The Importance of Leaders knowing and acknowledging that Their Time is Controlled by Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe!

10 Oct 2025 Leave a comment

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

Daniel 4:32b.         until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

At long last it’s Friday friends…another beautiful day on God’s great earth! That means it’s time to shout ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here!’ Thanksgiving weekend in particular, so there will be lots of thanks and praise, plenty joy and good cheer, enormous amounts of food and drink, as well as of peace and LOVE! ‘Glory To God!’ 

Yes my brethren, this is a special weekend, for we have plenty to be thankful for in this good land of Canada. We’re not perfect, but we’re better than a lot of others, without the great amount of strife prevailing in the streets and totalitarian or dictatorship-like laws been passed by our government. And that’s a lot to be thankful for, because in many countries around the world free speech is no longer tolerated…even in our supposed democratic neighbor to the south, where a Wanna-Be dictator is breaking all sorts of laws to achieve and satisfy his selfish, evil and ungodly agenda. 

And I do hope that someone could get it through his foolish head that there is ONLY ONE Sovereign Ruler in the universe; the One who created it and still rules it, and that he is only a pawn in the hands of the great God Jehovah! Someone should read him the scripture from Daniel when the Lord revealed to him king Nebuchadnezzars’ dream. 

And Daniel, declared: ‘Blessed be the name of the God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up (raises up) kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.’ (Dan. 2:20-22) 

Now, those verses emphasize that God is sovereign over all kingdoms and earthly rulers, holding ultimate control over who reigns and for how long. And it’s a very timely message for all the evil, ungodly and foolish totalitarian leaders that are around today, who think that they control things, that they are the last word on everything. And if they truly believe that, then somebody should quickly draw their attention to what happened to the boastful Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4, when he boasted of his great might and power in building his royal palace. 

But before the words were even out of his mouth the Lord announced that he would be driven from that same beautiful palace out unto the fields to eat grass and be like the wild beasts. And as sure as day follows night, king Neb became mad and behaved like the wild animals for seven long years. (Dan. 4:28-33) And why did that happen? As the Bible says: ‘until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.’ (Dan. 4:32b) 

However, the best part of the story is when the Bible reports: ‘And at the end of the days (time) I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion  is an everlasting dominion,  and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed (considered) as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay (restrain) his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?… Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgement (justice): and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (humble.’ (Dan. 4:34-35, 37) 

Oh my people, that’s the infallible truth! But unfortunately it took Neb a long and hard time to learn it, but learn it he did. How I wish that more of the totalitarian rulers in today’s world could experience such a fate so that their eyes of understanding could be fully opened. But there’s no need to worry, for each of these supposed invincible rulers will one day meet their own Waterloo, just like the supposed Emperor of the world, Napolean met his. It’s only a matter of time, for as the old people would say, time longer than twine. 

And the Bible reminds us: ‘But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8) In other words friends, time is not an issue with God, for He has an unlimited amount of it. he doesn’t have the same time restraints that we have. As one commentary puts it: ‘This is the idea of the verse—both a day and a thousand years are such miniscule amounts of time to God that it really makes no difference to Him.’ And until mankind recognizes and acknowledges that, we’ll all plod along thinking that we’re so much more than we really are, until the Lord chooses to show us differently. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid for all that’s wrong with our world. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh 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. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. 

Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the 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!’ 

But unfortunately my fellow believers, deep down, we all know that our discipleship is not what it ought to be, and we will not receive any divine aid, until we clean up our acts and improve our Christian witness! Much LOVE!

…from dust man was made…and to dust he will return…but the Lord and His Word will endure forever…

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

The importance of Man living to please God!

24 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:23.        And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Chuh man! Another Monday…another work week. And yes, many of us don’t like the equation: Monday equals work, but that’s the only way the equation we all LOVE: Friday equals pay day, will ever come to pass. (smile) Oh friends, we cannot get away from work…and besides work is good for us, it keeps us busy and adds challenges to our lives, gives us a reason for getting up every day. (smile) For as Cousin Sol declares from his immense wisdom: ‘In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips (idle chatter) tendeth only to penury (poverty).’ (Prov. 14:23) And that’s the gospel truth! 

But above all, let’s remember we’re not working for ourselves but for God. Bruh Paul said it very clearly in Colossians: ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.’ (Col. 3:23-25) It doesn’t get any clearer than that my brethren. In the long run, it’s Christ we all serve, although men may be our earthly masters. 

