Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 November 2023   1 Thessalonians 5:24.

10 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 5:24.       Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

And as always, the usual worldwide shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ reverberated far and wide this Friday morning. And I can’t complain too much because I’m feeling a tad better, on the way to a full recovery, and the sun’s shining brightly out there amongst the clouds with a decent temperature! So there is cause for joy and thanksgiving! And talking about joy and thanksgiving, I just got the zeppo (smile) to turn to Bruh Paul’s warning to the Thessalonians, where he writes these remarkable words of Christian faith. So let’s pay attention, as he admonishes the church, both then and now. 

‘Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly (insubordinate), comfort the feebleminded (faint-hearted), support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:14-18) Yes friends, those are some good words for us to meditate on this Friday morning as we end our workweek and begin our weekend of rest and rejuvenation. (smile) 

And we all know those words are not easy to follow, especially in the evil and hateful climate that currently exists in our world. But Jesus told us from the very beginning that the Christian life would not be easy, but be full of trials and tribulations, requiring sacrifices and adversity. However, with His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we would be well able to carry out whatever duties were required of us, provided we obeyed the leading and prompting of said Holy Spirit, for our God NEVER asks us to do anything without giving us the wherewithal to do it. Whatever He asks us to do, He conveniently anoints us to do it. 

So, the onus is upon us when things don’t get done. And over the last couple of generations we have become a very disobedient and ungodly people thus the sorry state of our world. But despite our lack of obedience, the Lord doesn’t ever give up on us. He’s always there, encouraging us through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can repent and come back into His fold. Yes, it’s hard to rejoice and give thanks in all things, but that’s the plan the Lord has mapped out for each of us. 

Yuh think Jesus wanted to go to the cross for a bunch of ungrateful sinners? Definitely not! But the Father asked it of Him, and being the obedient and LOVING Son that He was, He sacrificed his sinless self on the cross at Calvary so that we could be reconciled back to the Father, from whom we’d been so long separated by the throes of sin. And since the Father’s eventual plan is for each believer to be a facsimile or copy of the Son, then we have to learn to conform to some things that seem difficult and even unfair, knowing that in the end, the Lord will work it all out for our good! 

Another thing, this prayer without ceasing, simply means that the Lord is always in our thoughts as we go through the day, and we’re either asking Him for help to handle what ever is before us, or giving Him thanks for helping us. It’s more an attitude of the heart than constant words coming out of our mouths. Furthermore, that attitude of prayer will help us to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity. 

And the next few verses of Bruh Paul’s admonishment are just as important, as he writes: ‘Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good. Abstain from all appearance (every form) of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly (set you apart for His holy purpose); and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.’ (1 Thess. 5:19-24) 

Ah mih people, it’s not an easy life, but overall it’s an excellent life, the best one we can possibly live on this earth. And the scholars offer these explanations on that verse, ‘Quench not the Spirit.’ They say: ‘Quench means putting out fire in Matthew 12:20, Ephesians 6:16, and Hebrews 11:34. Here it is employed metaphorically to mean “stifle” or “suppress.” The Christian can stifle the Holy Spirit’s workings by hindering Him from leading the believer to rejoice (vs. 16), to pray (vs. 17), to give thanks in adversity (vs. 18), and by despising prophetic utterances (vs. 20) inspired by the Spirit.’ 

So you see my fellow saints, everything is wrapped up in one big parcel, but we have the awesome help of the Holy Spirit to unravel anything we don’t understand. Remember the Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Comforter, our Guide, Jesus Christ, the Spirit of salvation in us! And let’s not forget that last verse we read: ‘Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.’ (1 Thess. 5:24) We need to truly believe that if we’re going succeed and enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have, both here on earth, and in heaven above. 

Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant asking for divine help in this dire time of need. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And having said that, we now need to do the obvious; turn from our evil ways and sincerely seek the Lord! Much LOVE!

…divine help occurs in direct proportion…to obedience to God’s will… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ    

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 October 2023 Genesis 47:10.

05 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 47:10.       And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

Well, my dear friends, I’m sorry to report that the awesome sunshine and good weather that’s recently blessed my area looks like it’s reached the inevitable end. Chuh! And it was all going along so nicely… But this first Thursday in October has begun on a somewhat cloudy note, although temperatures will be fairly high. Then, if the forecasters are right, there’ll be some long-needed rain tonight, with more seasonal temperatures tomorrow, in the low to mid-teens. 

And we can’t say that we didn’t have an enjoyable extended summer! But it’s time to get back to reality now, with the cooler, less sunshiny weather. (smile) We always knew it would come eventually, but just not when. And isn’t that just like life…we never know when things will begin or end, which brings us to the amazing story of Bruh Joseph and the unlikely manner in which the Lord birthed the Jewish people. 

And doesn’t the Lord fittingly raise the drama potential by having the children of Israel begin life in Egypt on a deceitful note, reminiscent of their founder Jacob’s name and early life, by pretending to be more cattle herders than sheep herders, on the wise advice of Bruh Joseph? (Gen. 46:33-34) For sure, since it will be something that comes back to haunt them in later years. 

And we pick up the story where Bruh Joseph presents some of his brethren to Pharaoh. ‘Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren (brothers), even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pharoah said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. 

