With God Constantly Watching over Christians, Fear and Anxiety have NO Part in Their lives

16 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 October 2026   Matthew 10:31.

Matthew 10:31.       Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

And yes, it’s truly Friday, so although it’s a wet, cloudy, windy, chilly day, our Friday Mantra was still offered up with a loud, thankful voice: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at last!’ We’re all grateful for the two day break  from work, but some of us badly need it to recuperate from all the Thanksgiving celebrations at the beginning of the week, and then the horror of work right on top of it. (smile)

And today I want to offer a short tribute to one of the world’s greatest entertainers, Slinger Francisco (1935-1926); better known as the Mighty Sparrow, who recently died in New York, the place he’s called home for several years now. Sparrow was one of the men who put Calypso on the world stage, along with other performers like Kitchener, Melody, and Calypso Rose. What’s not as widely known though is that Sparrow was also a wonderful balladeer as his album of ballads proves. Sparrow was indeed an all-round performer, who kept the legacy of Calypso alive for some seven decades.

Born in Grenada, Sparrow grew up in Trinidad and did the country proud. He wasn’t an angel, and there are numerous stories about his bad side. But I believe the good outweighed the bad,  and that’s about all any of us can ask for in this complicated and oftentimes tough life. However, I remember the days of the rivalry between himself, Kitchener and Melody, always fighting to win the Road March, the most popular tune played on the road at the Carnival celebrations, while constantly provoking each other in song.

Those were the days when the calypsonians were the social conscience of the nation, because they sang about the problems of the nation, took politicians to task, and generally kept the nation alive to some of the things that were happening, be they good, bad or indifferent. Sadly, today that social consciousness has been lost, as the young performers don’t seem to care about what’s happening in their country, their songs are now about sex, alcohol and having a good time, while the nation flounders under poor governments. But I guess I’m just an ole fogey, as one friend would call that progress.

Anyhow, Sparrow, Dr. Slinger Francisco, the Birdie, the Calypso King of the World, the Supreme Serenader, amongst his many names, was given a major send off today in Trinidad, on the road obviously, as only Trinidadians can do, and his awesome legacy to Caribbean Culture will live on forever. Yes friends, one of the legends of West Indian culture has gone home to be with the Lord, for he was not only a singer of Calypso, but I believed he found religion in his later life and also has a compilation of religious songs in his wide and amazing repertoire. Rest in peace Sparrow.

Now let’s look at an interesting scripture where Jesus teaches about fear and worry, and just happens to talk about sparrows. (smile) He warns: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him (God) which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ (Matt. 10:28-31)

Oh my people isn’t that ever so reassuring to know that our God watches over us with tender, LOVING care. And though sparrows were sold for only a small price, making them insignificant in the market place, God still sees and knows when they fall, and we are valued much more than many sparrows. So much so that even the hairs on our heads are numbered. (smile) Therefore we don’t need to live in fear or anxiety because our marvelous God takes an interest in every single thing that happens in our lives; yes even the smallest and most insignificant details.

The problem though is that we need to keep God first place in our lives, if we expect Him to pay serious attention to all that happens to us and then help us solve whatever problems we encounter. Jesus addressed that situation right after making the above statements. He said; ‘Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 10:32-33)

There we have it my brethren, accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour doesn’t mean just doing so and then keeping quiet about it. No! It means talking to others about Jesus, because we are in effect His ambassadors, His representatives, His disciples on the earth, the means He employs to spread His gospel around the world. As he said to the disciples before His ascension: ‘But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts. 1:8)

And it’s obvious that we’re not doing a very good job of being His witnesses all over the world, because the world is now in such an uproar of hate and strife, that would not be happening if we were better ambassadors. But all is not lost, we can still go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, to obtain divine help to do a better job.

Altogether: Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.

And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’

Let’s remember though, that we believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, so that we can do a better job of witnessing for Christ! Much LOVE!

…with God closely watching over us…constant fear and anxiety…have no place in a Christian’s life…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of the Holy Spirit in the Lives of Believers!

18 Nov 2025 Leave a comment

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

John 16:13a.        Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:

Ah mih people, Monday has come, and gone and Tuesday is here, just like the Lord designed it. (smile) Let’s hope that your Monday was good, and that your Tuesday will be even better, since we’ve now gotten into the swing of things of this new work week. And if you’re not feeling comfortable with this new week as yet, then simply turn to the Holy Spirit and ask for help, because that’s what He’s there for; to help and guide and comfort us in our trying times. 

Yes friends, it’s just like Jesus said to the disciples. ‘These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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 14:25-27) What a wonderful gift Jesus gave us when He returned to heaven! And since He could not be with us in person, He gave us the next best thing, His Spirit, to act just as He would, were He in the flesh with us. 

Now, to show how very important the Holy Spirit was in Christ’s eyes, listen again to what He tells the disciples about it. ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I shall send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye shall also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ (John 15:26-27) 

And the scholars offer an interesting explanation of that passage. They say: ‘The action of the word translated “proceedeth” is “in the process – “continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of, the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out of God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son. This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit. 

