Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 March 2021 John 13:34.

09 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 13:34.     ​​A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.

Well, it’s a bright, spring-like morning…notice I said spring-like, not spring, (smile) because the warm day time temps we’re currently having are only a façade, for winter is not quite over yet. I’ll take that intermittent break though from the cold winds which March usually bring, but it’s not enough to lift my spirits this morning, for I discovered yesterday that the eldest of my younger sisters had suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. And I use that description because I have a sister that’s older than me. (smile) 

Oh friends, it’s difficult when anyone passes away, but even more so when they do so unexpectedly and also alone, with no friends or family around to wish them a pleasant and speedy journey to the hallways of heaven. That’s apparently what happened to my sister, Cheryl Brown a couple of days ago. From all reports she wasn’t sick unto death, just had a case of bronchitis, but when she could not be reached by phone and they went to check on her she was found unconscious and passed away soon thereafter. 

Some of you might be wondering how come I’m talking about sisters when by nature I’m an only child. Well that’s one of the Lord’s greatest miracles in my life. Some fifty odd years ago when I went to live in Jamaica to attend the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, the Brown family kindly took in a penniless son of Tobago, put a roof over his head and fed and nourished him with both food and family LOVE! And thus they became my family, for which I will be eternally grateful and dread thinking of how much rougher my life would have been if they had not taken me in. 

Yes, it’s true that Cher (my nickname) and I always had a contrary relationship, and that’s normal in most families, but when it really mattered, the LOVE always shone through. She had a heart of gold, though she worked overtime to make it seem otherwise. Adult life wasn’t always easy for her, but she persevered and made her family proud by representing Jamaica at several United Nations talks, while ending up as a working lawyer. I heard that she was up and about even during the pandemic with her two bad knees. But that’s the kind of persevering person she was. 

And she will definitely be missed by her two grown daughters, her granddaughter and her three younger sisters, plus her wide-ranging extended family. Cher sweetheart, you always knew your big brother LOVED you, and I will certainly miss the interesting conversations we had every so often; the last one being a couple of months ago when we spoke about my trying to contact you on what’s app and you kindly, but firmly informing me that if it wasn’t working the way it was, then too bad, because that’s exactly how it would stay. 

Ah mih sister, so sad you had to go so early, but I do know that you were prepared because Jesus was always in your heart, thoughts and actions, and that it will be a wonderful reunion with your parents, Aunt Ames (Amy), and Uncle Aubs (Aubrey) in the hallowed halls of heaven. We miss you, and will always remember your kindness and compassion, but we know that you are in a better place now, free from all the problems of this earthly life, so please rest in peace and enjoy the wonders of heaven with Jesus. 

Oh my fellow saints, it brings tears to my eyes when I remember the unexpected kindness and LOVE of the Brown family so long ago. They didn’t know me from Adam, yet took me in, while paying for Cher to live on the campus. And no, they weren’t wealthy, just ordinary hard working, kind-hearted Christian people. I remember the times when I’d complain that my mother wasn’t sending me any money, and Aunt Ames would quickly shut me up by asking, ‘How can she send money when she doesn’t have any eh?’ 

That’s the kind of down to earth people they were. And it’s stuff like that, that has made me the person I am today. How can I be anything other than kind and compassionate when so many people down through the years have been so good to me eh? And in these troubled times, that’s the kind of reaction we Christians need to show to so many who are in need. Yes, some of us might be in dire need too, but as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, ‘The best way to forget about your problems is to go and help somebody else.’ 

And it’s quite true, when you’re helping others, your problems don’t seem quite as worrisome, and then God turns around and helps you. And it’s all a function of LOVE my people! Jesus said it so plainly: The first and great commandment was to LOVE God with all you had, then the second was to LOVE your neighbour as yourself. (Matt. 22:37-40) And later on, even when He gave them a new commandment, it was still based on LOVE.‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.’(John 13:34) 

Yeh friends, all that we do in Jesus’ name should be based on the characteristic of LOVE. Why? Jesus gives us the answer. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:35) Plain and simple friends. Meanwhile, John, in his first epistle tells us that God is LOVE. ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God.’ (1 John 4:7) That means God’s redeeming LOVE, not just mere human LOVE. 

And why is LOVE so important in our lives? Because it’s God’s major characteristic. Why yuh think He sent His sinless son to die for us eh? Because He LOVED us! And Bruh Paul in his famous dissertation on the way of LOVE in 1 Corinthians 13, declares (ah Lord eh!) that though one has everything else but no LOVE, then you’re useless. Read that chapter and you’ll see why Peter echoes Cousin Sol in Prov. 10:12, when he says: ‘And above all things have fervent charity (LOVE) among yourselves: for charity (LOVE) shall cover the multitude of sins.’ (1 Pet. 4:8) 

And it surely does my people, meaning that LOVE forgives! Covering sin is basically forgiving it, not sweeping it under the rug, but confronting it, then forgetting it, not bringing it up all the time. And then there’s James’ two cents’ worth. (smile) ‘Let him know, that he which converteth (turns) the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide (cover) a multitude of sins.’ (James 5:20) 

That says it all friends! LOVE should be the number one driving force in our lives! Our lives should reflect a strong LOVE walk! And having acknowledged that, let’s go home now letting the whole world know who and whose we are, by declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra in strong voice with sincere hearts. 

‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

So what we waiting for eh? Time is short. Let’s get a move on and share Jesus’LOVEwith the world nuh!Much LOVE!

…and now abideth…faith, hope, LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor, 13:13) 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 March 2021 James 1:17.

02 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

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

James 1:17.     ​Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning.

