The Wisdom in Living a Simple, God-directed Life!

19 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:5.       Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

And then it was Friday… but the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! were not as loud or as plentiful as they usually are because many people are still in disaster mode and don’t have the enthusiasm, energy or faith to raise their voices in praise. But raising out voices in praise is exactly what we ought to do in dire situations because acknowledging God raises our levels of energy, enthusiasm and faith, despite our negative circumstances. 

And to make matters worse, this morning there’s been a technological breakdown with a computing firm called Cloudstrike, which has paralyzed systems and events all over the world. It’s not a hacking or invasion of the system but a technological problem and hopefully by day’s end it will be corrected. But in the meantime many institutions, both large and small cannot carry on their business as usual. Consequently, a large portion of the population has also had their activities curtailed by the outage. 

It just shows the tremendous reliance we’ve placed on technology and the worldwide difficulties it causes when something goes awry. But that’s the way of our current world, Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are now ruling the roost. And we’re now experiencing what can happen when we place all our eggs in one fragile basket, for though technology is wonderful when it works properly, but the smallest wrinkle can cause monstrous problems. 

We just have to learn to handle those times when technology lets us down. And the first thing we should always do when unexpected situations arise is go to God in prayer for wisdom and strength to handle them. He is our guide and protector and will NEVER lead us down the wrong path. And we have God’s faithful promise of that from way back when Moses said it to the Israelites: ‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:8) 

Yes friends that’s the Lord’s ever-faithful promise! And since He does not change, as this commentary tells us: ‘Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.” When everything else shifts and changes, you and I are still standing on a solid, unchanging foundation.’ Wow! What assurance we have my brethren! 

And furthermore God doesn’t lie, as the Bible assures us: ‘God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19)  That means whatever He promises, or says He’ll do, it will be done! Matter fixed! And when it comes to seeking godly direction, these wise words from the wisest man who ever lived, Cousin Sol, should be our guiding light. 

‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy way acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastisement of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: for whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:5-12) 

Oh friends, those are verses to live by! Why? Because they encompass all of what God expects from us! Trusting in Him, and not in ourselves; having a reverential fear of Him and not engaging in evil; honouring Him by being generous in our relationships, first to him, and then to our fellow man; and not despising His correction when we do wrong. If we follow those basic desires of God, then our paths will be straight, our bodies will be strong and healthy, our lives will be prosperous; overall, the Lord will cause His face to shine upon us. 

But yuh know what? Our intelligence and information levels have risen so much in the last century, that we no longer focus on the simple things in life, everything now needs to be more sophisticated and complex, otherwise it’s not worthwhile. But friends, the simple things have always been, and will always be the best way to go. And we’ve said that to point out the simple commands that Cousin Sol lays down for the perfect Chrisitan life, but we try to make it much more complicated than it ought to be. And hopefully, this time around, those simple directives will stick in our minds and we’ll put them into action and thus simplify out much too complicated lives. (smile) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant to help with our earthly problems. 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!’ 

And if we truly desire divine aid, then we’ve got to set a better example as believers in Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

…Jesus lived a simple life for a reason…it was the easiest and best life to live…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 December 2023   1 Timothy 6:10.

01 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 6:10.       For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil;

Well friends, we might be shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ on this first day of December 2023, but it’s not such a good day, because it’s wet and cloudy and miserable. It seems to be the kind of weather that just gets inside your soul and irritates it no end. (smile) However, many of us don’t care, because it’s Friday and the end of the work week, and we have all sorts of plans for the upcoming weekend as the Christmas Season gets into full swing. And is it ever a busy season; shopping for gifts for the friends and family, decorating the house and the yard, baking and cooking, the numerous things we do to get ready for Christmas. 

But friends, allow me to include one word of caution; please, let’s remember the reason for the season, the birth of Christ! That’s why there’s a Christmas or holiday or whatever season you want to call it. We celebrate the incarnate birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and though it’s good to have all the worldly hoopla, we must not forget what brings us the joy, and focus on Jesus more than on the things the world considers important. It’s sad, but every year, less and less people are focusing on Jesus being the reason for Christmas and more on the holiday spirit, the shopping and decorating, baking and cooking, as the world exerts more ungodly influence over the traditional Christmas season. 

But as true believers, let’s not allow Christ to be taken from Christmas, but to be more firmly planted and rooted there, as He ought to be! End of Sermon! (smile) And as I was going to ask what’s on the agenda for today, I opened the Bible and where do you think it opened to? These everlasting wise, interesting and encouraging words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil; which some have coveted after (for which some in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ (1 Tim. 6:10) 

And unfortunately, too many of us have done just that! But let’s get one thing straight, the LOVE of money is not the only source or root of evil, there are many others, but the LOVE of money is a prime one. For as Bruh Paul says above there, many have coveted after money, ‘striven after’ money as the goal of life, and have ended up in sorrows, in ruin, physically, spiritually and financially. And there’s no season like this Christmas one where money is ever so important, because if you don’t have it you can’t buy the things you believe you need. 

