The Importance of the Parable of the Sower and its Explanations for Believers!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 November 2026   Mark 4:14.

Mark 4:14.        The sower soweth the word (the seed is the word of God).

And it’s another upcoming weekend as our Friday Mantra reminded us this cloudy and windy first Friday in November. Voices were raised in gleeful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at last!’ Yes friends, the days keep rolling along very quickly, as though they have a race to run and they’re already behind time. But that’s okay, for as believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to worry about the quickly passing days because we are taught to, and are disciplined enough to make the most of each day with His awesome help.

And since the Lord God Almighty was gracious enough to allow us to enjoy His breath of life for another day, it’s only right that we keep our promise to continue looking at the parable of the Sower and the seed. And to refresh our memory and bring some continuity to the topic, we’ll quickly review the parable. Today however, we’ll give you Mark’s version. (smile) He writes: ‘And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine (act of teaching as well as the content), Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air devoured it up.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up, and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred (fold). And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery (secrets or hidden truths) of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without (outside), all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted (turn), and their sins should be forgiven them.’ (Mark 4:2-12)

You see that Mark, as well as Luke, don’t record like Matthew does, the full explanation Jesus offered to the disciples as to why He spoke to the people in parables. And as I said yesterday, I believe it was important for us to at least know about it, that’s why I used Matthew’s version. But now knowing it, we can use the shorter versions of the story. (smile) Anyway, Mark continues: ‘And he (Jesus) said unto them, Know ye not (don’t you understand) this parable? and how then will ye know (understand) all parables?

The sower soweth the word (the seed is the word of God). And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction (tribulation) or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended (caused to stumble).

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts (desires) of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.’ (Mark 4:13-20)

Yes friends, those are the explanations for the different places that Jesus spoke of in the parable. And per the scholars, ‘Jesus interprets the parable thus: ‘The four soils represent four kinds of people who hear the gospel. (1) Unresponsive people, they by the way side, fail to respond to the seed or word (gospel) sown, so Satan quickly removes it lest they be saved. (2) Impulsive people, the stony ground, are those who immediately receive the gospel, but not counting the cost, have no root (spiritual reality) in themselves. They believe for a while, but soon are offended (defect from the truth) because of persecution. Their rejection of the gospel is as speedy as their reception of it.

(3) Preoccupied people, those among thorns, allow legitimate matters (cares of this world) and illegitimate matters (deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things), to take priority over the gospel. And (4) some people, good ground, hear and receive  (take to heart) the gospel, which bears the fruit of faith, obedience, and fidelity in them.’  And unfortunately, all of that still happens today, possibly even more than back in Jesus’ time, as our world becomes more deceitful, greedy, evil and ungodly, and his satanic majesty prances around with a big smile on his ugly face.

But fortunately we all receive our comeuppance at some time or another, and Satan and all his evil cronies will eventually receive theirs, while we, the righteous ones will dwell in peace and LOVE with our heavenly Father! And as we look forward with great anticipation to that time, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to remain solid ground, bearing plenty good fruit. 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 the sad fact my fellow believers, is that we also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because our soil has become contaminated, thus our witness for Christ, is not as good as it ought to be, else Satan would not have such a stranglehold on our world. So let’s get up right now and begin doing something productive about it nuh! Much LOVE!

…with all the contaminants currently floating around…it is indeed difficult to maintain good soil…but with Jesus’ help, it is certainly possible…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Overwhelming Wisdom of Building One’s Life on the Strong Foundation that’s Jesus!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 September 2026   Matthew 21:42a.

Matthew 21:42a.         Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner (chief corner stone):

And then it was Monday… So what else is new came the sullen reply. Nothing really, just another day in the life, where one is expected to get up and make one’s way to a job so you can keep life and limbs together in a fairly reasonable manner. (smile) Yes, we all know how it feels to get up oh so early on a Monday morning, after two wonderful days of sleeping in, and join the other aggravated souls making the long, slow trek to some distant point to earn a day’s wage. And though the early morning commute was somewhat disrupted by some cloud and drizzle, at midday it’s mostly sunny and dry.

Now, it might not be the best scenario, but it’s the best we have right now, so let’s learn to live with it, using our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as the corner stone for our lives, knowing that in the long run, the Lord’s promised to work everything out for our good. (Rom. 8:28) And what does building our lives on the foundation of Jesus mean? According to this overview: ‘Building your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ means anchoring your daily choices, values, and faith in His teachings rather than shifting cultural trends.’

