Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 August 2015 Psalm 67:1

14 Aug 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 67:1.   God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us.   Selah.

Well Friends, welcome to a rainy Friday morning in my area… 

And the response is, ‘rain or shine it doesn’t matter. It’s still Friday, and we’re still going to shout TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here. Glory Hallelujah! Thank you for the weekend Lord! It’s a nice, though short break from all the hustle and bustle of modern living. Thank you again for the weekend Lord!’ 

Yes my brethren it is indeed good and right to thank the Lord for the weekend, but at the same time we have to know how to use it properly, and our Friday Chant gives us some indication of that, so let’s chant it nuh, in all sincerity and truth. 

As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. 

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

It is indeed a tight balancing act we need to perform on the weekend my people; rest and relaxation, family time, worship time, household chores and preparations for the following week. But if we put everything in the right perspective, it’s rightful place; God first, and everything else after, we will be able to successfully accomplish that balancing act. 

And if we put God first in everything in our lives, then with total confidence we can cry out like our Bit does: ‘God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us.   Selah.’ 

Yeh Friends, in this fallen world we badly need God’s mercy and LOVING-kindness. Why? As the psalmist explains: ‘That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health (salvation) among all nations.’ (Ps.67:2) 

And that’s the best reason there is Friends! For without the Lord’s saving grace we are doomed to perdition and death! 

Consequently, the psalmist further cries out: ‘Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth.’ (Ps.67:3-4) 

Unfortunately though the nations of the earth don’t seem to want the Lord to govern them, so they are not praising Him the way they should. These are the times of doing what one wants to do and not much respect is being paid to obedience to Holy God’s will, even by many of His supposed believers. In fact, we’re trying to remove as much of God as we can, as fast as we can, from our society. 

But my fellow brethren in Christ, we cannot allow that to happen. Christ’s body, the Church has to stand strong and fight back, for we are the last bastion, the remnant of Christ’s army, and if we fall, if we succumb to the enemy, without even much of a fight, then we will be disgracing the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

He would have died, have sacrificed His holy and sinless life in vain. And that we surely cannot afford to let happen my fellow believers! That means we have to pull up our socks, our britches, or whatever, and make a bold and confident stand on Christ’s behalf. We can’t just lie down and die without a sincere and diligent fight. 

As I keep reminding us, under no circumstance can we be known as the generation that gave up, that allowed the enemy to remove Jehovah God from the society. 

But to do that my people, we have to get really serious about Jesus, and stand strong and steadfast on His principles for earthly living, and get out into the ungodly world and spread those principles, spread the good news of His gospel, of salvation and eternal life to which everyone is entitled, if they believe on Him! 

And what we don’t seem to realize is that our prosperity, the quality of life we lead down here on earth, is very closely tied to our sincere praise and worship of Almighty God. You’ll notice that as our trust and faith in God wanes, so does our prosperity. 

Listen to the psalmist again. ‘Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase (give her produce), and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.’ (Ps.67:5-7) 

Oh Friends, what’s there not to understand eh? If we praise and glorify God, He will bless our land. If we don’t, He won’t bless it. It’s that simple. And if you don’t believe me then listen to what the Lord told Joshua when He appointed him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. 

‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for the thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:8) 

Oh my people, that’s as plain and simple as it can get! The Lord pulled no punches. He told Joshua straight up; if you meditate on my word continually and be obedient to it, then you will be prosperous and successful. And we saw it happen several times in Israel’s history. When they were obedient to God’s will they prospered. When they weren’t, they suffered captivity and all other sorts of unpleasant circumstances. 

The same has happened in many other supposed Christian countries down through the ages. So it’s not like there aren’t credible examples. Yet today we still are trying to get rid of God. What foolishness my brethren! Can’t we see the demise of our society is in full swing? 

But we’re too proud and arrogant to believe that it’s because we’re no longer a God-driven society. But believe me Friends, our prosperity and success are indeed closely tied to our faith, trust and obedience to Almighty God. So please let us come to our senses and work sincerely and diligently towards turning our world around nuh. If not for our sake, then for our children’s. Now that is true wisdom, however you choose to define it! Much LOVE!

…how can we expect the Lord to bless us…when we are not obedient to His word eh…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 March 2015 Psalm 27:11

03 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 27:11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies. 

Oh Friends, the ole fella woke up late, somewhat tired and out of sorts this morning, so you have to cut him some slack eh. (smile)
 
But nonetheless, I remembered to give our wonderful God some thanks and praise for bringing me safely through the dark night into the beautiful and brilliant light of His awesome Son Jesus, on this glorious Tuesday in Lent!
 
That’s because it is only through His enduring and never ending mercy and LOVING-kindness that I’m alive to see another day. I also remembered to ask Him for strength, guidance, wisdom and confidence to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to Him, while spreading His Word, as well as the peace and LOVE that He desires of me.
 
Oh my people, that’s a daily ritual we’ll all go through if we’re smart and walking with Jesus! For when we begin the day on a positive note with Almighty God, our day goes much better than if we begin with a set of negative, worldly, anxious thoughts flooding our frail and gullible minds.
 
Beginning the day with Jesus, we move from strength to strength, going up the ladder of success and prosperity. However, starting out with Lucifer invading our thoughts, just keeps taking us down lower and lower, and finally into the depths of fear, anxiety and despair. And that certainly is never a good place to be my brethren!
 
