17 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great King above all Gods, a pause we all need to take, a rollicking good version, always numbering your troubles, amid the conflict, angels will attend, as the manner of some is, as ye see the day approaching, be careful for nothing, be singing as the days go by, burdened with a load of care, Christ has promised you His wealth untold, Christians, church bells are ringing, consider one another, count your blessings, count your many blessings, deserving of praise honour and glory, difficulties are only opportunities for advancement, do not be discouraged, does the cross seem heavy, doesn't get us down, every doubt will fly away, exhorting one another, faith, fellowship, fellowship in the Lord's sanctuary, focusing on the few negative things in our lives, God gives us many blessings every day, God is indeed a great God, God is over all, great or small, hear the joy in our voices as we sing, heavy the cross you are called to bear, help and comfort give, holy spirit, how great is the sum of them, how precious are thy thoughts unto me, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in every thing give thanks, in these uncertain times, it will surprise you what the Lord hath done, Jesus Christ, Johnson Oatman Jr., keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, let your requests be made known unto God, like the grains of sand on the seashore, look at others with lands and gold, LOVE, make a joyful noise, many are thy wonderful works, mercy, money cannot buy your reward in heaven, more in number than the sand, more than can be numbered, name them one by one, need to keep our spirits high, never find time to count your blessings, no use becoming frustrated in your difficulties, not forgetting the assembling of ourselves together, O come let us sing unto the lord, O Lord my God, opportunities hiding in them for a turnover, pay lip service, personal interaction, praise, preeminent importance, provoke unto love and to good works, remembering the many blessings God has generously bestowed on us, reminds us to stop and give thanksfor all God has done in our lives, salvation, see what God hath done, shout joyfully, shout joyfully unto god with psalms, so much more, soca version by Joseph Niles, something to take very seriously, sweet sacrifices of praise, tempest tossed, thanksgiving, the bad habit, the BIBLE, the chaos and adversity in our world, the gathering of Christians, the living truth, the Lord is a great God, the negative stuff that's happening, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the rock of our salvation, they cannot be reckoned up, thinking all is lost, this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, thy thoughts to us-ward, to your journey's end, truth, when I awake I am still with thee, when upon life's billows, wisdom, wretched and ungrateful souls, you are discouraged, your home on high
1 Thessalonians 5:18. ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’
Believe it or not friends, it’s Sunday and the church bells are ringing, once more calling us to fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary, to give praise and thanks and receive blessings and strength to face the upcoming week. And let us never forget that Christians gathering together is of preeminent importance in our faith, as the Bible warns us. ‘And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works: Nor forgetting the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb.1024-25)
So it’s very necessary that we gather on a regular basis that we can encourage and stir up each other through personal interaction. And with all of that in mind, let’s get to our song of worship for today, one that is very appropriate for these evil and ungodly times. It’s one we all know and sing, but mostly do it just lip service, otherwise so many of us believers would not be worried and scared at all the chaos and adversity in our world. The song’s simply titled ‘Count Your Blessings!’ and was written by popular American hymnwriter and ordained minister, Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856-1922).
And today we’re going down south with the song, adding sweet sacrifices of praise in a scintillating up-tempo Soca riddim, a la, Jospeh Niles’ version of some years ago. So, let’s hear the joy in our voices as we sing, simultaneously remembering all the many blessings the Lord has so generously bestowed on us. And to get us off on a rousing note, we’ll open with the chorus.
Singing ‘(Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.) When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. (Refrain: Count your blessings,) Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain]
When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain] So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. [Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.)’
Yes mih people, that was a rollicking good version, and we could hear the joy in most of our voices as we sang and rocked to the music. And before we get into any talk on the song, it might be best to consider a definition of Counting our Blessings. One commentary puts it this way: ‘to be grateful for the good things in your life, often to stop yourself becoming too unhappy about the bad things.’
And that’s something we ought to take very seriously, for too many of us have the bad habit of focusing on the relatively few negative things in our lives, rather than the many good ones. And especially in these uncertain times we need to keep our spirits and our faith at a high level, so that all the negative stuff that’s happening doesn’t get us down and /or discouraged.
Now the theme of the song is basically about praise and thanksgiving, and there are so many scriptures on those topics that we will only be able to deal with a few; like this one from Psalm 95, where the psalmist declares: ‘O Come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto him with psalms (songs). For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.’ (Ps. 95:1-3) And our God is indeed a great God, deserving of much praise, honour and glory!
Then listen as Bruh David sings the Lord’s praises from Psalm 40. ‘Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to-us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up (recounted) in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.’ (Ps. 40:5) And isn’t that the living truth! God’s goodness toward us has been so numerous, like the grains of sand on the shore, they simply cannot be counted.
And in that marvellous Psalm 139, Bruh David again declares God’s goodness. ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps. 139:17-18) And this commentary from the http://www.godtube website says it loud and clear. ‘God truly gives us so many blessings each and every single day. Some may even be so small that we might overlook them. The classic hymn ‘Count Your Blessings’ truly reminds us to stop and give thanks for all God has done in our lives. This is definitely a pause we all need to take. Amen.’
And Bruh Paul says it thus to the Philippians. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) Meanwhile, to the Thessalonians, He writes: ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1Thess. 5:18)
Now it could not get any clearer than that; God expects us to give Him thanks and praise, and He most certainly deserves it, for all the goodness and mercy He’s bestowed on our wretched and ungrateful souls. And this commentary seems to be a most fitting way to close our discourse today. It wisely advises: ‘If you always find yourself numbering your troubles, you will never find time for counting your blessings. There is no use becoming frustrated in your difficulties while you have all opportunities hiding in them for a turnover.’ So, let’s ponder that today, while we count our many blessings. Much LOVE!
…difficulties are only opportunities for advancement…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a big life cahnge, according to His abundant mercy, acknowledgement of God's faithfulness, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, an opportunity for gratitude, an optimistic frame of mind, at the appearing of Jesus Christ, be found unto praise and honour and glory, be renewed and refreshed, be sincere about trying, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the example that we faithful believers set, christianity, Christians, David lived out his faith, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, difficult to look beyond what's currently happening, divine aid, faith, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, find the silver linings in hardships, followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, Friday chant, full of glory, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship and relaxation, God's omnipotent help, God's faithfulness, God's unconditional LOVE, great is thy faithfulness, hard family times, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, have hope faith trust and love in Jesus' goodness and mercy, he is my defence, He only is my rock and my salvation, help in these evil times, help us to be responsible, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, I shall not be moved, in heaviness through manifold temptations, in tough and uncertain times, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, kept by the power of God, LOVE, loving-kindness, mercy, more precious than gold that perishes, my expectation is from him, my hope is from God, my soul wait thou only upon God, our responsibility to get the ball rolling, personal health concerns, problems are escalating, ready to be revealed in the last time, receiving the end of your faith, reconciliation, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, reserved in heaven for you, salvation, see a difficult challenge, sighs and groans, stand strong and steadfast, tell a story of tiredness and uncertainty, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that fadeth not away, the BIBLE, the God of hope, the light at the end of the tunnel, the Lord takes pleasure in those who reverence him, the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the salvation of your souls, the scriptures were written to give us hope, the sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, the throne of grace, the trial of your faith, the undisputed truth, the weekend is here at last, therefore have I hope, they are new every morning, this I recall to mind, those that hope in his mercy, though it be tested with fire, though now for a season, though now ye see him not, through faith unto salvation, through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost, to handle the unexpected storms properly, trials and tribulations, trusting faith, truth, turning to scriptures of hope, whatever was written beforehand, whatsoever things were written aforetime, wherein ye greatly rejoice, whom having not seen you love, wisdom, wise guidance, with God's generous help, with hope there's always life, written for our learning, ye may abound in hope, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, yet believing
Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 May 2026 Romans 15:13.
