Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 February 2024 John 10:7.

17 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 10:7.       Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the DOOR of the SHEEP.

And this snow-white, chilly, lazy-day Saturday has opened up with brilliant sunshine! Glory to God! And isn’t it rather interesting and amazing how sunshine can alleviate even the worst of days, both physically and emotionally. I guess that’s just the normal response that the light of Jesus has on us, His oh so important creation. Remember, He created both the sun and us, and all His creations work hand in hand with each other as He’s built in an automatic chemistry between them. Yes friends, in God’s great and wonderful universe, all things work together, for good. (smile) 

Now, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and offer it up in all 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!’ 

That prayer touches my heart, and I know it touches God’s too, because it’s simple and to the point; desiring more of God in our lives, to truly feel His awesome presence and LOVE flowing around, in and through us. And  the Lord always answers sincere prayers like that, because they warm the cockles of His heart, letting Him know that His people truly desire Him to be with them. And that’s why, if we were sincere in that prayer, our hearts and souls are now quiet and at peace, and we can say ‘Thank You Lord, for Your peace and LOVE!’ 

Now, yesterday we began looking at the many I AM’s that Jesus declared (yes!!!) Himself to be, while here on earth, but because of much talking, (smile) was only able to finish the first one; ‘I AM the BREAD of LIFE!’ So without further ado, let’s look at the second one, ‘I AM the LIGHT of the WORLD!’ (John 8:12) Jesus made that magnanimous statement to a group of unbelieving Pharisees, who figured that it could not be true because he was ‘bearing record’ or witnessing of His own self, in other words blowing His own horn. 

But if the foolish, hypocritical Pharisees had taken time to consult the scriptures, the Old Testament, since there was as yet no New Testament, they would have seen several references to Christ as the bearer of spiritual light. Scriptures like this one from Isaiah: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ (Is. 9:2) To whom does that refer, if not to Jesus, the coming Messiah? 

And this scripture from Malachi also refers to Jesus. ‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (grow fat like stall-fed calves). And ye shall tread down (trample) the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord.’ (Mal. 4:2-3) Yes friends, as the scholars explain, ‘the Sun of righteousness is a figurative representation of the Messiah,’ our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

And we all know that the main purpose of the Sun is to bring light to the darkness, therefore Jesus’ coming, brought light to this dark and evil world. And John 1:1-9 gives us further enlightenment on Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world. But because of time and space we can only quote this verse: ‘That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:9) John the Baptist only came to bear news of the Light, that was Jesus. And most importantly, now that Jesus is no longer on earth in physical form, He’s bequeathed to us, His followers, that designation, when He said: ‘Ye are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 6:14 &16) 

That means we have our work cut out for us here, in this world of near total darkness. But that’s a sermon for another day,let’s turn now to the Jesus’ next declaration (yeah!!!) of ‘I AM,’ which has to do with being the door to the sheep enclosure. As He specifies: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the DOOR of the SHEEP. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the DOOR: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:7-10) 

Isn’t that ever so wonderful my people, that Jesus is the door to our salvation! Anyone else who claims to be our Saviour is a liar and a thief, and only comes to disrupt the sheepfold and bring further calamity. But Jesus refuses to allow it, as He says in His next ‘I AM,’ statement. ‘I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling (a hired man), and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling (hired man) fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD, and know my sheep, and am known of them.’ (John 10:11-14) 

Oh my fellow saints, do we truly know and believe that Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd of our Christian flock, and the door by whom we must enter to receive salvation? I certainly hope so, otherwise we’ll be left out in the cold when Jesus returns. And if you think things are bad now, believe me, they’ll be ever so much worse if Jesus returns and you’re not numbered amongst the sheep of His fold. So please, on this first lazy-day Saturday in Lent, let’s take the time to analyze both our physical and spiritual selves and see if we are in sync with Jesus. And if not, let’s go to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, and ask for divine help to make it so. Turning to the Father for divine help is always the best decision in any situation! Much LOVE!

…whatever your situation calls for…Jesus is the answer…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 March 2021 1 John 4:11.