Thus many of us without the hard cash to purchase what we want, go out and splurge on our Credit Cards during this time, but when the bills start coming in in January, we hold our heads and bawl: ‘Woe is me! Where am I going to get the money to pay all these bills? I shouldn’t have bought all that stuff on Credit!’ That’s for sure! But please remember that hindsight has 20-20 vision. However, then it’s too late to do anything about our mistakes. What we need more desperately than anything else is foresight, where we sit and consider the consequences of our actions before me make them. 

For, as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) God rest his departed soul, liked to say: ‘You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.’ Yes mih bredrin, at some stage of the game, all the chickens will come home to roost, and if you haven’t prepared properly for them, you won’t be able to handle them. And it’s all about first considering the consequences of our actions, for every action has a consequence. Just like those who strive after money and material wealth end up in sorrow away from the church, all our ungodly and unwise actions have consequences that drive us to our knees…and sometimes even to the madhouse. 

That’s why we need to listen to these further words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and has professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) 

Oh my fellow saints, that’s the kind of stuff we all need to follow. Shun the LOVE of money and striving for material wealth with all its consequential troubles. And instead pursue things like righteousness or practical correctness, as the scholars tell us: ‘Conforming to God’s will in one’s thinking and acting. While godliness is proper reverence for, and obedience to God. And faith is a trust in God that grows stronger with each passing day. LOVE is a maturing affection for God and man. Patience is perseverance or steadfastness in life and service. Meekness is gentleness.’ 

Yes my people, those are the things we need to help us fight the good fight of faith; the daily struggle of life, bombarded by sin and ungodly distractions at every turn, plus the adversity we all go through at one time or another. The scholars tell us: ‘A genuine believer demonstrates the reality of his faith by being engaged in this warfare.’ And that’s exactly what we need to do; put on the armour of God and daily fight the good fight of faith. Remember we cannot fight successfully without armour, and spiritual warfare without the spiritual armour of God. (Eph. 6:10-18) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for divine help to do all the things we’ve just spoken about. 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!’ 

And to get the ball rolling, we need to do exactly what we just expressed: be a good example of faithful believers. That’s the ONLY way divine help will come! Much LOVE!

…you can’t take your material treasures to heaven…only the spiritual ones… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 June 2023 Proverbs 3:9.

16 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:9.       Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase:

And then it was Friday, and everybody shouted the same old, same old mantra: ‘Thank God it’s Friday and the work week is almost done! The weekend is here for playing and partying!’ Please note that nobody mentioned anything about going to church and fellowshipping and worshipping Almighty God. But we’ll take that for granted, as it being a normal, expected weekend behaviour, that doesn’t need shouting out loud. (smile) 

And after some early morning showers, Friday in my area has turned out somewhat sunny, but cool and windy with some dark clouds hovering overhead, threatening some more heavenly blessings. Remember the other day when we were dying for heavenly blessings? Well now we’re getting more than we possibly want. Raising up the ole cliché of being careful what you wish for, because when you get it you might not like it. 

Now, today I want to continue sharing some tidbits of scripture on money and how to and how not to use it. And the first scripture comes from Cousin Sol reputedly the wisest and richest man ever. He says in Proverbs: ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov. 3:9-10) 

And this follows directly from the Lord’s command in Leviticus. ‘And all the tithe (tenth part) of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s, it is holy unto the Lord…And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord…These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.’ (Lev. 27: 30, 32, 34) 

Yes friends, the Lord commanded from long ago that His take for owning the earth and all therein, and leasing it out to mankind, was ten percent, and please note it’s the first ten percent, not the last. It’s the first fruits. We give God His share right off the top, not wait until we’ve done what we want then give Him of what’s left. 

This led the Lord in the book of Malachi to tell the people they were robbing Him. He tells them: ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings? Ye are cursed: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time (fall to bear fruit) in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome (delightful) land, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal. 3:8-12) 

Oh my people, right there is the solution for a blessed land; giving the Lord what rightfully belongs to Him! And how our world would change for the better if we turned back to God, or even those who still believe will tithe and give God what’s His, instead of playing stingy and barely giving Him what He deserves. 

Oh brother… and I’m sadly chuckling here because I was going to say that I’ve never experienced a day like this when almost every sentence I’ve written had several misspelt words, and that was true of the first one in this sentence. I wrote ‘Brither instead of Brother.’ 

And they are mostly simple, everyday words…and chuh man, I just misspelled simple and misspelled misspelled twice in that sentence…and when I thought I had misspelled misspelled a third time, I spelled times wrong too! Ah Lord eh! There must be a reason for my propensity to misspell today, but I don’t know what it is. (smile) 

But getting back to those scriptures on money. Listen to this most interesting one from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share). Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim. 6:17-19) 

So friends, although Jesus said it was difficult for a rich man to enter heaven, (Matt. 19:23) He never said it was impossible, and here Bruh Paul is advising Timothy to command rich people to give generously of what they possess, so that it might be accounted to them for good in heaven. And so should all of us be generous, be we rich or poor, but with the right motives, the right state of our hearts, not just to hope that it helps us get into heaven. As Jesus spoke of a widow’s sacrificial offering, while sitting in the temple with His disciples. 

