The Overwhelming Importance of Curtailing One’s Pride and Self-Serving Efforts in the Face of God’s Total Dislike for Them!

25 Jul 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 July 2026   Jeremiah 45:5a.

Jeremiah 45:5a.        And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not:

Wow! It’s our lazy-day Saturday! And I did enjoy some lazy-time in my bed this morning, but had to cut it short to come down and write the Bit. But them’s the breaks! (smile) And besides, it’s too beautiful a summer’s day to waste just lying in bed doing nothing. One should be up and about outside enjoying the good weather, lolling in the sunshine and rejoicing that the breath of life is still flowing through one’s body.

However, before we do any lazy stuff, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, in all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, when the Lord checks our hearts, if He finds them to be sincere, then He’ll soon be sending the peace and calm that we requested, to our hungry souls, for He just delights in having intimacy with His greatest creation; the human being. And today we’ll look at Psalm 131, titled ‘A Humble Heart,’ Bruh David’s declaration of humility. So please read with me: ‘Lord, my heart is not haughty (proud), nor mine eyes lofty (conceited): neither do I exercise (concern) myself in great matters, or in things too high (difficult, profound) for me. Surely I have behaved (calmed) and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.’ (Ps. 131:1-3)

Yes friends, it’s short and simple but contains some profound sentiments. The first one is humility. Remember the Lord dislikes pride and haughtiness possibly more than anything else, because it shows that you have no need of or use for Him. Cousin Sol calls it one of the seven abominations that the Lord dislikes, (Prov. 6:16-19) and throughout the Bible those who have been overly proud have eventually been brought to task by the Lord. For example, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon who thought he was so great, and the Lord humbled him by seven years of madness, eating grass like the ox, until he recognized the sovereignty of the God of Daniel, the One True God. (Dan. 4)

And like Pharaoh, ruler of the greatest nation at the time, who refused to free the Israelites and faced a whole lot of plagues on Egypt, then drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea when trying to pursue the fleeing Israelites, breaking Egypt’s power, humbling her, through His great might. (Ex. 7-12)

Then there’s this interesting story of the biblical scribe, Baruch, the prophet Jeremiah’s secretary. It seems Baruch was of noble birth and was apparently aware that he could have risen to a high position, but under Jeremiah’s influence, he repressed his ambition, being contented to follow the prophet. Jeremiah dictated his prophecies to Baruch, who read them to the people. King Jehoiakim was a greatly angered at hearing them, and had Baruch arrested and the scroll burned. Baruch was eventually taken to Egypt, along with Jeremiah. (43:6)

Now, apparently at one stage Baruch had been depressed and or unhappy, and had written ‘Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.’ (Jer. 45: 3) Then the Lord instructed Jeremiah: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil (adversity) upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey (as a prize) in all places whither thou goest.’ (Jer. 45: 4-5)

Yes my people, that’s the voice of the Lord warning one worker not to seek his own greatness, but to stick with the Lord’s work.  As the scholars say: ‘Baruch’s lofty calling was simply to be a faithful minister, content with the Lord’s appointment. For faithfulness has its own reward.’ And that’s the living truth! For when we serve the Lord faithfully and don’t seek out our own greatness, He rewards us with lasting favour and mercy.

And we have this other passage from Bruh Paul to the Romans where he warns about high-minded and haughty things. ‘Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with humble folks). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation).’ (Rom. 12:16) Now that’s wonderful advice my brethren, for as Cousin Sol warns in Proverbs: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding… Be not wise in tine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.’ (Prov. 3:5; 7)

Exactly what Bruh Paul said. For being haughty, wise and know it all, will only bring your down fall eventually, when the Lord gets tired of your foolish pride. But getting back to Psalm 131. The scholars say that the second verse where Bruh David claims to have weaned himself like a child is a declaration of his trust in the Lord, being like a little child before Him, and the third verse is a call for hope. It’s like what the palmist says in Psalm 130: ‘Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:7-8)

Now that’s the gospel truth my brethren! For only with the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is there much LOVING-KINDNESS and plenty redemption! Therefore wisdom dictates that we follow the Lord, cling to Him with all our might, so that we can receive His numerous, wonderful rewards at the end. Much LOVE!

…the words every believer desires to hear…well done…thou good and faithful servant…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

How to gain Wisdom and Understanding!

19 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 1:10.       That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

And then it was Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week. And thank the Lord we’re only one day away from our starlight day of Friday! (smile) Oh, the expectations we weigh Friday down with; hopefully it lives up to it’s name and doesn’t disappoint us. But, regardless of whatever day it is, once we’re alive to experience the sunshine and smell the roses, let’s be glad and rejoice in it, because that’s God’s desire. It’s why He’s given us a brand new day with new mercies and compassions. And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord for allowing me to see another day on this troubled, but still beautiful earth! Amen.’ 

Now, here’s this month’s prayer from the InTouch Devotional that helps us to do just that. Please pray with me: ‘God, teach me to look for beauty on heavy days, to celebrate Your abundance and brilliance. I want to revel in the warmth of sunshine on my back, to appreciate the many colours You’ve created. I want to pause when the wind moves the trees just so, to admire the quirk in a friend’s personality. Though disappointments, losses, and struggles continue, I pray to laugh easily, to be frivolous with joy. May I collect Your beauty in my spirit and draw from it. May my lightness be a declaration of hope in Your goodness, today and always. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Yes friends, that’s the way we need to live this life; in full hope and trust in Almighty God, enjoying His goodness and mercy and all the wonderful things He’s made, even in the midst of all the troubles and tribulations we might face. And I believe these encouraging words from Bruh Paul to the Colossians give us some insight how to practically do all of what we’ve spoken of above. 

Bruh Paul writes: ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14) 

Oh my people, that’s generally what’s expected of us: To know the Lord’s will for our lives, through studying and meditating on His Word and communing with Him through the Holy Spirit, with all wisdom or ‘accurate perception into the true nature of things,’ as well as understanding, ‘the skillful application of this wisdom in practical circumstances.’ And all of that is necessary so that we can walk (live) properly and please God. 

And what does that mean in a practical sense? The scholars explain. ‘A worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant circumstances of life.’ 

Now I know it all sounds wonderful in theory, but it’s not always easy to do in real life, for patience, which is persevering through trials and tribulations is only gained through experiencing those same trials and tribulations. (smile) And so is longsuffering, or bearing the faults and offences of others with a compassionate heart and mind. In other words we can only learn patience and longsuffering by going through trials and tribulations. The more trials and tribulations we go through, the better, hopefully, we’ll get at cracking those two tough nuts. 

But at the same time, we need to remember all that the Father has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ; bringing us out of darkness or bondage to sin, into the light of the truth of His Word, making us worthy to sit in heavenly places with Jesus, as joint heir with Him, redeeming us through the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross of Calvary, offering salvation, forgiveness of sins, all with the marvelous end of eternal life. Now with all of that done by the Father on our behalf through the Son, how can we not LOVE both Father and Son and listen to the Holy Spirit which enlightens us to their desires? 

Oh my fellow believers, living and working for Jesus is the most important and beneficial thing this world has to offer. So please, let’s wake up and realize it, and forget all the foolish lies, deceptions and evil schemes that Satan tries to distract us with nuh. For only by being close to Jesus can we ever obtain salvation and eternal life. Now let’s declare (chuh!!!) our undeserved Thursday Blessings, so generously bestowed on us to do the Lord’s earthly work. 

Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration (steups!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…true wisdom and understanding are only available…through sincerely living and working for Jesus…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien