Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 February 2015 Colossians 3:13‏

08 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

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

 Colossians 3:13.   Forbearing (bearing with) one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Aye mih people, it’s the first day of a new week; Sunday, the Day of the Lord, the Sabbath Day, that day when the Lord rested after creating the universe and all therein.

In it we are supposed to rest, relax, gather together for fellowship, to recognize and respect His power and glory, adore His magnificence and majesty, with worship, praise and thanksgiving. It is therefore most fitting for us to declare, that this is the day the Lord has made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it!

Yes Friends, everything that draws breath this morning ought to be thanking and praising our wonderful God for His mercy, forgiveness and LOVING-kindness.

Let’s hope therefore that we all attended His sanctuary and fellowshipped with other believers, sending much praise and thanks to heaven and receiving strength, faith and comfort, for that’s also a part of worshipping.

It’s just another of God’s basic laws; when we give we receive, just like whatever we sow, we reap. So let’s hope that we all gave plenty and sowed much good seeds, so that we will be truly blessed.

The Lord made sure that I got up on time this week, and I went to the small but comfy and homely and beautifully decorated St. Francis church close to me down the road in Bon Accord. Obviously I encountered people who knew me from way back when, even from Elementary School, from High School and from the days when I lived up Darrel Spring Hill and one of my cousins, Stanley Beard was there too.

They were a very welcoming congregation, so I felt right at home. It was a good service with obviously a close knit group. There wasn’t a band or organ to play music, simply a couple of tambourines and a drum, but the voices were raised magnificently in praise and worship. That’s the way we ought to raise our voices in sincere celebration to our wonderful and merciful God!

As the scriptures say: ‘By him therefore let us offer up the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to (confessing to) his name.’ (Heb.13:15)

Oh Friends, the Lord was surely happy with the sacrifices of praise offered up to him this morning in that little church in Bon Accord!

Re adventures, nothing much happened yesterday. I went to the beach in the evening, for a li’l dip, watched the golden sun sink below the horizon, then went looking for souse and black pudding. The lady who we went to look for apparently didn’t come out again this weekend, but we found another lady selling souse down in Buccoo, so I wasn’t completely disappointed. And it didn’t taste bad at all!

After that I watched the Leafs win their first game in some 11 tries. And all the Leafs faithful must be shouting ‘Glory Hallelujah’ this morning!

And they going to kill me with bake and saltfish in Tobago oui! I say that because they had a food sale after church this morning, featuring, yes, bake and saltfish, which I came home and had for breakfast. I’m not really complaining though, just making a statement, because I do enjoy the local food.

Wonder of wonders, they had two collections, passed the offering plate around twice! The second to put towards some much needed church improvements. And nobody griped or seemed to mind. They just gave what they could afford.

Hn! I don’t know if we’d get away with that in my St. Francis church back in Canada. But I guess though we are all supposed to be Christians, we all think differently about the church of Christ.

But it’s time to get with our Bit on the all-important topic of forgiveness. ‘Forbearing (bearing with) one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.’

Yes my brethren, it’s ever so important that we practice forgiveness. As we saw yesterday, it releases us from tension, resentment, hatred and bitterness. It frees up our souls, brings us peace, while unforgiveness only causes negative tension and harmful emotions. Remember we are the ones it hurts most of all, not the people we refuse to forgive.

It’s not always easy, because some hurts can be really terrible, and cause much pain, but it’s always in our best interest to forgive, for it releases us from the pressure building up inside of us. For want of a better comparison, I’ll liken it to a burp. (smile)

Yuh know when you burp, you release the pent up gas in your body, well it’s the same with forgiveness. When you forgive, you release the pent up negative pressures in your soul. And besides being healthy for our emotional and physical well-being, forgiveness is also rather important for our spiritual enhancement.

Now here are some interesting and important words on the subject from the scholars. ‘3:13. The fact of believers being urged to assume the virtues of verse 12 (bowels of mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering), signifies that none has yet “arrived” spiritually.

