Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 August 2023 Luke 16:29.

04 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

Luke 16:29.       Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Well, it’s Friday, the beginning of the long Caribana weekend in Toronto! And anybody who’s anybody will be out there playing mas! That means I’m not anybody, because I won’t be out there with them. (smile) Too old for it now, and anyway, it’s not as nice as it used to be back in the earlier years. And the day’s begun nice and sunny, let’s hope it’s not as hot as yesterday, because if it is, we’re going to burn up in the hot sun in Lamport Stadium later today at the Pan Alive Festival. 

But look how life’s changed eh? That’s the only Caribana celebration I attend these days. I don’t even know that it’s Caribana unless someone reminds me. But as the old people would say; after one time is two yes! And that’s the indisputable truth. As you grow older you change in manifold ways, forgetting what lies behind, the childish things you did, and reaching forth to what lies ahead.  But however you shake it, the world still declares (yesss!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend, party time is here at last! Glory be!’ 

And with a whisper from the Holy Spirit, I remembered that today we’re going to look at the second part of Jesus’ parable about the rich man and the beggar Lazarus. And believe me, this last part might just be the more important aspect of the parable. Why do I say so? Now, a couple days ago we dealt with the first part that told us about the rich man living the sumptuous life, and Lazarus, the poor beggar, sitting at his gate, chowing down on the crumbs from the rich man’s table, while the dogs licked his many sores. Then both of then died. The beggar went to heaven in Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man went to hell. 

From that scenario of hellfire, the rich man looked up and saw Lazarus ensconced in the bosom of Abrahm and begged him to send Lazarus to dip his finger in some cool water and place it on his tongue, because he was terribly tormented. Abraham informed him that that was impossible because of his record on earth; rich, greedy and ungodly, while Lazarus had suffered without cause. And in any case, there was an impassable gulf between heaven and hell so that no one could pass back and forth. 

And what was the rich man’s reply? ‘Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ (Luke 16:27-28) At last he was thinking of others and not only of himself. And that’s what usually happens when we make mistakes and disaster strikes us. It’s then and only then that we think about family and friends who might make the same unwise decisions. 

Unfortunately though, Abraham’s answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. ‘Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he (the tormented ex-rich man) said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he (Abraham) said unto him (the tormented one), if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.’ (Luke 16:29-31) Ah friends, that says a lot about our reaction to God’s Word and the teaching of the prophets. 

And the scholars note that in vs. 31, ‘If here carries the weight of “since.” They were not paying attention to the light they already had. Hard-heartedness is not necessarily overcome by miraculous signs.’ And you see that very clearly in all the miraculous works that Jesus did, and yet the many who did not believe in Him, whose hearts remained as hard as ever, despite those signs. Oh my people, let’s wake up and realize that after death there is no second chance; no chance then to change our minds and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. So we have to do it now, while we’re alive and we hear the Word. Otherwise crapaud smoke we pipe! 

And the Book of Hebrews tells us quite plainly. ‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for (eagerly wait for) him shall he appear the second time without (apart from) sin unto salvation.’ (Heb. 9:27-28) Yes my fellow saints, we die once, and then the judgement, and Christ comes at some stage bearing salvation. 

Or as the scholars put it: ‘There is no reincarnation: every person gets one chance to prepare. And there’s a comparison between Christ and man. As it is with man, so it was with Christ. As man can die only once, so the Man Christ could die only once as a sacrifice. His relation to humanity would be marred if He had to die more than once. Further, a second comparison seems evident. Beyond death there exists another reality. For man it is the certainty of appearing for judgement: for Christ it is the certainty of appearing with deliverance from condemnation for them that look for (eagerly wait) for him.’ 

I couldn’t have put it any better or clearer friends. And that’s why the second part of the parable is more important than the second; it drives home the reality that we have to make all of our decisions prior to death, or to Jesus’ Second Coming. And now that we fully understand the very important ramifications of that parable, (smile) let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for divine help. 

As one voice.  Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle this unexpected storm properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And let’s not forget, that before we can see divine favour, there must be a godly improvement in our behaviour! Much LOVE!

if man wants to see heaven…he must accept Christ…before he dies…otherwise he’s hellbound… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ           

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 July 2023 Proverbs 21:13.

28 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 21:13.       Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

And like this Friday is going to be another day of cloud and heat! So brace yourselves for the heat wave after you’ve joyfully declared (yesss!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at last!’ I guess though that many of us won’t care, because we’ll either be ensconced and relaxed in our air-conditioned places or enjoying some outdoor activity where the heat doesn’t bother us. The beaches will probably be packed too, those that aren’t closed because of bacterial infestation. 