And these two commentaries give us some inkling of what it really means to work for God. The first says: ‘We are told to work with all of our hearts, no matter what we are doing and to do so as though we are “working for the Lord” and not for humans. These Bible verses about work ethic tell us that no matter what we are doing we must persist as though we are serving God and not man.’ 

And the second commentary declares: ‘So, I conclude, yes, God enlists us into his service, which means he calls us to have a part in accomplishing his purposes, not meeting his needs. And he accomplishes his purposes precisely by supplying the grace to do our work, because the giver gets the glory; the servant gets the joy.’ That reminds us of Bruh Paul’s words in Philippians: ‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of (according) to his good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:13) 

Yes friends, we are made in God’s image to fulfill His purposes, not our own. And until we understand that, we will always get caught up in the quandary of working for men or working for God. It’s so much simpler to just conclude that all we do is for God, although we might be working under human masters, for God is the Master of the universe, as Daniel says when he received the night vision revealing to him the answer to King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: 

‘Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up (raises up) kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding. He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.’ (Dan. 2:20-22) 

And if you don’t believe that, then listen to what King Nebuchadnezzar says in Daniel after the Lord drove him crazy for seven years, for his haughty boast. ‘Is it not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom (a royal dwelling) by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?’ (Dan. 4:30) And while the king was yet talking the Lord decreed His sentence upon him, and for seven years he lost his mind, was like a wild animal. 

Then at the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar regained his mental equilibrium and commented thus: ‘And at the end of the days (time) I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed (considered) as nothing: and he doeth according to his own will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay (restrain) his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? … Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of the heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgement (justice): and those that walk in pride he able to abase (humble).’ (Dan. 4:32-35, 37) 

Now my people, if a pagan king can sing those mighty praises to our God, after firsthand experience of His awesome power, what is expected of us eh, His true believers? Humble adoration, reverential awe, much thanks and praise, obedience to His holy will, Number One in our lives…amongst other things. (smile) And having made up our minds to do as we ought, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid in these turbulent times.

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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And we begin by humbling ourselves, praying and sincerely seeking God’s face! Much LOVE!

…the earth is the Lord’s…and the fulness thereof…the world…and they that dwell within… (Ps. 24:1)

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 May 2023 Deuteronomy 8:18a.

11 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 8:18a.      But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth,

Now is it possible for us to get four consecutive days of glorious sunshine in this wet and cloudy spring season…although the supposed experts are saying that it might be mostly cloudy? And the answer is a very affirmative YES!  Because they don’t control the weather, but our Lord and Saviour Jesus does, and He can cause it to be totally sunny after all. Praise His holy name! 

Yes friends, our great God can do anything He so desires. He desired to create this universe and all therein, and that’s exactly what He did. He desired to give His greatest creation free will, knowing that we could and would abuse it, but He didn’t want a set of robots, so He took the chance on us. And we did abuse His goodwill…and are doing so to this very day…possibly even more so than at any other time of our existence, for now we desire to totally get rid of our Creator. 

What kind of gratitude is that eh? None whatsoever! Especially after He gifted us with the life of His sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our abominable sins and thus have the option of being reconciled back to him through His awesome grace, mercy and forgiveness. But no, we’ve gotten so big for our britches, falsely believing that all the advancements and great wealth we’ve built up in our society to be our doing, and not rightly the Lord’s, through His guidance and direction. 

Remember Moses’ warning to the children of Israel, about when they went into the Promised Land and got wealthy? ‘Then thine heart be lifted up (you become proud), and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint. 

Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove (test) thee, to do thee good at thy latter end. And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut. 8:14-18) 

Now, Moses was talking there to the young group of Israelites who were born in the wilderness during the forty wandering years. That’s because the Lord decreed that none who came out of Egypt beside Joshua and Caleb, not even Moses, would enter the Promised Land, for all their disobedience and disgusting behaviour, despite His amazing LOVING-kindness towards them. 

But sadly, that is exactly what that young group did when they got in there and got wealthy. They forgot Moses’ warnings, and promptly moved away from the God of their fathers, turned to idols and worshipped the gods of the nations around them, whom the Lord had specifically told them not to associate with, because He knew that was exactly what would happen. 