This in no way suggests that the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the Trinity. Illustration: Just as Jesus came to do the will of His Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Jesus. (John 16:13) Application: In this sense the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father who has been given to every Christian. (Acts 1:4; 2:39).’ 

And I do hope that explanation clears up whatever misgivings we had about the relationships between the three figures of our Godhead. Sometimes I think about it with the Father as the General who gives the orders, then Christ comes and does the dirty work and the heavy lifting, and the Holy Spirit comes to clean up after Him. They all have their roles, but are separate persons. 

And Jesus continues talking to the disciples about the Holy Spirit, when He warns them of what would happen to them for His names’ sake. ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what is mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you. 

All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ (John 16:12-16)  Ah friends, Jesus’ “little while” is certainly a long one, for it’s been some two thousand years, and we still haven’t seen Him come again. I guess it’s like Peter says: ‘one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8) 

And even right before Jesus returned to heaven, He again mentioned the importance of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. They wanted to know when he would restore the kingdom again to Israel. ‘And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power (authority). But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto then uttermost parts of the earth.’ (Acts. 1:7-8) 

And we all know that that happened on the Pentecost Day after Jesus’ departure. The Bible tells us: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose, mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts. 2:1-4) 

And from that day to this one, every believer is filled with the Holy Spirit when they receive Christ as Lord and Saviour. So the Holy Spirit is no joke; He is the One who acts on behalf of Jesus in our lives, and we ought to listen to His guidance very carefully if we want to live for Jesus. Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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, it now behooves us 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!

…three in one…and one in three…that’s our Godhead…the Trinity…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 May 2024   2 Corinthians 5:7.

19 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 5:7.       (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

And then it was Pentecost Sunday! The day Christ’s Church was truly born some two thousand years ago, when the Holy Spirit descended form heaven upon the gathering in the upper room that fateful Pentecost Day. It was the day Jesus spoke of when He told the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until power came upon them. ‘But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8) That’s because until they were filled with Holy Ghost, baptized with its power, they would not be able to do all that He expected of them. 

And we all know what transpired on that day in Jerusalem. The Bible tells us: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (120 followers of Jesus) were all with one accord (purpose, mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues likes as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4) 

Oh friends, when our God so desires He can put on a real show! And we also know what transpired after that. The recently baptized followers went out into the streets of Jerusalem and proclaimed the good news gospel of Jesus to all and sundry who were there at the time celebrating the feast of Pentecost. Spoke to them in their own language. Which led some to think that they were drunk. But Peter got up and offered a disclaimer, then preached the best sermon of His life, and the witness was so great, that some three thousand people were saved that day. (Acts 2:14-41) 

Ah mih people, how I wish that we followers of Christ today were as enthused as those on that Pentecost day so long ago. We have also been baptized with the Holy Ghost and many of us speak other languages, so why aren’t we making any real inroads into the enemy’s camp eh? Because it takes too much effort and sacrifice, and we like our comfort and the easy living and material things provided by the world more than the things of Jesus. But hopefully when the roll is called up yonder and we’re judged to have underachieved, and don’t get the rewards that were set aside for us, we won’t hold our heads and bawl. 

Anyway, as they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. I guess it’s the same with us, we can become followers of Jesus in name, but not in nature. And on this Pentecost Sunday, of the Victoria Day long weekend, as we gather in the Lord’s sanctuary, let’s sing an old song, a traditional gospel tune, whose authorship and origins are disputed, but nonetheless, it’s become a favourite down through the years. It’s titled ‘Just a Closer Walk with Thee,’ And I believe it’s rather appropriate for this day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost baptized the followers in Jerusalem. 

So without further ado, let’s offer it up with sweet sacrifices of praise in an up-tempo version, per Miss Anne Murray. Singing: ‘I am weak but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. (Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.) Thro’ this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares? Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee. [Refrain] 

Take my hand Lord Jesus, take my hand. Take my hand Lord Jesus, take my hand. There’s a race to be run, there’s a victory to be won, every hour, give me power to go through. And when my feeble life is o’er, Time for me will be no more; Guide me gently, safely o’er To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore. [Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.]’ 

Oh my fellow saints, there’s nothing better in this crazy and evil world that we can ask for than a close walk with Christ! No sir! For when we’re walking with Him, we are filled with His Holy Spirit and are obedient to His will and word, while wonderful things like peace, LOVE and joy circulate in our souls and emanate from our hearts for all to see, and that allows us to witness to others about our Lord and Saviour, which is our bounden duty. 