A good Tuesday morning to all you my beautiful, wonderful and faithful friends in Scrip-Bit Land! Grace and Peace, Mercy, LOVE and Friendship to us all from our heavenly Father. And as James, Jesus’ brother puts it: ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning.’ (James 1:17) Wow! And isn’t it good to hear that ALL good things come from our heavenly Father, our God, Creator and Redeemer! But what does all of that mean eh? And we have plenty info to share on all of that. (smile) 

Let’s begin with this general description from the gotquestions.org website. ‘It would be reasonable to conclude that the title “Father of lights” in James 1:17 communicates the idea that God is the author of all that is not darkness. There is no sin or transgression in Him. Everything represented by light is exemplified by God. Integrity, loyalty, honor, glory, wisdom, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), compassion, and LOVE are all qualities of God and examples of spiritual “light.” 

Physical lights, too, owe their existence to God: the starry heavens and the planetary kingdoms are all created by the Father of lights for His glory and purpose. As the Father of lights, God embodies all that is good and right. Just as God is LOVE (1 John 4:16), so God is light (1 John 1:5). God does not merely possess LOVE and light, as though they are qualities that can be taken away. God is LOVE and light, which makes Him the Father and originator of all lesser lights.’ So technically speaking, God has everything to do with the light we enjoy, be it physical, spiritual, emotional, or whatever! (smile) 

Now let’s look at the part about variation and changing, as the scholars talk about the Immutability of God. ‘1:17. Since all changes are either for the better or for the worse, God is unchanging because He is perfect and cannot get any better nor become worse. The Scriptures describe God’s nature, will, and character as immutable or unchanging. Illustration: To be immutable, however, does not mean to be immobile. God also has the qualities of personality and can act, think, create and make decisions. Application: God is unchanging; therefore Christians can depend on His LOVE and power, because God has not changed since biblical times (First ref. Ps. 9:7); Primary ref. James 1:17; cf. Lev. 19:2).’ 

And all God’s people gave out a loud, and grateful shout of ‘Glory Hallelujah! All praise and honour to the Most High God Jehovah! The First and the Last! The Alpha and Omega! Who was, is and always shall be!’ Yes friends, we’re so blessed to have the Lord God Almighty in our corner. I just wish many many more of us would realize it and accept His free and wonderful gift of salvation through His amazing and awesome Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour! 

Then there’s also this explanation from the scholars. ‘1:17. Three great principles are presented: (1) God is the Father, or Creator, of the heavenly bodies. (2) As their Creator, He is certainly more stable than they. With God there is not even the slightest change; He is immutable. (3) God is only good – and always good. This third principle relates verse 17 to the preceding context. It answers the implication of verse 13 that God may sometimes tempt man to evil. Though God tries the saints (John 6:6; Heb. 11:17), He NEVER tries with evil intent so as to tempt them.’ 

And now that we’ve got that straight, (smile) that our God never tempts mankind with any evil intent, I guess we should go back and look at the previous verses that could cause some of us to think differently. James says: ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.’ (James 1:12) 

And the scholars offer this explanation for that verse. ‘1:12. Mankind understandably may look on tragedy as the curse of God, as Job’s friends did. Trials are, however, the means through which God’s blessings can come. One’s endurance in and victory over trials bring God’s blessings. Christians, therefore, are not instructed to seek avenues of escape. God desires that they mature in the situation than move from it (cf. Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Pet. 1:6-7). 

He does, however, promise to provide an escape if the testing becomes unbearable (1 Cor. 10:13). God’s people need to meditate more on James 1:12 than 1 Corinthians 10:13. The reason for this, and why God allows trials in the lives of his people, is revealed in the Mosaic Law. ‘That he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end (Deut. 8:16).’ 

Oh my brethren, it’s in our own interest that we endure trials rather than always trying to escape them, for maturity, spiritual growth and heavenly blessings come when we endure temptations. And that’s why it’s suggested that we meditate on James 1:12, which encourages us to stand strong under the temptations, rather than 1 Cor.10:13, which talks about finding a way to escape them. And that’s definitely why a lot of us are not more blessed and spiritually mature, because we always seek the easy way out through escape. 

And James continues: ‘Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust (desire), and enticed. Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death.’ (James 1:13-15) And that’s the gospel truth! 

Now please pay particular attention to these explanations from the scholars as they provide some very important points about trials and temptations. ‘1:13-15. The temptation of verses 13-15 differs from that in verses 2-12, as the context shows. Here the source is identified as internal, from one’s own lust, and the outcome is death. In verses 2-12 the “temptations” or trials have an external origin in that they fall on man. The trials of verse 2-12 cannot be avoided, so believers are encouraged to endure them, and mature as a result. 

The temptations of verses 13-15 must be avoided, according to God’s express commandments (Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). The progression of sin, from temptation to death, has an analogy in the physical life cycle: conception, birth, maturity, and death. James uses words with the same Greek root in verses 2-12 and 13-15 to express different concepts. Outwardly, trials and temptations may appear the same, and what may start as a trial may develop into a temptation, if not properly answered by the Word of God.’ 

Mama Yo! It’s a lot to take in, but we need to get serious and do take it in, for our eternal destiny and rewards depend on how we handle these consummate forces of earthly life. And it will also do us a lot of good if we check out some of those many scriptures listed today. It’s plenty for us to ponder today, and I never intended or expected to get into so much stuff, but that’s where I was led. And as faithful children of God, I know we can handle it. (smile) 

Now let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. In strong, sincere voice: ‘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!’ 

So what are we waiting for eh? Let’s go and do it nuh! Much LOVE!

…life is full of lusts and temptations…but with God’s Word in our hearts…and His divine help…there’s no need to fear…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 February 2021 Job 13:15a.

23 Feb 2021 Leave a comment

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

Job 13:15a.     ​Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:

And after the snow comes the mild temperatures…then comes the snow again! I guess that’s how life is, how the Lord orchestrated it to happen; feast then famine, sorrow then joy, one good then bad and so on. But throughout it all He expects us to have a good attitude, to trust Him to work all things out together for our good, as His faithful promise proclaims. (Rom. 8:28) 

And yes, that good attitude is not always easy to come by, especially when the evil and trouble of the world comes against us, but if we are sincere in our trust and belief in Christ Jesus, then we will be able to do it; He will empower us to come up higher in His name. But we have to reach that level of faith where we know that we know that we know ALL His promises are faithful and leave it all in His mighty hands. 