20 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

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

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

Glory be friends! It’s the first official day of spring in these here parts! But although the sun’s shining brightly and the day seems fine, it’s still got a chill to it. And I won’t be satisfied until I get to stand in the sun and feel its wonderful heat radiating through me like a heavenly fire! (smile) Yeh, I’m tired of the cold like so many others, although I haven’t been out in it as much because of the pandemic, and it hasn’t really been a bad winter. It’s just the overlying shadow of the worldwide sickness and strife and confusion that’s killing people’s spirits and joy. 

But please, please, let’s not allow that to happen nuh mih people! It’s not what Jesus wants for us. He wants us to stand strong and steadfast in His LOVE, joy and peace, that’s why He says He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) Abundant life is not misery, pain and sadness, but the blessings of Jesus despite the prevailing circumstances. So this Saturday morning, this first day of spring, in this pandemic year of 2021, let’s look ONLY to Jesus nuh! He will allay all our doubts and fears. Sermon done now! (smile) 

And since it’s Saturday, we need to take a gander at the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week. Here’s the first one: ‘All great changes are preceded by chaos.’ Now I don’t know about that nuh. Generally speaking, there is some truth to it, but I would hesitate to say that chaos is the harbinger of ‘ALL’ great changes. Yes, chaos, by it’s very disruptive nature does bring change, but serenity and peace, LOVE and joy, a relationship with Jesus that didn’t come through chaos in one’s life, also bring great change. So positive things do bring great changes too. Let’s try and remember that, and don’t think that great change in our lives has to necessarily come from chaotic situations. 

And the second quote tells us: ‘We all get scared and want to turn away, but it isn’t always strength that makes you stay. Strength is also making the decision to change your destiny.’ Hang on a minute there friends, I’m trying to figure out what that quote really means. (smile) 

Hn! I think I’ve got it now. It seems to be saying to me, that in tough situations, we all get scared and want to run away, when sometimes we really need to stay, and it’s not always strength that makes us stay. I guess it could also be fear that keeps us where we are. On the other hand, it also takes strength for us to get up and get a move on, to change the course of our lives, to go where we believe we’re to go. But then too, I guess that fear could also be a motivating factor in our wanting to change our destiny. Hope that makes sense. (smile) 

And I think the last two quotes are basically saying the same thing, so we’ll deal with them together. The first one says: ‘It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are. If you don’t use your power for positive change, you are indeed part of the problem.’ And the second proclaims: ‘If you believe very strongly in something, stand up and fight for it.’ 

And I believe they both hit the nail right on the very head! All of us have strong opinions on something(s), but if all we ever do is talk about it or them, and don’t use whatever power we have to bring about positive change in those areas, then we are indeed a part of the problem. One of our societal responsibilities is to get involved in positive change, not just laze around and talk plenty and do nothing positive. Unfortunately though, that is the mantra of these current times: talk plenty and do plenty negative stuff, especially through the very empowering platform of social media! 

Oh, the many woes that social media is causing in our society! And the sad part is that because we can do it without being recognized and held accountable, too many of us are spewing hatred and evil, lies and disinformation – whatever that means – into the belly of our society and causing even more confusion, chaos and corruption. Yes my people, if we just sit around and do nothing, let the negative forces have a field day, we are indeed a part of the blooming problem! And sadly, that’s what a lot of us are doing; through fear, natural apathy, laziness, or whatever reason, we’re just sitting around while the hatemongers and evil doers have the run of the table. 

And that sorrowful group includes too many of us supposed believers. Yes friends, if we would get up and stand strong, fight for what we claim to believe in, our world would never be in such a stellar mess! And we can pontificate all we want and don’t take serious action, then what we believe and supposedly stand for will be washed right away in the hatred and evil doing that’s currently flooding our planet. I know some of you might think those are harsh, undeserved words, but please, let’s all take a look in the mirror nuh, and then ask ourselves, when last have we really stood up for right against wrong eh? 

