The Amazing and Overwhelming Importance of The Cross of Christ in the Christian Faith!

19 May 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 May 2026   1 Thessalonians 5:9.

1 Thessalonians 5:9.         For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

And then it was Tuesday; meaning all the Victoria Day celebrations over, and we need to get back to the daily grind and common task, called work. (smile) Let’s hope the celebrations were enjoyable but were not overdone, that we took the sage advice of Cousin Sol and Bruh Paul and exerted a modicum of circumspection, (smile) and also that there weren’t a lot of sick calls to work this morning, for that just spoils the employer’s attitude over public holidays, especially when they have to still pay their employees.

As for me, I didn’t do any real celebrating, but I did get to begin my summer ritual of sitting  on my front porch and watching people go by with their many dogs and few children. Ah Lord eh! Dogs seem to have taken first place over children. And it’s amazing what you can see and hear while people pass by and don’t even notice you, although you’re sitting in full sight. You can only shake your head and wonder what’s happening; what our world will be like some fifty years hence, that is if we haven’t totally destroyed it by then.

Anyway before I came down to write the Bit, I had a breath of fresh air and felt the sun strong on my arthritic bones. Oh what a good feeling that was! As they say, you never know the good things you have until you no longer have them. And sadly, it seems like this spell of summer weather will end sometime this week and we’ll go back to temps in the mid-teens or thereabouts. Hopefully that will be just for a short while though, and we’ll soon get the real heat, when we’ll begin to complain about how hot it is, and how it’s too hot. (smile) We’re never satisfied are we?

However, on this warm, sunny May Tuesday, we’re going to declare a 10th Century African Prayer, found in the Toronto Anglican Diocese 2025 publication ‘Prayers Through the Ages,’ Daily prayers for spiritual renewal. So please pray with me: ‘The cross is the hope of Christians The cross is the resurrection of the dead The cross is the way of the lost The cross is the saviour of the lost The cross is the staff of the lame The cross is the strength of the weak

The cross is the doctor of the sick The cross is the aim of the priests The cross is the hope of the hopeless The cross is the freedom of the slaves The cross is the power of kings The cross is the water of the weeds The cross is the consolation of the bondman The cross is the source of those who seek water The cross is the cloth of the naked We thank you, Father, for the cross.’

And do we ever thank the Lord for the cross, because it’s the basic foundation of our faith, of all that we are and stand for! Yes friends, without the cross of Christ we’d all be lost forever in the darkness of the devil and this evil world. But through the coming of Christ and his death on the cross, our sins have been forgiven and we’ve finally seen the light; Jesus, the light of the world! As He so rightly said: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And that’s why we Christians have the life of light, as well as the light of life! (smile) 

And isn’t it amazing that the cross is truly the basis of all the prayer states: ‘The hope of Christians; the resurrection of the dead; the way of the lost; the saviour of the lost; the staff of the lame; the strength of the weak; the doctor of the sick; the aim of the priests; the hope of the hopeless, the freedom of the slaves; the power of kings; etc. etc.’ Yes my brethren, the cross of Christ holds the answer to every question and problem our world has or can ever devise. That’s how important it is. We can run to it for whatever we need, whatever ails us or is trying to tear us apart.

At the foot of Christ cross, we can place all our worries and ailments and receive hope for the future. Nothing else in this world has the power to do that! No wonder the cross has become the symbol of Christianity, because it’s everything to us. It’s where the forgiveness of our sins was purchased, with Jesus, even as He hung on that old rugged cross, asking ‘Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.’  (Luke 23:34) Yes, those who crucified Christ, had no inkling whatsoever of what they were doing. They thought that they were getting rid of an opponent, but the truth was that He came to earth to be crucified and pay our sin debt. So what they were doing was just the playing out of the Lord’s plans.