Romans 15:13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Oh my people, we could not ask for a better Friday; a sunny one with temps in the high teens. No wonder our Friday Mantra was so bubbly when it was sent up. (smile) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at long last!’ Yes, the work week has wound down to this last day and the many sighs and groans being emitted do tell a story of tiredness and uncertainty in managing these never before experienced ungodly and evil times. But let’s remember that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ; that means we have hope, faith, trust and LOVE in His goodness and mercy.
And I like how this commentary from the website countryliving.com talks about our behaviour and activity in those times. ‘In tough and uncertain times, it can be difficult to look beyond what’s currently happening in your life and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether you’re going through a big life change, a hard time for your family, or personal health concerns, an optimistic frame of mind can help you see a difficult challenge as an opportunity for gratitude. When you’re feeling low, try to find the silver linings in your hardships.’
And that silver lining begins with turning to scriptures of hope. And since we’ve been granted life for today, let’s keep our promise of yesterday to continue looking at scriptures on hope. Now there are so many, that it’s difficult to choose which ones to share. But we’ll begin with this one we all know from the pen of Jeremiah in His Lamentations. ‘This I recall to my mind (God’s faithfulness), therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:21-23) And that’s the undisputed truth friends! For it’s only because of God’s mercy and compassion that we’re alive to tell the tale today.
Now what about these interesting verses from Psalm 62, where Bruh David confidently declares: ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 62:5-6) What strong faith my people! And we know Bruh David lived it out in his own lifetime, despite the many trials and tribulations he suffered. And that’s the same way we need to come up hopeful, strong and faithful when we go through adversity. It’s not easy, but we have the tools to do it, if we’re sincere about trying.
And we have this other reassuring verse from Psalm 147: ‘The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear (reverence) him, in those that hope in his mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS).’ (Ps. 147:5) More comfort, support and acknowledgement of God’s faithfulness! Meanwhile, Bruh Paul in talking about being likeminded, wrote thus to the Romans: ‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime (beforehand) were written for our learning, that we through patience (perseverance) and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ (Rom. 15:4) Oh my people! The scriptures were written so that we could have hope! Glory be to God!
Then there’s this marvelous scripture from Peter that raises hope to a higher level. He writes: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness (distressed) through manifold temptations: That the trial (genuineness) of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that persisheth, though it be tried (tested) with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing (revelation) of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye LOVE; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-9)
Yes mih bredrin, our hope in Jesus is not a dead one, but alive and kicking because of His resurrection. And our hope and faith and belief in Him is so great that although we’ve never seen Jesus in person, we LOVE Him nonetheless with a mighty LOVE, that exceeds our LOVE for anything or anyone else, because He’s provided the salvation for our souls so that we won’t be eternally separated from God, but instead spend eternity with Him. Now that’s the level of hope to which we all need to attain, so that we can rejoice with unspeakable, indescribable joy.
And we’ll end with this heartfelt prayer from Bruh Paul to the Romans: ‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom. 15:13) Ah my fellow believers, once our forefathers Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought sin into the world, life has never been easy, but through God’s insurmountable, unconditional LOVE, we’ve always had hope, and in the coming of Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection, we’ve finally received the reconciliation that God planned from the very beginning. So please, let’s not lose hope now, when the rewards are oh so near.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid and reassurance to help us in these evil times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Yes friends, our whole world needs to wake up and smell the coffee, and it’s our responsibility to get the ball rolling, and thereby set a good example for the rest of the world! So let’s get to it right away nuh, for remember God doesn’t want to lose even one human soul to Satan, that means we’d better hurry up and get working, for time is quickly slipping away! Much LOVE!
…once there’s hope…there’s always life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a strong will, abundance, access by faith into grace, being justified by faith, belief, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us, character, Christians, clear direction for my life, courage, creativity, culminates in eternal life, curse, divine protection, even the youths shall faint and be weary, experienced, faith, favour, for what a man sees why does he yet hope for ir, fulfillment, glory in tribulations, God's faithfulness, God's supernatural wisdom, have peace with God through Christ, He gives power to the faint, holy spirit, hope does not disappoint, hope for what we don't see, hope in God, hope is the basis of faith, hope keeps us holding on to our dreams, hope keps us going, hope maketh not ashamed, hope of a good futre, hope that is seen is not hope, hope that things will turn out alright, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I wait for God my Saviour, I watch in hope for the Lord, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, my God will hear me, negative word, patience, penultimate day of our workweek, plans to give us a future and a hope, promotion, rejoice in hope of the glory of God, run and not be weary, salvation, self-control, self-disicpline, self-sacrifice, shall mount up with wings like eagles, talent, the basic catalyst, the BIBLE, the gospel truth, the groundwork called for in God's word, the level of our belief based on our hope, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, the young men shall utterly fall, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, tribulation worketh patience, truth, undeniable truth, walk and not faint, we are saved by hope, wisdom, with patience we wait for it, without hope you cannot have faith
Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 May 2026 Jeremiah 29:11.
Jeremiah 29:11. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’
Ah friends, the penultimate day of our work week, Thursday, has opened somewhat cloudy and chilly, but let’s not lose hope, for yesterday afternoon turned out to be quite nice, despite the poor early morning weather. And if it’s one thing we Christians have is hope. Hope in God, and hope that things will turn out all right in the end. For without hope, what’s the purpose of living? None whatsoever! Since hope is the basic catalyst that keeps us going; keeps us holding on to our dreams and desires, whatever they may be. With hope we expect things to get better and those dreams to materialize at some point in time.
And that’s why the Bible, God’s Word is filled with so many wonderful verses on hope. So let’s look at some of them, and see how they boost our faith. for remember without hope, you cannot have faith, as hope is the basis of faith. And possibly the most well known and favourite verse of hope in the Bible is this one from Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) Yes my fellow believers, that’s what the Lord has in mind for us; hope of a good future, that culminates with Him in eternal life. And there’s nothing better to look forward to than that!