So please, let’s remember to begin each and every day on the right note, with Jehovah God, so that even if our whole world seems to be falling down around us, we will still have the calm and peace of God, and His everlasting confidence to face the tribulations, knowing that He is in perfect control, and will eventually work everything out for our good.
 
Life is already difficult as it is, why make it more difficult by holding on to the lies and deceit of the enemy eh, when we can hold on to the true, generous, faithful and wonderful promises of our omnipotent and magnanimous God? And that’s today’s sermon! (smile)
 
Now let’s turn to our most appropriate Bit, just one verse after the one of yesterday, for that’s where I was led. And in it, Bruh David sincerely declares: ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies.’
 
Yes Friends, we all have people and things that come against us, but when we are true followers of Jesus, and have His Word engraved in our hearts, we can stand strong in those tough times and walk a path that’s smooth and calm, with Jesus leading the way.
 
As we said above, if we give in to Beelzebub and his deceitfulness, then we’ll experience a path strewn with obstacles that we’re too afraid and anxious to deal with.
 
Now Jesus doesn’t necessarily calm our storms, but He does give us the wherewithal to face and go through them without a whole lot of fear and anxiety. And that’s the beauty of knowing His ways and faithfully walking with Him in them!
 
Now listen to some scripture that upholds our contention, starting with Bruh David from Psalm 25 – A prayer for guidance and protection. He again seeks to know the ways of God. ‘Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.’ (Ps.25:4-5)
 
Yeh Friends, we do need to look to the Most High God for guidance and salvation! For he is the One who, through His great and unconditional LOVE for us, sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to procure the atonement of our abominable sins.
 
But remember too that sometimes our pleas will not be answered right away, so there will be some waiting involved. But note that our God is NEVER LATE, for He is the God of just in time!
 
And we all know these fateful and faithful words of Psalm 119, where the psalmist beseeches God: ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.’ (Ps.119:33) Again my brethren, we have to note the last words of that verse ‘and I shall keep it unto the end.’
 
For what good is the Lord teaching us His ways, if we don’t keep them eh? None whatsoever!
 
But unfortunately, many of us only want to learn His ways to get through whatever difficulty is currently confronting us, and after that is resolved, we forget about those ways until the next time we find ourselves in a difficult situation.
 
But that’s not how it ought to be my people. We ought to learn the ways of the Lord and faithfully keep them from that time until forever! That’s what he desires and expects of us, and really the only path in this world that makes any sense at all.
 
And we’ll end with some more appropriate words of Bruh David from Psalm 86 – Teach me thy way, O Lord. ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart (give me singleness of heart) to fear thy name (to have reverential awe for you).
 
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell (from the depths of Hades).’ (Ps.86:11-13)
 
Oh my brethren, what words of indisputable truth and glory! For it is indeed the Lord God who truly has delivered our souls from the sure destination of Hades, through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus’ death on the cross of Calvary.
 
Otherwise, without the option of heaven, we would all be surely bound for death and destruction with Lucifer, the prince of darkness. And that’s not a very pleasant thought or destination!
 
So all God’s children declared a loud and grateful: ‘Thank You Father for sending Jesus to be our redeemer and deliverer! And thank You Jesus for being selfless and obedient to the Father’s will, thus setting us free from the bondage of sin. We glorify You and praise Your holy name! Amen!’
 
Now Friends, let’s go out into the cruel and evil world and put all that we’ve spoken about today into action. Remember that Christianity is an action based and action packed movement, not simply a talk show, as we often tend to make it. Much LOVE!
 
…happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help…whose hope is in the Lord his God… (Ps.146:5)
 
P.S.  It’s pretty late, but with God’s help, also pretty good! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 February 2015 Psalm 138:7

01 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 138:7.    Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Oh Friends, it’s February 1st, and another beautiful day in Paradise! The sun’s shining, the birds are singing, as the leaves flutter in the cool breeze and the calm sea laps against the shore! And it’s the Lord’s Day to boot; the Sabbath, the first day of the week!

That means gathering together, fellowship, worship, praise, thanksgiving, and sincere acknowledgement of God’s majesty! Or as the song on the radio’s saying, ‘Lift up the name of Jesus!’

Sadly though, the ole fella’s still somewhat under the weather. The coughing has subsided, but my chest is still tight. Chuh Steups! I need both of them, because I’m tired with it! Can’t tell when last I’ve had this asthma stuff so badly and so long nuh.  I can’t even handle the heat down here.

Yesterday it was a bit rough going out in the day. Couldn’t stay out for too long, had to hurry back to my cool air conditioned quarters. I have to laugh yes, because up north all I could talk about was salt water and sunshine, and now that I’m here, I can’t handle the sunshine and I haven’t had much salt water either. Hn, hn, hn!

So I’m disappointed, but not worried. The Lord’s agenda is obviously different to mine. But I know He will come through for me eventually. I’m also disappointed that I didn’t get up in time to go to church this morning. I’ll have to find something on the television for me to hear the Word.