When last have we taken a stand for something that Jesus told us we ought to take a stand for? Especially in the past year of the pandemic. If we’re honest, too many of us will realize that we haven’t been very Christ-like or Christian this year, but have been inordinately selfish and thinking only of ourselves. But fellow saints, it is in the times of pain and trouble that our Lord and Saviour expects us to step up and do our best work, because we have the parts, the blessings, the peace, LOVE and joy; all the fruit of the Holy Spirit within us that are necessary to make a positive difference in any situation in our failing and groaning world! 

Ah mih people, I’m chuckling here, because it seems like the ole fella’s been on a roll. But it does hurt my heart when we talk a whole lot of Christ and Christian talk and don’t do anything positive about it. Please remember that God is LOVE, and that God LOVES us, and we’re supposed to LOVE Him back, and each other too. But what is LOVE eh? LOVE is an action word; it means doing, helping, caring, giving…not merely shooting off at the mouth, like so many of us are currently doing. 

And I guess the best scripture on the subject is John’s directive in his first epistle. ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God: for God is LOVE. In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:7-11) 

It couldn’t get any clearer than that my brethren! The Good Book says that God LOVED us, and He could have just sat down there and allowed us to go to hell like we bloody well deserve! But no! Because of His great LOVE, He took action, broke His own heart and sent His only Son to be a sacrifice for a bunch of ungrateful sinners. Yes friends, true or real LOVE involves sacrifice! 

And now, those same blooming sinners find it ever so hard to help each other. Chuh mih bredrin! Don’t you think that that just breaks God’s heart all over again? It surely does! So let’s try and be truly more Christian and Christ-like nuh friends, cause we all have room for improvement. And that would certainly warm the cockles of God’s heart! Much LOVE!

…all talk…and no action…no sacrifice…means NO LOVE… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 December 2019 Philippians 1:6.

02 Dec 2019 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 1:6.    ​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.
 

Oh friends it’s Cyber Monday… Yeah Cyber Monday! Another day the captains of commerce have dreamed up to steal your money and put you deeper in debt! Last Friday, Black Friday, they had you visiting the bricks and mortar, the actual physical stores, so you can rush and push each other and stir up mayhem. On Cyber Monday though, it’s a whole different ballgame; they rob you in cyber-space, virtual reality, where they fool you into thinking that something is out there, when it’s only a sleight of hand. (smile) 

Ah mih people, just one word of warning; remember if you fall for their evil wiles and schemes, you will most likely have many murky and miserable Mondays in your future, where you struggle to get up and go to work so you can pay for the stuff you bought on Black Friday and Cyber-Monday, a lot of which you did not need, but unfortunately got caught up in the contrived scenes and thus made unwise, spur of  the moment decisions. End of lecture! 

And I guess today is as good a day as any to begin crying out for help, since I’m sure some of you have already visited the websites and purchased stuff, so now you need some assistance to get out there and work to pay for it. (smile) With all of that in mind then, let’s approach the throne of grace, humbly but confidently, and declare (steups!) our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, a poignant and powerful prayer for the help we so badly need. 

As one voice now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

And thankfully we have a LOVING, forgiving, merciful and gracious God oui! One who listens to our sincere prayers and answers them all, though not necessarily the way we want them answered, but always in our best interest. And one prayer He will always answer in the affirmative is one for help to go out and do His will, to share His Word with others, to tell the world about His most wonderful Son, Jesus! That’s why we are now experiencing a sudden lifting of our spirits and a burgeoning desire, backed by loads of enthusiasm, to get out into the world and give them heck in Jesus name! (smile) 

Yes my faithful brethren, in answer to our sincere prayer, the Holy Spirit of God is moving within us so that we can go out and accomplish God’s plan and purpose for our lives. And He does have individual plans for each of His children, as well as a general plan that we should all grow to be like Jesus, moving from glory to glory. And one of the great truths about our God is that stated by Bruh Paul to the Corinthians: ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:9) 

And if there’s one thing I can personally testify to friends, it’s God’s overwhelming faithfulness! He asked me to write the Bit, and without fail, for the last 13 years, He’s helped me write it everyday! You couldn’t get anymore faithful than that. Meanwhile, the scholars offer this explanation of the verse: ‘1:9. Unto the fellowship of his son: The term ‘fellowship’ includes both union and communion. The Corinthian believers had been brought into union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, this great truth implies that they had been brought into communion with one another. Here in a nutshell is the theme of this epistle.’ 