And why is Jesus such a great choice on which to build our lives eh? Because as He points out in the parable of the vineyard. ‘Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner (chief corner stone): this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?’ (Matt. 21:42)

There Jesus is referring to the words of Psalm 118:22-23, which prophesy about a stone rejected by the builders becoming the most important part of the building, the corner stone, which in ancient building, was the largest, strongest, and most carefully placed stone. Everything else was carefully aligned with it. Psalm 118:22 therefore signifies how Jesus was rejected by human builders yet chosen and exalted by God as the supreme foundation of faith. And believe me friends, there is no better foundation to build our lives on than Jesus.

Listen to the case Bruh Paul makes for it in his first letter to the Corinthians. ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble (straw); Every man’s work shall be made manifest (become evident): for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try (test) every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide (endures) which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved: yet so as by (through) fire.’ (1 Cor, 3:11-15)

Yuh see mih bredrin, we must build strong works from strong stuff, like silver and gold that will endure the fire of the judgement day, so we can be well rewarded. As the scholars explain: ‘Fire is figurative for judgement, more specifically, the absolutely righteous judgement of God. Fire is used here to denote, not enlightening power, but consuming power. Of the six types of material mentioned, three are incombustible (silver, gold, precious stones) and three are combustible (wood, hay and stubble).

As per Reward (wages; cf. 3:8) And the “wages” mentioned here are entirely a gift of grace (cf. 1. Cor. 9:17; 2 John 8; Rev. 11:18). As per Saved: Such a one does not suffer the loss of his salvation, but the loss of reward. The stress in this entire passage is not on a person’s relationship to Christ, but on service to Christ.’

And to help us understand the situation a little better, we shall quote the first reference verse from the Reward section above. ‘Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.’ (1 Cor. 3:8) Meaning that you will only be judged on your own labour, not someone else’s.

And as per the other references, 2 John 8 says this: ‘Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought (worked for), but that we receive a full reward.’ That means we have to be careful and build on strong, incombustible material and then make sure we don’t do anything to lose our full reward.  

Now if you’re still uncertain about all we’ve said so far, then here’s some practical advice from Jesus on the subject, where He explains about the wisdom of two builders. ‘Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a (the) rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.’ (Matt. 7:24-27) Oh friends, Jesus is there reassuring us that He is indeed the Rock, and we’d be wise to build our lives on Him! And for divine help to aid in doing that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.

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 now, having been divinely inspired, let’s get out there and diligently and proudly spread the good news of Christ’s gospel to all we meet and thus turn our world around! Much LOVE!

…anything you build is only as strong as its foundation…and there’s nothing stronger than the Rock…that’s Jesus… 

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Christians Understanding How and Why the Gospel of Christ must be Disseminated Worldwide!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 September 2026   Romans 10:15.

Romans 10:15.        ‘How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.’

So it’s Monday, the first one in September, which means it is Labour Day! Glory be! That means many of us don’t have to get up and fight the chaotic situation that involves getting to work on time, but can lay abed and enjoy the benefit of the Labour Day Holiday, then get up leisurely and partake of the day’s festivities, and it’s certainly a beautiful summer’s day for doing so. 

Remember though, there’s one proviso: please exercise a modicum of circumspection in all activities, so that no accidents occur, either from inebriation or overindulgence and lack of responsible behaviour, for it’s at times like these when we let our hair down, cast care to the wind, that the most terrible misfortunes happen. And remember tomorrow is a working day. But enough sermonizing! (smile) 

And I just LOVE it when I don’t have anything particular to write about, and I simply open the Good Book, and it opens to one of my favourite scriptures. And that’s what just happened. It opened to Bruh Paul’s treatise in Romans about Preaching to a Disobedient People. He opens by declaring: ‘How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not obeyed the gospel. For Esaias (Isaiah) saith, Lord who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:14-17)

What a poignant, emotional picture Bruh Paul paints about the spreading of the gospel. The scholars say that ‘he is presenting a universal proclamation of the gospel, and in this passage, he gives reasons why a universal proclamation is necessary. First, because the call must be preceded by faith; second, because faith must be preceded by hearing. This shows that knowledge is essential to belief. Faith must have a valid content; third, because hearing requires a preacher; fourth because preaching requires being sent. The One who sends is God. Salvation is completely from God.’