Then there’s this other amazing promise from the prophet Isaiah, that we all know and mouth, but don’t always believe, otherwise we would not be so often lacking in hope. ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:29-31)
What a marvellous promise! But if we don’t truly believe it, then it will not happen for us, for that’s the groundwork called for in God’s Word; belief, which is born of hope and topped by faith. As Bruh Paul says in Romans. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly wait) for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) And that’s the gospel truth! For hope is looking and waiting for something we don’t see. If we see it, then there’s no point in hoping for it.
Then there’s this interesting verse from the prophet Micah, where he declares: ‘Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.’ (Mic. 7:7) Now that’s a tremendous statement of hope and faith. As this translation puts it: ‘But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.’ And that’s more undeniable truth my brethren. If we wait and hope in our God, He will hear us and provide salvation. But then again, that all depends on the level of our belief that’s based on the amount of our hope. (smile)
Now these are also important verses on belief and hope, but I don’t think we appreciate them as much as some of the others. Why? Just listen. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh (produces) patience; And patience, experience (character); and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom. 5:1-5)
Ah mih people, we all like the end product, but none of us like to go through the middle section that talks of tribulations and perseverance. However, that is a most basic and foundational aspect of truly living for Jesus. It’s the calling of self-sacrifice that all followers of Jesus are expected to engage in, following His glorious example. And there are several more interesting scriptures on hope, but since time and space have runout on us, we’ll look at those tomorrow, if God spares life obviously. (smile)
And to help us find and keep that hope, the Lord has also most generously bestowed on us undeserved blessings, we call our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and activate them right now! In one strong and sincere 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!’
And having made that declaration, it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…there are too many examples of God’s faithfulness…to ever lose hope in Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a damp cloudy morning, a most welcome invitation, a rainy night, an offer of salvation to all who will receive it, bless the LOrd o my soul, buy wine and milk withour money, call ye upon him while he is near, carries me so swiftly, catch your second wind, Christians, come buy and eat, come ye to the waters, compass me about with songs of deliverance, continue to do good work for Jesus, crowns thy life with loving kindness, delight in abundance, down to the basement again, eat what is good, endure to the end with Christ, even the sure mercies of David, every one that is godly, every one that thirsteth, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fists are blue from pounding, forget not all his benefits, forgives thine iniquities, from the basement of despair, get me off this emotional elevator, got to remain in God's arms, halfway home, hands on the plough, heals all thy diseases, hear and your soul shall live, hearken diligently unto me, hoarse from shouting, holy spirit, in a time when thou may be found, in all sincerity and truth, incline your ear and come unto me, Jesus Christ, keep you waiting, listen to me, LOVE, make an everlasting covenant with you, mercy, not turning back, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, pray unto thee, preserve me from trouble, quick relief, quick to complain, redeems thy life from destruction, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, satisfies thy mouth with good things, seek ye the Lord while he may be found, seeking god is the wisest thing a living soul can do, so glad to be alive, Stay There, suffocating, suffocating in this dark windowless box, tender mercies, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the door is wide open, the good shepherd, the Lord promises an everlasting covenant to the Gentiles, the Lord's door is always open, the Lord's invitation is to all men, the One Year Book of Bible Promises, the spiritually hungry and thirsty can eat and drink for free, the tenth floor of exhilaration, thou art my hiding place, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, till thy kingdom come, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turn and look dear child, wake up from our slumber, walk straight into my waiting arms, Wednesday Wail, why spend money on what is not bread, wisdom, without a price, you who have no money, your labour on what does not satisfy, your soul will delight with the richest of fare
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 May 2026 Isaiah 55:6.
Isaiah 55:6. ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:’
And after a rainy night, we end up with a damp, cloudy morning, with a bit of drizzle still happening every so often. It’s a tough day to catch your second wind, but catch it you must, if you’re to continue your good work for Jesus. And to make matters even more difficult, we’re on a real late bus this morning. I just came from my church group but also have to go out shortly for some tests. And you know how it is with these medical places, they don’t value your time. They tell you to come at a particular time, even earlier than that, then they still keep you waiting till thy kingdom come.
Without further ado then, let’s get into our topic for today, which is an interesting and rather appropriate poem for these times, from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled ‘Stay There.’ So please read with me: ‘Lord Please get me off This emotional elevator Which carries me so swiftly From the basement of despair To the tenth floor of exhilaration And down to the basement again. I’m hoarse from shouting My fists are blue from pounding I’m suffocating in this Dark, windowless box.’ And the Lord’s answer to that pitiful pleading was? ‘Turn and look, dear child. The door is wide open. Walk straight into My waiting arms. And stay there.’
Ah friends, we’re so quick to complain, before we even consider the situation properly. But as the Lord says, His door is always open, and all we have to do is walk straight into His open, waiting arms. But most importantly, we’ve got to remain in those arms, for it’s there that we find succour and help for all our troubles. And deep down we know that, but we simply refuse to take the time to consider the situation, we just desire quick relief. And you’d be surprised to discover the Bible quote for today’s poem. It’s one of those interesting statements from the prophet Isaiah on the Lord’s behalf.
The Book quotes it from the NIV (New International Version): ‘Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money, without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and you labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight with the richest of fare.’ (Is. 55:1-2) What a most welcome invitation my people! But let’s hear the elegant words of the King James Version, (smile) before we talk about what those verses mean.
‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness (abundance). Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.’ (Is. 55:1-3)
Now, we’ve put an extra verse in there, which makes it a little clearer. In essence, God is offering His free gift of salvation to all who are willing to receive it. And as the scholars say: ‘Those who are spiritually hungry and thirsty may come to eat and drink without money (or freely). The Lord promises an everlasting covenant to the Gentiles like the one He established with Israel.’ Please note that specific call in that last verse: ‘Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live…’ The Lord is calling, pleading with us to come to Him, but we have to listen, to hear, then draw near to Him.
And later on, the prophet again calls for our attention. ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.’ (Is. 55:6) Yes friends, that’s the Lord’s invitation, His appeal to all men. If you are interested, His invitation is wide open to all… but you must seek Him, if you want to find Him. It’s as Bruh David says in Psalm 32: ‘For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about (surround me) with songs of deliverance. Selah.’ (Ps. 32:6-7)
Oh my brethren, that’s exactly what the Lord wants to do for every one of us, surround us with good things, a good and safe life, but we have to go to Him, reach out to Him in all sincerity and truth. He’s there waiting, waiting for us to wake up from our slumber and recognize the many benefits of being in His wonderful fold. Remember, He’s the good shepherd, who looks after His sheep like no other, or rather better than any other shepherd. And if you don’t get into His fold as soon as possible, then you’ll be missing out on many wonderful benefits.
Benefits like Bruh David declares in Psalm 103. ‘Bless the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thy life with LOVING-KINDNESS and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:2-5) Now why would anybody with a mite of sense want to miss those wonderful benefits eh? No way! So, to show how smart and sensible we are, (smile) let’s all turn to the Lord God Almighty and diligently seek Him, for He is always to be found.