But nonetheless, we will get through the day and enjoy doing so, because that’s what our Lord and Saviour Jesus expects of us. Remember, Jesus’ warriors can handle anything that comes against them, because He strengthens us, gives us the wherewithal to overcome whatever threatens our safety. 

And I’m chuckling here, for as usual, on opening the Good Library my eyes were drawn to a very applicable passage for these turbulent times. It opened unto the Book of Proverbs and my eyes were irresistibly drawn to this verse of Cousin Sol’s divine wisdom. ‘Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.’ (Prov. 21:13) 

And is that ever the indisputable truth, for the many who are currently blocking their ears from the cries of the poor will indeed suffer God’s wrath in their own time! That’s because God LOVES the poor and downtrodden, He’s the champion of the underdog, and desires that we help them to the best of our ability. And besides, there’s enough wealth and food in this prosperous world so that there needs not be any truly poor on the face of God’s great earth! 

However, the inequity in the distribution of that wealth and food causes many millions to live and die in extreme poverty. Why is it that when man has become so enlightened in all his ways, that he is still greedy and selfish eh? That his inhumanity to his fellow man still exceeds his LOVE for them? Chuh! I guess only the Lord alone knows yes! And despite all God’s warnings throughout the Good Book about the ill treatment of the poor and lowly, that ungodly, unsavoury behaviour still persists, and in some places is even getting worse. 

From the very beginning God warns in Leviticus: ‘And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex (mistreat) him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you (a native), and thou shalt LOVE him as thyself; for ye were strangers in Egypt: I am the Lord.’ (Lev. 19:33-34) The Lord reminds them of their stranger status in Egypt when Jacob and his family first went down there in the famine that drove them from their home in Canaan. 

Then He again proclaims in Leviticus: ‘And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings (leftovers) of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord.’ (Lev. 19:9-10) 

And in Deuteronomy He takes it one step further. ‘At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up (store it) within thy gates. And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.’ (Deut. 14:28-29) 

There it is friends, your work will be blessed if you have compassion on the poor and needy. And Cousin Sol in his amazing wisdom further tells us in Proverbs 19: ‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.’ (Prov. 19:17) 

Jesus however puts it in much more blatant and in your face terms when in His talk about separating the sheep from the goats, (Matt. 25) He solemnly declared (awright!!!) ‘And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt. 25:40) That’s how much the Lord cares about the poor and downtrodden my fellow believers. 

And John in his first epistle states it very clearly. ‘But whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion) heart from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him?’ (1 John 3:17) The answer is it simply does not! 

It’s like James says when he talks about faith without works. ‘If a brother or sister is naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?’ (James 2:15-19) Absolutely nothing! It will only call down the Lord’s anger and destruction on your head! 

Oh my fellow saints, our world in sad turmoil, and it’s only through divine help can we ever make any positive changes, so please, through our Friday Chant, let’s go the throne of grace right now and seek such help. As one voice! ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle this unexpected storm properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. 

Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, before any help from heaven is forthcoming, it’s obvious we first have to make some godly changes! Much LOVE!

…where there is need…believers ought to help as best they can… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ                 

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 July 2023 Revelation 21:5b.

14 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 21:5b.       And he (Jesus) said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Well, another Friday has rolled around, and all the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been rolled out! But the world still spins on its axis every 24 hours, and regardless of how it might seem with all the confusion and controversy currently existing, the Lord is still in control of the universe that He created from nothing, so long ago! Now that’s the reality of the situation, and until you recognize and acknowledge that, you will have a warped and incorrect of vision of life. And all God’s people said a loud and proud ‘Amen!’ (smile) 

But it’s the truth friends, until we recognize and acknowledge Almighty God as Creator and Controller of our universe, we’ll be living in a fairy tale world, and not a particularly nice one at that. You’ll be forever plagued by doubts and anxieties, because you’ll never be sure of what’s happening around you, and what to believe, what’s the truth of the situation, and thus you’ll be easily led astray, down the wide and destructive path promoted by the enemy. 

But when you believe, put your trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, surrender your soul to His Son Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven and sacrificed His sinless life to save yours from being drafted into the pit of hellfire and damnation, then your senses will be quietened, whatever circumstances that surround you won’t bother you as much, because then you will have the faithful promise of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit that indwells you, to help you handle them. 

Wow! Yes friends, then you’ll know the truth, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, than by and through Him! (John 14:6) And once you know that truth my fellow believers, that enormous truth will set you free from all the nonsense that’s happening in our world. For as Jesus also faithfully promised: ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) 

But there’s the crux of the matter: to know the truth we have to abide, live by His word, be His true and sincere disciples. And that’s not always easy to do, for here’s what Jesus had to say about becoming His disciple. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Now that’s obviously a tough row to hoe, because it can be filled with sacrifices, while denying oneself and giving up control of your life to the desires and demands of Christ’s plan. 

