Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 June 2022 Psalm 119:9.

11 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:9.      Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.​

Can you believe it friends, Friday actually remained bright and sunny for the entire day, and Saturday, our lazy day, has also opened with bright sunshine. Let’s hope it stays that way all day though. (smile) But with the contrariness of the weather system these days, who knows. Anyway, as we rest and contemplate life, let’s also ponder on these quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

And the first one tells us: ‘Always desire to learn something useful.’  Now that’s certainly very good advice, because learning useless things will not enable us to handle the difficult and scary situations we will all face in life. And the best place to begin learning useful things is from the Word of God; His undiluted, unadulterated Word found in the majestic and marvellous book we call the Bible! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this outstanding advice from Psalm 119, where the author confidently declares: ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.’ (Ps. 119:9) 

Yes, my fellow believers, if God’s word found in the Bible is our guidebook for living, then that’s the best place to find useful knowledge. And remember what Cousin Sol says in the first chapter of Proverbs. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov. 1:7) Oh yes, acknowledging the sovereignty, awesome power, majesty and goodness of God is where all wisdom, understanding, knowledge and wise counsel begins, for He is the fountainhead of it all! 

And one of the ways the Good book teaches us to live and operate is highlighted in this next quote: ‘The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.’ Now is that ever so true. And one thing we Christians are very good at is talking, but we’re not so hot when it comes to walking our talk, especially in the tough times. We talk a whole lot about God and faith when things are good, but when problems arise, too many of us jettison or forget the faith we spoke of when things were going well. 

We get angry with God, wonder where He is, and why He allowed such nasty things to happen to us? But friends, in the tough times is exactly when we got to go to God, cry out to Him for help, show the true colours of the Christian faith we profess, not blame and blaspheme Him, like so many of us do in those difficult times. 

But even on a worldly level, the best way to get started on anything at all is to cut down on the talking and get some action going. You’d be surprised how action … can’t find the word I’m looking for (smile) but once you begin doing, it sort of just continues on its own accord. It’s one of the principles involved in building, in growing…the first step is always the most difficult. Thereafter it gets comparatively easier. And it’s ever so important that we believers stop the plentiful talking for which we’re known, and begin doing more action, for which we are not so well known. 

James, Jesus’ brother says it quite well when he talks about faith that works in his epistle, James 2:14-26, which can be summarized by ‘show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.’ (James 2:18b) Oh friends, one of the ways to know true believers is by the works they do based on their faith. As Jesus said: ‘Wherefore by their fruit ye shall know them.’ (Matt. 7:20) 

And the next quote says: ‘It’s almost always possible to be honest and positive.’ I guess that contains a certain amount of truth, but we need to remember that positivity doesn’t work for honesty alone, it also works for dishonesty. The most evil people in our world are some of the most positive, totally believing in the rightfulness of their cause. And in the kind of evil and fraudulent world in which we are currently living, it’s much harder to be honest and positive, for everywhere we turn lies and deceit greet us with opened arms. 

But this next quote will hopefully help us to handle that last one. It tells us to ‘Find joy in the simple things.’ And that’s excellent advice, for our world has also become so complicated recently with so much information and knowledge available on so many different things, that many of us have a hard time understanding it all and thus making good decisions which bring us satisfaction and a joy in living. However, if we concentrate on the simpler things of life, it’s easier to find satisfaction and joy in them. We don’t have to get into all the convoluted stuff that’s going on around us. A basic understanding of it is quite sufficient. 

To tell the truth, that’s how I try to live my life these days. I endeavour to know what’s happening, but I don’t let it all get into my soul and spirit. I choose the parts or aspects that are necessary and just concentrate on those. Thus, I have much less confusion and dismay in my life. However, don’t ever forget that Jesus must be an integral part of it all, otherwise you won’t be successful. 

That brings us to this last quote. ‘Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.’ Again, there’s lot of truth in that statement. We ought to live the dreams that the Lord has put in our hearts. As Bruh David so rightly said in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:4) However we do need to remember that sometimes the Lord allows problems into our lives to test and push us forward. 

