Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 October 2020 John 3:16.

24 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

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

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

Oh friends, it’s so good to finally awaken to a li’l sunshine after all the wet, dreary mornings of this past week! I believe this is the first time all week, although some of those days have eventually morphed into sunshiny ones. And just for your info, yesterday the sunshine won the victory! Glory be! It turned into a warm and windy day. So warm that I couldn’t sit on my porch in my shirtsleeves in the afternoon for very long because the sun was actually burning me. (smile) 

Imagine that nuh, in late October, in these northern climes. I guess it’s what we’d call a true Indian summer’s day. But the rain did come back late in the evening, and the dark clouds are now tussling out there with the sunshine for superiority, so it’s another watch and wait and see, just like we ought to be doing with our faith in Almighty God. (smile) But enough with the weather scene, let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

And it seems like Anselm was on a positive affirmation kick this past week, (smile) because every quote begins with the words: ‘Positive affirmation you should tell yourself to remind yourself just how awesome you are,’ which is then followed by the positive affirmation. So we’re not going to repeat the first part, just the affirmation itself. And just as a gentle reminder, you are an awesome being if you are a follower of Christ Jesus, meaning that He is in you, and you are in Him! Glory Hallelujah! 

And the first positive affirmation of your awesomeness is: ‘I’m in control of how I react to others.’ Now that should be a very true statement, especially if we’re followers of Christ, because Christ was always in control of His reaction to others, and we need to follow His example. Look at how the Pharisees and other groups mocked and jeered and harassed and finally killed Him. But you never heard Him react with the same venom that they hurled at Him. And what were some of His dying words on that old, rugged cross? ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34) 

And these words from the website Gotquestions.org, provide an interesting explanation of that particular situation.‘Jesus looked down from the cross upon a scene that must have been distressing to Him. The Roman soldiers were gambling for His clothing (John 19:23-24); the criminals on the crosses to either side of Him were reviling Him (Matt. 27:44); the religious leaders were mocking Him (Matt. 27:41-43); and the crowd was blaspheming Him (Matt. 27:39). 

Surrounded by this most unworthy lot, Jesus prayed for them. “Father, forgive them” is a prayer of unmatched mercy and LOVE. It is important to note that Jesus’ prayer, “Father, forgive them,” does not mean that everyone was forgiven, unilaterally, without repentance and faith. It does mean that Jesus was willing to forgive them —forgiveness was, in fact, the reason He was on the cross. The words “Father, forgive them” show the merciful heart of God.’ 

Are our hearts as merciful, do we show that forgiving and graceful attitude? That brings us to the next positive affirmation. ‘I’m courageous and stand up for myself.’ Yes, we ought to be courageous and stand up for ourselves. But again friends, we can only do so much on our own. We need Jesus as our backer, our titanic force that stands beside us and victoriously confronts all who come against us. What did Jesus say? ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) 

And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Without Jesus, there’s not a whole lot we can do successfully. Remember too, the Lord’s admonition to Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death. Having told him that only through meditating constantly on His word, could he be prosperous and have success, (Josh. 1:8) He followed it up with: ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) 

Yes friends, we can stand up strongest and be the most courageous when Jesus is an integral part of our lives. And along with that comes this next positive affirmation: ‘I choose peace.’ Oh Mama Mia people! That’s a glorious truth! For when we are imbued with the spirit of Christ, peace becomes a natural by-product. Yeah! And the peace we find in Christ is not only awesome but also incredible, and it’s a kind of peace that we can’t find anywhere else. Wow! Here how Jesus characterizes it nuh. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:26) 

Ah mih people, when the peace of Christ reigns in us, we’re neither troubled nor afraid, we can go through all sorts of troubles, like we doing right now, and yet still be at peace, because Christ’s peace is one that passes all understanding, all human reasoning. It’s a divine peace. And you know what that brings with it? This positive affirmation: ‘I deserve to have joy in my life.’ Yes precious people, joy is the fulfillment of Christ’s promise in our lives. Remember His immortal words? ‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10b) 

Oh my fellow saints of Christ, having life and having it more abundantly means enjoying our earthly life, hard though it may be at times, and not waiting until we get to heaven to enjoy it. What’s the purpose of Christ sacrificing Himself for us eh, and reconciling us to the Father, if we don’t enjoy that bountiful blessing down here? And remember too these marvellous words: ‘for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That’s why the enemy is always seeking to steal our joy, cause he knows that without it we can be easily defeated. Like Samson when Delilah cut off his locks became weak, so we become weak when we lose the joy of the Lord. 

