Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 July 2019 Isaiah 51:12.

30 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 51:12.    ​I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.
 

Welcome friends and neighbours to a wet and cloudy Tuesday morning, the penultimate day of July 2019! It might not seem like a beautiful day, but it is another day in the oh so small number of days in our life basket – like a breath of air compared to the life of the universe! So please let’s be determined to rejoice and enjoy it nuh, for that’s why the Lord gave it to us, and if we don’t, He will be heartbroken! (smile) 

And since I know that sometimes the cloudy weather depletes our natural enthusiasm and energy, I’m here to day to help us build up both. Now Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) claims that ‘Enthusiasm begets energy. Success depends on positive energy that enables you to stick with it. Energy that is positive is energy fed by enthusiasm. 

Enthusiasm produces such positive energy that even when you’re physically exhausted you can’t wait to wake up the next morning to climb to a higher ledge. Positive energy moves you forward. Enthusiasm lifts you higher. Success becomes self-perpetuating. Negative thinking fatigues you, but positive energy replenishes you!’ 

So let’s see if we can’t get some positive thinking in our spirits today nuh, so that we can replenish what the negativity has lost. And we’ll begin with this short prayer from Gramps Schuller’s Hour of Power Devotional. Please pray with me: ‘Jesus Christ, come into my life. Flush all negative thinking out of my mind. LOVE people through me. 

I believe you are coming into me now in the form of God-filled ideas. I know I have enormous undiscovered, untapped energy within me. I feel young, I have energy, I am energetic. Thank you for this vitality and strength of mind and body. Live within me, O God, and do good works through me. Thank you again. Amen!’ 

And if you were sincere in that prayer, then friends, I can guarantee that you now feel much more positive and enthusiastic about your life and whatever difficult circumstances might be currently swirling around you! I certainly am more encouraged and enthusiastic! I just have to go and find a suitable Bit now to keep our engines running on positive energy. Soon come! 

And it didn’t take me long to find this most interesting and encouraging scripture from the book of the prophet Isaiah, where he promises, in the Lord’s name, that the faithful, who are first called to courage, WILL be comforted. ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass. 

And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready (when preparing) to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?’ (Is.51:12-13) 

Wonderful questions those are my people! The fury of the oppressor has been stilled by the victory of Christ over him! Thus we have no need to be afraid of his satanic majesty. And even before that, both the psalmist and Isaiah had given us reason not to fear. 

In his declaration of thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation, the psalmist confidently proclaimed: ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?’ (Ps.118:6) Not a lot friends. He can kill our bodies but not our souls. Only the Lord Jehovah can kill both, so we ought to be more concerned with His wishes. 

And Isaiah, while talking about comfort through trust in the Lord, made it very clear when he cried, that: ‘All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness (loveliness) thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit (breath) of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.’ (Is.40:6-8) 

And that my brethren, we all know as gospel truth! The world shall pass away, but NEVER the word of our Mighty Jehovah God. Now let’s turn to the New Testament for a couple of scriptures of comfort and encouragement. First off, listen to Bruh Paul to the Corinthians: 

‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of god.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4) What a brilliant strategy my people! Our God comforts us in our times of trouble, so that we can comfort others, in their troubled times! 

And Peter adds his two cents worth: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet.1:3-5) 

Yes friends, treasures and rewards, incorruptible and undefiled are stored up in heaven for those who believe and run the great race of faith through the salvation of Christ! Wow! What can be more encouraging and comforting that eh? Absolutely nothing! So please, let’s put all this fearful and negative thinking out of our minds, bodies and souls, and instead rejoice in the positive things that the Lord has done for us, and also has stored away in heaven for us. That’s the whole purpose of our faith! 

Consequently, let’s go home now in excellent, positive spirits, as we declare (yeh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know who and whose we are. All together in unison and harmony now: ‘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!’ 

Oh my precious peeps, with that positive spirit now flowing and flowering through our souls, let’s go out and share Jesus’ great LOVE and friendship, like He desires of us nuh! Much LOVE!