As the believer is developing these virtues, he must be forbearing and forgiving toward his fellow church member. For his Christian brother is also in the process of acquiring the virtues of verse 12 and therefore retains some flaws, deficiencies, and weaknesses. Hence the need of forbearance and forgiveness.’

And all that’s absolute truth, so please remember it when we get into disagreements with others. Now listen to Jesus tell it like it is: ‘Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

And when ye stand praying forgive, if ye have aught (anything) against any: that your Father also which is heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.’ (Mark 11:24-26)

Oh my people, that says it all! If we don’t forgive, our God won’t forgive us. That couldn’t be any simpler or clearer. And please note that when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, a significant aspect of what He taught, which we know today as the Lord’s Prayer, deals with forgiveness. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt.6:12) So as in the proportion to which we forgive, so will we be forgiven.

There’s no more to say Friends! Three of the basic laws of God are: give and you will receive, you reap what you sow, and if you forgive, you will be forgiven.

Simple laws my brethren, but often difficult to execute in this sinful, ungodly world. Therefore let’s put out best efforts forth to obey them in a positive manner nuh, so that our lives will be blessed. That’s wisdom of the heavenly kind! Much LOVE!

…forgiveness is a cleansing and soothing balm…for both body and soul…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 December 2014 Ecclesiastes 11:6

03 Dec 2014 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 11:6.  In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper (which will succeed), either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
 

Welcome to Wednesday Friends; the halfway to home and freedom day!
 
And all God’s people shouted a hearty ‘Yeah! Welcome Wednesday!’ (smile)
 
Ah mih people, Wednesday is the day of no looking or turning back, because we have already burnt the bridges of Monday and Tuesday behind us.
 
Therefore, our only option now is to forge ahead with hungry hope and expectant faith in the Creator of the universe and His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ!
 
The sinless Son who selflessly gave up His all and sacrificed His life on Calvary’s hill, taking our burdensome sins upon His strong shoulders, giving us righteousness, reconciliation with the Father, salvation and eternal life. Oh what a mighty Lord and Saviour is our Jesus!
 
And the sanctified children of the Most High burst out: ‘Oh Thank you Jesus! We praise and glorify your holy name, for you are indeed worthy to be praised and glorified!’
 
And that’s an indisputable fact my brethren! So please, let’s allow that to resonate in our souls, bodies and minds today and give us strength to carry on, as we face an increasingly anti-Jesus world.
 
And our word of encouragement for today comes from Les Brown, (1945- ) a world-renowned African-American motivational speaker, and it points out a rather intriguing and beautiful aspect of human life. It simply says: ‘Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.’
 
Now that’s gospel truth Friends! It’s just another take on God’s universal principle of ‘what you sow, you will reap.’
 
And it works nicely in tandem with our Bit: ‘In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper (which will succeed), either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.’
 
Yeh mih people, we have to sow some kind of seed, hopefully good ones, every day, so that we can reap their harvest at a later date. Like the farmer sows and waits patiently, but with eager expectation for the former and latter rains to water his fields and produce a bountiful harvest, we must also do likewise.
 
And as Cousin Sol says in the opening verse of the chapter: ‘Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.’ (Eccl.11:1)
 
And the scholars have this to say about those verses. ’11:1-6. These verses contain a series of sayings about the uncertainty of human industry, and are held together by the fourfold occurrence of the expression thou knowest not. Although man cannot comprehend God’s work, nor predict success, he needs to be involved in life’s activities and trust God for the results.’
 
Absolute truth my brethren! To achieve success, we have to sow good seed, then trust God to bring forth the harvest in His good time.
 
As Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in his first letter. ‘I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.
 
