Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 March 2024   1 Samuel 15:22b

08 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 22:b.       Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Now, this Friday March morning looks like another  beautiful day in my area. And I’m sure when the folks cried out ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ they were overjoyed at the prospect of a sunshiny day and weekend.  However, that doesn’t seem to be the case, for there’s been some warnings of bad weather for the next couple of days. But it‘s Friday, and nothing can spoil the weekend’s magnetic appeal! (smile) 

And today we’re going to talk about a significant scripture from the prophet Micah, which has tremendous bearings on the kind of lives we live today, just like it had back in the days of old, when it was first spoken. When the children of Israel were involved in a controversy with God about sacrifices and no true heart spirit, Micah said unto them: ‘He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to LOVE mercy (LOVING-kindness), and to walk humbly with thy God.’ (Mic. 6:8) 

Israel was in a state of unjust dealings with both man and God, and wickedness flourished all over the land…just like it is today. And all Micah really did there was remind the Israelites of Moses’ words earlier on. ‘And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear (reverence) the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOVE him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good (benefit, welfare).’ (Deut. 10:12-13) 

Oh my people, please pay particular attention to the last words of Moses; ‘for thy good.’ Yes, all the Lord tells us to do and expects of us is for our good, our benefit, not for His! He already owns and rules the world, He doesn’t need anything from us but our reverence and obedience. And we see this played out in God’s rejection of Saul from being king of Israel after he refused to obey God’s word to the letter.  He had been instructed to totally destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, but he fell short of total obedience and saved Agag the king of the Amalekites, and also allowed the people to take of the spoil. 

And when confronted by the prophet Samuel, he confidently declared (yes!!!): ‘Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.  But the people took of the spoil (plunder), sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed , to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.’ (1 Sam. 15:20-21) Oh friends, that is exactly how many of us feel today when we only do half of God’s bidding. God said to Saul  destroy EVERYONE and EVERYTHING belonging to the Amalekites, but he saved their king and their animals, ostensibly to sacrifice to God later on. 

But this led to Samuel’s famous chastisement. ‘And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (divination), and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.’ (1 Sam. 15:22-23) And though Saul repented and asked for forgiveness, the deed was done, and the Lord had already rejected him in favour of Bruh David. 

Now, the scholars have an excellent explanation of those last two verses. ‘These verses reinforce the Old Testament viewpoint that religious ritual devoid of spiritual reality and of a life of total allegiance to a sovereign Lord is worthless. (cf. Ps. 40:6-8; Is. 1:10-20; Mic. 6:8).’ And sadly, that is exactly what many of us supposed believers are doing today. We’re full of plenty religious talk, but the walk, the true spiritual connection is lacking, and we only obey the parts of the Lord’s word that are convenient to us. 

It also reminds us of Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy about the state of man in the last days. ‘Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate (disapproved) concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.’ (2 Tim. 3:5-9) 

And the scholars explain thus: ‘A form of godliness is mere religion without power or spiritual life. Paul commands Timothy to turn away from these false teachers who prey upon silly women laden with sins, who are especially susceptible to false teachers. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth condemns not intense study but some esoteric quest for truth apart from God’s Word.’ And that sort of quest is ever so popular today, with everybody searching for their own truth, as though there could ever be more than one truth! ‘Jannes and Jambres, according to Jewish tradition were the two magicians in Pharaoh’s court who attempted to duplicate Moses’ miracles. (cf. Ex. 7:11; 9:11)’ 

So friends, you see that life hasn’t changed all that much from olden times. We’re still short-changing the Lord and His Word; looking for any excuse to get out of doing His will. But please remember that partial obedience is still disobedience, and thus sin. And instead of taking His Word as perfect truth, we searching all over for what we consider to be truth. How foolish is that eh? No wonder our world is in such a chaotic state. But thankfully there’s a way to turn things around, that’s by going to the Lord in prayer and asking for divine help. So let’s do that right now, through our Friday Chant. 

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!’ 

Remember now friends, we have to set a truly good example if we expect to see any divine help. Much LOVE!

…to do justice and judgement (righteousness and justice)…is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice… (Prov. 21:3)

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 February 2024 Philippians 4:19.

26 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:19.        But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ.

Monday it is my people…and the bells toll once more, but this time not for worship, but for work! Yes friends, it’s time to get a move on, to get up and earn a living so we can feed, house and clothe our families. And, unfortunately, in these trying economic and ungodly times, that’s not always an easy task to accomplish, as negative circumstances keep coming against us. But if Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, then you have a fighting chance, in fact a winning chance to repel all the negativity that’s wanting to disrupt your life. That’s because Jesus is the Master of the positive circumstance, and has faithfully promised to look after all who sincerely trust in Him. 

Listen to this promise from Bruh Paul to the church at Philippi. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Now that’s the first thing we need to remember when the bad times hit; we have the power through Christ to handle any situation that comes against us! Then there’s this promise from the prophet Isaiah: ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is, 54:17) What reassurance that the devil cannot harm us! 