The Bible says: ‘He looked up, and saw the rich men casting (putting) their gifts into the treasury. And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites (small copper coins worth very little). and he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings: but she of her penury (poverty) hath cast in all the living (livelihood) she had.’ (Luke 21:1-4) 

Yes, ofttimes sacrificial giving is more recognized than giving from mere abundance. As the scholars says: ‘God does not measure giving by conventional human standards.’ And also, we ought not to flaunt our giving, as Jesus said, let not the left hand know what the right is doing (Matt. 6:3-4) That means, as this commentary informs: ‘We should never do our giving in order to be seen by, and subsequently, to be praised by others. In other words, we do not want to give because of what we might get from it—like others thinking more highly of us or paying us compliments, or to receive some special treatment because of our giving.’ 

And with those words of wisdom let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, for divine help to fix our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’  

And if we’re seriously looking for divine help, then we need to make those changes necessary for them to be forthcoming. Much LOVE!

…the more we give…from a generous heart…the more we will receive… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 May 2023 Psalm 128:1.

12 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 128:1.        Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

Oh friends, this Friday morning, as we declare (yesss!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ we also have to consider having five straight days of wonderful sunshine, because that seems like a distinct possibility! Wow! My trusty computer tells me it’s 23 and sunny. In that case, we might just need to think about praying for a li’l rain to cool things down if the weather keeps being so wonderful in my neck of the woods. (smile) As we would say, it’s either feast or famine. 

But here’s an interesting angle on it all. I just opened the Good Library and it opened unto the Book of Psalms, and my eyes were led to this particular psalm, Psalm 128, one that I’ve never paid much attention to, but it does contribute a wise and wonderful message in its title which simply says: ‘Fear the Lord.’  Now that’s certainly a tidbit of wisdom if there ever was one! 

And why is that you ask? Well, first off, the fear he’s referring to is not the emotion of fear or fright, but one of reverence, of respect, of worship, although we should also fear the Lord in the other respect, because the only thing as powerful as His LOVE is His wrath, and we certainly don’t want to feel the latter. Just look at what the Israelites suffered for their stubborn disobedience. And Jesus did say that we should fear the Lord and not man, because He is the only one who could destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt. 10:28) 

However, let’s listen to the psalmist as he declares: (wow!!!) ‘Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands (the fruit of thy labour): happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of (in the heart of) thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.’ (Ps. 128:1-3) 

Mama oh Mama! Yuh hear that mih people? If we fear the Lord then our house will indeed be blessed, enjoying the fruits of our labour, with a fruitful wife and wonderful children! Now what more can a man ask of this life eh? Nothing really! But the important thing is that only happens when we reverence the Lord and walk in His ways. And that’s something so many of us in these evil and unfortunate times can’t seem to understand, otherwise we’d be doing just that. 

But instead so many of us are turning away from the Lord to other insecure and worthless ventures, and many of us who claim to still believe are not truly walking in His fear and commandments, but have one foot in the world and one in the kingdom, trying to keep our chances alive by playing both sides against the middle. But friends, I ‘m here to tell you that doesn’t work. You must choose either one or the other and go after it wholeheartedly. And remember Jesus said it so plainly: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) 

And that’s no lie! When you seek God first and foremost, He will indeed give you all that you need. Why do you think Bruh David wrote: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want?’ Because he knew for a fact, from personal experience, that if he sincerely sought the Lord above all else, He would look after him, both physically and spiritually. And the Lord will do the same for anyone who sincerely seeks and reverences Him. He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us, and He is faithful to keep His promises. 

And if you still don’t believe me, then listen as the psalmist continues: ‘Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.’ (Ps. 128:4-6) Oh my people, why are we so foolish and adamant about turning away from God eh, or not paying Him His proper respect and due, since in so many places of His Word it says that’s necessary to have a good life. 

Look at Psalm 1, which pointedly tells us: ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder by talking to himself) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps. 1:1-3)  

Now that’s not rocket science my brethren, so why can’t we simply accept and live it eh? Where’s the faith in Jesus Christ we’re supposed to have? Obviously it’s sadly lacking, otherwise we wouldn’t be living the sub-standard and mediocre Christian lives we’re living. Now listen to these opening verses of Psalm 119: ‘Blessed are the undefiled (blameless) in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.’ (Ps. 119:1-3) 

There again friends, it says we will be blessed if we walk in the way of the Lord. Simple common sense my brethren! But sorry, I forgot that common sense no longer exists in our society, we just have a herd mentality, and foolishly run with the foolish crowd.  But there’s hope for us yet, because with the Lord, there’s always hope, so let’s go to Him now, through our Friday Chant and ask for His divine help with our problems. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

Now let’s wake up nuh friends, and do what we know we’re supposed to do, if we expect the Lord’s help. Much LOVE!

…it takes two to tango…the Lord won’t help…unless we’re obedient… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 May 2023 Proverbs 16:9.

05 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:9.      A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.