Now it’s time to go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And for all who endure with Jesus to the very end, it is promised they will receive an even more glorious future than they can even ask or imagine. So, again, let’s show our good sense and endure to the very end so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…seeking God…that is the wisest thing a living soul can do…
Visit the Scrip-Bit Blog at https://randyobrien50.com
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08 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a big storm arose, a directive from God that we don't like, always obey God's directive, another week of work, arise, be renewed and refreshed, by the good example we your faithful believers set, call upon thy God, cast lots, cast me forth into the sea, Christian witness leaves a lot to be desired, christianity, Christians, cry out against it, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, disobey the Lord's directive, disobeying God also causes others to be hurt, divine aid, faith, flee from the presence of the Lord, for my sake is this great tempest upon you, found a ship going to Tarshish, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship and relaxation, getting me safely through another week of work, give our leaders wise guidance, go to Nineveh that great city, God is omnipotent omniscient and omni-present, God working in His mysterious ways, God's omnipotent help, green foliage, help us to be responsible, holy spirit, how foolish was that, hurt ourselves and others when we intentionally disobey God, if God spares life, in these two short days off, Jesus Christ, joah rose up to flee unto Tarshish, Jonah was fast asleep, Jonah went to Joppa, lay not upon us innocent blood, let us not perish for this man's life, LOVE, made vows, make multiple excuses, mercy, offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, others suffer for our disobedience, our sinful world can wake up, paid the fare thereof, problems are escalating, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, so shall the sea be calm unto you, spring, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that God will think on us, that we perish not, the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, the BIBLE, the long and short of the story, the lot fell on Jonah, the men feared the Lord exceedingly, the rebirth of our dead world, the safest wat to avoid trouble, the sea ceased her raging, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, the word of the Lord came unto Jonah, their wickedness is come up before me, these troubled times, they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea, thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee, to handle unexpected storms properly, trusting faith, truth, wake up and smell the coffee, we beseech thee O Lord, we cannot escape god's presence, we cannot run from God without consequences, what meanest thou O sleeper, wherefore they cried unto the Lord, wisdom, wise guidance, with your generous help
Jonah 1:2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry (out) against it; for their wickedness is come before me.
And after the rain comes the sun … that’s the Lord’s decree. And so it’s been this Friday morning in early May, when the trees are blooming with new life and a picturesque colour of green foliage. That tells us that it’s surely spring, the rebirth of our dead world in the northern climes. And with that breath of freshness in the air, our Friday Mantra rose gaily to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at long last!’
And is it ever so nice to see leaves on the trees again. By the way, that tree in my neighbour’s backyard still has the old leaves that survived the winter, blowing along with the new ones. You can see their light brown colour amongst the light green of the new leaves. Will keep you informed on that unusual scenario. (smile)
And today, we’ll also look at another interesting story, that of the prophet Jonah. The Bible tells it thus: ‘Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah (Dove) the son of Amittai (Truth), saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry (out) against it; for their wickedness is come before me.’ (Jon. 1:1-2)
Now, that’s how it usually begins; with a directive from the Lord that we don’t care for. So what happens then? We make multiple excuses and then disobey the Lord’s directive. And Jonah was no different. The Bible continues: ‘But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.’ (Jon. 1:3)
How foolish was that eh? Did Jonah really expect to escape from the Lord’s presence? Likewise, do we really expect to escape from His presence when we run and hide from Him? Oh friends, hiding from Almighty God is impossible, because He’s omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present. Meaning, He’s all powerful, all knowing, and all present, or present everywhere. So, I don’t know if Jonah really thought he could run from the Lord without any consequences. But hopefully we know that. (smile)
And during the journey to Tarshish, a big storm arose, that wanted to break up the boat. So the voyagers were all afraid, and cried out to their own god, while casting out stuff to lighten the boat. ‘But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.’ (Jon. 1:5b) Like Jonah was doing a Jesus routine; fast asleep during the storm, while the boat was about to break up. (Mark 4:35-41) But like Jesus, his restful sleep was unfortunately disturbed.
‘So the shipmaster (captain) came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil (trouble) is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.’ (Jon. 1:6-7) How amazing eh mih people for the lot to fall on Jonah! But we all know that was the hand of the Lord working in His mysterious ways.
And there’s one important thing to note here; in our disobedience, or running from God, we don’t only hurt ourselves, but very often innocent people too. The other people on the ship didn’t do anything to warrant the trouble, but Jonah’s disobedient presence amongst them, forced them to withstand unnecessary trouble. So please, let’s think seriously about what we’re doing when we try to get away from God, for some of our LOVED ones might end up suffering for our disobedience.
The long and short of Jonah’s story is that he eventually told his shipmates what was happening with him. And when they asked what they could do so that the sea would be calm; ‘And he said unto them, Take (pick) me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto (for) you: for I know that for my sake (because of me) this great tempest is upon you.’ (Jon. 1:12) But the men didn’t take him seriously and still rowed hard through the storm trying to come to land.
But the storm was too powerful for them. ‘Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us (do not charge us) with innocent blood: for thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee.’ (Jon. 1:14) And there was absolutely no doubt about that; the Lord had indeed done as He pleased. (smile) ‘So they took up (lifted) Jonah, and cast him forth (hurled him) into the sea: and the sea ceased her raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows.’ (Jon. 1:15-16)
Now, it doesn’t always happen thus, but fortunately in this case, Jonah’s disobedience might also have created some believers, as they witnessed God’s immense power. However, the safest way to stop potential trouble from happening, is always to obey the Lord’s directive. And tomorrow, if God spares life, we will continue with Jonah’s story, and see what other valuable lessons we can learn from it. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant seeking divine aid to help in these troubled times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And as we keep saying, it’s not only the unbelievers who need to wake up and smell the coffee, but also we supposedly faithful believers, because our Christian witness still leaves a lot to be desired. Much LOVE!