And to go along with those faithful promises is this awesome one from Bruh Paul to the church 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) Now that’s a scripture we all know and constantly quote in the good times, but the problem is that we don’t take it very seriously when the tough times happen. For one reason or another, those trying circumstances flush that promise right out of our minds, and we begin claiming woe is me, instead of claiming the faithfulness of God’s promise, and declaring (chuh!!!) it over our negative circumstances. 

And Bruh David puts it ever so nicely in his famous Psalm 37, titled ‘Trust in the Lord,’ when he says: ‘I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever (always) merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed.’ (Psalm 37:25-26) Now there’s a very important scripture for the righteous to hold on dearly to! And what does all of that mean eh? I believe these two commentaries explain them best. 

The first says: ‘But as he (Bruh David) looked back on it all, he concluded that in his experience, the righteous had not been forsaken and their children had not needed to beg for bread. David knew that God has the power to take care of those who are striving to do right and their families. He trusted in God and His promises.’ And that’s what we, in these uncertain and unconventional times need to do in a big way, for if we don’t trust sincerely and staunchly in the Lord, then we’ll find ourselves on the outside looking in. And that’s never a good place to be. 

Now, the other commentary to which we referred re ‘his seed begging bread,’ says: ‘Again, it may be observed, that the psalmist is speaking in the context of righteous men that are liberal, and give to the poor freely and largely; and it is seldom if ever known that they or their children come to want and poverty.’  So, in other words, the general principle involved here, is what you sow is what you reap. Therefore the righteous need to live by a plentiful sowing of good seed, and thus the eventual reaping of a plentiful harvest; of giving generously and later receiving in abundance. That relates to either the righteous or their descendants, for the Lord’s goodness extends from generation to generation. 

And last, but not least, is this marvellous promise of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 4:19) Yes my fellow saints, when we are faithful to Almighty God and live righteously for His Son Jesus Christ, He will supply all our needs. But as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, our first priority is to ‘Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) 

And yuh know what friends, there’s not one scripture we’ve quoted that we can say is alien or unknown to us. We know them all, and quote them to others in trouble, but when our troubles come, we’re helpless to put them into useful action. So let’s remember that the faithful promises of our God are what we need to live the good and righteous life and don’t hesitate to call them up, when the enemy comes against us, as he very well will. Now, let’s go humbly but confidently to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking mercy and grace in our sure time of need. 

‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’ 

And if our prayer was truly heartfelt, then we’d realize that the answer problems is found right there in it: ‘humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek your face.’ That’s the place we need to start, if we expect to receive divine help! Much LOVE!

…the Lord’s many promises were not made for fun…but for us to seriously live by…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 February 2024 John 20:29b.

25 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 20:29b.        blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believed.

It’s Sunday friends, can you hear the church bells ringing, inviting you to worship in the Lord’s sanctuary on His special day? It’s so sad that the young people don’t know about that tradition, but that was a time when church going was a normal part of your Sunday activities, and the bells would ring at certain times to tell you how much time was left to the start of church. But can you imagine churches ringing bells nowadays. It would cause such and uproar. The cops would soon be at the church door telling you to cease and desist. And back then I don’t believe people were so put off by the tolling of bells as they would be now, because that’s what they grew up with, and you just got accustomed to it. 

Anyway, my brethren, tolling bells or not, it’s Sunday and time to gather in fellowship with other believers and spend time, praying, praising and giving thanks to our great God Jehovah. And as always, we’ll begin with a song of praise. This one’s simply titled ‘One More River to Cross,’ a Negro Spiritual that’s been very popular down through the years and recorded by numerous people. And today we’ll raise our sacrifices of praise in a soulful, down home Southern, hand clapping blues version, that ought to have heaven singing and clapping along with us. And we’ll open with an intro borrowed from the song ‘One More Mountain to climb,’ which sounds very appropriate for our song too. (smile) 

So here goes: ‘(Hey Lord, my troubles never seem to end, Tell me, are you still my friend? I got such a heavy load. When will I reach that glory road?)  (Chorus: One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb One more valley that I’ve gotta go thru then I’m leaving my troubles behind One more battle with the devil, then I know he’ll understand I’m going thru with Jesus, Hallelujah, Holding to His nail scarred hand, holding to His nail scarred hand.) I’ve had a lot of troubles and trials, in my little life span When I’m standing alone, and the battle gets hard, I always do the best I can I’ve crossed a million valleys, and shed a million tears, But when I come to the River of Jordan, Hallelujah, then I’ll have no fear (repeat) 

(Chorus: One more river to cross…) Yes, There’s been a lot of people talking ‘bout me since I’ve walked this narrow way But that’s just another little valley, I came thru it when I prayed, I’ve climbed a lot of high mountains and crossed a lot of little streams But when I see ol’ Jordan cold and dark, that’ll be the last for me (repeat)  (Chorus One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb One more valley that I’ve gotta go thru then I’m leaving my troubles behind One more battle with the devil, then I know he’ll understand I’m going thru with Jesus, Hallelujah, Holding to His nail scarred hand, holding to His nail scarred hand.) repeat.’ 

