Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 April 2022 Proverbs 18:21.

30 Apr 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 18:21.      Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Saturday…at long last Saturday! And no work to go to; that means no traffic to fight, no annoying co-workers or ignorant bosses to put up with! Blessed be Saturday! And the weather seems good too; sunny and getting warmer. So, all in all, we seem to be in for a fine Saturday. (smile) But let’s get right to what we do here on Saturdays; that’s review the quotes our friend Anselm sends us in the past week, to see how they fit into our Christian walk of faith. 

And the first one makes this dramatic statement: ‘Where there is LOVE there is life.’ Now I guess that’s quite true if you take it in the context that ‘God is LOVE.’ John says it quite clearly in his first epistle. (1 John 4:8) And if we recognize that God is also the giver of life, as the Good Book tells us: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Therefore, under those circumstances, where there is the LOVE of God, the possibility of life seriously abounds. (smile) 

And the next quote imparts much wisdom, when it says: ‘Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.’ That’s oh so true! And we have several warnings on that subject from Cousin Sol both as the Proverbs writer and the Preacher. Listen up, as he says in Proverbs: ‘The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (legacy) of fools.’ (Prov. 3:35) And also from Proverbs: ‘A fool uttereth all his mind (vents all his feelings): but a wise man keepeth it in (holds it back) till afterward.’ (Prov. 29:11) 

Then there are these marvellous words of Cousin Sol as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business (effort or activity): and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.’ (Eccl. 5:2-3) It couldn’t be put any clearer than that friends. Fools are known by their many words. And that takes us right back to Proverbs, where it says that ‘Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace (keeps silent) is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding (is considered wise).’ (Prov. 17:28) 

Now that segues very nicely into the next quote. ‘False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.’ That’s gospel truth my brethren. And Cousin Sol also has a whole lot of wise sayings on that subject. Amongst them being these: ‘Bread of deceit (bread gained by deceit) is sweet to a man; but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel.’ (Prov. 20:17) Yes, whatever we gain through deceitful means usually turns sour on us afterward. Telling us that deceitful methods don’t pay. 

Then there is this: ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.’ (Prov. 19:1) And this one takes the cake: ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.’ (Prov. 18:21) Oh my people, nowadays we talk so much, and talk so much foolishness, what we know nothing about, that there’s a lot to come back as a boomerang and bite us in the rear! 

So that’s why our enemy, the devil, Satan, Beelzebub, whatever you choose to call him deals in false words, in lies and deceit. He wants to infect our souls with evil. He wants to turn us away from Jesus, away from the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life, to follow his evil and ungodly wide and destructive path that leads to death and damnation. That’s why Jesus describes him as ‘The thief that cometh not, but to (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) 

Remember now that Jesus only deals in truth, not falsehood. That’s why He could confidently say: ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:32) Oh my fellow saints, truth is the elixir of our very existence, and it comes only from Jesus! He is the very personification of the word! 

And that brings us to this next quote: ‘Excellence is not a gift, but a skill that takes practice. We do not act rightly because we are excellent, in fact we achieve excellence by acting rightly.’ Mama Mia! How right that is! We are not naturally or automatically excellent at anything. Like everything in this life, we only become good or excellent by practice. As the old saying goes; ‘Practice makes perfect.’ And as a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus, it’s of the utmost importance that we become excellent in all aspects of life, as He is excellent. 

He expects it of His followers, for an organization is only as good as its weakest link. And we can only become excellent followers of Jesus if we live right, live the way that He desires of us. The same thing goes for the enemy: we can live excellently for him if we faithfully practice evil. But in whatever it is, we will never become excellent, unless and until we keep doing it over and over. 

And this last quote is also an eye-opener. It says: ‘LOVE has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only with what you are expecting to give – which is everything.’ And as followers of Jesus, we are expected to give a lot, but in so doing, we also receive a lot from our Lord and Saviour. He sacrificed His sinless life for us on the cross of Calvary, bringing forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God, salvation and eternal life to anyone who sincerely believes in Him. So, when He says: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35) He knows a whole lot about giving! 