Well, it’s another cloudy start to this first Friday in May, but nonetheless, the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ have gone out all around the world. I guess we don’t really care what kind of day Friday is, once it’s Friday, and the weekend looms large ahead. The trouble is that too many of us are more taken up with what the world has to offer for the weekend and not what Almighty God has in store. But then again, that’s why our world is in such a mess, such an evil, ungodly mess. If you blatantly and continually ignore the Creator and Controller of the universe you must end up with serious problems. 

Remember that the best laid plans of mice and men go astray, if they are not in sync with the will and word of God. And then there’s the Yiddish saying, ‘Man plans, but God laughs.’ And it’s all a fact, for as Cousin Sol says in Proverbs 16: ‘The preparations (plans) of the heart in man (belong to man), and the answer of the tongue, is of the Lord.’ (Prov. 16:1) In other words, as the scholars say: ‘The Lord is sovereign, even over a man’s thoughts and words.’ Now we should certainly think on that before making our grandiose plans for the weekend, or anytime really. 

And Cousin Sol further spells it out later in the chapter. ‘A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.’  (Prov. 16:9) And that’s oh so true friends! How many times have we planned to do something only to find ourselves doing something else, and we’re not sure why? That’s because the Lord guided us to the other thing. That makes the scholars to opine that: ‘The Lord is sovereign over man’s scheming and planning.’ And I don’t know why it’s so difficult for us to wake up and see the futility of trying to plan our own lives right down to the nitty gritty, when the Lord has His own plan for each and every life that He’s created. 

And if you still don’t believe me, then listen to Cousin Sol as he gives forth on the subject again, (smile) this time from Proverbs 19. He wisely expounds: ‘There are many devices (plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov. 19:21) And it’s not like we haven’t seen it proven over and over in our lives. If the Lord desires to thwart our plans, He has the right and the power to do it. We just have to ‘wisen’ up, realize it and try to walk in His will rather than ours. 

Now, I guess Cousin Sol found the subject rather interesting and/or important that in another chapter of Proverbs, he once again broached the topic. Listen here: ‘Man’s goings (steps) are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?’ (Prov. 20:24) And if the first part is true, then the second part is totally logical, since you cannot understand where you’re going, if you don’t control where you’re going. (smile). And I don’t know what it will take for some of us to finally figure that out and stop trying to force our plans over those that God has set out for us. 

Friends, turning to God and asking for His will for our lives, or even bringing what we desire to do before Him before we try to initiate them is wisdom of the ages! Because if He definitely doesn’t want us going one way, He will not allow us to go there. Since He’s given us free will, He doesn’t like to get into our affairs too much, but sometimes what we’re doing is either so dangerous, outrageous or will cause so much confusion, that He intercedes and puts a spoke in our wheel. And that’s only because He LOVES us so much, He doesn’t want to see us make mistakes that are either irreparable or will cause us much heartache later on. 

And Isaiah spells it out for us in even greater detail as he speaks of God’s Spoken and Purposed Will. ‘Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. Declaring (yesss!!!) the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:’ (Is. 46:9-10) Oh my faithful believers, I don’t see how God could make it any plainer than that nuh! His counsel and plans are what will stand. He will do as He pleases, because it’s His universe, and contrary to what we might think, He still controls it. 

And Bruh David concurs with all that Cousin Sol and Isaiah say, when he proclaims in Psalm 37: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps, 37:23-24) Wow! What good news that is my brethren! When we walk with God, even if we stumble and fall, we will not be totally cast down, because the Lord will raise us back up again. And Cousin Sol further elaborates on that by saying: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) 

And that’s the gospel truth! A righteous man will never give up, regardless of how often he falls, for the Lord will always help him to rise again to his feet. Now let’s hear the end of this thing, (smile) as per the psalmist in Psalm 33. ‘Let all the earth fear the Lord (reverence Him): let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. for he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen (unbelievers) to nought: he maketh the devices (plans) of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.’ (Ps. 33:8-11) 

Now friends, with all of the wonderful, enlightening scripture percolating in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, (smile) let’s go to God, through our Friday Chant, to find succour for our earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

Now, if we sincerely want to see positive changes in our world, then we need to make the necessary changes in our lives that will encourage God to help us. It’s as simple as that. Much LOVE!

…to avoid unnecessary heartache…wisdom dictates…we take our plans to God for His approval… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 March 2023 Job 14:1.

17 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Job 14:1. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

And though it’s a wet, cloudy day, we all still shouted ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday and the work week done!’ Yes, the work week is finally finished, but for some reason or other the lasts few Fridays have all seen bad weather, although the previous days in the week have been fine, bright and sunshiny. I guess because we are so into Friday, the weather mavens are playing the devil’s advocate with us, trying to put a spoke into our wheel on one of the days we look forward to. (smile) 

But little do they know that we can handle anything they throw at us because were the siblings of Jesus Christ, children of the Most High God Jehovah; Creator of heaven, earth and all therein! Yes friends, the devil and his evil cronies might try to make life difficult for us but when we’re imbued with the Holy Spirit of Christ, our Lord and Saviour, as well as our Big Brother, our High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor and whatever else we need, then we can handle ANYTHING that comes against us in His mighty name! 

