Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 May 2024 Jeremiah 29:13.

16 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 29:13.       And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Well, it’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and tomorrow we get to celebrate the big day of Friday! I must say that this week has gone by awfully fast… and I’m yet to do any of the things I planned to do. Ah Lord eh! Between the devil and my own laziness and procrastination we’ve had a lazy and unfulfilling time. (smile) But dem’s the breaks! And I have no one else to blame but myself. 

Now, it’s not that I haven’t done anything at all, but not the supposed important things I wanted to do. And that’s just how life and the enemy work together in concert to delay or trip up our best laid plans. That means we have to be strong and steadfast in the Lord and, if necessary, bully our way through the enemy’s lines and get our God-given plans fulfilled. And it’s not like we don’t have the wherewithal to do it. No! We most definitely do! 

Starting with the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, plus all the wonderful and encouraging scriptures found in the God’s Word. Scriptures like: ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That’s Jesus’ faithful promise. Then Bruh Paul tells us, ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Then he says; ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

And what about this wonderful promise that Bruh Paul offers in his letter to the Philippians? ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) Then you have this awesome scripture of godly strength: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil 4:13) And what about this marvellous promise of God’s provision?  ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

Yes friends, that’s wonderful news! God will not stop working in us until Jesus returns. That means we don’t have to fear anything, but we do need to keep up our personal intimacy with Him, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, while fellowshipping with other believers, to encourage and build up each other so that we can do the good works that God desires of us. That’s why Jesus told the parable to the end that men ought always to pray and faint (lose heart). (Luke 18:1) 

For prayer is the immediate method of communication between God and man, the method devised by the heavenly Father for us to share our thoughts and desires with Him. Therefore, when we are tempted to lose faith and give up, that’s the very time we have to be strong and steadfast in prayer! No wonder the Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (listen to you) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Ah mih people, if there’s one thing Christians ought not to be lacking in is encouragement, for the Lord’s Word, the Bible, is filled with so many encouraging scriptures to keep us alive and kicking in Christ’s employ. The problem though is that we don’t read and study the scriptures enough, consequently we don’t have those warm and faithful words of encouragement stored in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. Remember, we cannot be encouraged unless encouragement and reassurance lies within us. And the only way to get it there is by putting it there through reading, studying and memorizing the useful scriptures, so when the time comes, they are right at hand to put them into action. 

Now, if we do as we ought, then we don’t have to fear laziness and procrastination, for as the scriptures expound: ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you: that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:8) There you go my fellow saints, if we stand strong and steadfast to do the Lord’s will, we will never want for anything. His bountiful grace will supply all we need. And that’s why Bruh David could make this amazing but oh so true statement: ‘The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) That says it all friends. Now we only have to believe it and put it into action. (smile) 

So, let’s get to declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which have been so generously bestowed on us, by the Father, to do His earthly work. And to activate them let’s declare them loud and strong. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

And having said that, we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings in the support of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…now set your heart and soul to seek the Lord… (1 Chr. 22:19a)

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 May 2024 Matthew 11:28.

14 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 11:28.       Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

So another Monday is in the books, we got our feet wet in this new work week, therefore we can now comfortably turn our eyes to Tuesday, without fear or anxiety. (smile) Yes, sometimes we might wish that we didn’t have any time off work on the week end, because it’s so easy to slip into rest mode, but ever so difficult to get back into a work frame of mind after a period of rest. But if we truly focus on Jesus, He will help us move from one arena to the next without much trouble. That’s His promise. And we know that He NEVER reneges on a promise. 

So, knowing that, wisdom dictates that we throw our everything, our all unto Him so that He can lighten our burden and help us make our way safely and securely. Remember that scripture we call the Great Invitation, where Jesus invites us to come to Him with all of our burdens, worries and problems? In all, LOVE, compassion and truth, He offers: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

What a great invitation that is my people! In fact it’s the greatest invitation ever offered to mankind! So why aren’t many more of us accepting it eh? Because it seems too good to be true? Or because accepting it means we‘ll have to kow tow, or bow down to Jesus and all His demands? So what? It’s much better than kow towing or bowing down to Satan’s demands. And with Satan it never gets any easier, but always harder, more difficult to ferry our way through this turbulent life. 

With Jesus though, the more you entrench yourself in His way of life, the more experience you get with Hm, life becomes easier, well not necessarily easier, (smile) but you can better handle whatever comes against you. And why is that eh? Because then you’ll have the peace of God which passes all understanding, keeping or guarding your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7) And what’s that peace of God, you’re talking about eh? This commentary nicely explains it: ‘The Peace that transcends all understanding does not come from having everything work out exactly as we want it. The peace that transcends all understanding comes from knowing that no matter what life throws at us, we can still have joy when we know that our victory lies in Jesus Christ and not in our circumstances.’ 