…oh…how we hurt ourselves and others…when we intentionally disobey God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a peaceful sense of comfort and safety, a positive outlook on life, a rainbow in the sky, a sign of God's covenant, abundance, appointed the moon for seasons, at the voice of thy thunder, at thy rebuke they fled, bless the Lord oh my soul, bread which strengthens man's heart, bring forth food out of the earth, Christians, clothed with honour and majesty, come to know and love jesus like we do, compassion, courage, covered it with the deep as a garment, coverest thyself with light as with a gartment, curse, divine protection, faith, favour, from the depths of God's heart, from the very beginning of creation, give them their meat in due season, God only has our best interest at heart, God set a bounday for the water, God waters the hills from his upper chambers, God's promise to never flood the earth again, he causes the grass to grow for the cattle, he touches the hills and they smoke, herb for the service of man, his servants a flaming fire, holy spirit, I will be glad in the Lord, in wisdom hast thou made them all, Jesus Christ, laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed, lay down in their dens, let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, let the wicked be no more, LOVE, makes his angels spirits, makes the clouds his chariot, man goes forth unto his work, mercy, my meditation of him shall be sweet, negative word, Noah and the ark, O Lord how manifold are thy works, O Lord my God thou art very great, oil to make his face shine, promotion, return to their dust, salvation, sing praise to my God, sing unto the Lord as long as I live, stretchest out the heavens like a curtain, success, supernatural wisdom, talnet, the arises, the BIBLE, the cedars of Lebanon, the glory of the Lord shall endure for ever, the high hills are refuge for the wild goats, the Lord looks on the earth and it trembles, the rays of the sun, the rays of the sun lift our spirits, the sun knoweth his going downthe young lions roar after their prey, the threes of the Lord are full of sap, the waters stood above the mountains, the waters turn not again to cover the earth, the young lions roar after their prey, thou hidest thy face they are troubled, thou openest thine hand they are filled with good, thou renewest the face of the earth, thou sendest forth thy spirit they are created, thou takest away their breath they die, to his labout until evening, truth, walk without fear of darkness, walks upon the winds of the wind, while I have my being, wine that makes glad the heart of man, wisdom
Psalm 104:33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
Well, thankfully, unlike Wednesday, Thursday has opened bright and sunshiny, though somewhat cool. For the sparkling rays of the sun always tend to lift our spirits even in the most difficult of times. That’s because they are the miraculous rays of LOVE, grace, mercy and compassion emanating from the depths of our heavenly Father’s heart, who created it to shine down on us and provide light during the day time so that we could walk without fear of the darkness. It’s the same way He created the moon and the stars to watch over us with a quiet and peaceful sense of comfort and safety when we’re at rest during the night.
That’s the kind of wonderful God we serve my people! One who’s only had our best interests at heart, right from the very beginning of creation. Just look at all the great things He’s created in His universe basically for our use and enjoyment. It’s like the palmist explains in Psalm 104 – God’s Marvellous Creation. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his (upper) chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers (servants) a flaming fire: Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys (the mountains rise up; the valleys sink down) unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound (boundary) that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.’ (Ps. 104:1-9)
Oh, what wonderful things our God has created my people! And I like that last comment about putting up a boundary for the waters so that they would not overrun the earth. That reminds us of God’s promise never to overrun the earth again with water (Gen. 9:11) like He’d done through the flood that destroyed mankind because of his abominable and overbearing iniquity, with only Noah and his family surviving in the Ark to populate the earth afterwards. (Gen. 6-9) At that time, God also made a sign of His covenant with all flesh of the earth; that’s the presence of the rainbow in the sky. (Gen. 9:12-17)
And the wisdom and compassion of our God shows up further in how He arranges for everything to enjoy the blessedness of His creation. Listen to the psalmist explain: ‘He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses (donkeys) quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his (upper) chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb (vegetation) for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. The high hills are refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks (cliffs) for the conies (rock badgers).’ (Ps. 104:10-18)
Wow friends! Everything God made, He provided for! And we spoke about the sun, moon and stars earlier on, now hear what the psalmist says about them. ‘He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until evening.’ (Ps. 104:19-23)
Yes mih bredrin; everything has it’s place and purpose. No wonder the psalmist could declare: ‘O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches (possessions). So is this great and wise sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable (teeming things), both small and great beasts (living creatures). There go the ships: there is that leviathan (a large sea creature of unknown identity, but usually refers to whales) whom thou hast made (formed) to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That (what) thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.’ (Ps. 104:24-30)
The Lord has it all planned out, from birth to death and then renewal of His universe. Consequently the psalmist concludes: ‘The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.’ (Ps. 104:31-32) And we see that in the earthquakes and volcano activity. However, despite all of that, he still assures: ‘I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah).’ (Ps. 104:33-35)
And that’s exactly how it ought to be with us my fellow believers; words of praise and blessings are what ought to emanate from our hearts and mouths. And to encourage us even further in that direction, let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, undeserved, but nonetheless generously bestowed upon us by the Lord so that we can do His earthly work. As one strong and sincere 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!’
And having made that declaration, it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Hin like we do! Much LOVE!
…only Jehovah God…could build such a magnificent, interwoven universe…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man's enemies are the men of his own house, a more glorious future than we can ask or imagine, all lie in wait for blood, artificial intelligence, be very careful in our interactions, blasphemers, blood is thicker than water, boasters, brutal, catch our second wind, christianity, Christians, corrupt and greedy bunch of leaders, covetous, deceit, denying the power thereof, despisers of those that are good, disobedient to parents, don't be afraid, endure to the end, everyone with his neighbour, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, false accusers, fierce, flattery, from her that lieth in thy bosom, from such turn away, godliness depends on an individual's personal decision, godly people are disappearing, halfway home, hands on the plough, haughty, having a form of godliness, heady, Help Lord, highminded, hit the nail right on the head, holy spirit, hunt every man his brother with a net, in the last days perilous times shall come, incontinent, irreconcilable, Jesus Christ, Jesus will make everything right in the end, keep the doors of thy mouth, lies, LOVE, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, may do evil with both hands earnestly, men shall be lovers of their own selves, merciful men are taken away, mercy, money lovers, no man layeth it to heart, no man takes it to heart, none upright among men, not turning back, our society is as vain as a preening peacock, proud, put ye not confidence in a guide, reckless, salvation, slanderers, slanting the truth, so they scheme together, so they wrap it up, social media, strong ties to Jesus, thank God, the ascendance of evil and ungodliness, the backbone of our society, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the daughter in law against her mother in law, the daughter rises up against her mother, the faithful disappear from amomg the children of men, the faithful fail, the godly man ceaseth, the good man is persihed out of the earth, the great man utter his evil desire, the judge asketh for a reward, the prince asketh for gifts, the righteous is taken away from the evil to come, the righteous perisheth, the son dishonours the father, the virus of greed is never satisfied, they speak vanity, to a glorious future with Jesus, traitors, true breakers, trust ye not in a friend, truth, unholy, unthankful, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, with a double heart do they speak, with flattering lips, without natural affection, without self control
Psalm 12:1. Help (save), Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail (disappear) from among the children of men.
And it’s a wet, chilly and cloudy Wednesday morning in my neighbourhood, but nonetheless, it’s important that we catch our second wind so that we can keep on doing good work for God during the rest of the week. And we know that some days are more tiring and exhausting than others, but we need to try and keep a sense of balance throughout the week, not going overboard, or underboard. (smile)
With that in mind, let’s consider these two interesting verses from Psalm 12, here Bruh David cries out: ‘Help (save), Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail (disappear) from among the children of men. They speak vanity (idly or falsely) every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart (an inconsistent mind) do they speak.’ (Ps. 12:1-2) Now, I would call that a very good description of what’s happening in our world today. Truly godly people are surely few and far between; they have nearly disappeared from the ranks of men.
It’s like Isaiah said so long ago about his society. ‘The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth (takes) it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come (the presence of evil). (Is. 57:1) Yes friends, the godly are suffering more nowadays because of the ascendance of evil and ungodliness.