Yes, it can be somewhat ‘confuffling’, but let’s see if we can’t make it a little simpler. In other words, the oral communication of Christ’s gospel is necessary to begin the proceedings. When one hears it preached, then faith is built by what one hears. However, for one to hear the word preached, there must be a preacher, or someone to preach and explain it. But how does a preacher come about? That preacher must be sent to those who have not heard the gospel. Therefore, preachers or teachers of the word are absolutely necessary for the gospel to be spread.

And I just I LOVE the scripture that points it out by saying: ‘How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.’ (Rom. 10:15) Because it’s oh so true! Preachers bring the good news of the gospel that include belief and faith in Jesus, as well as salvation and eternal life, and there are certainly no better tidings to hear and accept in this whole wide world! And that quote originally comes from Isaiah 53:1. Bruh Paul is so adept at using the scriptures to form His own pronouncements.

Now here is an interesting note from the scholars re faith and hearing. They say: ‘It is not faith in what is heard, but faith that comes about by what is heard. This is what Paul meant in Rom. 1:16, when he said the gospel “is the power of God unto salvation.” Saving faith is not man doing his part in response to God’s having done His part (synergism). Saving faith can come about only through the gospel. Salvation is God’s work alone (monergism). This also shows there is no other way to be saved but by the explicit gospel of Christ.’

And here is what Bruh Paul actually says in that passage: ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.’ (Rom. 1:16-17) And the as it is written comes from Habakkuk 2:4. (smile)

Now, although many of us are off work today, some of us still have to keep the 24-hour modern day machine a rolling, so you need some help to do that. Therefore, let’s go to the best place to get divine help, to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 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 now that we have that awesome divine assurance, let’s get out there and cause havoc in the enemy’s ranks! Much LOVE!

…the good news gospel of Christ…is the only thing…that wake up and shake up this ungodly and evil world…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Christians Continually Singing God’s Praises!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 August 2026   Psalm 149:1.

Psalm 149:1.         Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

And this last Friday in August has opened bright and sunshiny, although the computer is promising rain for later in the day. Let’s hope that they are wrong though. In any case it did not stop our Friday Mantra from joyfully rising to the heavens earlier this morning: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ We’re so addicted to the weekend that I don’t know what we’d do without it. We’d be totally lost. What would have happened to some of us in the time when a seven day work week was the norm?

I can remember doing that with a mere two days off after the seven long night shifts. But you got accustomed to it, and didn’t complain, because it was your livelihood. Now we’re so pampered that just the very thought of working five consecutive days, much less seven, drives many of us crazy. But as one friend would say; that’s progress! And in some respects it is, though the entitlement aspects we’re now becoming accustomed to is not helping anyone, and is in fact a step backward. But who am I to question it eh? (smile) End of Sermon!

Now, let’s do our duty as Psalm 149  – Rejoice in the King – advises us. Please read with me: ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him (their maker): let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek (humble) with salvation.

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgement written: this honour have all the saints. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah).’ (Ps. 149:1-9)

Yes friends, praise should always be forthcoming from our mouths to our great God Jehovah, both in song and dance, privately and publicly, for He is indeed worthy of our praise, as so many scriptures declare. However, as the scholars explain, this psalm is not a straightforward one. They say: ‘The unique aspect of praise highlighted in this psalm is that praise is related to the kingdom of the Lord. Though the psalm begins with the normal call to praise (vs. 1-3), the cause for the praise (vs. 4-9) is quite unexpected; it is because the Lord intends to establish His kingdom on the earth. This kingdom includes both glorification of the righteous (vs. 4-6) and the judgement of the wicked (vs. 7-9).

This aspect of judgement is apparently to be carried out by the righteous (vs. 6-9). This passage should be taken in a prophetic sense to refer to the time when God will in fact establish His kingdom on the earth with His glorified saints right behind Him (Rev. 19:11-21). Even in this age of grace, believers are instructed to pray “Thy Kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10), a petition that includes not only the glorification of the righteous but the destruction of the wicked.’

