from going through it with Jesus as our Leader and Guide, our Lord and Saviour. And I like how the song says: ‘One more battle with the devil, then I know he’ll understand I’m going through with Jesus, holding on to His nail scarred hands.’ Yes friends, at some stage the devil will be forced to understand that it’s Jesus we desire and not Him. He’s S.O.L, cause he’s never done anything like what Jesus has done for us. 

And isn’t it strange, but rather interesting, how none of the people who initiated the words of this song ever saw the River Jordan, but used crossing it as the landmark in their dream of entering heaven, like the Israelites crossed it to enter the Promised Land. But please notice that the Israelites didn’t just go across the Jordan without their own problems. The priests that bore the Ark of the covenant had to, by faith, step into the overflowing river, before it to backed up, and then stand there while the Israelites crossed on the dry ground around them. (Josh. 3:11-17) In the same manner, we need strong faith to cross over to whatever home we’re seeking with Jesus. 

Then there’s the part of the song which says: ‘There’s been a lot of people talking about me since I walked this narrow way.’ And that’s just the straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus and His righteousness. As He rightly proclaims: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate and broad the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many they be which go in thereat. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt. 7:13-14) 

Yes, it’s sometimes rough travelling that straight and narrow path, but in the end it’s all worth it! And how did our forefathers put it in the song? ‘But that’s just another little valley, I came thru it when I prayed,’ Oh, do we ever need to pray when we’re in those valleys, struggling to get a foothold on life, struggling to climb up the formidable looking mountains set before us, because that’s the only thing that will bring us out of them, help us reach the mountain tops. Like Bruh David says in Psalm 23: ‘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.’ (Ps. 23:4) 

Isn’t it wonderful to know that even in the deepest and darkest valleys that we are not alone, that the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ leads and guides us even in those dismal times. So, though ‘we’ve crossed a million valleys, and shed a million tears’ when we come to the end, we won’t be afraid, because Jesus will be right there with his nail scarred hands outstretched, waiting to meet us and help us cross over that ole River Jordan. 

However, that means getting prepared from right now, because none of us know when we’ll come to that river with Jesus waiting on the other side. And if you’re not ready when you get there, then His nail scarred hands won’t be outstretched to meet you. So, a word of warning to the wise. Much LOVE!

…with Jesus as our guide…there are no problems we can’t handle… 

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

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