How did the prophet Isaiah put it so long ago? ‘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) Ah my people, what a strong, stalwart, ever-faithful and LOVING God we serve! If He says it, then we can be assured that we will be protected and come out the victor in the end! 

Now, this doesn’t mean we won’t be attacked or be struck by a weapon, for we will have trials and tribulations, tests and sufferings of many kinds, for as Job so rightly says a couple times: ‘Yet man is born unto trouble (toil), as the sparks fly upward.’ (Job 5:7) And again: ‘Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.’ (Job 14:1) Then Jesus said it very clearly: ‘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) 

So friends, it’s not that we won’t be attacked or suffer unjustly, but the promise is that NONE of the negative stuff that we encounter will PROSPER against us!  In the end we will certainly be victorious! And that’s a very useful promise to hold on to, especially in these very rough and trying times, where our world suddenly seems to have gone crazy with all sorts of negative things happening all at once. Yes, some days it is difficult to stay faithful, but with each day that you do so, your faith in Christ grows, and life becomes a li’l easier for you to handle. 

And that’s what we need to concentrate on; growing our faith, becoming more mature Christians, and thus better able to handle the vicissitudes, that’s the changes, variations and vagaries of this evil and ungodly world. To do that successfully though, means we must know the scriptures; know the Lord’s Word, which is the ONLY thing that will keep us strong and willing to stay on that straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus, salvation and eternal life. And you can only know the word by spending serious and sincere time in it; meditating on it, allowing it to caress your heart, mind, body and soul so that it forms a shield around you. 

And if you don’t believe me, then listen to a few of the may scriptures that describe our God and His word as a shield. Beginning with Samuel’s declaration (oh yeah!!!): ‘As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all them that trust him.’ (2 Sam. 22:31) Then Bruh David adds his two cents worth from Psalm 3, as he states: ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head (the one who lifts up my head).’ (Ps. 3:2-3) 

Then listen to this verse from Psalm 91: ‘He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust (take refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (small shield).’ (Ps. 91:4) And we all know that Cousin Sol had something to say on almost everything…if not everything. (smile) Listen as he tells it. ‘Every word of God is pure (tried, found pure): he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.’ (Prov. 30:5) So, my fellow saints, you don’t have to take my word for it, you have the true and faithful testimony of several great men of God, who did exactly as I am asking us to do, put our sincere and deep trust in Almighty God, for He will not let you down. No, NEVER! 

Now, let’s go to Him prayer, through our Friday Chant asking for His divine help to keep us strong and sincere. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. 

Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

And if we want to see positive results from our petitions, then we have to make positive, godly changes to our lives. Much LOVE!

…if you can’t trust God…then whom can you trust eh… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   3 March 2023 Mark 5:34.

03 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Mark 5:34.       And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague (affliction).

At long last it’s Friday, the end of our work week, and a lot of voices have this morning chorused: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But I wonder if many of them in the Greater Toronto Area will be mouthing that platitude this evening on their commute home? Why you ask? Because another big snow storm is scheduled to begin around the time of the drive home. Can you imagine the bell ringing for the end of the day’s work, and all those workers hustling to exit their daytime slave quarters for a two day break, only to be met by a tantrum of snow blowing dangerously in a blustering wind? 

Yes, it will produce chaos. But let’s hope we use common sense and caution, with prayer and thanksgiving as we fight our way home this Friday evening. Yes, Lord, I pray that those of us caught in the storm this evening will raise the level of their faith, or simply show their faith, and turn to You and sincerely ask You to safely guide them home, because You are ONLY ONE with the awesome wisdom, knowledge and power to do it. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen! 

Ah friends, the evening hours will prove a testing ground for both the fate and faith of many, because ploughing through the deep, heavy snow, ofttimes with poor visibility, always requires a new leap of faith, regardless of how strong our faith already is. I can personally attest to that since I got caught in a terrible one last year. I got stuck in the snow three times on my way home; once on the highway; that took me about fifteen minutes to extricate myself from the snowbank. Then about a half mile from home; that one needed a tow truck to get me out, and the final one right in my own driveway. Hn, hn, hn! I can laugh now, but that Monday morning was indeed a day from hell. (smile) 

And since we’re talking about faith and Jesus today, there’s no better time than right now to discuss His awesome showing of faith in that terrible storm that almost destroyed their boat when crossing the sea of Galilee. While Jesus and His disciples were on the sea, the gospel of Mark tells us: ‘And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full (already filling). And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part (the stern) of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith. And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is this (who can this be), that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:37-41) Yes my faithful brethren, the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus because He was the One who created them! 

And we always tend to denigrate the disciples’ level of faith, thinking that because they had seen Jesus perform all sorts of miracles, they ought to have been less fearful. But friends, let’s remember that they were mostly young men, and most of them, most likely couldn’t swim. And I’m chuckling here now, because I also know about the perilous trials of storms on the water. Brother! Have I ever lived a full, interesting, sometimes dangerous, but certainly blessed life! 