Oh friends, we need to reach the level of faithful maturity so that we can say like Job, when his whole world suddenly came tumbling down. ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly (accused Him with wrong).’ (Job 1:21-22) 

Yeh mih people, all of that is much easier said than done, but as believers that’s where we need to get to in this earthly life. How many of us accuse God, even curse Him when things go wrong in our lives even while we’re trying to live right eh? Too many! We need to remember that God is the BOSS, and whatever He says goes, even though it may seem unfair to us. 

And remember too that His mind and ways are higher than ours, thus His plans and purposes we will never fully understand. And if we intend to live a fairly peaceful and productive life here on earth, we need to understand, believe and live His faithful word. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) 

Oh my brethren, once we can get those promises written down deep in our hearts, minds and souls, then we can live the kind of earthly life Jesus died for us to live; one of peace and abundance, with our eyes focused on the things of heaven, not those of the earth. And if you don’t believe me, then check out how God dealt with Job nuh. After He allowed Satan to inflict wrong on Job so He could prove Job’s faithfulness, He gave Job twice as much as he had in the beginning. ‘And the Lord turned (restored) the captivity (losses) of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.’ (Job 42:10) 

Please notice praying for his friends was also an important aspect of God restoring Job’s fortunes. And please note too that Satan had to go to God to get to Job. The Good Book says: ‘Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan (the Adversary) came also among them.’ (Job 1:6) 

And if we’re wondering how that was possible, hear the scholars. ‘1:6. Sons of God in this passage refers to angelic beings. Satan is considered one of them, though fallen from his original sinless state. His name means “Adversary,” and in this narrative he lives up to its meaning. The passage shows that Satan has access to God’s presence, though this does not seem to be Satan’s abode.’ 

Oh my people, nobody knows how God operates better than Satan, because he was once one of His top operatives before his pride and lofty position made him too big for his britches, and he got kicked out of heaven for trying to overthrow God. Just imagine the ‘boldfacedness’ of the created being nuh! Unfortunately though, we’re doing just like he did, trying to kick God our of our society. But a word of warning to the wise: that will NEVER happen! 

Anyhow, moving on with the story from the Good Book. ‘And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.’ (Job 1:7) The scholars tell us that refers to Satan’s activity, and though he does not admit it there, his many travels are for evil purposes. (1 Pet. 5:8) 

‘The activity of Satan indicates that he has only limited access to God. This account in Job emphasizes that God is sovereign over Satan. It also teaches that Satan is a finite being and therefore not omnipresent (be in several places at once). Nor can he touch God’s servants without God’s permission.’ 

And all God’s children said a loud ‘Amen!’ to that. Then, I like how God boasted on Job to Satan. ‘Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect (blameless) and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth (shuns) evil?’ (Job 1:8) Oh brother, I don’t know if I want the Lord to boast so on me to the enemy nuh. (smile) 

But as the scholars explain: ‘1:8. The initiative in the conversation lies with God, but He may well have simply expressed what was on Satan’s mind. God’s view of Job is the same as the description given in 1:1.’ And Satan failed miserably in trying to get Job to curse God. 

Instead he worshipped Him. Despite all the inaccurate and hurtful things his supposed friends said against him, and the way that people despised and turned away from him, Job stood strong in the faith of his God. These word of his, say it all. ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways (defend my ways) before him. He shall also be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 13:15-16) 

Mama Yo! That’s what yuh call ‘strong faith!’ And the scholars explain: ‘13:15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him expresses 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 in God.’ 

Now friends, it’s that kind of unquenchable faith that we need to have, especially in these very rough times that we’re currently experiencing. It’s not easy, and will never be easy, once we live here on planet earth with the prince of darkness it’s ruling force. But we know that Jesus will come again and eventually make everything right. 

And this note from the scholars on the turning around of Job’s life is important. ‘The point to be garnered from the book is not that God intends to deal with every servant as abundantly as He did with Job; rather, that God holds sovereign and LOVING sway over every human life. Therefore He can be trusted implicitly in all things (cf. Rom. 8:28; 1Thess. 5:18).’ And that’s what I’ve been trying to say from the very beginning friends! (smile) 

So for those of us who sincerely believe and implicitly trust, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. As one strong voice: ‘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!’ 

Now let’s go and do exactly that nuh! Much LOVE!

…the Christian motto…rejoice evermore…pray without ceasing…in everything give thanks… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 February 2021 Psalm 107:8.

16 Feb 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 107:8.    ​Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men.

Please note friends, that this is simply an aberration, not a regular occurrence. (smile) I’m talking about receiving the Bit so early on a Tuesday morning. But it has been forced upon me by an early morning appointment for some tests in the hospital, and with the bad weather out there and the confusion in the hospitals, I’m not sure when I’ll be back. 

And believe me, if it was in normal times when tests were fairly easy to come by, I would certainly have cancelled this one after the snowstorm passed by last night and dropped a few inches on us. But things have changed so much during these pandemic times that I am forced to brave the beautiful white, but oh so dangerous stuff this early morning. (smile) And since this Bit will be short and sweet, let’s get going with something Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) called ‘The Possibility Thinker’s Creed,’ a li’l encouragement for a cold and snowy Tuesday Morning. 

Please read with me. ‘When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath, or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine – with God’s help.’ Now that should liven us up this morning, and give us some strength and strong desire to keep keeping on and NEVER to give up, because Christians don’t do that sort of thing. Hn! And I do hope that I find a pass through the mountain of snow when I get out there, because I really don’t feel like climbing over it, tunnelling underneath or staying and turning it into a gold mine. (smile) 

Now here is something else I’d like to share, one of my favourite prayers. It’s titled ‘Lord, Please Accept My HeartfeltThanks!’ It was prepared by the Life -Study Fellowship, Noroton, Connecticut some years ago, and I’ve shared it already, but I think the time’s come to share it again. (smile) So please pray with me. ‘Dear Lord, You are so good to me! And Ithank Yousincerely for the many blessings You send me! I’m very glad to have You in my life day in and day out – whatever I do and wherever I go! 

