Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 February 2016 Philippians 2:5‏‏‏‏‏

13 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 2:5.   Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.

Oh mih breddren, it’s Saturday; another beautiful day in Paradise! Glory Hallelujah! 

On second thought though, I think I need to apologize for my effusive opening to those of you who have not awakened to such a paradisaical situation as I have. (smile) 

But friends, the most important thing, regardless of our physical situations and limitations is that we have awakened. Glory to God! And once we’re alive and walking with Jesus Christ there is ALWAYS that wonderful thing called HOPE! Hope that through Jesus, our circumstances can change, can improve. 

Now that’s one of the reasons I’m in Tobago; I have the hope that the sunshine and saltwater will alleviate my physical ailments. So far though, there are plusses and minuses on the scoreboard, but I still have hope, am still believing that by the time I’m ready to leave in the next few weeks I will be healed. Or at least be in much better shape than when I came. 

That’s hope, that leads to faith. And a little reminder here that we cannot have faith without hope. So please don’t be disconsolate even though your surroundings, though your life might not be on a high note right now, because with Jesus as our guide, everything can change, sometimes in a split second. 

So NEVER stop having HOPE! And another thing too, once we’re alive, it means that God has a plan for us to carry out, otherwise we wouldn’t be here to tell the story. 

And all God’s people said a loud, proud and grateful ‘Praise the Lord! Amen!’ 

And I’m chuckling here friends, because this was not what I had planned to write, neither was what is about to come, but this is where I was guided, so who am I to complain eh? 

And I want to share something from my One More Day Devotional for People with Chronic Illness, and you can count me amongst that lot. 

Anyway, today’s quote is attributed to one Tanhuma, whom I believe is a Jewish sage from way back when. And he profoundly declares that ‘Joy waits for no man.’ And I know that all of us have found that our several times throughout our lives. 

The text goes on to tell us: ‘Joyfulness is one of God’s greatest gifts. Joy transcends all time and place. Joy causes unmeasurable and often indescribable feelings which we might only have for a fleeting moment. Joy is like opening a special present. It is a state of mind, a frame of reference for future memories.’ 

Yes my people, joy is all of those things, but more importantly joy comes from a secure and comfortable walk with the Lord. As the Good Book says: ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) 

That’s why the ole scoundrel Lucifer tries to steal our joy; because he knows without it, we are helpless and very susceptible to his evil charms. So please let’s stand strong and steadfast in that joy that our God provides, so that we can do His will in faith, trust and obedience, like Jesus did. 

That brings us to our Bit. ‘Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.’ And as we’ve been saying for the last few days, only by thinking like Jesus can we do the things He wants us to do. 

And we see the utmost importance of all that when we consider the scripture which says: ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil.2:8) 

Yes my people, Jesus became so humble and obedient to His Father’s will, that He went like a lamb to the cross for our benefit…. 

And all God’s people cried out a loud and grateful ‘Glory Hallelujah! Blessed is the lamb that was slain for us!’ 

And though we will never reach Jesus’ level of humility and obedience because of our built in sinful nature, the object of the whole living exercise is to try and get as close as possible to it. And you know what happens when we serve the Lord obediently and sincerely? He rewards us! Not always down here on earth, but He puts away some for us in heaven. 

And we have the best example of that in the next few verses of Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians. ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil.2:9-11) 

Mama mia my people! What a wonderful God we serve and worship! Yuh see how He exalted Jesus for His selfless sacrifice on our behalf, by making Him ruler of all, where all must bow and confess that Jesus is Lord! 

But please pay close attention to the end of that sentence; ‘to the glory of the God the Father.’ Yes my brethren, ALL that we do, is ALL for God’s glory! Even Jesus’ sacrifice was to show God’s mercy and LOVING-kindness to a bunch of ungrateful sinners! 

So my fellow believers, though we are not working, not serving God because of the rewards we can get, we nonetheless have those rewards as something to look forward to. And we’ll close today by sharing a few scriptures that encourage us in that respect, beginning with Bruh David’s poignant words from Psalm 19 – The creation and covenants of God. 

He declares that the keeping of God’s statutes and judgements are ‘More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb (the drippings of the honeycomb). Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’ (Ps.19:10-11) 

Now hear the author of Hebrews, which I believe is Bruh Paul, because it sounds too much like him. ‘For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of LOVE, which ye have showed towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.’ (Heb.6:10) 

And we’ll close with these most encouraging and uplifting words again from Hebrews. ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience (endurance), that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.’ (Heb.10:35-36). 

I couldn’t say it any better my people, so I implore us to go out today and do God’s will with mercy, compassion and LOVE in our hearts, being mindful of the rewards that are accruing in our accounts in heaven. Much LOVE!

…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him… (Heb.11:6b)

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 February 2016 Philippians 2:5‏‏‏

11 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 2:5.        Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.