And Micah also had something to say on the subject. ‘The good (loyal or faithful) man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly (successfully), the prince asketh (asks for gifts), and the judge asketh for a reward (bribe); and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous (evil) desire; so they wrap it up (scheme together).’ (Mic. 7:2-3)
Oh my people, are we sure that Micah is not alive today and prophesying about our world. For he’s hit the nail right on the head about our evil, scheming leaders. What a corrupt and greedy bunch they are. And the sad part is that many of them already have more than they can ever use in this life, but I guess the virus of greed is never satisfied. But our society is even more disgusting than that. We can talk about vanity, it’s true meaning, and discover that our society is as vain and narcissistic as we can get. We look like a brood of peacocks just preening for ourselves and each other.
And lies, slanting the truth, flattery and deceit have become the backbone of our society. You see it in the behaviour of our leaders, in the television broadcasts, and social media, where everyone has an opinion, but few actually know what they’re talking about. And that situation has only gotten worse, and will get even worse with the introduction and improvement of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Nowadays it’s a real task to decipher what is real or true from what’s not. And people are so wicked and greedy that they spin some evil, untrue stories and put them out in social media and have everybody believing them.
Unfortunately though, that’s the direction in which we’re currently headed, and until and unless AI is quickly regulated, it will become an even bigger problem that when the internet was first introduced, for mankind is by nature an evil, greedy being, and just like how the internet was, and still is used for evil doing, AI will make matters even more difficult and disillusioning.
So what’s the answer, you ask? There could only be one; that’s cling to Jesus as closely as possible, and be very careful about whom you have serious interactions. Or as Micah said back in his time. ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.’ (Mic. 7:5-6)
And that’s also a very good description of our current society, for there’s lots of infighting and dissension between families today. No wonder the family as the foundation of the society is falling apart. Once upon a time blood was considered thicker than water, but now, blood ties rarely seem to win out over personal satisfaction. And sadly, today we’re definitely seeing a situation like what Bruh Paul prophesied to Timothy.
‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce breakers (irreconcilable), false accusers (slanderers), incontinent (without self-control), fierce (brutal), despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady (reckless), highminded (haughty), lovers of pleasure more than (rather than) lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-5)
Oh my brethren, we could not get better advice, or a better description of our society than that one from Bruh Paul. Possibly, these might just be the last days, for we are certainly seeing very perilous times, as well as the kind of people he described. But please, let’s not allow all those less than worthy things to scare or frighten us, for we have strong ties to the Number One Person in this world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who has warned us several times not to be afraid of whatever comes against us, but to keep Him first place and everything will turn out good in the end.
So with that uppermost in our minds, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
That’s not all though, for it’s been promised that whoever endures with Jesus right to the very end, will experience an even greater and more glorious future, one that our minds cannot even imagine or comprehend. So let’s be wise and endure to the very end nuh, so that we can endure that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…in the end…true godliness depends on an individual’s personal decision…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a kind of firstfruits, a state of strife, after that ye have suffered a while, announce Christ's good news gospel, as worthy vessels, be a lighted candle showing others the way, be perfect and entire, be slow to wrath, begat us with the word of truth, believers in Christ Jesus, bring light to our dark and cloudy path, called us unto his eternal glory, christianity, Christians, clinging to you hopefully, come to know and love christ like we do, cometh down from the Father of lights, count it all joy, despite the drain and strain, determined to wait, do not err my beloved brethren, duty bound, encourages God to do even more for us, equipped with all the tools to handle life, eternal separation from God, even confidently, every good and perfect gift is from above, faith, fall into divers temptations, fall into various trials, filled with flavoured salt, firstfruits of his creatures, fresh depths of insight, go out and share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, God will do all He promises, God will himself restore you, good reason for faith hope and trust in God, grace grows best in winter, holy spirit, hurry, I anticipate new perspectives, in god's eyes, in ways unanticipated, into all that is now so mysterious, Jesus Christ, let every man be swift to hear, let patience have her perfect work, like beacons that draw others to us, live our lives like shining lights, LOVE, make all you are now permitting blessedly clear, make the effort to spread God's word, make you perfect, make you strong firm and steadfast, mental unrest, mercy, neither shadow of turning, not easy to put into action, O God ... My God, of his own will, receive the amazing gifts of salvation and eternal life, regardless of the consequences, rise above the noise and hate of the world, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, Samuel Rutherford's words, share His love with my neighbours, slow to speak, someday, someway, sounds very godly and righteous, stablish strengthen settle you, teaching me the great truth, thank you dear God, thank you for that, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the God of all grace, the One Year Book of Bible Promises, the trying of your faith worketh patience, the wrath of man, throw a spanner in the works, tickles the Lord's fancy, to an unbelieving multitude, to rely upon your faithfulness, to trust, transform a saltless world, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wait with patience and perseverance, wanting nothing, warms the cockles of God's heart, we consider ourselves teachable, what a show of faith, when the going's good, wisdom, with fixed purpose, with whom is no variableness, worketh not the righteousness of God, worry, you seem totally hidden
1 Peter 5:10. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you.
Yay friends! It’s Tuesday! That means we’ve successfully navigated Monday, and the rest of the week will be a breeze! Wow! Isn’t that nice to know. Yes it is, but please let’s not get too sure of ourselves, because it’s very possible for any other day to throw a spanner in the works. Let’s ensure that we’re appropriately dressed up and prayed up, (smile) so that if anything untoward happens we are in a good position to handle it.
And on this fifth day of the fifth month, we have an interesting poem to share from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, one that’s aptly titled ‘O God … My God.’ That’s a wonderful title eh? Wonder what it says? Hope it’s as good as the anticipation. (smile) Please read with me, so we can find out.
‘O God … My God Though You now seem totally hidden I am clinging to You hopefully Even confidently. Someday, some way, you will make All You are now permitting Blessedly clear. With fixed purpose, dear God I am determined to wait, to trust To rely upon Your faithfulness. Despite the drain and strain I anticipate new perspectives And fresh depths of insight Into all that is now so mysterious. O God, in ways unanticipated You are teaching me the great truth Of Samuel Rutherford’s words: “I see that grace grows best in winter.” Thank You, dear God Thak You for that!’
Yes mih bredrin, grace does grow best in winter. For it’s in the hard, cold days of troubled times when we need it the most, and when the Lord showers it down on us the most. When the going’s good, we don’t need grace half as much as when it’s not. And I like how the poem says that although God seems to be hidden from us, we’re still clinging to Him hopefully, even confidently! Wow! What a show of faith!