Oh my people, that was wonderful, and we had heaven clapping and jiving just like us, because they could feel the sincerity and strong faithful emotions in the music, as we all look heavenward to the glorious day we’ll show up at the pearly gates to meet St. Peter, then Jesus and the Father face to face! Wow! What a day that will be! There’ll be no greater day before or after that!  But let’s look now and see what scriptural references we can find in the song. The first thing that comes to mind is the part of the chorus that talks about holding on to Jesus’ ‘nail scarred hand.’ The nail scars in Jesus’ hand were the main way he confirmed to His disciples that it was truly Him, in the same body, now risen and transformed.  

The first time Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, was after He revealed Himself to the two followers He found walking along the road to Emmaus, who hustled back to Jerusalem to tell the eleven about their experience. (Luke 24:13-35) ‘And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted (frightened), and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts (doubts) arise your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and feet.’ (Luke 24:26-40) 

But that wasn’t the end of the story, because one of the disciples, Thomas was not there with them when Jesus first appeared, and when told about it, refused to believe, saying, ‘Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ (John 20: 25) And eight days later, Thomas got his wish, for Jesus appeared to them all, coming as before through the locked doors. And He again said unto them, ‘Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believed.’ (John 20:26-29) 

Those last words of Jesus were meant for us friends: those who haven’t seen Jesus in person; neither his nail scarred hands nor the other injuries on His body, but yet believe! And that’s the kind of person Jesus desires to be His disciple, one who can believe without seeing, for that’s what His kingdom is all about, believing through faith and not by sight. As Hebrews tells us: ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) We believe until we see! And we see that very clearly in the next scriptural references, that to ‘But when I come to the River of Jordan, Hallelujah, then I’ll have no fear…  But when I see ol’ Jordan cold and dark, that’ll be the last for me.’ 

Those are references to the crossing of the river Jordan by the Jews, under the leadership of Joshua to enter the Promised Land. The slaves likened that crossing to their entering heaven. Once they got to the Jordan River, they’ll have no more fear, or nothing to fight about, no more troubles to face, mountains to climb or valleys to go through, because it will mean they are going home to heaven. That other famous parting of water is recalled in Joshua 3. ‘And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee (make you great) in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan…. 

And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest.) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from (at) the city of Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until the people were passed clean (completely) over.’ (Josh, 3:7-8, 15-17) 

Yes friends, that was another of God’s major miracles in the story of the Israelites Exodus from slavery in Egypt. But please note that the Jordan did not part until the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant were immersed in it. That just goes to show that if we don’t believe God’s instructions and adhere to His dictates, we will not see His awesome power of great mercy and grace in our lives. So please, let’s start raising our faith and trust level in Almighty God, so that we can enjoy all that He has planned for us. Much LOVE!

… in the world…seeing is believing…but in the kingdom…believing comes before seeing…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 February 2024   Colossians 1:9b.  

24 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 1:9b.       and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

 I don’t believe it, but it seems like it’s going to be another sunshiny spring-like day! Wow! So many spring-like days in a row in February…it’s too good to be true! But we better enjoy them while we have them, for who knows what might come next; ole man winter might just refresh himself and come howling back and cover us in the white stuff. Lord forbid, after all this nice weather. (smile) But that’s what climate change does; it just disrupts the finely tuned mechanism of the seasons that God set up. Leave it to man eh, always trying to disrupt God’s well balanced systems. 

Anyway, since we can only do our small part to help improve the situation, let’s turn to our great God Jehovah, the One who created it all, and still controls it from His magnificent throne in the high heavens, and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. With sincere hearts and voices: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

That’s certainly a refreshing prayer my people! And it’s ever so appropriate for a lazy-day Saturday, after a hard and exhausting week’s work. It just soothes the senses and quiets the tumultuous soul, allowing us to relax and enjoy this day that the Lord has so graciously given us. And it reminds me of the kind of prayers Bruh Paul offered up for the churches he dealt with, like this one for the church at Colossae. 

Please read with me: ‘Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the LOVE which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.’ (Col. 1:1-6) 

Oh friends, Bruh Paul was a real prayer master! While giving thanks for the church at Colossae, he was also delivering them a sermon about Christ and His gospel, that’s been spread all over the world; that’s the Word of God that is all-pervasive and absolutely true, and also has the awesome power to bring forth good fruit. In other words, when the gospel is embraced with true faith, it’s able to produce ‘godly character and noble conduct in its converts.’ Bruh Paul also encourages them re their faith and their LOVE for the saints of Christ. As the scholars explain: ‘’Evidence of a person’s faith in Christ Jesus is his LOVE … to all the saints.’ 

Then he continues: ‘As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you (on your behalf) a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared (steups!!!) unto us your LOVE in the Spirit. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:7-14) End of today‘s sermon my brethren! (smile) And all of God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Thanks be to God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!’ 

