Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 May 2023   2 Thessalonians 3:10b.

01 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Thessalonians 3:10b.          …that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Can you believe it friends, it’s Monday May 1st. 2023! Wow! April is done like dinner! It didn’t even last long enough to have desert. (smile) And May Day is suddenly upon us. And what’s the significance of May Day? On May 1, each year, millions of workers around the world celebrate International Workers’ Day (May Day) as their Labour Day. For more than a century International Workers’ Day has acknowledged and celebrated the achievements of the trade union movement. 

The workers honour and draw inspiration from the activism and collective power that won the struggle for an eight‑hour workday. International Workers’ Day, or May Day, is a message of solidarity by workers worldwide who are resisting exploitation. However, not all countries celebrate their Labour Day on May 1st.  Some like Canada and the U. S celebrate it on the first Monday in September. Meanwhile there are also traditional festivals of a joyful nature that grace the fist day of May, like dancing the maypole; a tall pole with several long ribbons attached to the top, with each person holding one of the ribbons and dancing around each other. 

Unfortunately though, in Canada, May Day is not a holiday, that means we’ve got to get up and make our way through another plethora (profusion, abundance) of early morning traffic (smile) to our jobs. Chuh! What a bother eh! Work is for the birds yes! And I know many of us believe that. But please note these comparative words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in His teachings on worry. ‘Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they?’ (Matt; 6:26) 

And yes, indeed we are! But I want to point out that although the birds of the air don’t reap or harvest or store, they still have to go about and look for their food. The Lord provides it, but they have to go and get it. He doesn’t breast feed them like so many of us desire. That means we too have to get up and get a move on, and lay hold on whatever the Lord has provided for us. Yes friends, the Lord’s grace, mercy and goodness are out there waiting for us in abundance, but we need to make tracks, expend some energy to get them, for they won’t just fall in our laps like rain from the skies. 

And sadly, that’s something many of us modern-day people, even believers, aren’t very interested in doing. We want to live high on the hog, without doing anything to earn that privilege, believing instead that we are entitled to it. But the truth of the matter my brethren is that we are not entitled to a blooming thing! Even salvation, which is free, must be accepted once offered. We have to do something on this earth to pay our way. And Bruh Paul gave some excellent advice on the subject in his second letter to the Thessalonians. 

He says: ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish (warn) him as a brother.’ (2 Thess. 3:10-15) 

Now that might be a good plan to implement in our time because we have so many lazeros and busybodies, who strongly resist doing an honest day’s work, but are stirring up oodles of strife, especially on social media, where they can do it incognito and not face any repercussions for their wrongdoing. It’s sad too, but the work ethic of our current generation is very poor, if present at all. It’s become a sickness now in the society, where many of us expect to go to work and do very little, but receive full remuneration. And if we’re not lazing on the job, then we call in sick and still expect to get paid. 

Now, I’m not saying that the employers themselves are sweethearts, but in the long run, they have the power and can make life difficult for us. And trying to shame those backsliders might not work either, because many of them have no shame whatsoever. (smile) In fact, I believe that the word ‘shame’ and the emotion its expected to convey, have been discarded from our vocabulary and society. So what’s the answer then? Take them out in the square every Monday morning and put a good licking on them for everybody to see! 

I know that might never happen, because of all the do-gooders, who don’t realize that our problems stem from our society getting soft because wrongdoers are not being held sufficiently responsible for their anti-social behaviour. And until we wake up and get tough with them, stop mollycoddling them and stop making a setta foolish excuses for them, our society and it’s standards will keep falling until we reach a point where there are no standards, just chaos. End of sermon! 

Now let’s go to our Creator, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine help for our earthly problems. As one sincere voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, my fellow believers, if we truly want divine help, then we have to clean up our act; start doing the right things, and stop doing the wrong ones. And we all know what they are. So please, let’s stop pussy-footing around nuh, and get serious and do something to improve our world, or soon we will have no world at all! Much LOVE!

…enough is  enough…for our grandchildren’s sake…it’s time to start taking back our world from the enemy… 

Visit the Scrip-Bit Blog at https://randyobrien50.com                                                                                                                           

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 March 2023 Psalm 23:1.

20 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Oh friends, on this sunny but chilly Monday morning, we want to open with some monumental news! Yes, it is a momentous occasion! One where we hear and understand that The Bible is God’s Word to us. That it is still fresh through all the ages, and if we read it, we will find God’s exceptional wisdom on its pages! Wow! What magnificent news that is my people! Because it means that all of us who are sincerely seeking wisdom just have to read the Bible, God’s Word to find it. 

