Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 August 2015 Psalm 4:7-8‏

26 Aug 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 4:7-8.   Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn (grain) and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. 

And then it was Wednesday! Yes Friends, another cloudy looking day in my neck of the woods, with highs only going up to about 20 C. Can you imagine that it’s not quite the end of August and I had to shut my windows last night because it was a bit on the chilly side? 

Chuh! The summer looks like it has come and gone, but it was never really here. (smile) And come September, right after Labour Day, we know that the big chill begins. I don’t know if we’ve had two weeks of truly hot days altogether this summer. But them’s the breaks, we just have to deal with them as they come. 

That’s one of the many blessings of being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ; we have the God-given propensity to deal with whatever comes our way, knowing that our Father in heaven is constantly watching over and looking out for us. 

And all God’s people declared a loud and proud, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and goodwill to all!’ Yes my people, on Jesus’ behalf, that’s what we’re spreading; glory to God, and peace and goodwill to all and sundry. 

Now since it’s Wednesday, let’s wail our Wednesday Wail nuh. As one wailer now. (smile) ‘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!’ 

Ah mih breddren, I can’t tell you exactly how glorious that future with Jesus will be nuh, but if He’s promised it, then in His utmost and awesome faithfulness, He WILL keep His promise. No need to worry or be fretful and anxious about anything. 

As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say, the best way to live this earthly life is to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. And that is gospel truth my people! 

Now let us take a gander at our Bit, the same most worthy scripture of yesterday. ‘Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn (grain) and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.’ 

Oh my people, there’s such joy and peace, such a release of worry and tension when we place our sincere and complete trust in Almighty God! When we truly surrender our lives to Him, a shade of grace comes over our lives. Glory to God! 

For in our obedience He does put gladness in our hearts and allows us to dwell here on earth amongst the heathen and the infidel with confidence and true spiritual strength. No other supposed god really does that, but our Jehovah. 

And when Isaiah promised that the Prince of Peace, our Messiah would come to save us, he confidently declared. ‘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 the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation and not increased (increased) the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy of the harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil (plunder).’ (Is.9:2-3) 

Yeh Friends, that awesome promise was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth in the form of a human being and took all our sins on His person, gave us a bright light shining in the oppressive darkness of the evil world, and filled our hearts with inconceivable joy and peace. Mama Mia! 

Oh what a wonderful day that was! But we can’t enjoy that joy and premium harvest unless and until we put our sure trust and faith in Him. It’s God’s basic law; whatever you sow, that shall you reap. So if you don’t sow belief, obedience and trust, then you won’t reap the bountiful harvest of joy and gladness and bright shining light. It’s as simple as that my brethren. 

And as Bruh Paul was saying to the people of Lystra, before they stoned him and carted him out of the city and left him for dead. ‘Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.’ (Acts 14:17) 

And the scholars explain that verse thus. ’14:17. Even though all men have not received the special revelation of God’s written Word, all have received God’s general revelation which is witnessed through the creation and man’s own nature, making man without excuse if he rejects this (Rom. 1:18-20: 2:14-15). Romans 1 states that the context of general revelation is that God is holy and all-powerful. Acts 14:17 further states that He is good.’ 

Yes Friends, our God is certainly holy and all-powerful and good, and has made that known to all mankind. We reject His holiness and goodness at our own peril, jeopardizing our salvation and eternal life. And if you read the references above, you will better understand what it’s all about. 

Now my fellow believers, please let us get ourselves together on this faithful Wednesday morning, and wisely and faithfully appreciate and glorify and LOVE and worship and give sincere thanks to the Most High God, the Lord of Hosts, as we are supposed to do, for that is indeed wisdom of the highest order. Much LOVE!

…it’s proven fact…that when we praise, worship and magnify God…we prosper, have joy and gladness and peace…so why be foolish and do otherwise eh…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 May 2014 Luke 2:40

28 May 2014 Leave a comment

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

Luke 2:40.   And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Oh Friends, it’s such a joy to be able to sit on my front porch or back deck, in very little clothing, and just enjoy the heat of the sun pulsing through my arthritic body! Glory Hallelujah!

I’ve done that for the last two afternoons, and is it ever wonderful to actually feel the sun’s heat, not just see it shining brightly, while shivering from the cold that envelops us. It seems that at long last some truly summer weather might be upon us.

But please don’t get too excited and carried away Friends, for the weather people have forecasted lower temps until the weekend. I guess with the ever-changing weather patterns, that’s the new nature of the beast. Anyway, there’s not much we can do about the weather, but once we ‘re standing steadfast in faith, we will be able to deal with whatever comes our way.

Now here’s an interesting prayer from one of my favourite preachers, Gramps Schuller (Robert H. Schuller) from His Hour of Power Devotional. I think I might have shared it before, but that’s neither here nor there, because prayer is always fresh and timeless, regardless of age or how often we say and hear it.

And this prayer is titled ‘FILL ME!’ Wow! Even the title sounds good! (smile)

My people, let’s pray: ‘O Lord, like the thirsty deer which goes to drink from the mountain spring; like the growing flower which turns hungrily to the satisfying sun; like the empty pitcher which is carried to the fountain to be filled; so I come, O God, knowing that in this time of prayer my soul will be filled with your LOVE and your truth. Thank you! Amen.’

Yes my brethren, I surely hope that the Lord did fill you with His goodness, His mercy, forgiveness, peace, LOVE and whatever else you need to walk in faith with Him today. That’s why His mercies and blessings are new every morning; to give us our daily bread and lead us safely along life’s very treacherous paths.

