21 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all these things shall be added unto you, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be not afraid only believe, be not dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, be too large for worry, be ye angry and sin not, can add one cubit unto his stature, catch our second wind, cease from anger forsake wrath, christianity, consider the lilies of the field, control our temper, do good work for Jesus, do not worry about your life, don't worry about tomorrow, endure to the very end with Christ, even Solomon in all his glory, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fear is a natural human occurrence, fear thou not for I am with thee, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, halfway home, hands on the plough, have I not commanded thee, he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly, he that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, holy spirit, how is it that ye have no faith, I am thy God I will strengthen thee, I will fear no evil, I will help thee, I will not fear what man can do to me, if God so clothes the grass of the field, impulsive, is not life more than meat, it only causes harm, Jesus Christ, Jesus has us well protected, Jesus rebukes the wind and calms the sea, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, let not your heart be troubled, living for Jesus, LOVE, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not turning back, O ye of little faith, our finite brains can't comprehend, our marvellous position in Christ, Peace i leave with you, promise yourself, righteous indignation, salvation, scriptural attributes, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, sinful anger, starting the day on the wrong foot, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take no thought for the morrow, take no thought for your life, thank God, the BIBLE, the body more than raiment, the breath of life is still flowing through me, The Lord is my helper, the Lord's blessed us with life, thou art with me, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to a glorious future with Jesus, tomorrow is cast into the oven, tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself, tomorrow shall worry about itself, too happy to permit the presence of trouble, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, truth, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, was not arrayed like one of these, we may boldly say, Wednesday Wail, which of you by taking thought, why are ye so fearful, wisdom
Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 October 2026 Proverbs 14:29.
Proverbs 14:29. ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive, short of spirit) exalteth folly.’
And it’s another beautiful autumn day in my neighbourhood! The Lord’s certainly blessing us with good weather, and let’s hope we catch our second wind on this glorious Wednesday, so we can continue doing good work for Him. Now, since the Lord blessed us life again today, let’s keep yesterday’s vow to continue looking at the scriptural attributes of the Christian D. Larson poem ‘Promise Yourself.’ And yesterday, we’d stopped at the last verse of the poem, which says to promise ourselves ‘To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.’
Oh boy, that verse points to all kinds of scriptures. ‘To be too large for worry,’ coincides with Jesus’ teaching on the subject in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)?
And why take ye thought for (worry about) raiment (clothing)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (don’t worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient into the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:25-34)
There we have it friends; Jesus’ treatise on worry. And I know it’s difficult not worry, especially in these oppressive and turbulent times, but if we follow Jesus’ formula, we will not be consumed by worry, and that will give us time to concentrate on the necessary things, like God and His righteousness.
Then, there’s ‘too noble for anger.’ And there are so many scriptures that talk about not letting anger control us, that we can only address a couple of the more well known ones. Like this one from Bruh David in Psalm 37. ‘Cease (refrain) from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm).’ (Ps. 37:8) Then Cousin Sol offers this gem from Proverbs. ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive, short of spirit) exalteth folly.’ (Prov. 14:29) That means we need to control our tempers and thus our anger, otherwise we’ll look and be considered foolish.
Now, here’s this other practical gem from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:’ (Eph. 4:26) And that’s wonderful advice my brethren, as the scholars say: ‘Sinful anger is to be replaced by (briefly held) righteous indignation, that the devil may not be given an opportunity.’ Yes, our anger ought to be short lived, and never go to bed angry, because it will disturb our sleep and we’ll most likely also wake up angry, thus starting our day on the wrong foot.
And when we come to promising ourselves to be ‘too strong for fear,’ well there are even more scriptures on that than on anger. So let’s quote a few of them, beginning with this well known verse from Isaiah, where he encourages his people Israel. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) Then there’s this marvellous verse from Bruh David in Psalm 23. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:4)
Meanwhile, the author of Hebrews, having relayed the Lord’s promise to never to leave nor forsake us, (Heb. 13:5) then confidently declares: ‘So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall (can) do unto me.’ (Heb. 13:6) And we have the gumption to not fear also based on these words of Jesus: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
And it’s worthwhile to note that during His time on earth Jesus was always chiding those around Him about their fear, or encouraging them not to fear, like these two scriptures illustrate. The first one deals with Jesus and His disciples crossing the sea of Galilee and a big storm suddenly arises, while Jesus sleeps in the stern of the boat apparently unaware of the storm. In terrible fear, the disciples awaken Him. Jesus gets up, rebukes the wind and calms the sea, then says to the disciples: ‘Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:40)
Then, on the way to heal the daughter of the synagogue leader Jairus, Jesus hears him being told that his daughter had died, He turns and simply says to Him: ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ (Mark 5:36) Those are words we all ought to take to heart in these evil and ungodly times. Now, please note that fear is a natural human occurrence, and the Lord expects us to be afraid at times, however, the problem is what do we do, and where we go when we’re afraid? The Lord expects us to come to Him in times of fear, because He is able to handle any fear that consumes us, as He so assertively says to Joshua.
‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) And that’s a wonderful scripture for us to ponder on today, as we go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And for those who endure to the very end with Jesus, it’s been promised they’ll enjoy an even more glorious future than our finite brains can comprehend. So please, let’s endure to the very end, so that we can endure that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…in living for Jesus…we don’t need to worry, be angry, or fearful…for He has us well protected…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartfelt version, abide in me and I in you, abiding with God, an answer to all of life's cares, an outward indication of an inner condition, as the world turns, as ye see the day approaching, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, being diligent in prayer, believe your life is in God's hands, believers must get together on a regular basis, cast all your cares on God, casting all your care upon him, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, constant prayer, diligent Bible study, don't give in, don't give up now, draw near to God and he will draw near to you, essential for spiritual life peace and fruitfulness, except it abide in the vine, exhorting one another, faith, fellowship, gather in God's sanctuary, giving thanks and praise to God, go and pray unto me, God does not lie, God eternal immortal invisible, God is always there, God why, have I not commanded thee, he careth for you, he that abideth in me and I in him, he'll never forsake you, He'll never leave you, holding on to faith, holy spirit, humble service to others, I am the vine ye are the branches, I will give you rest, I will hearken unto you, I will listen to you, in spite of how things may appear, in spite of what you see or feel, it doesn't matter what may come our way, Jesus Christ, Judith Gayle, keep God first place in our lives, keep on believeing, like life will never change its tide, LOVE, mercy, no better advice than that, no more can ye except ye abide in me, not a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, only one place we are safe, regular fellowship with other believers, remembering we're not alone, rooted and grounded in the scriptures, salvation, says give up now, search for me with all your heart, seek me and find me, stand strong n faith and perseverance, Stay with God, stay with Jesus, staying connected to God, staying with God, sweet sacrifices of praise, tell everyone you meet, the branch caanot bear fruit of itself, the church is a body interacting, the glorious truth, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the heartaches are severe, the importance of Christian fellowship, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the mountains get so high sometimes, the only wise God, the onus is on us to search for God, the perfect message for these evil and ungodly times, the road it gets so rocky at times, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the valley seems so wide, the way you feel, then shall ye call upon me, there's hope in God, this journey will never end, trusting God to do what is right, truth, walking with God, whatever may come your way, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing, you cry, you feel that will ease the pain, you feel you can't hold on, you got life in him, you keep asking the question, your mountains have to disappear
Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 October 2026 John 15:4a.
John 15:4a. Abide in me, and I in you.
As the world turns, it’s Sunday once again my people, another beautiful, sunshiny fall day! That means it’s time to gather in God’s sanctuary to fellowship with other believers, while giving thanks and praise to our great and wonderful God! And it’s also of the utmost importance that Christians fellowship with one another so that we can encourage and lift up each other. The author of Hebrews rightly reminds us of that fact when he writes: ‘Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:25)
Yes friends, believers ought to get together on a regular basis and worship Almighty God. As the scholars say: It involves the entire worship of Christ, and is an outward indication of an inward condition. The assembling of God’s people provides opportunity for reciprocal encouragement, strengthening and the stirring up that can be gained from one another (cf. Col. 3:12-16). It consists of participation in worship and fellowship. The church is a body interacting (1 Cor. 12:14-27); it is not merely a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine.’
And now that we’ve heard the argument for gathering in fellowship, let’s turn to our song of worship for today. It’s a popular gospel song encouraging believers to stand strong in faith and perseverance and is simply titled ‘Stay with God.’ It’s sung by the well-known Jamaican gospel artiste Judith Gayle, from her 2016 album ‘The Winner In Me.’ And we’re going to offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, mid-tempo, heartfelt version, showing that we truly believe what we’re singing.
So, singing: ‘I know the mountains get so high sometimes I know the valley seems so wide It seems this journey, it will never end And you keep asking the question: God why? I know the road it gets so rocky at times, Ah, I know the heartaches are severe Oh, It seems like life will never change its tide But there’s an answer to all of life’s cares. (Chorus: Stay with God In spite of what you see or feel Stay with God In spite of how things may appear Come on, Stay with God It doesn’t matter what may come our way There is only one place we are safe Stay with God.)
I know the way you feel says give up now I know you feel you can’t hold on You’re not the only one who is carrying your load Remember He said to cast all your cares on Him. I know you cry and tell everyone you meet Because you feel that will ease the pain But if you just believe your life is in God’s hands Then today I tell you your mountains have to disappear. (Chorus 2) Ooh yeah You got life in Him There is hope in Him There’s a bright future Just stay with him yeah just stay with him yeah Oh he’ll never leave you He’ll never he’ll never never forsake you no Just cast all your cares upon Him
Don’t give up now Don’t give in no Whatever may come your way God is always there, Stay with God In spite of what you see or feel Stay with God In spite of how things may appear Stay with God It doesn’t matter what may come our way There is only one place we are safe Come on, Stay with God Stay with Jesus Stay with Jesus Stay with God Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God yeah Stay with God…Stay with Jesus…Stay with God…right until the end…Stay with God…’
Oh my people there could be no better advice than that: Stay with God, because He’s the eternal, immortal, invisible, only wise God that there is! And as this Overview tells us: The message of the song, is that ‘It encourages listeners to hold on to faith, stay in prayer, and trust God even when walking through difficult valleys, high mountains, or severe heartaches. It reminds believers that they are not carrying their burdens alone and the God never forsakes them.’ And that is a perfect message for these evil and ungodly times.
The question then becomes; how do we stay with God? Simply put, it’s as the message of the song says, by holding on to our faith, while staying diligent in prayer and remembering we’re not alone, neither will our God ever forsake us. So, we keep on believing, trusting God to do what’s right, when the time is right, being rooted and grounded in the scriptures so we can learn God’s promises, and place all our heavy load on Him, as He desires us to do in His Great Invitation: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28) And as Peter wisely says: ‘Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:7)
Then, as this other Overview tell us: ‘The Bible teaches that staying connected to God – often described as abiding, walking with God, or drawing near – is essential for spiritual life, peace, and fruitfulness.’ And there are numerous scriptures that deal with those subjects, so let’s look at a few. In the gospel of John, Jesus says it quite clearly: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5)
Now, that’s Jesus telling it exactly like it is! Without Him playing a major role in our lives we cannot do much of anything, especially bear worthwhile fruit. Then James is also very explicit, when he says: ‘Draw near to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you.’ (James 4:8a) And through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord clearly states: ‘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. 29:12-13) There you have it friends, the onus is on us to seek God with all of our hearts, if we desire to stay close to Him.