Yes friends, wisdom is right at our finger tips, no further than the Bible that sits looking pretty on your desk or table, but is truly gathering dust, since you don’t read it. And by the way, here’s this other piece of monumental information: One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man! That’s worth another Wow! Yes mih bredrin! Imagine that nuh. One li’l truth from God’s Word is worth more than all of man’s wisdom! Meaning to say that man’s wisdom is not worth very much, especially when compared to God’s.

 So why then do we all insist on learning and spouting the wisdom of man and not God’s eh? If man’s wisdom is worth so little, we should all be hungry and thirsting for the wisdom found in God’s Word. But to get that means reading God’s Word, the Bible, which so many of us claim to be too busy to do. That’s why so many of us are unwise in an unwise world, because the world doesn’t value God’s Word and His immortal and infinite wisdom. 

And it’s the basic answer to all of the earth’s problems. If you ignore the Word of the Creator of the universe and all therein, and the amazing truths it contains, how can you ever live a successful life, either individually or communally? No way Jose! The fly in the ointment here is that in addition to His Word, God also gave us free will to do as we please, sincerely hoping though that we’d be wise enough to read His Word and then follow His plan for our lives. But unfortunately, too many of us are trying to do it our own way without God’s help, and that is a sure and perfect recipe for disaster. 

Jesus Christ. God’s Son, whom He sent to earth to help us see the light said it quite simply and clearly. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Now that’s one of the essential truths of God’s Word. If we seek His kingdom and His righteousness before anything else, then we will have all our needs fulfilled. How did Bruh David put it in that marvellous psalm that we all know and revere with our mouths but not our hearts: ‘The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) 

And what does a shepherd do for his sheep eh? ‘A shepherd is committed to a flock and the one responsible for guiding the sheep, protecting them, and attending to their needs. So, to serve as a shepherd means to demonstrate commitment to the well-being of other people. It involves watching out for them, helping them, and teaching them.’ Therefore, that means if the Lord God Almighty is our shepherd, then He is thoroughly committed to our well-being. And His Son Jesus Christ said it in so many words. ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) 

And that’s exactly what He did; gave His sinless life on the cross of Calvary so that we, His sheep could be saved, could have victory, salvation and eternal life. So why is it so difficult to follow him eh? So hard to read God’s Word, believe it and then live it, despite all the marvellous examples of great men of God laid out in that Good Library, we call the Bible? I truly don’t know. Instead, we’re all going crazy for the things of the world and its evil doings, which don’t truly satisfy, and therefore we have to continually run them down, regardless of how much we have already accumulated. 

But friends, here is another word of wisdom for us. When you live for Christ, you don’t have to run down anything because God’s favour, grace and blessings run you down! But I guess we all have to find out the uselessness in running down the things of the world for ourselves before we believe. Meanwhile, here are the words of Bruh David, who as we all know personally lived them, and consequently experienced the joy of God’s favour. Hopefully, hearing them again will light a spark in our own souls and lives and wake us up to the reality that God, through Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to go. 

Please read with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’ (Ps. 23: 1-6) 

Oh friends, if we look at all the things Bruh David wrote there, we will see that he experienced it all. His life wasn’t easy, but God never promised us an easy life. He promised us a full, abundant and interesting one. And that’s a big part of our problem as believers. We think that because we’re following Jesus, life should be easy. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth, because Jesus said it quite clearly. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That doesn’t mean easy living my brethren, but rather a sacrificial sense of purpose, because Christianity was not made for cowards. 

So now that we’ve acquired some godly wisdom, (smile) let’s go to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and place all our problems before Him, as He’s said in His Word that we ought to do. Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to turn our words into sincere action, so that the Lord can do His part. Much LOVE!

…if you’re seeking wisdom…why go anywhere else than to the fountainhead…Almighty God…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 March 2023   1 Peter 5:7.

13 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 5:7.Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.

Why does Monday have to come every week like clockwork eh, you ask? Because that’s the way God and man planned it.(smile) And why does snow seem to fall in our area on Friday evenings and Monday mornings, making it difficult to get home on Fridays, while spoiling all one’s plans for the weekend, then doing the same thing to the Monday morning commute, when Monday is already difficult in itself? (smile) Some snow fell in the Greater Toronto area overnight, but it wasn’t that much, and the roads should be mostly wet and a tad slippery this morning. 

And as per the questions above, sorry folks, I don’t have answers to any of those questions nuh, but I can share this very important information with you. There’s a person by the name of Jesus who knows the answers, and though He might not desire to share them with you, if you become associated, or intimately acquainted with Him and His organization, the church, He will enable you to handle all the problems those trials cause. Glory Be! 

