Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 January 2024 John 12:46.

13 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 12:46.          I am come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

And our lazy-day Saturday has opened damp and cloudy… What else is new eh? (smile) But it seems like we’re finally into the winter weather as we are now having snowfalls on a regular basis. Had a good sized one yesterday evening, with strong blustery winds that made it feel ever so chilly. Thankfully though, they have cleaned up the roads and some of the snow has melted away, but light snow is forecasted, and before I came downstairs to write the Bit, I saw snowflakes dancing down from the sky. So, if you can, it’s a good day to stay home, otherwise dress properly and walk carefully. 

Now, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer  and offer it up to heaven with sincere hearts and voices. 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 if we were truly sincere, then we can feel the Lord’s presence washing over us and His peace and LOVE enfolding us in a warm embrace. No friends, it couldn’t get any better than that this lazy-day Saturday. So let’s just lose ourselves in that awesome peace and LOVE, while giving thanks for all our many blessings, for that’s what our wonderful God desires of us. 

Now, yesterday we were talking about the song that says that Jesus is a Way Maker, Promise Keeper and Light in the Darkness, but we were only able to talk about the first two attributes, while promising to consider the third attribute today, if God gave us the breath of life. And since, in His overwhelming mercy and compassion He’s obviously done that, then it’s our duty to talk about Jesus being the Light in the darkness. (smile) And friends, there are so many scriptures that proclaim that Jesus is the bringer and giver of light to this dark and evil world it’s not funny! 

But before we start let’s get some idea of the scriptural difference between light and darkness. Basically, in scripture, Light refers to truth and righteousness, while Darkness refers to falsehood and evil. And as Bruh Paul says in 2 Corinthians. ‘Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship (in common) hath righteousness with unrighteousness (lawlessness)? and what communion (fellowship) hath light with darkness? And what concord (accord) hath Christ with Belial (Satan)? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel (unbeliever)?’ (2 Cor. 6:14-15) 

And those are very good questions my people. The answer to all of them being ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! That tells us that darkness and light cannot exist together, one will overcome the other, and the more powerful of those two elements is obviously light; the Light of Jesus. Now, the first scripture we’re going to quote is that most important one from the opening statements of John’s gospel. ‘There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He (John the Baptist) was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:6-9) 

Yes my brethren, we all know that John the Baptist came to inform us of the coming Light of the world, that’s Jesus Christ. Meanwhile at the celebration of John the Baptist’s birth, his father Zacharias waxed eloquently on John’s purpose, saying: ‘And thou child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins. Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (Dawn, Messiah) from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1:76-79) 

And Jesus himself made that very clear when He proclaimed: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And that’s the gospel truth my people! If we sincerely and faithfully follow Christ, we will not walk in the darkness that right now threatens to completely engulf our world. In these turbulent and dangerous times, darkness is fighting for it’s very life, and we cannot afford to let it win. That’s why we desperately need to do as Jesus so wisely advises. ‘Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be (become) the children of light.’ (John 12:35-36)

And unfortunately, there are many supposed believers who are walking in the darkness of Beelzebub instead of the light of Christ, for they are allowing the negative things of the world to take over their minds, bodies and souls. But then again, we quote these wise words of Jesus. ‘I am come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.’ (John 12:46) Oh friends, I wish I knew how to get us to become true children of light and to stop fooling around with the things of darkness. 

Hopefully this admonishment from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians might help some. ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ (Eph. 5:6-9) And please remember that this is the year of the LOVE Revolution, and you cannot have a revolution of LOVE while living in darkness. Light is absolutely essential for LOVE to conquer all! 

Now, let’s close with these wise and wonderful words of John from His first epistle. On the subject of light, he writes: ‘This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not (practice) the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ (1 John 1:5-7) 

Yes my fellow saints, it is absolutely essential that in these overwhelming times of darkness, we walk as children of light, the light being that of Jesus Christ who brought His awesome light into the world so that we could be released from the dungeons of darkness in which we were hitherto living. That’s why He gave His life for us on the cross of calvary, and consequently expects us to use the light He’s given us to overcome the darkness of the enemy. Please, let’s not disappoint Him! Much LOVE!