Oh friends, you don’t need to hear another word from me, because Bruh Paul said it almost all in that first part of his letter to the Colossians. The story seems to be that Bruh Paul’s associate, Epaphras evangelized the Colossians, which was then a small and not very important town, and he was telling them that they should certainly not forsake Epaphras’ efforts to teach them the truth of Christ’s gospel and retain the local heretic doctrine. Especially since the ‘LOVE in the Spirit,’ or the Holy Spirit had instilled and nurtured in them affection for others. 

But the heart of the message is verse 9, where Bruh Paul prays that they ‘might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual truth.’ And that’s the basis of all his prayers for the saints. He doesn’t ask for healing or health, neither wealth or any of the material things that so many of us are concerned with. He focuses on the spiritual aspect of their lives: that they might have knowledge of God’s will and spiritual understanding, so that they can walk worthy of him, while being fruitful and also increasing on the knowledge of God. Strengthened with His might, while learning patience and longsuffering and joyfulness, which obviously lead to giving thanks to the God who had taken them out of darkness of Satan’s world, into the wonderful light of His awesome Son Jesus Christ! 

Oh my fellow saints, that is indeed our sermon for today, for it also applies to each and everyone of God’s people! We need to have the same wisdom and knowledge that Bruh Paul prayed for the Colossians to have, so that we, in these troubled and uncertain times can also stand strong in God’s word, be fruitful in good works and thus live the abundant life Christ died for us to have! And in closing, I pray that Bruh Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, will be prayed by all of us, over all of us, so that we can make a sincere and serious difference in our troubled world! Much LOVE!

…pray without ceasing…be filled with the joy of the Lord…give thanks always…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 February 2024 Psalm 86:1.

23 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 86:1.        Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

Well here we are friends at one o’clock on a beautiful though somewhat cloudy spring -like Friday afternoon. I’ve just returned from the big city of Toronto, with a clean bill of health from the medics, but while everybody is concerned with shouting TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the week end’s here at last!’ I’m shouting ‘Thank God that I got into Toronto and back safely!’ 

Yes, because going into that city nowadays is just a nightmare, with construction of streets and buildings everywhere, making the rutty roadways even busier and narrower than normal. It took me close to ten minutes to get through one traffic light right beside the hospital because one of the lanes was closed for some kind of work. But there’s nothing to do but grin and bear it. Now I don’t have to worry about going into the city for another couple of weeks. That ought to give me enough time to catch my breath and recover my sanity. (smile) 

Oh by the way, I did have to use my cane, because the ole hip was still bothering me, but not as badly. Just hope it settles down completely by tomorrow. Enough of my woes though, let’s see what the Lord wants us to talk about today. And I hope to make it short and sweet. Hn! That’s all I have to say re that statement! (smile)  

But on a serious note, while skimming through the Good Library I came upon Psalm 86, titled, ‘God’s Readiness to Forgive,’ and thought it a very good piece of scripture to peruse today. By the way, for our information, the scholars say it’s one of the five palms called prayers. The others are Psalms 17, 90, 102, 142. So, in the words of Bruh David, let’s pray: ‘Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.’ (Ps. 86:1) 

And most of us can identify with those opening words, for in these tough economic times, many of us are poor and needy in material things, while many of us are also poor and needy in spiritual things. Some of us are even at a point where we’re continually bemoaning our situations through these words from Ps. 42. ‘Why art thou cast (bowed) down , O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? (Ps. 42:5a) Now those are always good questions, but the correct answer is always the rest of that verse: ‘hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).’ (Ps. 42:5b) 

Yes friends, the presence of our God is ever around us, even in our worst circumstances. But until we understand that, we’ll never get any real relief or peace from our tumultuous situations. Bruh David knew of the Lord’s continuous presence, that’s why he never hesitated to call on Him, like in Psalm 86. Thus he continues: ‘Preserve my soul (life); for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily (all day long). Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.’ ( Ps. 86:2-10) 

Ah mih people, Bruh David certainly laid it on thick, with the things usually associated with prayer; petition, adoration, and thanksgiving. But all of it is indisputable truth. Our God is great; as witnessed by His omnipotence, omniscience and omni-presence, and all the miraculous deeds He’s done down through the ages. He’s also LOVING, merciful, compassionate and forgiving, as shown by the sending of His Son Jesus to die and atone for our abominable sins, while we were yet sinners. And He even forgives us now, if we sincerely repent of current misdeeds. 

Which other supposed god would even have contemplated such a self-sacrifice eh? None whatsoever! All I can therefore say friends, is that if you are in trouble, the ONLY One to call on is Almighty God, through the auspices of His Holy Spirit and His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. And as I keep saying, Bruh Davi knew on which side his bread was buttered, that’s why he stuck like white on rice to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and if we’re wise, we’ll do the same thing, for He’s our Creator, Controller, the Giver of our life’s breath and the salvation of our souls. 

So, since our world is badly troubled in these current times, let’s do like Bruh David and go to the Lord in prayer, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help for our many problems. As one voice: ‘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!’ 

Now, let it be known that the first step in receiving divine help is to actually show our trusting faith by being the faithful believers we talk about in our prayer. Much LOVE!