Yes, we saw in yesterday’s Bit where Jesus offered His Great Invitation for all who are weary and heavy burdened to come to Him for rest. He is gentle and humble in heart, and His yoke is easy and His burden light. (Matt. 11:28-30) And that’s a wonderful invitation, but to many of us it’s merely theory, we want to know how to put it into practice, how to make a practical application of that theory. No problem my people. Listen to the master of practical applications, Bruh Paul. 

Here’s how he advises us to turn that theoretical situation into a practical one. In his letter to the church at Philippi, he writes: ‘Be careful for nothing (do not be anxious about anything); but in every thing (every situation) by prayer and supplication (petition) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known (present your requests) to God.’ (Phil. 4:6) Now that certainly seems like a practical solution to our problems. God is the Creator and Controller of the universe, and therefore has much more power, wisdom and knowledge than us mere mortals made from the dust of the earth, to which we will all eventually return. 

But you still don’t understand how taking our problems to Almighty God will solve them, so listen to Bruh Paul’s continuation in his message to the Philippians. He declares (yesss!!!): ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!’ (Phil. 4:7) Glory be my faithful brethren! Yes, the tranquility or divine peace of mind that comes from God is such a high level of peace that our finite and puny minds can’t fully understand it, but it will quell our fears and anxieties. 

Remember the Lord said in Isaiah: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) That sets the bar right there my brethren. Our understanding is far below that of our Creator, therefore we need to obediently accept His word and His way of doing things if we ever want to grow, to mature, to rise from glory to glory in His eternal kingdom. 

Now, here’s another scripture that encourages us to take all our problems to Almighty God. Peter says: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:’ (1 Pet. 5:6) And you then ask? How do I do that? Here’s Peter’s answer: ‘Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:7) And there’s absolutely no doubt of God’s great LOVE and compassion for us! You just have to look at how He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to die on our behalf. That says it all my friends! 

But according to Peter we also have a part to play, when He says; ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ (1 Pet. 5:8) Now that’s more gospel truth, because Satan is walking around, lurking in the background, ever ready to deceive those who are not paying attention, who are not standing strong in Jesus. So Peter then warns us to be very wary of the devil: ‘Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet. 5:9) 

Yes my fellow saints, all believers in Christ experience hardships, trials and tribulations. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm) strengthen, settle you.’  (1 Pet. 5:10) And that’s God’s promise, which He will keep, if we keep our promise to be obedient and faithful to Him through His Son Jesus Christ! That’s why Peter ends by declaring: (awright!!!) ‘To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:11) And that’s exactly how it will be, if we truly believe! 

Now, let’s take advantage of that awesome privilege that Bruh Paul and Peter spoke of; that’s going to God in prayer, casting our care upon Him, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. Altogether then: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now let’s keep our promises, so that the Lord will keep His. Much LOVE!

…all to God I carry…all to God my praises sing… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 January 2023 Psalm 89:18.

16 Jan 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 89:18.       For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

And the last few days have been perfect winter days in my neighbourhood; cold, but dry, with clean, snowless streets, with the residual snow now residing on the banks of the roads and the rooftops. and above all, bright, glorious sunshine! Glory be! Yes friends, the sun has indeed blessed us recently with its bright and encouraging presence. Wherever it had flown to in those earlier damp and cloudy days, it has certainly returned with a vengeance, shining bright and clear, all day! Now that state of affairs definitely pleased me, because in my opinion, it shouldn’t be cold and also bleak. (smile) 

And although there are warnings of upcoming precipitation from the weather forecasters, it’s evident and wonderful that that’s not going to happen today, because our heavenly Father has generously served up yet another blazing day of sunshine! Bless His Holy Name! Just wish though that I could say blazing hot day! But that’s okay. It’s winter, and I’ll take sunshine anytime over darkness. (smile) And let’s hope and pray that the forecasted precipitation holds off for at a least another couple of days, so that we can enjoy a li’l more of that welcome sunshine! 

But you know what friends, regardless of it being cold or hot, raining or snowing, as faithful children of God, we should all endeavour to do like Ethan the Ezrahite wrote in Psalm 89, subtitled – God’s sure promises to David. He declares: ‘I will sing of the mercies (LOVING-kindness) of the Lord for ever: with my mouth shall I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.’ (Ps. 89:1) 

Now that’s something that should come naturally to all believers, especially those of us who have walked with the Lord for some time and doubtlessly have enjoyed much of His faithfulness and LOVING-kindness along the way. But unfortunately, it seems like a lot of us supposed believers are lacking in sincere gratitude and thankfulness these days. We don’t give our great and faithful God the thanks and praise He deserves, neither do we talk of His LOVE and faithfulness to others like we ought to. 

