Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 November 2022 Luke 9:23.

28 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Luke 9:23.        If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

So it’s Monday! What’s the big deal about that eh? Monday comes around every week, and we face it, with hope, prayer and faith in Almighty God, successfully defeat it and move on to the next day. And the reason why so many of us are in a tizzy come Monday morning is because we don’t make proper preparations for it on Sunday evening. 

Oh friends, the only way to successfully greet a new day is by being prepared for it, having some plan(s) to take it under our wing and control it, rather than have no plans, and allow it to control us. And since we all know that Monday is a day of work, it should be common sense, not rocket science to prepare for it beforehand, so that we’re not aimlessly rushing around looking for stuff on Monday morning. Surprisingly, no other day of the workweek seems to give us as much trouble as Monday, the one we have the most time to prepare for. Perhaps that’s the problem; we have too much time to prepare for it, so we keep putting it off until it’s too late. 

That recalls Cousin Sol’s wise words from Proverbs: ‘He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.’ (Prov. 25:28) And this other Proverb describes the same thing. ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ (Prov. 16:32) Likewise this one: ‘The discretion (self-control) of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov. 19:11) 

Yes my people, self-control is an essential aspect of successful living. In fact, it’s possibly the most important aspect, because if we don’t have it, we won’t be able to do the other necessary things properly. And remember it’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which means it will only flourish if we allow the Holy Spirit to water and nurture the godly seed planted in us. And the Bible gives us oodles of scriptures that bear out the importance of self-control, so let’s look at a few, hoping that they will help us in our ongoing battle with life. 

And probably the most famous one is that written to Timothy by Bruh Paul: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And to both Timothy and Titus, Bruh Paul wrote about the qualities needed for bishops and deacons as well as for ordinary believers and they all include that aspect of self-control. (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9, 2:1-10). And as well, in his treatise to Timothy on apostasy (turning away from faith in God) Bruh Paul writes that one of the signs would be ‘incontinent men,’ that’s men without self-control. 

Meanwhile Peter in his second epistle writes to the Jewish diaspora regarding growing in grace, in spiritual maturity. ‘And beside this (but also for this very reason), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (moral excellence); and to virtue knowledge (spiritual truth); and to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience (endurance); and to patience godliness; (2 Pet. 1:5-6) 

Now we can all see that the importance of self-control is no lie by just looking at the terrible state of our current world filled with so much confusion and strife, dissatisfaction, greed and an insatiable hunger for power, most of which is driven by a lack of self-control. 

And if you want it clearer than all that, then listen to Jesus as He discusses the terms of discipleship in His organization. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That’s as plain and straightforward as you can get. You have to be bubbling over with self-control to follow Jesus, meaning denying your own desires and instead following His. And there is more to say on the subject, but since I’m aspiring to keep the Bit as short as possible (smile) we’ll leave that for tomorrow, God willing. 

The next step then is to go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn asking for divine assistance. 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!’ 

And for us to get a positive reaction, it’s imperative that we keep our promises and show some improvement in our daily lives. Much LOVE!

…self-control is like body building…you have to exercise it for it to grow… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 November 2022 Philippians 3:14.

07 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 3:14.       I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ.

Up and at ‘em friends! It’s Monday, no time to waste lollygagging or pussyfooting, for our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ is already out on the battlefield ready to engage the enemy. That means our presence is absolutely necessary so the battle can be enjoined, for no wise General will go into combat without all His troops around Him. And if there’s one thing of which we are very certain it’s that our General, Jesus Christ is wise, exceptionally so!. Therefore, let’s get ourselves together this Monday morning and enthusiastically join the fray in the work world, and fight tooth and nail on Jesus’ behalf as good soldiers are expected to. 

Yes friends, it’s a new work week and Jesus desperately needs our help to make this world a better place, since He can’t do it all on His lonesome. He is depending on us to be good, reliable agents and ambassadors for His kingdom, thus necessitating raising the level of our involvement against the enemy. In other words, increasing our saltiness, our good and faithful actions and cleaning our lampshades so that our lights will shine brightly in a darkened world.

 It’s of the utmost importance that we fight a good fight. Like Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy in his last testament, prior to his death: ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:6-7) And that’s the kind of sincere statement we must be able to make at the end of our earthly journey, otherwise our sojourn here would have been a complete waste of time, of absolutely no use to Jesus’ kingdom. 

Now let’s consider a couple of other scriptures where Bruh Paul invokes the idea of life being a race and a fight for Christ. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote thus: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate in all things (has self-control). 

Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown; but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. But I keep under (discipline) my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’  (1 Cor. 9:24-27) 

You see my fellow believers this race we run for Christ and the fight we enjoin on His behalf is serious business. It calls for strenuous training and a high level of self-discipline, otherwise we are liable to be disqualified at the end, and not win that incorruptible crown. And it’s ever so important to achieve that crown. 