They said moreover unto Pharaoh, for to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore (severe) in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity (competent men) among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.’ (Gen. 47:1-6) 

Ah friends, our God can soften any heathen ruler’s heart to give abundant favour to His people, although in this instance Bruh Joseph had done marvellous, in fact miraculous work, for Pharaoh in stemming the disaster of Egypt during the days of feast and famine. So, it was not totally favouritism, but mostly just reward. Then comes the big moment when Jacob was presented to Pharaoh. 

‘And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharoah: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage (sojourning) are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.’ (Gen. 47:7-10) 

Wow! Jacob, even in his old age, did have backbone and belly to be blessing the mighty Pharaoh twice as he did. And on those first ten verses, the scholars offer these explanations. ‘Joseph’s wise advice in 46:33-34 enabled his brothers to express their desires before Pharaoh, and to receive exactly what they wanted…permission to live in the fertile land of Goshen. Evidently Jacob was not intimidated by Pharaoh; and he blessed Pharaoh in verse 7and 10. When Jacob said his days were few and evil does not mean “sinful,” but “calamitous, constantly confronted by anger, anguish, distress, and tribulation.’ Just like the lives of so many of us today. 

The Bible then tells us: ‘And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished (provided) his father and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread according to their families.’ (Gen. 47:11-12) What a wonderful son, brother and family member Bruh Joseph turned out to be. Even after all his unfair trials and tribulations! 

Can it be that we’re supposed to follow his example through our own trials and tough times?  (smile) Yes friends, it’s all a part of being a good Christian, a good and true disciple of Christ Jesus. And to help us do just that, the Lord has bestowed un us a number of undeserved blessings, which we call our Thursday Blessings. So, let’s declare and activate them right now! And, by the way, we did spell declare (steups) right the first time, but not the second. (smile)  

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those blessings, we are now beholden to go out and use them in the betterment of the lives of our fellow man, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them upon us! Much LOVE!

…how you end up…is much more important…than how you begin… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit    14 September 2023 Genesis 41:38.

14 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 41:38.       Can we find such a man as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

Well, it’s a beautiful Thursday morning with lots of sunshine, though it’s somewhat cool. But that’s the normal temperature for these times, so everything seems hunky-dory. (smile) However, we know that things are never completely hunky-dory, for the evil one always tries to insert some kind of problem in our good times. He’s just jealous of us being one with Jesus and enjoying the abundant life that He died for us to have. But then again, with our strong faith in Christ and the amazing power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, we can successfully thwart the evil schemes and wiles of the enemy. 

So, please let’s not concentrate on what’s wrong with our lives, but what’s right, and neither strive to obtain what we don’t have, but be contented with what we do have. For our merciful and compassionate God will give us whatever we need, as Bruh Paul says in Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

And remember too, as Bruh Paul said earlier on to the church at Philippi: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) That means when God begins a good work in us, He will not stop until Jesus returns. So, we have promises that all our needs will be fulfilled and God will not stop His main desire and job of making us as Christ-like as possible. And that’s the uplifting word for today. (smile) 

Now let’s get back to that riveting saga of Bruh Joseph, where we left him yesterday, telling Pharoah how to successfully handle the upcoming years of plenty and those of famine. And wonder of wonders, referring to Bruh Joseph’s plan that he outlined to Pharoah, the Bible tells us: ‘And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.’ (Gen. 41:37) 

Wow! Imagine the great Pharaoh listening to the advice of a jailed Hebrew! But our God does wondrous things even through pagan kings and princes to satisfy the needs of His servants. And this Pharaoh was indeed a wise and teachable ruler, unlike the one that Moses dealt with, whom the Bible says: ‘Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.’ (Ex. I:8) But that is nigh impossible, for it’s through Joseph’s wise handling of the famine under the first Pharaoh that Egypt truly became great and wealthy. So, it’s either he did not know the history of his people, or he was just not concerned. I believe it was the latter. 

But anyhow, the wise Pharaoh was impressed with Bruh Joseph’s method of handling the upcoming situation. And please note too that that Pharaoh did not doubt for one moment Bruh Joseph’s interpretation of his dreams, like the one with Moses foolishly doubted that the Lord would do what He said and rain down plague after plague on Egypt until He set His people free. The Good Library then continues: ‘And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a man as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?’ (Gen. 41:38) 

Now isn’t it surprising that a pagan king is talking about a man with the Spirit of God? Yes, it is, but that’s how our great God operates. It’s just like when He had the great Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, praise God’s wonders in the time of the prophet Daniel. After his prideful boast about his greatness, Neb became mentally unhinged for seven years. Then at the end of the seven years, his mind was restored to him, and he joyfully proclaimed: ‘Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the king of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgement (justice): and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.’ (Dan. 4:37) 

That’s for certain sure my brethren, as so many prideful people have discovered down through the ages, and the many foolish ones nowadays are still discovering! But getting back to our story, the Bible continues: ‘And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet (as discerning) and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over (in charge of) my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, see, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.’ (Gen. 41:39-41) 

Mama oh Mama! That was none other than the working of our omnipotent God! For how else would a great ruler hand over all his power to a young man not of his people, of no great repute, whom he had met for the first time a short while before? That was the culmination of all the unfair and unjust situations Bruh Joseph had gone through and borne with a good attitude. It was just what the Lord had planned from day one. Remember Bruh Joseph’s first dream, where people were bowing down to him, and the scorn and dislike his brothers threw at him on hearing it? (Gen. 37:5-8) 

But that’s how our great God works. And He will do the same for each one of us whom He tasks with building His kingdom, and we faithfully and obediently follow His directives. It’s a great lesson in faithfulness, obedience and keeping a good and godly attitude through all our trials and tribulations, until the Lord blesses us with the destiny He has planned for us. 