And whenever we do offer some acknowledgement of His goodness, oftentimes it’s through simplistic platitudes, or dull, meaningless statements that don’t come from the heart. That’s because we are focusing too much on the world and its ungodly ways and schemes, so we don’t have the time nor the inclination to truly thank Jehovah God for all that He’s done, is doing, and has promised to do. But please listen carefully to what the psalmist says later on. ‘And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?’ (Ps. 89:5-6) 

And if we should all be asked those questions, we’d probably all answer ‘No One!’ So why then aren’t we doing as the psalmist says in the next verse? ‘God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had (held) in reverence of all them that are about him.’ (Ps. 89:7) And please don’t try to tell me that we supposed believers are holding God in sincere reverence, because we are not. Otherwise, the church would not be in such bad shape; disunited, disjointed with lots of false teaching, too many false and evil leaders and Satan would not be ruling the roost in the world, as he now does. 

Oh my fellow believers, it’s time for us to stand up strong, faithful and true and take control of our world, unless we desire to see it destroyed by the prince of darkness and his evil cohorts. I don’t want to keep knocking our efforts, but the truth is that they have been so far futile and meaningless. We just aren’t being as courageous and faithful as we ought to be. And if we don’t do something serious and worthy now, in the long run we all will suffer for our fear, laziness or whatever it is that’s holding us back from doing the work we were created to do. Remember Jesus’ words of warning: ‘He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Matt. 11:15) 

Enough laying on of guilt though, (smile) let’s just read the scriptures and enjoy them. And continuing with Psalm 89, the palmist writes: ‘O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab (Egypt) in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them. 

The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon (mountains) shall rejoice in thy name. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thine hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgement (righteousness and justice)are the habitation (foundation) of thy throne: mercy (LOVING-kindness) and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn (strength) shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.’ (Ps. 89:8-18) 

Now my fellow saints, I do hope we enjoyed those scriptures that dealt with the strength and faithfulness of our God. For He is strong….and He is faithful. He is indeed our defense and our King too. Thus, He is the most appropriate One to go to for help in our evil, topsy-turvy and ungodly world. So, let’s do that right now through our Monday Morning battle Hymn. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now,  if we want to receive positive answers, then we need to do like we promised; pray, seek God’s face and turn from our evil ways. It’s as simple as that! Much LOVE!

…the faithfulness of God…ought to raise the faithfulness of His believers… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 January 2023 Psalm 139:17.

09 Jan 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 139:17.       How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

And finally, we come to the first full work week of this new year. Isn’t that just grand? Many of us won’t think so, because we’ve had a few consecutively short work weeks in the recent past. And before that, it was already tough for us to handle the five-day variety, I just wonder what’s going to happen to us now, that we’re going back to the same old, same old. (smile) But I have faith in us, for our awesome God made us to be resilient to the max! 

How did Bruh David describe our exotic creation in Psalm 139? ‘For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered (weaved) me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (very well). My substance (frame, bones) was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously (skillfully) wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unformed); and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them, (the plans for my life were written before I was even made). How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps. 139:13-18) 

Now friends, that’s how important we are to our heavenly Father and Creator! He took His time and perfectly planned out our entire course before He even began to make us! That means we are very precious, special and important to our God. Why would He send His sinless Son Jesus Christ to die for us eh, if we weren’t important to Him eh? Jesus said: ‘For God so LOVED the world…’ (John 3:16) That’s why! 

And Bruh David also addressed the matter of our importance to God in Psalm 40, when he writes: ‘Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order (counted) unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.’ (Ps. 40:5) It just goes to show that we were not simply an afterthought of God, but a greatly desired and well-planned creation. 

Thus, He’s so good, so merciful and gracious unto us. We’re made in His image, living through the breath of His life, and destined to be with Him till eternity! If that doesn’t shout importance, LOVE, and togetherness, then I don’t know what does! The problem though is that our minds are too puny and finite to understand God’s great LOVE for us. As Bruh Paul declares in his epistle to the church at Rome: ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways are past finding out!’ (Rom. 11:33) 

That’s gospel truth my faithful brethren! And the prophet Isaiah said it long before Bruh Paul, when he wrote of our Creator: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) That’s putting it mildly my people!  

And the scholars explain: ‘God’s sovereignty and omniscience are extolled by the statement that His thoughts (i.e. purposes or intentions) and ways (directions) are higher than ours. While God may certainly be known by men, He is still incomprehensible in the totality of His person and purpose.’ Simply stated: we can never fully understand or know our Creator! But that’s why He gave us those things called hope and faith, trust and surrender. So that despite our inability to fully know and understand His purposes and intentions, we can rest assured that His intentions to us are always for good. 