And they are playing a song on the radio about what Grandma use to say. And I’m hearing some sweet ole time sayings, amongst them, my favourite, ‘crapaud smoke yuh pipe; and when yuh prayer, move yuh feet; long rope for magre goat; short rope for the fat goat.’ Only in T&T! I also woke up with my back aching after … well I did sleep for a good while last night, so that’s understandable.

Re adventures: Nothing much happened yesterday. After I finished writing the Bit yesterday, I went out to pick up the duchess from the hotel where she had gone to have breakfast. But as I got out to the car, she appeared out of a taxi. She couldn’t wait on me any longer. What’s new eh! (smile) But thankfully there was no disagreement over my tardiness.

We went to the mall, still no sim cards in one place, and the other one was closed. So we’re really incommunicado by phone, because the land line isn’t working either. Apparently when they built the compound they laid the cables for phones and TV in the ground, and since it’s right by the sea, it seems the cables get wet and cause reception problems.

But yuh know I’m not bothered by the incommunicado problem nuh, because I can’t do much talking or laughing anyway. But I truly am tired of not only feeling, but also hearing the so and so wheezing in my chest! But them’s the breaks! As I keep preaching, I just have to grin and bear it.

We went down to Stumpy’s Emporium, sort of department store, where I bought some clothes hangers, then we bought some fruits from a roadside fruit stand and made a short stop at a friend’s bar on the main road, only to say hello, because the heat was killing me.

Somehow the talk of souse and black pudding came up, and she told me that a lady came out every Saturday evening with those mouth-watering delicacies at a place near to me. So after an early supper on the deck, we headed out for Kats, only to find that they had stopped selling there.

I was directed to another place, a Pennysaver’s Supermarket in Carnbee. So we went through the back roads and got there to hear that the pudding and souse show was on Friday’s not Saturday. However they came out at another Pennysaver down in Canaan, closer to me. So we headed down there.

Now that seemed to be a factual thing, because I found a customary fellow waiting for them too. We waited for about an hour, while the duchess went walking through the stores in the mall, and he told me about the rampant corruption devouring the country. It’s really a sad story.

Oh, and I just heard on the news about a woman in Trinidad setting her ex on fire when he came to her house where she was with another man. Ah Lord eh!

The long and short is that I didn’t get the much anticipated souse and pudding. Steups! Apparently the woman who made the stuff was sick. And that’s been the only food I truly felt for since I’ve been here. It reminded me of my youth, living up Main Street, where every Saturday evening, before we went to the cinema, we waited for this lady to come down the hill with the succulent souse and black pudding.

Anyway, we came home and I ate ice cream and cake and watched the Leafs lose to Philly. Their fourth shutout in five games. After being one of the highest scoring clubs, the goals have dried up under this new coach’s defensive system. And it’s not like they aren’t getting chances, but they’re either missing the net or running in to hot goal-tending.

And that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! (smile) Just like I’m sticking to our Bit: ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.’  

Words of indisputable truth my people! And all of us who have walked with Jesus for some time will be able to testify to that! For our God has promised to be with us wherever we are. He will never forsake or leave us. (Heb.13:5)

And nowhere has it been stated as succinctly and sweetly as in Psalm 23; the comforting and encouraging words of Bruh David. ‘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 staff they comfort me.’ (Ps.23:4) Godly words to stand strong on my brethren! And in these trying times we need stuff that we can hold on strong to.

And we’ll end with these mighty words of the sons of Korah, from Psalm 44- Former deliverances and present troubles. ‘Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread (trample) them under that rise up against us.

For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. (Ps.44:4-8).

Yes Friends, our magnificent and faithful God has saved us before, and He will do so again. So there is need to worry or doubt His abilities and his faithfulness. Let’s stand strong and boast in His name all day long! That’s the zenith of wisdom! Much LOVE!

…Jesus did not die…so that we could live worried and afraid…but confident and powerful…with steadfast trust in His LOVING-kindness.

P.S. Going to find the Word on the tube, then later go up by Magdalena for their Sunday Brunch, and possibly watch the Super Bowl in the evening. That’s good enough for me, as the day might be hot again. Look at me running from hot sun eh! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 January 2015 Psalm 119:114

14 Jan 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Well Friends, it’s another chilly but fine day in my area! And it’s Wednesday to boot! That means we’re already at the halfway point of the workweek, so there’s no turning back now, just all engines open full throttle and straight ahead to week’s end. (smile)

Now I don’t know if it’s me or the computers I have, but for some reason they both began acting up this morning. I have a desktop where I usually write the Bit, but that’s running a back-up program that’s sorely trying my spirit.
 
For the last two days we’ve been trying to get it to back up my files, but it seems to be taking forever. I think I’m giving it enough time, the time it says it needs, but my tech seems to think otherwise.
 
Now this morning I come downstairs to write the Bit, I’m already late as it is, then it won’t allow me to do my business, taking ages to make stuff happen, but all the while it still seems to be transferring files to the back-up drive.
 
But I have news for it. Today is the last day for this nonsense! Regardless of what anyone says, if it doesn’t finish backing-up today, then it’s toast. I’ve been getting along fine for years now without it, don’t need that hassle now in my old age. (smile) And then when I got my laptop, that took ages to boot up doing all sorts of fandangles’ re updates etc.
 
Awright, so that’s my vent and part of my excuse for the Bit being so late today. So to give us some sort of boost and encouragement to face the day and the year ahead, let’s recite together the Possibility Thinkers Creed or Mountain Mover’s Prayer as written by Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller).
 