They obviously did not pay heed to these ending words of Moses’ message. ‘And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish, because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord you God.’ (Deut. 8:19-20) And perish they did, every time they turned away from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they underwent some disastrous calamity. 

And believe me friends, that is exactly what’s happening to us today. Look at the chaos in our current society, it all stems from a rejection of Almighty God! He might not be doing it personally, but He’s certainly not stopping us from destroying ourselves, which we would not be doing, if we were living in the LOVE, mercy and forgiveness that He desires of us. What amazes me though, is that every time the Israelites turned away from God and suffered for it, they eventually turned back to Him and were restored in His fellowship. 

However, our generation is too proud and arrogant to even consider doing that. We were once a godly society, going along very well, then like Satan we got too proud because of the advancements we were making. Next thing we want to kick out God because we think it’s our own doing. Let me remind us though of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who at one time was the most powerful man in the world. He had a dream and the prophet Daniel warned him of its negative consequences if he continued in a certain line of behaviour. 

Daniel’s parting words were: ‘Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness (by being righteous), and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening (prolonging) of thy tranquility.’ (Dan. 4:27) But the king did not listen, and a year later, while walking in the palace, He ‘spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom (a royal dwelling) by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?’ (Dan. 4:30) 

But lo and behold, while the king was speaking, a sentence of madness was right then being pronounced on him, by the Lord God Jehovah. And yes, he was a pagan king, but even pagan kings get power through the hands of the Lord God Jehovah. Remember Daniel’s words when he received the meaning of the king’s dreams. ‘Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his. And he changeth the times and seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up (raises up) kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding.’ (Dan. 2:20-21) 

Yes, whatever happens in the universe comes under the eventual control of Almighty God, regardless of race, creed, colour or culture. That very day, Neb was sentenced to seven years of madness, to eating grass like an ox, ‘until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomever he will.’ (Dan. 4:32) And after seven years of madness, Neb’s senses were reverted, and he praised the Lord God with such enthusiasm. ‘Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgement (justice), and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (humble).’ (Dan. 4:37) 

Oh my people why can’t we learn from the examples of the Israelites and Nebuchadnezzar and turn back to the God of our fathers’, who LOVES us so much that He even sent His Son to die to pay for our sins. It’s the only wise move we can make in these very trying times. And for those of us who are attempting to do just that, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings, blessings that have been generously bestowed on us by our heavenly Father to help us 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, let’s get out into the evil world and use those blessings to make a positive difference in Christ’s name. Remember friends, it all depends on us! Much LOVE!

…the three attributes for man’s wellbeing…obedience…obedience…obedience… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 April 2020 Daniel 2:20.

29 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

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

Daniel 2:20.    ​Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his: 
 
Isn’t it amazing friends, how the days pass quickly and quietly by, regardless of what’s taking place on the world stage? Yeh, God’s plan for nature stays right in place, continues daily, from morning to night, and back again, whether we are at war, or peace, rejoicing or mourning. Winter moves to spring, then summer shows up, with fall right on its heels, then winter is once again with us, as though it never left. And the days of the week simply follow suit and go about their business, one after the other in a most orderly fashion, despite rain or shine, snow or sleet. 

Hn! What does that tell us about Mother Nature eh? That she’s well oiled and wisely made, and her Creator was filled with knowledge and wisdom, diligence and excellence, and knew exactly what He was about! Wish I could say that about the majority of us! (smile) And who could be wiser than the One, the God, the Deity who created the world, the entire universe and all therein eh? That’s the One and Only True Living God Jehovah; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 

And we have everlasting proof of His might and wisdom when the most powerful man then on earth, the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, desired his wise men; soothsayers, astrologers and all those who claimed more than ordinary wisdom to tell him his dream and then explain what it meant. The Good Book gives us this account of the situation. 

‘The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare (difficult) thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before (no one who can tell it to) the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with the flesh.’ (Dan. 2:10:11) 

And the speaker there was quite right, except for one thing; ‘the gods.’ There are no gods, just the ONE GOD, who made heaven and earth and all therein! Then the Good Book tells us that Daniel when he heard of the situation where the wise men would be killed if they couldn’t do the king’s bidding, he went home and prayed with his Hebrew friends; ‘That they would desire (might seek) mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish (be destroyed) with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.’ (Dan. 2:18) 

You’ll notice friends, that Daniel and his buddies prayed to ‘the God of heaven,’ to One God, the One who made the heaven and earth and all therein! Consequently: ‘Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.’ (Dan. 2:19) Oh my people, our God is not only mighty and magnificent but also magnanimous and generous and gives with an open hand to those who sincerely and humbly bow before Him with a right heart and attitude. 