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God (God’s fellow workers): ye are God’s husbandry (field), ye are God’s building.’ (1 Cor.3:6-9)
 
Meanwhile, Isaiah testifies: ‘Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.’ (Is.32:20)
 
Yes Friends, we need to be continually sowing good seed in all kinds of places, everywhere we go, helping and encouraging others, so that they can stand steadfast in God. And there’s immense truth in the saying that nothing helps and heals us like giving to others, be it time, money or talents.
 
Again we turn to the wise words of Bruh Paul, this time in his second missive to the Corinthians. ‘But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully (with blessings) shall reap also bountifully.
 
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity (compulsion): for God LOVETH a cheerful (joyful) giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things (never lacking anything), may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor.9:6-8)
 
The scholars offer this explanation: ‘9:7. Cheerful giver: The giver is to have a willing heart and a sincere desire to participate in the offering. Paul is not so much interested in their money. Nor is God, for that matter, as the passage from Proverbs 22:9 indicates.
 
The Greek term ‘hilaron,’ from which the English “hilarious” derives, is best rendered as the English text suggests, “cheerful.” Giving is not a joke. It is a serious business, but it is a delightful experience all the same.’
 
And so it should be! But sadly my people, giving these days is the bane of our existence! That’s because giving, both generously and cheerfully, is no longer one of our strong points. This version of our society is rather averse to giving, even though we have more people and institutions asking.
 
And when we give, it’s…it’s like pulling teeth. (smile) We oftimes have to beg and beseech to get a little of anything, because we have now become a real selfish and greedy society.
 
Anyway Friends, let’s take this message to heart today nuh and go out and seriously put into practice, for it is wisdom of the highest order and benefits us like nothing else does. Much LOVE!
 
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley)likes to say…you reap what you sow…more than you sow…and later than you sow…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 August 2014 Matthew 6:15

06 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:15.    But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Oh Friends, do you realize that we’re already in the middle of August, and that just last week it was July? (smile) Yes mih people, the days are certainly rushing ahead fast and furious. The summer’s almost over! Where did it go to eh?
 
In another few weeks the trees will begin divesting themselves of all their beautiful green foliage, getting ready to face the harsh reality that’s winter in their total nakedness, when food and nourishment become scarce.
 
Let us hope though, that no human brethren are doing, or planning to put that same strategy into effect, for there is always nourishment and succour available in the body of Christ.
 
Let me put that in more practical terms; there should always be food, clothing and comfort available to those in need, from Jesus’ earthly body, the church.
 
That’s one of the basic reasons the Lord instituted tithes; so that His personal storehouse would always have supplies for the poor and needy, for the stranger, the widow and the orphan. Note that God has a very special place in His heart for those people, and has provided for them thus.
 
Oh my fellow believers, are we tithing to our local church? We should be, for without our generous gifts, Jesus’ church would not be able to function as it ought.
 
Remember that the church is not merely the building, but even more so the believers who occupy it. And we can’t maintain the buildings, or do the outreach and missions desired by Christ without the generous help of the congregation in terms of talent, time and finances.
 
Everybody wants to see their church buildings looking spiffy and fine, and want to hear about all the good work that body of Christ is doing in their community and around the world, and that’s a very worthwhile dream and wish, but we also need to be practical and realize that none of it can happen without the generous support of the parishioners.
 
So I urge us today, to check our individual generosity to our local church, and seriously consider raising our levels of giving, in terms of time, talent and money, for that’s the only way the church, as Christ’s body here on earth, will survive and grow the way He desires it to.
 
Hn, hn, hn! Yes Friends, I’m here chuckling because I don’t know where all of that came from. I certainly wasn’t intending to write about it. I guess it must have come from the church warden’s meeting I attended last evening, where one of the topics we discussed was finances, and the need to improve, to upgrade ours. And I guess that would be the situation in many other churches too, hence the Holy Spirit’s leading to give voice to it.
 
Anyway mih breddren, let’s see if we can finish up the message on forgiveness with this Bit today. ‘But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you.’
 
