Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 January 2024 Joshua 21:45.

12 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

Joshua 21:45.       There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

The week’s finished mih people! That means we can cry out: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday…and the weekend’s here at long last!’ Yes, I know some of us had it hard slogging through a whole five day work week, having not done one for a while. But I’m sure, with the awesome help of Jesus, we all came through it with flying colours. And that’s the beauty of having Jesus as Lord and Saviour; we can always depend on Him, trust Him to help us in our time of need. That reminds us of the song that calls Him, the Way Maker, Promise Keeper and Light in the Darkness. 

And why is he called the Way Maker? Because He can, and does make a way where there seems to be no way! For He is the way, the truth and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him.’ (John 14:6)  So, in the first place if we’re looking for a way, Jesus is the One to turn to. And secondly, ‘By serving as the atoning sacrifice for all of the world’s sins, Jesus made a way for EVERYONE to enter into Heaven.’ How wonderful is that eh my brethren! Jesus made a way for all of us to go to heaven! And thirdly, as He said to the disciples re the camel passing through the eye of a needle: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) 

That means that Jesus can do ANYTHING! Therefore, He is the person that we need to put our total trust in, to surrender our all to, because He is also a faithful Promise Keeper! Yes friends, our wonderful God and Saviour is still in control of the universe He created and His promises are true. He’s never reneged on one! And there are many scriptures which proclaim that truth. Let’s look at a couple of them nuh, beginning with the Book of Joshua, where it speaks of the division of the Promised Land to the tribes of Israel. The Word says: ‘There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.’ (Josh. 21:45) 

That’s for sure my brethren! Not a single word that the Lord spoke to Israel failed! And later on, Joshua himself said to the people: ‘And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth (going to die): and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.’ (Josh. 23:14) And if the Israelites were truthful, they would have admitted that, since all the promises God made to them about bringing them out of bondage in Israel to the Promised Land were faithfully fulfilled. 

Cousin Sol said the same thing when he made His great prayer to God and speech to Israel after the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the newly built temple. He said: ‘Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest (peace) unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of his servant Moses.’ (1 Kin. 8:56) And what about the father of our faith eh, Abraham? At seventy years of age, he packed up family and his belongings and left his homeland to wander where he knew not, because a God he didn’t know told him to do so. And what of it, you ask? 

Listen to Bruh Paul as he writes to the Roman church on the subject of Abraham’s faithfulness. ‘Who against hope (contrary to the circumstances) believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he (Abraham) considered not his own body now dead, when he was an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: he staggered (wavered) not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong (strengthened) in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded (convinced) that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.’ (Rom. 4:18-22) 

Yuh see friends, the Lord always keeps His promises, though they may take a long time to come to pass, like the twenty five years it took for Abraham and Sarah to have the child, Isaac, who would enable the promise of ‘the Father of nations’ to be kept. But though we sometimes have to wait a long time for the Lord’s promises to come true, like Abraham, we need to be strong in faith, never doubting that they will eventually happen. For as Peter writes: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but he is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) 

Oh my people, our God takes His promises very seriously and doesn’t make them unless He intends to keep them. Let’s believe that with all our hearts souls, mind and bodies, for if we do, it will stand us in very good stead in this fickle and faithless world. And since we don’t want to make the Bit too long for our short mind spans, (smile) we’ll deal with the ‘Light in the Darkness’ aspect of Jesus’ attributes tomorrow, obviously if God spares life. Now let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant seeking divine help for our many earthly problems. 

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And the best way to invoke that divine help is by taking action and truly setting the example of faithful believers we talk about! Much LOVE!

…there’s no reason whatsoever…to doubt the power, promises and faithfulness of our God Jehovah… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 January 2024    1 Peter 4:16.

08 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 4:16.        Yet, if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (matter).

And the first full work week in a while has dawned damp and cloudy, and undoubtedly some of us will find it difficult to handle the full five days. But we must rise up to the challenge if this year is to be a very important one in the annals of the Christian faith. The one where we make a significant impact on the negative, sinful, ungodly and evil doings of our world, as encouraged by the enemy. And believe me Satan won’t take out offensive decisions and actions lying down. No! He will increase his efforts of temptation and deceitfulness to get us to lose heart, to faint and be discouraged. 

But friends, we can only gain the victory if we stand strong and steadfast in the promises and LOVING-KINDNESS of Christ, and not fall prey to the tempter’s wiles and lies! And he is very good at what he does, so please don’t think we can ever defeat him on our own. We most definitely need the help of the Holy Spirit to do it successfully. We need to be as Peter describes in his first epistle. 

‘Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried (tested) with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing (revelation) of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye LOVE; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.’ (1 Pet. 1:6-9) 

Yes friends, while we are alive in this world our faith will be tried, first by the devil through manifold or diversified temptations, and also by God, to see if our faith can stand the test of those temptations better than gold can stand the test of fire. As the scholars explain: ‘The problem of salvation looks to the present. Earthly trials constitute a problem of our salvation, but they are only for a season, or temporary. True faith cannot be destroyed though God is in the process of refining faith through our trials.’ 