You are the One who always does what is best for my happiness! How grateful I am to be able to turn to You for guidance and comfort when troubles come my way! If any situation arises that makes me feel discouraged, You let me know I can lean on You for support! And because of YourLOVEfor me, somehow I seem to find the strength to keep going – even through the most difficult of times! I’m grateful, too, for peaceful moments like these when I’m all alone with You in prayer! 

Talking with You never fails to reassure and uplift me! Nothing I say to You goes unheard. You listen with great concern to everything I confide in You! For You truly care about me! As I look to 2021, I pray that You will continue to watch over me – and grant me even more of Your wonderful blessings! And may I serve You well in my every word, my every deed! Be my Guide hour by hour, I pray! Amen.’ 

Oh friends, as far as I am concerned you could not get a much better overall prayer than that! It certainly covers all bases. And it’s based on this wonderful scripture from Psalm 107.‘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) 

And isn’t that the gospel truth my people! If mankind was a li’l more thankful and praiseful and grateful to the Lord God Almighty, I’m sure we would not be in the terrible mess in which we’re now in! But we like to use our free will, be proud of our independence and do our own thing. Hn! Therefore, when we make the wrong decisions, we have to pay the price, But unfortunately, though we doLOVEto be proud and arrogant, we don’t have the concomitant parts to stand our bounce when we do wrong and the tough consequences come a calling. Only then do we know God and cry out to Him for help! 

And the psalmist thought that our Bit was so important that he included it three more times in the one psalm; verses 15, 21 and 31. Now here’s what he says after verse 15; ‘For he hath broken the gates of brass (bronze) and cut the bars of iron in sunder (asunder). Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.’ (Ps. 107:16-17) And that’s no lie friends, as we and all our foolish and evil doings, can all attest to. 

And after verse 21, the psalmist declares (yes!) ‘And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing (joyful singing).’ (Ps. 107. 22) Oh how much better off we’d be my people, if we did more joyful singing and thanksgiving than the inordinate amount of complaining we do. And after verse 31, the psalmist makes another profound statement. ‘Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.’ (Ps. 107:32) 

More sound and wise advice my brethren. Let’s try and take some it this Tuesday morning nuh. It would be oh such sweet balm to our tired and wounded souls. And now it’s time to go home declaring (awright!) our Tuesday Mantra, proudly telling the whole world who and whose we are. 

Altogether in strong, sincere voice 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!’  

So let’s mosey on and do just that nuh.Much LOVE!

…the Lord gave us free will…so that we would use it wisely…not foolishly… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 February 2021 2 Timothy 1:12a.

09 Feb 2021 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 1:12a.     ​for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.

Well a good Tuesday morning to you my Scrip-Bit friends and family. It’s a tad snowy, but not too bad. And we need to remember that it’s winter in my neighbourhood and that’s what happens in winter; it gets cold and it snows. (smile) And I’m happy to say that after a couple of weeks and much dinero, I’m back on my desktop in my basement office again. But chuh! It’s taken a long while to set it back up. Ah, this technological society eh? It will be the ruin of us, in more ways than one, especially when our A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) gets so good that our robot friends start manipulating us, instead of the other way around. 

Yes friends, at some stage of the game, we’re going to get so lazy and pampered by all the stuff that A.I does for us that we’ll completely lose our minds, bodies and souls to it. It’s already happening. I see it when I send messages on What’s App, I don’t have to type in everything, like they read my mind, and on some things they are even more accurate than me. (smile) 

Now there is a comparative scenario, our relationship with our God, our Creator. The big difference here is that God is very vigilant and protective of His realm and won’t allow any interlopers whatsoever. So though we try, like Satan did, to use Him for our own ends, it won’t work. He might allow us some leeway, but take over, NO WAY Jose! 

We, on the other hand, want to just relax and enjoy life as easily as possible, so every day we are turning over some of our power to other sources. This in no way augurs good for the future, for as the ole people would say, when you don’t use it, you lose it. And that’s gospel truth my people. When we don’t use our faculties we lose them, they keep diminishing until they atrophy completely. 

But that’s the history of mankind, of the many powerful and wise societies that have inhabited our planet. Once they get prosperous and successful, they become lazy and their standards fall…and keep falling until the society is no longer a powerhouse or of any international importance. And we are in that critical stage right now, the only difference being that we are inventing machines, not people, to take over. And with the pandemic difficulties and the host of other problems in our world, I don’t know what the eventual outcome will be. 

But friends, there is some stuff ‘I Do Know.’ And that’s the title of the poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. I know that you also know these things, so please declare them with me. ‘There is much I cannot begin to fathom concerning the vast, indescribable universe created by our majestic God. There is much I will never comprehend. I want to sing and shout, so utterly overwhelmed I am with the magnitude of God. 

But I do know with confident certainty that I belong to the God of the universe – the Creator of all that exists. I know that I, a mere mortal, am forever linked to divine destiny. I know that my life has purpose and dignity. I know that God has chosen me as the object of His lavish LOVE; that His thoughts toward me are thoughts of kindness and mercy; that He has inscribed me in the palms of His hands. I know that all the LOVE of the Father, and the life of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit are freely, inseparably mine – now and throughout all eternity. This I do know.’ 

Oh my people, I do hope that we know that we know those things yes, else we’re completely lost, now and forever! If we don’t know the Father’s wonderful and unconditional LOVE, not confidently or consistently steeped in it, then we can’t be a part of the Son’s awesome life, or experience the amazing power of the Holy Spirit. Yes friends, it all begins with the LOVE of the Father, Him wanting to justly reclaim and reconcile us to Himself,  then flows through to the other two aspects of our triune Deity. 