Glory to God my people! How wonderful it is to know that we don’t have to worry or be anxious over every little thing in our lives…in truth, neither do we have to worry or be anxious over the big things either, because Jesus can handle anything that come against us. As Bruh Paul says to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6) And when we do that consistently, the peace of God that flows from that prayer, supplication and thanksgiving will allow us to handle it all my brethren. 

And also remember that when Jesus was here on earth, He was big on peace, because peace is what enables you to live the abundant and godly life. Note His words to the disciples. ‘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) Yes friends, Jesus’ peace is not like what the world offers as peace. His peace is that peace that passes all understanding and allows us to handle our problems with wisdom and understanding, not anxiety and fear. 

And don’t you like how He says not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid?  For sure! That’s because He knows when His peace is flowing through us there’s no need to worry or be afraid. Especially when He again talks of peace to the disciples. This time saying: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, sometimes it is difficult to be of good cheer when it seems like your whole world is falling down around you, but that’s exactly when the peace of God is necessary to keep you from falling over. 

And please note my fellow believers, Jesus never said that living the Christian life was easy. Nobody knew that better than Him, as you can see from all the trials and tribulations He encountered. But because He also had the Father’s peace flowing through Him, He was able to handle whatever came against Him. Why yuh think He was always praying and giving thanks to the Father? Because He knew that He could not handle it all on His own, despite His status as deity. So if Jesus as deity could not handle this crazy, evil and ungodly world without His Father’s help, why do we think we can handle it on our own eh? That’s surely a fool’s wisdom! 

We desperately need the awesome help of our Triune God to face this world with strength, wisdom and grace. As Bruh Paul so rightly said to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And that’s why Christians can face this evil and ungodly world without any trepidation or fear. But you have to sincerely embrace Jesus and His philosophy for that situation to apply to you. Satan nor his evil cohorts cannot give your that amazing sense of peace, LOVE and joy, that knowing Jesus can. 

Now, 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 and sincere 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!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…true rest and peace…can only be found in and through Jesus…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 May 2024 Luke 9:23.

13 May 2024 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.

Another Monday, another new work week, but at least yesterday was a joyful celebration of our Mothers, and that gives us hope and confidence to get out into the dissolute world today and carve out a big piece of it, all in Jesus’ name! And we do that by being the salt of the earth, the light of the world and letting the fruit of His Spirit flourish in us, some thirty, some sixty and some one hundred percent! Wow! What a wonderful world we’d have if more of us supposed Christians would just make the effort, think of all that Jesus sacrificed on our behalf, and be willing to sacrifice just a little on His. 

But it seems oh so difficult for us to give up just a tad of our comfort and security, to let our humanity show forth, to add a li’l joy, LOVE and compassion to world that so badly needs them in these times of serious worldwide strife and suffering. It’s asking too much of us to be like Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) And also later on: ‘But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.’ (2 Tim. 4:5) 

Unfortunately though, not too many of us are willing and/or able to brave the hardships of this cruel world and put up a good fight for Jesus. We seem to conveniently forget what we signed up for when we became disciples of Jesus. As He said it: ‘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) And the important words in that statement are ‘deny himself… and take up his cross daily.’ 

Yes friends, we’ve got to deny ourselves and take up our crosses every day and follow Jesus if we truly desire to be His disciple. Nothing else will do!. And don’t forget these memorable words that tie in with true discipleship. ‘And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) Ah mih people, that’s such an important part of being a Christian. As the scholars explain: ‘Precisely when tempted to give up, men ought to be strong in their resolve to pray.’ 

And Jesus wasn’t just talking for talk sake. No! Because He modelled that very thing for us by the amount of time He spent in prayer to His heavenly Father. He didn’t do anything without consulting the Father, because He came to earth to do the Father’s will. Mark tells us: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35) 

And even when the obedience to His death on the cross faltered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said to the disciples: ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye (stay) here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt. 26:39) And He prayed that prayer three times, though deep down He knew that the cup could not pass from Him, because that was His major reason for coming to earth. 

And our heavenly Father is so faithful and compassionate that according to Luke, when Jesus shared His agony with the Father: ‘And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.’ (Luke 22:43) Likewise my fellow believers, when we share our deepest fears and agony with the Lord through prayer, He might not turn them aside, but He will surely give us the strength to handle them. As Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. ‘There hath no temptation (trial, tribulation) taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye can bear; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) 

Oh friends, how much more can we ask eh? We’re not down here to just smell the perfume of the roses and have Sunday strolls in the park. No! We’re here to perform a job as the hands, feet, eyes, ears and noses of Jesus, in other words, ambassadors, so that the heathen, those who are still living in the darkness of Satan can be brought into the light that Jesus offers, wherewith salvation and eternal life can be attained. And until we wake up to that reality and begin doing what we’re supposed to do, this world will remain a total mess, and possibly get worse as the days go by. 