As they say, problems are a method of growth, of advancement. And whenever we solve a problem, it automatically increases our understanding and helps us to grow. And you better believe that in going after our dreams, we will encounter problems, so it’s necessary to keep an open mind when it comes to problems, for they can be very useful in our growth and Christian walk of life. Much LOVE!

…Jesus had plenty problems here on earth…but He solved them through faith, works and the Father’s help…and so can we… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 May 2022 Proverbs 13:20.

21 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 13:20.     He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Well hello there Saturday, you beautiful day! Yes, right now you’re somewhat cloudy, but I’ll take you every time, because you’re mine to do with as I please! When you come around, you make no demands on my time, you allow me to do whatever I want; eat, sleep, party, laze around, go out, stay in…it’s all up to me! So why wouldn’t I cherish you eh? In whatever form you come, rain, shine or snow, you’re still Saturday, and mine to do with as I please. (smile) 

But yuh know what? I just realized that statement was not quite true, for on Saturdays we have to check out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us during the past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. (smile) But we can live with that one li’l thing, can’t we? Oh yes! And this first quote falls right into our wheelhouse. ‘Every day, do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow.’ Now that’s not rocket science, just simple common sense. Whatever we do today, ought to help improve our tomorrow, otherwise it’s not worth doing. Why do something consciously that will spoil our tomorrow eh? 

Unfortunately, a lot of us do that because we don’t think before we act. We don’t sit and wisely consider the consequences of our actions. That’s not wisdom my people. Look here, the world will bring enough unfortunate circumstances to our tomorrows without any help from us. So, starting today, right now, let’s promise ourselves to think before we act. Before we make any decisions, let’s ask ourselves, will this improve my tomorrow or make it worse, will it improve my testimony for Jesus or detract from it? Remember we’re supposed to be living for Jesus, so whatever we do is very important in His scheme of things. 

And the Good Book gives us so many warnings on the subject, especially in Proverbs 13:16-25,  where Cousin Sol, the wisest man ever, contrasts the doings of the wise and the foolish. Please listen closely to this warning. ‘Every prudent man dealeth (acts) with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.’ (Prov. 13:16) In other words, ‘Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.’ Then hear this other snippet of wisdom nuh. ‘He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.’ (Prov. 13:20) 

Yes friends, as our parents use to tell us: ‘Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.’ And that’s no lie, for we say a lot about ourselves with the friends we choose. And today’s second quote is like the first. (smile) ‘Always desire to learn something useful.’ Now that’s common sense at its best! What’s the point of learning something that’s not useful eh? None whatsoever! But that’s today’s style. We fill up our heads and time with a lot of nonsense, stuff that serves no useful purpose in our lives. 

Just consider the amount of foolishness, outright lies and other ‘unuseful’ stuff that’s floating around the internet and social media nuh…But we just lap it up willy-nilly, without checking to see if it would be of any benefit to our personal situations. We get so immersed in it that it begins to dictate our thoughts and lifestyles. All this nonsense about influencers and people getting so many likes on their posts that are invariably doctored or simply untrue. Do we know who these people that are paid big money to influence us really are? No! Ninety nine point nine percent of the time we don’t. But we allow them to influence the way we live. That’s utterly ridiculous and foolish my fellow brethren in Christ. 

The only thing we need to influence us is the BIBLE; the Word of the Lord! It’s the believer’s guidebook and thus contains EVERYTHING for successful living down here on earth…and up in heaven too. That’s what we ought to be reading and following, not the nonsense that’s being prevaricated by the ungodly world as truth and wisdom! Don’t forget these marvellous words of truth from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ (2 Tim. 3:16-17) 

Yes friends, ALL we need for living is found in the Lord’s Word! Then there’s this quote. ‘Don’t let one cloud ruin your whole day.’ That’s more wisdom in spades my people! So often we allow one mishap to ruin our entire day, especially if it happens early in the day. Somebody offends us, or we do something wrong and we spend the rest of the day being offended or mad at ourselves, and consequently we are unable to do anything productive, making it a wasted day. As we said earlier, life will bring us enough problems, we don’t need to go out of our way to make our own. So please, let’s stop making one cloud ruin our day nuh, stop letting one, usually unimportant circumstance steal our joy which comes from Almighty God. 