Oh my people, if our faith is strong and true, then it will not be destroyed by God’s testing nor the devil’s provocation! And Peter solidifies that later in the chapter, when he talks about being partakers in Christ’s suffering. ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as (to the extent that) ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

If ye be reproached (insulted) for the name of Christ, happy (blessed) are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of (blasphemed), but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief or as an evildoer, or as a busybody (meddler) in other men’s matters. Yet, if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (matter).’ (1 Pet. 4:12-16) 

No doubt about it mih bredrin, the Christian life can be a difficult one to live, but if we stand up strong for Jesus and suffer whatever it is that comes against us in His name, with a true sense of purpose, then we will be well rewarded in the end. We need to be able to say like Bruh Paul did to Timothy: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (run my race), I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:7-8) 

So my fellow saints, that’s some of what we are up against if we truly desire to live for Christ and make a significant difference in this year of 2024! There’ll be temptations from Satan, tests from God, unjust accusations and trials, simply because we profess Christ’s name. However, in all these things we are expected to stand strong through Christ who strengthens us through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Now, there are times when we will falter and or fail, and God knows and expects that, but we must always get up and try again, for in Christ’s vocabulary the words ‘give up’ don’t exist. No friends, giving up is NEVER an option. 

And if overall, we run a good earthly race and fight a good fight, then we will be handsomely rewarded come the judgement day with a crown of righteousness by the righteous judge, the Lord God Jehovah Himself! Now what can be better than that to look forward to eh? NOTHING my brethren, absolutely NOTHING! Now, with all of that possibly sitting on some of us like a heavy load, let’s take our problems to the throne of grace through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, so that we can find help in time of need. 

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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And as our prayer so wisely advises, if we expect to receive divine help, then a good place to begin is turning from our evil ways, with sincere repentance in our hearts. Much LOVE!

…Jesus suffered much for us…without complaints…and we are also expected to suffer some for Him…without complaints… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 December 2023 Mark 10:45.

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

Mark 10:45.       For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (be served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.

At long last Friday is here and the joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been heard all around our chaotic and disaster filled world! It doesn’t matter that there’s war and rumours of war prevailing in numerous places, the start of the weekend is ever so important, especially as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And doesn’t it seem somewhat ironic that He is called the Prince of Peace, but so many of His supposed followers are actively engaged in war and untold evil deeds? 

And I’m sure it hurts Jesus’ heart to see that those for whom He left His heavenly splendour and took on the fleshly human body and came to earth to save are now such warmongers. The sacrifice of His sinless body and soul obviously didn’t mean all that much to mankind, for brother is still fighting brother, while the inhumanity of man to man is still making countless millions mourn. When are we going to learn eh my brethren, that the constant fighting, anger, hatred, bitterness, resentment and atrocious deeds that are currently so prevalent in our world, are not helping any of us, just making us more satanic and less godly? 

Right now, it’s much easier to count the places where some sort of peace prevails, than those where upheaval and chaos are running riot. Doesn’t that say something awful about us when the attributes of his satanic majesty, instead of those of Almighty God are much more prevalent in our world? It certainly does! It tells us that our sinful, warmongering nature has finally come to the forefront, while the compassion, grace and mercy of God have taken a sad backseat in our society. And many of us who still claim to be such devoted Christians are among the biggest haters, warmongers, evildoers and hypocrites in the world! 

How then can Jesus’ church sincerely flourish under such ungodly situations eh? It’s certainly a difficult task to execute, but definitely not impossible. It just means that those of us who are sincere in our beliefs will have to make a greater effort to keep Christ’s church on an even keel, growing even under the worst of circumstances. And that’s made even more difficult because of the numerous divisions and dissensions among Christ’s people. And the sad part is that so many of those divisions and dissensions have come about over petty human jealousies, greed and everybody wanting to be the leader. 

But friends, there’s ONLY ONE LEADER in Christ’s church, that’s Christ Himself! The rest of us are merely stewards, glorified servants of Christ, but we do exactly what He’s told us not to do, that’s exalt ourselves. Remember Christ’s words when His disciples were arguing who would be the greatest amongst them. Jesus specifically warned: ‘Ye know that they which are accounted to rule (are considered rulers) over the Gentiles exercise lordship (lord it) over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be (desires to be) great among you, shall be your minister (servant): And whosoever of you will be the chiefest (desires to be the first), shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (be served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (Mark 10:41-45) 

But to this day, we all still rush to be the first, to be seen as leaders, although our servanthood doesn’t qualify us for leadership. Unlike us friends, Jesus didn’t just talk the talk, but He also walked the walk. Remember His conversation with the disciples when He washed their feet, a job that was usually done by the lowliest person in the household, so much so that at first Peter refused to let Him wash his. But Jesus stopped him in his tracks by saying. ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’ (John 13:8) As simple as that; if you won’t allow me to stoop and wash your feet, then you have no part in my organization. 