That means, all those who accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, are a part of one big, united family, which we called the body of Christ, or His church. And Bruh Paul also exuded supreme confidence in God, when he told the Philippians: ‘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.’ What a wonderful and faithful God we serve and worship my people! He will never stop whatever good work He’s begun in us until Jesus returns. Glory be! 

Now hear the scholars: ‘1:6: Will perform it is said “will finish it.” Paul is convinced that the work of grace that God began in the Philippians at conversion will be divinely continued until the day of Jesus Christ. That is, the Lord will keep working in these believers until Jesus returns to earth, at which point He will finish His work, bringing it to completion. This speaks of the Christian’s eternal security. For God had a purpose in view when He began His saving work in the Philippians, and that purpose will neither be abandoned or unrealized.’ 

And all God’s people gratefully shouted: ‘Glory to our great God! Give Him thanks and praise for His awesome faithfulness!’ So let’s go out today and do just that nuh, and thus warm the cockles of His ever-LOVING heart! Much LOVE!

…the best way to show gratitude for God’s faithfulness…is through our own faithfulness…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 November 2018 Proverbs 25:13.

05 Nov 2018 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 25:13.   As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

Well a good Monday morning to you my Scrip-Bit family in all and sundry parts of God’s great universe! And I hear numerous sighs, steups’ and disgruntled remarks, like: ‘What’s so good about it eh? It’s cold and miserable and I have to get up and go to work; plus face the endless traffic jams and construction sites, only to get there tired and irascible!’ 

And I smile and reply: ‘The first order of the day is talk to our heavenly Father. Thank Him for allowing you to see another day, then lay your cares on His strong and caring soul. And then you can join us here as we sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, petitioning Him together for strength and guidance to face the day and the evil world.’  

Remember what Jesus said?  ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20) And we are gathered together in His name, in the world of digital and wireless communication, so He is in our midst. And it’s time to sing that awesome prayer, that antidote for all our Monday ills. Altogether now, with as much enthusiasm as you can manage. 

‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Yes friends, prayer and praise are two of the most powerful tools in the Christian arsenal, but unfortunately we don’t use them as much as we ought to, that’s why our lives are often so dry, miserable and lacking true joy. Serious, sincere and continual communication with our Godhead is the oil that makes our lives run smoothly. 

So now that we have all been uplifted, and the adrenaline is flowing freely, let’s get a move on and do Christ’s work with diligence and excellence nuh; be good ambassadors on His behalf, for that’s our calling. And all it really entails is to be a good example to those we come into contact with. Tell them about Christ, by sharing the good news of His gospel, and live as best and faithfully as we can by the tenets it espouses. 

And the wise words of Cousin Sol in our Bit state it simply enough. ‘As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.’ Yeh friends, being an ambassador for Christ is basically being a faithful messenger, taking His message to whomever, wherever you can.

And when we do that, we warm the cockles of God’s heart; bring joy to His soul, because He wants every living being to hear the message of Christ, and for ALL to be saved: not even one soul being lost to the evil enemy Satan. 

And we are indeed the hands and feet, mouth and ears of Christ, blessedly entrusted to faithfully ‘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…’ (Matt.28:19-20a) 

As representatives of Christ my brethren, that’s our earthly mandate; what we sometimes call the ‘Great Commission.’ And the wonderful thing about working for and representing Jesus down here on earth is His awesome and faithful promise at the end of the Commission: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:20b) 

How can you beat that eh friends?  Our exciting, generous, strong, powerful and courageous Lord and Saviour saw it fit to inform us that He would always be with us as we go about doing His work and will…even to the end of the world! Glory be my people! That’s why we should have no qualms, fears, doubts or anxieties about working for such a wonderful boss! 

And remember too, that even on our daily jobs, the jobs that cause us to live and survive, we’re essentially doing them for Jesus, that means we have to do them well, with diligence and excellence. 