As Bruh Paul explains to Timothy. ‘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 that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:8) Now, if we want that crown of righteousness at the end, then we have to pull up our socks right now and sincerely work towards it. 

And these other verses of scripture show us how serious Bruh Paul was in his commitment to Christ. He wrote the church at Philippi: ‘That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.’ (Phil. 3:10) Ah yes! Bruh Paul wants to personally know Christ, to experience His resurrection power and share in His sufferings and thus conform to His death.’ Now that’s the kind of enthusiasm we too ought to show as believers in and followers of Christ. 

And later on, Bruh Paul emphasizes: ‘Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended (arrived): but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 3:13-14) 

Wow! We should be that enamoured of Christ! To forget our past achievements and success and keep reaching forward for the things of the future, in particular reaching the mark of knowing Christ, and the prize, the joyful satisfaction found in that attainment, as well as the ‘divine commendation and reward to be granted in heaven for having reached this goal on earth. The high calling of God is the divine summons extended to the believer for salvation.’  

So, having said all of that, how are we going to handle this new work week eh? I hope in a manner that will bring honour and glory to God through Christ Jesus. And there’s no better way to begin than with prayer. Altogether then, let’s confidently offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to the throne of grace, seeking mercy down here on earth. 

‘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 my fellow saints, let’s get out there and make big waves for Christ! Much LOVE!

…salvation is free…but heavenly rewards call for earthly sacrifices… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 November 2022 Psalm 107:8.

04 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 107:8.        Oh that men would praise (given thanks unto) the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men.

So friends, we’ve finally come to the day that we all look forward to, Friday! And everybody’s had their shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! The weekend is near and party time will soon begin!’ Some of us in my area will also proclaim: ‘Thank God the so and so fog is also gone!’ Yes friends, that fog was with us, all over the southern half of the province yesterday, with scattered patches of sunshine occurring during the afternoon hours. 

But yuh know what. That frustrating and oh so dangerous fog came back last night and was there until the early hours of the morning. Thankfully though it seems to be all dissipated now and we are blessed with wonderful, cloudless sunshine! All glory to God for His goodness to the children of men! 

And as we are on that point of God’s goodness (LOVING-kindness) to mankind, I guess it’s only wise to check out some scripture on the subject. And the most recognizable is that verse from Psalm 107: ‘Oh that men would praise (give thanks unto) the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men.’ (Ps. 107:8) And why is that eh? The psalmist was pondering and recollecting all the good things that the Lord had done for his people, descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And he found that verse so important that he inserted it three times in the psalm. 

Before that first time he was talking about how they wandered in the wilderness, hungry and thirsty, with nowhere to go and no one to help them. ‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.’ (Ps. 107:6-7) That’s certainly goodness and mercy on God’s part to the disobedient and unfaithful children of men, for which we ought to be thankful! 

Now, let’s read what the psalmist says after that first time. ‘For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron (prisoners); Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned (despised) the counsel of the Most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise (give thanks unto) the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men.’ (Ps. 107:9-15) 

Now doesn’t that give us cause to sit up and think about our own problems, our wandering in the deserts of futility and arrogance, about our disobedience to God ‘s word, and therefore living in the shadow of death, in darkness, prisoners of Satan, bound by the chains of affliction and sin? It certainly ought to! Just look around at our lawless, unruly, selfish, arrogant, strife-filled world and you will certainly see a reflection of the days of Israel’s lawlessness and ungodliness, when they got too big for their britches and found themselves in trouble of their own making. 

It’s the same thing happening with us today. We’ve gotten so big with our fickle and faithless selves, that we’re even attempting to throw God out of our society! Hn! What gall! What stupidity! As though the awesome Deity that created the world and all therein would ever allow His creation, foolish minions that He created with His own two hands, to remove Him from His universe. 

Hn! What’s wrong with us eh? Can’t we see that right down through history, every nation, every society that tried to overthrow or get rid of God, was itself overthrown? As we are won’t to say in jest, but ought to take very seriously; they met their Maker! And that’s the gospel truth; we all have to meet our Maker at some stage of the game, either now in our disobedience or at the judgement seat of Christ, when the Lord’s ready to dispense final judgement. 

And I believe the next few verses of the psalm before the third use of our Bit, will help to wake us up from our foolish and sinful slumber. Please read, understand and inwardly digest. (smile) ‘For he hath broken the gates of brass (bronze), and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat (food); and they draw near unto the gates of death. 

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and blessed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise (give thanks unto) the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing (joyful singing).’ (Ps. 107:16-22) 

Now my supposed faithful believers in Christ, if that doesn’t wake us up, and make us take a good look at our individual and societal lives, and cause us to make the necessary changes, then we certainly deserve whatever happens to us in Satan’s evil world. As the psalmist said back there in verse 20, the Lord sent His word, that’s both Jesus, who is considered the Word, and also His word, the gospel of Christ to save us. 