And after Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, He explained His philosophy on the subject. He first asked: ‘Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master (Teacher) and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master (Teacher), have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord (master); neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’ (John 13:12-17) 

Oh my fellow believers, it couldn’t get any more straightforward than that! But, unfortunately, how many of us in today’s church are truly willing to serve, even in the upper echelons, much less in some low capacity eh? Too many of us supposed believers just want to enjoy the perks of the church without contributing in any way to them. But that’s not what Jesus taught or exemplified. This commentary tells it like it is: ‘He (Jesus) was a servant because He dedicated his life to setting people free. He set them free by healing them, delivering them, and by teaching them. His life was a ransom; He lived in such a way that when He encountered people they would be set free in some way. Even though Jesus was God in human form, He humbled Himself to serve His disciples. This act of service showed His humility and LOVE for His followers.’ 

And these words of Bruh Paul written to the Philippians highlight the servanthood of Christ. ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (think like Jesus did); 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 (emptied Himself of His godly privileges): And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2:5-8) 

Now that’s the picture of a true servant! And I know that in this evil and ungodly world it’s difficult to model Jesus’ servanthood, but with the help of God, it’s not impossible. So, please, through our Friday Chant, let’s go to the throne of grace right now, to find the help we need to be a good example like Christ. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And having said all of that, our first priority now should be to truthfully and sincerely become and behave like faithful believers and set a good example to the world! Much LOVE!

…the world can only see Jesus nowadays…through the lives of His followers…   

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 December 2023   2 Thessalonians 3:10.

11 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Thessalonians 3:10.       For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Ah chuh! Another Monday, another new work week! Yes friends, the ever-revolving cycle continues, for once there is Sunday, then there must be Monday. That’s just how the Lord planned it, and there’s nothing we can do to get away from it while we’re alive here on God’s good earth, so we had better learn to live with it, to take it in stride and enjoy it. 

And an interesting thought just struck me; who knows if there won’t be different days in heaven too, and not only one long stretch of endless time. For sure though, we will have to work in heaven, whatever kind of work it might be, it’s definitely not going to be all sunshine, wine and roses while lazing on our fannies all day! No sir! The Lord expects us to do something productive both here on the earth and in heaven above. So we better had start contemplating it all, as of right now! End of story! (smile) 

And talking about work, to many in these modern times it’s anathema, abhorrent, repugnant, violently disliked. And that’s just stating it mildly! Even among the young generation, the very thought of the word work leaves a bad taste in their mouths, so strong is their attitude of entitlement. Maybe though, if we were to apply Bruh Paul’s recipe to the Thessalonians for those who not only dislike work but refuse to do it, we might have a much better work ethic prevailing in our current society. And what’s Bruh Paul’s recipe you ask? 

Listen to him tell it. He begins by describing his own work ethic among the Thessalonians. ‘For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought (free of charge); but wrought (worked) with labour and travail (toil) night and day, that we might not be chargeable (a burden) to any of you. Not because we have not power (authority), but to make ourselves an ensample  unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (2 Thess. 3:7-10) 

Wow! What an original idea! How wonderful would that be eh, if it were implemented in our lazy, entitled, lack of work ethic society! Oh, what a ghastly uproar it would cause! But how else do we get the young to appreciate the value of work, for a society without a good work ethic dies a slow but painful death. And that is exactly what’s happening to our society today; we are dying a slow but painful death because work and all the other things it entails, like diligence and excellence, doing our best, are no longer prominent in today’s milieu. 

And I believe Bruh Paul must have looked to the future and seen the state of our current society, that’s why he penned this next verse. ‘For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.’ (2 Thess. 3:11) Ah mih people, I don’t believe there’s ever been a time in the annals of man when there have been more busybodies, gossips and the like. It’s even become a lucrative business for many, and the advent of social media has made it even worse, where everyone has an opinion on everything and can easily spread it without too much fear of retribution. And the recent upgrades of Artificial Intelligence (A.I) is set to further the confusion of truth, fakes, disinformation, propaganda, conspiracy theories, etc. etc. 

What a crazy world we’re living in Dr. Jack! Very few of us know what’s fact from fiction, and Artificial Intelligence is about to make it even more difficult. And the problem is that sometimes even when you see something yourself, it can easily be a fake situation, something someone purposely set up to lure you into thinking what they want you to think, as with fake accidents for the intent of scamming money from the Insurance Companies. That’s become a big one these days.  Oh mih bredrin, crooks come in all colours, sizes, shapes and genders, we just have to be continually on our p’s and q’s to not be taken in by them. 