And though it’s not easy, it is the most beneficial and rewarding way to live this earthly life. Jesus won’t ever leave you alone, He faithfully promised that when he said to the disciples: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That means He’ll look after you through His Holy Spirit that indwells you as a Comforter, Guide and Leader. And furthermore, He won’t ask you to do anything without giving you the grace, the mercy, strength, whatever you need to do it. He’ll never allow you to suffer more than you can bear, but will always find a way for you to escape the situation, or handle it with His mighty help! 

And above all, if you endure to the end with Christ, being a sincere disciple, abiding in Him, while He abides in you, then you can look forward to a glorious life everlasting with Him, in whatever wonderful place He decides to spend it, instead of being shunted off to the depths of hell with Satan and his evil cronies. And believe me, eternal life with our Triune God will be marvellous. Let’s take a peek at the basics. 

John the Revelator writes: ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he (Jesus) said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21:1-5) 

Wow mih bredrin! What a beautiful end to this miserable, hard-scrabble life that so many of us go through! But it will all be worth it in the end if we endure with Jesus! Can you imagine a world with no more, pain, crying, suffering and death! Mama Mia! That alone makes it worthwhile, not to mention living in the eternal presence of our God. 

Just think about the amount of pain, tears and ‘sufferation’ that’s currently enveloping our world nuh…and it tears apart your heart for most of it is unnecessary, and it’s simply man’s inhumanity to man, making countless millions mourn in an earthly hell. But when you live for Jesus, though you might need to undergo some suffering for His sake, the end rewards will indeed justify the pain of this earthly life. So, let’s be wise and live sincerely for Jesus now, so that we can bask in the sunshine of His marvellous glow later on. 

And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to handle our current earthly problems. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we truly desire to receive positive help from heaven, then we must first improve our disobedient, ungodly ways. It’s as simple as that! Much LOVE!

…the ends of living for Jesus…certainly justify the means…  

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 July 2023   1 John 2:15a.

07 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 John 2:15a.      LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

Finally it’s Friday, and as always, the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ resonate around the world, possibly with a more grateful heart but less energy in North America after all the exuberant birthday celebrations of the last week. (smile) But now that the celebrations are over, it’s time to move on, move on seriously with wisdom and common sense, and return our world to a state of goodness and godliness without which we’ll just keep slithering down into the bowels of hell, for the evil that’s encumbering the world carries a heavy weight, and with each day that evil predominates, the weight increases. 

And simple logic decrees that our world cannot withstand the ever-increasing weight of sin and evil forever. Now, we all know that it’s the duty of the Christian believer to bring Christ and His good news to the world, which unfortunately, we are not doing at a meaningful rate, thus evil and all its negative associates have become ever so prevalent. 

But that negative and unalluring situation can certainly be forestalled, stopped in its deadly tracks, and our world turned around if we decide to get up and do the job we were placed in this time to do; that is be the salt of the earth and light of the world and show the unbelievers the immense value of knowing Christ and living exclusively for Him. 

Now, yesterday we looked at some scriptures that offer encouragement and show us how to reverse the unwanted situation in which we find ourselves. Today, I want us to look at a few more scriptures that can also help in that monumental but oh so possible with Christ task. Remember, the first lesson we must learn and sincerely believe is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! (Phil 4:13) That is the foundation of the whole process. If we don’t sincerely believe that, then we’re wasting our time trying to make a difference. 

Then the next thing is a scripture we shared yesterday, where Bruh Paul warned the Romans. ‘Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Oh friends, that’s another very important step we need to take in this turnaround situation. We need to stop thinking and acting like the world does, and behave like Christ wants us to.  

Let’s also remember that time is of the utmost importance, for we don’t know when Christ is going to return, but whenever He does, we need to be ready, to have as many people as possible ready and waiting for His return, and right now that number is way too small. The Lord has waited, is still waiting for that number to increase, but His patience won’t last forever. 

As Peter says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief (robber) in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up,’ (2 Pet. 3:9-10) 

That’s at the final judgement friends, not at the rapture of the church. However, we notice a couple things there; first that the Lord doesn’t want any of His creation to perish, thus He’s given them the choice of salvation, of trusting in Him, but we’ve got to get the word to them so they can receive it. Secondly, He’s holding back the day of reckoning so that as many people as possible can be saved, but one day Jesus will return for the rapture of the church, and one day He will return for the eventual judging of the world. 