…when the world discourages us…don’t fear…go to God in prayer…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 February 2024 Romans 8:32.

10 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:32.        He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Another blessed day of glorious sunshine in my area, friends! Glory be! I got up earlier than usual on this lazy-day Saturday, because sleep was eluding me, and when I opened the window blinds, I was greeted by a burst of sunshine that prevented me from seeing outside. What a glorious moment! And though it’s not going to be as warm as yesterday, it’s still going to be better than a normal February day. And are we ever grateful for that…although we might have to pay for it later on with a big snowfall. But we’ll take small mercies now and worry about the consequences later. (smile) 

So, to be grateful and give thanks, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and offer it up with sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as usual, when we ask our good God for something with sincerity of heart, if it’s His will, we get it. And how could wanting to be in His presence and knowing Him more, that’s being more intimate with Him, not be in His will eh? That’s why I know, all of us who sincerely prayed that prayer were warmed by the deepening presence of God moving in our souls and spirits. That reminds us of this most valuable scripture from the mouth of Jesus. ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) 

And the scholars offer this explanation on those verses. ‘The three imperatives ask, seek, and knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perseverance and frequent prayer. Fervent and continued prayer is to be made on behalf of those for whom we are concerned. God promises to answer all genuine prayer (vs.8). Everything we need for spiritual success has been promised to us. God leaves us no excuse for failure.’ 

Yuh hear that mih people! We have no excuse for failing to do God’s will, because He’s given us everything we need to succeed, and has promised to do whatever we need. That means it now depends strictly on us. We must now pray fervently, listen for His answers, seek His will, and ask, seek and knock for whatever we need to fulfill His divine desires. Remember, our God doesn’t make idle promises. And, as the Sons of Korah so kindly inform us in Psalm 84: ‘For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.’ (Ps. 84:11) 

Oh friends, if we want to walk successfully on this earth and end up in heaven with Christ, then we need to believe that in spades, and write it indelibly in our hearts. For as Bruh Paul concurs when he wrote to the Roman church: ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:32) And this commentary succinctly explains why God would give up His only Son for a bunch of ungrateful sinners and keep looking after them so wonderfully. It says: ‘The main point of the verse is to emphasize the sacrificial LOVE of God for the World. This LOVE is so powerful that He offered up His one and only Son, the most precious and beloved Person to Him, for the sake of the World.’ 

Now doesn’t that make you feel honoured and LOVED? It ought to, since it means that Almighty God, our Creator, who gave up His beloved Son to save our sinful souls, highly values us. And that should raise up a flame of sincere gratitude within our beings, that makes us want to LOVE Him back with all our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, and sincerely and efficiently do His holy will. For yuh know friends, the most important thing the Lord desires of us is our LOVE…to LOVE Him like He LOVES us. 

Jesus acknowledged it when He said: ‘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. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) Now, there are no grounds whatsoever for disputing those awesome words of Jesus, for they are the very foundation of our faith. 

And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘To LOVE the Lord is the most important thing that God asks of us. The sum and the substance of everything that God has said is simply to LOVE Him. This has been and will continue to be the central issue of life. The heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart.’ 

Now that’s the gospel truth! I especially like that last sentence: ‘The heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart.’ Yes my fellow believers, with Christ, it’s always about the heart; the state of our hearts. Let’s remember that, and with His awesome help, endeavour to keep our hearts in good shape, pure and true, because it’s then, and only then, that we will truly be able to live and enjoy the abundant life that He sacrificed His sinless life on the cross of Calvary for us to have. Much LOVE!

…it’s simply LOVE…that made God do it…and it’s simply LOVE…with which we should reciprocate…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 February 2024 Ecclesiastes 4:9.

08 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 4:9.       Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

It’s a rather foggy Thursday morning in my part of town, and I’m ever so glad that I don’t have to go out on the crowed, foggy streets today. I’ve been out everyday so far this week, for one reason or another, and thus couldn’t get to do much of anything in my own domain. (smile) But the rest of the week is mine, to do whatever my heart so desires. Hopefully some music and some writing, desires of my heart that I’ve not paid much attention to in the last few months. But when you’ve been sick and busy and lazy, (smile) those things which require a lot of quiet, focused time, are always placed on the back burner, for when we have more time. 

But the fact of the matter is, we will never have more time until and unless WE make more time. It’s the same silly excuse so many of us give for not spending quiet, intimate time with our heavenly Father; we’re just too busy! But what happens if and when we call on Him and He’s too busy to attend to our needs eh? Then we lambaste and blaspheme Him, with all kinds of unprintable accusations. But, please remember it takes two to tango, two hands so they could wash each other. That means we need the Lord very badly in this evil world, for He is the END ALL and BE ALL of our very existence, and therefore we MUST make time to commune with Him on a regular basis. 