But getting back to Buh Paul’s plan, of no work, no food. It was not a total dismissal, he did leave room for compassion. He writes: ‘Now them that are such (idle, busybodies) we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish (warn) him as a brother.’ (2 Thess. 12-15) 

Yes friends, there is room for compassion. As the scholars explain: ‘3:14-15. This instruction falls short of excommunication. Paul intends for his readers to shame the brother who is not an enemy into obedience.’ Well good luck with that! Bruh Paul doesn’t know the large number of us who don’t know the meaning of the word shame! Otherwise our society would not be as shameful and shameless as it is! So who knows how it’s all going to play out with all the craziness and confusion that’s currently controlling our world? 

Only the Lord above! That’s why we need to keep Him as close to us as possible, because He is the ONLY One who can guide us safely through this terrible storm and overwhelming darkness that’s taken over the earth. And having said all of that, let’s now go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, in confident humility seeking divine help to address our many problems. 

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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And after expressing those sentiments, the first item on our agenda should be repentance and turning from our evil ways, for that’s the only way we’ll ever get divine help! Much LOVE!

…if work is not a priority in your life…then you’re on the wrong planet… 

 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 December 2023 Colossians 3:23.

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

Colossians 3:23.       And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.

And then it was Friday, that magical day we all long for and pray to see, so that we can joyfully declare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And we don’t care so much what the weather is like once it’s Friday and our work week is winding down. And by the way, today will be mostly cloudy, though somewhat warmer than normal. 

But what a way our society doesn’t treasure work eh! Some of us will do anything to get away from it, even when doing nothing is more difficult than working. I’ve seen people go to a job and spend the entire 8 or twelve hours trying to shirk the li’l work involved. But come quitting time and payday, they’re brazen enough to find fault, although they haven’t performed their duties to the best of their abilities. But that’s the way of life these days! 

The level of supposed entitlement is dreadfully high in today’s wasteful and lazy society. Don’t know how we got to that awful stage, but hopefully though, true believers in Christ, who are expected to do their best under all circumstances, will not fall into that trap of Satan. And yes, sometimes that’s difficult, especially when you see others continually lazing around with no adverse consequences, and receiving the same remuneration as yourself. 

Let’s remember though my brethren that in the long run, we are working for Almighty God, not for men, and He expects us to put our best foot forward at all times, even when it’s difficult and/or unfair. As Bruh Paul writes so emphatically to the Colossians, in the passage where he describes some of the duties and responsibilities of husbands and wives, fathers, children and slaves: ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.’ (Col. 3:23-24) 

Yes friends, whatever we do, whatever kind of work we are doing, we ought to work heartily at it. In other words ‘with all your heart and all the different ways that plays out in scripture, with Christ-like character, with honesty, with diligence, with integrity, with humility.’ And why is that you ask? The second verse answers the question. We know that if we do as the Lord desires, we will receive an inheritance of reward from Him, for we are serving Christ. 

And then this last verse in the passage confirms the wisdom of working as for the Lord and not for man. ‘But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.’ (Col. 3:25) There we have it my brethren; however we do our work, there shall be consequences involved, either good or bad, but that depends entirely on us. 

And not only Bruh Paul encourages us to work diligently, but Cousin Sol, as he is won’t to do, (smile) also has a take on the subject. Writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, in a passage where he extols his readers to live joyfully, he exhorts: ‘Live joyfully (enjoy life) with the wife whom thou LOVEST all the days of the life of thy vanity (empty life), which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest (performest) under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.’ (Eccl. 9:10) 

Trust Cousin Sol to say it like it is. We ought to enjoy our lives, for that’s our portion granted to us by God. Whatever we’re doing then, we ought to do it well, for there’s no work where we’re all going to end up eventually; that’s the grave. That reminds us of another scripture, where Bruh Paul is writing to the church at Rome, telling them about overcoming evil with good. Part of the passage exhorts believers to ‘Be kindly affectioned (be affectionate) one to another, with brotherly LOVE, in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another; Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence), fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.’ (Rom. 12:10-11)  

There we have it again my people; the importance of doing whatever we do well, because it’s ultimately in the Lord’s service! And earlier in Colossians chapter 3, where Bruh Paul talks about putting on the new man, he ends with these encouraging words. ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ (Col. 3:17) So we see my fellow saints, that it’s not only our work we should be diligent in, and do it as unto God rather than men, but whatever we say or do in this life ought to be done in Christ’s name, so that the Father can get the thanks and glory, He so well deserves. 

And having said all of that, let’s now go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to do all that we’ve spoken about. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as we all know, the first rule in receiving divine help is to repent of our sins and change our evil ways, and become truly faithful believers. So let’s set about doing those things nuh! Much LOVE!

…Jesus expects diligence and excellence…in ALL things…from His followers…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 December 2023   1 Timothy 6:10.