Yeh, I know some of you are complaining that too much is expected of us believers, but just consider what Jesus suffered for us nuh, and then see if what we have to do can ever come close to the ‘sufferation’ that He endured, the load of sin that was placed on His shoulders, so that we could be saved. Then come back and tell me if He’s asking too much of us. Not one bit! Much LOVE!

…ambassadors of Jesus…should be walking tall and proud…and be happy to do His work…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 October 2018 Matthew 22:39.

20 Oct 2018 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 22:39.​    And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.

Sorry that the Bit is so late mih breddren, but the circumstances were all out of my control. It started right after breakfast, about nine something, I didn’t even have time to get my after-breakfast nap when I was told to get ready, for a family member was coming to pick us up to go to his place where his wife was preparing goat head and goat belly soup especially for me. Hn! 

Glory be! How could I refuse that eh, when one of the major reasons I’m in J.A is to eat healthy local food to try and reinvigorate my old bod. And this is family I haven’t seen for about ten years? Then after downing a big bowl of goat head soup, they took me down to Doctor’s Cave beach, where I enjoyed a good swim in beautiful deep salt water, drank a Guinness, then was taken through the heart of Mo Bay at rush hour time. 

And if you think the big cities are bad, well downtown Mo Bay at rush hour is something else! What with the narrow street and narrow sidewalks, but numerous cars and people, all hustling in different directions at the same time. And the driving…Bubba! As crazy as ever, with people cutting in and out, taxis picking up and dropping off. It’s a good thing that the family member who was driving us through town was a tour bus driver himself, so he was familiar with it all and behaved just like them. 

I didn’t get back home to the hotel until minutes to six. I obviously had to rest some from all that exerting activity… Oh, I just heard that somebody was coming to pick us up to take us out again later. Brother! Don’t they know that I came here to rest and not gallivant all over the place? (smile) But that’s what happens when you have a lot of good and LOVING family around. Oh how I hope that most families could live more LOVING than they normally do. It would warm the cockles of the Lord’s heart so much and put such a broad smile on His face. 

But we going to get back to that just now, first let me apologize for forgetting to declare Thursday’s Blessings yesterday. I was too busy trying to get the Bit written before it was too late. Wonder if anybody noticed eh? And though we’re going to forego the workingman’s song this evening, we not going to leave out our Friday Chant though. 

So please chant along with me in enthusiastic manner and strong voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’ 

Now remember our Bit from yesterday, where the Pharisee lawyer was trying to trap Jesus by asking which was the greatest commandment, and Jesus’ replied: ‘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) But Jesus wasn’t done with the upstart Pharisee, He added His own addendum or corollary. ‘And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ 

Yes friends, there are two basic requirements asked of believers in Jesus Christ: LOVE the Lord thy God, and LOVE thy neighbour as thyself! And once we do those two things, everything else will flow smoothly from them. Unfortunately though, we’re not doing either commandment as fully as we should. And even when we do, it’s mostly a halfhearted excuse for LOVING God and our neighbour. Plenty of us claim to LOVE God, but we treat our neighbours like garbage. 

And John strongly refutes that claim when he declares: ‘If a man say I LOVE God, and hateth his brother (neighbour), he is a liar: for he that LOVETH not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he LOVE God whom he hath not seen?’ (1 John 4:20) Good question that my fellow believers. How can we LOVE somebody we’ve never seen, but hate someone we’ve seen? That just doesn’t sound very logical. 

And John concludes that bit of scripture with these words that paraphrases Jesus’ two commandments. ‘And this commandment have we from him, That he who LOVETH God LOVE his brother also.’ (1 John 4:21) It couldn’t get any clearer than that nuh my people! So what I’d like to find out is why we aren’t LOVING both God and our brothers and neighbours so much more than we are currently doing? Hate seems to be the emotion that’s currently ruling the world, when LOVE should be the emotion that makes the world go around. 