And He never asks us to do his bidding without giving us the wherewithal, the anointing to do it, just like He gave Bruh Joseph the strength, the anointing to bear up under all the injustice he suffered. And today the Lord has most generously bestowed blessings upon us that we do not deserve but are necessary to do His work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So, let’s activate them by declaring (steups!!!) them nuh, for a blessing isn’t a blessing until it’s been declared. (yesss!!!) 

As one voice: ‘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 every day! Amen!’ 

And as always, it’s now our bounden duty to take those blessings and go out and use them just as generously in the service of others as the Lord shared them with us, so that we can fulfill our destiny! Much LOVE!

…though trials and tribulation come in working for Christ…the amazing rewards are certainly worth standing strong in His faithfulness…                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ   

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 June 2023 Romans 12:21.

20 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

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

Romans 12:21.       Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Prologue: I want to apologize right up front for the lateness of the Bit. I got up late, and not feeling up to scratch either. It took me a while to catch myself. And yes, the Bit’s long, but I think it’s good. (smile) So please read, inwardly digest and action it. Much LOVE! 

So Monday has fled into the night, and Tuesday has come to take its place… a warm and somewhat sunny but windy day. But life still rolls along like it did on Monday, still full of wars and rumours of wars, untold disasters both natural and man-made, along with many evil doings and comparatively little godliness. Man continues to be unkind to his fellow man, heralding the saying ‘man’s inhumanity to man, makes countless thousands mourn,’ first made popular by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in his poem, the dirge, ‘Man was made to Mourn’ published in 1784. 

The relevant stanza says: “Many and sharp the num’rous ills Inwoven with our frame! More pointed still we make ourselves Regret, remorse, and shame! And man, whose heav’n-erected face The smiles of LOVE adorn,  Man‘s inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn!”  

And, unfortunately, that statement still stands as a testimony to our cruelty and callousness to each other down through the years. Two of the main examples of that atrocious and barbaric behaviour in the last couple of centuries are the Jewish Holocaust in Germany and other parts of Europe and the brutal and ruthless enslavement of African people in the supposed New World of the Americas. And although those two atrocities have now ended in physical form, they are still being enforced through mental and emotional means. 

The level of international hatred, rebelliousness and evil doing, poverty, sickness and economic malaise are so ramped up, that the saying should now be replaced by ‘man’s inhumanity to man makes countless millions mourn.’ And if we continue like we’re going, it will soon need to be changed to countless billions, because instead of a growing LOVE and compassion for each other, we seem to be drifting even further apart, with hate, evil doings and resentment growing stronger every day. 

And all of that in a world filled with plenty, more than enough to satisfy us all, but because so few have so much, and intend to retain it by any means necessary, while so many have so little, and are intentionally kept from acquiring more, the imbalance of God’s provision and wealth continues to get worse each and every day. I pray that Almighty God will help us before it’s too late, because He is the ONLY ONE who can make heads or tails of our current predicament. 

Whatever happened to Jesus’ declaration (steups!!!) ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.’ (John 13:34) That’s a very good question, because in these very turbulent and unsettled times, even supposed believers in Christ Jesus are showing immense hatred and resentment for each other, often because of the branch of Christianity or religion they follow. So, if the supposed root of LOVE, Christianity itself is withering, instead of growing and manifesting itself strong in the land, then what hope is there for us eh? 

And it’s not like Jesus said it once that we should LOVE each other, but several times, and even more importantly, that the act of LOVING each other would be the distinctive modus operandi that showed who we truly are. Listen to Him elucidate this. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:35) LOVE is supposed to be the guiding principle of our world, but sadly, right now hate and evil have a strong hold on our reins. 

And unless we supposed believers are willing to get up and fight the good fight, like we ought to, the hands of evil will get even stronger and more despicable, for there’s no level at which evil will not stoop to get its own way. We must realize that Jesus is placing, in fact, has placed all His bets on us to overcome the evil of Satan with His LOVE. Now, we can’t go letting him down after all the ‘sufferation’ He endured on our behalf. And LOVE is more powerful than evil, we just have to put it into action. 

That’s the problem; we don’t radiate LOVE to each other, so how then can it spread to unbelievers eh? Bruh Paul said it quite practically in his letter to the church at Rome. ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another….Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not…

Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest (have regard for good things) in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire (shame) on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:9-10; 14; 17-21)  

Ah mih people, that’s practical Christian living in a nutshell! And sadly, too many of us believers are not living thus. And no, it’s not easy to turn your head and not repay evil for evil, especially in these evil and advantageous times. But it’s how Jesus wants us to live, and it’s the only way that unbelievers will ever want to come to Christ. We cannot live the old eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth vengeful lifestyle. God says that He will repay the wrongdoing done to us. And if we believe Him, then we have to stop trying to forward vengeance for ourselves, as seems to be the current standard of our world. 