However, both those climactic events will take place without warning, like a thief in the night, therefore we need to be in a constant state of readiness for whenever it happens. And that’s something we need to make the unbelievers very aware of, time is oh so important, that there can be no hemming and hawing and long moments of thinking about being saved. But enough wandering, (smile) let’s get back to scriptures that will enable us to renew our minds, throw off the old man, our old conduct, and put on the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:22-24) 

John, in his first epistle, puts it thus. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interest), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Now that’s something we need to pay much more attention to; the world and all therein, all the glitzy, glamourous things that are now holding our rapt attention pass away; but the things of Christ, and those who live for Him, don’t. They last forever. Now do we want to be amongst the things that pass away, or amongst those that live forever? That’s the question we all must answer on an individual basis, and let’s hope and pray that many, most of us will decide to live forever and then get out there into the fields that are white with a great harvest of unbelievers and begin harvesting them, as the Lord of the harvest, Jesus Christ has decreed we do! 

Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and lay our anxieties before our most merciful and gracious Creator. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

The next move is now in our court; do the things that will cause God to answer our prayers in a positive manner. Much LOVE!

…good will always overcome evil…but it must first be set in motion… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 May 2023 Psalm 8:9.

26 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 8:9.       O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.

‘Sunshine, lollipops and roses!’ That’s what it seems like on this bright, sunshiny but somewhat cool Friday morning! Now, that certainly adds some enthusiasm to our shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And our God is most definitely in fine form this morning, for when I opened the Good Library just now to find something to talk about, it opened unto the Book of Psalms, in particular Psalm 8, which most appropriately celebrates ‘God’s Excellent Name.’ And so it should be. 

Bruh David writes: ‘O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who has set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings (nursing infants) hast thou ordained (established) strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still (silence) the enemy and the avenger.’ (Ps. 8:1-2) And that last verse might seem insignificant, but it was quoted by Jesus after His celebrated entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when He cleansed the temple of all the money changers and the other evil-doings that were taking place there, then began healing the lame and the blind. 

The Bible reports it thus: ‘And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings (nursing infants) thou hast perfected praise. And he left them and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.’ (Matt. 21:15-17) 

Ah friends, it must have been fun and eye-opening to walk around with Jesus and listen to His conversations with the ruling Jewish elite. He certainly didn’t mince words with them or cut them any slack, just put them in their place in a gentlemanly fashion (smile) And Bruh Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth takes that idea even further, when he says: ‘But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound (put to shame) the things which are mighty; 

And base (insignificant) things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to nought (nothing) things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto (became for us) wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:27-31) And just for your information, (smile) that scripture about glorying in the Lord can be found in Jeremiah 9.23-24, and 2 Corinthians 10:17. Please look them up. 

So, we have ascertained that the Lord, in His unfathomable wisdom and awesome power has made that which the world considers wise or important to seem unwise and insignificant, so that none of His human creation can glory in what little success and power they might enjoy for the short time here on earth. But although He has made sure that man stays in his rightful place, it doesn’t mean that He doesn’t LOVE and cherish His most wonderful creation. 

Listen as Bruh David continues his theorizing on God’s incomparable and incomprehensible behaviour towards man. He says: ‘When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest (pays attention or cares for) him?’ (Ps. 8:3-4) 

Now those are very good questions my brethren. Why would such a magnificent and omnipotent being make us and then shower so many blessings on us eh? The answer’s simple: We are the only thing He didn’t speak into existence, but He formed us with His own two hands, from the very dust of the earth, then breathed His own breath of life into us. That means we are totally His, and He LOVES us like He LOVES nothing else that He’s created. 

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that He’s done what Bruh David writes: ‘For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and thou hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.’ (Ps. 8:5-7) 

And that should not surprise us, for after God made the physical universe and made man, the Good Library tells us: ‘And the Lord God took the man (Adam) and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress (tend, cultivate) it and to keep it.’ (Gen. 2:15) That was the beautiful and prosperous garden the Lord created to provide all the necessities of life for His wonderful creation, He so LOVINGLY termed, ‘man.’ No wonder Bruh David could end the psalm with this marvellous and magnificent verse: ‘O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.’ (Ps. 8:9) 

Unfortunately though, in these troubled and rather calamitous times the Lord’s name is not revered as much as it should be. In fact, it’s more blasphemed than ever, with a staunch, but foolish movement to rid our society of His presence. But we who hold him in awesome reverence know that that will never happen, because He long ago proclaimed that He will never give His power and glory to anyone, nor His praise to graven images.(Is. 42:8) And He has both the power and temperament to make that be true. However, in our current circumstance, we down here on earth do need a ton of help from Him to fix what’s wrong. 

Thus, let’s go right now to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant and ask for divine assistance. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’

Now, after all that pleading, let’s get serious and clean up our act, for that’s the only way we’ll ever receive divine assistance. Much LOVE!

…the Lord LOVES us with an undying LOVE…but He WILL NOT put up with…or reward constant disobedience…   

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ             

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 May 2023 John 3:16.