That recalls these  wise words of Cousin Sol in Ecclesiastes, where he convinces us that being alone is unfruitful, for there is strength in company. He writes: ‘Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow (companion): but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.’  (Eccl. 4:9-12) 

Yes friends, that’s all so true! Yuh think the Lord didn’t know what He was doing when He endorsed marriage? No! He knew exactly why He said: ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave (be joined) unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.’ (Gen. 2:24) Now that’s exactly why we also need to have the Lord in our corner through constant communion with Him; we cannot do much without Him. As Jesus so rightly says: ‘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) It couldn’t be put any clearer than that my fellow believers. 

But getting back to the subject that two are better than one, I like how this commentary explains it. ‘Ecclesiastes 4:9 tells God’s people that the Lord has a “labour” for us to do (or a race for us to run), and it is better done together rather than alone. God designed us to thrive in healthy community. This community is intended to strive toward a common goal–to glorify Him.’ And we all know that our main purpose on this earth is to glorify God. God said through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.’ (Is. 43:7) 

And Bruh Paul wrote thus to the church at Corinth: ‘Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.’ (1 Cor. 10:31) And God not only made us for His personal glory, but He also bought us back from the master of sin, with the precious blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Bruh Paul made it quite clear: ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) 

Oh friends, we owe EVERYTHING to our great God! First creation with His breath of life, then salvation through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. So please, let’s be wise and honour and glorify Him while that breath of life is still flowing through our bodies nuh. And please accept my humble apology, I didn’t mean to stray from the topic of two being better than one, but that’s what happens when you get excited by the scriptures. (smile) Then there’s this also most important scripture on the subject. Wise words again from Cousin Sol, but this time from Proverbs. ‘Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.’ (Prov. 27:17) 

Gospel truth that my brethren! The scholars explain it thus. ‘As the proper tool shapes and sharpens iron for its desired use, so a man sharpens his friend morally and intellectually by their personal friendship.’ That’s why we’re told to be careful whom we have as friends, make sure to befriend those who would lift us up, not drag us  down. And this commentary adds: ‘Iron sharpeneth iron: A sword or knife made of iron is sharpened by it; so butchers sharpen their knives; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend; by conversation with him; thus learned men sharpen one another’s minds, and excite each other to learned studies; Christians sharpen one another’s graces, or stir up each other to the exercise of them, and the gifts which are bestowed on them, and to LOVE and to good works.’ 

Now that’s how we ought to be interacting with each other! And we all know it, but for whatever reason aren’t doing it. But that’s enough for today. Let’s go home now declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Thursday Blessings, activating those undeserved blessings the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. 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 having activated those blessings, it’s time to go out and use them in the support of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us. Much LOVE!

… a man without a friend…is like one lost in the vastness of the desert without a drop of water……

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 February 2024 Psalm 46:10a.

07 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 46:10a.       Be still and know that I am God:

A blessed Wednesday my people, as we rise and greet this new day, and assert with faith and thanksgiving: ‘This is the day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And if we’re wise, we’ll do just that because it’s our heritage, our gift of God. I like how Cousin Sol says it in Ecclesiastes. ‘There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour (his soul should enjoy good). This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.’ (Eccl. 2:24) 

And the scholars explain: ‘When a man toils in his own strength, he is bound to suffer pain and grief. The answer then is to enjoy his work by receiving it as a gift from God.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth! When we look at what we have and do as gifts from God, a sense of peace and rightness comes over us and we labour in a much more joyful spirit than otherwise. So, on this middle day of our workweek, when we catch our second wind, please, let’s listen to the voice of the Spirit of our great God, and allow Him to bring us that joy of the Lord that’s our strength, that we might do His work with sincerity and truth, and be good examples of salt and light in this dark and evil world. 

And I believe that this piece from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin will help us do just that. It’s titled ‘A Listening Heart,’ and I’m sure that I’ve shared it already, but it’s good enough to share again. (smile) So please read with me: ‘I remember vividly the lesson I learned from my husband one day as he came home from his office weary and depleted. It had been a difficult day. He needed to talk. My day had been difficult too. Countless interruptions, phone calls, guests coming for brunch the next day. I wanted to listen, so I suggested that he follow me from room to room while I dusted furniture. 

We tried it. while I dusted the piano, he talked. When I cleaned the clanging piano keys he continued, but with a trace of impatience. Next the stereo, then the tables. When I moved, he moved. Suddenly he grabbed my shoulders. ‘Please listen to me!’ Frankly I was shocked. “Honey, I heard every word you said.’ ‘I mean listen with your heart!’ I dropped the dust cloth. We sat down, and I gave my full attention. No body signals, no folded arms, no finger tapping. I was again aware of the tremendous responsibilities my husband carried. He needed my understanding. He thanked me profusely for listening. 

That night I remembered how often God had said to the children of Israel. ‘If my people would only listen.’ I thought of God’s yearning for an intimate relationship with us. He waits for our response to his still small voice. He longs for our listening hearts, How we must grieve him when we don’t listen.’ And is that ever the gospel truth my fellow believers! It certainly grieves the heart of our wonderful and ever-LOVING God when we don’t listen to Him, because He knows that the good He has in store for us will bypass us, and we’ll suffer the pangs of this world unnecessarily. 