As one now: ‘Lord, when I face a mountain, do not let me quit. Give me the strength to keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, or tunnel underneath. And if my best efforts fail, give me the patience to stay and the perception to see the possibilities of turning my mountain into a gold mine with your help. Amen.’
 
Ah Friends, that’s exactly what I need this morning to face the pressure these computers are putting on me! (smile) But seriously though, those are strong, encouraging and faith-filled words that we ought to take to heart and put into diligent practice.
 
And that’s a direct companion to the saying that our task is to take hold of God’s grace to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary. Knowing that in time, our great and wonderful God will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. We must wait on the Lord and be of good courage.
 
Oh Friends, this morning I really do need all of those encouraging words to stand strong and do what I need to do. And I know that I will be encouraged shortly, that I will make peace with my man-made computers who are trying to drive me into the arms of the lying and deceitful Beelzebub. (smile)
 
Anyway, let’s turn to our Bit, more encouraging and resourceful words of faith. ‘Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.’
 
Yeh my brethren, there’s no place of help, hope, refuge, protection and succor like in the arms of Almighty God! From day one, He’s been telling us to come to Him for whatever we need, but like the proud, stubborn animals that we are, we consistently refuse to heed His call, to our detriment of course.
 
When are we going to learn to go to God with EVERYTHING eh my people? From the smallest problem, to the largest one, God has the answer and He is also the answer!
 
Now listen to these brave and bold words of Asaph, the psalmist, from Psalm 77 – Who is so great a God as our God? In his infirmity and times of trouble, Asaph remembers and faithfully declares, rightly so too: ‘I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
 
Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary (holiness): who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.  Selah.’ (Ps.77:11-15)  
 
Oh my people, that is one of the ways in which we fall down in our faith; we forget what the Lord has done for us before, not believing or even thinking that if He’s helped us before in times of trouble, there’s no reason why He won’t do it again. That’s where and how our faith is built; by remembering all that God has done for us.
 
In this new year of 2015, please let’s remember all the wonderful things and times that God has intervened successfully on our behalf, because doing so directly boosts our faith.
 
By the way Friends, I just checked on the desktop computer and I got the big word that we’ve been waiting for all along; SUCCESS! My tech will be happy. I’m going to call him right now with the good news!
 
And that’s just what we’re talking about. I know that God has come through for me before in all sorts of situations, but yet still I allowed the computer difficulties to poison my mind. And the fact is that it’s so easy to forget our past mercies when times of trouble arise.
 
Now let’s close with these powerful faith building words of Psalm 91 – God is a refuge and fortress. ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh 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 (length of days) will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps.91:9-16)
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, what magnificent and magnanimous promises God makes in that scripture for all those who turn to Him, for all those who know His name and cry out to Him for whatever reason; Lord God in heaven, Jehovah, Father, Almighty God!
 
Yes my brethren, it is indeed a most wonderful and mighty God we serve and worship! Please let’s never forget that and thus cry out to Him at all times, be they good or bad. That’s wisdom at its highest level! Much LOVE!
 
…who is a God so great as our God eh…NONE WHATSOEVER…!

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 December 2014 Matthew 6:33

28 Dec 2014 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Aye mih breddren, it’s the blessed day of the Lord; Sunday, the Sabbath Day! The day on which our great God rested, took a break from His labour of creating the  universe and all therein. And in His Word, He specifically advises us to do the same.

‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.’ (Ex.20:8-11)

Now that ought to wake some of us up, because we feel that we should be working all the time, everyday of the week. That’s obviously wrong, for work is not the panacea for our ills; Almighty God is! So today let’s put that idolatry behind us and get some rest, as well as darken the church doors, especially for those of you who seldom darken them. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear or read about those folks who only go to church at high times like Easter and Christmas.

Steups! Hope if any of you are reading this, that you went to church and fellowshipped with other believers this Christmas season. And from here on in, you will go to church regularly.

Remember Friends, we’re not doing God a favour by going to church, but ourselves, because church is where we’re supposed to come together as one in the body of Christ, to praise and worship Him and receive encouragement and uplifting of our faith, so that we can stand strong and face the persecution and unfairness of the evil and ungodly world in which we currently live.

That brings us to our Bit: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ And as with most things that have to do with faith and God, my people, we have to step up to the plate first, before the promises of God are fulfilled.

We have to first see the promises through the eyes of faith, believe that they will come, before they come. Otherwise faith would not be necessary for ‘faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) So if we see something, then there’s no need to hope for it, as Bruh Paul told the Roman church. (Rom.8:24-25)

Now hear are some timely and important explanations from the scholars, re our Bit. ‘6:33-34. This portion of the Sermon on the Mount is summarized by the statement seek ye first the kingdom of God. The disciples who have pledged their allegiance to the King must continue seeking the kingdom and its righteousness. The present imperative form of the verb (Gr. zeto) indicates a continual or constant seeking.

The contrast between the spiritual and material is again emphasized. The believer is to seek first the righteousness that is characteristic of God’s kingdom and then all these things (material things) shall be added to him. When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides.