19 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

John 3:16.       For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Let me open this warm but partly sunny Friday morning with an apology for the late arrival of yesterday’s Bit, but it was not my fault. For whatever reason, when I went to send it out around 12.30 p.m., the server told me it could not be sent at that time, to try later. And I did try later, up until six p.m. But the story was still the same for sending it by bulk messaging. So I tried sending it in small groups, and it worked. Then I increased the size of the groups, until I sent one with twenty-one names… and it worked. Now, I have no idea why it refused to send the bulk ones earlier on. We’ll see what happens today though. (smile) 

Anyway, it’s obvious that the global shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ has already gone out, for we don’t make joke with that at all. I wish we could be as serious about giving God thanks for keeping us alive so we could shout that out, or give Jesus much more thanks than we do, for dying on our behalf, bearing the awful pain, the utter dehumanizing ordeal of being nailed naked to a wooden cross and made the ‘Sin Bearer’ of an evil, and ungodly world. Because that’s exactly what He did; took the weight of all the world’s sin on His shoulders and paid the terrible price of being punished, of being put to death by His own Father to pay for our abominable sins. 

For that was the price of freedom from sin; the death of a sinless soul, and fortunately or unfortunately, Jesus was the only one in that category. Yes friends, like I send out the Bit in bulk, so Christ died for us in bulk; for all of us in one fell swoop. There’s no more dying to be done, just living the abundant life in His kingdom. The thing we most need to realize and understand though, is why he did it? Yes, why did the Father send the Son to the cross to die on behalf of a bunch of disobedient ingrates? 

And there was only ONE reason: it was LOVE! Oh my people, it was simply LOVE for His most precious creation that drove the Father to that unseemly plan to save us from eternal separation from Him. For as John says in his first epistle: ‘He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE.’ (1 John 4:8) 

And Bruh Paul writes thus in his letter to the church at Rome. ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely (barely) for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) 

Yes, my fellow believers, that was the measure of God’s LOVE for us: strong and powerful enough to make Him break His own heart and suffer His only Son’s death to pay for our sins. That’s why there’s no greater LOVE, than God’s LOVE for mankind! And Jesus corroborated that claim when He proclaimed: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) 

Now that says it all! Jesus died so that we could have another option other than simply ending up in damnation and hellfire, but we have to believe that He is the Son of God and through His death and awesome resurrection, can save our sinful soul. Listen to Jesus further explain the situation nuh. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And that’s a very big deal, but it all hinges on our belief, our trust and faith in Christ. For as He continues: ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son.’ (John 3:18) 

That’s the long and short of the story friends; believe and be saved – spend eternity with God in heavenly places, don’t believe and be condemned to eternal separation from Almighty God in the company of Beelzebub and his evil cronies. The choice is ours…completely ours. The Father and Jesus have already done their parts, now it’s left entirely up to us to believe or not believe. And the Lord will not intrude on our free will, our options to believe or not believe. But Jesus through the Holy Spirit will always give you the opportunity to come to Him. 

Note how He says in Revelation to the church at Laodicea: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup (dine) with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in (on) my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in (on) his throne.’ (Rev. 3:20-21)  And that’s the beauty of Jesus my fellow saints, He will not force His way on to us, but He will always be around knocking on our hearts, seeking for those who are willing to let Him in, like a travelling salesman who goes around knocking on doors seeking sales for his product. 

And it’s up to us, if we are wise we will let Him in, because He is the answer to ALL of our problems. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant asking for heavenly help to solve those many problems we have down here on earth. As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, to receive divine help, we need to be more obedient, and clean up our evil ways. So, let’s get to doing that nuh, if we sincerely want God’s help. Much LOVE!

…instead of mankind having only one option for eternity…hellfire…Jesus died so we could also have the option of heaven… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 May 2023 Proverbs 16:9.

05 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:9.      A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.

Well, it’s another cloudy start to this first Friday in May, but nonetheless, the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ have gone out all around the world. I guess we don’t really care what kind of day Friday is, once it’s Friday, and the weekend looms large ahead. The trouble is that too many of us are more taken up with what the world has to offer for the weekend and not what Almighty God has in store. But then again, that’s why our world is in such a mess, such an evil, ungodly mess. If you blatantly and continually ignore the Creator and Controller of the universe you must end up with serious problems. 

Remember that the best laid plans of mice and men go astray, if they are not in sync with the will and word of God. And then there’s the Yiddish saying, ‘Man plans, but God laughs.’ And it’s all a fact, for as Cousin Sol says in Proverbs 16: ‘The preparations (plans) of the heart in man (belong to man), and the answer of the tongue, is of the Lord.’ (Prov. 16:1) In other words, as the scholars say: ‘The Lord is sovereign, even over a man’s thoughts and words.’ Now we should certainly think on that before making our grandiose plans for the weekend, or anytime really. 