Like Jeremiah puts it: ‘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) Now seeing all the good that the Lord has done for us, in spite of our rebellion, disobedience and blasphemy against Him, why is it so difficult to believe that He truly cares for us and wants only our best eh? And why do we fight against this reassuring scripture eh? ‘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) 

Our problem is that we are so selfish, greedy and entitled that we don’t want to have any unfortunate circumstances happen to us, we’re just interested in living for today. We don’t care about it all ending up right, we want it right, right now! But that’s not the way the world or our God operates. And if we don’t hurry up and get smart and accept those facts, then crapaud smoke we pipe! We’re going to pay an awfully high price for not believing and trusting Almighty God. 

But for those of us who have already woken up from our slumber, let’s go to our Creator through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, offering thanks and praise, then asking for forgiveness and help. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. 

Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now the ball is in our court; time to keep our promises and turn from our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…humans are the most important of God’s creations…His awesome LOVING-kindness to us…though undeserved…shows that in spades… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 December 2022 Ephesians 6:11.

26 Dec 2022 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 we may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.

Now this is one Monday that we all are going to LOVE! Yes, It’s Boxing Day, and a holiday for many of us, meaning an extension of the Christmas celebrations for another day. It’s always good when a Public Holiday falls on the weekend, because it gives us the next day off in lieu of the holiday. And since Christmas Day fell on this Sunday, and New Year’s Day will be falling on the next Sunday, lots of time off is in the offing. (smile) But please, let’s not use all our free time for physical celebrations, do spend some in valuable self-examination, looking back at what we did in 2022, and evaluating our goals and dreams for the new year of 2023, which will be another tough cookie. 

That means we have to buckle down in our faith, in our walk with God; either giving Him more of our time or simply digging deeper into His Word to find more of His eternal wisdom and understanding, for we will need those things even more in the turbulent days ahead. Why? Because life seems hell bent on getting more difficult and unnerving in the near future, than getting easier. And now is when believers need to strengthen their faith in Almighty God so that we can stand strong and steadfast in His name against the evil enemy who is putting up a stout fight, with no intentions of backing down. 

And with all the ungodly and negative stuff that’s happening in our world we must know that we’re in a fight for our lives, both spiritually and physically. But the good news is that we already possess the weapons to win that fight, provided we want to use them, and not simply give up in fear. NO! Not on your life! As soldiers in the army of Christ we must arm ourselves and fight the enemy mano a mano! That’s our God-given purpose, our bounden duty, which too many of us are currently shirking. 

But friends, this upcoming year of 2023 will separate the boys from the men, the sheep from the goats, and hopefully we’ll be numbered amongst the men and the sheep. But not unless we get serious about God, do like Bruh Paul says: ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:11) And please remember we’re not talking about physical warfare, but spiritual: ‘against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Eph. 6:12) 

That means you won’t see the demons and the powers of darkness that are coming against you, including Lucifer himself, but you’ll feel them invading your spirit, attempting to lead you astray, away from the straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus. And we cannot afford to make such a serious mistake, for the consequences of that are eternal. So, what do we do to prevent it? Like Bruh Paul writes: ‘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.’ (Eph. 6:13) 

Oh my fellow believers, it’s essential to avail ourselves of God’s provision for we are facing a formidable foe, an expert at mind bending, and if we’re without God’s armour, then he can destroy our Christian witness and ministry, his avowed goal. So, in ‘the evil day,’ that’s when we face those enemy onslaughts, we must do all we can, that’s dressed in God’s armour and staunchly resisting the enemy. And I know you’re anxious to recollect the six pieces of God’s armour. So here they are in a nutshell. 

The belt of truth; a knowledge of the truth of God’s Word that holds up all you believe. The breastplate of righteousness, which ‘represents a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the known “truth” produces a godly life (righteousness).’ Then, one’s feet must be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. That’s an eagerness or willingness to advance against the enemy, to take the fight to him, not just stand back and allow hm to come to you. Remember, the best method of defense is attack! And the gospel gives us peace from anxiety, which then allows us to advance fearlessly against Satan and his evil cohorts. 

Next, we need the shield of faith to protect us from the fiery darts of the wicked. That means trusting God, taking Him at His word, believing His promises. That trust will protect us from doubts induced by his satanic majesty. And we cannot go into battle without proper head gear, that’s the helmet of salvation; that’s the hope, or assurance of salvation! Neither can we enter a fray without a weapon to do damage to the enemy, and our weapon is the mightiest one in existence: ‘the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.’ 