However, let’s take a look at the song itself and see what scriptural gems we can garner from it. And this commentary from the Hymnary.org website offers some interesting insights. It says: ‘In this song, we acknowledge our human inability to live righteously, but we also express awareness of the grace and strength that God gives us in our daily walk. Even such an esteemed saint as the apostle Paul acknowledged his need for this grace, when asking thrice for relief from an unknown ‘thorn in his flesh’: “But he [God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a, 10b) 

Then we have the title and lyrics of the song which allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Cor. 5:7. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” And that’s the gospel truth! Followers of Christ are supposed to walk by faith and not by what they see, as do the denizens of this world. Another scripture that can feed our faith is this one from Romans. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) (eagerly) wait for it.’ (Rom. 5:24-25) 

That’s another way of saying that we have an awesome trust in our ever-faithful God, who has promised never to leave nor forsake us. (Heb. 13:5) And we’ll close with these most encouraging words of James. ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded… Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:7-8, 10) 

Yes friends, that’s a wonderful way to end today’s sermon: Drawing close to God, so that He can draw close to us. Remember, it’s our duty to call on Him, to seek Him, not the other way around. And let’s not forget it’s all for our benefit, not God’s! Much LOVE!

…we can only walk the narrow road to heaven successfully…in the close company of Jesus and the Holy Spirit…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 June 2023 Acts 1:4.

19 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

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

Acts 1:4.       but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me….

Here we go round the merry-go-round, the merry-go-round, the merry-go-round. Here we go round the merry-go-round, on a Monday morning! Yes friends, the work week has made its way back around again and grabbed us by our proverbial whatever (smile) as it has the inhumane and obstinate habit of doing every week without fail. We simply cannot get away from it because that’s the way our wise and wonderful God planned it.

 So what’s the answer then? Just grin and bear it! Get used to it, learn to enjoy it and use it to enhance your life and lead you to your God-given destiny. That’s what the Lord desires of us. And none of us like the recurring work weeks over a number of years, but you might as well embrace it because it’s not going to change, and even when we return to the dust from whence we came, it will keep coming back every seven days. 

We need to learn and accept that life is mostly the same old, same old, a mostly mundane and unexciting existence, with only a few exciting periods in it. It cannot be exciting every day, though it can be interesting, especially if you’re walking with Jesus, as your Guide and Leader. Then I can assure you that interesting things will happen, but not necessarily every day. 

We have grown so used to the pseudo excitement of the world with all its celebrities and stars and superstars and influencers and social media and all the other foolishness and foolish people who claim to lead such exciting lives, which in many cases is nothing but a blatant lie, as fostered on us by the enemy, trying to make us believe that we too can live that exciting life the rich and famous supposedly enjoy. But it’s all hogwash my people, for nobody can live a life of continual excitement, on the go all the time, else it will kill you before your best due date. 

Did we ever see Jesus rushing all over the place like crazy, like we’re doing these days? No. He took His time in going where He needed to go and in doing what He had to do, and still accomplished a lot more than some of us do, rushing about like there’s a bee under our bonnet. And remember that Jesus had to walk almost every place He went. And that was desert-like territory, with the hot sun blazing down mercilessly on you. 

Can you imagine us doing that now? Of course not! Although with all the road closures and congested roadways, oftentimes we can get to where we want quicker by walking. How many of us are embroiled in traffic jams morning and evening, five days a week eh? Too many of us. But that’s the modern society…and we call it progress. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want to be walking all those distances that Jesus did, although as a young boy going back and fro to school, my regular method of travel was usually by P2 (my two legs). Nowadays, most of us walk for exercise, not as a means of getting from one place to another. One of the reasons why our society is so obese and unhealthy. 

I wish I could show you a map of Jesus’ travels, from Jerusalem in Judea, the south of the country to places like Capernaum in Galilee to the distant north, about 78 miles, all travelled on foot. Just walking from Jerusalem to Jericho, both in Judea, in Jesus’ day was a 15 mile journey. And from Cana to Capernaum, both in Galilee was about twenty miles distance, possibly a day’s journey. So it wasn’t an easy life. But Jesus persevered and did what He had to do to spread His ministry all over the area. 

However, in these modern times, with the advent of technology, many of us don’t even have to leave home to do that, yet we still find it difficult to spread the good news of the gospel and the wonderful kingdom of heaven with eternal life that awaits believers. Just look at the distance Abraham travelled from his original home in Padan Aram when the Lord told him to pack up and leave his father’s house and He would lead him to a land that He would show him. That was from way up in the northern part of the country, right down south to lands bordering Egypt. 

And what about the several missionary journeys Bruh Paul took that carried him all over Europe and Asia, a lot of it on foot. And without those people in the days of the early church, having the faith to expend that energy and willingness to share the gospel, we would never have heard about it, and not gotten the chance to accept it and thus receive salvation and eternal life. 

So please, let’s not complain about the relatively easy time we have today in spreading the gospel. Instead, we should think it a wonderful privilege and be ever so joyful about sharing it. Though one roadblock still exists today like it did back in the early days: we still need the equipping and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We still can’t do it in our own fleshly selves. 

Note what Jesus said to the disciples re the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.’ (John 16:13) 

And likewise, before ascending back to heaven, Jesus told them not depart from Jerusalem, ‘but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me….But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:4, 6) It just goes to show that though things change, they still remain the same. (smile) We still need the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to successfully share the good news of the gospel. 

Now let’s go to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking solace and alleviation of our many problems. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

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

Now, let’s keep those promises we just made, if we want to receive divine help. Much LOVE!

…to truly serve God…sacrifices are necessary… 

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