And no, all that we’re saying isn’t always easy, thus, as the next quote wisely tells us: ‘Be patient. It won’t happen overnight. Just hang in there and have faith that it will work out.’ That’s the gospel truth friends. Nothing worth having comes quickly, therefore we must be patient and persevering if we truly want whatever it is. Failure is oftentimes also a big part of the process. But we need to get back up and continue our efforts every time we fail. Remember the saying: ‘Failure is not really failure until you stop trying.’ 

Yes, only when we stop trying can we say that we’ve truly failed, for if we get back up and keep running our race, there’s always the chance for success. And as always, Cousin Sol has something to say on the subject. ‘For a just (righteous) man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) Yes friends, we can always trust Cousin Sol to have a word for us in good season. (smile) 

Then this last quote says it all my people. ‘The only thing we never get enough of is LOVE; and the only thing we never give enough of is LOVE.’ And there’s no doubting those words of wisdom, because if there was more LOVE in our world, both given and received, it would not be in the shambles that it’s currently in. For LOVE truly makes the world go round, it brings out all the Christ-likeness in us. But hate, like what our world is currently filled and overrun with, merely brings out the strife, resentment, envy and all the other negative and evil things of the enemy. It causes nothing but destruction! 

Look at how long it takes to build anything, but then look at how quickly it can be destroyed. LOVE focuses on building, but hate concentrates solely on destruction. And I believe these words of Jesus, as He explains about being the good shepherd, admirably convey that sentiment. ‘The thief cometh not, but for (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) 

Ah mih people, Jesus indeed came to build not to destroy. He wasn’t a thief, but a good shepherd. And good shepherds build, look after and save their flocks. And Jesus said it quite plainly. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And building can only be accomplished through the spreading of LOVE. So please, please, let’s remember that my fellow saints in Christ and go out into the hating world and spread LOVE, the LOVE of Jesus, so that we can counteract the destructive hate of the enemy. That’s what Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!

…what the world needs now…is LOVE sweet LOVE…it’s the only thing…there’s just too little of… (Jackie DeShannon) 

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

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   5 March 2022 Romans 8:28.

05 Mar 2022 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:28.      And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

It’s a late rising, lazy Saturday morning friends, as you can no doubt guess by the tardiness of the Bit. (smile) The sun’s shining brightly, and though the spirit is willing, the body is tired and needs some rest. And in this busy world too many of us don’t get enough rest, which is essential for our souls, bodies and spirits to function efficiently in the Lord’s will. 

Please note that although Jesus was God, as a man He too needed to rest, in all aspects of the word; meaning physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, because our beings are not made to drive on without being recharged. And this Lenten Season is a most appropriate time for us to rest and be recharged through greater intimacy with the God of our fathers. So let’s rest if we must, but please, let’s never give up! 

And having made that crucial point, (smile) let’s turn to our usual Saturday doings, that of looking at quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And this first one is certainly a good fit for our current situation. ‘You’re going to go through tough times – that’s life. But I say, ‘Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.’ See the positive in negative events.’ 

Now that’s the indisputable truth my people! Our world calls for tough sledding, and if some of us didn’t know that before, we surely know it now with all the tough times caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the many other problems our world is currently facing. But if you are a true believer in Christ, you will already know that life’s no easy matter, no Sunday stroll in the park since even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ faced rough times in His earthly sojourn, and also warned us about it when He said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

Yes, my fellow believers, that’s a scripture we need to hold on to for dear life if we expect to make it through these tough times in one piece; safe of body and sound of mind! Our Lord and Saviour has already overcome the world by dying and rising from the dead to live forever, and we will do the same thing if we cling to Him and what He stands for. But we need to both believe it and put it into action in the way we live our lives, looking for the positive even in the most negative events, and trusting our Saviour to work it all out in our favour. 

And we also have this magnificent scripture in the words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome to back it all up. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) It’s all there friends, written into our faith, we just must develop the ability to handle it, and that can only come through a strong and sincere walk with Christ. 