And all of the above leads us to this last positive affirmation: ‘I am worthy of LOVE.’ And isn’t that the most glorious, awesome, indisputable truth? It surely is! As sons and daughters of God, heirs of God with Jesus, how can we not be worthy of God’s greatest attribute, LOVE, eh? Remember the main reason Jesus gave for coming to earth to save us? ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) 

Yeh mih bredrin! It’s LOVE that moved God’s heart toward us while we were still sinners, and it’s LOVE that makes the world go round, and it’s LOVE that we don’t have enough of in this current world, why our society is in such shambles and steadily going down into the mire of hell. So let’s perk up, be courageous and stand up, for and with Christ, and show LOVE, for the devil cannot defeat us when we’re joyful and strong in Jesus. Much LOVE!

…what the world needs now…is LOVE, sweet LOVE…not just for some…but for everyone… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 August 2020 Psalm 1:2.

24 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 1:2.     ​But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder by talking to oneself) day and night. 

And moving along in strong faith this Monday morning, we prime ourselves to do whatever the Lord has called us to do; be it work from home, or get out there and face the unknown, lurking evil forces, or just do nothing at all. (smile) The important thing is that we don’t worry, for we are assured that He will give us, the grace, courage and mercy to do His will. But they don’t occur automatically, we have to let His promises that are indelibly written deep in our hearts, souls and minds from much study and meditation, rise to the forefront and propel us forward. 

And that puts me in mind of one of the most powerful passages of scripture in the Good Book; the Lord’s instructions to Joshua when he took over from Moses as the leader of the Israelites. Our God was quite clear and very explicit in His instructions. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (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.’ (Josh. 1:8) 

What’s in that to misunderstand eh my people? Absolutely nothing! It spells it out loud and clear: if you want to be prosperous and successful, then you need to learn my Word and then live it. But you can only learn it if you keep feasting on it. Unfortunately though, in these modern times, we have not done that, no wonder our society is in deep distress. Instead of learning the Word, we have chosen to disregard it, throw it on the junk heap, make it of no account in our lives. 

So what can we expect from that ungodly and unwise behaviour eh? Serious negative consequences, for our God doesn’t make idle promises. If He says to do something or else something negative will happen, then that’s exactly what He means. But we’ve become so big for our britches with our advanced technological society that we think we don’t need Him any longer. What foolish wisdom! And the necessity for delving deeply and constantly into the Word and living by it is again highlighted right at the beginning of the Psalms. 

Psalm 1 – Blessed are the righteous tells us in no uncertain terms. ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, not sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder by talking to oneself) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps. 1:1-3) I think that’s self-explanatory. 

And the scholars explain: ‘Psalm 1. The key word in the psalm is the word blessed. It serves here as a pronouncement upon a man – but a certain kind of man. The happy man avoids evil influences, deeds, and attitudes (vs.1); he delights in God’s Word (vs.2); therefore God causes him to prosper (vs.3).’ Yes friends, when we walk seriously and sincerely with the Lord our lives will be enriched, not necessarily with material possessions, although that is very possible, but with a spiritual experience that trumps everything else. 

Obviously, the ungodly, the wicked are not so. And don’t ask why so many ungodly are so wealthy and so many godly people so poor? The answer is simple; ‘the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Ps. 1:6b) Oh they might wax rich and fat and powerful here on earth, but in the next life they will be on the outside looking in, like in Jesus’ parable about the rich man and Lazarus, where the rich man is being tormented in hell, but the earthly poor Lazarus is living it up in heaven. (Luke 16:19-31) Please read it, it will give you a good idea of how ungodly earthly living is a very dangerous and foolish thing. 

So let’s come before our wonderful God now nuh, and lay our earthly concerns confidently, but humbly before Him, 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!’ 

Now let’s go home reminding ourselves of this other powerful verse of the Lord to Joshua, and ultimately to all believers. ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) There’s no more to say my brethren, for a word to the wise is sufficient. Much LOVE!

…he who does not hear…will most certainly feel… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 April 2020 Joshua 1:9.

08 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

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

Joshua 1:9.    ​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 whithersoever thou goest.
 
Come together…right now…over Covid-19! Yes friends, that’s the wise and sensible thing for us all to do – come together to fight this dreadful virus! It doesn’t matter whether you’re a believer or an unbeliever, or of any other persuasion or distinction, because the virus doesn’t play favourites in that regard. Once you’re a human being, a creation of the Most High God, you’re considered suitable, or rather excellent material to invade and proliferate within. So let’s put aside all animosity and differences nuh, and fight together, because this is truly a fight for mankind’s existence here on earth. 

