Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 August 2020 Psalm 139:14a.

04 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 139:14a.     ​I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
 

Well it looks like this summer Tuesday has begun on a rainy note. Wonder if we’re going to have a recurrence of yesterday with rotating rain and sunshine? It’s an interesting situation if you have nowhere to go or no weather restricting duties to perform. (smile) And thankfully I don’t have anywhere to go, or any weather restricting duties to perform… Chuh! I just remembered I have a church meeting to attend later, but that’s not until the evening time. So I should be fine with whatever happens during the day. 

And do we ever have some interesting facts apparently on ‘Wholeness’ to share with you this morning. And I say apparently because there is no title to the stuff on the piece of paper and no mention of where I got it from. I just found it in my ever-growing, untidy bits of paper with great info. (smile)  

And today’s info goes like this: ‘Your intelligence can guide the Life Energy in your body – I began to teach my body and got marvellous results. Speaking words of Strength and Power. Raise the life in every part of your body. Pray, asking for strength to think only kind, LOVING and sincere thoughts about your body. Release all thoughts of weakness or disease. In steadfast faith, praise and bless the life energy, the cells of your body and mind. Realize Wholeness!!! See Wholeness!!!’ 

That’s it friends! A teaching moment: one to raise your Life Energy and bring Wholeness to your body! But to grow in Wholeness, just like growing in spiritual faith, we have to not only talk the talk but also walk the walk. It won’t happen on its lonesome, but through our actions. So let’s begin teaching our bodies today nuh: releasing all negative thoughts of weakness and disease, while embracing wholesome ones of health in mind, body and soul. Yes, thinking only kind and LOVING thoughts about our wonderfully and marvellously made bodies!

 How did Bruh David put it in Psalm 139 – The everlasting presence and power of God? ‘For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered me (weaved me) in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right (very) well).’ (Ps. 139:13-14) Yeh friends, the Lord made each one of us to be a unique and different individual! We didn’t roll off an assembly line, all one size or kind or whatever. But we each have different characteristics that line up right well with the specific plan God has for each individual. 

And the web site ‘What Christians want to know,’ per David Peach, says these very true and interesting things about verse 14 above. ‘Verse 14 praises God because God created the psalmist, as well as each one of us, in a wonderful way. God made us the way we are and for a specific purpose. When we understand that, then we can have peace that whatever ailments or perceived problems we have in life are there because God ordained them. Let’s look at some beautiful truths that we can learn from this short verse. 

While these truths apply to everyone, only people who have accepted Christ and have become a child of God can truly appreciate all the meaning in these verses. As you grow more in your Christian life you will probably enjoy this verse even more as you look back and see how the Lord has uniquely made you.  Are you completely happy with your body and mind? What about your mental health? Take comfort in knowing God has created you the way you are for a reason. You don’t have to feel undue pressure to be like other people because God didn’t make you like other people.’ 

And isn’t that an awesome truth! You were made ‘fearfully’ – with reverence and respect for God, and also ‘wonderfully’- distinct or unique, which means we have to be thankful and respectful to God for our bodies as well as look after them. For as Bruh Paul says in talking of purity among believers: ‘What? Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) 

Yes mih bredrin! We have been made in the spiritual image of God, so that means our bodies are very important since the Spirit of God lives within them. We don’t even belong to ourselves anymore because we have been bought by the Lord with the precious blood of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and this ought to have profound significance for all believers. 

As Peter puts it in describing God’s own people: ‘ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people (God’s own special people); that ye should show forth (proclaim, manifest) the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.’ (1 Pet. 2:9-10) 

Oh my fellow saints in Christ, we are indeed special; in body, soul, spirt and God’s individual as well as corporate plans! We have been sanctified, set aside for God’s special purpose to proclaim His sovereignty and thus we need to keep ourselves, bodies, souls, and minds as clean and healthy as possible, so that we can do the job to which we have been called in a diligent and excellent manner. That means right eating, enough sleep and exercise, right thinking, reading and meditating on the Word, and generally doing good and showing compassion like our leader and example Jesus did. (Acts 10:38) 

So let’s get all of that going on from today nuh, or improve it with God’s ever-available help. Now it’s time to go home, declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, boldly and confidently telling the world who and whose we are. In strong voice with sincere hearts:  ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

And the natural consequence of such a bold statement is for us to now go out and share that wonderful and amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with those who don’t know or recognize Him as their Lord and Saviour! Much LOVE!