Now, here are a few scriptures that prove the point. The Bible tells us of the Lord’s warning to the Israelites: ‘And Moses went up unto God and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare (sustained) you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar (special) treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.’ (Ex. 19:3-6) 

What a blessed message friends! Straight from the mouth of the Lord their supposed God! But did they listen and obey His voice? No! And you’re asking why the Israelites didn’t listen to God? This commentary gives us some idea of the basic reason. ‘Why did the Israelites continue to disobey God, even when they always would be punished for their actions? Disobedience comes from lack of faith and lack of faithfulness. Their mentality was often that of a weak God, a God who couldn’t do much for them or who they didn’t want to serve.’ 

And, unfortunately that is the basic reason why so many of us today still refuse to listen to the voice of God; our faith is small, and we don’t consider God to be the true omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present Deity that He is. And we refuse to serve Him too because we like the evil lusts and pleasures of the world rather than the things of God. Then there’s this marvellous invitation from God to the Israelites again, this time through the prophet Isaiah. 

‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me (listen closely), and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness (abundance). Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.’ (Is. 55:1-3) 

Yes friends, another instance where the Lord invited the Israelites to listen to Him, and they again refused. And He also pleads with us in the New Testament. That day on the Mount of Transfiguration, where ‘Jesus’ face did shine as the sun and His raiment (clothes) was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them (Peter, James, John) Moses and Elias (Elijah) talking with him (Jesus). Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias (Elijah). While yet he spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye (listen) to him.’  (Matt. 17:2-5) 

But yet we still don’t listen, because we find the discipleship of Jesus, the narrow path, is too onerous, compared to the wide open, but very destructive path of the world. But please my faithful brethren, it’s to our benefit to listen. And as the psalmists, the Sons of Korah so wisely advised in the Bible Promise for our reading: ‘Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in all the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.’ (Ps. 46:10-11) Please, let’s remember that and listen to the still small voice of God speaking to us through His messenger, the Holy Spirit. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. Altogether: ‘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 endure right down to the very end with Jesus, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, see you there! Much LOVE!

…to spend eternity in heaven rather than hell…one must listen and obey…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 February 2024 Psalm 150:6.

06 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 150:6.       Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

And there’s an awesome outpouring of bright sunshine in my area, this first Tuesday in February! Exactly like it ended up being yesterday! And who says that light isn’t greater than darkness eh? That the sun won’t find a way to dissipate the dark clouds? No way Jose! Not if Jesus has anything to say about it. And He does have something to say about it. In fact He has something to say about EVERYTHING, for the universe belongs to Him, and He rules it as he sees fit! Glory to God, our Creator and Controller; our Saviour and our Heavenly Father!  Give Him some thanks and praise my fellow believers, for all the wonderful things He’s done, is doing, and has promised to do for us underserving children of men! 

And all God’s children offered up this loud and grateful thanks: ‘Praise ye the Lord, (shout Hallelujah!) Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power (His mighty expanse of power). Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet (cornet): praise him with the psaltery (lute or lyre) and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah to the glory of His holy and precious name!)’ (Ps. 150. 1-6) 

Oh friends, if you didn’t realize it, we were just praying, giving praise to our great God from Psalm 150, the last one in the Psalter, that advises us to praise God for His mighty acts. And as you can see the last verse so rightly and wisely admonishes: ‘Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.’ (Ps. 150:6) That means all of God’s creatures, creations, whatever you choose to call them, ought to give much praise and thanks to their most wonderful Creator. Unfortunately though, that’s a command that too many of us either disobey completely or do in a half-hearted manner, with little, if any sincerity. 

But, on the other hand, when we cry out to God for help, we expect Him to rush to our rescue, although when life’s good with us, we don’t have any time for Him, don’t even remember that He exists. However friends, let’s get one thing straight; God isn’t there for our selfish and personal benefit, neither is He a doting grandfather who will succumb to our every selfish desire. No! He’s the Creator of the universe and all therein! That means we are His to do with as He pleases. We are the ones to be doing His will, rather than He doing ours. So, in blatant layman’s terms; the Lord is the Boss and we are the workers, and if we don’t do what He says, there will be serious consequences to our disobedience and rebellion. 

And we all talk a big talk, but like the whiney ingrates that we really are, when those consequences arise, we’re quick to hold our heads and bawl, forgetting the pride and arrogance we displayed when the Lord tried to direct our steps in a godly manner. And we’re quick to beg for forgiveness and make all sorts of promises that we don’t intend to keep, but in the heat of the moment all sorts of stuff quickly flows from our vile and evil hearts through our lying lips, and we unwisely tell the Lord that we’ll pull up our bootstraps if He helps us. 

But please note these words of wisdom from Cousin Sol as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5) Yes friends, let’s not go about making hasty and rash promises to God nor man, for there are always consequences, sometimes dire ones, to unkept promises. 