…when one sincerely serves Jesus…there’s noting to worry about…because He has all the bases covered…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 November 2018 Romans 8:28.

27 Nov 2018 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.
 
And the spinning wheel spins…but no one knows where it’s going to stop! And isn’t that the awesome truth friends! But thankfully our spinning wheel has stopped on Tuesday…and hooray! The rain seems like it’s finally stopped too! Praise be!

Brother! Yesterday this area was as dreary and gloomy and rainy as I’ve seen it in some time! I went out in the morning in rain…came back in rain. Went out in the evening in rain…came back at midnight in rain! 

Chuh! And it wasn’t even like it was good showers but a puerile, incessant drizzle, which is more annoying than a big shower, which just comes down and stops.

Today has opened dark and cold, let’s hope it’s not more SAD weather. (smile) Anyhow, to conquer all of that negativity, here is an interesting prayer from Gramps Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. He calls it, ‘A Prayer for Hope.’ And do we ever need hope in these trying times! 

Please pray with me: ‘I have a strong, serene feeling that God is planning something good for me today. I cannot explain it, but I have a deep feeling that wonderful things are in store for me. I am expecting God to surprise me with His tender mercy. He will turn my hurts into halos. He is guiding my life in such a way that whatever happens to me will prove to be a beautiful blessing. Thank You, Lord. Amen!’ 

And that’s what hope is friends, a positive expectancy that God is working on our behalf! Bless His Holy name. As Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say: ‘Something good is going to happen TO ME today…Something good is going to happen THROUGH ME today!

That’s how we need to feel each and every day my fellow believers. I know it’s not always easy to be upbeat and positive, but the more we are, the better our lives will be. 

And please remember that great promise of the Lord’s that gives us eternal hope. Bruh Paul reminded the Romans of it: ‘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.’ 

Yeah friends! What a mighty promise that! And if it’s one thing we’re very sure of is that our wonderful God keeps ALL of His promises! Glory be! So let’s ride on that sure wave nuh, like a surfer seeing a big one coming and just dying to ride it. Once we LOVE the Lord and are called to do His work, He will eventually work out everything for our benefit. The catch there is that oftimes backbreaking word ‘eventually.’ 

The Lord does His work in His time, and nothing is really going to change that. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts, wisdom and knowledge are greater than ours, so we just have to be patient, persevering and long-suffering and wait for Him to work His work. It’s not an easy row to hoe, but in the end it will work out magnificently, if we don’t lose heart and faint or give up. 

And the only way to overcome all the heartache, trials and pain my people, is to have the attitude that it’s all for our benefit, to grow and mature us, to make us more Christ-like. Remember we can’t grow unless we face some adversity, since we don’t truly grow in the good times. 

But the Lord NEVER gives us more than we can handle, and even when it seems so, He’s ALWAYS there with a helping hand to take us through the flood and the fire! Oh my brethren, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! Give Him some much deserved praise and thanks nuh! 

Ah friends, when we are the called, the elect, the saints of God, we LOVE Him with such a fierce and undying fervour, that no matter what happens we’ll NEVER leave His fold! As Job said so magnificently so long ago: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways (defend my ways) before him.’ (Job 13:15) 

What a powerful statement my people! Like the scholars declare, those first words of that verse ‘express the unquenchable faith of one who lives by faith, not by sight. Even when it appears that God Himself has turned against Job, he will still trust God.’ Oh my faithful brethren, can we say those words and mean them? We ought to be able to as true believers in Christ. 

And as Bruh Paul explains to Timothy: ‘(God) Who hath saved us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world (time) began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:’ (2 Tim.1:9-10) 

Yuh see friends, our omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God has it all planned out: from day one to the last day, it’s only a matter of waiting on His timing. And believe me, there’s no better dramatist than our God! If you haven’t observed that in your own life, then you’re not truly involved with Him, you’re not paying proper attention. End of sermon! (smile)

Now let’s go home declaring (Yay, spelled it right!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the world know who and whose we are. In powerful unison now and strong sense of purpose:

‘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 if we truly mean it, then let’s go out and do it nuh! Much LOVE!