Remember Jesus never said following Him was easy, in fact He said that it would be tough, we’d see trials and tribulations, and we must be prepared to take up our cross daily and follow Him, as well as sacrifice on His behalf whenever necessary. (Luke 9:23-24) If we can’t do that, then we cannot be His disciple. But the wonderful thing about it all is that if we sincerely try, Jesus will help us to overcome any of our human frailties and weaknesses. Remember Bruh Paul says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil 4:13) 

And that’s one of the basic differences between a sincere believer and an unbeliever. We can do whatever Jesus wants or expects us to do, because He will give us the strength, the anointing, the grace, or whatever it takes to do His will. And that’s what too many of us supposed believers are not taking advantage of, so that we can live for Christ. We all want the easy, the safe way of life, without any difficulties, but life itself means difficulties; trials and tribulations, and it’s ONLY with the help of Jesus can we successfully overcome them. 

And that’s why we have His Holy Spirit dwelling in us; to lead and guide and strengthen us. But unfortunately, many of us ignore the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. How then do we expect to live the abundant Christian life eh? It’s simple, without the power of the Holy Spirit, we can’t. And I do hope that these few words of mine (smile) will help wake us up to the reality of the situation and get us going, so that we can fight the good fight for Christ! Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. 

As one 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 having made that declaration (awright!!!) we now have to go out into the evil world and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus, so that others will come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!

…living for Jesus is a lifelong activity…that takes courage and belief… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 December 2022 Psalm 119:169.

27 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:169.       Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.

And then it was Tuesday…and the Christmas celebrations are winding down. But just until the weekend, when the big New Year’s bash takes place! Ah, what a difference a year makes! And let’s hope that we will do a better job of living and LOVING in 2023, a better job of safeguarding our wonderful planet, and lessening the considerable strife, anger and hate that presently has it coloured in human blood. Let’s hope that it’s the redeeming blood of Jesus that will engulf us, and not the blood of our fellow human beings. 

So, in light of all the sad happenings in ourselves and our world, let’s listen to this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, which describes a lot of what we’re currently going through. It’s titled ‘Unexplainable Mystery.’ Please read with me. ‘Mysterious God Today I am desolate I am puzzled I am heartsick That I must wait so long When you have promised so much. At the same time I am conscience-stricken That I should feel such bitter rebellion. 

Yet, to try to hide my emotions Would only build up a pretense That would eventually be exposed. I suppose, O God In the great perplexities Of my unpredictable life One of two things will always happen: Either I will crowd You out (Slowly but surely) Or I will acknowledge Your sovereignty In every area of my bewildered life. To offer myself to You Regardless of the circumstances May always bring unexplainable mystery. But rejecting You totally Brings the depth of despair.’ 

And isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren! Rejecting God totally, can only drive us to the depths of despair! Accepting Him and His sovereignty takes some getting used to and sometimes drives us crazy when we can’t find answers. But deep down, we know that total rejection of Almighty God is the biggest mistake we can ever make, because then we have no one or nothing to fall back on, to lean on when the circumstances of life rear up and come against us, as they most definitely will! That’s why so many of us who have crowded God out of our lives are suffering so much affliction we can hardly breathe! 

Yes, living for God isn’t easy, there will be trials and tribulations, but living without Him is unbearable! And why is that? The answer’s simple. When the Lord created us, He built in a special algorithm that causes us to yearn for Him. He left this empty space in our souls that ONLY He can fill. And until He fills it, we will always yearn for something more, something greater than ourselves, although we try to do life on our own. It’s not rocket science friends. It’s just the wisdom and common sense with which our Lord created us; He gave us free will, but also to always feel the need of and for Him, despite, or in spite of all our rebellious actions. 

And yuh know what friends, that hunger for God that’s buried deep within us, usually manifests itself when we are at the lowest point, the very ebb of our lives, and it forces us to cry out like the Bible Promise for our poem from Psalm 119. ‘Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my (prayer of) supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word (promise).’ (Ps. 119:169-170) Oh my people, there is no sense in fighting against Almighty God since He is our Creator. He is the Potter and we are simply the clay which He can form or mold in whatever shape He desires. 

It’s like fighting against a raging sea or a wind of hurricane proportions. You just can’t do it on your own. And have you ever noticed how, the first words that come out of the mouths of even the biggest atheists and unbelievers in their time of misery or dire circumstances are: ‘Oh God!’ Closely followed by ‘Help me!’ That’s because of the built-in algorithm to seek for our heavenly Father when all else fails, so He can fill His reserved space in our souls! And those words of the psalmist are ever so important in a believer’s life; ‘give me understanding according to thy word.’ 

All through the Good Book, or rather the Good Library, (smile) it’s continually echoed as the way, the lifeline for earthly living. The psalmist himself wrote earlier on: ‘The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.’ (Ps. 119:144) Wow! Understanding of God’s word is essential for righteous earthly living! 

And Cousin Sol puts it so nicely in Proverbs 2. ‘My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee (treasure them); So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, 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. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.’ (Prov. 2:1-6) 

Yes friends, wisdom and understanding are ours for the asking, but we have to diligently seek them, like a prospector searches for gold. James, Jesus’ brother writes in his epistle. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8) 

That says it all my fellow saints; there must be no doubt in our minds and spirits when we go to God seeking wisdom and understanding. But what are these things called wisdom and understanding, you ask, and why are they essential? Well, because they enable you to live a wise, godly and righteous life! Wisdom is basically ‘skill in living, wise behaviour, good sense, or wise dealing’ in one’s affairs. And understanding is the ability, or ‘capability to distinguish between true and false, good and bad, what matters most and what does not matter at all.’ In other words, discernment, that’s being able to grasp, to comprehend what’s not totally spelt out. 