Oh my people, my people, we can never overestimate the importance of forgiveness in the life of a believer! And it’s simply because we won’t be forgiven, if we don’t forgive. Jesus made that quite clear in the Lord’s Prayer: ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt.6:12)
 
Please note that it’s a conditional statement; forgive us, AS we forgive. Yes my brethren, only as we forgive, will our heavenly Father forgive us. So we had better get that written indelibly in our consciousness and practice it, otherwise we’re simply out of luck. Well not really luck, but you know what I mean; crapaud smoke we pipe, we up the stream without a lifeline. (smile)
 
Now let’s look at some scriptures that emphasize forgiveness. In this first passage, Luke has Jesus saying these most meaningful words when He teaches forgiveness.
 
‘Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent; forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.’ (Luke 17:3-4)
 
Oh Friends, that means that every time we’re asked for forgiveness, we MUST give it! ‘Thou shalt forgive him,’ is a command, meaning that no flexibility is allowed in our behaviour, even though the hurt is great and the forgiveness hard!
 
I know that sounds sort of rough and unfair my fellow believers, but that’s just the way it is in Jesus’ kingdom, and if you desire to be His follower, then you need to toe the line. It’s as simple as that.
 
Every organization has rules, and if you want to be a continual member, then you must abide by their rules. The same goes for the church of Christ!
 
Now listen to James as he talks about impartiality to all. ‘So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against (triumphs over) judgement.’ (James 2:12-13)
 
Yes Friends, it all comes right back to the elementary principle in God’s handling of the universe; you reap what you sow. So if you sow things like mercy, forgiveness, justice and LOVE, those are the things you will eventually reap, in greater amount than what you sowed too.
 
So please my people, let’s faithfully go out and sow the good things of Jesus today nuh, so that tomorrow, when our harvest comes in, we will reap the wonderful abundance that’s granted to those who sow in LOVE, forgiveness, justice and mercy.
 
As Cousin Sol would say, ‘that’s the wisdom for each and every age!’ (smile) Much, much LOVE my fellow believers!
 
…and be ye kind one to another…tenderhearted…forgiving one another…even as God…for Christ’s sake…hath forgiven you… (Eph.4:32) 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 August 2014 Matthew 6:15

05 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:15.    But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
 

Ah Friends and neighbours, the party’s over, Caribana’s done with for another year! That means it’s time to get up and go to work, so you can earn some money for next year’s costume. (smile) Yeh, T.O. will return to some semblance of normalcy after the last four or five days of hectic gatherings. Praise the Lord!

 
And I sincerely hope that all those going back out to work today are not in too bad shape after all the partying and what not. In light of that, let’s boldly and confidently affirm this ‘I CAN’ affirmation.
 
‘I CAN have victory in my life by dealing with the things that are keeping me from God’s best. I am confronting my struggles head-on so I CAN overcome them. God has given me the strength to focus on Him and push through. NOTHING will hold me back. This is my declaration of what I CAN do through Christ.’
 
And if you believe all that Friends, then it’s doable! Remember Jesus said all we had to do was believe, for all things were possible through Him, if we simply believed.
 
In one particular aspect of our lives though, we seem to have a hard time believing, and that’s in the area of forgiveness. Please note what our Bit adamantly declares: ‘But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’
 
Yes Friends, it’s right there in black and white; if we don’t forgive our human brethren, then our heavenly Father will not forgive us. Why is that so difficult to understand eh?
 
Oh, I know that we’re living in a very selfish and grabby-grabby society that considers self to be of overriding importance, but if we’re confronted with such an important teaching, why, in heaven’s name, are we ignoring it to such a high degree?
 
Oh my people, we’re allowing the evil, ungodly world to intrude and have too much sway in our lives, only thinking about ourselves. On second thought though, this is one occasion when we should be thinking very much about ourselves.
 
Why? Because if we don’t forgive, we won’t be forgiven either. And all of us have a whole lot of things that we need forgiveness for.
 