But again, we have free choice to choose what we will. Please remember though, that there are serious consequences attached to the wrong choice, so we’d better get wise and make the right one right now, for there’s no time to dilly dally. since Jesus’ return is imminent, And once He returns, or we die, there’s no second chance. 

And for those of us who have chosen to serve the Lord, let’s go home imploring the Lord’s mighty help through our Friday Chant, because that’s the only sensible option available to us in these turbulent and very trying times. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the several viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix them on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land that’s threatening to boil over, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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 with that prayer, comes the duty to turn our lives around in the name of Christ, and truly become the faithful believers we promised to be. Much LOVE!

…only through Christ Jesus…can the goodness…the LOVING-kindness of the Father be accessed… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 October 2022   1 Timothy 4:7.

28 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 4:7.        But refuse (reject) profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Finally, at long last, it’s Friday, the day we all look forward to, because it means the end of our work week and all the frustrations and problems making a living in this crazy, strife-filled world tend to cause. That’s why this shout is heard all around the world on a Friday. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is finally at hand. No more labour for two whole big days. Wow!’ 

And we all note the sarcasm in the last sentence. What an entitled and ungrateful society we’ve become, lacking work ethic and responsibility. We want to live a good life, with all the amenities available but don’t want work or do what’s necessary to provide them. It’s like the saying goes; we want what others have but don’t want to do what they did to get it. And the sad part is that Jesus told us so clearly that running down the things of the world is counter-productive, because the same basic things are available through belief in Him and His heavenly Father, plus with them, you’ll also gain life eternal, while with Satan it’s eternal death. 

What don’t we understand about: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) If you trust and rely on God, He will provide you with all the basic necessities of life, just like He does for the birds, the bees, the flowers and all His other creations. You are His most wonderful and adored creation, so if He provides all the lesser creations need to survive and thrive, why will He refuse to do the same for his most prized creation eh? No reason whatsoever! 

But we foolishly allow the devil to tempt us into running down the things of the world, because they seem glamorous and glitter like gold, allowing him to sow doubt in our minds about the goodness and grace of God. But as a true believer, that is one thing you should never doubt because if you’ve spent any time at all under His umbrella, you’ll have certainly seen several instances of His grace and mercy. However, unfortunately, it’s only with experience, length of time you spend with someone, that you truly get to know them. 

And that’s how it is also with our great and generous God; the more time you spend with Him, the better you get to know Him, and thus come to appreciate all his many marvellous attributes. Then you will see the lack of wisdom involved in following the deceitful, and treacherous devil, who only comes to steal and destroy, while Jesus came to save us, to give us life in abundance, so much so that it will overflow. (John 10:10) 

That’s why Bruh Paul in his first letter to Timothy, his young preacher associate, so seriously warned him against the things of the world. ‘But refuse (reject) profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.’ (1 Tim. 4:7-8) 

And that certainly is good advice! For as the scholars tell us: ‘We may read the verse (7), “But avoid profane and fabricated myths, and exercise yourself to be godly.” These false doctrines called “myths” are described as “profane” because they promote ungodliness, and “fabricated” because they – like modern day soap operas – are silly and flighty in character. Not only must Timothy avoid false teaching, he must spare himself no pain and effort to be pious. Godliness does not come automatically. To attain holiness he must be diligent in prayer, Bible study, obedience, fellowshipping with other believers, and Christian service.’ 

And my fellow believers nothing has changed in that department. We still need to be diligent in our obedience, duty, fellowshipping, prayer, and Bible study time, for that’s the only way we can ever truly know the heart, desires and will of our majestic and LOVING God. And I’m sure the scholars’ belittling of soap operas won’t sit well with some of you soap opera diehards, but it’s the truth. They don’t promote anything but resentment, deceit and a flighty, worldly lifestyle. 

That brings us to the scholars comment on verse 8 above. They say: ‘The verse may be paraphrased, “For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness the result of spiritual exercise, has unlimited values, since it brings blessings for both now and eternity.’ Oh my people, what a way our world would be wonderfully improved if some of us would spend just a li’l less time on bodily exercise and use that saved time instead in spiritual improvement. 

The thiefing gyms and exercise palaces are full to overflowing every day, meanwhile the churches sit empty. What does that say about us eh? Simply that we regard and appreciate our frail, fragile earthly bodies more than we do our omnipotent Creator. And that obviously doesn’t bode well for our society in the long term, because without godly vision and practices, a society flounders and eventually fails. And unfortunately, we’re currently seeing and experiencing that tell-tale floundering in our mish-mash, ungodly world. 

However, it’s not too late to make a change, a change for the better, but it all begins with sincere prayer. So, if you’re sincere about trying to improve the world for our descendants, then please join me in offering up our Friday Chant to a waiting heaven. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the several viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land that’s threatening to boil over, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

Now, my fellow believers, let’s get busy with all the things we need to do if we’re going to improve our world, as soon as possible. Much LOVE!