And it’s not like we’ve never had a fight or fights before to stay superior here on Mother Earth, we’ve had several down through the ages, and I believe that it’s a powerful togetherness back in those dangerous times that still has us ruling this dominion. And one of the good things about our current predicament, is that it causes us to go back in history and look for similar situations and how they were handled. Now, yesterday I received a poem and picture that someone recently came across. Apparently it was written way back in time – 1869, to be exact, and reprinted during the 1919 Pandemic. 

And I’m chuckling, because I just noticed how similar those pandemic dates are; the same number of the century and year – 1919, 2020. Don’t know if it means anything. (smile) Anyway the picture is of two adult, well dressed women, with their Panama-like hats covering their heads, and large masks covering the entire lower portion of their face; everything but their eyes. And they are walking down the sidewalk arm in arm, as if coming from the grocery. Judging by the picture though, it doesn’t seem as if they were practicing social distancing back then, as we are encouraged to do now. 

Anyhow, here is the poem. And as the person truthfully writes: ‘This is Timeless… And people stayed at home And read books And listened And they rested And did exercises And made art and played And learned new ways of being And stopped and listened More deeply And someone meditated, someone prayed Someone met their shadow 

And people began to think differently And people healed And in the absence of people who Lived in ignorant ways Dangerous, meaningless and heartless, The earth also began to heal And when the danger ended and People found themselves They grieved for the dead And made new choices And dreamed of new visions And created new ways of living And completely healed the earth Just as they were healed.’ 

Oh my people, that was a hundred years ago, how reminiscent of the time we are now going through eh! But you see they did what they were supposed to do, come together, stay at home, pray, meditate, rest, do exercises, listen…then listen more deeply, stop living dangerously and ignorantly, without compassion, and follow the rules and regulations, because that’s the only way this virus is going to be stopped and hopefully eradicated. And when it’s done, we too will have to grieve for the dead, make new choices, dream new dreams, have new visions and find new ways to live this life, since a lot of things would have changed during the pandemic time. 

And what I like about that poem is that even way back then, people were concerned about the state of the earth, what we now call climate change was beginning to show forth. Yes my people, the healing of the earth was also important, not only the healing of the people. And that’s one of the things we badly need to consider during these disastrous times; how can we help the earth heal, after all the foolish and careless damage we’ve done to it? 

And the best way I know is by listening to what the Lord promised Cousin Sol when he dedicated the temple. ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’ (2 Chr. 7:14) And there’s absolutely no doubt friends that our land needs healing just as badly as we the people on it do! 

So let’s look at it this way nuh; if we want our children, their children, and future generations to enjoy a good life on a good Planet Earth, then it’s absolutely necessary that we pull together RIGHT NOW! We need to take this virus very seriously; stay at home as much as possible, practice social distancing, clean habits, pray, meditate, day and night as the Good Book says and encourage each other through the many means we still have available to us. 

Ah mih people, this generation has never seen anything like it, and for the few of us who’ve seen war, it’s even more dangerous and deadly than that. And there are no more telling words in the Good Book than these that the Lord spoke to Joshua way back when. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein: for then shalt thou 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 whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9) 

Yes friends, those are possibly the two most powerful verses in the Good Book re successful earthly living. So let’s get right on it now nuh; let’s read the Word, study and meditate on it, then put it into action in our lives, while staying strong and courageous because our omnipotent God is still in control and He has NEVER, and will NEVER  let us down, because He is faithful, who promised. 

Now let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, showing the world how we’re standing strong and courageous in the Lord and thus having good success. As one strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we truly believe, then we’ll know that the future with Christ will be even more glorious than our finite and puny minds can even ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…to God be the glory…to God be the praise… for His everlasting grace and mercy…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 April 2018 Joshua 1:9.

27 Apr 2018 Leave a comment

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

Joshua 1:9.    Have not I commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 

Well a good morning to you my friends and Scrip-Bit family! Today is the Big Day! Yes, today the ole fella is going down to St. Michael’s Hospital, in Toronto, at long last, to have the tumour growing on his Pituitary Gland removed. Glory Be! And that’s why the Bit is so early. 

The tumour’s been hanging around for so long now that I’ve become accustomed to it, and after it’s removed, I’ll have to adjust to a new normal. But I can handle that. (smile) So all I’m asking is for you faithful fellow believers to bombard heaven with prayers for the success of the operation. (smile) Ask the Lord to guide the hands and hearts and heads of the medical team to do their best work, and to keep me strong and faithful. 