And it’s interesting to note, per the scholars that ‘Here alone is a quotation from Christ that is not recorded in the Gospels.’ Imagine an important pronouncement like that not being recorded by any of the gospel writers nuh. Makes you wonder if it’s true at all. But there’s no doubt about it, because Jesus was all about giving, about sacrificing without looking for any rewards, and so ought we to be as loyal and true followers. 

So friends, let’s go home today, on this sunny Saturday morn, the last day of April 2022, with a such joy in our hearts from all the wonderful things that we’ve received from Jesus, that we now want to share it all very generously with those around us. That’s the good life; the abundant life Christ died for us to have! Much LOVE!

… joyful giving…expresses our happiness and contentment…found in the promises of God… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 December 2021 Psalm 24:1.

10 Dec 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 24:1.     The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.

Another snowy morning, but it’s Friday, the last day of the work week. So that takes away some of the anxiety and fear we have about venturing out into the snow covered highways and byways. And when we add the trust and faithfulness of Jesus, then we’re filled with courage, remembering that we can accomplish any and everything when He is walking with us. Isn’t that a wonderful feeling my fellow believers? It surely is! For no other Deity offers such strong and truthful reassurance to their followers…. Only Jesus! 

Yes friends…Only Jesus gives us the wherewithal, the grace, mercy and LOVE, to keep on keeping on no matter comes against us in this evil dominated world! With His Holy Spirit living within us, we have an in-house guide and director of personal affairs that no other faith has. That means we can get answers and guidance much quicker than others; almost immediate direction to our tentative and ofttimes anxious and fearful requests. 

But we need not be fearful or anxious because Jesus has promised to be always with us, even to the end of the world, and He keeps all of His promises. For like in everything else we do, as the old saying goes; practice makes perfect. And it’s not until you go to Him several times and see good results that you will feel comfortable. But we first need to step out into unknown territory to experience the grace that comes from knowing and trusting Christ. And every time we need to step out, we must remember what He’s already done, so it becomes easier and raises the level of our trust. 

And if, like the world does, you want to ask Jesus what He’s done for you lately…then just think who allowed you to open your eyes this morning, and who’s breath of life is flowing through you right now? In other words, it’s because of His LOVE and purpose for your life that you are not reading your name in the obits today. And furthermore, whom do you think enabled you to get a job, and a good paying one too, plus the new car that you drive to that good paying job, from that nice house in which you and your family live? 

It’s Jesus my brethren, because everything in this world belongs to Him, and we are only stewards, aka managers of His possessions. And the Good Book tells and reminds us of that most important fact, which many of us might find trivial and nonsensical. Very early in their journey out of bondage in Egypt, Moses let it be known to the people of Israel, when he declared: ‘Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.’ (Deut. 10:14) There is no hesitation or doubt whatsoever in Moses’ declaration. 

And Bruh David, in offering thanksgiving and prayer, before he anointed Cousin Sol king of Israel in his place, said the same thing in Chronicles. ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.’ (1 Chr.29:11-12) 

Now if that doesn’t convince us of our God’s omnipotence and awesome power, I don’t know what will! For, remember Bruh David rose from a humble shepherd boy to a mighty warrior and king, the greatest of Israel’s many kings, not through his power, but through the grace and anointing of God! And he never forgot that despite all the human mistakes he made. Neither should we forget it, despite the mistakes we make, because the Lord is able to change and work out all things for our good, if we stand strong and faithful in His fold. 

And I believe that Bruh David, in his role as a wordsmith, the magnificent wordsmith that he was, says it best in Psalm 24, where he expounds on The king of glory. Listen and take heart. ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers). 

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and is pure in heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity (to an idol), nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob.  Selah.’ (Ps. 24:1-7) 

Now that all sounds wonderful, but unfortunately this is not the generation that’s seeking the Lord’s face! Rather we are trying to hide from Him, and or remove Him from our society, two notions which are both foolish and impossible. But thankfully, it’s never too late to seek the Lord’s face, and do we ever desperately need to seek it in these disastrous times, because He is the ONLY One who can do anything positive for us. So please, let’s go to Him right now nuh, seeking His awesome help through our Friday Chant. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means 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 both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, please remember all that we asked for, and what we promised to do, because it’s only if we keep our promises, that the Lord will answer our prayers. Much LOVE!