…worldly pleasures last but for a moment…but godliness gives grace for eternity… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 October 2022 Proverbs 14:34.

17 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 14:34.       Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is the reproach (shame, disgrace) to any people.

‘Monday, oh Monday, why do you keep jerking my chain eh? Every week is the same thing;  when I’m just getting accustomed to the paltry two day weekend off, you suddenly show up and want me to go back to work. Doesn’t that seem somewhat unfair – a lousy two days off after consecutively working five?’ 

And what does Monday reply? ‘Tough my brother! But them’s the breaks! I didn’t devise the system; I’m just doing what I’ve been programmed to do, and the sooner you learn to do what you are told to do, the better off you will be.’ Hn! And Monday is certainly right. He didn’t invent the system we currently live under, and the sooner we learn to live by God’s Word the better off we will be. Let’s put it this way nuh, we couldn’t be any worse off than we are now, living by the dictates of mankind and the evil prince of darkness. 

But if we don’t like the path of destruction we’re currently running on, then the only other option, and the wisest of them both, is to turn back to Almighty God, to heed His wonderful Word, so that in the end, we can have eternal life with Jesus, rather than the hellfire and damnation promised to Satan and his evil cohorts. And these words of wisdom from Cousin Sol in Proverbs tell it exactly like it is. ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is the reproach (shame, disgrace) to any people.’ (Prov. 14:34) 

Or as the scholars put it: ‘’National righteousness and national sin have opposite effects: exaltation versus reproach.’ And that’s the indisputable truth my fellow believers. We’ve seen it all down through history, especially in the story of the Jews; when they were righteous, following God’s edicts, they were prosperous and exalted, but when they foolishly and pridefully turned away from God’s standards, they surely felt the shame and disgrace through war, some natural disaster like famine and drought or captivity. I don’t know if any other city in the world has ever been besieged, captured or burnt to the ground as often as Jerusalem. 

And it’s obvious that right now our Western society is on that same foolish and prideful path of reproach, for we’re anything but righteous, and are certainly experiencing worldwide calamity. For if the truth be told, we’ll be forever known as one of the most prosperous and knowledgeable societies that ever existed, but also as one of the most evil, wicked and ungodly ones. 

And right now we’re on the brink of disaster, of destroying ourselves, with all the talk of nuclear warfare that’s currently being bandied about. As President Biden of the U.S, said recently, not since the Russian and U.S. standoff, during the Cuban crisis, in the early 1960’s has there been this much nuclear armament production and nuclear war threats. The sad part is we all know that the first nuclear device detonation will probably mean the end of mankind, even the earth, for all the nuclear powers will be quick to protect themselves by firing their own weapons. 

Look at the catastrophic destruction those two nuclear bombs dropped on Japan during the Second World War caused nuh, and since then the power of nuclear weapons has increased several fold. So just imagine nuclear bombs going off all over the world. What a cataclysmic situation! And don’t think that only a few nations have weapons of mass destruction, many nations do, some that we don’t even know about, but who will certainly show up on that day of Armageddon.

Now, if you didn’t believe Cousin Sol’s words earlier on, then listen to how he says it this time nuh. ‘By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.’ (Prov. 11:11) Yes friends, it’s left to us, the upright, the righteous in Christ, to try and protect our world from the disastrous evil and ungodliness that currently has it in a death-like stranglehold. But time is also of the essence, for who knows what will happen tomorrow. That means we have to gather in Christ-like unity and turn things around as quickly as possible. 

And it’s not so much a matter of knowing what to do, because as Christians, we all know what is expected of us, it’s just that we haven’t done it, thus the world has gotten away from us, and embraced the suffocating darkness of evil and ungodliness. But it’s not too late, with the omnipotent help of Jesus, and our sincere efforts, we can still turn things around and prevent the total disaster awaiting us on the current path we’re unwisely treading. However, it all begins with prayer, supplication and thanksgiving to the Creator of the universe. And there’s no better time to do it than right now! 

So, altogether, let’s offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to Almighty God, seeking His marvellous grace and mercy on our uncertain lives and disaster-filled world. ‘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!’ 

Ah my fellow saints, we’ve prayed and asked for forgiveness, but if we truly want to see the Lord’s grace and mercy, it now behooves us to do the next part, turn from our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…God gave us free will…so that we could willingly enter His fold…but it seems to have backfired… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 October 2022 Philippians 4:5.

14 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:5.       Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.​

And then it was Friday, the big day, somewhat cloudy in my area, but nonetheless still worth shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! That’s because many of us are still suffering from the after-effects of the Thanksgiving weekend just past. (smile) Yes, when you’re running on emergency power, it’s always a blessing to find time to recharge those life batteries. 