Now, as we noted yesterday, forgiveness isn’t always easy, in fact, most times it’s pretty difficult, and sometimes, depending on the particular situation, it can take a while to accomplish. But without a doubt my fellow believers, it’s a MUST in EVERY Christian’s life!
 
And Cousin Sol gives us a good idea of how forgiveness, or in this case, how unforgivness works. ‘Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.’ (Prov.21:13)
 
Ah mih people, once again it’s the simple principle by which our mighty God runs His universe: you reap what you sow. So if you sow forgiveness, then you’ll reap forgiveness. But if you unwisely sow unforgiveness, then that’s what you’ll reap in your time of need.
 
And let us get one thing straight here my brethren; the second most important thing about forgiveness is that it’s not about the other person or persons involved in the situation, but primarily about us.
 
It’s in our best interest to forgive, not only because then will we also be forgiven, but because forgiveness doesn’t allow all the hurt, anger, resentment, bitterness and the many other negative emotions that often crop up, to reside in our souls and make us rancid and sour, and lose God’s joy, and put hatred in our hearts rather than LOVE.
 
And I can tell you this from personal experience my people. You feel so much better, emotionally, physically and mentally when you forgive.
 
Think about it this way nuh: somebody does you wrong, be it on purpose or not, what’s their reaction eh? Some may say they’re sorry, and truly are, while some might just ignore you and go on about their business, and others might not even realize that they’ve wronged you.
 
But tell me Friends, how will your withholding of forgiveness hurt or disturb them eh? In no way really; for they’ve either apologized, or don’t know, or don’t care! They’ve moved on with their lives, and it’s only you that’s left holding the sorry bag of unforgiveness, eating yourself up over the wrong that’s been done to you.
 
That’s certainly not a wise move my brethren. Just look also at what Jesus said to Peter when he asked, ‘Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but Until seventy times seven.’ (Matt.18:21-22)
 
Peter must have cried ‘Yikes!’ when he heard Jesus’ response. But that’s how important forgiveness is in Jesus’ circle my people; not just a few times, but numerous times. As the scholars wisely declare: ‘Unlimited forgiveness must characterize the true disciple.’
 
Then Jesus went on to elaborate, as He was wont to do, by telling them the parable of the servant who owed his employer oodles of money, but was unable to repay it, so he cried out for mercy, and his employer mercifully forgave him the entire debt.
 
But then, that same forgiven servant went out and found another servant who owed him a small sum, which he couldn’t repay at the time. However, when the servant cried out for mercy, he refused and had him thrown in debtor’s prison.
 
Remember the principle Friends; whatever you sow, you will reap. Now his fellow servants on seeing that unworthy reaction, went and told the employer of the forgiven servant’s unforgiveness.
 
‘Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst (begged) me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
 
And his lord was wroth (angry), and delivered him to the tormentors (torturers), till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ (Matt.18:32-35)
 
Oh Friends, that’s enough for today. Let’s take some time and ponder it all nuh, and see how our individual lives line up with God’s Word, then wisely ask Jesus to help us in those areas in which we’re weak, or tend to falter.
 
You know He will be only too glad to help, because He is indeed our Helper. Much LOVE!
 
…forgiveness is often more important to the forgiver than the forgivee…and that’s the gospel truth…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 October 2013 Matthew 5:7

26 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:7.      Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
 
Well hello there you beautiful believers in Jesus Christ; King of Kings and Lord of Lords! How goes it this wonderful Saturday morning eh? I guess many of you are enjoying a rare morning of sleeping in, that is until your young offspring start clamouring for food and attention. All I can say there though, is better you than me yes. (smile) I went through that many moons ago.
 
Anyway, today I want to share a poem I got from the Between Friends Magazine published by the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower. It comes from an article written by its Director, Father Bob Colaresi. He himself was quoting a Spanish Carmelite Nun, St. Teresa of Avila. She’s different to the society’s patron Saint, St. Therese, also a Carmelite Nun, but of French origin. 
 