We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (v.34) This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’

Yes Friends, glimpses into the past and the future are indeed necessary at times, but generally speaking we need to live in the present, seeking the righteousness that is found in the kingdom of God, and if we do so, the Lord will fulfill all our material needs. That’s a promise of Jesus, and we all know that Jesus doesn’t lie, cannot lie, therefore doing as He advises is common sense and sound wisdom.

And we have one of the best examples of the promise being fulfilled when upon ascension to his father, Bruh David’s throne, the Lord asked Cousin Sol what he desired. And Cousin Sol, instead of asking for wealth and power, wisely asked for wisdom and understanding. ‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgement (justice); Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be any (anyone) among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.’ (1 Kin.3:9-14)

Oh Friends, yuh see how our God keeps His word! And He even goes overboard too, giving Cousin Sol the wealth and power that he had not asked for. He will act in the same manner towards us, if we sincerely seek the things of His kingdom and His righteousness.

And we’ll close with a word on the subject from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.’ (1 Tim.4:8)

And the scholars explain that thus: ‘4:8. That verse may be paraphrased, “For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness, the result of spiritual exercise, has unlimited values, since it brings blessings for both now and eternity.’And that’s the gospel truth my people! So please, let’s go out today and start seeking the righteousness of God and not the unrighteous things of the world. For that’s wisdom of the highest order. Much LOVE!

…true wisdom comes from sincerely seeking God…not from dallying in the lusts of the world…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 November 2014 Psalm 27:14

13 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 27:14.  Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage; and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’

‘Thursday, oh Thursday; harbinger of Friday!’ Yes Friends, I know that many of us are just dying to see Friday, so that we can get the two days off from work.
 
But that’s not the attitude we should have. We need to live and find joy in each new day as our Lord provides new mercies and blessings for each one. Let’s learn to focus on the present, the here and now, for some of us might not live to see tomorrow.
 
And as Jesus so wisely reminds us in these memorable words. ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:34)
 
Yes my people, there will be enough trouble for us to handle today, and on each today thereafter, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s indeed do some planning for tomorrow, but let’s live in today.
 
Consequently, let’s renew this acclamation from Bubba Joel (Joel Osteen) which boldly proclaims, ‘TODAY IS MY DAY!’ And of course it is!
 
Please acclaim with me: ‘God has destined me to be a barrier breaker! He created me to be uncontainable. I have talent and potential given to me by the Creator of the universe. There are seeds of greatness inside of me. Today, I choose to break free from a limited mindset and enlarge my vision.
 
Today, God is taking me places that I’ve never even dreamed of before. Today, God is fulfilling His purpose and destiny in my life. Today, I will experience His favour like never before in every area of my life.’
 
Now let’s just keep that at the forefront of our hearts and minds today my people, as we ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,’ and as a direct result, are divinely provided with all we need for our daily walk. We can’t ask for a better promise than that my brethren!
 
And here’s another timely reminder that our task is to take hold of God’s grace, to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary, knowing that in His own time, God will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. We must wait on the Lord and be of good courage.
 
And my fellow believers, if there’s one thing we desperately need in this evil and troubled world, it is courage! Courage to stand strong and face the naysayers, the doomsayers, and all those who are desperately trying to eliminate Jehovah God from our society.
 
And in the words of our Bit, Bruh David says it so wisely: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage; and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ Truer words were never spoken my fellow believers!
 
And Moses, in his latter days, encouraged the Israelites with these words, which still hold true today. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Deut.31:6) Oh what marvellous words of encouragement my people!
 
And yuh better believe Friends, that even Bruh Paul, with all his faith and bravado, could not endure all that he did without encouragement from other believers. As he is on his way to Rome, as a prisoner, bound in chains, to plead his case before the emperor, the Good Book tells us:
 
‘And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appi Forum, and the three Taverns (Inns): whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.’ (Acts 28:15)
 
So my people, let’s not believe that we’re alone in needing courage, for we’ve all sinned and come short of God’s glory, which means we all need help on this earthly journey, which can best come from Almighty God.
 
And we’ll end with some appropriate verses from Isaiah 25 – The song of praise by the redeemed. ‘And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things (choice pieces), a feast of wines on the lees (wines matured on the sediment), of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
 
And he will destroy (swallow up) in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death (forever) in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
 
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is.25:6-9)
 
Oh Friends, with all these encouraging scriptures percolating in our hearts, minds and bodies, let’s go forth today unafraid, full of vim and vigour, with righteousness exuding mercy and forgiveness, and valiantly conquer this evil world, in Jesus’ name!
 
And all God’s people declared a joyful and courageous: ‘Amen! So let it be!’
 
Much, much LOVE, my brethren!
 
…if you need strength…if you need courage…whatever you need…sincerely turn to Jesus…and He will provide it…that’s His faithful promise…

 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 September 2014 Job 14:14

04 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

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

 Job 14:14.  If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time (hard service) will I wait, till my change come.

And then it was terrible Thursday, where all the frustrations of the week gang up on you, and makes you just want to curl up in a big ole ball in some small corner and die.
 
And I’m saying this from personal experience, because there are some things I wanted to do this week but just never got around to doing them, and I’m not thrilled with myself.
 
However, I don’t want to curl up and die, I just want to curl up in bed and get a few more hours sleep. (smile) This late night going to bed and early morning waking up to write the Bit is taking its toll on the ole fella.
 