So, if we desire to live a wise and sensible life, we have to seek wisdom and understanding, and since it only comes from Almighty God, it’s reasonable to assume we need to connect with Him to get it. (smile) And if you haven’t yet made that essential connection with the Father, please do so asap. Believe me, it will greatly help in living life. But for those of us who have already formed that connection and are doing our best to live in wisdom and understanding, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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 both my immediate neighbours and the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, it’s time for us to go out and share Jesus’ amazing LOVE and friendship, so others can come to know and LOVE Him, the way we do! Much LOVE!

…in Jesus…we have all that we will ever need… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 June 2021 Romans 5:5.

21 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Romans 5:5.     And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Oh praise the Lord, Monday has come around again! And I know that many of us don’t like Mondays, because it means we have to go out to work, to face the drudgery and same old, same old after a relaxing weekend. At least it used to mean that in the pre-pandemic times. (smile) But fellow believers, regardless of what day it might be, in whatever situation we might find ourselves, we should find a joy in just being alive one more day with God’s Holy Spirit leading and guiding us into all truth. 

Remember, once we’re alive, we have hope, that marvelous expectation that rises up in us, that never says die. As one commentator says: ‘Hope is something we can’t live without. Real Hope comes from God and is ours when we put our trust in Him.’ And that hope breeds faith, which keeps us fighting on because we are children of the Most High God Jehovah! We who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Christ. 

And Bruh Paul tells it thus to the church at Rome. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience (produces perseverance); And patience (perseverance), experience (character); and experience (character), hope: And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom. 5:1-5) 

Yes friends, as believers in Christ Jesus, we have everything to live for, and everything we need to live through whatever situations we encounter in this cruel, crazy and godless world! The trials and tribulations we encounter down here only build us up, make us stronger in Jesus. Now isn’t that enough to make us come alive, despite whatever problems we’re currently facing? It should be. And if it’s not, then there are a whole lot of other scriptures of hope, faith and promise for us to feast on, scriptures that will strengthen us, give us some much needed belly and backbone for the tough times that will come our way at some time or other in our earthly lives. 

So let’s look at a few of those scriptures nuh, bury them deep in our hearts, minds and souls, so that we can resurrect them in our time of need. First up is that magnificent promise our God made way back when through the prophet Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) 

And that promise has not changed. In fact, it’s gotten even better, because after that God sent Jesus to die for us, so we could have salvation and eternal life if we believed in Him. Now there’s no hope or future that’s better than that! And God’s children joyfully and gratefully shouted: ‘Thank You Lord for Jesus!’ 

Now listen to this other old, but more easily understood and practical promise; this one through the prophet Isaiah. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak), and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Oh my people, how can such a mighty scripture not lift our spirits and renew our faith eh! Now listen to Job, whom we consider the father of patience, of perseverance, on the subject of hope. ‘And thine age (thy life) shall be clearer (brighter) than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid, yea, many will make suit unto you (shall court your favour).’ (Job 11:17-19) 

Mama Yo! What encouraging words my brethren! And we all know that though Job lost all his wealth and family, because he stood strong in the Lord, the Lord replenished him with twice what he lost. And furthermore, listen as he states his faith. ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter (last) day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.’ (Job 19:25-26) Powerful words of hope and faith friends! Words that ALL believers ought to be able to say in all sincerity and truth. 

And the last scripture on hope is very appropriately from Bruh Paul, explaining the reason for Old Testament hope. ‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime (beforehand) were written for our learning, that we through patience (perseverance) and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ (Rom. 15:4) Yes my fellow believers, the scriptures were written so that we could have hope. But that means we have to seriously study them, they are not going to simply seep into our consciousness by osmosis. Or as Bruh Paul says: ‘Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ (Rom. 12:12) 

And since there’s no doubt that we are currently facing much tribulation, let’s take Bruh Paul’s advice nuh, to rejoice in hope, stand strong in the tribulation, and steadfast in prayer, by taking our troubles to the Lord in sincere prayer right now through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. As one strong voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank Youthis Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has 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 wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. 

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, we must prove to the Lord that we mean business by changing our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…now may the God of hope…fill you with all joy and peace in believing…that you may abound in hope…by the power of the Holy Spirit… (Rom. 15:13) 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 June 2021 2 Timothy 3:16.

15 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 3:16.     All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

Ahoy there my fellow saints in Christ! Hope that you are having a wonderful Tuesday, walking in LOVE with our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for that’s what this life is all about; an interesting LOVE walk with Christ! Now nobody said it was going to be all wine, roses and song. No, it doesn’t mean life will be a bed of roses just because you’re walking with Jesus, for He didn’t have an easy earthly life and even promised that those who follow Him won’t have it easy either. 

Please note these words of His: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And that’s where we believers in Christ win them! Yes friends, we have the ability to be peaceful and cheerful during all and any storms, trials and tribulations, or negative experiences that come against us in this evil and ungodly world! 

That’s because our Jesus has already conquered the prince of darkness, Satan, the evil ruler of this evil world. Mano-a mano, he wrested the keys of hell death and the grave from him! He did that when He triumphantly rose from the dead on that Easter Sunday morn some two thousand years ago, to live forever! 

Wow! What a mighty conqueror is our Jesus! And since then, Satan has had no power or authority over believers, unless we foolishly give it to Him. And as Bruh Paul so confidently proclaimed in his message to the church at Rome. ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us. 