And we’ll end with this beautiful and very reassuring promise from God to Joshua, and consequently to us: ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) And that’s from the Lord God Almighty Himself, so it must be the glorious truth, for our God does not lie. So, this Sunday, as we meet and greet and fellowship with our fellow believers, let’s keep all the sentiments we’ve expressed first place in our hearts, for then we will live a blessed, peaceful, spiritual and fruitful life as our God desires! Much LOVE!
…the best way to stay with God is…through constant prayer…diligent Bible study…regular fellowship with other believers…and humble service to others
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Prayer fo Confidence, a strong feeling, accounted as sheep for the slaughter, act it out with courage and faith, as it is written, awakened from the dormant state, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be of good cheer, be strong and of a good courage, called according to God's purpose, challenges in life, chilly days are here, Chrisitans should never lack confidence in God's word, Christ has defeated hell death and the grave, christianity, Christians, confident attitude, distress, Dr. Robert H Schuller, duty bound, everything will work out beautifully, expenditure of effort, face challenges calmly, faith, famine, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, go through difficult times, God is behind me, God will help me, God will rescue me, God's promise, God's Word, handle anything that comes against us, hardy folks, have good success, have I not commanded you, have the keys of hell and death, holy spirit, hurry, I am alive for evermore, I am he that liveth, I feel his spirit of confidence, i have overcome the world, If God be for me who can be against me, if god be for us who can be against us, in all these things we are more than conquerors, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, in your court, it is flowing into me now, Jesus Christ, Jesus conquered hell and death by His resurrection, Jesus controls the gateway to eternity, keep on fighting the good fight, keep on keeping on, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lifted our spirits and confidence, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made the right decision, meditate therein day and night, mercy, my conscience is clear, nakedness, not afraid of problems, not to worry, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, observe to do all that's written therein, our relationship to God, peril, persecution, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, stand strong and steadfast for Christ, summer is officially over, surging in my heart, Thank You God, that's it in a nutshell, the amazing help of Jesus, the awesome truth, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the Creator and Controller of the universe, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Hour of Power 50th Anniversary Devotional, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the only thing to get us through these evil and ungodly times, the sword, then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, these things I have spoken unto you, they too can come to know and love Christ like do, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, to them that love God, tribulation, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unshakeable faith in Almighty God, was dead, we know that all things work together for good, what shall we say then to these things, who shall separate us from the Love of Christ, wisdom, With God I cannot fail, worry
Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 September 2026 Romans 8:31.
Romans 8:31. ‘What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’
Aye mih people, it seems like the summer season is officially over, as well as the summer weather we’ve been enjoying for the last couple of weeks. Chilly days are here, notwithstanding that the sun is still shining brilliantly, but it’s heat has fallen away southward, so the southern climes can now enjoy some of its joyful heat. But not to worry, we’re hardy folks, and can handle anything that comes against us with the amazing help of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And all God’s people acknowledge that fact with a loud and sure ‘Amen!’
And with that confident attitude, it’s ever so appropriate for us to offer up ‘A Prayer for Confidence,’ from the Hour of Power 50th Anniversary Devotional, with writings by the late Dr. Robert H Schuller. So please prayer with me: ‘It is flowing into me now, for my conscience is clear. I have made the right decision. I am not afraid of problems. I will face challenges calmly and serenely for God is behind me. He will help me. If I must go through difficult times, He will rescue me. I feel His spirit of confidence surging in my heart now. With Him I cannot possibly fail. “If God is for me who can be against me?” I have a strong feeling that everything is going to work out just beautifully. Thank You, God. Amen.’
Now that’s a wonderful prayer, and let’s hope it lifted our spirits and our confidence as it is supposed to. Let’s hope that our hope and trust in God was awakened from the dormant state in which it’s been lying in for some time now, because having confidence, unshakeable faith in Almighty God is the only thing that will get us through these terribly evil and ungodly times. And that’s what God’s Word, the Bible, is preeminently written for; to give those who believe the strength, confidence, faith and trust to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Thus it’s like the prayer says, quoting Bruh Paul: ‘What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom. 8:31) And the confident answer to that question is ‘NOBODY!’ And how can anyone be against you when the Creator and Controller of the universe is in your court eh? No way! Now times are hard, and are possibly going to get harder, but with God’s Word to support us we are encouraged to keep on keeping on, to keep on fighting the good fight in Jesus’ name. And if there’s one thing the Bible doesn’t lack is encouragement. Oh yes, it’s chocked full of encouraging words and statements. Like what you ask?
Well let’s begin with a couple more from Bruh Paul’s amazing Chapter 8 in Romans. He writes: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) That means that life will work out good eventually for all those who are called to God’s purpose. So though we go through troubles and challenges during life, in the end, it all will work out well. That’s God’s promise!
Then later in the chapter Bruh Paul asks this most important question: ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded (that nothing) shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35-39)
Oh friends, with that kind of confidence and certainty about our relationship to God, how can we not stand strong and steadfast in His name eh? And when you add these most encouraging words of Jesus to the equation, things only get brighter. Believe Him, when He says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
And that’s the awesome truth! Jesus has overcome the world by defeating Satan, the world’s ruler, and taking away the keys of hell death and grave from him. It’s like He says to John in Revelation: ‘I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’ (Rev. 1:18) And yuh know what that means my brethren? Jesus has complete authority over hell, death and the grave, because He’s conquered them by His resurrection. Thus He controls the gateway to eternity, and therefore we don’t need to fear the grave because our Lord and Saviour controls eternity!
Wow! How could we not be confident under those amazing circumstances eh? But unfortunately all of that doesn’t happen without some expenditure of effort on our part. And the Lord said it very plainly to Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Yes friends, that’s it in a nutshell. All the good things are waiting for us, but we have to do our part by reading, studying and living the word. And I like the last part of the Lord’s speech to Joshua: ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9 ) Oh my people truer words were never spoken, for the Lord our God is indeed with us wherever we go, but we need to sincerely believe it, and act it our with courage and faith, so that we can be prosperous wherever we go.