Mama Mia! What awesome power! Remember how Hebrews describes God’s word: ‘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.’ (Heb. 4:12) Wow friends! Imagine the damage we can do with the word of God nuh as we wield it through the army of the evil doers! 

But wait, there’s one more important and powerful addition to all that armour, that’s the power of prayer. Yes my people, we must wrap up all that stuff in ‘prayer and supplication in the spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ And all that about the pieces of armour can be found in Ephesians 6:15-18. Please remember to read it occasionally so we don’t forget it and get caught napping by the enemy. And I know that some of you might not think this Christmas season a good time to talk about armour and warfare, but it is in fact the best time, when we have let our guards down to celebrate, and the enemy is just licking his chops and moving in for the kill. 

Now, to wrap it all up in prayer, let’s go to God with our Monday Morning Battle Hymn sincerely seeking His divine assistance. As one strong voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, let’s look to turning from our evil ways if we expect to see God’s grace and mercy! Much LOVE!

…Christmas is not only a season to celebrate…but also one to raise the level of our faith… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 December 2022 John 13:34.

19 Dec 2022 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.

And then it was the Monday of Christmas week, and I hope that we are all excited to go to work this morning to meet and greet our friends and co-workers with a ‘Merry Christmas and a ‘Happy New Year!’ Yes my people, if the Monday before the birth of Christ can’t get us enthused about work, then I don’t know what will, especially when a lot of us don’t do much at this time of year anyway. (smile) What with the shopping, office parties and what not. 

But please, I implore us to take a moment every so often and remember the real reason for this Christmas celebratory season, which is unequivocally the birth of Christ, some two thousand years ago. Without that incarnate birth of the Son of God, there would be no holidays and/or celebrations now. So, as the old people would say, let’s give jack his jacket and Jim his gym boots. Yes, let’s give Jesus the recognition He so appropriately deserves, by remembering Him in our hearts and souls and sharing the miraculous and marvellous story of His birth with others. 

Let them know that Jesus’ birth was the first step in God’s plan of salvation, in His plan to bring us woeful sinners who had gone astray from Him, back into His fold. To redeem us, to make us righteous, to reconcile us back to Himself, so that we could be rightly called the children of God, and eventually enjoy eternal life in His company! Now nothing could be better than receiving God’s unmerited grace and favour my faithful brethren! 

And we who believe, are supposed to be His disciples, His ambassadors and spread His Word all over the earth. As he said in the Great Commission He assigned to us: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) Now that is our basic assignment as believers. 

And I just LOVE how Bruh Paul explains the spreading of Christ’s gospel, as he talks about righteousness by faith in Christ to the church at Rome. Quoting the prophet Joel (Joel 2:32), he writes: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.’ (Rom. 10:13-15) 

And it’s ever so interesting how Bruh Paul uses his vast knowledge of the Old Testament scripture to make his New Testament points. In that last verse he quoted Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15. Now not everybody needs to be a preacher, but every believer needs to know and grow in the scriptures so that they can share their faith with others. For how can you truly share what you don’t know about eh? Neither do we have to breathe down people’s necks with the scriptures, but the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us when an opportunity arises for us to witness in Christ’s name. 

And there’s no better season to witness than at Christmas time, when everyone is joyful and receptive to good tidings. But friends, you know the best witness ever? Our everyday lifestyle. If we model it on that of Christ, then we won’t have to do any shouting from the rooftops, but others will just see the difference in us and want to live the life we’re living. 

And that’s just what I want us to go out and do this Monday morning, and all through this Christmas week: live a life that’s reflective of Christ; one filled with LOVE, kindness, compassion, mercy, goodness, gentleness and peace, while getting in some scriptures edgewise, as the Holy Spirit directs us! I don’t think we can do a better job of reminding the world of the reason for this holiday season than to live a rich and full life based on Jesus’ teachings. 

So, this Christmas season, let’s be the salt of the earth and light of the world as He desires. Not forgetting this most important directive: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

Oh my fellow saints, it’s remarkable that because of the birth of Christ, this is the season when even the unbelievers show LOVE and caring to each other, so why can’t we do the same eh? And I’ll leave us to ponder for a moment on that thought.   Selah. Now, let’s go to God in heartfelt prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, it’s time to get our hearts and our motives right with God showing the world the LOVE of Christ! Much LOVE!

…only the birth of Jesus… could bring peace and tidings of good things…to our embittered and embattled world… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 December 2022   1 Peter 5:8.