Now today is also Friday, so we have to consider the workingman’s song of freedom from unfair labour. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Our best friend, the weekend is here again! Time to let our hair down again and enjoy ourselves as much as we can, with whatever the crazy world has to offer; say, sex, drugs and rock and roll! Whatever is out there is ours for the taking. And yuh better believe we going to take it in these two short days off. Thank God for Fridays and weekends oui!’  

Ah mih people, the workingman surely goes out on a limb, but we believers in Jesus Christ can’t afford to do the same. We’re not allowed to be that lustful and licentious because our Lord and Saviour has set up boundaries of proper standards for us to adhere to. That’s why our Friday Chant is so much different from the ordinary workingman’s song. 

So let’s chant our Friday Chant with as much enthusiasm as the workingman sang his song nuh. 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!’ 

Yeh friends, our song is much more reserved, excluding the extremes that the workingman seems to favour. And as we come to our Bit, I have to chuckle because I came down here just now wondering what I was going to write about, but the Lord beat me to it. I usually put some bookmarks in my Bible between the pages of scripture I’m interested in using that day. 

Now apparently when I used something from the first chapter of Joshua recently, I left a bookmark there, so the Bible naturally opened there this morning, and the first words to greet my eyes were those of our Bit. ‘Have not I commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ 

Obviously the Lord was telling me that was my duty for today; to stand up strong and courageous, don’t be afraid of what I was about to go through. In other words reassuring me of His continual presence and His LOVING-kindness, and His promise to bring me through all adversity in better shape than before. 

Glory to our great and wonderful God my brethren! How can I not trust and be faithful to Him under those conditions eh? And in all my messages, that’s all I’m trying to get through to us: if you trust the Lord He will be faithful to you. As Bruh David so stoutly and proudly declares in the opening verse of Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps.37:1) 

Ah my people, when you have the Lord as your ally, you need to fear no one or nothing at all, for He is always with you, wherever you go, looking out for you in all situations. And this is most appropriately set out in Psalm 91 – God is a refuge and fortress. ‘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 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’ (Ps.91:9-13) 

Oh friends, what glorious promises! And that’s not all. Hear the Lord’s declaration: ‘Because he has 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.91:14-16) 

Wow people, wow! I don’t remember if I featured this scripture in my recent messages on the promises of God, but if I didn’t, it certainly deserved to be amongst them. And if I did, we can certainly be reminded of it, so that we can stay faithful and courageous in the strength and joy of our God. 

Now I don’t know what shape I will be in tomorrow, so I can’t say exactly when the Bit will come out, but the Lord willing, it WILL come out at some time. So please remember me in your prayers, and talk to you some time tomorrow, the Lord in favour. 

And I don’t see why the Lord won’t be in favour, since I haven’t really accomplished the desires He’s put in my heart to exalt and glorify Him. So if He took me home now, then He’d be wasting all those desires. And if there’s one thing I know, our God is wise, He doesn’t waste his desires. (smile) Much LOVE!

…trust in the Lord with all your heart…and lean not unto thine own understanding…  (Prov.3:5)

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 January 2018 Psalm 20:7.