…oh…the innumerable and immeasurable joys…of LOVING and serving Jesus…they can’t ever be quantified or qualified…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 August 2018 John 17:16.

03 Aug 2018 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.

Ah friends, it’s a sad day when bodily aches and pains contrive and conspire to drive you out of your bed! But that’s what came against me this morning. I got up around 5.30 to go to the bathroom and found I could barely walk the few feet to it. And that’s after going to bed around two thirty in fairly good shape. Every joint was crying out in resistance. Then when I went back to bed I couldn’t find a comfortable position to get back to sleep. 

But with the Lord’s help I weathered it and did get some more spasmodic rest. However, the aches and pains in my back, both knees, both hips and both shoulders refused to go quietly into the sunrise, (smile) and I eventually got up somewhat earlier than I had planned. 

But brother, what an ordeal! And I’ve been taking the pain pills fairly regularly. So why this painful episode now eh? Steups! But yuh know what? The aches and pains won’t keep the ole fella down for long. He’ll rally and fight back. And with the Lord’s help we’ll win, because the Lord has promised that nothing that comes against us will conquer us. Glory be! 

And it’s Friday, Caribana Friday to boot, Toronto’s big day in the worldwide spotlight, so you know the workingman will be out and about blaring his song to all and sundry! ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Caribana Friday! A long weekend…and official time to play true leggo beast! 

Yuh going to see we out on the boulevard tomorrow in we pretty costume…with the music blasting…and we doing we thing, getting down and wining, showing off we bumbulum and having a rollicking good time! Oh people, oh people, is Caribana weekend, the summer soon done, time to get out and have some fun, and thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends, especially the long ones!’ 

Yeh mih breddren, we must give thanks for our days off from labour, but we don’t need to go that far out on the limb like the workingman, where the evil one can easily get a foothold in our affairs. But like Jeeves says, a modicum of circumspection is necessary. 

And it’s strange how life changes as one gets older. At one time Caribana was a big deal for me. Now I don’t even remember that it exists. That’s because I can’t handle all the walking and jammings again, as well as it has lost its flavour. It’s not as nice and authentic as it was before. 

I’m not even enthusiastic this year to go to the Steelband Competition, the only aspect I support these days. I haven’t even heard from my buddy Bas, who usually goes with me. But who knows what will happen. It’s still early times. And don’t tell me that I’m getting old and cold, because I’m not. (smile) 

Anyway, in response to the workingman’s song, let’s chant our more sedate and less frivolous Friday Chant. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. 

Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’ 

Yes my people, in Jesus organization, we don’t behave like the world, that’s ruled by the prince of darkness behaves. As Jesus prayed to the Father on our behalf: ‘I have manifested (revealed) thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them (to) me; and they have kept thy word… I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine…

And now I am no more (longer) in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost (destroyed), but the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot); that the scripture might be fulfilled. 

And now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray NOT that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (one). ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth.’ (John 17:6, 9, 11-17) 

Oh friends, yuh see how important Jesus thought we were? He spent the whole of chapter 17, 26 verses praying for us. Even for the believers who’d come down through the ages (vs.20). He asked the Father not to take us out of the world, but to keep us filled with His joy and to set us apart from the world, so we don’t get too contaminated by it. 

Now we do have to be in the world, otherwise how would we bring the lost and suffering to Him eh? But we don’t have to be a part of the world, meaning doing the things the world does, or living the way it does. We’re special friends. And we need to know it and behave accordingly! 

As we said yesterday, we’re ambassadors of Christ, therefore we have to behave in a special way, a way that glorifies and exalts His Holy Name. And we definitely can’t do that by behaving the way the world behaves. So let’s up the ante nuh, let’s raise our level of excellence in doing Jesus’ work, otherwise we won’t be His fruitful and efficient ambassadors, like we’re supposed to be. Much LOVE!