Well friends and neighbours, it’s Thursday, the second day of Lent in this watershed year of 2016. Yes my people, I do believe that 2016 will be a very important year in mankind’s history; it will either make or break us. 

But even better than that my people, the world is unfurling exactly as it should; exactly as the script was penned by our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God, many many moons ago. Glory to God! 

And so it should be, because the Almighty is the greatest dramatist ever! The Bible, right from the beginning in Genesis, to the very end in Revelation, is filled with all kinds of drama; good, bad and ugly, so we couldn’t want for a better script to show us how life runs, or is supposed to run. 

And today I want to share a li’l bit of solid info from Gramps Schuller’s (Robert H. Schuller) Hours of Power Devotional. Listen up: ‘The Bible makes it very clear that Christians are soldiers – not tourists in life. We are also servants of God, not houseguests.’ 

Yes friends, for those of us who believe we’re just here to enjoy life without any work or effort on our part, please be warned that that is not so! 

We have a big role to play in setting up Christ’s church, fighting tooth and nail to make the LOVE Revolution a wonderful and winning reality. And as such, we can’t afford to sit on our laurels and expect to be waited on hand and foot, instead, we have to do a lot of the waiting ourselves. 

Now pray this prayer with me that Gramps Schuller finishes the devotion with. ‘Father, I turn these minutes over to you. Do something beautiful in my mind, in my heart, and in my life today. So I will look back and say: “I was caught up on an inspiring spirit of the eternal God in this moment of prayer.” In the name of Christ, I pray. Amen.’ 

And if we sincerely prayed that prayer my people, then beautiful things will happen in our lives today as the Holy Spirit touches us with inspiration and encouragement! Oh glory to God from whom all mercies flow! 

Now re my activities of yesterday, the ole fella played tourist. Hn! I got up in the morning and just felt this urge to visit the town of Plymouth, the island’s capital before Scarborough. It’s not too far from where I am, all on the flat side of the island, so after lunch, the duchess and I headed out to do the tourista thing. 

We drove through the villages of Buccoo, Black Rock and Grafton before we came to Plymouth. And in line with the tourist thinking, we visited Fort James, one of the several forts set up on the island by its early colonial rulers. 

On a point of interest, I believe Tobago is called the ‘Bone of Contention,’ because of the many different colonial powers who ruled it at some time in the cantankerous era of early colonialism. Anyway, from its promontory one can get a beautiful view of that part of the island. 

And not to be amiss, we also visited the ‘Mystery Tombstone,’ located just before the entrance to the fort. It has always been a talking point and tourist attraction since I was a youth. I have inserted two photos, one of the sign and one of the tomb itself. Hope they come out properly. 

But just in case they don’t, the mystery part is the inscription on the tomb that says: ‘She was a mother without knowing it, and a wife without letting her husband know it except by her kind indulgences to him.’ 

Now you too can go out and ponder the words on the tombstone of Betty Stiven which have perplexed mankind for over two centuries. (smile) 

However my brethren, it’s now time for our rather timely Bit. ‘Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.’ 

And friends, as we’ve been saying over the last few days, it is of the utmost importance and a vital necessity that followers of Christ, Christians, the church, Christ’s body or organization here on earth think like Him, if we expect to become like Him! That’s gospel truth! 

And today we’ll continue with Bruh Paul’s treatise on the subject. After our Bit, he notes with assurance: ‘Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil.2:6-8) 

Oh my people, that is exactly what we were talking about before, where Gramps Schuller informed us that we were not tourists but soldiers in Christ’s army, and not houseguests, but servants in his household. It’s what Jesus came to earth and did, despite His godly connections. 

Now here are some scholarly explanations on verse 7, re ‘Kenosis.’ ‘2:7. The word Kenosis is the Greek word for “emptying” and is related to the verb translated here as “made himself of no reputation,” which literally means “He emptied Himself.” Christ emptied Himself by (1) veiling His glory and (2) taking on Himself a true but sinless human nature, and (3) voluntarily submitting to the will of the Father. 

Illustration: At all times, Christ remained God, retaining the nature and attributes of God, but taking a human nature in order to have a ministry among men. On the few occasions when His glory was more fully revealed during His ministry, those who saw it were unable to bear it. (cf. Matt.17:6; the transfiguration; John 18:6; His betrayal by Judas and His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane). 

Application: The apostle Paul urges that the attitude of humility (which led to the kenosis) ought to characterize every Christian (v.5). (First Ref. Phil.2:7; Primary Ref. Phil.2:7; cf. John 1:14).’ 

Oh friends, this morning I want to leave us with that same advice; let’s do some kenosis nuh; let’s empty ourselves of all the haughtiness and foolish pride that so often consumes us, and let’s take on the humility of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, as we ought to. For that is indeed the zenith of wisdom. Much LOVE

…humility and servant-hood…two of the signs of a true Christian…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 February 2016 Philippians 2:5‏‏

10 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 2:5.      Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.