… we are the current light of the world…let’s therefore shine brightly…that men may see our light…and glorify our Father in heaven… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   31 October 2022 Romans 6:23.

31 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Romans 6:23.       The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ah friends, can you believe it’s already the last day of October; what we term Halloween Day, a pagan ritual to darkness, evil and the making of money! Yes, the dark night will be filled with young children going around their neighbourhood dressed up in ghoulish, ugly costumes, crying, ‘Trick or treat!’ hoping to get some candy from the house owners. At one stage it also involved fruits, but then wicked people began putting things like razor blades and other sharp, harmful objects in the fruits, so now it’s mostly a candy-based operation. 

Remember how once upon a time the dentists would caution us against too much candy? But apparently those days are over, for the dentists, like the retailers, also seem to welcome the brisk business they get from Halloween. Hn! It’s all about the money, and any evil or foolish scheme that will fill the coffers is fair game. But as true believers, we have to resist the devil and his deceitful schemes and instead of accepting his darkness and lies, seek, accept and nurture within our souls the light and truth that’s Jesus Christ! 

And He said it out loud and clear. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6). Then there’s this other concrete pronouncement to the unbelieving Pharisees. ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) Thus, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is ‘the way, the truth, the life and the light’ of this troubled world. If you want to come out of the darkness and into the light, and find the way, which is based on truth, that leads to eternal life, then He is the answer! 

Now, that’s why Bruh Paul warned the Corinthians thus: ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship (in common) hath righteousness and unrighteousness (lawlessness)? And what communion (fellowship) hath light with darkness?’ (2 Cor. 6:14) Now those are very good questions, but the answer to both of them is absolutely nothing in common! Although light and righteousness should be always trying to invade darkness and turn unrighteousness around. That’s one of our jobs as a disciple of Christ. We don’t hook up with those who don’t believe in hope and goodness, don’t let their toxic energy cannibalize our godliness, but do our best to turn them around. 

And these words of Bruh Paul to the church at Ephesus also remind us of the great care we need to take regarding darkness and unrighteousness. ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk therefore as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit (Light) is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.’ (Eph. 5:6-10) 

Excellent words for us to remember and live by! And the scholars offer these explanations. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’ ‘5:10. Because of constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.’ 

Then these words of James anchor us even more to the truth and the light. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (has been proven), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desires), and enticed. 

Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death. Do not err (be deceived) my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:12-18) 

Yes friends, the unchangeable Father of lights made us with the word of truth to be the shining light of His creations. But the devil, the prince of darkness tries to mess up our witness with his evil temptations, not God. And please note that the temptations that James is speaking of here are different from the ones in verses 2-12. In our verses ‘the source is identified as internal, from one’s own lust, and the outcome is death. 

In verses 2-12 the “temptations” or trials have an external origin in that they fall on man. Those trials cannot be avoided, so believers are encouraged to endure them, and mature as a result. The temptations of verses 13-15 must be avoided, according to God’s express commandments (Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). The progression of sin, from temptation to death, has an analogy in the physical life cycle: conception, birth, maturity, and death.’  

Wow! Isn’t that last sentence rather interesting? It surely is! That’s why Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome: ‘The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom. 6:23) In other words: ‘Wages: Emphasizes what we deserve. Gift of God: Emphasizes God’s unmerited favour.’ And sadly, right now our world is in a terribly sinful state, so you know what we are looking at; death, rather than life. But there is always hope when you believe in Christ, so let’s call on that hope right through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

Altogether now: ‘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. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now it’s time to turn from our sinful ways, keep on praying and asking for forgiveness, so that we receive eternal life and not death. Much LOVE!

…only two options in eternity…life…or death…your choice… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