But the sad part is that we all know what we’re supposed to do, we’re just not doing it to the best of our ability. Anyway, to help us do better, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, laying our all before Almighty God. Altogether: ‘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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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, let’s remember that divine aid only comes when we do certain things; turn from our evil ways, humble ourselves, pray and seek God’s face. Much LOVE!

…discipleship is indeed a tough row to hoe…but Jesus…through His Holy Spirit…gives us the wherewithal to walk the walk…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 May 2024 Exodus 20:12.

12 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 20:12.       Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

HAPPY  MOTHER’S  DAY!

And then it was Sunday once again… but one of those special Sundays in our calendar, namely Mother’s Day! Yes friends, today is the day we celebrate Mothers all over the world! The goodness, grace, care, compassion, kindness and LOVE of those amazing women who bear us in their wombs for nine long months, and keep on running their households, while also being out in the world working to bring home a pay cheque. 

Women, in particular mothers, are a special breed of human beings who have been anointed by God to bear the young of the species, and believe me, that takes a lot of patience, perseverance and longsuffering, virtues that are also attributed to God. And they must have God-like qualities and strength to accomplish the monumental tasks they are expected to fulfil. The amazing thing is that many of these mothers bear their tough tasks without complaining, just go about their business, their lot in life without stirring up too much fuss. 

But then again, like in every walk if life, there are others who whine and complain about everything. Nonetheless, the Lord said in the Ten major commandments He gave to the Israelites, and to all subsequent believers: ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ (Ex. 20:12) So even if your mother or father wasn’t the greatest, it’s still your responsibility to honour them in a godly manner. 

And we’re going to do that today for all mothers, by singing a special song, written in their honour by Janice Kapp Perry (born October 1, 1938), an American composer, songwriter, and author, who grew up in a very musical family. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), she has written over 3,000 songs. According to Janice Kapp Perry, she was thrilled when Mack Wilberg asked her to write a new Mother’s Day song. 

‘And of course, you can only think of your own mother. If you had a good mother, she’s your inspiration for the song. My mother’s LOVE was the basis of everything good in my life. She was always there for me. My mother Ruth was a very enthusiastic person, energetic, she LOVED projects played in a dance band with their father, wrote musicals for the community. As far as her children were concerned, she was just a cheerleader. She LOVED everything they did. Made them feel like they could do things.’ 

And that my people is what mothers do; encourage their children, make them feel appreciated and able to fulfill every dream they have. So, having said all of that, let’s finally get around to singing this wonderful song titled ‘My Mother’s LOVE,’ in a slow, and soulful, rich and scintillating version of this hauntingly beautiful music as performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 

Singing: “My mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, Live in my soul and guide me still today. Her caring ways, her timeless words of wisdom Come forth to help me through each day. In each challenge, each choice, Above the world’s noise, I hear my mother’s voice. My mother’s faith, her prayers of earnest pleading, Turned me to God in moments of despair. Her calm assurance of His tender caring Taught me to turn to Him in prayer. Through my darkest of days, I reach to feel His grace. Such was my mother’s faith. My mother’s hands that lifted and protected, Those loving hands that soothed my fevered brow Were as a shield from every earthly trial, 

And still, the memory helps me now. And my heart is aware, the strength that I now share Came from my mother’s hands. My mother’s voice will live in me forever. A steady anchor for my reaching soul, As generations climb the path together to sweet eternities untold. My mother’s LOVE, the essence of her being, Flows in and through me every waking hour. A quiet strength grew from her constant caring, A legacy of saving power. By her words and her touch, she strengthened me so much. I felt my mother’s LOVE… I felt my mother’s LOVE.”  

Ah friends, I know for those of us who had good mothers, that’s the kind of upbringing we had. And I have to chuckle as I read the first lines of the song. ‘My mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, Live in my soul and guide me still today. Her caring ways, her timeless words of wisdom Come forth to help me through each day.’ And that’s the gospel truth. My mother Molly’s words, and the power of her teachings still echo in my mind everyday as I face this crazy world. And yuh know what, with age and understanding, today I appreciate her teachings and guidance more than I did when she first instilled them in me. 