Oh my people, the Lord has indeed promised to set up His kingdom on earth with His saints around Him, while He destroys the wicked. And you can read more about that situation in Rev. 19:11-21, when Jesus comes, sitting on a white horse, as the Righteous Judge. He’s ‘called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture (robe) dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite (strike) the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:11-16)

Yes my brethren, that’s how Jesus is coming back to judge and do battle against the wicked, with the armies of the righteous zealously behind Him. Let’s sincerely hope, pray and do whatever we need to do, to be numbered amongst the last group and not the first. And for divine help to do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant.

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 before we get too self-righteous, let’s acknowledge that we believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because our efforts for Christ are totally inadequate! Much LOVE!

…in the end…righteousness will triumph over wickedness…through the person of Jesus Christ…that’s the Lord’s promise…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Christians Following Christ’s Example and Walking in Integrity!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 August 2026   Proverbs 19:1.

Proverbs 19:1.        ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.’

Ah friends, we’re on a real late bus today. At one stage I wondered if it would even come. But it did come eventually, and it’s not too late to write a short sweet Friday Bit, because I hate missing any days, unless I’m too sick to do so. (smile)  And this lateness stems from the fact that I have had no internet connection for the last 24 hours. Technology, technology, technology! It can make you, but it can also break you, and at a time when it’s least convenient.

I won’t even bother to explain what I’ve been going through for the last two days with my internet service provider. Trying to fix one problem caused a whole black out of internet and TV service, and it was only late this afternoon that a technician came and fixed it. The problem though is that all of them have problems, and getting them fixed in a timely and unstressed manner seems to be a common denominator, so moving from to another doesn’t make much sense, for you’ll be only faced with a different kind of problem and go through the same stress to have it fixed. End of my complaining! (smile)

Oh, by now, everybody will have already shouted up their Friday mantra: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at last!’ gone to work on a fine summer’s day and be enjoying the weekend activities, after a long and tiring five days of consecutive work. But it’s never too late to share the Word of God. So let’s delve in and come up with a short, sweet Friday Bit! (smile)

And here is the perfect scripture to titillate us today. It comes from the Proverbs of Cousin Sol, and warns: ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.’ (Prov. 19:1) And isn’t that the gospel truth my faithful brethren, for if it’s one thing Christ desires from His followers is integrity. And what’s integrity eh?

Basically, it’s like this overview describes. ‘Integrity means being honest. It means having strong moral principles. A person with integrity does the right thing. They do this even when no one is watching. The word also means being whole, complete, or undivided, as well as incorruptible. Small examples are like returning extra change given to you by a cashier by mistake, or keeping a promise even when it is hard to do.’

And our Lord and Saviour Jesus was the perfect example of integrity! Now, following Him is not always easy for us, but we must always do the best we can, especially in respect of things like integrity, sincerity and diligence. That’s because those around us might not hear what we say about the gospel, but they will certainly see it from our lifestyle. And remember examples speak for forcibly than words. So although others may not remember what you say, they’ll certainly remember what you do, how you behave in certain situations.  

Now that’s one of the big problems in Christ’s church today. Too many of us supposed Christians say one thing and then do something entirely different, something that does not jive with our words. It’s why Jesus made these derogatory remarks about the Jewish leaders of His day. ‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres (whitewashed tombs), which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (lawlessness).’ (Matt. 23:27-28)

And that my friends is one of the reasons why the unbeliever doesn’t pay much attention to supposed Christians; because many of us are simply a bunch of hypocrites! And why would you knowingly want to mix with a bunch of people who don’t do what they say, keep promises, or show true integrity eh? And integrity was so important that Cousin Sol wrote about it twice: ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness (integrity), than he that is perverse in his ways, though he is rich.’ (Prov. 28:6) That just goes to show that neither wealth, power or any other earthly trapping ought to make us lose or lack integrity!

So, to get divine help in that most important aspect of our Christian lives, lets’ go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant. 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 remember, let’s not get too self-righteous, because we too need to wake up and smell the coffee, so that we can do a better job for Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

for Christ’s sake…let’s do our best…to make our actions match our words…and vice versa…

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

The Lack of Unity Brought about by the Numerous Divisions in Christianity, Stymies the Development of Christ’s Church!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 June 2026   Romans 16:17.

Romans 16:17.        Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (note) them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

And after the big midnight storm, Friday opened up somewhat cloudy, but by midday has turned into a hot, sunshiny day. That did not stop our Friday Mantra from rising up to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ We can’t seem to get away from that once the weekend looms near, neither can I seem to get away from these late buses in the last little while.