And furthermore, With fixed purpose, we’re determined to wait, to trust and to rely upon God’s faithfulness, despite the strain and drain on our nerves, our faith and our other resources. Mama Mia! That’s the way I like to hear us talk … and so does our heavenly Father! When we talk like that, with faith and trust regardless of the consequences, it warms the cockles of His heart and encourages Him to do even more for us, because then He knows that we truly LOVE and appreciate Him! It also tickles the Lord’s fancy that we consider ourselves teachable, and wait with patience and perseverance. (smile)
And what’s the Bible verse for today’s poem, you ask? Well … it’s one that we all know, but don’t always take kindly to. However if what we said about the poem is true, then we need to accept it with graciousness. (smile) And it comes from the first epistle of Peter. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you.’ (1 Pet. 5:10) Or as the NIV (New International Version) says: ‘after you have suffered a little while, God will Himself restore you, and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’
So there is good reason for the hope, faith and trust we put in Almighty God, despite the tough times we go through. No one likes tough times but in this evil and ungodly world they have become a part of life, and only with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can we handle them with some amount of fortitude. Again, it’s like James tries to tell us: ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (various trials); Knowing this, that the trying (testing) of your faith worketh (produces) patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing.’ (James 1:2-4)
Now that sounds very godly and righteous, but it’s not very easy to put into action, especially when our whole world is in a state of strife and mental unrest. But as believers in Christ Jesus, we have been equipped with the tools to do so, and are expected to use them to calm our fears and worries, and even rise above the noise and hate of the world and announce Christ’s good news gospel to an unbelieving multitude, as we live our lives like shining lights, like beacons that draw others to us, as worthy vessels filled with flavoured salt to transform a saltless world.
Yes friends, much is expected of us, but Jesus also did much for us, and the least we can do is to make the effort to spread His word and be a lighted candle showing others the way He desires them to live, so that they can receive the amazing gifts of salvation and eternal life. Remember, that’s why He came to earth and died; to save us from a life of eternal separation from the Father, from perishing in hellfire with Satan and his other evil cronies. So, if we can’t do those two simple things, be a light and flavoured salt, of what use are we to Christ eh? None whatsoever!
And to help us understand the problem, we’ll close with an interesting warning from James. ‘Do not err (be deceived), my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation) neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:16-20)
Let’s hope those words bring some light to our dark and cloudy path. And now it’s time to declare our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
Now, we’re duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…God will do ALL He promises…if we would only have sufficient faith, trust and patience in Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a false witness that speaketh lies, a hodge podge of wannabes, a lying tongue, a proud look, admire people for mediocre achievements, all of you be subject one to another, allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, allow your incredible aura of love, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, be clothed with humility, blowing their own trumpet, bombarded by the enemy's evil schemes, change unwise phiosophy, christianity, Christians, Christians are not expected to be glory seekers, comparisons sometimes make things easier to handle, constantly bombarded by, devises wicked plans, distressing times, divine aid, draw near to God and he will draw near to you, enjoy glory with humility, every little bit helps, faith, feet that be swift in running to mischief, fill us with steadfast faith, for men to search their own glory is not glory, furthering God's glorious kingdom, glory is bestowed, glory is earned, go out to meet the enemy in battle, God gives grace to the humble, God resisteth the proud, hands that shed innocent blood, haughty eyes, he may exalt you in due time, he that humbleth himself shall be exalted, he that soweth discord among brethren, hear those words over a loud speker, help us wake up from our slumber, holy spirit, humble servants, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, humbly ask, into the evil and ungodly world, it is not good to eat much honey, Jesus Christ, Jesus looks for humility in christians, jobs that serve a useful purpose, keeping lives and families together, let another man praise thee, LOVE, lovely weather, make worthwhile inroads into the enemy's ranks, mercy, not thine own mouth, nothing to match God's exaltation, over the weekend, reached the peak of your existence, resist the devil and he will flee from you, sally forth with confidence, salvation, self aggrandization, self- gratification, seven are an abomination unto him, social media, submit yourselves therefore to God, sure conquerors, thank you for our jobs, the BIBLE, the far reaching tentacles of social media, the living truth, The Lord dislikes what the world likes, the rejuvenation of Spirit, the renewed vitality and enthusiasm, the wise words of Solomon, the world seeks pride and haughtiness, these six things doth the Lord hate, to begin a new week of work, truth, we know we're invincible, we surrender our all to you, wearing your powerful protective spiritual armour, whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, wisdom, you've wrought in our weary souls
Proverbs 27:2. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
And then it was Monday … a beautiful, sunshiny though somewhat windy Monday, with temps around 20 Celsius! So, there ought to be no problem in getting up and going out to work today, with such lovely weather. Just think about the many Mondays in the past few months when every Monday was a cold snowy one, and you’ll just breeze through today! (smile) Seriously though friends, sometimes the comparisons between things and times do make them easier to handle. And yes, it might be just in our minds, but every little bit helps.
Well since I had nothing specific in mind to talk about today, I opened the Word to find something worthwhile to discuss. And, lo, and behold, it opened unto the Book of Proverbs, which houses those wise words of Cousin Sol; the wisest man ever. And my eyes caught upon this most provocative second verse of Chapter 27. ‘Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.’ (Prov. 27:2)
Oh my people, how I wish our world could hear those wise words continually over a loud speaker, so that they could change their unwise philosophy of being the ones to blow their own trumpets and let their associates know of their great deeds. For that’s the current philosophy of today’s world. No one waits for others to say wonderful things about them, they broadcast it themselves. No wonder our world is such a hodge podge of wannabes, who will never be, especially with the far reaching tentacles of social media. It’s all a matter of self-gratification and self-aggrandization.
But the Lord’s Word totally rejects that situation. Listen to Cousin Sol again, earlier on in Proverbs. ‘It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search (seek) their own glory is not glory.’ (Prov. 25:27) And that is indeed the living truth my brethren! When we seek our own glory, how can that be glory eh? For as a general definition of glory states: ‘Glory generally means high renown, honor, praise, or magnificent splendor, often earned through achievement or bestowed upon something.’
And I like those last two statements, meaning that glory must first be earned and then bestowed upon you. People notice your achievements then bestow glory on you. You don’t bestow glory on yourself. And Jesus said it quite explicitly, when speaking on humility. ‘For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’ (Luke 14:11) But our world doesn’t pay attention to that philosophy; we allow people to exalt themselves and we admire them for middling achievements.
But the Bible staunchly demands humility from God’s people. Listen to Peter: ‘Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.’ (1 Pet. 5:5-6) Oh friends, sometimes it’s good to know that you are appreciated by your fellow man, and looked upon with fondness, but there’s nothing to match God’s exaltation! When the Lord exalts you, that’s when you know you’ve done really worthy stuff in His name, and thus you’ve reached the peak of your existence!
That’s why James also encourages us to seek humility. ‘God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. … Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:6b-7; 8a;10) It’s obvious that Christians are not expected to be glory seekers, but should enjoy it with some humility if it comes.