And this next quote is also rather appropriate for our times and this season of Lent. It says: ‘Reflection is looking in so you can look out with a broader, bigger, and more accurate perspective.’ Yes, that’s the purpose of reflection in general, and in particular, the serious inner look we take at ourselves during Lent. Technically speaking, reflection should be an ongoing process, but in Lent we just take time to focus more fully on what’s truly going on within us, re our walk with Jesus, and how we can straighten it out to His satisfaction. Remember, EVERYTHING we do ought to involve God in it, so it follows logically that any time we reflect, God should also be involved therein. (smile) 

That brings us to these next two quotes which intertwine, and we’ll thus take as one. The first one advises us to ‘Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your Vision is the promise of what you shall one day be. Your Ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.’ And the second says: ‘Big thinking precedes great achievement.’ Now both of them contain aspects of truth, but they leave out the most important aspect of our dreaming and our big thinking; that’s the presence of Jesus Christ in it ALL! 

Oh my fellow saints, we can dream as big as we want and have the utmost vision for our lives, but if Jesus Christ and His will are not included in those dreams and big thinking, if He is not the main focus in them, then it will be all for nought! For He is the Only One who can really make the desires of our hearts come true. Remember these marvellous words of advice and encouragement from Bruh David in Psalm 37. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires off thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him: and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:4-5) 

Yes my faithful brethren, that’s the ONLY way to get those big dreams and lofty thinking that we all engage in to be truly successful and last forever. With Satan, you might accomplish some stuff, but you will first have to sell your soul to him. But please note these important questions that Jesus posed on the subject. ‘For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’ (Matt. 16:26) Now those are questions for us to seriously ponder. 

And furthermore, whatever Satan offers is always like a house built on sinking sand, a flimsy structure that will eventually be washed away. Meanwhile, what you get from Jesus is always built on solid rock and is never destroyed. Yes friends, all other ground beside Jesus is sinking sand. As Bruh Paul says in 1st Corinthians: ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor, 3:11) That’s another scripture for us to write indelibly in our souls and spirits this first Saturday in Lent my people. 

That brings us to the last quote of this week: ‘It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.’ And that’s totally true. It’s always easier when we begin teaching the children from a young age, inculcating the proper values and teachings of Christ as it were on a clean slate, a clean palette. That means there is no other information or values already planted that we have to first remove before we can plant the new stuff. But that’s what we must deal with when we try repair broken men. We first have to clean them up, remove all the satanic and evil stuff that’s been embedded in their souls and spirits probably for a long, long time. 

Now that takes a lot of work. But Jesus can handle it. That’s what He’s equipped to do; to repair us broken human specimens! That’s why He came to earth: to save us, to repair the brokenness that eons of sin had created in us, right from the days of our forefather Adam down to these evil and ungodly times that we are now experiencing. 

And what better way to end today than with these magnificent and encouraging words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘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) 

Now whether you believe it or not, that’s the truth; the immortal and eternal truth! And my hope for all of us today is that we sincerely believe it and live accordingly. Much LOVE!

…as the song says…NO Jesus…NO life… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 February 2022 James 4:17.

19 Feb 2022 Leave a comment

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

James 4:17.      Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Oh brother, I’m certainly getting tired of all this whiteness around me yes! I know that white implies clean, but the whiteness I’m talking about isn’t cleanliness but snowiness! (smile) Yes, just when it got warm and some of the snow melted, the temperature dropped and more snow fell. Steups! Not as much as the previous time, but snow fall is snow fall! (smile) But then again, it’s winter in Canada, so what do we expect but snow and cold temperatures? 

However, regardless of how long you live in the snowy climes you never get accustomed or acclimatized to it, or like it, unless you are one of those who participate in winter sports. And I guess that’s because it disrupts your everyday life, by having to clean it up, dress warm and snugly to ward it off and then the serious problems it can cause walking and driving through it. Oh, it certainly looks clean and beautiful when it first falls, no denying that, but its aftermath can be rather frustrating and dangerous. 

But enough of my griping about the snow, let’s do what we do on Saturdays, that’s check out the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week. Unfortunately, I’ve only gotten three quotes, and one of them, he’s already sent us. So let’s begin with that one nuh. It says: ‘Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching.’  Now we all know that’s true, and it doesn’t hurt, but rather helps to hear it again, so we can write it indelibly in our hearts and souls, since it’s an attitude, a virtue that is so sadly lacking in our society today. 