And we see that so plainly in the words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrates) his LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) That’s oh so important to know and believe my friends, for it truly shows the extent of God’s LOVE for His disobedient creation. And I don’t know why it’s so hard for some of us to believe in God’s mighty LOVE nuh, for why else would He send His Son to die on the cross for a bunch of disobedient degenerates eh? It had to be LOVE, the greatest emotion in His arsenal. 

How did Bruh Paul put it to the church at Corinth? ‘And now abideth faith, hope, LOVE, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.’ (1 Cor. 13:13) And so it is my brethren. That’s why Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to LOVE your God with all you have, and to LOVE your neighbour as yourself. (Matt. 22:37-40) 

But coming back to the poem above and what we do know, Bruh Paul says it quite assuredly in the Bible Promise that’s associated with the poem. This is his assurance to Timothy. ‘Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.’ (2 Tim. 1:11-12) 

Oh my fellow believers, we too need to be that assured, not ashamed and very persuaded (smile) that whatever we’ve committed to Jesus, our earthly life, as well as our eternal salvation, that He can keep and guard them to the day when we stand before Him in judgment. That’s the great difference between believers and unbelievers; we are assured that Christ can do all that He says! 

And Peter tells us thus: ‘Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.’ (1 Pet. 4:19) Wow, mih bredrin! If our Creator isn’t LOVING and faithful, who is then eh? And because we know whom we have believed and are not ashamed of, we can go home declaring (aw shucks) who and whose we are through our Tuesday Mantra. 

Altogether 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!’ 

So let’s go and do just that nuh!  Much LOVE!

…if you are ashamed…and not assured…then you don’t truly believe…  

P.S. Not all my fault that it’s late. I also had a doctor’s telephone consultation thrown into the mix. And as wonderful believers, I know you all understand. (smile) Much LOVE! 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 February 2021 Proverbs 18:21.

02 Feb 2021 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.

Oh friends, come join with me this cold but bright and sunny winter morning to magnify the Lord nuh, for He is ever so good to us! Yes, He woke us up this morning with a new set of mercies and compassions and a strong breath of life so we can do His divine bidding. That’s more than enough to give Him much thanks and praise. 

So as the Good Book decrees: ‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together….The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want (lack) to them that fear him.’ (Ps. 34: 3,7-10) 

Yes my people, that is the indisputable truth! Those who reverence the Lord God Jehovah are protected and want for nothing that’s necessary to live this life. But the onus is upon us to reverence Him. It just doesn’t happen on its own; energy and effort have to be put into it. 

And one of the most important things for believers to do, especially in these uncertain and disastrous times is to speak God’s Word, to be positive and constantly remind ourselves that we are children of the Most High God and thus blessed and favoured, sanctified, justified, reconciled, forgiven and the host of other blessings we receive when we honour Him. 

Remember the Lord spoke the world into existence. The only thing He made manually or physically was man. That means there is lots of power in our words. Remember Cousin Sol’s warning? ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.’ (Prov. 18:21) 

Oh mih bredrin that is something we should try and remember all the time because it’s the absolute truth. Our words can either speak life or death. And these words from Rev. Marcia Martin of the Vian United Methodist Church explain the situation very well. 

‘My dad gave me a piece of advice when I was a know-it-all teenager. He said, “Never say in anger what you don’t mean, because you can say you’re sorry, but you can’t take it back.” Satan can use our tongue to cause division, putting others down, bragging, false teaching, exaggeration, complaining, or just flat out lying. 

It only takes a few words to hurt someone. Wounds heal but they leave scars that never disappear…Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. 

An unchecked fire doubles in size every minute. Gossip and false teaching are no different. It’s been said that great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people.’ 

And I don’t need to tell you that it’s all gospel truth, because you already know it. And that’s one of the reasons why our world is in such a dreadful mess these days; we use words without thinking about their effect, sling hurtful words without thinking twice about what’s coming out of our mouths. And just like Cousin Sol says we’re now enjoying the negative fruit of our negative words. 

Remember what James said in Chapter 3 about the dangers of the tongue. He likened it to the rudder of a ship, the small thing that guides the big ship in the direction that the pilot wants it to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small thing that boasts a lot of power. 

‘Even as the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter (forest) a little fire kindleth (sets on fire). And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members (the tongue is so set), that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature (our existence); and it is set on fire of hell.’ (James 3:5-6) 

Yes friends, as the scholars put it. ‘3:6. The tongue is a system (world) of iniquity that sets on fire the whole course of life, and is even set on fire by Satan (cf. 3:15).’ And that’s the living truth, for it’s the tongue, our words, that mainly cause wars and divisions, disunity, resentment, hate, anger and all the other negative stuff that’s so prevalent in our world today. 

And not only in the world itself, but also in the church of Christ. James must have thought that he was writing to our current church which is filled with so much negative, petty stuff, like slander, gossip, false teaching, etc. etc. 

James continues: ‘But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude (image) of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be.’ (James 3: 8-10) 

Oh my people, blessing and cursing out of the same mouth is certainly inconsistent, and should not be mentioned amongst our attributes. And how do we solve the negativity of the tongue? The Lord said it quite clearly to Joshua when He appointed him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. 

‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall be constantly in) thy mouth:’ Josh. 1:8a) That’s it right there friends! We need to keep speaking God’s word; positive, proactive words, thinking before we speak. If we do that, then our tongues won’t do as much damage to our lives. 

But how do we accomplish that, you ask? The Lord also spells it out for us in the same verse: ‘but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.’ (Josh, 1:8b) It’s not rocket science my people. To constantly speak God’s word, we must constantly read and study God’s word. Simple as that! 

But here is the best part of the Lord’s advice: ‘for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8c) Oh fellow saints of Christ, that is the panacea for ALL of our ills! Read and study the word, then speak it, and voila! Success will be ours. Yes friends, true success only comes from sincerely meditating on God’s word and then putting it into action. Nothing less will do! 

So for those of us who are engaged in that wonderful course, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole wide world know who and whose we are! 

In one strong voice: ‘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!’ 

The next step is easy; we go out and share Christ’s LOVE and friendship! (smile) Much LOVE!