And sadly, in these evil  and ungodly times, unkept promises litter our world like never before. It seems the adage of ‘promises are made to be broken,’ has taken on a whole new meaning in these last days. We all desire that others keep their promises to us, but cannot stand the sacrifice needed to keep ours to others. What a selfish and unchristian-like thing to do. Remember what Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye might not be judged (condemned). For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use) it shall be measured to you again.’ (Matt. 7:1-2) 

Now all that means basically is what you sow you’ll reap. Whatever you say or do to or about someone else, the same will come back to you. And as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) would say: ‘You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Whatever you do, either for good or bad, like a boomerang, tends to accumulate back to you, sooner or later. Thus the wisdom in closely watching what we say and do. 

As Jesus simply puts it: ‘Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 7:12) In other words, my fellow saints, our Lord and Saviour, our Leader, is simply telling us to follow the Golden Rule:  ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you.’ And there’s no better way to live, even if you’re not a believer in Christ Jesus. But if you are, then that’s the ONLY way to live! End of Sermon! (smile) 

Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And, having made that serious proclamation, it’s our duty now to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!

…praise God without ceasing…for that is the wise and comely thing to do…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 February 2024 John 3:16.

05 Feb 2024 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.

Welcome to Monday friends… and sadly, we don’t have the beautiful sunshine like we had yesterday to open this new work week, but there’s a shadow of sunshine under the cloudiness. (smile)  And just for your information, all the groundhog prognosticators, I believe it’s four of them, three in Canada and one in the U.S. came out of their lairs this past week to check on the status of our upcoming weather forecast. Now, the good news is that none of them saw their shadows, so the consensus is an early spring, and not another six weeks of winter, if they had seen their shadows. 

What beautiful weather forecasting. Can you imagine it? In these ultra scientific times, such simple-minded folklore is still such a big deal. But I guess it’s okay to get back to some of our old ways, remember the simpler times when nature played a much bigger part in our lives, before the world was overwhelmed with scientific knowledge and logic. But yuh know what friends, there is some natural, or rather supernatural knowledge that the scientific community cannot disprove with their supercomputers and whatever instruments they use to measure their data. 

That is that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour! That He came into the world from heaven above to sacrifice His sinless life, taking the sins of sinful man on His worthy shoulders, so that sinful man could be reconciled back to God, be saved through God’s grace and have the option of spending eternity with Him! Now let me see the scientists disprove that nuh! And the smart ones know that it is quite okay and wise to be a scientist and a Christian, for one does not negate the other. 

Yes, it’s been proven that a man named Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem in Judea some two thousand years ago, was crucified on a Roman cross to save us from Satan and his evil lies and wiles. And He proclaimed to all and sundry, these marvellous words of encouragement and life. ‘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) Now that’s possibly the most important words ever spoken on this planet earth! Words for all mankind to live by! 

But foolishly, a majority of us are not living by them, but by the deceits, the treacherous plans that Satan has rolled out in this evil world. Remember what James, Jesus’ brother said in his epistle. ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is (makes himself) the enemy of God.’ (James 4:4) That says it all friends: you cannot be a friend of God and a friend of Satan. Or as Jesus so wisely said: ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon (material wealth.)’ (Matt. 6:24) 

And we all know that we cannot sincerely and loyally serve two masters at the same time, so I don’t know why so many of us are trying to serve God and Satan too, trying to straddle the fence, having one foot in hell and one in heaven, hoping to enjoy the benefits of both camps at the same time. But that’s not going to work my fellow believers. You are either wholly in one camp or the other. This jumping back and forth is useless and will only get you more confused and in more trouble than you’re in already. 

The wise money is on Jesus all the way! For He will win…in fact He’s already won, by rising from the dead and thus defeating hell, death and the grave, (1 Cor. 15:55) and all authority has been given to Him both in heaven and earth, which makes Him the Number One power in the universe, (Matt. 28:18) to whom all knees must bow, and all tongues confess that He is Christ the Lord indeed. (Phil. 2:9-11) So why be foolish and put your money on a dead horse like Satan eh? 

Now listen to Jesus make His case, then tell me if Satan can do better. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And we’ve already seen how that will be accomplished, through belief. But let’s clarify it, just in case you did not get it the first time. (smile) Jesus warns: ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:18) 

It’s simple friends; you just have to believe in Jesus, that He’s the Son of God and that He died to save you from your sins. What’s so hard about that eh? Nothing, unless you fall into the category Jesus further talks about. ‘And this is the condemnation, that light (the light – Jesus) has come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:19-20) 

There it is friends, sweet and simple, not rocket science. If your deeds are evil, then you’ll certainly shy away from Jesus, because you don’t want your evil deeds exposed to the light. However, if they are wrapped in truth, goodness and LOVE, then you will gladly come to the cross of Christ and receive redemption! And since in some form and fashion, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and our world is in such a woeful state, let’s go to His throne of grace right now, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, confidently, but humbly asking for divine help to handle our many problems. 

As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’ 

The next move friends is to turn from our evil ways…if we expect to receive divine help. Much LOVE!

…ONLY BELIEVE…that’s all Christ is asking…ONLY BELIEVE…

                                        

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

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