And Cousin Sol further spells it out later in the chapter. ‘A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.’  (Prov. 16:9) And that’s oh so true friends! How many times have we planned to do something only to find ourselves doing something else, and we’re not sure why? That’s because the Lord guided us to the other thing. That makes the scholars to opine that: ‘The Lord is sovereign over man’s scheming and planning.’ And I don’t know why it’s so difficult for us to wake up and see the futility of trying to plan our own lives right down to the nitty gritty, when the Lord has His own plan for each and every life that He’s created. 

And if you still don’t believe me, then listen to Cousin Sol as he gives forth on the subject again, (smile) this time from Proverbs 19. He wisely expounds: ‘There are many devices (plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov. 19:21) And it’s not like we haven’t seen it proven over and over in our lives. If the Lord desires to thwart our plans, He has the right and the power to do it. We just have to ‘wisen’ up, realize it and try to walk in His will rather than ours. 

Now, I guess Cousin Sol found the subject rather interesting and/or important that in another chapter of Proverbs, he once again broached the topic. Listen here: ‘Man’s goings (steps) are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?’ (Prov. 20:24) And if the first part is true, then the second part is totally logical, since you cannot understand where you’re going, if you don’t control where you’re going. (smile). And I don’t know what it will take for some of us to finally figure that out and stop trying to force our plans over those that God has set out for us. 

Friends, turning to God and asking for His will for our lives, or even bringing what we desire to do before Him before we try to initiate them is wisdom of the ages! Because if He definitely doesn’t want us going one way, He will not allow us to go there. Since He’s given us free will, He doesn’t like to get into our affairs too much, but sometimes what we’re doing is either so dangerous, outrageous or will cause so much confusion, that He intercedes and puts a spoke in our wheel. And that’s only because He LOVES us so much, He doesn’t want to see us make mistakes that are either irreparable or will cause us much heartache later on. 

And Isaiah spells it out for us in even greater detail as he speaks of God’s Spoken and Purposed Will. ‘Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. Declaring (yesss!!!) the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:’ (Is. 46:9-10) Oh my faithful believers, I don’t see how God could make it any plainer than that nuh! His counsel and plans are what will stand. He will do as He pleases, because it’s His universe, and contrary to what we might think, He still controls it. 

And Bruh David concurs with all that Cousin Sol and Isaiah say, when he proclaims in Psalm 37: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps, 37:23-24) Wow! What good news that is my brethren! When we walk with God, even if we stumble and fall, we will not be totally cast down, because the Lord will raise us back up again. And Cousin Sol further elaborates on that by saying: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) 

And that’s the gospel truth! A righteous man will never give up, regardless of how often he falls, for the Lord will always help him to rise again to his feet. Now let’s hear the end of this thing, (smile) as per the psalmist in Psalm 33. ‘Let all the earth fear the Lord (reverence Him): let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. for he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen (unbelievers) to nought: he maketh the devices (plans) of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.’ (Ps. 33:8-11) 

Now friends, with all of the wonderful, enlightening scripture percolating in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, (smile) let’s go to God, through our Friday Chant, to find succour for our earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, if we sincerely want to see positive changes in our world, then we need to make the necessary changes in our lives that will encourage God to help us. It’s as simple as that. Much LOVE!

…to avoid unnecessary heartache…wisdom dictates…we take our plans to God for His approval… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 April 2023 Hebrews 13:12.

14 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 13:12.Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify (set apart, make holy) the people with his own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate.

Dear friends, let me apologize for the lateness of the bit right up front. But as you know, the best laid plans of men and mice usually go astray. (smile) I had intended to get up early and do the Bit before going to a mid-morning doctor’s appointment, but obviously that did not happen. Then, you obviously have to wait to see the medic, because they are always running behind schedule. And after seeing him, there were unexpected X rays, followed by the overdue pharmacy visit to pick up medication, not to mention the Friday afternoon traffic in summer-like 25 degrees Celsius weather, this first real hot weekend of the year. But unfortunately, spring temps are expected back by Sunday.

And I know you’ve long since declared (awright!!!) your ‘TGIF’s’ Thank God it’s Friday!’ But since I’ve been gone from around 10.30 to almost 2.p.m, all I can say is, ‘Thank God, I’m back home!’  Now that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! (smile) So let’s get down to brass tacks. Yesterday we spoke about some of the things that Jesus’ death and resurrection did for us; namely redemption, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation and sanctification. We covered the first three and promised to do the other two today, provided the Lord gave us health and strength to do it. And it appears as though He has, so let’s keep the promise. (smile) 

Now, in talking about justification yesterday, that’s been made right with God, through the righteousness of Christ, we touched on the subject of reconciliation, (Rom. 5:10-11) but that was not the scripture I wanted to share on reconciliation, which is basically a reuniting or bringing of two parts or people into agreement. And the scripture I want to share comes from Bruh Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, where he expounds. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new. 