And all I can do from my li’l corner is to cry out to us to try and change the situation as Jesus desires of us. Remember if we don’t do it, the evil doers won’t. They like the status quo. So please mih breddren, let’s get a move on nuh, and try to bring real LOVE into our lives, both towards our great God, who first LOVED us and gave His life for us, and also to our human brothers and sisters, our God’s greatest creation! That’s wisdom and obedience at the highest level! Much LOVE!

…when earthly LOVE is real and true…God smiles down from heaven…and bestows blessings untold…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 August 2017 Jeremiah 7:23.

23 Aug 2017 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 7:23.   But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Oh friends, I looked out my bedroom window when I got up a while ago and was pleasantly greeted by a riot of colour in my backyard garden! 

Wow! The duchess’ green thumb is certainly on display with a profusion of red, green, yellow, pink, purple and white flora flourishing in the sunshine! 

Oh how I wish that our Christian faith could be flourishing as well as those flowers. But unfortunately it’s not. What with our numerous divisions and petty differences and stubborn refusal to come together, plus the ardent work of the evil enemy, our faith seems to be floundering some, with the enemy’s evil kingdom in the ascendancy right now. 

And all I can realistically do is call upon us, who read the Bit to energize ourselves, get truly serious about the spreading the gospel of Jesus and encourage those around us to do the same, if we want our faith to grow instead of falter and eventually die. For that’s exactly what it will come to if we continue our less than stellar efforts to advance it.

Each of us has to do our part in our little enclave of the world to bring it all together. That’s the desire of our Lord and Saviour, our venerable Leader Jesus Christ. 

Now here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin which exemplifies what we’re talking about. It’s titled, ‘I Stake My Life.’ 

Let’s pray: ‘I stake my life totally Completely Permanently On the integrity of Jesus. Lord, Your integrity means You will do all You promised. You will see me through Every fiery furnace Every tempestuous storm. If not, Dear God Then nothing in this life Makes any sense whatever. Your part is to perform what You promised. My part is to trust and obey.’ 

Now that says it all my fellow believers! And the Lord IS doing His part, keeping His promises. However we ARE NOT doing ours, trusting and obeying, to the best of our ability, that’s why our lives and our faith are sub-par, not as flourishing as they could and should be. 

And the Bible Promise for that poem, our Bit for today, is ever so appropriate. ‘But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.’ 

Ah mih breddren, it’s obvious we’re not fully obeying the command of our God, otherwise our lives and our societies and nations and world would not be in such a strife-filled and stressful mess. 

It’s obvious that we’re doing like the Lord said the Israelites did. ‘But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination (stubbornness) of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.’ (Jer.7:24) 

Oh my fellow believers, can’t we see that we’re going backward and not forward with the elevation of the enemy in most walks of our lives? I believe, that as Christians we’ve become too comfortable and satisfied with the status quo. We’ve come to value the easy life and the pursuit of worldly things more than the pursuit of God’s righteousness. 

Our world is currently so full of distractions, and we’ve become so soft and flabby and fearful in our mental and emotional beings that the enemy finds it quite easy to draw us away from the things of God. 

Can you imagine God’s heartache as He desires so greatly to commune with us, His covenant people, but finds that we don’t seem interested in communing with Him? 

And as the Lord further instructed Jeremiah: ‘But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction (instruction): truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.’ (Jer.7:28) 

How abysmally sad that is my people, but it is the absolute truth concerning this society, where truth has fallen by the wayside, been made a mockery of, with foolish and foppish celebrations of all kinds and levels of truth. 

Steups! How can there be more than one kind of truth eh people? Truth is simply truth! Or else it’s false! Something is either true, or it is not. 

And this last word from Jeremiah which describes our current society to a ‘T.’ ‘And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.’ (Jer.9:3) 

Ah friends, can we begin being valiant for the truth? It will warm the cockles of God’s heart so much, that He’ll increase the blessings that He’s already bestowed on us, if that is at all possible. 

Remember friends, it’s ALL FOR OUR BENEFIT, not the Lord’s! And let’s sincerely ponder and consider all that we’ve said today as we go home declaring our bountiful Thursday Blessings. 

‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! 

I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

And since blessings are meant to be shared, let’s go out and share them most generously with others, like the Lord did with us nuh, for that’s our bounden duty. Much LOVE!