And Christ’s resurrection on the third day, made our lives even better, for not only were our sins forgiven, but with His resurrection, we also received the totality of salvation and eternal life! All thanks and praise to our wonderful God! It’s As Bruh Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. ‘For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together (encourage each other), and edify (build up) one another, even as also ye do (are doing).’ (1 Thess. 5:9-11)

That’s it in a nutshell, my fellow believers! God, through Christ, made a way for us, where there seemed to be absolutely no way. So please, let’s not abuse or reject it, but gladly grab hold of it, cherish it, and stay with it until the end! Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’

And if we truly meant it, then we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…the cross of Christ…the symbol of everything good and true…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 December 2015 Revelation 1:3‏‏‏

04 Dec 2015 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 1:3.  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Well precious people, it’s Friday… 

And like everybody just went berserk. ‘Wowee! TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here! What a wonderful time we’re going to have, partying, carousing, and doing exactly what we want! There’s no better time than the weekend! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here!’ 

Ah friends, I do understand the ecstatic sentiments at the end of a rough workweek, but they are ones that will lead us down the wide and destructive path, not the narrow one that leads to our heavenly Father. So we need to be a bit more circumspect, re our weekend activities, if we don’t want to run afoul of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

And to help us do that, let’s chant our Friday Chant with sincerity and sense of purpose. As one chanter 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.’ 

Yes my fellow believers, we need to achieve some sense of balance in our weekend activities, so that we don’t go astray and invite the enemy into our lives anymore than he’s already there. So please, just a modicum of circumspection nuh, as Jeeves would say. (smile) 

And here is the chorus of a reggae song that I heard last night by Michael Arkk, titled ‘Tough’ It goes like this: ‘The road is rugged and rough. We all know it’s tough. But we can’t give up. The road is rugged and rough. We all know it’s tough. But we will overcome.’ 

Oh my people, my people, that describes believers to a ‘T’! Our earthly pilgrimage can be indeed rugged and rough, but we cannot give up because there’s no giving up in Jesus, especially since He has already assured us that the victory will indeed be ours. 

Now it certainly wouldn’t make sense to throw in the towel if you know that victory is guaranteed, you’ll just work through what ever difficulties come against you with faith, hope, patience and perseverance, knowing that you WILL win in the end! 

But again, to do all of that successfully requires more than we can manage in our finite and human selves. It needs the help of our wonderful Creator, as our Bit reminds us. ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.’ 

That’s for certain sure friends! We can’t do very much on our own, we need the ever-ready and always-faithful assistance of our great God and King to keep us focused on the straight and narrow path that leads right to His front door in heaven. 

And all God’s children sighed a grateful sigh, and uttered a loud shout of thanks and praise. ‘Thank You Father God for enabling us to successfully walk this path of pilgrimage! We LOVE You, and sincerely praise and glorify Your Holy Name! Amen.’  

Oh mih breddren, how beautiful and wise it is to walk this earthly walk in company with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Wow! Nothing else in this world compares even one iota to it! 

And all God’s people gave out with a loud and rousing ‘AMEN!’ 

Now let’s continue looking at scriptures that corroborate our bit, beginning with the words of Bruh Paul in his letter to the church at Rome, when he talks about walking in LOVE. 

‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we (first) believed. 

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly (properly), as in the day; not in rioting (revelry) and drunkenness, not in chambering (licentiousness) and wantonness (lewdness), not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.’ (Rom.13:10-14) 

Oh my people, what encouraging and truthful words! Please let’s take them to heart and put them into action, for that is wisdom personified! 

Now let’s end with some explanations from the scholars on those verses. ’13:11-12. Sleep means insensitivity to the demands of Christ on the Christian’s life. Now is our salvation nearer: The coming of Christ to deliver us from this sinful world grows nearer every day. 

The night is the time while Christ is out of the world, and the world has been delivered into the control of the prince of the power of the air. (Eph.2:2). The day is a reference to the time when Christ will return and establish His reign of righteousness.’ 

‘13:14. Make not provision for the flesh: One should not seek opportunities to satisfy the deep-seated desires of the sin nature, but should seek occasion to manifest works that are consistent with the new life in Christ.’ 

Words of awesome truth my brethren! So let’s seriously and sincerely ponder them and make them a precious part of our lives nuh, so that we can dwell in righteousness with our ever-LOVING, merciful and gracious God. Much LOVE!

…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…

P.S. Please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but the ole fella’s sleep was not the greatest, the aches and pains were having a heyday, and thus he got up rather late. And it seems like my trusty computer wasn’t having such a good morning either; it was sort of slow and groggy like me. (smile) But as they say, better late than never. Much LOVE!