And that’s what the weekend is really for; rest, relaxation and recharging for another tough workweek. But we’ve become such pleasure-seeking animals in this last generation, that we seldom get much rest and recharging, because we’re out there trying to catch up on all the pleasure and partying we’ve missed during the week. So, when Monday rolls around, as it inevitably does, we have to go back out to work in a tired frame of mind and body again. 

Now it’s obvious that if we’re tired in both body and mind that our work is going to suffer. We’re not going to put out our best effort, and the diligence and excellence that we talk about so much will be lacking. And that’s not good for followers of Christ, because His watchwords are diligence and excellence! As Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley likes to say: ‘Look your best, be your best, and do your best.’ That should be the basic motto of the Christian believer. Always trying to do our best in Christ’s name. 

And there’s nothing that says we cannot enjoy ourselves, but too much of anything is bad for us. We ought to keep our lives in some semblance of balance. And it’s not always easy to do, especially with the feast of pleasures that are currently available in our pleasure-centred world and are constantly been thrown up in our faces. That’s why Bruh Paul, after telling the Philippians to rejoice, however warned them: ‘Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.’ (Phil. 4:5) 

And what does all that mean? Here is an interesting excerpt from Godtube website, highlighting the Barnes Bible commentary on the subject. “Let your moderation be known unto all men – That is, let it be such that others may see it. This does not mean that they were to make an ostentatious display of it, but that it should be such a characteristic of their lives that it would be constantly visible to others. 

The word “moderation” – ἐπιεικὲς epieikes – refers to restraint on the passions, general soberness of living, being free from all excesses. The word properly means that which is fit or suitable, and then propriety, gentleness, mildness – They were to indulge in no excess of passion, or dress, or eating, or drinking. They were to govern their appetites, restrain their temper, and to be examples of what was proper for people in view of the expectation that the Lord would soon appear.” 

And as per, ‘The Lord is at hand -The idea is, that the expectation that the Lord Jesus will “come,” ought to be allowed to produce moderation of our passions, in our manner of living, in our expectations of what this world can furnish, and in our desires of earthly good. On him who feels that he is soon to die, and to stand at the bar of God – on him who expects soon to see the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven, it cannot fail to have this effect. 

People indulge their passions – are extravagant in their plans of life, and in their expectations of earthly good for themselves and for their families, because they have no realizing sense of the truth that there is before them a vast eternity. He that has a lively expectation that heaven will soon be his, will form very moderate expectations of what this world can furnish.’ 

Yes friends, the believer can’t afford to be ostentatious, or overly proud and carry on with the behaviour that rises out of that kind of temperament, for remember that actions speak louder than words, and if we are guilty of too much carousing, pride and arrogance, and such ungodly things then the unbeliever will never come to Christ when we witness to them. They will just laugh at us, realizing that we’re only talking the talk, but not walking the walk. In other words, we are just like them in our actions, where it counts ever so much more. 

And so, to help us handle the tough battle between our flesh and our spirit, Bruh Paul therefore advised. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:6-7) 

Yes mih bredrin, that’s the only way we can successfully overcome the enemy when he begins throwing all his pleasure-filled darts at us. As they say, take it all to God! And that’s the gospel truth. And if that’s really so, then let’s take our troubles right now nuh to our gracious and merciful God through our Friday Chant. 

As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the several viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the threatening to boil over discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And now, as whenever we go to God in prayer, there are things we need to do before He will do what He needs to do. So please, if we desire Him to work on our behalf, then let’s get busy doing the things we know we ought to be doing nuh. Otherwise our prayers are a waste of time and breath. Much LOVE!

…if our Ying and Yang aren’t in balance…then our souls and spirits can’t function in Christ-like efficiency…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 September 2022 Proverbs 3:35.

16 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:35.        The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (legacy) of fools.

Yes friends, at long last it’s Friday. And we all exclaim with enthusiasm to burn: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Oh boy, the weekend is finally upon us, with no work and plenty of time to just party!’ And how the Lord and our employers do wish that we could have even a modicum of that enthusiasm for their faith and work. 

Ah my people, sadly our enthusiasm for work and God pales in comparison to the joy we feel for the coming of the weekend, because leisure and pleasure are our current idols. There’s little room for steadfastness and dedication, no work ethic or sense of purpose. No wonder our society is fast going to hell in a handbasket. We don’t realize that it’s a sincere work ethic and true belief in God that gives us the ability to get wealth and thus be able to afford leisure and pleasure. And that’s why all the great societies of this world have eventually failed and fallen from their great heights. 

It seems to be man’s nature that once we reach a certain stage of prosperity, we tend to slacken off and merely enjoy the fruits of our labour, without thinking or considering either the past or the future, simply the present. Meaning that we forget what brought us to our current level of prosperity; hard work and steadfastness in God, and likewise it will be those same things that will ensure our future prosperity. But no, we get bigheaded and full of ourselves, foolishly thinking that we can rest on our laurels and enjoy life. 

