Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 August 2021 Matthew 24:13.

31 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 24:13.     But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

Awright friends, it’s Tuesday! That means we got through Monday beautifully, with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ of course! And if He saw fit to keep on breathing His breath of life into us today, it obviously means He has a job for us to do, and will again help us get through today in fine shape and form! All glory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

And let’s not forget that this is the last day of August, which means that cooler weather is now in the offing, as the summer season winds down. It’s also Independence Day in T&T, that marvellous li’l twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago down in the Southern Caribbean, the birthplace of Steel Pan, Limbo, Kaiso and Carnival! 

Now that tells us that they are the possessors of a very creative, flamboyant, colourful and stubborn nature. Consequently, we can be assured that despite the tight Covid 19 virus lockdown, there will be much celebration today in T&T. You can bet your bottom dollar on that! Even with Babylon out in full force, the Trinbagonians will find a way to celebrate, because celebration is just a part of their natural nature! (smile) 

Anyway, we’re wishing them a safe and wonderful Independence Day, and hope that they will faithfully do whatever it takes to rid themselves of the Covid 19 virus as soon as possible, since it is curtailing their celebratory agenda. All those things above there for which they are famous have now been shut down causing endless loss in all sectors of life, so the sensible thing would be to try and get rid of the virus so that life can continue in in reasonable shape. 

And that’s not a message for T&T alone, but for the whole world, because all of us are still experiencing the ravaging power of the virus or bacterium or whatever you choose to call it. And it doesn’t say much for the wisdom of man, the only creature who supposedly has brains to think, when we cannot come together and destroy a sickness that’s killing us willy nilly. 

Yes friends, it’s awful to see us in strife over something that’s so deadly, instead of trying to come together, learn about it and rid our society of it. Just shows the level of degradation to which our world has fallen, when cooperation in a time of a serious pandemic is so sadly lacking. But thankfully, the Lord God Jehovah is still on His throne running things, and in the long run, He will make them all work out for good to those who LOVE Him! That’s what we people of faith in Christ Jesus have to depend on and look forward to; His ever-faithful promises to guide and lead us and eventually bring us into eternal fellowship with Him. 

That brings us to these interesting words of Jesus to His disciples, re signs of the end times. ‘Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers (various) places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.’ (Matt. 24:4-8) 

Ah mih people, right now we are certainly witnessing a lot of what Jesus spoke of there. And if that’s only ‘the beginning of sorrows,’ can you imagine what the end of sorrows will be like? Hn! Obviously not very nice! But let’s continue listening to Jesus. ‘Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted (see tribulation), and they shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity (lawlessness) shall abound, the LOVE of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ (Matt. 24:9-14) 

Now, that’s Jesus’ explanation of how things will wind down. And yuh better believe we have seen a lot of what He says increasingly happen down through the ages, but right now I believe it’s worse than it’s ever been. So, if we are wise, we would certainly put our house in order, for as Jesus also said of His Second coming. ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.’ (Matt. 24:36-37) 

Yes, just like how the people of Noah’s day were living in sinful oblivion, and the flood suddenly came and ended their good times, likewise Jesus’ Second Coming will be unexpected in a time of much sinful revelry. But let’s get back to those signs of the end time that Jesus spoke about, and try to put them into context with some explanations from the scholars. 

‘24:5-14. Many shall come (vs. 5) refers to the parade of false messiahs who have now spanned the centuries of church history and have led many astray into false religious cults. Wars and rumours of wars (vs. 6) refers to peace being taken from the earth and the constant wars that have continually marked “the age of the Gentiles.” Famines and pestilences:  (vs. 7) These events mark only the beginning of sorrows, “birth pangs.” 

This is followed by martyrdom and the rise of false prophets and the abounding of iniquity. (vs. 9-12) The “gospel of the kingdom” (vs. 14) refers to the missionary expansion of the church in all the world. The gospel shall be preached in all the world, the inhabited world, and unto all nations, “Gentile nations,” as contrasted with the Jews. Then shall the end come would then refer to the end of the church age.’ 

And yuh know what mih bredrin? All those signs have happened, or are happening right now, but please note that last one, where the gospel will preached to all the inhabited world. That has been almost accomplished, and with the sudden rise in technological prowess, it won’t be long before that last sign is fulfilled. So please, let’s wake up and get ourselves together, for the day of reckoning is closer than it’s ever been. And as Jesus faithfully promised: ‘But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ End of sermon! (smile) 

Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to live right, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are, who we unequivocally belong to! Altogether 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!’ 