It’s claimed that St. Teresa taught this poem. ‘Christ has no body but yours, No Hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
 
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.’
 
And that Friends, is the gospel truth, because Christ left us here on earth to do His work; to spread the good, exciting news of His gospel; the wonderful rewards of salvation and eternal life, if we embrace His Deity. It’s now our duty to go around the world, with our eyes, feet ears, hands and bodies, be His representative, and let the lost and unfortunate masses know of all that He’s accomplished on our behalf. 
 
But again, to do Jesus’ work successfully, we need physical, mental and spiritual strength backed by divine wisdom, which can only be had by being in tune with Almighty God. Today’s Bit, another Beatitude, tells us: ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.’
 
And that is absolute truth in more ways than one. First of all, like Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer; ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt.6:12) If we don’t forgive we won’t be forgiven. The same goes for mercy; if we don’t show mercy to others, neither will the Lord show us any. It’s basically the universal motto of, you reap what you sow.
 
You cannot be neither merciful nor forgiving and yet expect to receive forgiveness and mercy. Hn! Although that seems to be the prevailing wisdom in our world today. Generally speaking, forgiveness is NOT getting the punishment we deserve, while mercy is getting the good things that we DON’T deserve. 
 
Then we have this take from the scholars: ‘5:7. Those who are merciful…shall obtain mercy has reference to those who have been born again by the mercy of God. Because divine LOVE has been extended to them, they have the work of the Holy Spirit in them producing a mercy that defies explanation by unregenerate men. Jesus Himself became the ultimate example of this when He cried from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)’
 
Oh Friends, I like that part about ‘a mercy that defies explanation by unregenerate men.’ And that’s the God-awesome truth! For mankind still can’t figure out or understand how Christians can be so merciful and forgiving when faced with serious and troubling circumstances. But it all depends on that Holy Spirit of His Divine Majesty dwelling in us, which shows us the right way.
 
Unfortunately, mankind will never understand the Christian attitude unless and until he wholeheartedly embraces Jesus, and consequently receives that wonder-working Spirit in his own soul. It all bolls down to, NO JESUS, NO HOLY SPIRIT, and therefore no divine understanding!
 
And when we talk about God’s mercy, there’s no better example in receiving it, than Bruh David. Listen to him from Psalm 41, Abuse and Assurance. ‘Blessed is he that considereth the poor (helpless, powerless): the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
 
The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing (his bed of illness): thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness (restore him in his sickbed). I said, Lord be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.’ (Psalm 41:1-4)
 
Oh my people, two things are evident there: One must be kind and/or show mercy to the poor and needy, and secondly, one must confess one’s own wrongdoing to Jehovah God. Bruh David knew that, and tried to live that way. That’s why the Lord was so merciful to him, in spite of all his shortcomings and wrongdoings.
 
Unfortunately though, today, many of us figure that confessing our wrongdoings is for the birds, therefore we lose out on God’s precious grace and mercy. And sadly my people, that’s a fool’s wisdom!
 
Oh Friends, the Lord doesn’t expect us to be perfect, because He never made us that way. But He does expect us to be man and woman enough to own up to our faults and frailties.
 
Please, let’s be brave and admit our wrongs, so we can receive God’s generous grace, forgiveness and mercy. Now that’s truly divine wisdom! Much LOVE!
 
…O give thanks unto the Lord…for He is good…for His mercy endureth for ever… (1 Chr.16:34)
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 July 2013 Proverbs 11:25

21 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 11:25.   The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Ah Friends, at last some decent summer weather! Yes, it’s still warm, but not hot and humid, now in the mid 20’s instead of the 30’s, with a cool, refreshing breeze to minimize the heat. That’s what we finally had yesterday, and are likely to have for the next few days. All the seasons have their good points, but it’s when they get to the extremes, that they lose the human affection. (smile)

Anyway, here’s a quote I read today in a Jamaica Gleaner Newspaper of two weeks ago. It’s taken from something called ‘The Hands of Poverty,’ by Oliver Lawrence. I don’t know if it’s a poem or a book, because I couldn’t find anything about the title or the author on the Internet.
 