We conveniently forget the basic law of God’s universe; you reap what you sow. Thus, if you stop sowing good seed for any length of time, you will obviously not reap a good harvest. And unfortunately, leisure and pleasure don’t sow good seed, they just eat up, consume the harvest until there’s no more left to be consumed. So, wisdom dictates that if you want to keep on having some future leisure and pleasure you have to continue sowing good seed in the present, which will bring a harvest that will supply more leisure and pleasure. 

That’s why Cousin Sol warns us in Proverbs: ‘The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (legacy) of fools.’ (Prov. 3:35) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! If we are not wise in this life, our legacy will be foolishness, simply because those are the only two options we have. Consequently, Cousin Sol further advises us to get wisdom, for ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour; when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.’ (Prov. 4:7-9) 

Yes my brethren, wisdom is so important that even God used it in creating the universe and all therein. Cousin Sol gladly informs us that, ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths (deeps) are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.’ (Prov. 3:19-20) Therefore friends, if wisdom and understanding were so important in God’s creation of the universe, imagine how important it is to us nuh, especially in these turbulent and explosive times of today, with all kinds of lies, deceits and evil doings rampant in the world. 

And some of us are wondering what are these things called wisdom and understanding that are supposedly so important in living good lives. Well, wisdom is basically ‘skill in living, or wise behaviour.’ Meanwhile ‘understanding is the capability to distinguish between true and false, good and bad, what matters most and what does not matter at all.’ And for the best results, wisdom and understanding work in tandem. 

But it’s even more important to note that when we speak of wisdom, we’re not referring to what the world considers wisdom, since that varies and changes so much that you can’t base anything worthwhile on it. We’re talking about true wisdom, foundational wisdom; the kind that only comes from Almighty God, the Creator of the universe and doesn’t change or vary, for whatever reason. 

And James, the brother of Jesus tells us quite plainly. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8) Now that last sentence is an indisputable fact. So, when we go to God, seeking wisdom, or really anything at all, it is important that we don’t doubt that God can provide it, or will provide it, if it falls within His will for our lives. 

And here’s an interesting note from the scholars re verse 5 above. ‘This verse is not a blanket promise of wisdom for any situation. In the context of life’s trials, it probably speaks of the believer being granted (1) wisdom as to the reason for his trials and (2) wisdom to endure them.’ But this doesn’t mean that there’s anywhere better to go for wisdom in any situation at all than to God Himself. And one of the best examples of that is when Cousin Sol was made king of Israel after the death of His Father, Bruh David, and in a vision, the Lord asked him what he wanted. 

After acknowledging God’s goodness and mercy, (1 Kin. 9:5-8) he said: ‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people.’ (I Kin. 3:9) And that’s not rocket science friends, but simple common sense, if you believe in Almighty God! When you don’t know what to do, going to God in all sincerity and truth is always the best avenue. 

And I like how the Good Book records the results of Cousin Sol’s petition. ‘And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.’ (1 Kin. 3:10) Now, because Cousin Sol didn’t ask for wealth or the life of his enemies, but for wisdom and understanding, the Lord most graciously and generously gave him what he asked for, as well as what he hadn’t asked for, wealth and power. That’s how our great God operates my people! When we acknowledge Him with all honesty and truth, He blesses us more than we can imagine. 

And now it’s time to practice what we’ve been preaching; going to God for wisdom and understanding. Let’s do it as one strong voice, through our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, when we ask for heavenly help, it’s necessary for us to do our part in the partnership, by keeping our promises and having good motives. Much LOVE!

…a life wisely lived…is one that keeps God first place in it… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 September 2022 John 3:16.

12 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

John 3:16.        For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Another Monday friends, another week of work…but we can handle it with kid gloves because we have the Holy Spirit of Christ dwelling within us, plus we went to church yesterday, fellowshipped with other believers, got encouraged and rebuilt our confidence, so that we can go out into the evil and ungodly world and do the Lord’s work! Glory be! 

No wonder, my fellow believers, the Good Book tells us that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom. 8:37) That’s our Creator, our heavenly Father, who showed His mighty and amazing LOVE for us through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. 

And we can’t doubt that, because it’s written in the truth of the scriptures: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) So I don’t see how we can ever doubt God’s unconditional and deep-seated LOVE for us. 

Would you send your son to die for somebody if you didn’t care for them greatly? Obviously not! Why is it so difficult then to believe that Almighty God LOVES us eh? I don’t know what else He has to do to prove it to us. He’s already given us His Son as a Saviour, His Holy Spirit and His Word as Guide and Guidebook for earthly living, and all we have to do is believe on His Son and follow the guidance of His Spirit and His Word. 

