Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 May 2024   1 John 4:11.

22 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

I John 4:11.       Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.

Summer time, summer time, glorious summer time! That wonderful time of year when we don’t have to dress up in several layers of clothing just go and put out the garbage! And even better, I can now sit on my porch in shorts and T-shirt and watch the many people going for walks, catching up on the exercise they missed during the winter. The only sad part of that is that more of those people are walking dogs rather than children. But if dogs are the new children, then who am I to say otherwise.(smile) But yuh better believe in this day and age, dogs are much more expensive to raise and keep than children. 

Anyway, it’s too beautiful a day to harbour any ill feelings, so let’s get down to brass tacks with this prayer from the ‘Let Us Pray’ Section of this month’s In Touch Devotional. Please pray with me. ‘Father, how can your LOVE be boundless, without beginning, and for all creation? It’s beyond my understanding, but the fact remains – You are LOVE. LOVE is You. Make me a vessel, God. Remove the boundaries I’ve put between myself and others, and let Your LOVE flow through me – to my family, friends, and neighbours, to people on the margins and those in power, to strangers and enemies. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Ah friends, what an interesting prayer! Our minds are too small to comprehend the height, depth, length and width of God’s LOVE for us. But we’re still ever so sure that He LOVES us, His greatest creation, with an unfailing and everlasting LOVE, despite our overwhelming disobedience and sinfulness. That’s why, as Bruh Paul writes to the Romans: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) 

It could not be put any clearer than that my people. Although John in his epistle tries to do so, where he writes: ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another; for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE. In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that He LOVED us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:7-11) 

And that’s the plain and simple truth my brethren! If God LOVED us despite our sinfulness and ungodliness, we ought to also LOVE one another. And Jesus also made that very clear to the disciples and to us who decide to follow Him later on: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

What part of that don’t we understand eh my fellow believers? Why then are the numerous denominations which make up Christ’s church so intensely resentful and even hateful to each other eh? No wonder the heathen don’t consider us true disciples of Jesus! If we can’t LOVE those who supposedly preach the same gospel and live in the same kingdom, under the same Sovereign Ruler, how can we LOVE others who live outside of that spiritual realm eh? No way! That means that despite all our talk about Jesus and all the hoopla we create, we’re not really doing very much to forward His kingdom here on earth because of all the ill will between us, His followers. 

And that’s why I like it when the prayer above asks: ‘Make me a vessel, God. remove the boundaries I’ve put between myself and others, and let Your LOVE flow through me – to my family, friends, and neighbours, to people on the margins and those in power, to strangers and enemies…’  

Yes friends, that’s exactly what we need in today’s ungodly and selfish world. And it reminds me of what we call the Prayer of St. Francis, or the Peace Prayer, which says: ‘Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow LOVE; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be LOVED as to LOVE. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.’ 

Now my fellow saints, that is what we call a comprehensive prayer; one that includes a little of everything. And it’s what we believers need to be doing consciously and constructively; LOVING, comforting and forgiving others like we are LOVED, comforted and forgiven by our heavenly Father. Anything less than that is disobedience and rebellion, and thus sin. So let’s wake up and smell the stench in our world nuh and set ourselves as followers of Christ to do a much better job than we’ve hitherto done! 

Now, for those of us who are serious and sincere about living for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 the promise is that if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s plan to meet there nuh…right at the very end! Much LOVE!

…LOVE is all the world needs to set it right…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 December 2017 Psalm 119:27.

28 Dec 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:27.    Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of (meditate on) thy wondrous works.

Oh friends, don’t worry, this week is almost over; it’s already Thursday, and by tomorrow we’ll be getting ready to participate in another big celebration, New Year’s Eve. 

What a way we celebrate in big fashion at this time of year eh! Let’s just hope that we understand and abide by all the right reasons for those celebrations, mainly the birth of Jesus, and don’t go overboard and allow Lucifer to get a strangle hold in our souls. 

Now as the New Year looms large, I guess a lot of the talk turns to New Year resolutions. But as I’ve been saying for the last couple of years, there is ONLY ONE New Year resolution we need to make, and that is walking closer with Jesus, talking to Him more and becoming more Christ-like. 

And why is that you ask? Because candidly walking with Jesus will allow you to do all the other day to day things you need to do, like loose weight, go to the gym, spend more time with God, volunteer your services more, be a better overall person. Christ will guide you into the things you need to change and do. 

That’s why I say we only need ONE New Years resolution. The greater presence of Christ in our lives will keep us well rounded and on top of all that we need to be on top of. That’s the beauty of seriously walking with Christ; everything falls into place on it’s own. 

And that’s why we chose today’s Bit from Psalm 119. ‘Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of (meditate on) thy wondrous works.’ Yes my fellow believers, it is ever necessary to ask God to give us understanding in matters that pertain to Him, for a lot of it will be too high for our finite minds. 

How did Isaiah put it on the Lord’s behalf? ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is.55:8-9) 

So it’s obvious then, if we want to learn some stuff about God, we will have to seek Him and ask for His mercy and understanding. Isaiah also said: ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.’ (Is.55:6) And friends, there is no better advice in the Good Book than that. Just like we go to school to learn stuff, we have to go to God to learn about Him. 

And earlier on in Psalm 119, the psalmist cries out to God: ‘Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live and keep thy word. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.’ (Ps.119:17-19) 

That means we have to walk steadfastly with God and seek sincere understanding of His commandments, His statutes and His precepts. And not only that, but we have to meditate on them, ponder them in our hearts and souls, then tell them to all the world, so that they too can understand and come to LOVE God, the way we do. 

As Bruh David boldly declares in Psalm 145 – The Lord is gracious. ‘I will extol (praise) thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding). 

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of (meditate on) the glorious honour (splendour) of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible (awesome) acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly (eagerly) utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.’ (Ps.145:1-7) 

Oh my believing brethren, are we eagerly uttering the memory of God’s goodness and greatness? Are we singing of His righteousness so that the next generation will know how great a God He is? Not as much as we should. And if we don’t, the Word stands a great chance of being lost during these evil times. 

How do you think we know about the Word? Other generations passed it down to us, and we need to do the same, but we can’t pass down what we don’t know and or understand. That’s why knowing and understanding God’s word is of such critical importance. 

Friends, I implore us, let’s make 2018 a banner year for Christ nuh. Let’s raise up His LOVE Revolution like it’s never been raised up before, so that many others will come to know and LOVE Him, like we do. Now let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings, the tidal wave of grace and mercy that the Lord has showered down on us. 

All together now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

Wow! What a treasure trove of blessings my people! They just boggle my imagination! Now let’s go out and share them with others as Jesus desires of us nuh. Much LOVE!

…whatever Jesus gives us…He expects us to share it…