And with all of that confidence flowing through us, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong; lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Christians should never lack…confidence in God’s word…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a very present help in trouble, a wordl of evil and ugodliness, all things are possible to him that believes, all things work together for good to them that love God, assurance, assurance about what we do not see, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be not dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, believing in who Jesus says He is, by faith the elders believed the word of God, by faith the elders obtained a good report, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, condition ourselve to the upcoming winter season, conviction is faith relating to the present, do not depend on your native instincts, duty bound, faith, faith cometh by hearing, faith in God provides security, faith is confidence in what we hope for, faith is the substance of things hoped for, faith provides evidence, faith provides substance, faith strengthening scripture, fear thou not for I am with thee, for we walk by faith not by sight, future hope, God is always right beside us, God is our refuge and strength, grow in faith, have fellowship and intimacy with God, have I not commanded thee, he shall direct thy paths, hearing by the word of God, holy spirit, hope for the return of Christ, hope is faith relating to the future, hope of the resurrection, hurry, I am thy God I will strenthen thee, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, if thou canst believe, if wishes were horses all beggars would ride, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, LOVE, mercy, no belief means no substance to build your faith on, nothing is impossible for God, our ever-faithful God, present realities that are unseen, proof that results in conviction, salvation, scriptures that build up our faith, Selah, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, strife, take root in your heart and soul, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the evidence of things not seen, the first day of September, the forgiveness of sins through Christ's sacrifice, the glorification of the saints, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, the present intercession of Christ in heaven, the things which are seen, the worlds were framed by the word of god, therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters roar and be troubled, through faith we understand, to them who are called according to his purpose, trials and tribulations, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, we believe that God created the world form nothing, we know that all things work together for good, were not made of things which do appear, worry
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2026 2 Corinthians 5:7.
2 Corinthians 5:7. For we walk by faith, not by sight:
And this Tuesday morning, the first day of September opened earlier with bright sunshine, but by midday it’s become somewhat humid and cloudy, but we’ll take it anyway. (smile) Let’s hope and pray that the fairly warm weather keeps up for some time yet, as we need to get our minds and bodies conditioned to the upcoming winter season. Oh, there’s no doubt we’ll handle it, but it would be so much nicer if we didn’t have to. And yes, if wishes were horses, all beggars would ride, for we cannot get away from the cold weather that’s in the offing, because that’s just how it is in the northern climes.
But enough whimpering, let’s look at some scriptures that build up our faith, that provide strength and confidence in God and all His promises, because in the current state of our world, with all the strife, evil and ungodliness that’s happening, we need something strong to hold on to. And the first scripture is that awesome verse from Philippians, where Bruh Paul writes: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengetheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Of course we can! Since nothing is impossible to Jesus, if He desires us to do something then He will surely empower us to do it.
And Jesus reinforces that when He tells the father who brought his epileptic son to Him for healing. ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ (Mark. 9:23) Yes friends, this life with Jesus all depends on believing: in believing who He says He is, and that He can do what He says He can and will do. If you don’t believe that Jesus is who He is then there is no substance on which to build your faith. For as Bruh Paul emphasizes in 2 Corinthians: ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight:’ (2. Cor. 5:7)
Yes, with Jesus, it’s all about faith; basically what you can’t see, but believe is possible and will happen at some time or other. Or, as Hebrews puts it: ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand the worlds (ages) were framed (prepared) by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (are visible). (Heb. 11:1-3) In other words, by faith we believe that God created the world from nothing, and by faith the elders believed the word of God and lived it, even though they did not always get what they expected.
And according to the scholars, ‘faith provides substance or assurance. It also provides evidence in the sense of proof that results in conviction. Of things hoped for involves future hope, like the hope of the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the glorification of the saints. While of things not seen involves present realities that are unseen, such as the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice, and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Hope is faith relating to the future, conviction is faith relating to the present.’
Then in Romans, Bruh Paul advises us: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:17) And that’s the truth! You cannot believe the word or have faith until you hear it preached. It must be heard over and over so it can take root in your heart and soul, get strong, and grow into faith. Meanwhile, Isaiah, offers comfort, assuring believers of God’s presence and strength in difficult times. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) If you believe and have faith, then that’s what the Lord will do.
Then we have these wonderful words of faith from the Sons of Korah in Psalm 46. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart of) the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3) So through faith in God we also find a place of security, when everywhere else is insecure.
And we must remember these awesome words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs: ‘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 smooth or straight) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6) And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Three commands are given: trust, meaning “rely on, depend on”; lean not, meaning do not depend on your own native instincts; and acknowledge, meaning have fellowship and intimacy with God in all of life. The result of such devotion is that God will make the paths straight before you.’ What wonderful advice! But it’s all based on belief, faith and trust in Almighty God!
Then there’s this overwhelming command of God Himself to Joshua. ‘Have I not commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) You can’t beat that friends! We can be courageous because we know that our God is always right there beside us. But here’s the awesome scripture that I believe holds it all together. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to His purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Ah mih people that scripture gives us the godly assurance that despite all the trials and tribulations we might face during our earthly lives, our wonderful God will use it all to make it good at the end! Now that’s where our faith truly comes in; believing that it will all work out right in the end, because our ever-faithful God says so!
