Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 December 2021 Joshua 14:12a.

04 Dec 2021 Leave a comment

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

Joshua 14:12a.      Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day;

Oh yes! We’ve made it through another workweek! Thank the Lord! Now it’s Saturday, our lazing time; sleeping late, not rushing to do anything, even bypassing things we earlier felt were so important to do. (smile) That’s what Saturday brings for many of us, especially the ones without young children and a busy household schedule. 

Wish I could say that, because on Saturdays, I have to put on my thinking cap and try to decipher, with God’s help obviously, what the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week means to believers in Christ Jesus. And ofttimes they are quite inciteful and do inspire us to have a better tomorrow. 

So, let’s see what our first quote today says. ‘You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.’ And isn’t that the God-awesome truth! Yes friends, as long as we are alive and able to do stuff, we should never stop learning, because learning is what keeps us alive, not only metaphorically, but also physically, for if we don’t use our faculties they will dry up and we will die. As they say, if you don’t use it, you lose it. And age is no drawback to learning. I just read recently about an eighty something year old woman receiving her first college degree and planning to go on for a second one. 

Now that’s how we ought to be, always planning on something, even though we’re not sure to make it. And I believe one of the best examples of that sort of thinking in the Bible is Caleb, at eighty-five years old, saying to Joshua: ‘Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, than I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said,’ (Josh. 14:12) 

Remember, Caleb and Joshua were two of the dozen spies who checked out the Promised Land at Moses’ behest. And they were the only two who had faith to believe that Israel was able to defeat the inhabitants, and thus were the only two people from those who originally left Egypt, blessed to enter the Land of Promise. That segues nicely into this next quote: ‘Inspiration comes from within yourself. One has to be positive. When you’re positive, good things happen.’ 

I don’t know if inspiration necessarily only comes from within you, but for sure, you must be positive. And when you are, good things usually happen. The opposite is also true: Think negatively, negative things will most likely happen. That’s just the way of the universe. The way God planned it. Cousin Sol wisely said, as a man thinks, so is he. (Prov. 23:7) Now that’s no lie! And as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say: ‘Something good is going to happen to me today. And something good is going to happen through me today.’ 

It’s always good to keep a positive mindset. Especially if you are a believer in Christ Jesus, for He says that nothing is impossible to Him, and consequently nothing is impossible to those who sincerely believe in Him! Wow! What an encouraging word in these discouraging times! 

Moving on, we come to the following quote: ‘Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.’ I believe that most of us would agree with that statement, as there are so many moments in our lives that we never paid much attention to at the time they were taking place, but when we look back, we discover that they were indeed precious and memorable. Yes, hindsight is 20-20 vision. But please, let’s stop being so busy and enjoy the moments of our lives as they happen nuh, rather than appreciating them only in hindsight. 

That brings us to this quote: ‘You do not find the happy life. You make it.’ And is that ever so true. We ought not to wait on others to make us happy, otherwise we will often wait in vain. True happiness begins with us. It’s a decision we make to be happy, to be fulfilled, come what may. And the first thing on that road to happiness is having a positive outlook on life, because happiness entails a positive state of mind. 

Then we need to have a good attitude towards the difficulties that come with life. For life is never a smooth, flat ride, but more often a roller coaster, with numerous up and downs, twists and turns. And the best way to get that good attitude is by believing in Jesus! Remember His memorable words to the disciples. ‘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) 

Yes my people, the only way to achieve a true kind of happiness, one that’s not dependent only on our outward circumstances is by having Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. That’s because He enables us to have the inner peace and happiness we term joy, which is oh so essential for living in this dangerous and disastrous world. And our last quote encourages us as it says: ‘Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.’ 

Oh friends, being a ray of light in someone else’s life is ever so important, and it’s not very hard to do. We just have to be a friend, a mentor, or even a simple passer-by to inject a dash of sunshine into another’s life. And yuh know that’s the basic element of being a Christian, a follower of Christ! He said that we were supposed to be the light of the world, and to let our light shine so that others may see it and glorify our heavenly Father. Well, if that’s not being a rainbow in someone else’s dark cloud, then I don’t know what is. 

And all it takes sometimes is just a smile, a kind or encouraging word, or quietly listening as someone pours out their hearts, but being there with some form of help. And having written that last sentence, it just occurred to me how easy it is for us to be a shining light, a rainbow in another person’s life without a whole lot of sacrifice on our part, and yet how many people go around shrouded in dark clouds because we supposed believers are too selfish, too busy or simply can’t be bothered to offer that li’l ray of sunshine we are quite capable of offering. 