…to tame our tongues…we must have on the yoke of Christ… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 January 2021 Romans 8:31.

26 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:31.     ​What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Oh chuh friends! Late risings and early morning chores certainly inhibit the doing of the Lord’s work yes! (smile) But what to do eh, better late than never on this snowy Tuesday morning. 

We can’t complain because we have not seen any real precipitation of any kind for a while now, so the white that’s beginning to cover the ground is a nice change from the dark, damp days we’ve recently been having, except for the few cold and sunny ones last week. 

Hope you can figure that one out. (smile) And thank the Lord I don’t have to go out in it! But whatever we have, nice or not, we still give our wonderful God much thanks because we know He’s promised to work everything out, both good and bad for our benefit if we keep LOVING, trusting and being faithful and obedient to Him! Glory to His precious name my brethren! 

And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this mighty piece of scripture that details it all. ‘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) 

And according to the scholars’ explanation. ‘8:28. To them that LOVE God is the human perspective. God is working all things together for good, but those who LOVE God are best able to appreciate that fact because they LOVE Him no matter what (cf. Job 13:15). To them who are the called is the divine perspective. Scripture often refers to believers as “the called” or “the elect.” 

But we just got started with the whole contextual thing: ‘For whom He did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29) Yes friends, this foreknowing is a strong sense of knowing and being known, not merely an acquaintance kind of knowing! (smile) 

And the scholars tell us: ‘8:29. Foreknowledge is God’s determination from eternity to bring certain ones into a special relationship with Himself (see also 11:2). Predestinate: See Ephesians 1:5. (To mark off or choose before. God chooses those He knows will participate in His plan of salvation and extends it to all who respond in faith). 

To be conformed to the image of his Son: The goal of predestination is not to send some to hell and some to heaven, but is the believer’s glorification, to make every Christian increasingly more like His Son.’ 

Glory be mih people! As Bruh Paul said to the Corinthians: ‘But we all, with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’

Oh fellow saints of God, unlike Moses’ who had to put a veil over his face when the Lord’s glory shone through Him (2 Cor. 3:13) but which glory eventually faded, ‘under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of the Spirit of God.’ That means it’s a gradual process, so we have to keep on trusting and being faithful right to the very end. 

But getting back to our original topic, Bruh Paul declares (yeah!) ‘Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.’ (Rom. 8:30)Wow! What wonderful news! ‘Predestinated, called, justified, glorified!’ Brother only our wonderful God can make those things happen! 

As the scholars explain: ‘8:30. Called: The calling of 8:28 is pretemporal; it occurred before the creation of the world (Eph. 1:4). The calling here is temporal and refers to the effectual communication of the gospel, resulting in salvation. Justified: See 3:24. (And that says being justified means being declared righteous, signifies the believer’s judicial standing before God). 

Glorified: Glorification is God’s doing. While God’s foreknowledge and predestination take place in eternity, and while God’s calling and justification are realized in history, God’s glorifying is yet future. It is as certain, however, as the previous works. Hence glorified is in the past tense. From God’s point of view it is already accomplished.’ 

Oh Mama, Mama! How great is our God eh? What assurance we have, that although something, our glorifying, is not done yet, He talks of it in past tense, as though it has already been done! So how can we not LOVE and obey and trust and surrender our ALL to Him eh? I just can’t understand it. 

Consequently, as Bruh Paul continues: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom. 8:31) And the loud and clear answer to that my precious people of God is ‘NOBODY! NOT A SINGLE SOUL!’ And you ask a doubting why? 

Bruh Paul also gives us the answer. ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:32) Yes people, that makes mucho sense! If God gave up His sinless Son to save sinners, why would He then refuse to help us in time of need eh? No reason whatsoever! 

No wonder, Job in all his adversity could calmly and stoically proclaim: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust him: but I will maintain (defend) mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him. Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.’ (Job 13:15-17) 

Powerful words of faith friends! But are we able to proclaim such words ourselves? Now that’s the ultimate question. But if we consider ourselves true and faithful believers, we should be able to declare (yesss!) them without a pause or doubt in our minds and speech. 

So let’s consider all that we’ve said today nuh…I know it’s plenty, but at this stage of our spiritual journey we should be eating meat and spuds, not still drinking milk, (smile) and thus be able to digest more scriptural technicalities and meanings than when we first came to Christ. 

Anyway, it’s all in the reading and learning and doing and persevering that we mature, and are raised from glory to glory; a lifelong process. So if you don’t get it all now, just keep on keeping on and eventually you will get it. That’s the Lord’s promise! 

And for those of us who are sincerely trying to keep on keeping on, let’s go home now declaring (oh yes! – three times I got it right today, on the first try) (big grin) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the world know WHO and WHOSE we are. 

In strong voice, as one 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!’ 

And it follows that our task is to now go out and share Christ’s LOVE and friendship with others, as He so greatly desires! Much LOVE!

…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him….no doubt about it…

P.S. Yes, it’s long and late…but sweet! (smile) Much LOVE!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 January 2021 John 17:17.

19 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 17:17.     ​Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Yes mih bredrin, riddle I this, riddle I that nuh! (smile) How can a body go to bed, early to boot, feeling fine, then wake up coughing and being miserable eh? And all the foolish cough doing is to irritate the dormant asthma and getting me more ignorant than usual. Yeh, coughing is the easiest way for the enemy to make me lose my cool. 

But yuh know what? Ah lick him this morning by getting into worship mode and listening to some praise songs. Glory Hallelujah! Still listening to them as I’m writing. Thank you for Jesus and His songs of praise and worship! They are indeed healing medicine to the angry spirit. And although the chest is still tight and wheezy, the spirit is fine friends! 

Thanks be to the refreshing and comforting words and promises of Jesus in song! And that’s my testimony for this Tuesday morning, this snowy Tuesday morning in January of this new and unknown year of 2021, when so many unordinary things have seemingly become ordinary. 