12 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 5:8.        Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour:

Oh friends, let’s be thankful that we got the blast of cold weather and snow yesterday morning rather than today, otherwise this Monday morning’s commute would have been a nightmare out on the snow-covered roads with the white stuff lazily, but dangerously drifting down. (smile) However, most of the snow has either melted or has been cleaned away and the roads are in good shape for the opening day of this workweek. 

And I do hope and pray that most of us are also in good shape as we journey out to earn a living and do God’s bidding. Because if we aren’t, then the day will frustrate us, causing unnecessary anxiety. That’s why before we leave home, we ought always to commune with our Maker and heavenly Father asking for His strength and guidance to handle the day as it inexplicably and uncertainly unfurls before us. 

Remember, we are more than conquerors, but we can only do what Christ strengthens us to do. Therefore, we need Christ in every moment of our day, if we are to successfully see it through. That’s why Peter so wisely warned and advised us thus: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) 

And that’s the living truth friends! Our God cares for us so much that He even sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to die on the cross at Calvary so that He could justly forgive our sins and reconcile us to Himself! As Bruh Paul said to the church at Rome: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now if that isn’t the epitome of LOVE and caring, then I don’t know what is! 

But my people, since we are in a partnership with God, it means we also have a part to play. And Peter lays it out for us, when he advises: ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet. 5:8-9) 

Ah friends, although many of us experience similar temptations, it’s not always easy to resist the devil, especially when he goes around roaring loudly. Remember though, that he’s a toothless lion, only has a big roar, for Christ has already defanged him, taken away the keys of hell, death and the grave from him, and his only power now is to frighten us with his loud voice. He plays on our fears like a dog loudly barking on a dark night; we can’t see him, but we know he’s close by, and we tremble with a spot of fear as the sound seems to get closer with each bark. 

But the truth is that those dogs who make so much noise are either tied up or are fenced in, that’s why their only avenue is to bark loudly and frighten us. And it’s the same with Satan; he has no power over us unless we give it to him, unless we allow him to scare us into doing his bidding instead of Christ’s! And Peter also covers that by saying: ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (establish) strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:10-11) 

What a mighty and gracious God we serve my fellow believers! He won’t allow us to fall into a circumstance from which we cannot extricate ourselves with His help. As Bruh Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians. ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) 

Yes my people, the Lord won’t always allow us to escape from the temptation completely, but more likely He will give us the strength, the wherewithal to withstand or endure said temptation, because that will test and build our faith, bring us more like Jesus, which is God’s basic plan for all His children. That’s why we have to pay close attention to the people and things that come into our lives and early on winnow the wheat from the chaff, or else the chaff, the devil’s iniquity workers will just muck up our lives. 

And once he acquires a stronghold in us, it’s certainly difficult to get rid of him, he holds on for dear life. So, the best way to avoid that is by resisting him, by being sober and diligent in the first place, and not let him gain any strongholds in our lives. And it all begins with prayer. So let’s go to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and place our problems in His caring, merciful and gracious hands. 

Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’  

Now my fellow saints, it’s up to us to do the things we know will get us a positive answer from God. Much LOVE!

…Satan is very persistent… but Christ’s followers are more steadfast and persevering… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 December 2022 Hebrews 13:6.

05 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 13:6.       So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall (can) do unto me.

And then it was Monday once again! That continuously recurring first day of the workweek which causes our frustrations to rise to abnormal and unnecessary levels! (smile) Yes, although we know the right way to handle Mondays, it still often gets the better of us. So what do we do about it eh? 

Simple! With the Lord’s help, make better preparations and come to terms with the fact that once we are in the work force, after a short weekend break, Monday will come around every week and require us to get back out into the evil and ungodly world and walk our walk for Christ, which in itself will undoubtedly cause us some problems, since the world is not very receptive to Christ at this particular period in time. 

But the good news is that our Lord and Saviour will never ask us to do anything and then leave us in the lurch to do it alone. Of course not! He always gives us the necessary tools, anoints us to do whatever He requires, which means we ought not to get overly frustrated and disappointed when problems come against us. Please remember this magnificent and ever so encouraging scripture that we’ve been talking about the last few days: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!‘ (Phil. 4:13) 

Now, if you sincerely believe in Christ Jesus then that ought to be a foundational scripture in your repertoire, indelibly written in your spirit, to draw from for spiritual support, whenever the need arises. Oh friends, it’s of the utmost necessity that we have a bunch of scriptures at the ready for when problems come upon us. But we cannot ever get our repertoire sufficiently enlarged without constantly perusing and meditating on the Word. 