01 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 6:10.       For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil;

Well friends, we might be shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ on this first day of December 2023, but it’s not such a good day, because it’s wet and cloudy and miserable. It seems to be the kind of weather that just gets inside your soul and irritates it no end. (smile) However, many of us don’t care, because it’s Friday and the end of the work week, and we have all sorts of plans for the upcoming weekend as the Christmas Season gets into full swing. And is it ever a busy season; shopping for gifts for the friends and family, decorating the house and the yard, baking and cooking, the numerous things we do to get ready for Christmas. 

But friends, allow me to include one word of caution; please, let’s remember the reason for the season, the birth of Christ! That’s why there’s a Christmas or holiday or whatever season you want to call it. We celebrate the incarnate birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and though it’s good to have all the worldly hoopla, we must not forget what brings us the joy, and focus on Jesus more than on the things the world considers important. It’s sad, but every year, less and less people are focusing on Jesus being the reason for Christmas and more on the holiday spirit, the shopping and decorating, baking and cooking, as the world exerts more ungodly influence over the traditional Christmas season. 

But as true believers, let’s not allow Christ to be taken from Christmas, but to be more firmly planted and rooted there, as He ought to be! End of Sermon! (smile) And as I was going to ask what’s on the agenda for today, I opened the Bible and where do you think it opened to? These everlasting wise, interesting and encouraging words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil; which some have coveted after (for which some in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ (1 Tim. 6:10) 

And unfortunately, too many of us have done just that! But let’s get one thing straight, the LOVE of money is not the only source or root of evil, there are many others, but the LOVE of money is a prime one. For as Bruh Paul says above there, many have coveted after money, ‘striven after’ money as the goal of life, and have ended up in sorrows, in ruin, physically, spiritually and financially. And there’s no season like this Christmas one where money is ever so important, because if you don’t have it you can’t buy the things you believe you need. 

Thus many of us without the hard cash to purchase what we want, go out and splurge on our Credit Cards during this time, but when the bills start coming in in January, we hold our heads and bawl: ‘Woe is me! Where am I going to get the money to pay all these bills? I shouldn’t have bought all that stuff on Credit!’ That’s for sure! But please remember that hindsight has 20-20 vision. However, then it’s too late to do anything about our mistakes. What we need more desperately than anything else is foresight, where we sit and consider the consequences of our actions before me make them. 

For, as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) God rest his departed soul, liked to say: ‘You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.’ Yes mih bredrin, at some stage of the game, all the chickens will come home to roost, and if you haven’t prepared properly for them, you won’t be able to handle them. And it’s all about first considering the consequences of our actions, for every action has a consequence. Just like those who strive after money and material wealth end up in sorrow away from the church, all our ungodly and unwise actions have consequences that drive us to our knees…and sometimes even to the madhouse. 

That’s why we need to listen to these further words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and has professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) 

Oh my fellow saints, that’s the kind of stuff we all need to follow. Shun the LOVE of money and striving for material wealth with all its consequential troubles. And instead pursue things like righteousness or practical correctness, as the scholars tell us: ‘Conforming to God’s will in one’s thinking and acting. While godliness is proper reverence for, and obedience to God. And faith is a trust in God that grows stronger with each passing day. LOVE is a maturing affection for God and man. Patience is perseverance or steadfastness in life and service. Meekness is gentleness.’ 

Yes my people, those are the things we need to help us fight the good fight of faith; the daily struggle of life, bombarded by sin and ungodly distractions at every turn, plus the adversity we all go through at one time or another. The scholars tell us: ‘A genuine believer demonstrates the reality of his faith by being engaged in this warfare.’ And that’s exactly what we need to do; put on the armour of God and daily fight the good fight of faith. Remember we cannot fight successfully without armour, and spiritual warfare without the spiritual armour of God. (Eph. 6:10-18) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for divine help to do all the things we’ve just spoken about. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And to get the ball rolling, we need to do exactly what we just expressed: be a good example of faithful believers. That’s the ONLY way divine help will come! Much LOVE!

…you can’t take your material treasures to heaven…only the spiritual ones… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 November 2023   2 Timothy 2:3.

27 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 2:3.        Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship) as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Ah friends, even on the fairest day, Monday is tough enough to execute, but when it’s also damp from yesterday evening’s rains, chilly and windy, as it is today, then it just triggers a bigger negative response in our souls. (smile) Oh, we know we are going to get through it all right with the help and guidance of Jesus and His Holy Spirit, but it just takes a li’l more out of us than normal, requires a strong and steadfast burst of faith, trust and surrender. I guess that’s when we have to do like Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship) as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) 

Now that seems like a very simple scripture, but it is rather profound, and it is not always easy to do in this modern day society, with all the distractions and evil deeds that constantly bombard us from all different directions. However, like everything else Christ asks us to do, we can do it, because He always anoints us to do His will. But the doing then depends on us, if we are willing to stand up and face the adversity in His name. And again, it’s like Bruh Paul admonished and exhorted Timothy later on. ‘But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.’ (2 Tim. 4:5) 

Yes friends, those words also pertain to us, because it’s not only pastors who have ministries, for every believer has a ministry; meaning whatever job the Lord has anointed us to carry out on His behalf, whatever plan He’s laid out for our life. So we don’t need to be the shepherd of a large congregation to talk about our ministry, for even if we’re only mentoring one new believer, or being the only believer in a group of unbelievers, then that’s our ministry, and we ought to carry it out with the zest and zeal like if we had a worldwide organization to look after. 