..the created owns nothing…the world is the Lord’s, He created it…and we’ve been bought with the blood of Jesus…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 January 2014 Deuteronomy 5:32

01 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 5:32.   Ye shall (carefully) observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

                                                          HAPPY  NEW  YEAR!
 
Oh my beautiful Friends and fellow believers, I’m wishing you and yours a Happy New Year; a bright and prosperous 2014, filled with hungry hope, expectant faith and overwhelming LOVE for our great God, our pilgrim selves and neighbours, who have all been created in the image of the ONE TRUE DEITY, Almighty God, Yahweh, Jehovah Jireh! 

Yes my people, 2014 will be a wonderful year, because we will all live up much better to our New Year’s resolution of having a closer and more intimate walk with Jesus, than we did in 2013. The whole point of the exercise is to get closer and closer, become a better mirror-image of Jesus every year that we’re alive.

And 2014 will be no different, for we’ll continue to build the LOVE Revolution that is destined to engulf this evil world, with our most able leader, Jesus Christ at the helm. Oh my people, with Jesus Christ leading and guiding us we can NEVER GO WRONG! 

So today, let’s all promise that in 2014 we’ll buckle down, take our faith and it’s world-wide spread seriously, develop plenty gumption, plenty belly and backbone, and with the help of Jesus raise the level of godliness in this too evil world.

And the only way we can do that Friends, is by joining together, for remember that a house divided against itself will eventually fall, but one that’s working together, that’s built on the rock, as Jesus’ church is, will stand forever! That means as the body of Christ we have to start working together instead of against each other, as Lucifer is intent on having us do.

And unfortunately in 2013 he has succeeded much more than he should have; the church has seen its fair share of dissension and division, evil and ungodliness has definitely increased, while believers have not stood up and fought as strong a battle as we ought to.

But all of that is going to change for the better this watershed year of 2014 – isn’t it my brethren? I just know that it will, because we’re getting wiser and stronger and more intimate with Jesus each and every day!

Wow! What a year 2014 will be Friends!

And that’s where our Bit comes in, for living for and glorifying God, is what its all about: ‘Ye shall (carefully) observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.’

Yes my people, it’s that straight and narrow path that leads to God that we must concentrate on walking this New Year. And to get us going today, let’s joyfully declare: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps.118:24) 

Oh Friends, when we start out with joy, peace and LOVE, the essence of Jesus, in our hearts, minds and souls, how can we go wrong eh? NEVER! 

That’s why it’s so essential from the moment we awake, till the moment we close our eyes to sleep, that we give thanks, we keep up a continual conversation with our heavenly Father, who is the ONE that enables us to prosper in this crazy world. And a big part of all that is regularly reading His Word.

As He told Joshua when He anointed him leader of the Israelites: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:8)

Oh my people, as I keep saying, our God keeps it clear, simple and straightforward! What’s in there not to understand eh? You read His Word, do what it says and you’ll be prosperous and successful!

Wow! What a simple formula for success!

But we, the great and intelligent beings that we are, or rather foolishly think that we are, just won’t buy it. Why? I don’t know. Perhaps it’s too simple; perhaps we think it will keep us back from enjoying some of the evil and ungodly delights of this evil and ungodly world?

But Friends, whatever is keeping us back from taking hold of God’s Word and running the biggest and best race of our lives, please let’s drop it, or them, this year and concentrate strictly on Jesus and His desires for and expectations of us.

Hear Bruh Paul tell it to the Corinthians nuh: ‘ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things.

Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown; but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under (discipline) my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (be disqualified). (1 Cor.9:24-27)

Yes my people, that’s our biggest problem, bringing our bodies and minds under subjection, into a godly kind of discipline. But as Bruh Paul says, if we want to win the race, we have to put in the training time. It’s like everything else in our world; practice makes perfect.