Ah Friends, laziness is a hell of a thing yes! How many of you noticed yesterday that the top heading had one date and the bottom one another eh? Computers make it too easy for us sometimes. This copy and paste thing can do serious damage if we’re not careful. My sincere apologies to those of you who noticed. I aced it this morning though, got them both right! (smile)

So the bacchanal done now mih people; Carnival over and we now into the godly season of Lent. Let’s hope that we extinguished all our energy and frustrations during the Carnival period and are now ready to settle down to a serious time of consideration and ‘ponderation’ on God and all that He stands for, because this is the season for it.

Now, as per activities, yesterday, after finishing my buss-up shirt, I went down to Scarborough to see some local mas. Hn! We got down there about two o’clock, only to find the streets empty, not a mas in sight.

We walked up to where they were supposed to be judging the bands, but could not get a seat out of the sun because they had private tents, or tents with no seats, so we walked back to a closed up café or chicken joint, that had an awning over the front, the same place we were last year.

This time there were no chairs in front, apparently the owners got smart after last year, but there were a few benches by the side, we put one under the awning and limed there until we left around five thirty.

At two thirty, no mas had appeared, so I told the duchess if none appears by three o’clock we would leave. Luckily, about ten to three a sailor band with about a dozen people, of whom I knew about four, came down the road, passed the judging stand and eventually ended up liming right by us.

As the afternoon progressed about five bands eventually passed up in front of us, and I saw a few other people I knew, so it wasn’t a complete waste of time. As usual though I could not see a pan side on the road to jump with. Ah Lord eh, what has mas come to eh, when there’s no pan on the road? Steups!

One friend there kept telling me how the pans usually come out after six o’clock, but who knows if what he said was true, and I definitely wasn’t hanging around to find out. So the duchess and I walked back to the car, not too far really, but it was a bit difficult, and the Lord ended up carrying me.

I definitely couldn’t make it on my own strength, even with my cane. And who says our God isn’t a great and caring God eh! I certainly won’t because there are many days without His help, I wouldn’t make it through. Anyway, enough about me and mas.

Today is Ash Wednesday. Hope those of you so interested went to church and got your ashes. I was too tired to get up, and the service in my area was too early, six a.m. But I think there is one at six p.m. tonight. I might check that out. And since it’s Wednesday, then we need to declare our Wednesday Wail with much gusto and sincerity.

As one now, let’s wail: ‘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!’

Oh my people, it’s so good to be alive on this Ash Wednesday, and alive in sweet Tobago too, that I can die from the happiness! (smile) But then we need to put our noses to the grindstone and focus our every thought on Jesus, keep looking ahead to the wonderful future He has planned for us, not at the past as so many of us unfortunately do.

Ah my fellow believers, what is past has gone, and believe me, our best days are still ahead, out in front of us, if we keep hanging sincerely with Jesus. But as our Bit tells us, we can’t be like Jesus unless we first think like Him. ‘Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.’

And today I want to share some explanations from the scholars on the 2nd to 4th verses of the chapter. ‘Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same LOVE, being of one accord, of one mind.’ (Phil.2:2) Then he continues talking about the need for no strife and pride, selfishness and being our brother’s keeper.

The scholars offer these explanations: ‘2:2-4. Fulfill ye my joy (or, “Make my joy complete”). Paul rejoiced over the Philippians (1:3), but his happiness was incomplete, owing to some disunity and lack of total harmony among them. The Greek equates what, to Paul, constitutes “complete joy” with the readers being likeminded. This means “living in harmony” with one another. That is, the Philippians can “fulfill” the writer’s “joy” by living in harmony among themselves.

But what does such harmonious living entail? Beginning in verse 2 and continuing through verse 4, six participles spell out and clearly define what it means to “live in harmony:” (1) having the same LOVE toward one believer as shown toward another, without partiality; (2) being of one accord; that is, they are to be united in spirit; (3) of one mind; that is, the whole church is to have the same values and goals;

(4) let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, for selfish ambition or conceit; (5) let each esteem other better than themselves, that is, each is  to regard his fellow Christian as more important than himself; and (6) look…every man also on the things of others; that is, each is to be just as concerned for the needs and problems of his brother as he is for his own affairs.’

Oh friends, oh friends, that’s exactly what Christianity is all about, living in LOVE and harmony with and for each other! It’s what Jesus taught, and how He lived! But are we doing that today? Hn! Definitely not as much as we should, else our world and our Christian fellowship would not be in the bad shape they are in.

So today, on this Ash Wednesday of 2016, please, let’s sit down and consider, ponder the way we live, and try, with God’s help obviously, to bring it more in line with the Christian principles outlined above nuh. For that my brethren, is the indisputable wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!

…oh how good and precious it is…when brethren live together in true harmony…