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit (that is) God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray (implore) you in Christ’s stead (on His behalf), be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:17-21) 

Oh friends, those verses cover a whole lot of ground, but it’s important to realize that it was ALL God’s doing, ALL His wanting to reconnect with His human creation, through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. In other words, as Bruh Paul intimates, the door has been reopened for us to reconnect with God, but it still depends on us to come to Him in reconciliation, through acceptance of His wonderful Son. 

Now, as per sanctification; that simply means, being set apart, being made holy, or in the image of Christ, which is the Lord’s desire for all who follow His Son. One commentary explains it thus: ‘The Bible tells us that sanctification is God’s will for our lives and soul (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ, by purifying our hearts and minds, through repentance, prayer, and spiritual practices. Throughout the Bible, sanctification is mentioned frequently as a calling to align yourself with God’s will and cleanse yourself from sin.’ 

And what are some scriptures on the subject? Listen up. This first one is what we just referenced, 1 Thess. 4:3: ‘For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication (sexual immorality).’ Then there’s this part of Bruh Paul’s explanation of his conversion on the road to Damascus to King Agrippa. Jesus is telling why He has conscripted him as an apostle. ‘Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in me.’ (Acts 26:17-18) 

The next scripture comes from 1 Corinthians where Bruh Paul is berating them about being wrong doers. ‘Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that (to) your brethren. Know ye knot that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived…(and he lists some of their iniquitous doings) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified (set apart), but ye are justified (declared righteous (yesss!!!) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.’ (1 Cor. 6: 8-9a, 11) 

And we’ll end with this last scripture from Hebrews that talks about blood sacrifices in the Old Testament in contrast to the New Covenant. ‘For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without (outside) the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify (set apart, make holy) the people with his own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate.’ (Heb. 13:11-12) Yes friends, it’s all about the cleansing of our sins, which the blood of Jesus did once and for all time. No more animal sacrifices. 

And when you receive Him as Lord and Saviour, then you are, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled , justified, set apart, sanctified, made holy, being slowly remade in His image from glory to glory! Now who wouldn’t want such a glorious transformation eh? We all do, without having to pay the price though. (smile) Now it’s time to go to the throne of God, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine assistance with our earthly problems. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we truly want to see positive answers to our prayer, then we need to make positive changes to our lifestyles. It as simple as that my brethren. Much LOVE!

…we’ve already experienced Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection….all that’s left is…His second coming…this time in glory… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ            

Today’s Scrip-Bit   31 March 2023 Ephesians 6:11.

31 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 6:11.         Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.

And, as been happening these last few weeks, our ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ sentiments were again met by inclement weather; today it’s rain, with promises of snow in the forecast. Chuh! Some force or the other seems desirous of putting a proverbial spoke in our weekend plans. (smile) But please let them know that whatever they throw at us, we can handle it, because we have Jesus on our side! He is our strength, our shield and high tower! Yes friends, once we have Jesus as the mainstay of our lives, we can handle anything. He’s promised it, and He keeps His promises. 

And I just LOVE this verse of scripture where the Lord says to Joshua, when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) 

It could not be any clearer than that my faithful brethren. He said it to Joshua a long time ago, but it’s the same thing He’s saying to us right now too. Be strong and courageous, because He is with us, wherever we go. It’s a testament to our faith, to our maturity, and it’s not always easy to adhere to, especially when the enemy keeps throwing fiery darts at us, like is happening right now with our world in such an evil mess. 

But remember too that we have the Lord’s spiritual armour to protect us from all the enemy’s assaults. As Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus. ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:11) That’s because we’re not in a physical but spiritual battle. 

And he continues: ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about (your waist girded) with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph. 6:13-18) 

Now there we have the spiritual armour with which we need to be constantly clothed. That’s the only way we can fight the enemy mano a mano and defeat him. But most importantly, we also have to put on that armour. It doesn’t just get on us automatically. We have to PUT ON, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the helmet of salvation, then TAKE UP, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

Only then are we ready to engage the enemy in combat, to stand and face him… And not even then, because we still have to engage in prayer and supplication for all believers. Remember prayer is the mightiest weapon we have, and it must be involved in all we do. The whole point of all of this my brethren is that we have protection from the enemy, but we have to make a conscious decision to take it up and to put it on! It won’t do us any good otherwise. 