And if we want to have a last testament like Bruh Paul, then we have to get to work seriously on our training program RIGHT NOW! ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim.4:6-8) 

Oh my fellow believers, each and every one of us ought to be able to make that statement when our time to cross over to the other side draws near. But unfortunately we won’t be able to do so, unless we start training properly and seriously for that awesome race of life in Jesus Christ RIGHT NOW!

So I’ll leave us to ponder on all that now, and please, let’s enjoy this first day of 2014, as though it’s the first day of the rest of our lives, for in many ways it just might be. Much LOVE!

…turn not to the right hand…nor to the left…remove thy foot from evil…  (Prov.4:27)

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 June 2013 Psalm 86:11

29 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 86:11.    Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
 
Well Friends and fellow believers, we have been mightily blessed to see another glorious day on Planet Earth! Wow! I surely hope that we have all given our most gracious God some thanks and praise for that wonderful opportunity, because He deserves it for looking down on us with mercy and grace.
 
And though life on earth can be very trying at times, I doubt very many of us are ready to go home to heaven right now. I know I don’t want to, because I have so many things that the Lord has put in my heart still to do down here. And He could have easily taken us home during the night, but His not doing so means that He still has plans for us down here on Mother Earth.
 
So why don’t we talk to Him eh, and find out what He expects of us today? That’s the best way to know what’s what! And it’s usually best to communicate with our heavenly Father as soon as we awaken, so that we can begin the day on the right foot in His awesome presence, with the guiding of His Holy Spirit. That way Lucifer won’t stand a chance in hell to get to us early and sow his seeds of evil and corruption.
 
That’s what was so great about Bruh David; from his youth, he was always talking to the Lord, asking Him for His guidance, meditating on His words, wanting to learn His ways. Our Bit today exemplifies that great desire for wisdom and understanding as to the Lord’s ways and will. ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart (give me singleness of heart) to fear (have reverential awe for) thy name.’
 
Ah Friends, how many of us try to dig, to delve so deeply into God’s ways and will eh? Not nearly enough! But if we want to learn more about God, then that’s the only way to go; right to the source, the fountainhead of all wisdom, truth, knowledge and understanding, to the One who created everything and everyone that exists, or has ever existed.
 
And what does Cousin James say about seeking wisdom? ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
 
And that’s gospel Friends, eternal truth! But we have to be serious, really searching for wisdom and truth, and not be wishy-washy and unstable, because the Lord won’t help us then. Now let’s look at some scriptures where Bruh David entreats the Lord to teach him His ways and statutes.
 
Listen to him in Psalm 25, A prayer for guidance and protection. ‘Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all day.’ (Ps.25:4-5)
 
Then in Psalm 27, the Lord is my light and my salvation, he earnestly petitions his God: ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies.’ (Ps.27:11)
 
And yet again, this time in Psalm 143, Teach me to do thy will, he plaintively cries out to God for wisdom and understanding re His Word and His will. ‘Cause me to hear thy LOVING-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee…. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.’ (Ps.143:8, 10)
 
No wonder Bruh David was so fortunate! He didn’t have an easy life, from being a shepherd as a boy, to king of Israel, and much of it was not his fault. But even when he was at fault, he was wise enough to cry out to the God of his forefathers for mercy and forgiveness, and the Lord usually granted him his wish, because He knew the generally right state of his heart.
 
So too my people, even unto this day, if we keep looking to God for wisdom and guidance with a strong trust and sincere surrender, He will grant them to us. We just have to have the right motives, because He doesn’t just listen to our tearful words, but bases His decisions on the state of our hearts.
 
Now it’s very obvious that we can’t handle the ruggedness of life here on earth by ourselves, and what better place to seek help and succour than at the footstool, the throne of our Creator? There’s no place better my brethren!
 
And we’ll end with a few verses of scripture that are famous in regards seeking wisdom and understanding, taken from Psalm 119. ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statues; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.’ (Ps.119:33-35)
 
Yes Friends, the commandments of our God ought to be our delight! But they’ll never be unless and until we get serious about them and make a conscious decision to seek and follow them with all our heart, body and soul. Therein lies the faith and strength of a true believer. Much LOVE!
 
…to truly know God…one must have…deep and constant communication with Him…as they say…practice makes perfect…