And with all that faith strengthening scripture in our hearts and souls, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And that now makes us duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…faith is confidence in what we hope for…and assurance about what we do not see…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blessed scripture, all guns firing, be able to comfort them which are in trouble, be careful for nothing, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be of good cheer, be strong and of a good courage, blessed be God, Bruh David's men spoke about stoning him, Bruh David's reaction to the burning of Ziklag, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, casting all your care upon him, christianity, comfort in hard times, David followed the Lord's advise, David's men blamed his for the disaster, do better, do good work for Jesus, don't even have time to think, encouragement is right at our fingertips, endure to the end, faith, for our sakes and Jesus', give thanks for being alive, greater is he that is in you, halfway home, hands on the plough, have all the tools and parts, have I not commanded thee, have overcome them, he careth for you, He giveth power to the faint, he may exalt you in due time, hearing and putting into action are two different things, hold our horses, holy spirit, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, I have overcome the word, i have overcome the world, I'm so glad to be alive, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, know the scriptures, let your request be made known unto God, LOVE, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not looking back, on an early bus, our second wind day, run and not be weary, salvation, scriptures that provide encouragement, sterngth and courage, than he that's in the world, thank God, that in me ye might have peace, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, the Lord sometimes allows hardship to come against us, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the way we live this earthly life depends a lot on us, the young men shall utterly fall, the youth shall faint and be weary, these things I have spoken unto you, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, to a glorious future with Jesus, to find a wife asap, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, truth, use them when the time comes, wait on the Lord, wake up to the seriousness of the situation, walk and not faint, Wednesday Wail, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, wisdom, ye are of God little children
Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 June 2026 John 16:33.
John 16:33. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’
Ah mih people, it’s Wednesday, our second wind day, so let’s catch it if we want to continue to do good work for Jesus. And would you believe we’re on an early bus, even though I went to my church group this morning! Glory be! Let’s also give thanks for being alive to see another day, despite the high level of evil and ungodliness that’s currently permeating our world. And as we promised yesterday, if the breath still flowed through our body today, we’d continue to look at scriptures that give us encouragement in our everyday lives.
And I like how this overview breaks down the scriptures according to purpose. Beginning with this famous one for Strength and Courage, as the Lord continues speaking to Joshua, after making him the Israelite leader following the death of Moses. For the third time in four verses He admonishes Joshua: ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9)Now you cannot get encouragement from a better source, but hearing it and putting it into action are two entirely different things, for when the enemy comes at you with all guns firing, sometimes you don’t even have time to think, much less be strong and courageous, but we’re expected to be thus, because we have all the parts and tools to do so.
Then, as per Peace and Anxiety, these verses from Philippians show us the way. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request 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)
And what about a scripture for Overcoming Weariness? This one we all know and quote although we don’t action it as we ought to. Isaiah wisely informs us: ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40: 29-31) What a beautiful promise my brethren! But it doesn’t happen automatically, we have to hold our horses and wait upon the Lord.
Then there’s this section about Comfort in Hard Times. Here Peter exhorts us: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) Yes friends, Almighty God is our greatest source of comfort, as Bruh Paul explains in these verses from 2 Corinthians. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Wow! What a blessed scripture! We comfort others by the comfort we receive from God Himself! Then as per Assurance in Trials, John enlightens us from his first epistle. ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) And that’s a known fact, Jesus in us is indeed greater than Satan that’s in the world. And Jesus confirms this when he reassures us: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Oh my fellow believers, we certainly don’t lack for encouraging scriptures in the Lord’s Word, for that’s why it was written; to enlighten, guide, encourage, strengthen and comfort us. But it’s not always easy to do, and we first have to know the scriptures, then put them into action when the time comes. And here is one of the best examples in the Bible of putting scripture into action. It’s Bruh David’s reaction when the Philistines refused his help to fight with them against Israel, although he was then living in their territory, and he returned to his town of Ziklag and found it burned to the ground by the Amalekites, and all the women and children taken captive.
To make matters worse, although Bruh David had also lost his wives and children, his men were sorely grieved, and spoke about stoning him, blaming him for the disaster. (1 Sam. 30:1-6a) And how did Bruh David handle that frightening situation? The Bible tells us: ‘but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ (1 Sam. 30:6b) Yes friends, that’s what we need to do when things are really going badly; encourage ourself in the Lord our God, turn to Him in prayer with questions as to one’s direction, like Bruh David did. In that case, the Lord directed him to go after the Amalekites, (1 Sam. 30:7-8)
And he followed the Lord’s advice, went after the Amalekites and defeated them in a great victory and recovered all that he had lost… and more. (1 Sam. 30:9-12) Ah mih people, at times the Lord might allow life to become difficult for us, but He’ll never leave us in the lurch, that is if we turn to Him for guidance and encouragement. So, in the long run, the way we live this earthly life depends quite a lot on us. We have all the tools to make it good, but what good are tools that aren’t being used eh? No good at all! So let’s wake up and wise up to the seriousness of the situation and do better, for our sakes, as well as for Christ’s.
Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure to the end, then, an even more glorious future has been promised, one we cannot imagine or comprehend. So, let’s be wise and endure to the very end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…we don’t lack for encouragement…it’s right there at our fingertips…just waiting to be taken…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a disciplined mind, add any enthusiasm to the situation, all for the glory of Jesus, all the days of thy life, allow your incredible aura of love, another new work week, as I was with Moses so will I be with thee, be constantly in thy mouth, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, but of power love and of a sound mind, constantly bombarded by the enemy's evil schemes, dangerous and unfair jobs, depend on us to a large extent, divide for an inheritance, divine aid, don't be afraid of any task God gives us, don't turn away from the law, drilled into Joshua's brain, encouragement, face challenges, faith, fill us with steadfast faith, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, furthering your glorious kingdom, get into the groove, God's conversation with Joshua, have good success, have I not commanded thee, have success, holy spirit, humble servants, humbly ask, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I praise and thank you God, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee, inclement weather, inspire us to rise to greater heights, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, jobs that serve a useful purpose, keep our promises, keeping families together, living in fear, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, make worthwhile inroads into the enemy's ranks, mano a mano, meditate therein day and night, meet the enemy in battle, mercy, no man shall be able to stand against thee, no partying on Monday, observe to do according to all the law, observe to do all that's written therein, our omnipotent and merciful God, perform like you're capable of performing, positive reassurance of our faith, prerequisites for success, prosper, put it into action, reassurance, regardless of what happens, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality and enthusiasm, sally forth with confidence, salvation, step up to the plate, sudy the law and live by it, sure conquerors, surrender our all to you, the evil and ungodly world, the fulfillment of promises, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the gospel truth, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the lustful ways of the world, the throne of grace, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, to lead and guide all your servants, too comfortable in the pleasures of the world, truth, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, we're not afraid, wearing God's powerful protective spiritual armour, wisdom, work all five days, wrought in our weary souls
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 May 2026 Joshua 1:9.