30 Jan 2018 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 20:7.   Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
And it all looks so beautiful; the pristine white powder spread all over the land, unsullied by humans, virginal, you’d say! And when the sun shines against it, it gives off a brilliant light…like a million diamonds! 
But all that beauty is deceptive friends, for the snow, like our number one enemy, Lucifer is a great deceiver. It takes you in with its beauty, and when you succumb to the temptation, it snakes out its octopus arms and ties you up ten ways from Sunday! (smile) 
Yeh friends, we’ve been hit with another snowstorm, but that’s what winter is all about. But all jokes aside, please be careful if you have to go out in it, because though it looks beautiful, it can be very dangerous for both pedestrians and motorists. 
Now here is a li’l something from someone and somewhere that I can’t remember, but it ought to be the gospel truth if you are a believer. It says: ‘I believe in the sun, even when I don’t see it. I believe in LOVE, even when I don’t see it. I believe in God, even when He is silent.’ 
Yeh mih people, God is often silent in our lives, but that doesn’t mean He is not around us and we should give up on Him. It just means that He is working on stuff in the background, and when He is ready, we will hear from Him, loud and clear. 
So my brethren, if you are going through a particularly rough time and you don’t seem to be seeing or hearing from God in your situation, please don’t fear and give up hope. For He has faithfully promised to never leave nor forsake us, and He NEVER will. He’s probably just testing your faith. 
And remember He has also promised to work all things out for the good of those who LOVE Him and are called to His purpose. So just hang in there, trust completely and faithfully in the One who sacrificed His life for us on the cross of Calvary. As I keep asking, if Christ could do make a sacrifice of such magnitude on our behalf, then why wouldn’t He help us in our trying times eh? No reason whatsoever my people! 
Therefore, as Bruh David says so eloquently and faithfully in our Bit: ‘Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.’ And that’s exactly how it ought to be! 
And why is that? Because as Bruh David says before our Bit: ‘Now I know that the Lord saveth his anointed (Messiah, commissioned one); he will hear (answer) him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.’ (Ps.20:6) And that’s no lie friends! Our God will save those who depend and rely on Him, because He has promised to do just that. 
Now let’s look at some scriptures that corroborate our Bit, beginning way back when Moses was teaching the people how to live under God’s law. ‘When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 
And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified of them; for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ (Deut.20:1-4) 
Oh precious people of God, it couldn’t get any simpler or clearer than that! When we come up against our enemies, we must remember that it is our God who is there to fight for us and save us. That part of the equation is entirely in our hands; we must have the faith to believe it, before it comes to pass. 
Now hear Cousin Sol: ‘There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety (deliverance) is of the Lord.’ (Prov.21:30-31) Glory be, my fellow believers!  
As the scholars explain: ’21:31. Military preparedness is useless apart from the Lord, who really gives the victory.’ And all God’s people gave a loud and grateful shout of ‘Amen! So let it be!’ 
Mean while Isaiah declares: ‘Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help: and stay (rely) on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!’ (Is.31:1) Yeh friends, Isaiah is decrying the ones who would seek Egypt for help, when God, not Egypt is the One who will defend Judah. 
And finally these truthful words of the psalmist: ‘There is no king saved by a multitude of a host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. A horse is a vain thing (false hope) for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, 
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.’  (Ps.33:16-22) 
Ahh, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra to the world and all therein, proudly letting them know who and whose we are. 
In loud voice and sincere belief: ‘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 the  world. Amen!’
Wow! What a blessed life we lead my brethren! Now let’s go out and share Jesus and His extraordinary LOVE with the rest of the world. Much LOVE!
 
…without hope, faith and trust…LOVE is impossible…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 December 2016 John 3:16.

12 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

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

Ah mih friends, the first big snowstorm of the season is upon this Monday morning! Steups! 

It’s been going since yesterday and will certainly provide many problems as we go out to work, but please leave home a little earlier and take your time. Look out for the other driver, because in spite of the nasty weather, a lot of us still drive like fools, behaving as though we are on dry pavement. 

And what amazes me about the snow storms, is that so many of them seem to occur on a Monday morning when we are not at our best – although we should be – and don’t need the hassle and danger of driving on snow and ice covered roads. However my faithful friends and believers this morning we certainly have to do like God commanded Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites. 

‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh.1:9) 

Yes my people, let us be brave and fearless as we face the inclement weather and poor driving conditions this morning. And to further raise our courage and faith, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with strong conviction and perfect harmony. 

As one now: ‘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!’ 

Ah mih breddren, that rendition lacked something. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t thrill our choirmaster Jesus. And you know that’s always the aim of our singing. But Jesus is so wonderful, He didn’t take umbrage, (smile) because He knows our fears and weaknesses. 

But since that shot of adrenaline we got from singing is now coursing through our veins, let’s go out bravely and do our best for Jesus nuh, for that’s all He asks of us. And logically speaking, if we consider all that He’s done for us, we should have no problem in putting our best foot forward on His behalf. 

Just listen to our Bit and see the magnanimous and selfless sacrifice both the Father and Son made on our behalf. And I hope it pricks our cold hearts into doing better. (smile) 

‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ 

Now wasn’t that a most wonderful gesture? It certainly was! That’s why I can’t understand how we can just throw Jesus and the Father by the wayside in favour of the worthless baubles and bangles of this evil world! Chuh man people! That’s ungratefulness at its highest! 

And I want to pile it on here, so please listen attentively to Bruh Paul’s discourse on the subject to the Ephesians. ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are (have been) saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.’ (Eph.2:4-10) 

Yuh see friends, it’s all about God’s sincere and unconditional LOVE for us! Our good works CANNOT give us salvation, but when we are spiritually born again, we ought to have such a LOVE for Jesus, that we naturally do good works. Now there are so many explanations that I would like to share, but we don’t have time nor space. But I’ll share this very important one though, re the Grace of God. 