No wonder Daniel could then declare (oh no!) with such confidence these memorable words: ‘Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth (raises) up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth in him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired (asked) of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the  king’s matter.’ (Dan. 2:20-23)  

Yuh see friends, I wasn’t lying up above when I attributed all those mighty attributes to our God! (smile) Yes my people, He is indeed the ONE and ONLY GOD! A LIVING GOD to boot! There is none else like Him in all the world! And that’s an indisputable fact, as well as the gospel truth! And if you don’t believe Daniel, then listen to the psalmist. ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). Praise (shout Hallelujah), O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised. 

The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold that things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill (ash heap); That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh (causes) the barren (childless) woman to keep house (dwell in a home), and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah to His blessed name!)’ (Ps. 113:1-9) 

And all throughout the Good Book there are numerous examples of God’s great exploits and mercies to those who believe in Him, have constant faith, surrender their souls to him, and try their best to be obedient to His will! And He’s still in the people business even to this day friends! So whatever help you need today, or any other day, simply turn to Him and ask with a sincere heart, and He will grant your request. Now let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know of our wonderful and most enviable position in Christ nuh, so that they too can aspire to it.  

All together now: ‘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 sincerely continue to do all that, then the future will indeed be more glorious than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…to GOD be the glory…for ever and ever…for His is the greatness…the power…the honour…the victory…and the majesty…both in heaven and on earth…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 March 2014 Daniel 2:20

08 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

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

Daniel 2:20.    Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.
 
Ah Friends, at last it seems like we’re going to have a brief respite from the exceedingly cold temps that’s been overwhelming us the past few weeks. This weekend promises to be above freezing – not all that much- but anything above freezing is surely welcome. (smile) Praise the Lord!
 
But who knows how long that will last eh? However, as true believers, we need to take whatever comes against us in our stride, faithfully believing in God’s promises that He will never leave nor forsake us (Heb.13:5), and to work out all things for our good when we walk in obedience to Him.  (Rom. 8:28)
 
Therefore, let’s stand tall, and though the weather or other things might be getting to us, let’s just look to Jesus as He desires. It’s not always easy to do, but do it we must. And how did Jesus handle His earthly problems? Basically by not worrying, doing what He was supposed to do, keeping in close contact with the Father, and trusting Him to make things right. And so should we, my brethren.
 
Now hear are some respectful communication guidelines that we can all use. I got this from my pastor at a recent Advisory Board Meeting, and was guided to share it. Apparently it has been copyrighted by Eric H.F. Law in 1995. It’s laid out in acrostic form, and the letters spell RESPECT, but because of our format we have to do it otherwise.
 
And it says: ‘R = take RESPONSIBILITY for what you say and feel without blaming others. E = EMPATHETIC listening. S = be SENSITIVE to differences in communication styles. P = PONDER on what you hear and feel before you speak. E = EXAMINE your own assumptions and perceptions. C = keep CONFIDENTIALITY. T = TOLERATE ambiguity because we are not here to debate who is right or wrong.’
 
Now they all are useful parameters, though I have a slight problem with the last one, tolerating ambiguity, since sometimes you do need to make decisions and distinctions as to who or what is right and wrong. But I do believe that if we put those practices to work, our communication skills will improve a whole lot. Now that includes communication with Almighty God too. (smile)
 
But it’s time to turn to our Bit: ‘Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.’ Yes Friends, wisdom and might are among the numerous strong points of our wonderful God!
 
And today we’ll continue looking at scriptures which uphold Daniel’s contentions. Let’s begin with Job, when he answers his supposed friends’ harsh accusations, acknowledging God’s omnipotence in the process.
 
‘With him (God) is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up (imprisons) a man, and there can be opening (no release). Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.’ (Job 12:13-16)
 
And oh my fellow believers, there’s absolutely no doubt about the power and wisdom of our majestic and magnificent God to do all those things!
 