And being a single mother, I saw firsthand how she expended every effort for me to have a fairly decent life. We won’t rich… or even well-to-do, but we never lacked for anything, because she worked her fingers to the bone doing two jobs, or more like three, since after her full-time day job she would go down to the cinema and sell tickets for the afternoon show, come home, then go back and sell tickets for the evening show. And I’m talking about seventy years ago, long before the two jobs thing became a big deal. 

But along with that I also had LOVE and a fair amount of freedom and independence, built on a strong foundation of responsibility. I could generally go where I wanted to, once I’d done my chores and left a note stating where I’d gone to. However, please don’t believe it was all peaches and cream, because I paid the price for disobedience. She wasn’t as cruel as some of my friends’ mothers, but I did feel her wrath a time or two. (smile) And her faith, her calm assurance and perseverance through all the tough times we faced, unknowingly laid the foundation for my strong faith today. 

Obviously, I was in church every Sunday morning, and Sunday school every Sunday afternoon. I had no say in the matter. And even today I can feel the strength and joy in her living of life. For though it was sometimes rough, she always had a smile, and was kindness personified, she never complained, just encouraged me to always do my best. And no, she wasn’t a saint like we think of them, but simply a mother doing the best she could with what she had. And that’s what good mothers do! And it’s not only today we ought to celebrate them, but each and every day of the year, because that’s what they deserve! Much LOVE!

…a good mother is possibly the greatest treasure in this world…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 April 2024 John 17:16.

29 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 17:16.       They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Okay friends, let’s proclaim that come this Monday, we will be all right…that come this Monday, we will do the Lord’s work with all of our might! For in truth, that’s how it ought to be, not the ofttimes wishy-washy way we do it, if we choose to do it at all. We need to be saltier, and shining ever so brightly with the light of Jesus, that whoever sees us, knows right away that there’s something different, something different but good in us, which causes their passion to rise and desire whatever it is that makes us stand out from the ordinary, worldly crowd! 

And we all know that’s the amazing power of the Holy Spirit working in us to produce the fruit of the Spirit, and let it flourish, for as Jesus says in the parable of the Sower, we are good ground and the seed sown in such brings forth much fruit, many more times than the amount of seed that was sown; ‘some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’ (Matt. 13:23) And what’s the fruit of the Spirit some may ask? Bruh Paul explains in his letter to the Galatians. 

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE (the willing sacrificial giving of oneself to others without expecting anything in return), joy (the gladness of heart), peace (tranquility of mind), longsuffering (patience with others, a disposition quietly bearing injury), gentleness (kindness), goodness (generosity), faith (dependability), meekness (courtesy and consideration in one’s relations with others), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.’ (Gal. 5:22-23). 

And as faithful Christians, we are expected to have all nine of those spiritual virtues. Yes mih people, that’s the kind of impact we ought to be having on this ungodly and evil world, but unfortunately we are not having such a drastic effect on it. More than likely the world is having a much more powerful effect on believers than believers are having on it. Remember we are supposed to be in the world, but not of the world; physically present, but not holding it’s values and sentiments. 

That’s why Jesus prayed to the Father: ‘Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil (the evil one). They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:15-16) And that’s the gospel truth, for Jesus kingdom is not in this world as He said to Pilate during His false and unjust trial. ‘My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.’ (John 18:36) 

And if Jesus’ kingdom is elsewhere than this world, that means, as His followers, our place is with Him, wherever He might be. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the workings whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.’ (Phil. 3:20-21) 

Yes friends, we’re citizens of heaven, only on a short purposeful journey on this earth, and when Jesus returns we will undergo both an internal and external transformation, making us ever so much more in body and character like Him. But in the meanwhile, we desperately need to improve our godly tendencies, grow the fruit of the Spirit on the good soil we’re supposed to be, and spread it all over the world, so that the world can receive Jesus and His good news gospel and be saved from hellfire and damnation. 

And if you didn’t know it, that’s our job, Jesus made it quite clear when He gave us the Great Commission. ‘All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples) of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:18-20) 

Oh my fellow saints, it could not be any clearer than that: our job is to proselytize the world for Jesus; bring them to Him, so that He can save their sinful souls and eventually have them seated with Him in heavenly places. But from how the world is going, it’s obvious, for whatever reason(s) we’re not doing a good job of turning things around, and thus are disappointments to both ourselves and Jesus. Now it’s bad enough to disappoint ourselves, but disappointing Jesus…that’s a no-no! 

How can we ever do that after all the selfless and punishing sacrifices He made for us. That’s unthinkable my people! Therefore, I’m pleading with us, beginning RIGHT NOW, let’s take heart and improve our Christlike behaviour nuh. For if we truly LOVE Jesus, as we claim, then we need to be better ambassadors and workers on His behalf. And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine assistance. 

Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And as our prayer says, if we expect to receive divine aid, then we first need to humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek the Lord’s face. That’s course 101: Introduction to Divine Help! Much LOVE!

…like any other fruit…that of the Holy Spirit will not flourish…unless it’s well watered and tended with LOVING care…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 April 2024 Psalm 34:14.

24 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 34:14.       Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

So friends, Wednesday, our mid-week, catch our second wind day has rolled around, though somewhat cloudy and chilly. But that won’t stop us from doing whatever we have to or need to do in Jesus’ name. Consequently, I went to my Wednesday morning church group, where we usually read some scripture, say some prayers and have communion, nothing very elaborate, but short and sweet. (smile) And believe me, sometimes I think I get more out of the little group, about seven or eight people, than in the big Sunday service, because the small group is much more personal and not as solemn and impersonal as the larger Sunday gathering. 

Today though, we did something a li’l different, we prayed for peace in our world. There were a couple of prayers, but mostly silence as we sat and communed with ourselves and God about the strife-filled world we currently live in and how we can ever get it to be much more peaceful. While doing that, we were supposed to jot down, or journal any thoughts we had on the subject on the mostly blank pamphlet, we had in our hands. To tell the truth, all the pamphlet had on it were these words. A prayer titled ‘Reflections for Peace’ by one Yael Splansky.  

It says: ‘If we pray for Peace. Let us work prayerfully for Peace. If we pray for Justice. Let us work Justly for Justice. Prayer may not change the World, but Prayer can definitely change us, and we with God’s help can change the World, or at least our corner of it.’  And that’s the gospel truth my people. Most of us cannot make any real worldwide changes, but through prayer, faith and God’s help, we can change ourselves and the small bit of the world directly around us. And yuh know that’s all that’s really expected of us; to change ourselves into better, more mature Christians, and help those we come into contact with to do the same. 

However, many of us don’t even want to do that relatively small task, but yet we expect peace and justice to flourish in our homes, our neighbourhoods and our world. That though is a fool’s wisdom, for nothing, no change happens, be it good, bad or indifferent without somebody or somebodies raising their voices and taking action. And I’m chuckling here because when Father Jeff handed out the empty pamphlets and said we should write down our thoughts, I laughed, figuring that I wouldn’t be writing down anything. But lo and behold, I found myself writing a whole lot of stuff that came to mind. And I want to share some of the stuff I jotted down on the subject of peace. 

The first thought was, whatever we pray for, it must begin with us. As Yael Splansky says, whatever we pray for, we must prayerfully work for it. And some wise person once said, if we pray for, or want peace, then peace must begin with us. And it’s oh so true. However, we all talk a good talk about peace, but how many of us, beginning with ourselves, are seriously working for it eh? Obviously not enough, otherwise our world surely would not be as strife-filled, evil and ungodly as it is. 

Then the next jotting was that the Bible also tell us in several scriptures, in no uncertain terms, that peace is essential for Chrisitan living. Bruh David says it thus in Psalm 34: ‘Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.’ (Ps. 34:14) Yes friends, peace is something we must actively seek and pursue. We have to work at it, for it doesn’t come naturally. Bruh Paul meanwhile wrote thus to the Romans: ‘Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest (have regard for good things) in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom. 12:17-18) 

Later in Romans, Bruh Paul also wrote: ‘Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify (build up) another.’ (Rom. 14:19) And there’s yet this scripture from the pen of the Hebrews author which categorically tells us: ‘Follow (pursue) peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’ (Heb. 12:14)  So there are oodles of scripture which categorically state that believers ought to pursue peace as much as they possibly can. 

Then my next note was, ‘You can’t have peace without Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace.’ Now that’s another glorious truth, for how can you have peace in your life when you don’t know or have the Prince of Peace involved in your very life eh? It’s impossible! As Isaiah so wisely prophesied of Jesus: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’ (Is. 9:6) There you have it  friends, if you don’t know the Prince of Peace, then you can’t have true peace. 

And in between the silence we recited these purposeful words of Jesus on the subject. ‘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) Now my brethren, please note that the peace Jesus grants is not the same peace that the world speaks of. Jesus’ peace is way different and certainly more peaceful. It allows us to go through hard and disturbing circumstances in the world without being too afraid or troubled by them. We are concerned, but not worried or afraid. 

And I put it to us, that the peace of Jesus is the first kind of peace we need in this ungodly world. That’s where all peace ought to begin, for without it, no other kind of true or real peace is possible. Unfortunately though, our world is filled with darkness and strife, and so many who don’t know the Prince of Peace, nor the Light, LOVE and Joy He brings to those who accept Him as Lord and Saviour. That brings me to my last jotting; that we who are not physically involved in the strife, don’t care to get involved and thus disrupt our comfortable lives. 