A lot of people don’t even know the word, much less what it means. How sad eh? But unfortunately, that’s the way of our current world. Wish we could teach that in our schools and universities, but we won’t, because the leaders know that it would just devastate, or ruin their evil and sinful hold over the ungodly society that they have forged. However friends, it’s the job of true believers in Christ, to live a life of integrity and thus teach it to those with whom we come into contact. That’s the only way to mitigate the lack of integrity in our world today. 

Sadly though, a lot of us supposed true believers don’t actually live lives of integrity, but foolishly go along with the greed, lusts and deceits that the world has made more important than godliness and righteousness. But don’t worry, it will all turn around and bite us at some stage of our lives, come back like a boomerang to haunt us, for remember, in God’s economy, we reap what we sow, and according to Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) ‘more than we sow, and later than we sow.’ 

So please, those of us who know that we’re not living lives of integrity, let’s wake up and change our course nuh. Remember it’s doing the right thing. And what does James say about doing the right thing when one knows it. ‘Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’ (James 4:17) That says it all my people! And leads us right into the next quote, more about integrity, since it seems Anselm is on an integrity kick these days. (smile) Nothing’s wrong with that though. In fact it’s a good thing, since it might just cause some of us to change our less than stellar ways. 

And the quote says: ‘The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.’ Now I don’t think we can find any fault in that quote, because it’s absolutely true! I guess that’s why Jesus told His disciples: ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’ (Matt. 19:24) That’s because many rich people don’t have any integrity, and are more concerned about themselves and their wealth than in helping their fellow man. 

But let’s remember that it’s the humble and spiritually impoverished that Jesus came to save, not the haughty and wealthy. And the good thing about this life is that we don’t have to be wealthy to have integrity and treat others in a good and positive manner. Whatever our station in life, it behooves us to treat our fellow man decently. For remember the warning in the Good Book. ‘Let brotherly LOVE continue. Be nor forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ (Heb. 13:1-2) 

Yeh friends, integrity is simply showing brotherly LOVE and kindness to those around us. And since we never know with whom we’ll interact during our everyday journey, it’s always better to show brotherly LOVE and kindness, than resentment and disdain. 

That brings us to this last quote…a long one too. (smile) And it says: ‘One of the greatest things you have in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be. You’re the one who’ll decide what you want to be. Respect yourself and respect the integrity of others as well. The greatest thing you have is your self-image, a positive opinion of yourself. You must never let anyone take it from you.’ 

Now, let’s see if we can break that down. As per the first part, theoretically, you have the right to decide what you want to be, but in reality, everyone believes they can tell you…and even force you to be something that you don’t want to be. And that includes our parents, the government, the church, our friends and family, even total strangers. Now sometimes we listen to what others say, and sometimes we don’t. However, if we aren’t kosher with whatever we choose to do, we will not put the necessary energy and passion into it to make it successful. 

That, I believe, is the main thing; doing something that will light up your energy and passion! And in doing what you are passionate about, it’s essential that you keep your self-respect and integrity, as well as not be disrespectful of others around you. For without that positive sense of self, you won’t get anywhere far or worthwhile in God’s eyes, though possibly in the eyes of the world. But who’s opinion is more important to you eh? That’s the crux of the whole matter! 

According to who’s opinion you value the most, that’s the way you will live your life. Let’s hope and pray that we will all value the opinion of our heavenly father so much more than that of the world, for therein lies true wisdom. Much LOVE!

…living right…it’s so much easier and more productive…than living wrong… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 September 2021 Mark 9:23.

18 Sep 2021 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 September 2021   Mark 9:23.

​Mark 9:23.      If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 

So at last it’s Saturday – and a nice sunny day in God’s universe, at least in my area. (smile) So what plans have we for this new day, so beautifully clothed in God’s new mercies and compassions eh? I do hope it’s something that involves Him, and will eventually bring Him some glory, or at least have others leaning towards Him. Why is that you ask? Because our earthly purpose is twofold; to communicate with God personally, and to live a life that will have others want to come to Him! It’s as simple as that! In whatever we do, be it great or small, God must be involved in some form and fashion. That’s just the nature of things. 

