Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 April 2016 Luke 9:23‏

13 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Luke 9:23.   And he said to them all, If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Well, well my people, it’s another bright, sunshiny day in the life! Let’s hope it’s at least a tad warmer than yesterday, as we hopefully move into true spring-like weather by the weekend. And all God’s people in the northern climes declared a loud ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Yeh friends, the crazy weather fluctuations do begin to get frustrating after a while. However, the good news is that it’s Wednesday, and therefore we are bold to confess and declare our Wednesday Wail. So as one good wailer, let’s wail nuh mih breddren, with sincerity and a true sense of purpose. 

‘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!’ 

Oh friends, that was beautiful! I could hear the sincerity in our delivery. And why shouldn’t  there be sincerity eh? We’re alive and kicking, doing our best to be Christ-like and mature more and more in our Christian walk of faith each day. 

We know what Jesus has promised and what He’s already done for us, therefore we are standing strong and steadfast in His Word, doing His will and looking forward to the wonderful future He has planned for us, not only in the many mansions in heaven, but also down here on earth. 

And yes my people, as Bruh David said, he don’t know what he would have done, had he not expected to see God’s goodness and LOVING-kindness down here. And Jesus also declared that He had come that we might have life, and have it abundantly. 

So earthly living, though it can often be rough, is not meant to be a hell on earth, but more a heaven on earth! Therefore let’s get our minds focused on God’s goodness down here nuh, not simply on the rough spells we sometimes must go through. 

Remember, life might not be fair, but God is GOOD my people, and if we live sincerely for Him, He will pour our His blessings on us. 

And in light of all of that, it is imperative that we do as our Bit dictates. ‘And he said to them all, If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ 

Oh precious people, I know that sounds somewhat harsh and laborious, but it really isn’t, because the essence of taking up one’s cross daily and following Jesus is simply living in His will; trying to do what’s right, reading the Bible, praying, fellowshipping, maturing, treating others as we want them to treat us. It’s just the everyday things of Christian living and discipleship. 

Now, no one says it’s easy, but with God’s help it is doable, and yuh better believe, it’s always interesting. So please, let’s not allow the idea of taking up our cross daily, yes daily, turn us off. The important thing is to put Jesus FIRST in ALL that we do and say. For as He said yesterday, whoever puts anything or anybody before Him, is not worthy of Him. (Matt.10:36-39) 

And today, He is telling the disciples to not be afraid of what man can do to them, because our heavenly father has us covered, so much so that even the hairs on our head are numbered. Sorry for those of you who have no hair. (smile) 

So with truth, sincerity and power, Jesus declares: ‘Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered (veiled), that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the air, that preach ye upon the housetops. 

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell… 

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.10:26-28; 32-33) 

Ah mih people, it couldn’t be any clearer than that nuh. Don’t be afraid! Jesus said that numerous times to the disciples, and He’s still saying it to us today. But unfortunately we don’t seem to have the faith and belief and spunk that the disciples eventually gained, because we are not standing up as strong as we ought to for Jesus. 

We are allowing the evil and ungodly world to just dismantle all that our Christian forefathers spent their lives building without a serious fight. We need to put up friends, or simply shut up! 

And we’ll close with some interesting explanations from the scholars. ’10:32-37. Confess me means “Acknowledge that you belong to Me.” In reality, secret discipleship is a practical impossibility. Jesus constantly called for an open confession of Himself by His followers. 

That our confession is to be before men clearly indicates that a public confession of true Christian faith is a virtual necessity. The warning whosoever shall deny me is a comprehensive historical aorist (no limitation) tense, referring not to one moment of denial (such as Peter’s), but to an entire lifelong resistance to Christ. 

Therefore, a single act of denial does not make one unworthy of being a disciple, but a refusal to confess Christ at all, eliminates one from being a true follower of Jesus Christ.’ 

There we have it friends, in black and white! We cannot continually deny Jesus and expect to be His disciple. We must acknowledge Him without fear of reprisals. For He has promised to never leave nor forsake us, and to be a true believer, we must accept Him and His words as gospel truth. Otherwise, we’re just fooling ourselves, and that’s a real sad thing to do. Much LOVE!