And that’s another gospel truth, even among Christians. So how do we expect to get peace eh? We won’t, unless a majority of us work persistently and sincerely together to achieve it. That’s the long and short of the story. Now, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus! 

As one strong and  sincere voice: ‘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 if we endure right down to the end with Christ, then it’s promised that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine it. so please, let’s be wise and make plans to see that future together! Much LOVE!

…to gain true peace…one must pursue, persist and persevere in attaining it…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 April 2024 Psalm 133:1.

22 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 133:1.      Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Oh Monday… you beautiful day! Thanks for coming around again so that I can get back out into the dark and dangerous world and share the light and LOVE-filled gospel of Jesus with all those I meet; for that’s my major purpose and greatest desire! Ah friends, I wish that we could all truly feel that way as we return to work on this Monday morning, because it’s only through believers like you and I, as we sincerely spread the enlightening words and deeds of Christ that any real positive and productive changes will ever be made in our rebellious and disobedient world. 

For right now Satan and his evil cronies are running amuck on God’s great earth, and we cannot allow that to go on without trying to stop, or at least curb it. Yes, we believers in Christ Jesus need to put up a valiant fight against that overriding evil that’s currently enveloping our planet. We desperately need to do like Bruh Paul did, when he told Timothy: ‘I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:7) And do we ever need to run our race with steadfast faith and trust in Almighty God to help us do His earthly will. 

But because fighting the enemy is not an easy task, we therefore need to do like Bruh Paul also warned Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure harness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ (2. Tim. 2:3) And remember these words of Jesus re 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, that means being willing to sacrifice our own desires every day if Jesus so desires. And this verse of scripture is also a very telling one: ‘And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart) (Luke 18:1) 

However, those are the very problems that Christians are having; we’re either too soft or too afraid to enjoin the battle as needs be with the enemy, while some of us just prefer to enjoy the comfortable life and don’t intend to sacrifice anything and/or engage the enemy in spiritual battle at all. But yet we expect to see positive and productive changes in our society and our world. But that’s just a pipe dream my people, because no war will be one if one party just sits on the sidelines and watches the other plunder the spoils, which is what we Christians are doing to a great extent. 

In other words, our efforts and energy are not good or great enough to make a substantial difference in this spiritual war in which we’re currently engaged, whether we like it, or even want to acknowledge it. The long and short of the story is that the enemy is putting up a better fight than we are, that’s why he’s currently ruling the roost, and the only way to turn that around is for us to get busy and significantly increase our puny efforts as one great body of believers. Remember what Psalm 133 says: ‘Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Ps, 133:1) 

And the awful truth of the matter is that Christ’s church is not living in unity, nowhere near it. There’s absolutely too much dissension and division amongst what is supposed to be a unified whole. And until we seriously recognize that and are determined to do something about it, the enemy will be delighted to see us remain disunited, so he can further divide and conquer us! Church unity is the first problem we need to fix before we can even think of making any successful headway against Beelzebub and his crowd of evil doers. 

Unfortunately, what’s happening is that we are fighting each other over mostly petty and unimportant issues; we’re seeing the individual trees instead of the forest as a whole. Consequently, we’re playing right into the enemy’s hands. That reminds me of the time in the reign of King Jehoshaphat, when several of the enemies of Judah came together to war against them. The enemy army consisted of the children of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. However when Jehoshaphat and the people prayed for protection, the Lord told them through Jahaziel, not to worry, for He would be with them. 

So, the next day, they went out with worshippers in their front ranks singing praises unto the Lord, and He so discombobulated their enemies that they eventually ended up destroying each other without Judah lifting a hand, and they gained so much spoil that it took them three days to collect it. (2 Chr. 20:1-30) Now that infighting between Judah’s enemies resembles what’s happening in Christ’s church today. We’re falling all over each other, trying to gain the upper hand, but sadly the evil one is reaping all the profits. 

But my fellow saints, I’m pleading with us, if not for our sakes, but for those of our children and their children, let’s wake up and smell the proverbial roses nuh, and truly get together as ONE body in Christ, so that we can fight the enemy in unity, for that’s the only way we’ll ever make any headway against him. End of Sermon! Now, for divine help to do just that, let’s go to the throne of grace in humble confidence, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

Altogether: ‘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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And it will be to our benefit if we remember on what conditions God promised to help us; if we humble ourselves turn from our evil ways and sincerely seek his face in prayer! Much LOVE!

…no battle can ever be won…unless there’s unity in the ranks…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 April 2024 Philippians 4:19.