Oh, and I just remembered a good scripture passage for us to close with; one that wraps it up all very nicely and also reminds us of what not to do as believers. (smile) Please read with me from Cousin Sol’s proverbs. ‘These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look (haughty eyes), a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (devises wicked plans), feet that be swift in running to mischief (evil), A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.’ (Prov. 6:16-19)
And isn’t it interesting to note that all things the Lord dislikes are what the world likes and is very focused upon today. Just thought I’d throw that scripture in there to help us wake up from our slumber, from our comfortable world driven lifestyle. (smile) Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid to help in these distressing times.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise and thank You this Monday morning for our jobs; jobs we sometimes don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose; keeping lives and families together. We also thank You Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm You’ve wrought in our weary souls over the weekend. It’s that rejuvenation of spirit which now allows us to sally forth with confidence into the evil and ungodly world, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s evil schemes.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing Your powerful, protective spiritual armour! We surrender our all to You, and humbly ask that You allow Your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit to lead and guide all Your servants, as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, thereby furthering Your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Amen!
And with all the reminders we’ve had today, we ought be able to go out and do good work for God! Much LOVE!
…Jesus looks for humility in Christians…the world seeks pride and haughtiness in its people…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a path to spiritual freedom, aligning your life with God's divine viewpoint, all to Him I freely give, All to Jesus I surrender, all to thee my blessed Saviour, arise and go into the city, ask for divine aid, christianity, Christians, embrace the righteousness and justice of Christ, expressed sentiments are heartfelt, faith, fill me with thy love and power, follow me and I will make you fishers of men, following Jesus is worth every trial and tribulation along the way, gather in the Lord's sanctuary, glory to his name, God will provide us with strength mercy courage and grace, he cannot be my disciple, holy spirit, humbly at his feet I bow, I feel the sacred flame, I give myself to thee, I surrender all, I will ever love and trust Him, if any man will come after me, in his presence daily live, intimacy with god, it is hard to kick against the pricks, Jesus Christ, Jesus is a tough road to follow, Judson Van De Venter, led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus, let him deny himself, let me feel the Holy Spirit, let thy blessing fall on me, LOVE, make me Saviour wholly thine, mercy, neither did he eat nor drink, only with the Lord's blessing is success possible, putting a white flag up to God, salvation, Saul arose from the earth, Saul did not put up a fight with Jesus, Saul Saul why persecutest thou me, Saul was three days without sight, Saul's conversion on the road to Damscus, submitting to God's authority, surrender involves obedience humility and letting go of self control, surrender is not a weakness, surrender means fully yielding your will to Christ's, surrendering our whole lives to Christ, sweet sacrifices of praise, take me Jesus take me now, take up his cross daily and follow me, that forsaketh not all that he hath, the BIBLE, the joy of full salvation, the most dramatic surrender, the power of surrendering to God, they immediately left the ship with their father, to give thanks for a successful week, total surrender to Christ, truly know that thou art mine, trusting God's sovereignty, trusting that God can lead better than you can lead yourself, truth, we can trust God to take care and provide for us, what wilt thou have me do, when his eyes were opened he saw no man, whosoever he be of you, wisdom, worldly pleasures all forsaken
Luke 14:33. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Can you hear it in the distance friends? The church bells are ringing, calling us to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary this first Sunday in May, to give thanks for a successful week, and to ask for divine aid to have another in this upcoming one. For it’s only with the Lord’s blessing that is possible.
And our song of worship today is one most appropriate for our times and aptly titled, ‘All to Jesus I Surrender.’ The author is Judson W. Van DeVenter, (1855-1939) an American Hymnwriter, who wrote the song around 1896 on the subject of Consecration. So, without further ado, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, scintillating mid-tempo version of this wonderful song, making it clear to all who hear it that the sentiments we express are truly heartfelt.
Singing: ‘All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give; I will ever LOVE and trust Him, In His presence daily live. (Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.) All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken. Take me, Jesus, take me now. (Refrain: I surrender all..) All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Saviour, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine. (Refrain: I surrender all…)
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy LOVE and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me. (Refrain: I surrender all…) All to Jesus I surrender, Now I feel the sacred flame; Oh, the joy of full salvation! Glory, glory, to His name! (Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all…I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all… All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all…’ Well done my fellow believers! Our heartfelt surrender to Jesus could be heard in the words we uttered.
But before we get into any scriptures the song might raise, let’s first consider the meaning of the word surrender in the Biblical sense. This commentary explains it thus: ‘Biblically, surrender means fully yielding your own will, plans, and desires to God’s will, submitting to His authority, and trusting His sovereignty, which is seen not as weakness but as a path to spiritual freedom, true purpose, and intimacy with Him, often involving obedience, humility, and letting go of self-centered control. It’s about putting a “white flag” up to God, trusting He can handle your anxieties and lead you better than you can yourself, aligning your life with His divine viewpoint.’
Ah friends, it truly means surrendering our whole lives to Christ; letting Him lead and guide us in every decision, in every thought and step we take. And that’s not always easy to do with the evil and ungodly world trying it’s best to turn us away from our Lord and Saviour. But it’s what we signed up for when we became disciples of Jesus. Remember His conditions for discipleship? ‘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) That means sacrificing our own will daily for His if necessary.
And we have some great examples of surrendering to Jesus’ will right at the beginning of his ministry. The Bible recalls it beautifully: ‘And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.’ (Matt. 4:18-20) Now how many of us would do something that exceptional eh? Not many.
But listen as the Bible continues. ‘And going on from thence, he (Jesus) saw other two brethren, James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.’ (Matt. 4:21-22) Wow! Who leaves their father, and their entire livelihood behind to follow some itinerant preacher that you don’t know eh? Apparently those first four disciples did!
No doubt Jesus must have exerted a strong pull of His Spirit on them, for them to just acquiesce to His request with no questions whatsoever. But that’s what Jesus requires of His followers. As He later says: ‘So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.’ (Luke 14:33) Yes friends, it’s a tough road to follow, but it’s worth every trial and tribulation involved along the way!
But the most dramatic accomplishment of discipleship, of surrender, is that of Bruh Paul, the one time persecutor of the church. One day, on his way to Damascus, to continue his persecution of the church, the Bible tells us that near to his journey’s end, ‘and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (a goad, a rod with a sharp point, used to prod animals forward).
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arsie and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man (he was blind), but they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.’ (Acts 9:3-9)
Yuh see how it is mih bredrin, when the Lord really wants you, He will find a way to get you, though not always in such a dramatic way as Bruh Paul’s conversion. And if we read the rest of Acts 9 we will se how Bruh Paul’s conversion actually unfolded. Please note, that once Jesus declared Himself to Saul, the great persecutor of the church, did not put up a fight, but simply acquiesced to Jesus’ directive. And that’s how He desires his followers to be, no set of cantankerous arguments, although we can ask questions and make our differences known. But overall, we ought to embrace the righteousness and justice of Jesus without complaint.
And there’s no better way to end today than with this commentary. ‘The song “I Surrender” is a beautiful reminder of the power of surrendering to God and trusting in Him. When we surrender to God, He will provide us with strength, courage, mercy, and grace. We can trust Him to take care of us and provide for us. May we all remember to surrender to God and trust in Him.’
I could not put it any better than that my fellow believers. So, please, let’s spend some time today pondering how we can fully surrender our will to God’s. Much LOVE!
…only in total surrender to God…can He do His best work in us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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