But enough talk yes, let me get to what I have to do this Saturday morning, which is share and try to explain, in a Christian and biblical light, the quotes we got from our friend Anselm this past week. And I’m chuckling here because they are all interesting and I don’t know where to start. But Chuh! Let’s take the bull by the horns yes, and start at the first one. (smile) And that says: ‘Sometimes it’s better to take a leap of faith and just believe what you hear instead of trying to find the story behind it.’ 

Now that’s a tricky one, because taking a leap of faith is ofttimes good, but under what circumstances? And I definitely won’t endorse believing whatever you hear, especially in these times of false news, disinformation and outright lies flying around like crazy. I would strongly advise that you hear the story behind the situation first, before you even consider taking a leap of faith. Yes friends, with all the stuff out there right now, that has such beautiful outward covering, but in reality is only a façade, it’s downright easy to take a leap of faith right into the welcoming arms of the devil in hell! 

So please be very careful, for I don’t know if we’ve ever seen such a time like this one with so much fraudulent and deceitful stuff everywhere. Meanwhile, the next quote tells us: ‘We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea.’ So we come to that scary word again, ‘change.’ A lot of people are afraid of it, sometimes with good reason, since change can turn your life topsy turvy and leave you not knowing where to go, or what to do, even place you in some dreadful dilemma. 

That means change is another aspect of life that you must tread carefully on. But by the same token, you cannot afford to stay stationary, remain forever in the same womb-like state, for life desires change, is made up of change. But change that’s made with some amount of wisdom and common sense. We can’t stay in our comfortable cocoon all the time, or we will never see what God’s great universe has to offer. But we can’t venture on the big sea, without first having a good idea of how to handle the small pond. 

And we do need to make changes as life moves along, sometimes even big ones, but as we said earlier on, Jehovah God must be involved in all we do, if we are to make right decisions and fulfill the plans and purpose He has for our lives. But please, don’t go making changes just for the sake of making changes. Don’t follow the crowd, as so many of us are doing today. Don’t follow those they are now calling ‘influencers.’ Steups! Those making money off of foolish and ungodly lifestyles. And the sad part is that most of them can’t even run their own blooming lives. But they are influencing others with a whole lot of nonsense. That’s partly why our world in in such an ungodly mess! 

And it’s a sore point with me, so let’s move on to the next quote, which says: ‘Keep going. Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.’ And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! We grow more in times of adversity than in the good times. As they say, what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. And if you are a child of God, you will undergo adversity. Jesus said it loud and clear. ‘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) 

So there’s no need to consider whether we will or will not have troubles, for they are inevitable in a sinful and evil world such as ours. But when you have Jesus as the Lord and Saviour of your life and His Holy Spirit leading and guiding you, you can handle any adversity that comes your way, because He has already overcome the world. Thus, these reassuring words from Bruh Paul to the Corinthians. ‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’ (2 Cor. 4:8-10) 

Yes my brethren, it’s the old adage: You live for Christ, suffer with Him, die with Him, and be resurrected to new life with Him! But then, that takes a whole lot of believing, and our last quote tells us that: ‘Believing involves thinking, talking and acting as though you have already received what you’ve asked for.’ Only if you are a believer in Jesus Christ though! And only if it is within the will of God! Listen to these words of Jesus to the father of the young man who was filled with a demonic spirit that His disciples could not cast out. ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.’ (Mark. 9:23-24) 

And the scholars explain that last verse thus: ‘9:24. He (the father) had a certain faith, but it was confession of his undeniable inner turmoil and doubt that marked his faltering faith as truly authentic, if imperfect trust. Before God honesty is a wise course.’ Yes friends, when we come to God it is always best to bare our souls and hearts before Him, as He will be much more open to helping us when we do so. 

And when the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out the demon from the boy, Jesus said to them. ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible to you.’ (Matt. 17:20) It’s all about belief and faith my people. In the world, seeing is believing, but in God’s economy, believing is seeing. You don’t see until you believe. 

That’s why the Good Book tells us that: ‘Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) And also: ‘And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) 

And we going to leave with this last but oh so important scripture that applies to all of us. They are Jesus’ words to Thomas when he had to see Jesus before he believed in His resurrection. ‘Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Please let that be food for thought this weekend my fellow saints. Much LOVE!

…we walk by faith…not by sight… (2 Cor. 5:7)                                                                                                                 

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