But you know what, I suspect that the fleshly lures of the world, plus our inherent sinful nature keep us in bondage to a life of sin and ungodliness. We enjoy the illicit pleasures of the world too much, so we reject Jesus, believing that if we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, we will have to give up all those wonderful, sinful, fleshly pleasures. And yes, we will have to give up most, if not all of them, depending on what they are, and what kind of hold they have on us. 

But my brethren, our Jesus is so wonderful that He helps us to do whatever we need to do to come to Him. Remember what He said to the disciples when He told them that He had to go back to the Father. ‘I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:18) And when He left, he sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers on the first Day of Pentecost after His ascension. 

Oh my people, at all times, our Jesus is only a prayer away, so there’s no need to fret or worry. Like Bruh Paul told the church at Philippi: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) 

Yes friends, our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God has made provision for all our needs, regardless of our situation. But it must all begin with simply believing, simple belief in His Son, Jesus Christ, which Jesus spelled out quite clearly in that famous verse of scripture which we all know, but are so hesitant to accept. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) 

It’s straight to the point friends. And it gets better when you add this other scripture where Jesus says that He is the way, the truth and the light, and the only avenue to the Father. (John 14:6) You can’t ask for any clearer explanation. But as I said earlier on, we just LOVE the sinful, ungodly things of the world, which makes it difficult for us to come to Christ sincerely and totally. But maybe these thought provoking and oh so true words of John from his first epistle might just stir us up enough to truly come to faith. (smile) 

‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interests), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Now, if John’s kind and gentle reproach doesn’t work for you, (smile) let’s see if James’ rough and tumble, take no prisoners approach will do the trick. James says without mincing words: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ (James 4:4)  

That’s cutting right to the chase, getting right to the heart of the matter my brethren, and if you’re not willing to accept it, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe; you’ll just have to suffer whatever consequences come of your disbelief. But as the Good Book so wisely advises, let’s go to God with prayer and supplication and thanksgiving through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, pleading for His awesome grace and mercy. 

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. 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!’ 

And if we truly desire God’s grace and mercy, then we have to believe and apply ourselves accordingly. Much LOVE!

…Satan’s passing earthly pleasures…can never compare to the eternal ones of Jesus… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 September 2022 Psalm 105:4.

09 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 105:4.       Seek ye the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Oh friends, it’s Friday, and many of us around the world have already shouted that seminal phrase: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But unfortunately, many of us around the world are also mourning the passing yesterday of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, in her 97th year, having reigned for almost 71 consistent years on the throne of Great Britain, after being unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight by the abdication of her uncle and the death of her father. 

Just the numbers alone say a lot, and regardless of how you felt about the Queen herself, her family or the monarchy, you have to admit that we’ve lost one of the very few strong and steadfast leaders in our crazy world. Much of her power has been eroded over the years, but her diplomacy was legendary, and she was undoubtedly the one steady spoke in the wheel that kept the United Kingdom and many parts of the universe from falling apart or going on dangerous strategic runs. 

Let us pray that her son, King Charles III will keep that steadfastness and diplomacy of his mother going, because we desperately need a lot of that in our leaders, instead of the despotic, autocratic and dictatorial attitudes that are currently prevalent. Our sincere condolences to the Royal Family. We forget that they are people just like us, with the same human frailties and feelings. May the Lord receive you into His glory Queen Elizabeth the second! 

Ah mih people, with strife and hatred prevalent in more places around the world than peace and LOVE, it’s sad and frustrating to lose one of the few people who sincerely tried to keep matters on an even keel. But that’s life, we all have to go home to our Maker one day, and the world goes on in whatever fashion without us. And much to our chagrin, very few leaders in this day and age can be said to have made a positive difference in the lives of their people, and in the world in general. 

It’s interesting to note that the U.K now has a new King, or titular leader, and also a new Prime Minister, or active leader, a female at that. Hopefully that’s a sign for better days to come. In the meanwhile though, all of us plebs, (smile) must continue to do as the psalmist advises in Psalm 105. ‘Seek ye the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth.’ (Ps. 105:4-5) 

Yes friends, seeking God’s face and remembering all that He’s done in our lives is extremely important, especially in times of serious change like our world is currently experiencing. That’s because the Lord God Almighty is the One who has brought us this far, and who will determine our future by our righteousness. 

Remember the promise of God the prophet Jeremiah made to the people of Israel, when they were in captivity in Babylon? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Oh my brethren, that is exactly what the Lord is saying to us today too. We desperately need to come to Him with full surrender and trust, seek Him with all our hearts, if we want our world to be improved. There are no ifs, ands, and buts about that! Only if we sincerely seek the face of the Lord God Jehovah, turn away from all the evil idols we’re currently worshipping, give up all the ungodly things of the world that are still so much a part of our lives, will we ever find the One, True, Living God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 

Jesus also made that very clear when He commanded us: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 16:33) All of us know that foundational scripture, yet we refuse to practice it. Instead, we continue running down the things of the world like wealth and power, on our own. That’s the total opposite of what Jesus taught and what the heavenly Father expects. And please don’t think that because you are a Christian you cannot possess a lot of the earth’s wealth and power, because there are a lot of rich and powerful believers in the world, but you just have to do it according to the Lord’s will and timing. 