The Gleaner had it under the heading of Today’s Gem. ‘Now from the hands of poverty, I have passed. But from the hands of God, I will never depart. For in Him, my sorrows turned to joy, and my needs, He gladly fulfilled.’
 
And that quote Friends, is indeed a real gem! Those few words tell us how our lives change for the better once we’ve willingly surrendered ourselves to the LOVING embrace of the living God Jehovah. On our own, we’re nothing, but linked to Jesus….oh my, my, then we can move mountains, do the naturally impossible.
 
And turning to our Bit, we glean more everlasting truth, re our association with the ONE TRUE GOD of the universe. ‘The liberal (generous) soul shall be made fat (rich, prosperous): and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.’
 
All of that stems from one law that God designed the universe on; what you sow, the same you shall reap. Therefore my people, if we are generous in what we have and give, then the same generosity, oftimes double in God’s goodness and approval is returned to us.
 
Hear how Bruh David puts it in Palm 41; Abuse and assurance. ‘Blessed is he that considereth the poor (the helpless or powerless): the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing (of illness): thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness (restore him in his sickbed).’ (Ps.41:1-3)
 
Yuh see people, it’s not only material rewards we’re liable to receive, but also physical protection from our enemies and from sickness. And all God’s children declared a loud and thankful, ‘Praise the Lord!’
 
And yuh better believe Friends that He is definitely worthy of much praise, much more than we give Him!
 
Remember too, yesterday, the scholars mentioned Proverbs 22:9, re Bruh Paul’s statement that God LOVES a cheerful giver. (2 Cor.9:7) I don’t know if any of you took the time to look it up, but here it is. ‘He that hath a bountiful (generous) eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.’ (Prov.22:9)
 
And these other wise words of Cousin Sol also fall into that category. ‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.’ (Prov.19:17)
 
Yes my fellow believers, when we give generously and willingly, it warms the cockles of God’s heart, because that’s the kind of Being He is, and in return He rewards us for helping those less fortunate than us.
 
Remember too, our God is very interested, is a big booster of the poor, the stranger, the widow, the orphan, the sick, the needy, the powerless and helpless. And anyone who goes out of their way to help any of those unfortunates will be richly blessed by God.
 
But note though, the motives, the state of our hearts must be right, and we mustn’t be only doing the good deeds to get rewards, but feel a genuine need to help the needy.
 
Now hear Bruh Paul as he talks to the Galatians on the subject. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
 
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (do not lose heart). And as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’ (Gal.6:7-10)
 
Oh my brethren, those words spoken so long ago, still hold true even today! That’s because our God and His basic philosophy doesn’t change! From day one, He’s decreed that what we sow, we’ll reap, and that principle will continue until eternity.
 
So please, let’s wise up and start sowing good seeds out of pure and blameless hearts nuh. It’s the only way we’ll bring others to Christ and thus further His kingdom. And just in case you didn’t know or realize it, that’s one of our major purposes here on planet earth. (smile)
 
So let’s get the passion, the LOVE, the enthusiasm, the goodness, the mercy, the forgiveness and all the other positive attributes of Jesus going nuh Friends! For then, and only then, will we become worthy of the title…wise. Much LOVE!
 
…blessed are the merciful…for they shall obtain mercy…  (Matt.5:7)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 July 2013 Proverbs 11:25

20 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 11:25.    The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
 
Oh Friends, ole Toronto and its environs experienced a wicked rainstorm yesterday evening! In a matter of minutes the sky suddenly changed from bright sunshine to cloudy darkness, the wind blew with a vengeance, and the rain came tumbling down in torrents, making it extremely difficult for drivers to see out their windshields, despite the best efforts of their wipers.
 