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life; nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35, 37-39) 

Now that’s something we all ought to confidently believe. Why? For as the scholars explain: ‘We cannot be separated from God’s LOVE, because it is set forth in a person who is God Himself, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. God’s desire to redeem believers cannot be frustrated, because He is infinitely greater than any potential enemy. His plan will be realized because it is His purpose (vs. 28).’ 

Yuh hear that mih people? NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE of God that’s found in Christ Jesus! But we must believe it sincerely and confidently, then act in a manner that speaks it out loud and clear! And Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy echo the action we need to do so. 

‘Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers (imposters) shall wax (grow) worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ (2 Tim. 3:12-17) 

Yuh see that friends: this world is going to get even more evil, than it is already – if that is possible – but we have the wherewithal to overcome it if we live according to the Word of God, the life-map written for us. Now here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘3:14-17. Continue literally means “remain.” The things which thou hast learned were his oral instruction in the holy scriptures (the Old Testament, here) by his mother (Eunice) and grandmother (Lois). Inspiration of God (God-breathed) describes the unique character of Scripture. 

It is not only written by men, but authored by God. For doctrine means to tell one what to believe. For reproof means to tell one what is wrong. For correction means to tell one how to correct wrong. For instruction in righteousness means to tell one how to live. Perfect (proficient, capable) is having everything needed to do what God wants. Thoroughly furnished means “thoroughly equipped.” God’s inspired word, properly used and applied, provides all we need for life and ministry.’ 

Oh Mama, Mama! We don’t need anything else to live this life friends but the inspired Word of God! But the most important thing though, is that it must be ‘properly used and applied.’ And unfortunately, that is not what’s happening in these last days, where men are becoming worse and worse, as Bruh Paul so aptly described in the earlier verses of that chapter (3:1-11). God’s Word is sadly not being preached properly, and even worse, is being used as justification for all sorts of wrongdoing and ungodly stuff. But have no fear, the workers of iniquity will eventually pay. That’s the Lord’s promise, and we know He is very faithful that promised! (smile) 

And let us not forget this most meaningful bit of scripture, which allows us to live in peace. ‘But now in Christ Jesus ye (Gentiles) who sometimes (once) were far off are made nigh (near) by the blood of Christ. For he (Himself) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition (division) between us.’ (Eph. 2:13-14) 

Yes friends, Jesus broke down the walls between Jews and Gentiles and made one new party, the Christian church, so there should be no more feuding between the two groups. He did that by taking all the sins of the world unto Himself and paying for them all with His sinless life on the cross of Calvary. Now, we need to be living examples of that peace and joy which His death and resurrection provided. And we do that by following the life laid out for us in the Word of God, confidently knowing that we can handle anything that comes against us. 

Oh my fellow saints, when we have Jesus living in us through His Holy Spirit, to lead and guide us into all goodness and righteousness until the day of salvation, we simply can’t go wrong. And for those of us who are sincerely trying to live the good life in Christ, let’s go home proclaiming our Tuesday Mantra. 

As one strong 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 the world. Amen!’  Now, the upshoot of it all, is for us to go out and share that awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with those we meet. Much LOVE!

…Christians…ought to be the most joyful people in the world…not the poor me ones…so many of us look and behave like…                                                                        

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8       

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 November 2020 Jeremiah 29:11.

03 Nov 2020 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 29:11.     ​For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).

Well today is the big day friends; the final day for voting in the U.S. Presidential elections! And believe me, the only thing that’s sure, is that there will be a host more problems than we currently have because of all the craziness and foolishness that’s brought us to this crucial and most critical point. But I guess that means the world is unfurling as it ought to, according to God’s plans. Yes friends, never forget that regardless of what happens in our evil and ungodly world, our great God Yahweh is still in control and He allows whatever he wants for His divine purpose, and no man can say him nay! Argument done! (smile) 

And furthermore, I sincerely believe that this poem titled ‘Master Artist’ from our One Year Bok of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin is very appropriate for uncertain and difficult times like these, and crazy, anxious days like this one. So please pray with me: ‘There are days, Lord Frightening and mysterious When You seem to splash across The canvas of my heart with wasted strokes – Like an amateur artist Carelessly mixing pigment. 

Frankly Your colours appear unblended Your strokes haphazard. Instead of design I see blobs of distortion. Today, Lord This very hour Dissolve my apprehension Renew my confidence Settle my conviction That You have planned The total design. Finally, Lord When the finished canvas Is luminously displayed Make this my song of affirmation: The pattern is perfectly clear.’ 

Oh mih bredrin, isn’t that the crazy, unblended, unplanned, helter-skelter pattern that so many of us are seeing as our lives today? But believe me, our great and wonderful God has not made us in a wishy-washy manner. He’s taken great pains to make us all different and unique individuals, so why wouldn’t He plan our lives and destinies properly too eh? Remember, He’s a diligent and excellent God! All He does has been perfectly planned to coincide with whatever divine purpose He has in mind. Nothing is ever left to chance in His realm, though it might ofttimes seem so. 

But please, please, let’s remember what the Good Book proclaims about our lives nuh; the Bible Promise for our poem and our Bit for today. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) Oh mih people, our God is not an evil God, but one of peace and LOVE, justice and mercy, righteousness and forgiveness! That’s why we can be assured that His plans for us are all for good and not evil. 