And it is of the utmost importance that we read, know, inwardly digest and practice these words of scripture from the first epistle of John. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interests), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Ah my fellow saints, when are we going to stop paying lip service to our God and His will eh? When are we going to begin taking His edicts and promises very seriously eh, and realize that a lot of our current suffering rests on our own sinful and ungodly desires and behaviour? Until we wake up and be transformed in our minds and actions, our world will continue to go down the drain in spectacular fashion. So, having said all of that that, the first thing on our agenda of change, is prayer. So, in confident but humble voice, let’s go to the throne of God, through our Friday Chant and ask for His benevolent help. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we sincerely want divine help, then we must keep our promises, and have right motives in our hearts. Much LOVE!

…true leaders lead by example…as Jesus did…not by deceit or force…as Satan does… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 September 2022 Proverbs 25:27.

05 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 25:27.       It is not good to eat much honey: so for man to search (seek) their own glory is not glory.

HAPPY LABOUR DAY!

Ah friends, like it’s true, the ole fella’s getting old and forgetful.(smile) Would you believe that I did not even realize that this was the Labour Day long weekend until sometime late yesterday. Brother! After one time, it’s really two yes! In my younger years I knew about Labour Day long before it ever happened, because I usually spent it in the Big Apple – New York City, taking in the sights and sounds of that rollicking time featuring all things West Indian. 

But then, I lost interest in the festival, like I’ve also lost interest in Caribana, possibly because I can’t handle the amount of walking involved in both festivals, and in my humble opinion they have both become watered-down caricatures of what they used to be. And I know it doesn’t really matter what I think, because both festivals are still going strong, and still make lots of money for some people. (smile) 

That just goes to show how insignificant we are in the greater scheme of things. Some of us believe we are so important that the world can’t go on without us, but that’s pure foolishness. The world moves on despite our presence or lack thereof. A handful of people will miss and mourn us, but the majority won’t know we’re gone, or even care. So, it’s time for us to get over ourselves and not think of ourselves as highly as we do. 

And Bruh Paul said it loud and clear in his letter to the church at Rome. ‘For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the means of faith.’ (Rom. 12:3) 

And what does all of that mean? Every one of us has been given a specific gift or gifts, ‘granted some spiritual capability to serve God and contribute to the church’s growth.’ Two people may be given the same gift, but not in the same measure, so one may be able to perform a task better than the other. But the measure is all up to Jesus. 

The scholars explain further: ‘The righteousness of God will cause the believer to conduct himself in humility in the local church (vs. 3-8). Paul meets two dangers that the individual faced in the exercise of his spiritual gifts. He might overestimate himself and try to exercise a gift God never gave him. Or he might underestimate himself and fail to exercise the gift God has given to him. Paul shows that God has given each believer specific gifts to enable him to do what God wants him to do. No one is excluded.’ 

Unfortunately though, we all know people, including ourselves, (smile) who try to use gifts they don’t have or not utilize the ones they do have. That’s one of the major challenges in today’s church because everybody wants to be a leader, and nothing is basically wrong in wanting to be a leader, but please opt to be a leader in a field in which you’re qualified nuh, not in one you know nothing or very little about, as so many of us do. A good Bruh Paulean sentence that! (smile) 

And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul’s words, then please check out these earlier ones on the subject by Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘It is not good to eat much honey: so for man to search (seek) their own glory is not glory.’ (Prov. 25:27) But sadly, personal glory seeking occupies too much of our time today. Everything is all about us; me, myself and I. 

And there are also some other marvellously wise words of Cousin Sol, which we all know and quite liberally quote, but don’t action them half as much as we ought to. Listen to them: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov. 3:5-8)

 Oh my people, those are words that fit every situation in our lives. But we seem to only pay lip service to them, that’s why our lives are not as peaceful, joyful and LOVING as they ought to and could be. Yes, if we have true fellowship and intimacy with God, then He will indeed direct us along the straight and narrow way! But if we foolishly depend on our own worldly wisdom, then there’s a very good chance we’ll end up on the wide and winding path that leads to destruction. 

So, it’s obviously in our best interest to get wise and seek true intimacy with God, for that’s the only way to solve the dilemmas, the negative predicaments that constantly come against us. And we seek true intimacy with God starting with prayer. Therefore, on this Labour Day Monday of 2022, when our world is in a serious state of turmoil and upheaval, of hatred and anger, let’s take our problems to God 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 up to us to show God that we are serious, so let’s go out into the world and be sincere, fateful and with right motives in our hearts. Much LOVE!

…without sincere humility…one cannot be a true believer in Christ…  

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

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