For, as Bruh Paul continues to hammer home to poor Timothy. ‘No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.’ (2 Tim. 2:4) That means if Jesus has appointed us to be His soldier, disciple, agent or whatever, we cannot get entangled in the affairs of this world and all its evil and futile distractions, but we need to pay serious attention to Jesus’ work, concentrate on what He’s asked of us, because He’s the one that’s hired us to look after His affairs. 

Suffering privation, or affliction is an essential aspect of any soldier’s job. Consequently, we must also heed these words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.’ (2 Tim. 1:8-10) 

Oh my fellow believers, one thing we should never be found guilty of is being ashamed of the testimony of Christ, that’s His gospel. It’s the story of His life and death and the good news of salvation, of eternal life and the reversal of sin that it brought about through the unmerited favour and grace of God, absolutely not of our doing. Remember too these very important words of Jesus. ‘Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is heaven.’ (Matt. 10:32-33) 

And I know that scripture has some of us scratching our heads and wondering if we fall under it, because for whatever reason(s), we’ve denied Christ at some stage of our life. But I believe this excerpt from a commentary on the subject helps to clarify the matter. It says: ‘The full context of Scripture strongly suggests that a single, panic-driven denial of Jesus will not necessarily end a believer’s opportunity to spend eternity with the Father. Christians are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, not by perfect performance in acknowledging Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

Peter will most famously deny Christ at a crucial moment because of his own fear of being arrested and killed (Matthew 26:69-74). After Jesus’ resurrection and the arrival of the Holy Spirit, though, Peter will spend the rest of his life powerfully acknowledging Jesus to others (Acts 2). Where this warning becomes more dire is in the lives of those who consistently, or easily, dissociate themselves from Christ for the sake of health, wealth, popularity, or freedom. Those who aren’t willing to be associated with Jesus on earth won’t be allowed to claim association with Him in eternity (Matthew 10:37; Mark 8:36).’ 

And I do hope that explanation settle the queries in some of our minds. (smile) And now, having spoken about some of the difficult but necessary stuff, needed to live sincerely for Jesus, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn asking for divine help to accomplish it. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And the easiest and best way to acquire divine help is by doing exactly what we say above there; turn from our evil ways. Yes friends, that’s the first step in any reconnection with Almighty God! Much LOVE!

…any soldier worth his salt…will stand up strong and steadfast in battle…so should Christians for Christ… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 November 2023   2 Timothy 3:1.

24 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 3:1.        This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

And after only one measly day of Thanksgiving in the U.S, the world has followed it back to its favourite pastime; making money! Yes, today is Black Friday, the day of the biggest sales events of the year in the U.S. and neighboring countries like Canada, have no recourse but to follow the foolishness, which is mostly like a magicians setup, illusory; consisting of good  hand and eye coordination, wands and staffs making you feel like something is going on, when in reality it’s all an illusion. 

It’s the same with many of these supposed big Black Friday sales, they promise the world but only offer a few items truly on sale. The desire of the whole operation is to get you into the store and wave their magic wands at you, confuse you into buying stuff you either don’t need, or you can’t afford. And it’s sad that every year the same things happen; people fall for it, rushing and pushing to get into the stores, which usually leads to some sort of unnecessary violence. 

But the store owners don’t care, they are just interested in the congested traffic and the money been spent in their businesses. Then tomorrow they’ll holler about their big profits, laughing all the way to the bank, celebrating another successful exercise in psychological illusion on the masses. 

Ah Lord eh! When are we ever going to learn? We seldom ever get something for nothing, or less than it costs the sellers. The business people are there to make money, not to give it away There’s always a catch to their sales pitch, a price to be paid, be it up front or later. But we keep on falling for the sales pitches, especially in these times of high inflation and low monetary rewards in the comparatively few jobs available. 

And it’s interesting how prices keep on rising, along with profits, but the wages of the workers remain stagnant, and if the purveyors of the criminal economic actions, could, they would even try to lower the wages of their employees. No wonder the ongoing truth in the sad statement; man’s inhumanity to man, makes millions mourn. And, unfortunately, it seems like we have reached the stage of world evil and ungodliness that Bruh Paul warned Timothy about in his second letter. 

‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers (irreconcilable), false accusers (slanderers), incontinent (without self-control), fierce (brutal), despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady (reckless), highminded (haughty),lovers of pleasures more than (rather) than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-5) 

And isn’t that a most accurate picture of our current world? Sad to say, it most certainly is!  Our world has gone crazy, with no kind of discipline, everyone just looking out for themselves, doing what they want with no regard to how their actions affect other around them. And don’t talk about ungodliness, for I don’t know if there’s ever been such an ungodly time as this. 

We’ve even reached the stage of attempting to push God out of our society, which only shows how proud, haughty and foolish we’ve become, because the Creator of the universe will NEVER allow himself to be pushed out of His own creation! But we haven’t learned from Satan’s quick demise when as the Archangel Lucifer he tried to overthrow God, but was summarily kicked out of heaven to dwell in the fires of hell. Satan has learned his lesson, but he’s trying to get us to do his dirty work for him, and unfortunately too many of us are listening to him and doing it. 

But friends, wisdom dictates that if you want to live the abundant life, you can’t walk with the chickens or fly with the low flying birds, you must soar with the eagles. And that’s what the Lord is expecting of each one of us who calls himself a child of the Most High God! And yes, it’s not easy to soar with the eagles when the crows and chickens keep nipping at your feet, but we do have an avenue to help us get away from them, that’s the throne of grace. So please, let’s go there right now nuh, through our Friday Chant to get the help we need to keep soaring with the eagles. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And the first item on our to do list my people, is to set a good and godly example to those around us, otherwise there will be no divine help forthcoming. Much LOVE!

…as true believers in Christ…we need to stop falling for the evil wiles of Satan… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 November 2023   1 Thessalonians 5:24.

10 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 5:24.       Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

And as always, the usual worldwide shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ reverberated far and wide this Friday morning. And I can’t complain too much because I’m feeling a tad better, on the way to a full recovery, and the sun’s shining brightly out there amongst the clouds with a decent temperature! So there is cause for joy and thanksgiving! And talking about joy and thanksgiving, I just got the zeppo (smile) to turn to Bruh Paul’s warning to the Thessalonians, where he writes these remarkable words of Christian faith. So let’s pay attention, as he admonishes the church, both then and now. 

‘Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly (insubordinate), comfort the feebleminded (faint-hearted), support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:14-18) Yes friends, those are some good words for us to meditate on this Friday morning as we end our workweek and begin our weekend of rest and rejuvenation. (smile) 

And we all know those words are not easy to follow, especially in the evil and hateful climate that currently exists in our world. But Jesus told us from the very beginning that the Christian life would not be easy, but be full of trials and tribulations, requiring sacrifices and adversity. However, with His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we would be well able to carry out whatever duties were required of us, provided we obeyed the leading and prompting of said Holy Spirit, for our God NEVER asks us to do anything without giving us the wherewithal to do it. Whatever He asks us to do, He conveniently anoints us to do it. 

So, the onus is upon us when things don’t get done. And over the last couple of generations we have become a very disobedient and ungodly people thus the sorry state of our world. But despite our lack of obedience, the Lord doesn’t ever give up on us. He’s always there, encouraging us through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can repent and come back into His fold. Yes, it’s hard to rejoice and give thanks in all things, but that’s the plan the Lord has mapped out for each of us. 

Yuh think Jesus wanted to go to the cross for a bunch of ungrateful sinners? Definitely not! But the Father asked it of Him, and being the obedient and LOVING Son that He was, He sacrificed his sinless self on the cross at Calvary so that we could be reconciled back to the Father, from whom we’d been so long separated by the throes of sin. And since the Father’s eventual plan is for each believer to be a facsimile or copy of the Son, then we have to learn to conform to some things that seem difficult and even unfair, knowing that in the end, the Lord will work it all out for our good! 

Another thing, this prayer without ceasing, simply means that the Lord is always in our thoughts as we go through the day, and we’re either asking Him for help to handle what ever is before us, or giving Him thanks for helping us. It’s more an attitude of the heart than constant words coming out of our mouths. Furthermore, that attitude of prayer will help us to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity. 

And the next few verses of Bruh Paul’s admonishment are just as important, as he writes: ‘Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good. Abstain from all appearance (every form) of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly (set you apart for His holy purpose); and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.’ (1 Thess. 5:19-24) 

Ah mih people, it’s not an easy life, but overall it’s an excellent life, the best one we can possibly live on this earth. And the scholars offer these explanations on that verse, ‘Quench not the Spirit.’ They say: ‘Quench means putting out fire in Matthew 12:20, Ephesians 6:16, and Hebrews 11:34. Here it is employed metaphorically to mean “stifle” or “suppress.” The Christian can stifle the Holy Spirit’s workings by hindering Him from leading the believer to rejoice (vs. 16), to pray (vs. 17), to give thanks in adversity (vs. 18), and by despising prophetic utterances (vs. 20) inspired by the Spirit.’ 