Joshua 1:9. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Another new work week my people. And this time we have to work all five days, no partying on Monday, like we did last week. (smile) And it will undoubtedly be difficult for some of us to get back into the five-day groove, but get back into it we must, if we’re to do Jesus proud. Then the inclement weather we’ve had over the weekend certainly doesn’t add any enthusiasm to the situation, but the bright sunshine and warm weather of this Monday ought to inspire us to rise to greater heights, all for the glory of Jesus! (smile)
And as we face our challenges today, please, let’s remember we can face them mano a mano, because of this most important acclamation, this positive reassurance of our faith: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengetheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) And that’s the gospel truth, for whatever we need to do on Christ’s behalf, He will enable us to do it. And that reminds me of God’s conversation with Joshua, when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. He promised him: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (Josh. 1:5)
Yes friends, the Lord gives us all wonderful promises, but sometimes the fulfillment of those promises depends on us to a large extent. And so it was with Joshua. The Lord made sure He pointed out certain things he needed to do to have a successful mission. He warned him: ‘Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance (you shall give as a possession) the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success) whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:6-7)
Please note that the Lord specifies two things in those two verses; that Joshua must stick to the letter of the law, and twice He warned him, to be strong and very courageous. Those were the prerequisites for success. Now that warning hasn’t changed since then. We modern day believers are still required to be strong and very courageous and obey the law in living for Christ. And let’s not say we can’t do it, because Bruh Paul has already declared that we are more than able, 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) In other words, we need not be afraid of any task we are given.
But the Lord took His commands to Joshua so seriously that He expanded on them in the next couple of verses, when He warns: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9)
Oh my brethren, you see how the Lord drilled those three things into Joshua’s brain: First we need to study the law and live by it, don’t turn away from it regardless of what happens. Then we need to be strong and courageous, and we have all the tools to do that. And last but not least, don’t be afraid, because the Lord our God is with us wherever we go! What wonderful assurance that is my fellow believers! No other supposed God offers that kind of assurance and confidence to their followers because they can’t fulfill it. They don’t have the power or wherewithal to do so. Only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, omnipotent and merciful can make such a promise and fulfill it!
But yuh know what friends, we can have all the encouragement and reassurance in the world from God, but until we believe it and put it into action, it’s all wasted. And that’s what the Lord was trying to push home to Joshua; you can do it, because I’ve given you all you need, and I’m here to back you up, but you need to step forward, step up to the plate and perform like you are capable of performing. The same goes for us today, as so many of us are living in fear, or have simply gotten too comfortable in the lustful ways of the world and thus are not stepping forward to do our duty.
However, we hope and pray that very soon, before it’s too late, we’ll all wake up and see the light and perform the way we ought to. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine help to turn things around. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise and thank You this Monday morning for our jobs; jobs we sometimes don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank You Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm You’ve wrought in our weary souls over the weekend. It’s that rejuvenation of spirit which now allows us to sally forth with confidence into the evil and ungodly world, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s evil schemes. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing Your powerful, protective spiritual armour!
We surrender our all to You, and humbly ask that You allow Your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit to lead and guide all Your servants, as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, thereby furthering Your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Amen!
Now, let’s go out and keep our promises! Much LOVE!
…it’s not if we can…for we have all it takes…but if we desire to…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a disciplined mind, a light unto my path, all I'm asking from you, all that I am, ammunition, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, but of power love and a sound mind, cheating, crime, crowding my mind, do you remember, every tongue, fighting the good fight for Christ, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, for God so loved the world, give me the strength, glorified together, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, heirs of God, help me believe, help me today, holy spirit, I have to climb, I'm only human, if we suffer with Christ, if you're looking below, in what I could be, it's worse now than then, Jesus Christ, join the joyful throngs, joint heirs with Christ, LOVE, Marvia Providence, mercy, need to listen carefully, no weapon formed against thee shall prosper, one day at a time, one day at a time sweet Jesus, praise, pushing and shoving, responsibly handle the challenges of today, rise against thee in judgement, salvation, show me the stairways, show me the way, stealing, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, thanksgiving, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the bells are ringing, the children of God, the heritage of the servants of the Lord, the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the Lord's faithful promise, the Lord's sanctuary, the morrow, the Sermon on the Mount, the Spirit of adoption, the spirit of bondage, their righteousness is from me, they are the sons of God, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, thou shalt condemn, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to do everything I have to do, tomorrow may never be mine, tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself, truth, turn to the left, violence, walk in the footsteps of Christ, we cry Abba Father, we're born to faith not fear, when ye turn to the right hand, when you walked among men, where our bread is buttered, wisdom, with God as our guide, worship
Romans 8:14. ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God.
The bells are ringing on this beautiful but a tad cloudy Sunday morning my people! That means it’s time to join the joyful throngs heading to the Lord’s sanctuary to offer up praise, worship and thanksgiving and receive grace, mercy, forgiveness and strength to fight the good fight for another week. And opening today’s worship is a Christian contemporary song authored by Marijohn Wilkins and Kris Kristofferson, most appropriately titled, ‘One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus.’ And that’s all we can handle, even if we foolishly and selfishly wish for more.
And today we’re going to offer up a rich, scintillating, Reggae version of the song, per Jamaican Gospel Artiste, Marvia Providence. So, let’s open our mouths and hearts and allow sweet sacrifices of praise to reach up to high heaven, beginning with the rocking chorus. Singing! ‘(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Give me the strength To do everything that I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time)
I’m only human I’m just a woman (man) Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Oh show me the stairways I have to climb Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time. (Chorus) Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. There’s pushing and shoving And its crowding my mind So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time.