I experienced  that storm out on Lake Ontario many years ago in a small boat, when I wasn’t as God- fearing as I am now, with some drunken friends, who were even less God-fearing than me, but were so scared, that they ended up praying too. But, for whatever reason, the Lord pulled us through. And believe me, He most certainly DID! Nothing, or no One else could have pulled us through that monumental storm. I guess He knew that if He allowed us to go under, I wouldn’t be around to fulfill His plan of writing the Bit. (smile) 

What’s amusing though is that I used to see Lake Ontario kicking up on the shore and figured it was just a joke lake, nothing like the ocean that I was accustomed to, and wondered how so many ships could be sunk in those waters. But that night I found out how it could happen. And strangely enough, one of my most significant takes from that experience is actually experiencing the ‘shivering of the timbers.’ I had often read those words in stories of the sea, but until that fateful night, never really knew what it meant. 

Take it from me, please hope to never experience it in real life, for when the little boat climbed the fifteen or twenty foot waves on the lake, then plunged down into the trough on the other side, the timbers of the boat did shiver like a fevered man! And so did we inside it! Now, because I know what it’s like to be caught on the water in a terrible storm, I don’t denigrate the disciples’ fate as much as some people do. 

That brings us to the story of Jairus, the synagogue leader who came to Jesus to save his dying daughter. While going with him to his home, this woman who had had an issue of blood (a blood flow) for 12 years but could find no relief through physicians or other treatments, heard that Jesus was passing through and decided to go and see Him, ‘For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.’ (Mark. 5:28) So she pushed through the crowd and touched the hem of His shawl. ‘And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of the plague (affliction). 

And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue (power) had gone out of him, turned him about in the press (crowd), and said, Who touched my clothes? And the disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague (affliction).’ (Mark 5:29-34) 

Oh my fellow saints, that’s the kind of faith we need to have in these turbulent and disastrous times! Faith that causes us to push through whatever comes against us to reach to Jesus! But it all begins with prayer. So, as one strong and sincere voice, let’s offer up our Friday Chant, in faithful communication with heaven. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’

 Now, it’s time to action our faith; let it come to the forefront and do the things we’ve promised. Much LOVE!

…one can only have faith…when one first believes…  

P.S. Please forgive the Bit for being somewhat late and long. But I believe it certainly makes up for those shortcomings. (smile) Much LOVE!

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 February 2023 Philippians 1:6.

24 Feb 2023 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 1:6.       Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Oh boy, it’s Friday! Cold but sunny! That calls for a ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here!’ Yes, it’s all well and good to thank God that it’s Friday and the start of the weekend, but please remember we’re in the Lenten season now, and we’re not supposed to get into all the partying and the other things of the flesh that we usually lust after. It’s a time for serious introspection, seeing where we’re falling down, or falling short in our Christian walk, then turning to God and asking for His divine help to correct our mistakes, forgive our sins, and lead us once more on the right path in a more intense and mature manner. 

Oh my people, Lent is a great time to grow up in Christ, to attain a more mature spirituality, as we read, study and contemplate God’s word and get into closer, more affectionate contact, greater intimacy with Him. Remember His basic goal is for all of us to become more Christ-like, as Bruh Paul wrote to the Roman church. ‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29) 

Now isn’t that wonderful? It surely is! The Lord wants a family of brothers and sisters like Christ, who will be the elder brother, the first-born sibling. And you can only become like Christ if you study about Him and try to do what He says, do as He did and still does. God’s purpose, from the fall of Adam, has always been to bring us back to Him, back to Him in the likeness of Christ. He preordained that. And this scripture from Philippians ensures it. Bruh Paul writes: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) 

Wow! What an awesome reassurance! Once God has embarked on changing us to Christlikeness, that is slowly, from glory to glory, He will NEVER stop until Christ returns. We can bet our bottom dollar on that! Then there is this associated scripture: ‘But we all with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18) 

Ah friends, the Spirit of the Lord is the enabler in our changing into the likeness of Christ. Yes, the Holy Spirit is the workhorse, so to speak, of our Holy Trinity. He does all the work now that Jesus has done His part; dying for us and having us being reconciled to God, justified, sanctified, made righteous and all the other good stuff we receive through His sacrificial death. The Holy Spirit is now in charge of leading, guiding and changing us. 

The only problem though in this whole scenario is that we have to be willing to follow the dictates and leading of the Holy Spirit, to go the distance, the extra mile, to endure the difficulties and whatsoever stumbling blocks that crop up along the way. And yuh better believe they will. Jesus said it quite plainly: ‘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) 

There again is reassurance from Jesus. Although we will certainly endure problems and trials, we can always find the peace and fortitude to bear them through His grace and mercy. But we have to believe all of that. And it’s ofttimes a problem for many of us when the world seems to be falling down around us, but please remember that Jesus died so that we could live, that we could live the abundant life, and it will not always be wine, roses and song, because that’s not the face of the real world. 

And above all, Christianity is not for cowards. If we want to follow Christ, then we must stand tall and courageous like He did. Remember the cost of discipleship is high. Jesus said it thus: ‘If any man, will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Yes my people, that’s what it takes to truly follow Jesus; sacrificing one’s own will for His, and doing it on a daily basis too. Nothing less will do. 