Please remember that the Bible is God’s Word to us, and it’s still fresh through all the ages. Therefore, if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages. And there’s no better example of that than the directive the Lord gave 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 thy mouth (be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 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. 1:8-9) 

Oh my faithful brethren, those are some of the most profound and wise words in the scriptures. And so they should be, if they were uttered by the Lord Himself. And yuh know what? Those words were not meant to apply to only Joshua, but to ALL God’s children, right down through the ages! 

And if you are a child of God, sincerely studying His Word is the only way to grow in spiritual maturity and strength; to have no fear of what the world can do to you, because your heavenly Father is with you all the time. Don’t forget He has also promised: ‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall (can) do unto me.’ (Heb. 13:5-6) 

And it’s ever so true that lack of knowledge of the Bible is a big cause of the fear that so many of us feel as we go through our everyday lives. You’ll surely notice that when we have the Word buried deep in our hearts and souls, then we walk with a spring in our stride, with pep in our step, because we are confident of what Psalm 91 says. ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh (near) thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 

They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra): the young lion and the dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:9-16) 

Oh my fellow saints that’s what we have to look forward to when we faithfully adhere to the Lord and His Word. Now, let’s promise each other to pull up our socks and do better because better must come, and it will only come through God’s people, by us rising to the challenges we face! And for help to do that, let’s approach the throne of grace, and through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, plead our case. 

Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’

Now, if we want to see a positive response then we’ve got to clean up our act, including the motives of our hearts. Much LOVE!

…promises, promises, promises…man’s are made to be broken…but God’s are ALWAYS fulfilled… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 November 2022 Luke 9:23.

28 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

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

So it’s Monday! What’s the big deal about that eh? Monday comes around every week, and we face it, with hope, prayer and faith in Almighty God, successfully defeat it and move on to the next day. And the reason why so many of us are in a tizzy come Monday morning is because we don’t make proper preparations for it on Sunday evening. 

Oh friends, the only way to successfully greet a new day is by being prepared for it, having some plan(s) to take it under our wing and control it, rather than have no plans, and allow it to control us. And since we all know that Monday is a day of work, it should be common sense, not rocket science to prepare for it beforehand, so that we’re not aimlessly rushing around looking for stuff on Monday morning. Surprisingly, no other day of the workweek seems to give us as much trouble as Monday, the one we have the most time to prepare for. Perhaps that’s the problem; we have too much time to prepare for it, so we keep putting it off until it’s too late. 

That recalls Cousin Sol’s wise words from Proverbs: ‘He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.’ (Prov. 25:28) And this other Proverb describes the same thing. ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ (Prov. 16:32) Likewise this one: ‘The discretion (self-control) of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov. 19:11) 

Yes my people, self-control is an essential aspect of successful living. In fact, it’s possibly the most important aspect, because if we don’t have it, we won’t be able to do the other necessary things properly. And remember it’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which means it will only flourish if we allow the Holy Spirit to water and nurture the godly seed planted in us. And the Bible gives us oodles of scriptures that bear out the importance of self-control, so let’s look at a few, hoping that they will help us in our ongoing battle with life. 

And probably the most famous one is that written to Timothy by Bruh Paul: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And to both Timothy and Titus, Bruh Paul wrote about the qualities needed for bishops and deacons as well as for ordinary believers and they all include that aspect of self-control. (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9, 2:1-10). And as well, in his treatise to Timothy on apostasy (turning away from faith in God) Bruh Paul writes that one of the signs would be ‘incontinent men,’ that’s men without self-control. 

Meanwhile Peter in his second epistle writes to the Jewish diaspora regarding growing in grace, in spiritual maturity. ‘And beside this (but also for this very reason), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (moral excellence); and to virtue knowledge (spiritual truth); and to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience (endurance); and to patience godliness; (2 Pet. 1:5-6) 

Now we can all see that the importance of self-control is no lie by just looking at the terrible state of our current world filled with so much confusion and strife, dissatisfaction, greed and an insatiable hunger for power, most of which is driven by a lack of self-control. 

And if you want it clearer than all that, then listen to Jesus as He discusses the terms of discipleship in His organization. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That’s as plain and straightforward as you can get. You have to be bubbling over with self-control to follow Jesus, meaning denying your own desires and instead following His. And there is more to say on the subject, but since I’m aspiring to keep the Bit as short as possible (smile) we’ll leave that for tomorrow, God willing. 

The next step then is to go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn asking for divine assistance. Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And for us to get a positive reaction, it’s imperative that we keep our promises and show some improvement in our daily lives. Much LOVE!

…self-control is like body building…you have to exercise it for it to grow… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ      

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