…in God’s society…when we obey…we prosper…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 October 2016 Psalm 92:1.

09 Oct 2016 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 92:1.   It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:

Okay friends, it’s Thanksgiving Sunday in this great and good land of Canada, so let’s open with something rather appropriate nuh, something that would make life much more interesting if we did it as often as we should. 

Oh my fellow believers, let’s count our blessings, as we raise our voices heavenward in a sacrifice of praise, worship and thanksgiving. Please sing with me enthusiastically and sincerely because we have a lot of blessings to be thankful for. 

‘When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. 

Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your many blessings, see what God has done. 

Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by. Refrain:  

When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. Refrain: 

So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. 

Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.’ 

Oh friends, if we truly count our blessings, I’m sure that we’d all be surprised by what God has done in our lives. So please let’s stop complaining about petty stuff and instead give thanks for every little thing that we enjoy. 

And we do enjoy a lot of things that most of the world doesn’t, so let’s start being grateful for what we have rather than complain about the frivolous stuff we don’t have. 

And our Bit for today tells us exactly that. ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:’ 

Yes friends, it is indeed right and mete to sing praises for the Lord’s goodness to us, the undeserving children of men. He has done so much for us that we can never ever dream of repaying any of it. 

And He doesn’t do it for repayment, but because He made us, we are the sheep of His pasture and He LOVES us unconditionally. Oh my people, just His unconditional LOVE alone is worth more than we can ever ask or imagine. 

And if we add all the other things our wonderful God has done, is doing and will do for us, there is no doubt that we should be mucho mucho thankful and grateful, since we truly don’t deserve any of it. 

Now let’s continue singing the praises of our magnificent and magnanimous God from Psalm 92. ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To show forth (declare) thy LOVING-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. 

Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery (lute or lyre); upon the harp with a solemn (harmonious or melodic) sound. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.’ (Ps.92: 1-4) 

Ah mih breddren, can you imagine those long ago days when our great God was praised both morning and evening? Hn! 

Today, because of our busy society, we’d be lucky to praise Him once, much less twice. But that’s what He deserves, and if we truly put our minds to it, we can raise our voices at least twice a day in praise and prayer. 

So let’s promise ourselves to faithfully offer up praise both morning and evening nuh my fellow believers, for that will surely warm the cockles of God’s heart and give us a peace and joy that only those who trust in Jesus will ever know. 

Now let’s continue with the psalmist’s praise. ‘O Lord, how great are thy works! And thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish (senseless) man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring (up) as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: 

But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn (strength) shalt thou exalt like a unicorn (wild ox): 

I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 

Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat (plump) and flourishing (green); To show that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.’ (Ps.92:5-15) 

Yes friends, that is what can be expected of those who place their trust in and surrender their lives to Almighty God! They will grow and flourish like the tall and stately cedars trees in Lebanon, see the demise of their enemies, and even more, will continue to bear fruit and flourish in their old age! 

Wow! Glory to God my people for His goodness to the undeserving children of men! How can we not give Him much thanks and praise for all His mighty works in our lives eh? 

So please, as we fill His sanctuary this Thanksgiving Sunday morning, let’s remember to count our many blessings and give Him the appropriate thanks and praise nuh, for that’s the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!

…if you’re alive today…you’re blessed…and thus owe the Lord many thanks…

Visit the Scrip-Bit Blog at https://randyobrien50.wordpress.com

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 January 2015 John 10:14

18 Jan 2015 Leave a comment

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

John 10:14      I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 

Well here it is again Friends, the first and most important day of the new week; Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the Sabbath, or day of rest, fellowship and family togetherness! And it’s the most important day because it sets the tone and tenor for the remainder of the week. How you set up and use your Sundays, usually determines how your Monday to Saturday will go. That means we have to pay particular attention to what we do on Sunday, if we want to have a focused, persevering, prosperous and godly week.

 
So let’s begin by going out to church today nuh, joining in worship and praise, adoration, devotion, gratitude and thanksgiving! That will warm the cockles of God’s heart, as well as open up our souls and spirits to His awesome wonder and LOVING-kindness! It’s what we call, in today’s parlance, a win – win situation.
 