Remember how Bruh Paul put it to the saints at Rome? ‘And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Yes friends, if we are called to do God’s work, and we sincerely LOVE Him, then our lives will eventually work out for good, regardless of what trials and tribulations we might endure on this evil and sinful earth. That’s the Lord’s promise! And we know that He’s a faithful keeper of ALL His promises, never reneged on a single one yet, and never will, so there’s no need to doubt His awesome words of truth and promise! 

But that’s where our expectations, our heartfelt beliefs, our hopes and dreams, in other words, our faith comes in. Remember too, that in God’s economy we need to believe it before we see it. And if we don’t believe it first, most likely we’ll never see it. And the only way to build our faith to a level where we can accept God’s promises and Word without any doubt is by reading, by studying, by meditating on and by speaking His Word found in the Good Book! For as Jeremiah continues on the Lord’s behalf after our Bit. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) 

Oh precious saints of Christ, that’s our problem right there in a nutshell: we haven’t been calling on the Lord, haven’t been praying sufficiently to Him, paying sufficient attention to His orders. And even when we have attempted to call on Him, our hearts have not been right, our motives have been false and selfish. And we all know that the Lord checks out our hearts before He considers answering our prayers. Remember too Jesus’ declaration of the greatest commandment. ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.’ (Matt. 22:37-38) 

So you see, mouth service just won’t do, if we’re truly interested in serving the Lord. ALL of our heart, soul, body and mind must be involved! Serving the Lord calls for TOTAL immersion of self, which we obviously haven’t’ been doing, and all these trials and tribulations are a wakeup call for us to turn back to him in a serious manner, with absolute conviction of His goodness and mercy, LOVE and forgiveness, justice and righteousness. That’s just the way He set it up, and if we don’t obey, then there will be consequences, for there are always consequences to disobedience. 

We’ve all seen and experienced that with our earthly fathers, so what yuh think will happen if we disobey our heavenly Father eh? Lollipops and ice-cream? No way Jose! That’s why Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) keeps reminding us that the best way to live this earthly life is to ‘obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him.’ We can’t go wrong with that wise and sensible approach friends. 

So for those of us who are sincerely and seriously trying to live like that, let’s go home now declaring (awright!) our Tuesday Mantra, boldly and vociferously proclaiming who and whose we are. All together now: ‘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 the world. Amen!’  

Now let’s keep our vow and go out and action those words nuh! Much LOVE!

…ONLY true faith in God…will bring light to the darkness…and set the captive free… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 September 2020 2 Corinthians 12:10b.

28 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 12:10b.     ​For when I am weak, then am I strong.

And as the weekly cycle cycles through its seven-day cycle, it inevitably comes right back to that awesome but much despised day we term Monday! Hn, hn! And no, I’m not mentally challenged because I refer to Monday as being awesome, because so it is. Why? Because, unfortunately, it is the first day of our work week and wakes us up from our weekend lethargy and is thus ofttimes liable to a veritable barrage of abuse, which it confidently takes every week, without batting an eyelash, like a stalwart soldier, and keeps coming back for more, unperturbed by the venomous diatribe so often hurled its way. 

Wow! What a sentence! Bruh Paul would have been proud of it. (smile) But the truth is, I wish that more of us supposed believers were more like Monday, tough and battle-ready, able to withstand the rigours of this pilgrim world, rather than the complaining, fragile Friday, so many of us resemble. Yes friends, Monday has committed no crime. It just happens to be the day that gets us up off of our fat, lazy and lethargic derrieres, so that we can go out and earn our keep, and for that reason alone, we intensely dislike it. But it completely ignores us and keeps doing its job, coming back every seven days to taunt and haunt us. 

And that’s how true disciples of Jesus ought to be; not giving up, even in the face of persecution, of intense trials and tribulation, but getting up every time we fall down and continuing to preach Christ and testify to the good news of His gospel with renewed energy, sincere enthusiasm and expectant hope of a brighter tomorrow. And how do we do that you ask? By remembering the promises of God, found in His holy Word, having them writ indelibly in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, so we can raise them up when necessary, and also what He’s already done for us. 

So we’ll just quote a few scriptures that I believe should be at the top of our list. The first is what Jesus asked us to do; what we call the Great Commission. ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ ( Matt. 28:19-20) So that’s what He requires of us, and most importantly, He’s also promised that while we are doing His bidding, to be constantly with us, through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. 

Then there’s this from Bruh Paul. ‘I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Yes friends, whatever we need to do, whatever adaptations we need to make, we can do them with Christ’s enabling power. So that if need to live abased, we can do it with confidence in Christ’s strength, and likewise if we need to live prosperously. That brings us to this awesome promise where God rebuffed Bruh Paul’s prayer to remove a thorn in his flesh, letting him know in no uncertain terms: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness (weaknesses).’ (2 Cor. 12:5) 

Glory be mih people! If we sincerely believe that, then we can conquer anything that comes against us. As Bruh Paul proclaims: ‘For when I am weak, then am I strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:10b) Yes friends, we’re always strong, if not in our own strength, then surely in the Lord’s! 

Now here’s some more assurance that was revealed to Bruh Paul. ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) So we have no doubt that God will continue to work His good deeds in us through His marvelous grace, to make us more like Christ, move us from glory to glory until whenever Christ returns. That gives us eternal security, ‘for His saving work will neither be abandoned nor unrealized.’ 