…serving Jesus in this evil world… is not easy…but it sure is worthwhile…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 September 2017 John 14:6.

13 Sep 2017 Leave a comment

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

John 14:6.   I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Oh friends, it’s one of those days; the ole fella does not know what to say this Wednesday morning. Hn! Imagine that nuh! (smile) 

I slept the night away and got up feeling worse than when I went to bed. Can you believe it? But that was just my ignorance, for I knew that if lay in bed too long my back would act up something terrible. 

But I just refused to get out of the bed. If people could lie in bed for ten to twelve hours straight, why couldn’t I do it for a mere five or six eh? And now I’m paying the price. But that’s okay, because I have a rather appropriate quote for us from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ Poster. 

It says: ‘No one is guaranteed happiness. Life just gives us time and space. It’s up to us to fill it with joy and meaning.’ End of story! 

Yeh friends, it’s up to us to make our lives as joyful and meaningful as we can. Nobody else can do that for us. We have to put in the effort to make our lives whatever we want them to be. And believe me, that’s not always easy, since most of us want to live what is considered the high life, which is not easy to attain or maintain. 

But I’ll let us into a li’l secret here (smile)… serving Jesus is the way to live the best life possible here on earth, and even into eternity. And if you doubt that, hear what He says in our Bit. ’I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ 

What an awesome statement my brethren! But it’s true! NO ONE else has ever made, or been able to make such an enormous and truthful proclamation! Only through Jesus can we gain access to our heavenly Father. 

Remember how it was before Jesus? There was a heavy veil that covered the holy space of God within the tabernacle and only the high priest could enter there once a year to make sacrifice and atonement for man. 

But note when Jesus gave up the ghost on that cross at Calvary, the Good Book declares: ‘And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain (torn in two) from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent (split).’ (Matt.27:51) 

Yes my people, the tearing down of that oppressive veil opened the way for each and every one to come to the Father through Jesus! Wow! How amazing and reassuring is that eh? From then on Jesus became our high priest and heavenly intercessor, giving us individual access to the Father. 

And all of that was done out of the Father’s great and unconditional LOVE for us, His sinful and disobedient children. That’s why we should be eternally grateful to both the Father, who offered His only Son, Jesus, as a living sacrifice, and to Jesus who willingly paid the enormous price for the cleansing and washing of our abominably sinful souls. 

Only Jesus, the sinless One, could have paid the exorbitant price the Father required to wash our sins away. And now we refuse to live for Him, abuse His holy name, doing our best to remove Him completely from our society. What ungratefulness my people, what ignorance and foolishness! 

Please note what’s happening to our society as we try to remove God from it. Our lives are getting rougher and tougher despite all the supposed amenities we now have. Nobody is really happy, and we have to work harder and longer to just make ends meet. 

It just goes to show that the physical things and the ungodly lifestyle that the world wants us to adopt are not the panacea for earthly living. JESUS IS! And until we get around to truly believing that and living it, our world won’t get any better. In fact we’ll just keep wallowing in the mire of sin and ungodliness and keep being unhappy and strife-filled. 

Oh friends, I don’t know what else to say to make us believe that Jesus is the WAY nuh. I guess most of us won’t give Him a try until we hit rock bottom. But don’t worry, whenever and however we come to Him, He will always receive us with open, LOVING arms, for that’s how magnanimous He is. 

But please don’t put it off until it’s too late. He is coming back a second time, in all His magnificence and splendour, and if you’re not a member of His flock then, you will be eternally separated from Him and the Father, and end up on the outside looking in. And I can guarantee that that won’t be a very good situation. 

Now for those of us who sincerely believe, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail as we go joyfully marching home. (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!’ 

Oh, how great it is to live for Jesus! Much LOVE!

…hope has a new name…that name is JESUS…