And to show how our great and generous God fills us with what we need, let’s look at a couple scriptures, beginning with our Bit. ‘And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.‘

Oh Friends, that’s Jesus, the Good Book’s talking about, after He was presented to the Lord at the temple and Simeon had His prophecy fulfilled. (Luke 2:21-40)

And before that, almost the same thing was said about John the Baptist. ‘And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing (manifestation) unto Israel.’ (Luke 1:80)

The scholars note though: ‘2:40. Jesus’ progress may be compared with that of John (1:80). The former overshadows the latter from the very start.’

And that was how it should be! Our God doesn’t leave things to chance, but has a set plan for everything. We even have Jesus, in the Beatitudes talking about God filling us. ‘Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt.5:6)

And the psalmist proudly proclaims: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’ (Ps.107:8-9)

Then we have Bruh Paul preaching at Lystra, before they stoned him and left him for dead. Hn, hn! What a man was our Bruh Paul my people!

‘(God) Who in times past (past generations) suffered (allowed) all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling out hearts with food and gladness.’ (Acts 14:16-17)

Then we have him praying for the inner growth of the Ephesians. ‘That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph.3:17-19)

Now that was Bruh Paul’s general style; praying that his people would be filled, infused with the knowledge of God. And my brethren, there’s no doubt that our God fills us with whatever we need to walk holy and faithfully before Him.

And we’ll close with a scripture from the earliest of times, when the Lord was instructing Moses about the building of His tabernacle. This refers to the craftsmen. ‘And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship… and in the hearts of all that are wisehearted (gifted artisans) I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee.’ (Ex.31:1-3,6b)

See mih Friends, right from the beginning, God gave us the tools to do whatever He asked of us, and it hasn’t changed up to this day, and never will. That’s because He’s just that kind of God; kind, just and wise, empowering us to do His bidding, because He knows, without it we’ll fail miserably most of the time.

Therefore don’t be afraid to ask Him to fill you with whatever you need to do His will. You’ve got to ask, if you want to receive. Jesus said it. That’s means it’s heavenly wisdom. Much LOVE!

…for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord…as the waters cover the sea… (Hab.2:14)

P.S. Please excuse the lateness, but I went to bed late, got into a good novel (smile), then some fool or crook called on the phone around two a.m, and thinking that it must be something important at that hour of the morning, I answered it, only to get an annoying beep for my troubles. Chuh! That certainly didn’t help my sleep any. But not to worry, it’s all good! Much LOVE!

















 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 April 2012 Hebrews 6:15

25 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hebrews 6:15.       And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a wonderful morning, with all those new mercies and blessings pouring down like rain from heaven on us! Do you feel them? I sure do! So much so that ‘I’ve got a joy deep down inside of me that makes me want to shout how good God is to me!’ Wow! That’s the way all believers ought to feel my people! Those words are the chorus of a reggae song I heard last night, and though I think I’ve shared it with you before, the feeling is so right that I felt compelled to share it again. Yuh know, we talk constantly about the joy of living in and for Christ, but not enough of His followers actually experience it and then show it to an evil, ungodly, unfriendly world. Too many of us Christians go about looking sad and miserable, as though we’ve lost our best friend, instead of being joyful that we’ve found our Best Friend, Jesus, who sacrificed His sinless life for us, and promised never to leave or forsake us. Remember His words to His disciples: Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:13) Well that’s what He did, and thus considers as friends, all who believe in Him. Consequently, the problems of the world should never be too big to hide, to conceal, or destroy the well-being and wonderful future that faithfully living for Jesus provides. We know it’s not an easy path to tread; one filled with numerous potholes and dangers lurking around every bend. But as our Bit says: ‘And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.’ Oh my brethren, that’s a guarantee which applies to all staunch believers, from Father Abraham, through Jesus, right up to us today and those to come! If we stand steadfast, strong and true, trusting and believing in Jesus and His Word, then regardless of what calamity we encounter, we will be well rewarded in the end. We know that no great thing can be accomplished without some failure and heartache, but if one perseveres, instead of quickly giving up, then eventually our efforts usually meet with success. The same goes for the Christian life my Friends. Living for Jesus is a great and worthwhile endeavour, but it also means there will be bumps of various sizes along the way. But with Jesus’ help, we can surely overcome them. Hear this apt scripture of Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians, re encouragement in persecution. ‘We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is meet (fitting), because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity (LOVE) of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; so that we ourselves glory in (boast of) you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure; Which is a manifest token (plain evidence) of the righteous judgement of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense (repay with) tribulation to them that trouble you.’ (2 Thess.1:3-6) Yes Friends, that’s the kind of witness believers must be prepared to undergo for Christ’s sake. Remember what He suffered on our behalf, and also that we can never repay Him. In fact He doesn’t desire repayment, just a little thanks and gratitude, shown by our behaviour towards Him and each other. Now listen to this scripture of Bruh Paul to the Colossians, where he’s talking about prayer for spiritual wisdom. ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us to) be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE):’ (Col.1:9-13) Oh my people, are we sincerely working towards and praying for those godly attributes? We surely should, because it’s noted again where believers ought to suffer trials with patience and joy. Jesus did it, and though we’re not in His class, we can all try to attain to a high standard in that respect. And we’ll close off this series of Bits on patience and all its variants with some thoughtful and encouraging words from James, re patience in affliction. ‘Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman (farmer) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish (establish) your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (has come near)….Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy (blessed) which endure. Ye have heard of the patience (perseverance) of Job, and have seen the end of (intended by) the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful (compassionate), and of tender mercy.’ (James 5:7-8,10-11) Yes Friends, let’s get out into this wicked, ungodly world and show them that Jesus’ people are made of sterner stuff than them, and that we can handle anything they throw at us, because we have our Lord, Saviour, Master and glorious Advocate, Jesus, working for and protecting us! Much LOVE!…if you’re not in sync with Jesus…then you’re easy pickings for Lucifer…