And please take a good look at our armour and you’ll see how excellent it is: truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, faith, the word of God, and prayer. Wow! Nothing can defeat us if we have those things in our armoury! And remember too, the mighty sword that’s the word of our God. 

How does the author of Hebrews describe it? ‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest (hidden) in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him that we have to do (give account to).’ (Heb. 4:12-13) 

Yes my people, the word of God is indeed mighty and powerful, living and sharp as the proverbial sword, and we cannot get away from it, because through God’s Spirit it can discern our very thoughts and open us up to the Lord Himself. That means nothing; thoughts, words, deeds, actions are hidden from our great God! So it’s useless trying to hide anything from Him, like so many of us still insist on doing. 

And it’s only when we come to him in sincere repentance, open up ourselves, surrender to His goodness and mercy, that we can truly enjoy all the benefits of His protection and LOVING-kindness. And right now, we badly need those things with the level of evil that’s so very prevalent in our world. So, let’s go to him, through our Friday Chant, laying bare our souls, asking for His divine assistance. 

As one strong but sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now let’s go out and keep our promises, so that the Lord can keep His. Much LOVE!

…to go to God…sincerity and surrender…are of the utmost importance… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ    

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 March 2023 Job 14:1.

17 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Job 14:1. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

And though it’s a wet, cloudy day, we all still shouted ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday and the work week done!’ Yes, the work week is finally finished, but for some reason or other the lasts few Fridays have all seen bad weather, although the previous days in the week have been fine, bright and sunshiny. I guess because we are so into Friday, the weather mavens are playing the devil’s advocate with us, trying to put a spoke into our wheel on one of the days we look forward to. (smile) 

But little do they know that we can handle anything they throw at us because were the siblings of Jesus Christ, children of the Most High God Jehovah; Creator of heaven, earth and all therein! Yes friends, the devil and his evil cronies might try to make life difficult for us but when we’re imbued with the Holy Spirit of Christ, our Lord and Saviour, as well as our Big Brother, our High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor and whatever else we need, then we can handle ANYTHING that comes against us in His mighty name! 

How did the prophet Isaiah put it so long ago? ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) Ah my people, what a strong, stalwart, ever-faithful and LOVING God we serve! If He says it, then we can be assured that we will be protected and come out the victor in the end! 

Now, this doesn’t mean we won’t be attacked or be struck by a weapon, for we will have trials and tribulations, tests and sufferings of many kinds, for as Job so rightly says a couple times: ‘Yet man is born unto trouble (toil), as the sparks fly upward.’ (Job 5:7) And again: ‘Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.’ (Job 14:1) Then Jesus said it very clearly: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

So friends, it’s not that we won’t be attacked or suffer unjustly, but the promise is that NONE of the negative stuff that we encounter will PROSPER against us!  In the end we will certainly be victorious! And that’s a very useful promise to hold on to, especially in these very rough and trying times, where our world suddenly seems to have gone crazy with all sorts of negative things happening all at once. Yes, some days it is difficult to stay faithful, but with each day that you do so, your faith in Christ grows, and life becomes a li’l easier for you to handle. 

And that’s what we need to concentrate on; growing our faith, becoming more mature Christians, and thus better able to handle the vicissitudes, that’s the changes, variations and vagaries of this evil and ungodly world. To do that successfully though, means we must know the scriptures; know the Lord’s Word, which is the ONLY thing that will keep us strong and willing to stay on that straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus, salvation and eternal life. And you can only know the word by spending serious and sincere time in it; meditating on it, allowing it to caress your heart, mind, body and soul so that it forms a shield around you. 

And if you don’t believe me, then listen to a few of the may scriptures that describe our God and His word as a shield. Beginning with Samuel’s declaration (oh yeah!!!): ‘As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all them that trust him.’ (2 Sam. 22:31) Then Bruh David adds his two cents worth from Psalm 3, as he states: ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head (the one who lifts up my head).’ (Ps. 3:2-3) 

Then listen to this verse from Psalm 91: ‘He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust (take refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (small shield).’ (Ps. 91:4) And we all know that Cousin Sol had something to say on almost everything…if not everything. (smile) Listen as he tells it. ‘Every word of God is pure (tried, found pure): he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.’ (Prov. 30:5) So, my fellow saints, you don’t have to take my word for it, you have the true and faithful testimony of several great men of God, who did exactly as I am asking us to do, put our sincere and deep trust in Almighty God, for He will not let you down. No, NEVER! 

Now, let’s go to Him prayer, through our Friday Chant asking for His divine help to keep us strong and sincere. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 

Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we want to see positive results from our petitions, then we have to make positive, godly changes to our lives. Much LOVE!

…if you can’t trust God…then whom can you trust eh… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ          

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