…walking sincerely with Jesus is often a hard row to hoe…but hoe it we must…and with the Lord’s help…hoe it we will…  

P.S. Late though it be, it’s value is still priceless. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 September 2014 Psalm 111:10‏

20 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 111:10.  The fear of the Lord (an awe-filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
 

Well Friends, it’s another brand new day that we’ve been privileged to see! Wow! All praise and glory that our wonderful God has not taken away the breath of life from us! And for that, we shall indeed be very thankful!
 
That means He still has some purpose for our lives here on planet earth, so let’s offer up all the praise and thanks we can, and as one joyful body in Christ, sincerely declare: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we shall all rejoice and be glad in it!’
 
And that’s exactly how it ought to be my people, because the Lord gave us life so that we could be joyful and enjoy it. What did Jesus say? That He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
 
Therefore we ought to rejoice and give thanks each and every day that we open our eyes and discover that the awesome breath of life, the Spirit of Holy God is still flowing through our mortal bodies.
 
So what are we waiting for eh Friends? Let’s jump for joy, dance and sing, and give thanks and praise to our wonderful Creator for all the blessings and mercies He’s continually showering down on us!
 
And let’s also take our Bit to heart. ‘The fear of the Lord (an awe-filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever,’
 
Oh my brethren, when we do that, then we’ll know that we are on the right track, because having a sincere reverence towards Almighty God is the first step to Christian maturity, to true wisdom and understanding!
 
It’s a two pronged instrument my people; fear the Lord and keep His commandments, then you’ll be on the right road, the straight and narrow one, to wisdom and understanding. That’s because true wisdom and understanding emanate directly from Jehovah God! He is the fount of it all!
 
And how do we access that wisdom and understanding? By focusing on God and reading the Good Book! For the Bible is God’s Word to us, still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages. And furthermore, please remember that ONE TRUTH from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man. Glory Hallelujah!
 
That’s why James tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him.
 
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
 
Now that’s the gospel truth my brethren! For whatever situation we’re facing, to come up over it wisely, we need to go to God, who is so generous, and without reproach too. But we have to do it in strong and constant faith, not in a wishy-washy, wavering, neither here nor there attitude.
 
And that’s why so many of us are so lost in this evil and ungodly world. We either completely refuse to go to God, and go to mortal man instead, foolishly figuring that he, who cannot control his own days, has the answers. Or we go to God without true faith and confidence.
 
I like how Cousin Sol declares it in chapter 8 of Proverbs – wisdom is everlasting. ‘O ye simple, understand wisdom (prudence): and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart…. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.’ (Prov.8:5,10-11)
 
Awesome truth my fellow believers! And here is the reward for heeding wisdom. ‘When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward (perverse) things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the forwardness (perversity) of the wicked.’ (Prov.2:10-14)
 
Now Friends, I’m sure that all of us would dearly LOVE to walk that upright kind of path in our lives. And we can all do it, if we embrace the living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with reverence and sincerity, while following His commandments as best we can, making praise and thanksgiving an essential and integral part of our existence.
 
And we’ll go home with these fateful words of the Preacher: ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ (Eccl.12:13-14)
 
Oh Friends, those are words of absolute and indisputable truth! So let’s get our act together nuh man; let’s seek true wisdom and understanding by sincerely serving and worshipping the wonderful God of our forefathers. For there’s none else like Him; a living, faithful, generous, merciful, forgiving, ever-LOVING and omnipotent God!
 
So if we want to have a truly enjoyable life, then let’s wake up and smell the coffee nuh people! (smile) Hn, hn! It’s been a while since I last heard that expression. But a couple of days ago, I heard my sister-in-law use it, and it reminded me of when my grandfather Bill, would boil his coffee every morning in the orange juice tin, you’d stay down the street and smell it.
 
So let’s inhale that refreshing aroma this Saturday morning nuh mih breddren, and take a strong and faithful stand with and for Almighty God! Much LOVE!
 
…Praise ye the Lord…shout Hallelujah…I will praise the Lord with my whole heart…in the assembly of the upright…and in the congregation…  (Ps.111:1)