Then to add insult to injury, yesterday evening, I guess I was feeling strong, and went for a longer than normal walk. Now this morning the ole knees are creaking and complaining. Got to restore some sense of balance to my life yes!
 
Anyway Friends, despite all the frustrations we encounter in this earthly life, one thing is certain; we are not allowed to give up! Those words do not exist in the vocabulary of Jesus Christ and His followers!
 
Our task is to continually take hold of God’s grace, to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary, knowing that in God’s own good time, He will ‘perfect,’ establish and strengthen us. We must wait on the Lord and be of good courage.
 
That’s the whole situation right there in a nutshell my people; waiting with hungry hope, as well as with eager and expectant faith! Nothing else will serve us in good stead.
 
That’s why Job, in our Bit today, boldly declares: ‘If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time (hard service) will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
 
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up, (plaster over, cover over) mine iniquity.’ (Job 14:14-17)
 
Oh Friends, we all know about Job’s serious misfortunes for no apparent reason. He was seriously troubled and disappointed by them, and longed for death as a release from the trials and tribulations of this earth, but deep down he knew the valuable secret of waiting on the Lord despite the troubles that surround us.
 
That’s why earlier on, in defending his integrity before his friends, he could also boldly proclaim: ‘Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways (defend my ways) before him.
 
He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him. Hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears.’ (Job 13:14-17)
 
Now that, my people, is what true trust and faith in Almighty God is all about! That’s the way we need to react when trials and tribulations befall us. No, it certainly isn’t easy, but as a child of God, and a follower of Jesus Christ, that’s what is required of us.
 
And remember too, that our wonderful God NEVER asks us to do anything without giving us the wherewithal to do it and bear the fall out from our actions. So His grace will ALWAYS be with us, when we stand strong in His name and wait patiently for His next move.
 
And to bring this matter to the forefront, today we will look at some scriptures that deal with waiting on God. And we’ll begin with one of the more famous verses on the subject; that from Bruh David in Psalm 27 – the Lord is my light and my salvation.
 
He ends the psalm with these marvellous words of trust and encouragement. ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps.27:14)
 
And we know that Bruh David tried his best to practice what he preached, and the Lord greatly rewarded him for it!
 
Meanwhile, Cousin Sol in Proverbs 20, advises us thus: ‘Say not thou, I will recompense (repay) evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.’ (Prov.20:22)
 
Yes my people, in everything, especially in something like vengeance, we MUST wait on God, for He specifically says that that’s His department, not ours. (Deut.32:35)
 
And Isaiah in his appeal to the Jewish people to turn to the Lord for help, wisely says: ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is.30:18)
 
Yuh see my brethren, even God is patiently waiting; waiting on us to wisely turn all out seriously misplaced attention back to Him!
 
And the scholars have an interesting footnote on that verse: ’30:18-33. Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him, He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God.’
 
That, my fellow believers, hits the nail right on the head! (smile) We only wait long for things and people that we confidently trust. The same goes for Jehovah God. If we don’t trust Him, then we can’t and/or won’t wait for Him.
 
But Friends, that’s a fool’s wisdom. So let’s get ourselves together today and do our best to wait on Almighty God for whatever time it takes, because He is all-wise and knows our needs and wants and the good plans He has for our lives better than us.
 
So let’s try and shape up today in the waiting department nuh, asking God to give us His endless grace to do so where necessary. You know He will NEVER turn us down.  Much LOVE!
 
…to wait on God takes…trust, faith, hope, belief, patience, perseverance and acknowledgement…that He is indeed the Father of all creation…and His promises are forever faithful…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2014 Isaiah 40:11

01 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 40:11.   He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

 Oh my people, it’s Monday – Labour Day Monday!
 
That means many of us fortunately don’t have to go to work today. But it’s not simply a day to party and carry on either. It’s a day that calls for a certain amount of reflection, reverence and lots of appreciation and gratitude to our forefathers who paid a hefty price, even to the extent of their lifeblood, to fight for the rights and freedoms which we now have in the workplace.
 
Many a head was physically bashed in by the cruel Pinkerton private force as they were hired in the early days of the Labour Movement to put down strikes and other calls for a more humane, fair and equitable workplace. So please don’t go taking for granted those benefits and other freedoms we now enjoy at work. Neither should we abuse those hard fought for rights, as so many of us are doing today.
 
Doing any of those irresponsible things shows no respect whatsoever for the rough times and tribulations our forefathers so bravely faced, so that we could work a more respectable eight hour day, five days a week, for a decent wage, under decent conditions, instead of twelve and fourteen hour days, six and seven days a week, for a mere pittance and in disgusting conditions.
 
Remember the big uproar over the wages and conditions of employment created by the recent rash of fires in the garment industry in Bangladesh? Well less than a hundred years ago that was the situation that existed in the West. And don’t fool yuh fat; the heartless, oppressive, money machine will be only too glad to take us back to those bad, old days.
 
And if you look closely, you’ll see that they are underhandedly preparing the way, through all the recent outsourcing of production to the low wage countries, the drastic cuts in wages, in employees, benefits and working conditions. 
 