But we’ve been expecting that glut of rain, and needed it too, to cool down the hot and humid land. Some more rain began falling after midnight, but mostly drizzles. It’s the lightning that’s been playing out there for a couple hours, continuously lighting up the nightscape with its brilliant flashes.
 
Anyway, here’s a rather relevant prayer I recently found among some papers. I must have gotten it from my mother’s stuff, because I don’t remember it. And very appropriately it’s titled ‘Renew Toronto.’ But Friends, this prayer is desperately needed for our entire world which is undergoing so many negative changes and challenges that we’re powerless to keep up with them, even the odd time when we understand what’s happening.
 
Only with God’s help can we mange and hopefully overcome them. So please pray with me: ‘Gracious God, in your wisdom and LOVE You create us in your image and likeness, You call us to be your Presence in the world.
 
Let the Spirit of Jesus grow with us for this journey – inspire in us insight and vision for our Church community – ready our hearts and hands to bring healing to our sinfulness – move our feet to live the Gospel of Jesus with courage and joy.
 
Renew us, Gracious God. Renew us by your LOVING acceptance of us. Renew us to do justice, to LOVE kindness, and to walk humbly with you, our God, To renew the face of this earth. Amen.’ 
 
Yes my brethren, we do need God’s mercy and grace to help us renew and rebuild our world. And our Bit gives us some insight into one way to do it. ‘The liberal (generous) soul shall be made fat (rich, prosperous): and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.’
 
And there’s plenty of truth in that saying Friends! The generous person shall be made prosperous, because that’s just one of God’s laws. From early times, He stipulated it thus: ‘Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.’ (Deut.16:17)
 
At that particular time they were talking about contributions to feasts, but fellow believers, our God wants that to be an ongoing feature, an everyday occurrence in our lives.
 
Listen to Bruh Paul as he talks to the Corinthians about God LOVING a cheerful giver. ‘But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully (with blessings) shall reap also bountifully (with blessings).
 
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity (compulsion): for God LOVETH a cheerful (joyful) giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor.9:6-8)
 
And that’s the living truth Friends! What we give and how we give it is terribly important in God’s domain, for He’s laid down the foundational law that we will reap whatever we sow.
 
Now here’s some info from the scholars on those verses. ‘9:6. One’s return is determined by his investment (cf. Prov.11:24, Luke 6:38; Gal.6:7) The expression (ep’ eulogiais) ordinarily translated “with blessings” here has the sense of “generously.” While it does not suggest indiscriminate giving, it does denote “unrestrained” giving. 
 
9:7 Cheerful giver: The giver is to have a willing heart and a sincere desire to participate in the offering. Paul is not so much interested in their money. Nor is God, for that matter, as the passage from Proverbs 22:9 indicates. The Greek term ‘hilaron,’ from which the English “hilarious” derives, is best rendered as the English text suggests, “cheerful.” Giving is not a joke. It is serious business, but it is a delightful experience all the same.’
 
And that’s just more truth my people! Giving is sometimes hard, but it always makes us feel better afterwards. Yes, you cheapskates. (smile) And please pay careful attention that last verse, where God will always enable you to have sufficient, so you can generously give away some.
 
So however you cut it my brethren, we can’t lose if we work with God out of a generous and cheerful heart. And we will close today with some most valuable words from Jesus on the subject.
 
 ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom (the fold in a garment used as a pocket). For with the same measure that ye mete (use) withal (with that same measure) it shall be measured to you again.’ (Luke 6:38)
 
Now Friends, if Jesus said it, then it must be true! So let’s go out and practice it nuh. It will certainly help us to renew the face of our planet earth as we prayed earlier on. Much LOVE!
 
…he who refuses to give…or gives unwillingly…will receive the same treatment…in his time of need…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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