…it’s time to concentrate on wholeness…of body, soul and mind… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 August 2019 1 Corinthians 6:20.

08 Aug 2019 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 6:20.   ​For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
 

Aye mih people, as you can see, we have been blessed with another golden opportunity to spend another day alive and kicking on God’s great earth! Bless His holy name! But please note we’ve not been supremely blessed just to sit on our fannies and have a lazy ole time, but our Creator has a definite plan of action for each and every one of our lives. 

Therefore we are compelled to be up and about His business and not just sashaying along the road of the good life, but making proper use of the short time He has granted us on this earth. So, since the Lord has a plan and a purpose for each life he creates, that means we have to be people with a strong sense of purpose. And what’s that you ask? 

Here is a brief definition: ‘Sense of Purpose (or meaning) is the motivation that drives you toward a satisfying future. It also helps you to get the most from the things you do and achieve – large and small – right now. Sense of Purpose helps you to prioritize your life.’ 

Yes friends, that’s what ALL believers need to have; motivation in and through Christ Jesus so that we can fulfill His awesome plan for our lives, thus giving us a satisfying future right here on earth then in heaven above! Nothing this evil, ungodly world has to offer is better than that friends! 

So we have to get up each and every day with that steadfast purpose of God having first place in our lives. Remember we don’t belong to ourselves any longer, cause we’ve been bought, purchased by the holy, sinless blood of Jesus, a rather expensive purchase too. 

As Bruh Paul proclaims to the church at Corinth: ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor.6:19-20) 

Yes my people, just like Adam sold us to Satan and sin became our nature, in like fashion Jesus bought us back with His precious blood spilled on the cross of Calvary, therefore we now belong to Him and ought to act accordingly. When we were Satan’s, we sinned. But now that we are Christ’s we ought to stay away from sin, be holy and righteous through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit placed there to lead and guide us along the straight and narrow path. 

And the scholars offer these explanations on those two verses. ‘6:19. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost: Not only is the local church a temple of the Holy Spirit (cf.3:16), but the individual believer’s body itself also is a temple of the Holy Spirit.’ 

‘6:20. Bought with a price: The blessed fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit has two sides: one, that He is ours; the other, that we are His. (Glory be!) The believer was purchased on Golgotha’s hill. The price paid was the blood of God’s only Son (Acts 20:28). This has profound significance for the believer (cf.1 Tim.4:10; 1 Pet.2:9).’ 

And since I’m such a sweet and caring soul (smile) I’ll spoon-feed us with a couple of those scriptures the scholars mentioned because I know very few of us will look them up for ourselves. The first is: ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (destroys) the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’ (1 Cor.3:16-17) 

Here Bruh Paul is talking about the local church, not the individual believer, and possibly the destroyers are false believers, who will pay a fearful price for their destruction. And the next scripture is Bruh Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders. ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed (shepherd) the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.’ (Acts 20:28). 

Now let’s see what Peter has to say on the subject. ‘Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed (purchased) with corruptible (perishable) things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation (aimless conduct) received by tradition from your fathers; 

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest (revealed) in these last times for you. Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.’ (1 Pet.:18-21) 

Yes friends, to satisfy God’s holiness and justice, Jesus paid the price for our sins with His precious blood. Therefore, let’s never forget that we now belong to Him and are required to do His bidding. As Bruh Paul reminds us one more time: ‘Ye are bought with a price; be not ye servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.’ (1 Cor.7:23-24) To have long lasting peace and joy, one needs to stay in constant communication with Almighty God!

Now let’s go home declaring (yehhh!) our Thursday Blessings which Jesus in His wonderful generosity has granted us. All together now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

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

And I’d certainly be amiss and negligent in my duty, if I don’t remind us that those blessings weren’t granted for us to selfishly hoard but to generously share with others. (smile) So let’s go out and do that nuh, so we can truly warm the cockles of Jesus’ aching heart. Mucho Amor!

…the believer’s purpose…to serve Christ unselfishly…in any area in which he’s called…