And talking of win- win situations, the best one ever is when Jesus gave His life for us, in atonement for our sins. Some might consider us the big winner in that relationship, but Jesus also won because for His obedience, He was exalted by the Father with a name above all others, as Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the One to whom all knees will eventually bow, and all tongues confess that He is Lord indeed, to the glory of the Father. (Phil.2:9-11)
 
That brings us to our Bit, the same as the last couple of days:  ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’
 
Oh what a most encouraging statement my people! We all know the LOVE and care that a shepherd shows for His flock, so if Jesus, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, claims to be our shepherd, how can we brook any argument about it eh? We’d be worse than foolish to deny Him that right, and ourselves, His tender LOVING care!
 
Unfortunately though, a lot of us unwisely do just that, and if we don’t wake up soon and realize our terrible mistake, we will eventually face death, eternal damnation and everlasting separation from our heavenly Father. And let me tell you my brethren, that is the worse fate a human being can ever suffer!
 
Now listen to Jesus as He continues His discourse on the topic, after our Bit. ‘As the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold (flock), and one shepherd.’ (Matt.10:15-16)
 
Oh what a glorious day that was Friends, when Jesus united His two folds, the Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) which includes you and I! His sacrificial, substitutionary death on our behalf fulfilled that promise! And again I ask, why would I, being of sound mind and reason, turn away from Jesus wonderful invitation to come to Him and lay down my heavy burdens, and refuse to be brought under His easy yoke, to bear His light burden? (Matt.11:28 -30)
 
In light of all that we’ve said and know for a fact, that certainly doesn’t make sense to me. And I just adore these next verses where Jesus expounds on His authority, obedience and closeness to the Father. ‘Therefore doth my Father LOVE me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.’ (Matt.10:17-18)
 
Oh Glory Hallelujah! Yuh see my fellow believers, that close and beautiful relationship that Jesus has with the Father, is the same kind that we can have with Jesus, and by extension, with the Father too. Wow! So why ‘dis’ Jesus eh, and refuse His LOVING entreaties? That’s nothing but a fool’s wisdom!
 
Now hear this explanation from the scholars, re those last two verses: ’10:17-18. Jesus does more than predict His crucifixion and resurrection. He also shows that He has the power to lay down His life and take it up again, once more asserting His deity.’
 
So all those people who believe that Jesus was just a push over for the faithless Jews and cruel, arrogant Romans who crucified Him are totally wrong! In fact, that was the singular purpose for which He came to earth in human form: to die so that we might live!
 
As He said to the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane when the Roman soldiers came to arrest Him. ‘Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me (provide me with) more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scripture be fulfilled, that thus it must be?’ (Matt.26:53-54)
 
If he hadn’t fulfilled the Father’s plan, then we’d still be lost and gone astray, facing death and eternal separation from our Creator. And though it hurts, breaks my heart, to know the pain He bore on our behalf, I’m glad that He was true to His purpose. Now if only we, His followers could be true to ours… what a wonderful world this would be!
 
And do we ever need a whole lot of improvement in our troubled and diseased world my brethren! That’s the task that Jesus has set before us – live a life that causes the unbeliever to turn to Him in repentance and conviction, so that they can receive His free offer of salvation and eternal life.
 
So Friends, are we going to get real serious and sincere about that task this new year and do our best to further Jesus’ LOVE Revolution?  I certainly hope so, because if we don’t, our beautiful world will just keep falling further and further into the depths of hell, until there’s no turning back. And what will that do to our children and their children eh? I leave that for each of us to ponder on, then hopefully do the right thing to correct the woeful situation in which our world is floundering right now.
 
Remember Friends, Jesus is depending on us to help alleviate the sad state of confusion and evil that’s currently reigning. Please, I implore us, to take up the gauntlet and fight the good fight to the death. That’s what a good and true soldier in Christ’s army is expected to do. Much LOVE!
 
…our bounden duty here on earth…is to live a life worthy of Jesus…so that others may see it…and come to faith in Him…