18 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:19.        But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now there’s no rain on this Thursday morning, but the clouds are battling with the sun to see who will win the day. Let’s hope the latter will be triumphant as the Son was against the dark and evil Satan. And there’s no better way to begin today than with a prayer for all that our wonderful God has done for us. It comes from the Between Friends Newsletter published by the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower, and it’s simply entitled ‘A Prayer of Thanks.’ So please pray with me: 

‘Gracious Lord, Thank You for this LOVELY day. I come before You with a grateful heart. Thank You for all of your blessings and goodness in my life. It is only because of your kindness and grace that I am able to get through each day. I give You glory. I give You all my LOVE and adoration. Thank You for LOVING me and forgiving my sins. I want to express my gratitude to You, Lord, for everything You have done in my life. Thank You for being my Provider, I appreciate your works in my life. Thank You for being my Guide and helping me make good decisions. Thank You for being my Sustainer in life. Even when things are difficult, I trust that You are working and that You will always see me through. Thank You, Lord, for all that You do in my life. I bless your holy name. Amen.’ 

Ah friends, like a good cup of tea hits the spot in our stomachs, so that prayer hits the prayer spot in our souls! It seems to cover all of the major elements of our God’s grace and mercy towards us. So, let’s see what scriptures we can find that exemplify some of the things that our God is to us. And I guess the first scripture we should state is the first blessing that the Lord instituted among the Israelites, where He said unto Moses. 

‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put (invoke) my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.’ (Num. 6:22-27) And yuh know what friends, many thousands of years later we are still invoking the Lord’s name over us and receiving His blessings! Give him much thanks and praise! 

And per God’s kindness and grace, I just adore this scripture from Jeremiah’s Lamentations. ‘Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:19-23) Oh my fellow believers, truer words were never spoken! It’s only because of God’s grace and LOVING-kindness that we haven’t been totally destroyed, for that’s what we deserve for our rebellion and disobedience. 

But our God LOVED us so much that He broke His own heart and sent His one Son, Jesus Christ, a sinless lamb to die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven.  As Bruh Paul writes to the Romans, one of my favourite scriptures: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now if that isn’t a true showing, or rather the greatest example of LOVE, then I don’t know what is. And Jesus Himself said it so well: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 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) 

And as for being our Provider, there are so many scriptures on the subject that we can only quote a few, like this one that Moses pointed out to the Israelites: ‘these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou has lacked nothing.’ (Deut. 2:7b) And that was the indisputable truth! They had food, clothing, health and every thing they needed. That’s why Bruh Paul could later on make this astounding but real proclamation: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19). 

And Jesus could confidently announce: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) And you will discover that it’s the gospel truth, if you seek and keep God first place in your life. 

There are also numerous scriptures about God being our guide. Let’s highlight a couple. This one from Isaiah is a popular one: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) And that voice we hear guiding us is the voice of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said: ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what’s mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you’ (John 16:13-14)) So both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our guides in these troubled times, therefore if we need wise guidance, then we must meditate on the Word and listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. 

And as God being our Sustainer, we only have room for a few of the many scriptures that exist. Listen to Bruh David as he says in Psalm 55 – The Plea of the Fearful. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:22) That’s the indisputable truth my people! And Isaiah said it thus: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.’ (Is. 26:3) And Jesus wraps it all up when He solemnly declares: (yesss!!!) ‘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) 

That says it all my brethren! Now let’s turn to those underserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has given us to do His earthly work. Let’s declare them so that they can be activated. As one voice! ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

And having accepted those blessings, we must now go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…like the great planner He is…the Lord has made preparation for ALL of our needs…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 April 2024 Psalm 22:1a.

12 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 22:1a.       My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And the inclement weather continues. What a nice way to put it eh…inclement weather – the constant drizzle and occasional heavy shower of rain, plus the dreary cloudiness, fog at nights and early morning, and what else have you. I do believe that the usual shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been somewhat dampened by the joyless weather, especially those who have slogged through it for the last couple of days. But here’s the best perspective in which to see this inclement weather: the next time we see the sun we’ll be even more appreciative and joyful over it! That’s for sure! So, as the wise ones say, take it in your stride, for this too shall pass. And yuh better believe it most certainly will! 

And the Good Library opened this morning to Psalm 22 – A Plea for God’s Presence. And the scholars say this is a most important psalm, but before getting into their explanations, first, let’s read some of Bruh David’s words. He begins thus: ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring (groaning)? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded (ashamed). But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip (show contempt with their mouth), they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.’ (Ps. 22:1-8) 

Ah friends, I’m sure that on this Friday morning many of us are experiencing a situation not unlike Bruh David’s when he wrote those heartfelt words. But like Bruh David, we cannot afford to give up on our God, whatever reason He might have for not taking us out of our undesirable situations. Remember God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, (Is. 55:8-9) and we won’t always understand His purpose for leaving us in unfavourable situations. And Bruh David continues his plea for God’s presence. ‘But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. 

Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed (surrounded) me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round (have encircled me). They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening (raging) and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels (within me). My strength is dried up like a potsherd (a broken vessel); and my tongue cleaveth (clings) to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 

For dogs have compassed (surrounded) me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell (can count) all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments (divided my clothing) among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (for my clothing). But be not thou far from me, O Lord: my strength, haste to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling (precious life) from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou has heard me from the horns of the unicorns (and from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered me).’ (Ps. 22:9-21) 

Ah mih people, Bruh David must have been having a real rough time of it, to be crying out so hauntingly to God. And no doubt many of us go through similar situations during the endless trials and tribulations of this earthly life, however, the important thing in those troubled and trying times is to keep our focus on our great God, for He will NEVER let us down, but will come through for us when He believes the time is right. You can witness that from the life of Bruh David who went through all types of tribulation, some for cause, and others not so, but the Lord eventually delivered him out of them all, after he had learned whatever lesson the Lord wanted him to learn. 

And the same thing applies to us in these trying and desperately evil times. So let’s not ever give up, just keep on holding on tightly to the Lord of our forefathers, for that is the wisdom of the ages. Now, let’s go humbly, but confidently to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for grace and mercy to help us in these ungodly times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. 

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

And our first act to receive divine help, must be to show ourselves good examples of Christian values to those around us. Much LOVE!

…God will never forsake us…even though He has good reason to…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 April 2024 John 8:12.

11 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 8:12.      I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Ah Lord, why couldn’t today be like yesterday eh? Unfortunately, the bright and warm sunshine of Wednesday has been transformed into a wet, bleak, dreary, dark, uninviting Thursday morning. And yesterday afternoon I so enjoyed sitting on my front porch for the first time this year, very comfortably drinking in the activity on the street, whether they were humans, cars, dogs, or simply Mother Nature. That looks though, like it will just be a one day stand, (smile) as the computer is calling for rain today. But that’s okay, we’ll live with it, for we’ll enjoy the sunshine even more after having experienced the rain. As they say, you can’t enjoy the light, until you’ve experienced the darkness. 

And that’s oh so true, especially when speaking of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Before He came, we were totally enshrined in darkness, without any hope of ever getting out of it, but with His miraculous appearance and formidable actions, we did get out of the darkness into His glorious light! Glory be! As Isaiah so gloriously testified: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath shined the light.’ (Is. 9:2) And that prophesy was certainly fulfilled by the coming of Jesus! 

 As Matthew writes of Jesus’ teaching ministry. ‘Now when Jesus had heard that John (the Baptist) was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up (has dawned). From that time Jesus began preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’  (Matt. 4:12-17) 

Yes friends, there’s no doubt that Jesus came a to shed light on our darkness. As Luke also writes of Zacharias’ speech at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. ‘And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (the Dawn, the Messiah) from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing (manifestation) unto Israel.’ (Luke 1:76-80) 

And we all know that John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, setting the stage for Him, talking of repentance, of baptism and the forgiveness of sins. The words of John the apostle also attest to those facts. ‘There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, (own domain), and his own (his own people the Jews) received him not. 

But as many as received him, to them gave he power (the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on  his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made (became) flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.’ (John 1:6-14) Oh my faithful brethren, Jesus was indeed the One sent by the Father to bring us out of darkness into His wonderful light. 

And if you still don’t believe that He is, was, and will always be the Light of this world, then listen to Him say it Himself. He said to the disbelieving religious sect of the Jews, the Pharisees: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And the Pharisees did not believe, because He bore witness of Himself, or as we would say today, was tooting His own horn. But the fact still remains that if Jesus did not come to earth, die on the cross of Calvary to atone for our sins, then rise again on the third day, so we could do the same, we would still be forever shrouded in the darkness of Satan, the evil ruler of this world, who desires to keep us chained to his evil doings. 

But Christ, the Light of the world, came and set us free! Glory Hallelujah! And to make it even better, He told us that when He left this world, that we, His true followers would assume that  mantle. ‘Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14a, 16) And our God is so wonderful that He even gave us the tools, the undeserved blessings to do the job. We call them our Thursday Blessings, so let’s declare them now, so that they can be activated in our lives. 

As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and put those blessings to work in the lives of others, as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…it’s high time that we Christians behave…like the real salt of the earth…and the true light of the world…

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