And the last scripture is also awesome and very reassuring. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Mama Mia! So if we are called to do God’s work and do it with LOVE and obedience, no matter what, then He will work it all out for our good eventually. But my people, having all those promises means nothing unless we talk to God, communicate with him through the awesome medium of prayer. So let’s do that right now nuh, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, letting Him know our fears and concerns and asking for His divine favour to help solve them. 

All together now, humbly, but confidently.‘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 we need to display that supposedly sincere repentance in our everyday behaviour, for He’s looking at our hearts, not merely listening to our words. Much LOVE!

…to stand strong in God…we must first know…and then sincerely believe…the promises in His Word… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 September 2020 Romans 8:14.

26 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:14.     ​For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Saturday, oh Saturday! You lazy, restful day! How I do LOVE thee! I won’t even bother counting the ways because there are way too many! (smile) But on a serious note though, many more of us ought to take the opportunity of spending a lazy, restful Saturday in our own homes and spaces with our own bubblicious people (people of our bubble) instead of going out and giving the virus more chances to proliferate than it already has. Be sure that if you give it the opportunity it will gladly take it. 

That’s why we are seeing cases trending upwards in so many areas that were doing good before restrictions were lifted. And basically it’s not the lifting of the restrictions causing the problem nuh, it’s the people refusing to follow the safety precautions that’s making matters worse. So please use wisdom and common sense in all your movements. And that’s my rant for today! (smile) Now let’s see what goodies our friend Anselm had to offer this week as he aspires to inspire us to a better tomorrow. 

And the first quote, or rather the first two say, as they are intertwined: ‘Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.’ And ‘Practice the philosophy of continuous improvement. Get a little better every single day.’ Now that seems to make perfect sense. It’s always better to improve a li’l every day, than to make one big, long jump, because then you don’t really experience or appreciate the full benefits that moving slowly along the continuum of life and learning have to offer. 

I guess it’s like the Lord has us believers moving a li’l every day, from glory to glory, as we try to become like Christ in character and attitude. We wouldn’t really grasp the full meaning of the situation because at every step there are certain things, be they problems, nuances etc. needed for good and true growth. That means those strategic and important insights can only be gained and understood if we actually confront them. 

And I think this next quote falls right in line with what we’ve been talking about. ‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.’ Now that’s oh so true! Very seldom will we find something great that has blossomed directly from one thing or situation. It usually takes a few, sometimes even many things and situations to come together to make a great doing. So we should not be against or offended by small things or tasks. 

Yes, I know our society blindly likes to worship at the altar of great things and tasks, but if we look closely at the lives of the supposed superstars – remember there’s only ONE real Superstar; JESUS – you’ll find that they didn’t just rise to prominence overnight, but had been struggling in the background for ages before their light finally burst forth on the main stage. That’s why we ought not to deny or look down on small things or small beginnings, for like in the normal state of nature, most things, trees, animals, humans, all start out small and over the course of time, with the proper nourishment and incentives grow big and strong. 

So lowly, menial jobs are not to be considered beyond your scope, because at the bottom is where many of those currently at the top started, and there’s no better way to learn anything than to begin at the bottom. That brings us to this next interesting quote: ‘We are too busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet.’ I guess that means we’re concentrating on one particular thing with such steadfastness, meanwhile something else that’s also important, or even more important, is passing us by unnoticed. 

And I believe that happens a lot in this crazy, unfocussed world, where we jump from thing to another as the mood or feeling takes us, or our influencers lead us. But friends, as believers in Christ, we need to concentrate fully on what He has asked us to do. And He certainly hasn’t asked us to jump from one flower to the next like a bee or butterfly, that’s their job, ours is to be steady and complete stuff, before we move on to something else. And that’s why so many of us have no true balance in our lives; our efforts are unfortunately scattered hither, thither and yon. 

Without a fair sense of balance, our lives won’t be as productive as they ought to, or can be. That brings us to the last quote: ‘Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.’ And that’s the indisputable truth friends! Only if we listen to their lies and deceits and believe them, can others ever make us feel inferior. Remember, we are true believers in Christ, which means we have Him, His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, and as the Good Book says so plainly: ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.’ (Rom. 8:14) 

And NO child of Jehovah God can ever be inferior! That’s just not possible. Inferiority is NOT, and NEVER will be in our DNA! So please don’t listen to the foolishness of this world, when others try to put you down or make you feel less than you are. Hear the Good Book again. ‘For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.’ (Rom. 8:15) 

Yeh friends, as a true believer in Christ, there’s no need to fear or cower from this world, for as the scholars tell us: ‘8:15. The Spirit of adoption: The Holy Spirit places the believer as a son in God’s family. Abba is Aramaic for “father.” This is the intimate name used only by members of the family. It’s use here denotes the intimacy of the believer’s relation to God.’ So my people, if we have such an intimate relationship with the Creator of this universe that we can call Him, ‘Father,’ how can we ever consider ourselves to be inferior eh? 

‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.’ (Rom. 8:16-17) Oh precious people, if we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, then there’s no inferiority whatsoever in us! As the scholars explain: ‘8:17: Joint-heirs with Christ: All believers share all of the inheritance together. They also have the promise of glorification if their lives are lived devotedly and sacrificially unto the Lord.’ 

What more can I say eh? Nothing, but for us to keep on living devotedly and sacrificially unto the Lord, despite the many trials and tribulations that come against us, so that we can receive the promise of glorification when Jesus assumes His rightful throne. Much LOVE!

…a word of encouragement…is like a kiss from heaven…so let’s offer many words of encouragement nuh…  

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