So today, my fellow saints, I’m asking us to get serious on the matter of brightening up the lives of others. And do we all need someone to offer us a ray of sunshine in these calamitous times. All we have to do is pay a li’l more attention and let the power of the Holy Spirit play a greater part in our lives. Let’s promise ourselves and our God to do that today nuh, so we can make our world a better and brighter place. Much LOVE!

…being a true Christian isn’t always difficult…it can also be as easy as…one, two, three… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 November 2020 Proverbs 6:9.

09 Nov 2020 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 6:9.    ​How long wilt thou sleep (lie down), O sluggard (lazy one)? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

Summer days are here again friends, summer days are here again! Yes, this past week has been sunny and fairly warm, especially yesterday, when I was out on my front porch getting a tan in the afternoon, enjoying the hot, bright rays of the sun, providing, storing up warmth in my soul for the upcoming winter, doing like the wise, self-starting ants. (smile) Who, like Cousin Sol says, doesn’t have a ruler or overseer or taskmaster, but nonetheless wisely gathers food in the summer harvests for the cold, famine like, winter days. (Prov. 6:6-8) 

And according to the weather forecasters, we might even have a few more decent days this week. Thank the Lord yes! For how often do you have such summery weather in November eh? Not very often nuh. So let’s enjoy it while it lasts, because after that… Hn! After that comes the cold. (smile) And having spoken about the wisdom of the ants, Cousin Sol goes on to ask a most insightful question of us: ‘How long wilt thou sleep (lie down), O sluggard (lazy one)? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?’ (Prov. 6:9) 

Now that’s a question which is very appropriate for our easy come, easy go society, where privilege and entitlement play such a great part, where so many of us are unproductive, not contributing anything worthwhile to our world. As the saying goes, if you don’t sow, you can’t reap. But then again, what you reap depends on what you sow. And if so many of us are sowing laziness and unproductivity, then what do we expect to reap eh, just more of the same? And Cousin Sol answers his question thus:‘Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep (to rest): So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth (as a prowler), and thy want (need) as an armed man.’ (Prov. 6:10-11) 

Oh my people poverty and misfortune don’t always fall upon us all at once, but more often it’s a process, when we’re not wise enough to prepare for predictable circumstances or eventualities. Consequently, constant laziness will eventually bring dire poverty. And the sad part is that we don’t usually notice it, it creeps up on us gradually, until one day it suddenly hits us full in the face like an armed robber whom we didn’t expect to encounter. 

And that is exactly what’s happening too much in our world today. Too many of us are resting on our laurels and as a result our standards are falling, our work ethic is slowly disappearing. And you know what eventually happens when the standards and work ethic of a society, of a nation decrease – that nation is on the way down! 

And these words of Cousin Sol later on in Proverbs provide an appropriate picture of such unfortunate circumstances. ‘I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding. And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof (its surface), and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.’ (Prov. 24:30-32) 

And what instruction do you think he received from that sorry state of affairs eh? The same thing he discovered earlier: ‘‘Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep (to rest): So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth (as a prowler), and thy want (need) as an armed man.’ (Prov. 24:33-34) 

Thus, as the scholars explain: 24:3-34. The slothful is too lazy to keep thorns and nettles out of his vineyard or to keep his stone wall repaired. His laziness is further exhibited in sleeping late when he should be working. Therefore his poverty shall come as one that traveleth; that is, a bandit or a vagabond. Small surrenders lead to great disasters.’ 

And isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren! Small, seemingly unimportant things, do add up to large disasters. And right now our society is suffering from a lot of small happenings over time, that have finally become major matters, which we can’t seem to deal with successfully. So what is the answer eh, beside being productive and diligent? Turn to the One who created us, and is mightier than us. That’s wisdom to the nth degree! That’s the true road to success! So let’s do that right now nuh, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

All together now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have 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, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, 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!’ 

Yes precious people, our ONLY true hope is in our God, through our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus! Please, I implore us to sincerely turn back to Him in true repentance, so that He can keep His promises and heal us and our land! Much LOVE!

…remember God…for it is He…who gives you the power to be successful… (Deut. 8:18)