Oh my people, we are in the middle of some extraordinary times, and on the brink of even more extraordinary ones, if life plays out the way it’s shaping up. And no reason why it should not. But there’s one thing all we believers ought to know and believe; that is, come what may, we will all make it through, and safely too, because that’s the glorious promise of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

Be concerned yes, but don’t be worried, for Jesus has all those who believe in Him in the palms of His mighty hands. And I just want to point out some wonderful scripture where Jesus prays for His own, that’s us! Glory be! 

‘And now, O Father, glorify thou me, with (alongside) thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (Clear indication of His pre-existence (cf. 1:1) 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. 

Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou hast given me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.’ (John 17:5-10) 

Yeh friends, even Jesus, the Son of God, knew the power and purpose of prayer! In his final hours down here on earth He beseeched the Father on our behalf. That’s how important we were, and are, and always will be to Him! That’s why we need to keep our faith strong, keep on believing in Him just like He believed and still believes in us. That’s why He made us His earthly ambassadors! 

Now hear Him further nuh: ‘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.’ (John 17:11) 

Yuh hear that people, Jesus prayed that we would be ONE, just like He and the Father were ONE! How come we so divided and disunited eh? Could that be one of the problems why our world and lives are in such a disgusting state? Oh yes! It surely contributes to the ungodly and inhuman way we living. 

But let’s keep on listening to Jesus: ‘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.’ (John 17:12) Yes friends, Jesus did not lose any of those whom God gave Him to propagate His word on earth after Him: none except Judas. But that had to be so that the written scripture might be fulfilled. 

‘And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.’ (John 17:13) Wow! Yuh hear that friends, Jesus desired that we might have His joy fulfilled in us! So why we are we so blooming miserable and unhappy eh, when we have the joy of Christ Himself dwelling in us? Because we fear the world and what it brings. 

But listen to Jesus again: ‘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.’ (John 17:14-16) 

Oh my people can we understand that we are not of this world, but we have to be in it if we want to spread Christ’s message. And that’s why Jesus asked the Father: ‘Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.’ (John 17:17-19) 

Oh believers in Christ, the truth of God’s Word is what’s supposed to set us apart from the world, but is it doing that right now? Not to the extent it ought to. But hear this oh so important part of Jesus’ prayer nuh. ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;’ (John 17:20) 

That means us friends! Jesus had the foresight to pray for those who came to believe in Him all down through the ages, until His second coming. So what’s going on with us eh? Why are we living like the rest of the world and not sanctified, justified, reconciled, righteous saints of Christ eh? 

And hear this last part of Jesus’ prayer. ‘That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast LOVED them, as thou hast LOVED me.’ (John 17:21-23) 

What’s in all of that we don’t understand eh people? We were set apart, to be ONE, so we could show the world the truth of God’s Word! But we definitely could not be call unified, or even close to being ONE! No wonder the world doesn’t take us seriously. And until we become more unified and not more divided, as we seem to be getting, we’ll have little or no power to change the world in Jesus’ name! Nuff said! 

But for those of us who are sincerely trying to do what Christ desires of us, let’s go home now declaring (oh yeah!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the world know who and whose we are. 

As ONE 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!’  

So let’s go out and do just that nuh! Much LOVE!

…only as Christ’s people are unified…will they truly have changing power… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 January 2021 Luke 18:42.

12 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

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

Luke 18:42.     ​And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

Morning mih bredrin – and afternoon to some of you! (smile) And I do hope that we’re all thankful for the grace and mercy of God to allow us to see another day, rough and tumble though it may be, and that we all gave Him thanks for so doing. And this life is certainly interesting yes! Have you ever noticed that whenever you’re late, behind schedule in something, that something else always crops up to further delay you? 

Well that happened to me this morning. I was up a tad late, had a couple things to do before I began writing, then when I finally got here, the ole computer, well it’s fairly new, decided that it had a whole lot of updates to do, then restart, before I could get to doing my business. Steups! 

And have you ever noticed too that the computer only breaks down when you truly need it? (smile) But I guess them’s the breaks. You have to pay the price for the convenience of now for now action! And why do we keep trusting these man-made machines eh? I guess it’s because we have faith in them. A lot of people trust their smartphones more than they trust Jesus! 

That’s foolish, but unfortunately it’s true. They would never leave their homes without that tiny piece of equipment, but how many thousands, millions, or even billions, leave home every day without Jesus eh? Who don’t even know Him, much less consider Him important in their lives? 

Ah mih friends, it’s so sad that we trust, have faith in a whole lot of man-made things, but don’t trust, or have any faith in the very ONE who made us, the universe, and all therein! And then you ask, why you should not trust man-made things you see, but a God whom you cannot see? Isn’t it logical to believe what you see, and not what you cannot see? 

I grant that position, but that’s in the man-made world, but in God’s divine economy, seeing is not believing, not seeing, but believing is the dominant force. As Jesus told His doubting disciple Thomas: ‘Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: but blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’ (John 20:29) That’s the whole crux of the matter my people; believing in Jesus through faith, yet never having seen Him in living colour! 

And some of you might ask, what’s this faith business eh? The Good Book tells us that ‘faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) Yes, faith is eagerly expecting something you haven’t seen, and waiting patiently for it. Just like we wait, ofttimes impatiently, but with lots of eagerness, to see what presents we have under the Christmas tree. (smile) 

We haven’t seen Jesus, but we know that He came to earth on a Christmas day long ago, grew up here on earth, died, was buried, rose again, then ascended into heaven, and will come back to earth again as He has faithfully promised! Now yes, that might be a stretch for many of us to believe, but if we start believing, Jesus will divinely show up in our lives and prove to us that He is indeed who He claims to be. 

And that’s where that thing called faith, comes in my brethren; you have to believe in Him, before you can see Him. And we have an excellent example of not seeing but believing in the story of the blind man, Bartimaeus who sat in the Jericho area begging, but when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out to Him, saying, ‘Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me.’ (Luke 18:38) 

And we wonder how a blind beggar could know about Jesus and His healing capabilities eh? Well the scholars tell us that most likely by that time Jesus’ ministry had spread far and wide across the country. And the blind man’s faith is even more pronounced when those around him tell him to shut up, to ‘hold his peace; but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.’ (Luke 18:39) Yeh friends, how did that blind man know of Jesus’ Messianic status eh, which is what ‘son of David’ indicates? Who knows? But know it He did. 