Now listen to the psalmist extol the Lord from Psalm 147: ‘Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite (Lit. innumerable). The Lord lifteth up the meek (humble): he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.’ (Ps.147:5-7)
 
Now that’s exactly what we ought to be doing my brethren – giving much praise and thanks to our ever-LOVING, merciful, forgiving, wise and powerful God!
 
And Jeremiah proclaims in his prayer: ‘Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard (too difficult) for thee: Thou showest LOVING-kindness unto thousands, and recompensest (repay) the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them:
 
The Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work (deed): for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.’ (Jer.32:17-19)
 
Jeremiah really poured it on quite thick there. (smile) But it’s all gospel truth, my people!
 
And this testimonial wouldn’t be complete without a word from Bruh Paul. To the Roman church, he declares: ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.’ (Rom.11:33-36)
 
And as we LOVE to do whenever possible, we’ll give Jesus the final word on the topic. In His teaching us to pray, He concludes: ‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.’ (Matt.6:13)
 
Yes my brethren, our God is the great I AM, the Head Honcho, El Numero Uno, Number 1 in all the universe! Let’s NEVER, NEVER forget that! Much LOVE!
 
…if Jesus says that the Father is the GREATEST…then it must be so…since He cannot lie…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 March 2014 Daniel 2:20

07 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

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

Daniel 2:20.    Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.
 
Well Friends, it’s that day again – Friday… And strangely the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ are not as loud as usual. (smile) I guess we’re too tired from all the partying we did earlier on in the week, and then the Lenten Season’s seriousness added it’s own li’l bit of moderation and ‘modicum of circumspection,’ as Jeeves would say.
 
And that’s definitely not a bad thing my people, because every so often we do need to tone down our boisterous selves and take a more serious approach to, and look at life, meaning the things and people that surround us. And as we’ve been saying all week, Lent is the best time to do that, since it’s a season for contemplation and adjustments. 
 

And as always, our Friday Chant will help us get the right perspective on handling the weekend. So let’s chant up a storm. Hn, hn! Sorry, I forgot that we’re too tired to chant up a storm, but let’s just do the best we can. (smile)
 
As one voice now: ‘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.
 
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
 
Hopefully Friends, that prayer will restore some of our energy and zest, and allow us to go out and do a good job for Jesus. Don’t worry about it though, just talk to Jesus as you go along, and He will enable you to do whatever you need to do.
 
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.’
 
Yesterday, we saw where the Lord blessed Daniel with supernatural discernment, re the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation. Today, I want to look at a few scriptures where other people of God echo Daniel’s sentiments.
 
Sadly, I could only find one scripture pertaining to the blessing of God’s Name, and that comes from Psalm 113, God’s mercies are many.
 
After opening the psalm with praise, the psalmist continues: ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.
 
The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!’ (Ps.113:2-6)
 
Yeh mih people, who is like unto our God eh? And all God’s people joyfully trilled: ‘NOBODY!’ And that my brethren is an indisputable fact! 
 

However, concerning God’s wisdom and might, there are numerous scriptures that shout it out. Let’s take in a couple, beginning with Bruh David’s thanksgiving and prayer when he was preparing to hand over the throne of Israel to Cousin Sol.
 
Oh, oh fellow believers, the Holy Spirit just guided me to another scripture where the Lord’s name is blessed. Thank You Lord! I sincerely bless Your Holy Name! And lo and behold it comes right before the passage I intended to quote.
 
So here it is all together. ‘Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
 
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.’ (1 Chr.29:10-13)
 
What beautiful words of prayer and praise to our wonderful God, my brethren!
 
And we’ll close with an interesting note from the scholars’: ’29:10. David again shows himself to be a man of prayer (cf. 16:2, 7-36; 17:26-27). Those who stand before God’s people should likewise be capable of leading them in genuine intercession and communion with God.’
 
Oh Friends, we can never overestimate or overstate the importance of prayer in our daily lives, neither the importance of our leaders being able to lead us in genuine communication with God, for it’s one of the necessary attributes, a necessary ability of a leader.
 
Now may the Lord of heaven and earth bless and keep us safely, and cause His countenance to shine brightly upon us this day, as we journey on our path to heaven, to be with Him forever in LOVE, Peace and Harmony! Much LOVE!
 
…walking and talking with God…ought to be the believer’s unbreakable passion… 
 
P.S. Oh my people, please note how short and sweet the Bit is today, and say a grateful, ‘Thank You Lord!’ (smile) Much LOVE!