‘2:8. The grace of God is the expression of His goodness toward the undeserving. Grace means unmerited favour, and can be expressed by the acrostic “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” This grace is the basis of our salvation (1:7; 2:8) 

Illustration: In salvation, men who deserve hell obtain heaven. This cannot be explained apart from God’s grace. Every conversion in Scripture is an example of God’s grace. When Paul (Saul) met the Lord on the Damascus Road, Paul was a persecutor of the church. Yet God made him one of the church’s chief preachers.  

Application: We need to remember that we are saved, given the Holy Spirit, and allowed to serve God – by His grace. (First Ref. Gen.6:8; Primary Ref. Eph. 2:8; cf. Ps.139:1).’  

Ah friends, all I can say now is, he who has ears to hear, let him hear, otherwise crapaud smoke ‘im pipe!  Much LOVE!

…why foolishly accept hell eh…when one can easily get heaven…through God’s generous grace…

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 December 2016 Deuteronomy 31:8.

06 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 31:8.    And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Ah friends and neighbours, at last there is some decent heat in the ole homestead! Praise the Lord! 

It has indeed been a challenging weekend without proper heat. A couple of heat space savers can never replace a central system. But through the good grace and mercy of our wonderful God we made it through. Praise His Holy Name! 

You know you always hear about certain situations and imagine what they feel like, but not until you personally go through them do you really appreciate the good side of the equation. Hn! Now I know what it’s like to be without proper heat for a cold weekend. (smile) 

But we’ll simply chalk that up to faith building, because that’s exactly what it was; an exercise to see how we’d react under less than perfect conditions. But again, with the ever-present help of our magnanimous, caring and understanding God we came through it all with flying colours! Please give Him the wonderful praise He so rightfully deserves! 

And on this chilly Tuesday morning, to further boost our spirits and our faith, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with sincere enthusiasm and strong belief, otherwise, we’re simply wasting our time. 

In unison now: ‘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 the world.  Amen!’ 

Yes my people, that’s indeed who we are; beautiful and beloved children of Almighty God! Wow! What a privilege! And to make our situation even better, we are also friends of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! It certainly couldn’t get any better than that my faithful, believing brethren! 

But we’re wrong, it does get better. Listen to our Bit nuh. ‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ 

Ah mih people, what a majestic and magnanimous God we serve! He had Moses make that statement to Joshua when he assumed leadership of the Israelites many moons ago, but the excellent thing is that that awesome promise still exists today, and still applies to each and every one of us who proclaims true belief and faith in the Godhead of the Holy Trinity. 

No other supposed deity makes such a promise…and faithfully keeps it too. That’s why I find it mind-boggling when others say they don’t believe in the ONE true and LIVING God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

Now hear the refreshing and encouraging words of Moses to the people of Israel, before he spoke our Bit to Joshua. ‘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 friends and faithful believers that ought to resonate deeply within our souls, because it is the gospel truth! And it’s a promise that’s been used, been given several times throughout the Good Book. Let’s look at a few of them, beginning with the Lord’s words to Joshua after Moses died and he took on the Herculean task of leading the Israelites. 

‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh.1:5) And it’s a promise the Lord faithfully kept. 

But in the very next verses, the Lord point out Joshua’s responsibility. ‘Be strong and of a good courage… Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest do all the law which my servant Moses commanded thee… 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.1:6, 7, 9). 

Yes precious people of God, three times in four verses the Lord commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous, and it’s the very same message that He’s sending out to each of us today. We need to believe His promises and stand strong and faithful upon them. 

Now hear Bruh David’s words to Cousin Sol re the building of the temple. ‘And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.’ (1 Chr.28:20) 

The same thing applies to us today my brethren: The Lord will be with us all the way in our service to glorify His name. He will not fail nor forsake us, so we have no reason to be afraid and dismayed. 

And we’ll end with more encouraging words, this time from Hebrews, re Service well-pleasing to God. ‘Let your conversation (conduct) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, 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) 

Ah mih fellow believers, from the beginning of the Good Book, right through to the end, we’ve been admonished to be strong and courageous because our omnipotent God will never fail not forsake us. 

Please let’s take it all to heart and go out and fight the good fight nuh, knowing that the Creator of the universe is always with us. It’s the only way to successfully handle this earthly pilgrimage. Much LOVE!

…weak, whining and wishy washy Christians…cannot do God’s work successfully…

 

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