(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything that I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time Oh help me today Show me the way One day at a time… One day at a time…Sweet Jesus…Teach me to take One day at a time…One day at a time…Lord help me today…Show me the way…One day at a time.’
And if you are sincere, He will help you to do just that. For remember we recently read in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus offered that exact wise advice, when He said: ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) That means, everyday has its own problems, that need to be handled right then, and although we should make some rough plans for the morrow, we ought to concentrate on what’s happening today, and not too much about tomorrow.
For if we don’t responsibly handle the challenges and responsibilities of today, we might not even get to tomorrow. Yes, as the song says; ‘tomorrow may never be mine.’ But if we do see tomorrow, with God as our guide, we will be able to responsibly handle those troubles and problems it creates. That’s our Lord’s faithful promise. But believe me, with all the confusion and otherwise that’s constantly happening around us, learning to take one day at a time is not always easy, that’s why the song asks for help to do it.
We’re only human, frail and fragile beings, so we need help to believe in what we could be and what we truly are. And there are a few scriptures that can help us do just that beginning with this most encouraging scripture from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘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) That’s the first thing we must acknowledge; we’re not born to fear, but to faith.
Then know who we are in Christ. As Bruh Paul writes the Roman church. ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.’ (Rom. 8:14-17)
Ah my brethren, if we believe in Christ, we need to realize that He’s freed us from fear and eternal death, and thus caused God to adopt us. And if we are children of God, then nothing can harm us. ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) More ammunition for us to be strong and not fear, once we link up with Jesus.
That brings us to this magnificent scripture, where the Lord Himself warned Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) Now that is scripture we should have at the forefront of our lives, every day! For it’s the backbone of our faith; the continual and everlasting presence of our wonderful and faithful God walking beside us all the time.
As the prophet Isaiah further reminds us. ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) That’s the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit that indwells us, softly whispering to us as we daily try to walk in the footsteps of Christ. The problem though is that if we truly want to hear that guiding voice, we need to listen carefully, for it’s not a loud, invasive or intrusive one, but a gentle, comforting voice.
And we cannot end without possibly the most important verse of scripture in the entire Bible; these marvellous, reassuring words of Jesus to Nicodemus: ‘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) Now that shows just how much the Lord cares for His human creation. Therefore, let us stand strong in the Lord, and keep fighting the good fight for Christ, for that’s where our bread is buttered! Much LOVE!
…thy word is a lamp unto my feet…and a light unto my path… (Ps. 119:105)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spirit of power love and a sound mind, agents of Christ, anger, arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, be filled with the Spirit, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be not drunk with wine, be strong and of a good courage, belly and backbone, Bible, Christ shall give thee light, christianity, discern what is acceptable to God, do the right thing, expose ungodly behaviour, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, giving thanks always for all things, god, goodness, guts and gumption, hands on the plough, hatred, hiding our light under a bushel, I am with you always, in the fear of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, let courage overcome fear, light in the Lord, LOVE, made manifest by the light, make disciples of all nations, making melody in your heart to god, not as fools but as wise, not looking back, our salt has lost its flavour, redeeming the time, resentment, righteousness, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, strife, submitting yourselves one to another, teach all nations, thank God, the breath of life, the days are evil, the fruit of the spirit, the Great Commission, the light of the world, the Lord thy God is with thee, the salt of the earth, the unfruitful works of darkness, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, walk as children of light, walk circumspectly, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, ye were sometimes darkness
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
So it’s Wednesday… What’s new in our world eh? Nothing really, just the same ole, same ole; lots of strife, resentment, anger and hatred, but comparatively little LOVE. What a sad situation! But it is what it is, and we believers in Christ Jesus have to learn to deal with it, to go forward with courage, to let our courage overcome our fear and go out into the foul and evil world and do the right thing. As per the Lord’s long ago directive to Joshua. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9)
And that directive has not changed down through the years my fellow believers. Except that we can now add to the mix, Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) So we have everything we need to get out there and make a difference. But just in case we’re still afraid, or we falter, let’s listen to these ever important words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, which are very appropriate for these times.
‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.’ (Eph. 5:9-13)
Yes friends, we were once children of darkness, living in sin and evil and enjoying it. However, having received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, we should now walk as children of light, flooded with the gospel of Christ, knowing truth from lies and wrong from right. And thus constantly trying to discern what is and what is not acceptable to God. At the same time, refusing to indulge in the sins committed by those who still live in darkness, some of which are so disgusting that they should not even be spoken of in decent company. And furthermore, doing our best to expose that ungodly behaviour, so the unbeliever can realize the appalling and revolting nature of their deeds and the terrible consequences they bear.
And having exhorted us thus, Bruh Paul continues the exhortation: (smile) ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart unto the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:14-21)
Oh my faithful believers, this is indeed the time for us to put those immortal words of Bruh Paul into action, for we are way too lethargic and inactive in consciously and constantly living out our faith. True faith in Christ demands action, wise action, especially in these evil times, that are only getting worse because of our lackadaisical and lacklustre attitude. Remember, we are supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. But it seems like we’re hiding our light under a bushel (basket), perhaps through fear and/or mere apathy, so that the world cannot see it.
And our salt… chuh! That looks like it’s completely lost its flavour and is therefore no good but to be trampled underfoot by men, which is certainly what’s happening. Oh friends, instead of being lightless and saltless, we’re supposed to be embracing every opportunity to find out the Lord’s will and do it. That includes staying away from drunkenness where your thoughts and actions are controlled by the alcohol, and only leads to moral intemperance. Instead, we should endeavour to be filled with Holy Spirit, God’s will for us, where we can control our thoughts and actions, hopefully in a godly manner.