Oh precious people, this next act of Jesus is so wonderful, so heartwarming, so Christlike. The Good Book tells us: ‘And Jesus stood (still, stopped), and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord that I may receive my sight.And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people when they saw it, gave praise unto God.’ (Luke 18:40-43) 

And yuh better believe, those scripture verses highlight several interesting things. First it highlights the awesome faith of the blind man, which, according to Jesus, is what really caused him to see. And how many times during Jesus’ earthly ministry did He make mention of people’s faith enabling their healing or whatever they pleaded for eh? Numerous! And yet, we still refuse to rely on our faith in Jesus, but our sight in man-made things. 

Then, most importantly, did you notice how Jesus just stopped and attended to the blindman’s needs? Oh friends, that’s one characteristic of Christ that all of us need to adapt and adopt or whatever! Jesus was never too busy to stop and attend to some person’s needs, be they rich or poor. Not so we people pleasers and social climbers! We’re always in a hurry, going nowhere fast, except when someone who can do something for us, asks for our help. But that’s not Christian-like my friends. 

The scholars explain that verse thus:‘18:40. Stood,that is, He came to a halt. Jesus’ command also serves to rebuke those who lacked compassion for the beggar. In the midst of the attempt to hear Jesus, one must take care not to be insensitive to the plight ofothers.’Oh how much better our world would be, if the insensitivity that currently chokes it was released! 

Notice too, how Bartimaeus, after he was healed, followed Jesus and glorified God. How many of us have had divine intervention in our lives and yet have not made it our avowed purpose to follow theONEwho divinely intervened eh? Too many! That’s for sure! We either take it for granted, or just don’t care. But when troubles engulf us, we quick to call out, ‘Oh God, help me nuh!’ That recalls the ten lepers that Jesus healed, and only one returned to thank Him, a Samaritan to boot, the enemy of the Jews. (Luke 17:11-19) 

And lastly, I wonder how many of those who witnessed the divine miracle that day and simultaneously praised God, continued doing so afterwards eh? My guess is not a whole lot. But time and space have run out my brethren, so let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are; let them know to whom we proudly belong! 

Altogether 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!’ 

What we waiting for then eh? Let’s go out and share the amazingLOVEand friendship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!Much LOVE!

…without faith in Christ…our lives are meaningless…without real purpose… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 January 2021 Lamentations 3:26.

05 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

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

Lamentations 3:26.     ​It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

Well hello there Tuesday; you new and beautiful day, filled with brand new mercies and compassions from the Lord God Almighty! What a wonderful God we serve friends, as He sends us new mercies and compassions every single day. Isn’t that great? It surely is, since who would really want old compassions and mercies from the day before, when, like fresh bread, (smile) we can get them brand new every day eh. 

That’s why we ought to be so grateful to our God and give Him much thanks and praise. Yes my people, it’s only because of the Lord’s goodness, LOVE and faithfulness towards us that we are not consumed; it’s not because of anything we do. Hence, we ought to take very seriously, these illuminating, edifying and encouraging words from Jeremiah’s Lamentations. ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:24-26) 

And the scholars confirm that when they say: ‘3:26. Jeremiah’s observation resembles those of other saints who have experienced great grief of soul. (Hab. 2:20; 3:17-19; cf. Job 40:3-5; Ps. 37:7; 73:23-27; Is. 26:3; 2 Cor. 1:7; 2 Thess. 3:5).’ 

Oh friends, I just looked up all those scriptures, all from men who suffered much for the Lord – Habakkuk, Job, Bruh David, Asaph, Isaiah, and Bruh Paul – and they were all overwhelmingly in favour of seeking for and waiting on God despite the troubles of this life. That’s because God is good and faithful and merciful to those who sincerely seek and wait for Him. 

So, no wonder the scholars further tell us, it requires in return ‘the need for the believer to be also faithful in his life and service to God (2 Chr. 19:9; Ps. 119:30; Prov. 12:22). And that real faith is more than inner belief, even more than whole-souled committal. It is a condition of the soul marked by such a stable character and an attitude of total trust that the believer’s whole life is imbued with consistent, responsible service to God (cf. 1 Sam. 26:23; Ps. 37:3-6). From the biblical standpoint, true faith results in faithfulness in one’s life.’ 

I couldn’t put it any better my people. And we just going to look at the two examples the scholars mention there. The first is when Bruh David had the chance to kill his nemesis Saul, but refused to kill him, explaining it with these words. ‘The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed.’ (1 Sam. 26:23) 

Yes friends, that just shows the difference between Saul and Bruh David in their faithfulness to the Lord. Saul knew that Bruh David was anointed to be the next king of Israel, but that never stopped him, in fact that was the main reason he wanted to kill him. Bruh David though had a higher standard. And that’s what all we supposed believers need; a higher standard of behaviour, faithfulness and righteousness than that displayed by the world. 

And I guess we can’t get any better encouragement or advice than from these immortal words of Bruh David from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noon day. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those who wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:3-9) 

Now my brethren, if that didn’t stir us up to greater service and faithfulness, I don’t know what will. But I can certainly offer a couple more enticements, (smile) the first being this: ‘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 this is the second enticement: ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man.’ 

And isn’t that indisputable! So I don’t know why we keep on turning away from God, thinking that we can do better than Him? Just look at the sad and sorry state of our lives today nuh. When are we going to wake up and realize that we don’t control our own destiny, but God Almighty who created us does, and when we turn away from Him, we just make a big mess of our lives? 

Anyway, for those of us who get the message, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. So, as one, in strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

Now faithful people of God, let’s go out and do just that nuh! Much LOVE!

…faithfulness ought to beget faithfulness…  

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