So for you young ones who think the workplace is simply an arena for fun and frivolity, I’d strongly suggest that you wake up from your fairy tale world, and read about the terrible conditions that workers faced before the advent of Unions and other Labour Organizations, and the harsh and inhumane treatment they suffered to bring us to where we are right now.
 
And with the actions above now in place, means we’re slowly regressing, which further means that we have to stand strong as a group of fellow workers, or else we will eventually find ourselves right back where our forefathers were, for the rich and powerful have no social consciences, and therefore no qualms about taking advantage of the ordinary working man.
 
So this Labour Day, please seriously consider your role and position in the workforce and how all we’ve said currently affects you. Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to give a boost to the spirits of those who have to go out and labour under the now 24/7 greedy regime.
 
All together now, in harmony, unison and full voice: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
 
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
 
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
 
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’  
 
That was most excellent Friends, even heaven clapped and gave us a standing ‘O’!
 
But yuh know what, unless we now go out into the world and display those Christ-like attributes, it will all be wasted effort, all for nought!
 
And sadly we don’t have much time for our most encouraging and reassuring Bit which deals with acquiring comfort through trust in the Lord.
 
Listen to some of the verses preceding it. ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain;
 
O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord your God will come with strong hand (in strength), and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work (wage) before him.
 
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is.40:8-11)
 
Oh my brethren, what encouraging and reassuring scripture! Wow! It’s almost too good to be true! However, with our great and wonderful God, unlike with man, whatever the situation, there’s always the possibility that it’s true, because with our God, all things are possible!
 
Now let’s go out today and make Jesus proud; let’s be true and obedient disciples and ambassadors, as He desires of His followers. Much LOVE!
 
…when one truly knows Jesus…one’s heart is filled with unspeakable joy and LOVE…LOVE for God, his neighbour and himself…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 August 2014 Proverbs 25:27

23 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 25:27.   It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search (seek) their own glory is not glory. 

Oh Friends, life’s definitely interesting and amusing yes! And sometimes we need to laugh at it and also take it with a grain of salt. What sparked my enthusiasm today was a quote from one of my daily devotionals. This quote is attributed to one Sydney Smith, but when I tried to find out about him, I discovered that there were several people by that name, including a couple of women.
 
Anyway, I believe they are referring to an English clergyman, wit and writer who lived between 1771 and 1845. The quote states: ‘I have gout, asthma and seven other maladies, but am otherwise well.’
 
That had me laughing because it reminded me of myself. I have numerous maladies myself, but other than that, I’m very well. Hn, hn! It’s like sometimes when I’m asked, ‘How are you?’ I reply, ‘My body’s a mess, but my soul’s in beautiful shape!’ And that’s often the truth.
 
At those times I’m reminded of the old hymn: ‘When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.’
 
Yes my people, that’s how we need to be, regardless of the trials and tribulations we’re going through. No, it’s not always easy, but as true believers in Jesus, we are required to stand strong and persevere.
 
That reminds me of Bruh Paul’s situation. ‘And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet (beat) me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought (pleaded with) the Lord thrice (three times), that it might depart from me.
 
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses) that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, than am I strong.’ (2 Cor.12:7-10)  
 
Yes my brethren, in our weakness, God’s strength and majesty are magnified! So much so, that nowadays when some malady, old or new bothers me, I ask the Lord to help me with them, but I don’t keep harping on it, because I’ve learned from hard experience that some things you just need to go through, and in His own time, He will solve the problem(s) one way or another.
 
Now I merely ask Him for the strength to keep on keeping on, while I’m undergoing whatever ailment is then affecting me. It glorifies God when we continue doing what we ought, while undergoing suffering and rough times.
 
That brings us to our Bit, which is tied up to a certain extent with what we’ve already been talking about. ‘It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search (seek) their own glory is not glory.’
 
Rather true and wise words from Cousin Sol!  Too much honey, or today we’d say sugar, is definitely not good for us, neither is too much boasting or self-promotion. As the old people would say; we’re not supposed to blow our own horn.
 
And as Bruh Paul wrote to the Corinthians, re his spiritual authority: ‘For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.’ (2 Cor. 10:12)
 
Yeh Friends, we’re not supposed to measure and compare ourselves to and by others, for that will only get us in serious trouble. In fact we should not boast of our accomplishments at all!
 
Listen to Cousin Sol as he opens Proverbs 27 by staunchly declaring: ‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.’ (Prov.27:1-2)
 
Unfortunately though my fellow believers, our current world is one that glorifies boasting. And the sad fact is that our standards are set so low now, that any run of the mill, mediocre accomplishment a few decades ago, are now seen as great stuff. Everybody is an expert, a superstar, or some high flying personality… that is until their Achilles heel is exposed, and they are unseemingly toppled from their haughty pedestal. 
 
Oh my brethren, we all do some things fairly well, but we also do other things poorly. So there’s no need to boast about our doings, especially when whatever we excel at is basically through the workings of Almighty God, through the skills with which He’s endowed and blessed us with.
 
That’s why Bruh Paul said to the Corinthians: ‘But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.’ (2 Cor.10:17-18) And that’s the gospel truth my people!
 
And we’ll end with some important info from the scholars on the subject. ’10:17-18. Lest the Corinthians interpret what Paul has to say as an expression of conceit, Paul shows that, in the final analysis, his commendation comes from Christ. Paul was always careful to show that any success he enjoyed in the ministry was not due to his own innate ability, but to Christ working in him.’ (cf. Rom. 15:17-18).’
 