So you see my fellow saints, everything is wrapped up in one big parcel, but we have the awesome help of the Holy Spirit to unravel anything we don’t understand. Remember the Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Comforter, our Guide, Jesus Christ, the Spirit of salvation in us! And let’s not forget that last verse we read: ‘Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.’ (1 Thess. 5:24) We need to truly believe that if we’re going succeed and enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have, both here on earth, and in heaven above. 

Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant asking for divine help in this dire time of need. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And having said that, we now need to do the obvious; turn from our evil ways and sincerely seek the Lord! Much LOVE!

…divine help occurs in direct proportion…to obedience to God’s will… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 October 2023 Colossians 3:23.

27 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:23.        And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

So it’s Friday, and the universal shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ has gone up all around the world! What a world! When all we seem to live for is Friday and the upcoming weekend. It’s all about getting away from the boring, same old, same old jobs that we do during the week, a lot of them by rote, that’s automatically, without having to think about what we’re doing. And, unfortunately, not a great percentage of us like our jobs, we just put up with them because they earn us the money to keep our lives going. 

What a sad thing it is when so many of us spend a lifetime doing jobs that we don’t like and are just looking forward to retirement and the time when we no longer have to do those mundane and boring jobs. It doesn’t say a whole lot for our society, when so many of our populace are disgruntled and dissatisfied. But thankfully, today we will learn how to avoid that self-defeating attitude of despising our jobs. 

First up, these wise words of Bruh Paul in his letter to the Colossians. ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Jesus Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.’ (Col. 3:23-25) 

And all that means is that believers, regardless of our station in life – be it the lowliest worker or highest paid leader – ought to do the best work they can despite their circumstances, to work as though they were working directly for God and not for men. And that’s a fact too, because in the long run, it’s the Lord who will richly reward them for their good work, while repaying, without partiality, the wrong doers with judgement for their evil deeds. 

And just in case you don’t believe Bruh Paul, then listen as Cousin Sol puts in in his perspective, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. He writes: ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.’ (Eccl. 9:10) And isn’t that the awesome truth! It certainly is. That means whatever we do on earth is our portion to do, since there’s no working in the grave. Thus, we ought to do to the best of our ability and as though we’re doing it unto our Creator, Almighty God! 

And above all, remember these key words of Jesus to the disciples: ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15). Now that also pertains to us in this age. And what does He mean by that? He means that we should not only keep the basic Ten commandments, but also the moral commandments that He gave us. Like LOVING one another, going the extra mile, turning the other cheek, doing unto others as we desire them to do unto us, being excellent and diligent in our work, not being too judgemental or critical of others, especially when we’re guilty of the same things. 

It’s those sorts of things that Jesus was more concerned about, things that were not written down as Old Testament law, but as His New Testament directives. It’s well documented about not killing and stealing nor committing adultery, but not His ways and the ways He wants us to follow. And besides, they were and still are in direct opposition to those of the world. And as He said earlier on: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:35) 

Yes my fellow believers, ALL that Jesus teaches can be confirmed in one small but ever so powerful word: LOVE! If we go about showing the LOVE of Jesus, doing the same basic things He did, to the best of our human capabilities, then we’re keeping His commandment. For remember Bruh Paul’s treatise on LOVE in what we term the LOVE chapter; that’s 1 Corinthians 13:, where he enlightens us on all the wonderful things that constitute LOVE. Things like long-suffering, kindness, not given to boasting or arrogance, doesn’t behave rudely or selfishly, doesn’t think nor rejoice in evil, but rejoices in truth, etc. etc.  

Then he ends with this perfect gem: ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE), these three, but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor. 13:13) Oh my people, LOVE is indeed God’s greatest attribute, and He expects His followers to walk in the footsteps of His Son Jesus Christ, whom He gave to be crucified for our sins because He LOVED us. It’s as simple as that my brethren. The Lord doesn’t expect anything from us that He won’t do or hasn’t done himself. 

And as we go out today, let’s remember these most poignant and true words of Peter. ‘And above all things, have fervent charity (LOVE) among yourselves: for charity (LOVE) shall cover the multitude of sins.’ (1 Pet. 4:8) And isn’t that the gospel truth! The LOVE of God towards us made Him send Jesus to die and cover our sins, and the LOVE we show to others, also covers both their sins and ours. So in one word, it’s all about LOVE! And having come to that awesome conclusion (smile) let’s now go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking the deep and sincere LOVE that we need to restore some sense of balance to our angry and terribly unbalanced world. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And the only way to receive divine help is by turning away from our evil deeds and being obedient to God’s will. So let’s do that now nuh, if we truly desire to hear a positive word from heaven. Much LOVE!

… LOVE makes the world go round…both literally and figuratively… 

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