Doing things like singing psalms and hymns, making melody in our hearts to God, and giving Him thanks for all that He’s done for us through Jesus Christ. As well as putting the wishes of our fellow believers above our own, which pleases the Lord. Now, nobody ever said that living for Christ was easy, and in these very evil times it get’s even more difficult because the evil doers are fighting tooth and nail to repress the gospel of Christ and all the good things it entails. But that’s exactly why we followers of the Saviour have to come up even higher, stronger and more determined than ever to do the work He desires of us.
My people, Christ is depending on us. We are His agents, ambassadors, His legs, feet, eyes and ears down hear on the earth, and as such we have a great responsibility to carry out and live up to, which unfortunately we’re not doing conscientiously or living up to. Remember Christ’s directive in the Great Commission. ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in the earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples) of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19)
And if we are truthful with ourselves, we will admit that we have not, and still are not doing as good a job as we can or should, else evil would not have the world in such a terrible headlock. End of Sermon! And no, I did not forget about the promise to keep on looking at patience, but this is where I was led today. (smile) Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure to the very end with Jesus, then it’s been promised that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! See you then at the very end! Much LOVE!
…truly working for Jesus requires…belly and backbone…guts and gumption…nothing else will do…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Jul 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adopted children of God, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, Christ paid our sin debt in full, climate change, compassionate heart, curse, divine protection, eternal life, favour, fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body, fear not them which kill the body, God's strength is made perfect in my weakness, have good success, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, lack confidence in our Triune God, LOVE, meditate therein day and night, my grace is sufficient for thee, negative word, not able to kill the soul, talk a good talk, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, Thursday Blessings, to handle whatever comes against us, walk a woeful walk, without me ye can do nothing
Joshua 1:9. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.
And after a late night, early morning of constant drizzle, Thursday has opened sunny and cool, but with some cloudy overtones. The computer is saying it’s going to be windy and humid. But in these days of climate change anything is possible, so we just have to learn to handle whatever comes against us weatherwise, like we have learned to handle whatever circumstances come against us in our regular lives.
And it all begins with knowing, and even more importantly living like Jesus Christ is our true and enabling Lord and Saviour. As he says, without Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5). But then again, we can do ALL things though Christ who strengthens and enables us! (Phil. 4:13) And don’t forget either that God’s grace is sufficient for all we do, because His strength (power) is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9)
Wow! What a mighty force is our God! And He ought to be, since He created the earth, the heavens, the seas and all therein, and also controls everything within them, so that all the hairs of our heads are numbered and not even one grain of it falls of and He doesn’t know it. Neither does even one little sparrow, which is a cheap and seemingly unimportant bird die and the Lord doesn’t know it. (Matt. 10:29-32)
So, taking all of that into consideration, the question then becomes, why are we who claim to be great believers in Almighty God, with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour are so fearful of the things of the world and the evil that lurks therein? Remember Jesus said quite authoritatively: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28)
And, if you didn’t know it, the ONLY One who can destroy both our souls and bodies is the Lord God Almighty! That means, if we’re to fear any Being, it’s Jehovah God we should fear! But since He’s our heavenly Father, having adopted us after Christ died and paid for our sins, (Rom. 8:14-15) and therefore LOVES us with a mighty unconditional LOVE, there’s no need to fear Him in the true sense of the word, but to reverence, to honour and obey Him, like children do their fathers.
But unfortunately, that is something too many of us on this disaster-filled planet are not doing, that’s why our lives are so pitiable and miserable! If we don’t have the LOVE and reverence of God in us, how can we ever live joyful and successful lives eh? Remember, the Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh. 8:10)
And remember too, these amazing and wise words from the mouth of the Lord Himself to Joshua. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Oh my brethren that’s all we really need to know yes! Read and constantly meditate on God’s Word, then put it into action in our lives! That’s it in a nutshell! But how many of us even read the Lord’s Word, much less meditate on it, and live it? Not nearly enough! And if you didn’t believe what the Lord said to Joshua back there, then listen to what He followed it up with: ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9)
Mama Mia my fellow saints! What else do we need for God to do for us or to tell us eh, before we can live the way He desires of us? He’s told us to read and study His word, then live it. Then to not be afraid but strong and courageous because He’s with us wherever we go. Then to crown it all, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us so that our sin debt could be paid in full and give us the option of spending eternity in His marvellous company…
What else do we need eh? For Him to come and hold each of our hands personally and lead us over the threshold of heaven? Brother! We’ve become such frail, feeble and fearful folks that even when we’ve been given everything we need to live the abundant and successful life that Jesus died for us to have, we’re still mewling and afraid like little children.
Sorry, I take that back, little children might be afraid, but they have confidence in their parents and elders and follow them anyway. But we obviously don’t have the confidence we’re supposed to have in Christ Jesus, our heavenly Father, neither the Holy Spirit, who all bend over backwards to help us!
And furthermore, we can’t even stay united as one church, one body of Christ like we should be, but allow the enemy to divide and conquer us with all the foolish divisions and denominations we’ve created and all the petty and selfish things that we foolishly use to keep us apart. When are we going to wake up and realize that unless there is more unity in Christ’s church, that we can never win the war we’re supposed to be fighting? We talk such a good talk, but our walk is woeful in comparison, not nearly as good as it ought to be.
And though I’m chuckling here at what I’ve written, because I never came out to write it, but apparently was led there by the Holy Spirit, because we definitely do need to wake up and get working for Christ if we ever expect to see positive changes in our world anytime soon. Let’s hope that this will be a wakeup call for many of us, and believers in Christ will begin doing what they need to do: read and study God’s word, then live it with courage and strength of purpose!
And now, let’s go home declaring (ah Lord eh!) our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. As one voice: ‘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!’
Now, we desperately need to go out and share those blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…we have all the tools for abundant and successful living…why aren’t we using them to enrich our world like Jesus desires…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