That’s more gospel truth Friends! So please, in all our doings, let’s not try to take the praise and glory that truly belongs God, for remember these specific words out of the mouth of His servant Isaiah: ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’ (Is.42:8) 
 
That says it all my fellow believers! So let’s ponder our own glorying today, and if necessary bring it into alignment with God’s Word, through His help obviously. That’s wisdom of the wisest kind! (smile) Much LOVE!
 
…to boast, to boast, and yet to boast…not of myself or of my doings…but of the majesty and glory of Jehovah God…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 August 2014 Proverbs 2:5

21 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 2:5.   Then shalt thou understand the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

And then it was Thursday – tired Thursday – and a misty one in my area this morning. In fact it’s been misty since I was sitting out on my front porch around 1 a.m. this morning, enjoying the quiet and peaceful atmosphere, communing quietly with my Maker.
 
And I can’t begin to tell you my people, how nice and refreshing and rejuvenating that is. Consequently, I don’t get to my bed very early these days, and thus can’t get up very early either. (smile)
 
Please don’t begrudge the ole fella that particular joy; because it will soon be over, as the summer floats away and the cold days become the norm. (smile)
 
However, getting back to the tired Thursday theme. I call it that because by the fourth day of the workweek we’re all weary, physically, emotionally and mentally, from the many stressors of modern workday life. Stressors like getting up early to get the children ready for day care and/or school, when that begins in the next couple of weeks.
 
Then get ourselves off to work, which necessitates a long, arduous commute for so many, standing idly by in huge traffic jams, morning and evening, and finally having arrived at work tired, needing to put up with the high expectation of bosses, of much work for not always equitable pay.
 
And then with the strain of the poor economic situation, many of us are fearful of losing our jobs, in a time when everybody’s downsizing, ostensibly to cut costs, but more than likely to raise their profit margin.
 
Anyway my fellow believers, in spite of all the stress and strain to which we’re currently exposed, followers of Jesus are expected to persevere right to the end; to pursue their God-given plans without fail, for our wonderful God has promised to bring us safely through all that comes against us, though we will also have to do our part and stand strong.
 
And if there’s one thing we’re ever so confident in our great God for, is His never-ending faithfulness! Whatever he promises, He fulfills. So please hang in there, for life wasn’t meant to be easy, but our God is good and fair and just, and in His own time, He will bring us to a successful meeting of the minds with Him. (smile)
 
Above all, DON’T EVER GIVE UP! For giving up is not numbered amongst the things believers do. Now here’s an appropriate prayer from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H Schuller), from his Hour of Power daily devotional, which is appropriately titled; ‘A Prayer for Solutions.’
 
Please pray with me. ‘Lord, thanks for assuring me that you’ll solve the problems if I’ll exercise the faith and make the right decisions! Forgive me for waiting for all difficulties, real or fanciful, to be resolved before deciding to make my commitment.
 
I confess I have too often allowed problems instead of possibilities to take over the leadership of my life – to make my decisions – and take command over my destiny. I know, now, what faith is, Lord! It’s making the right decisions before I see solutions to all the problems! Increase my faith! Amen.’
 
And now that we’ve prayed those faith raising and releasing words, my brethren let’s go out and faithfully put them into action nuh, for words without action are generally worthless.
 
And as the passage before our Bit, in the wise words of Cousin Sol tells us, re the reward of heeding wisdom: ‘My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide (treasure) my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
 
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge (discernment), and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.’ (Prov.2:1-5)
 
Yes Friends, in these very crucial and critical times, wisdom and understanding are a MUST, if we’re to navigate this evil, ungodly world successfully. And true wisdom and understanding comes ONLY from Jehovah God my people!
 
As Cousin Sol continues: ‘For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up (stores up) sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler (shield) to them that walk uprightly.
 
He keepeth the paths of judgement (guards the paths of justice), and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgement (justice), and equity; yea, every good path.’ (Prov.2:6-9)
 
Yes my people, without true wisdom and understanding which emanate from our magnificent God, we’d be entirely lost in this unforgiving world of ours.
 
Now hear some comments from the scholars. 2:1-22. The conditions for obtaining wisdom are given first: one must earnestly seek it, as a prospector would search for gold (vv.1-4). It is not an undirected search, however, since the parent’s instruction is the basis. The consequences of obtaining wisdom are then listed (vv.5-22): knowledge of God (vv.5-8) and right conduct (vv.9-22).’
 
And we’ll end with a few of those verses on right conduct. ‘When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul: Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward (perverse) things;
 
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness: Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness (perversity) of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and they froward (are devious) in their paths.’ (Prov.2: 10-15)
 
There we have it Friends, some benefits of seeking after wisdom and understanding through the ONLY avenue through which they are really obtained and granted; i.e. through the Most High God Jehovah!
 
Now let’s have a blessed day as we walk in lockstep with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in wisdom and understanding! Much LOVE!
 
…oh, our world would be such a much better place…if the inhabitants would only turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…for wisdom and understanding…which would bring them oodles of peace, LOVE, joy, mercy, grace, forgiveness, salvation and eternal life…oh what blessings…

 

 

 

 

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