But we should not allow that to scare us from becoming true disciples of Jesus, for it’s not every day we are actually called on to sacrifice something big, neither do we have trials and tribulations every day. It’s just that when the occasion calls for us to come up higher, we must be prepared and willing to do so. 

And remember too that Jesus never asks us to do stuff and doesn’t give us the wherewithal, or the anointing to do it. So although life can be very difficult at times when we sincerely want to follow Christ, overall, it’s not a bad as it sounds, and very interesting and rewarding, for with Jesus, you’ll go places and do things that other humans will never go or do. And besides, if we follow the leading of the Holy Ghost, we won’t find ourselves in as many tough spots as if we don’t. (smile) 

Now here is this other verse that falls in well with our transformation to Christ-likeness. John says in his first epistle. ‘Beloved, now are we the sons (children) of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.’ (1 John 3:2) Yes my fellow saints, we know we are changing, becoming more like Christ in discipleship, but until He shows up the next time, our transformation will not be complete, and then we’ll see who He really is, see Him face to face, and truly become like Him! All glory be to God my people! 

Now, let’s go home with a word of prayer, our Friday Chant, placing our entire life and world in God’s capable hands. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. 

Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

Now, to achieve all we desire, it’s imperative that we keep our part of our covenant with God. And we all know what that entails; basic obedience to His holy will. Much LOVE!

…it takes two to tango…God has already done His part through Jesus…it’s now our time to get on the floor…..and show our stuff…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 December 2022 Matthew 25:40.

09 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 25:40.       Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Now, the new day has dawned somewhat grey and overcast, but that doesn’t matter, because it’s Friday. Oh yes, the last day of the workweek is here and we are all overjoyed. Our shouts of freedom can be heard all over the world. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and we can soon rest for two days from the agony of this modern slavery!’ 

And in some respects, the sentiments are quite true, because, in spite of our supposed modern society, a lot of workers are still not enjoying the benefits of our advances, but are unfortunately still stuck in old world ways of work through the greed and selfishness of their rich and predatory bosses. It’s surprising that in a world of plenty, there are still so many with so little. The problem is that too few have too much and have greedily set up the systems so that they can acquire even more off the backs of the many with little. 

But I guess that’s the way it’s been all down through the ages. Although one would have thought that in this supposedly enlightened and modern society of ours, the problem of equality would not be still such a big deal, and the distance between the haves and the have nots would not be so wide. ‘Wishful thinking,’ someone whispers in my ear. (smile) Why, in this day and age do we still have to fight tooth and nail to get a decent wage for a fair day’s work eh?. But it’s the truth. The richer are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. 

People in the so-called third and fourth world nations would never believe the amount of poverty, homelessness, sickness and economic suffering that exists in these supposed first world countries. They all think that it’s a bed of roses, and beg, borrow and steal to get here, until they arrive and sadly discover that in many cases, they were better off where they came from. At least back there if they didn’t have a job or food, some friend or relative would share what little they had with them. But in the first world countries sharing with your neighbours is not the norm. 

And one aspect of the situation that’s so horrifying is the prevalence of food banks nowadays. People are working forty or more hours a week and still can’t afford to buy food for their families. I remember volunteering at a food bank many years ago, and they were few and far between at the time. It was only supposed to be a stop-gap measure. But now they are everywhere and desperately needed too. What with rents and prices for everyday items skyrocketing, but wages remaining stagnant, the ordinary man in the street needs help to feed and clothe his family. 

However, the food banks should not be a staple or standard of our society, because that would simply turn us into a bigger beggy-beggy society than we already are. Three quarters of the mail I receive is from charities asking for donations to support one thing or another. I give, and gladly too, but at times it just gets to be too much. You pick up the phone, it’s someone growling in your ear about giving. You open your e-mail, the same thing. And yet, despite all these supposed charities, the situation is not improving. The governments don’t care. They are only interested in getting in power and being able to milk the gravy train themselves. 

Oh my people, if we want to be a truly just and Christian society, we need to remember those who don’t have and treat them properly. Our God decreed that from way back when. Listen to these scriptures. In Leviticus, He says: ‘And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex (mistreat) him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born (native) among you, and thou shalt LOVE him as thyself: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ (Lev. 19:33-34) Yes friends, all of us were strangers in some land at some time or another, and because of that the Lord expects us to treat strangers properly. 

And Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s desire in Deuteronomy. ‘Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked (stubborn, rebellious). For the Lord your God is God of gods, and the Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality, nor takes a bribe). He doth execute the judgement of the fatherless and widow, and LOVETH the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. LOVE ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ (Deut. 10:16-19) 

And all through the Bible references can be found about treating the stranger, the widow and fatherless with LOVE and compassion. Jesus even told us that the second great commandment was to LOVE our neighbours as ourselves. (Matt. 22:39) And our neighbour includes anyone with whom we come into contact. Then there’s also this poignant and appropriate scripture from Hebrews. ‘Let brotherly LOVE continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ (Heb. 13:1-2) 

Yes my faithful brethren, Abraham (Gen. 18:13) and Lot (Gen. 19:1-2) did receive angels unawares. And although that might not happen nowadays, showing hospitality to the needy is still important and will be very beneficial in the long run. Please remember Jesus words after the parable of the talents, when He separates the sheep from the goats, and says to the sheep. ‘For I was hungered (hungry), and ye gave me meat (food): I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’ (Matt. 25:35-36) 

And when the righteous in surprise asks when they dd all those things for Him. He replied: ‘Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt. 25:40) That should give us plenty food for thought my people! Now, through our Friday Chant, let’s go to God in humble but confident prayer, asking for His divine intervention in our less than stellar affairs. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by our many serious problems. And you know Lord that we can’t fix them on our own, so we desperately need 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. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

Also Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

Now friends, if we want to receive a positive answer to our prayers, then we need to get serious about the promises we’ve just made, obeying God’s word and living the life He desires us to live. Much LOVE!

…you can’t exploit the downtrodden…and expect to be rewarded by Christ… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 November 2022 Psalm 37:1.

25 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 37:1.        Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

So finally it’s Friday, and everyone has already shouted: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here!’ But many others have also shouted: ‘Thank God Black Friday is here, and the stores are filled with all kinds of sales, sales to die for!’ And believe me, over the last few years that this greedy, merchant invention on the Friday after Thanksgiving, has been in progress, several people have died when violence has broken out over stuff in the stores or in the lines outside the stores with the door crasher nonsense. But the merchants don’t care, because they are getting more foot traffic through their businesses, which means more money for them, their prime reason for living. 

And the sad part is that many of the supposed sale items are not really on sale, but just appear to be, or there are only a few on sale, which they use to draw unsuspecting customers into the store, knowing that once in there, you will buy other stuff at regular or even inflated prices. But yet still we fall for the lies and deceptions of the merchants, iniquity workers, the devotees of Satan. And then comes this Monday, or Cyber Monday, another recently invented shopping day, when the stuff is online and all the computers and servers are going a mile a minute. 

I have to laugh yes, because some people have been bugging me all week about Black Friday sales and I’ve just checked out the stuff I might have been interested in, but they are all the same prices pre the Black Friday Sale. So the great Black Friday hype is of no use to me. Once upon a time there was nothing between Halloween and Christmas, but now we’ve found a way to increase our shopping days at Thanksgiving. Hn! How ingenious are our merchants! And what does the Good Library, the Bible, tell us about iniquity workers? A whole lot my brethren. 

Bruh David said it so well in Psalm 37, that famous treatise on ‘The true state of the wicked.’ He wisely advises: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps. 37:1-2) And that’s wisdom in spades my people! If you are a child of God, then you don’t have to worry about evildoers for the Lord has faithfully promised that they will get their comeuppance in due time. And there are numerous scriptures that describe the eventual demise of the wicked. 

Let’s check out a few. Psalm 92 declares: ‘O Lord how great are thy works! And thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish (senseless) man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring (up, sprout) as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed forever: But thou Lord art most high for evermore. For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn (strength) shalt thou exalt like a unicorn (wild ox): I shall be anointed with fresh oil.’ (Ps. 92:5-10) 

Yes friends, the Lord will destroy the wicked but exalt the righteous in His own time. Then there are these knowledgeable and wise, warning words form Asaph in his famous psalm – The mystery of prosperous wickedness. He says: ‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I had almost stumbled); my steps had wellnigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps. 73:1-3) 

Oh my brethren that’s what envy of the prosperous wicked does to us. And if a supposed holy and righteous man like Asaph could be tempted to be envious of iniquity workers, we ought to pay close attention to ourselves too. And please note that although he knew of his folly, he had a hard time getting rid of that envy (vs. 12-16) he only found solace from that envy ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. 

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction, How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors…For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed them all that go a whoring from (are unfaithful to) thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:17-19, 27-28) 

And that’s exactly how it ought to be my faithful brethren! Now listen to this last scripture, words from Jesus Himself, when talking about false prophets who at the end times will be calling out to Him for mercy, claiming that they had casted out devils (demons), prophesied, and done many wonderful works (miracles), all in His name. But Jesus declares: ‘And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (lawlessness).’ (Matt. 7:23) 

Oh friends, I know it’s difficult watching the wicked and greedy grow from strength to strength, while you in your righteousness are not progressing as the world understands progress, but please don’t let the prosperity of the evildoers bring you down to the point where you want to join them, because their prosperity is only for a short time here on earth, while the prosperity of the righteous shall go on right down through eternity, if we don’t give up. And it all comes together, through strong faith, ceaseless prayer and plenty thanksgiving. So let’s indulge in all of that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the several viruses and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land that’s threatening to boil over, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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!’ 

That means we must now devote ourselves to having a clean heart and right motives, so that the Lord can positively answer our prayer. Much LOVE!

…let’s trust in the Lord…and do good…so that we shall dwell in the land…and be well fed… (Ps. 37:3) 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ        

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