And that’s exactly what we need to go out and do; trust our wonderful friend Jesus, and share His amazing LOVE with this crazy, ungodly world! Much LOVE!

…hanging on to the end is not easy…but with Jesus’ help…we can surely do it…                                                                                                                                        

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 August 2014 Genesis 2:3

31 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 2:3.    And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

                                                       HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY T&T

 Oh my Friends and fellow believers, it’s Sunday – the day of our wonderful God – the day on which He rested after creating the universe! The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.’ (Gen.1:31)

I like how the Lord admired His handiwork and found it be very good. He took pride in what He had created, and so too should we.

‘Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (the things He had created). And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.’ (Gen.2:1-3)

Yes my people, today is the Sabbath day for a multitude of Christians. We ought to fill it with as much rest, praise, fellowship and worship as possible. However, as this interesting and most appropriate quote of Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) India’s first Prime Minister indicates, those things are getting more difficult to do with each passing day.

And the quote simply says: ‘The basic fact of today is the tremendous pace of change in human life.’  

And isn’t that the gospel truth Friends. Life is changing so rapidly today that it’s difficult for many of us to keep up. From the numerous technological changes to the social ones, like almost all business places now being open on Sundays. That means more people have to work on Sundays, which obviously restricts both family and church life.

If Nehru thought life was changing fast in his time, can you imagine his reaction to the vast sea and pace of change that has taken place in the last sixty or seventy years since he reputedly made that statement? Hn! He would be totally shocked.

And talking about the pace of life and change reminds me that it’s already three years (August 31 2011) since my dear mother Molly went to be with the Lord. Three years have already passed, even though it seems like just yesterday.

Thank you Molls sugar for all the human and godly effort you put into raising me as a single mother. And I truly don’t regret one day of the time we spent together. It wasn’t always wine and roses, but I know you did your best with what you had, and even during what we considered hard times, we had it better than many others. The Lord always made a way for us to be satisfied.

I know that you are now singing and praising as heartily to the Lord in heaven as you did here on earth, and I’m trying to follow in your footsteps, though I’m nowhere near as good and godly as you were. But sonny boy is trying ‘M’ and I will do my utmost best not to tarnish your good name. (smile) 

I have one apology to make here though Molls. I obviously haven’t forgotten you, but it seems that in my busy and lazy lifestyle I have forgotten to come and visit you this year at your last earthly resting place. Please forgive me for that.

I am a tad upset with the Lord for not reminding me of that before yesterday, and there were so many days I could have done so with ease. However, don’t worry, there’s still time before the weather turns cold, and I will make up for it very soon.  

Now let’s turn to the second milestone in my life on August 31; that of Independence Day celebrations in my homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. I don’t remember a whole lot about that fateful day in 1962, for I was only about 14 years of age then and wasn’t too politically inclined.  I do believe I spent it on holidays in Trinidad.

In hindsight though, it was possibly the most significant day in the nation’s history. Under the first Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams, one of the brightest and most brilliant statesmen to come out of the Caribbean, the country dragged itself up by its bootstraps out of the murky mire of Colonialism and took its rightful place on the world stage.

However, some 52 years later, poor Eric Williams must be turning over in his grave at the mess, the disastrous situation and the terribly low standards to which the once thriving and peaceful country has deteriorated. Instead of being rightly famous for its carnival, calypso, steelband, limbo and laid back life, it’s now also targeted for being riddled with crime, drugs and corruption in almost all aspects of life.

Unfortunately, the leadership since ‘the Doc’ hasn’t been as strong or as focused on the overall betterment of the people as he was, thus the severe deterioration on all fronts. No one has come to the fore strong enough or interested enough to bridge the divide between the two main ethnic groups, those of African and East Indian origin. And until that happens, the country will unfortunately remain divided, hampered and stigmatized.

Please, let’s pray for a strong leader to rise up, and for the people to wake up from their fear and lethargy and turn back to God and godly things as once was the case. That’s the only way the total decline will ever be halted.

Now let’s close with some wise words from Isaiah on the observance of the Sabbath. ‘If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places (hills) of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Is.58:13-14)

Oh my people, there it is – heavenly wisdom handed to us on a silver platter! Please let’s accept it nuh, so that our world can start being turned around. Much LOVE!

…for the sake of Jesus…our children…and their offspring down through the ages…let’s do the wise thing nuh…and turn back to Almighty God…