Today, I had some errands to run, and because I was up and about fairly early, I decided to do them sooner rather than later, however they took much longer than I expected. And brother, by 12 pm. the highways and byways were already clogged with traffic. I don’t know if that happened because it was Friday, but if it didn’t, I’m sorry for those of us who have to drive in the Greater Metro Area in the next few years, if they don’t first fix the current roads and then build some new ones, for everyday more cars and truck are coming on line, and the trucks are being driven like if they are cars.

But enough talk, let’s get to our topic for today. And it’s an interesting directive from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome, to avoid those who cause divisions. He writes: ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (note) them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good (smooth) words and fair (flattering) speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (innocent).’ (Rom. 16:17-18)

Ah mih people, right down through the years they have been people who set out purposely to cause divisions in the church, for their own benefit. Just look at the amount of different denominations we have in Christianity. It’s estimated that the number of Christian denominations globally range from around 200 distinct organized groups to over 45,000. And why is there such a great discrepancy in numbers? It depends on whether you count broad global traditions or individual, independent churches categorized by nation.

The fragmentation of the Christian faith is largely rooted in historical, cultural, and theological differences over time. However, demographers and encyclopedists categorize these thousands of groups into a few major branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Restorationism.  They each preach their own version of Christianity, and within those major groups, there are still many smaller divisions, each having some difference or differences to the overall teaching of the larger group.

So Christianity must be divided, which means it’s virtually impossible to mount a united army for Christ. For as Jesus tells us when the Pharisees claimed: ‘This fellow doth not cast out devils (demons), but by Beelzebub, (Philistine deity) the prince (ruler) of the devils (demons). And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?’ (Matt. 12:24-26)

It’s impossible when one section or sector is eroding whatever the other tries to build. That’s why Christianity with so many divisions cannot work together to bring Christ to the masses, as it ought to. Too many little fragments are trying to do their own thing, instead of having one great overall movement. Consequently, Satan does not even have to divide us, for we’re already divided, he only has to conquer, which makes it ever so easy for Him and His evil cronies.

And that’s why the Lord instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to destroy all the people in the Promised Land: ‘make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.’ (Deut. 7:2b-4)  

It’s like what happened to the people of Samaria, who were overrun by the Assyrians, and eventual intermarried with them and thus turned away from Jehovah God and worshipped all sorts of false gods. And another set of dividers in the early church were the ones called the Judaizers, who preached that according to the law of Moses, it was still necessary to be physically circumcised to receive salvation through Christ. But when they all got together in Jerusalem, Peter reasoned that because Jesus spoke of no difference between Jews and Gentiles, purifying the hearts of the Gentiles by faith, and through the grace of God all shall be saved.  (Acts 15:1:11)

Under the New Covenant of Christ circumcision is no longer physical but spiritual, with the heart being metaphorically circumcised. It’s like the Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.’ (Zek. 36:26) That is also why John warned of the Antichrist; those who deny that Jesus is Christ, or that denieth the Father and the Son. (1John 2:18-22)

In closing, I don’t know what to say, to make Christians come together so we can fight the enemy as one. All I can offer is that we go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant seeking divine help to make it come true. 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, believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because out witness for Christ is not good enough! Much LOVE!

…as Christianity proves…divisions don’t help to put forward a unified story…

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

The Necessity for Christians to Understand the Serious Disadvantages of Constant Alcohol Usage!

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 May 2026   Ephesians 5:18.

Ephesians 5:18.        And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Oh friends, you won’t believe that it was only late Sunday evening, I realized that this was the Victoria Day long weekend, with cottage country coming alive for the summer and people beginning to plant their gardens. That just goes to show I was totally wrapped up in whatever I was wrapped up in. And don’t ask what that was, because I don’t even know. (smile) Anyway, many of us are blessed to have this Monday off, and with yesterday’s good weather, most likely to be repeated today, I can imagine the celebrations for this long weekend that usually ushers in the summer will be very big and boisterous.

But as always, let’s remember to have a modicum of circumspection as we celebrate, and don’t behave like leggo beasts, or imbibe too much of whatever you plan to imbibe, because you know that kind of behaviour only brings accidents and other heartbreaking stuff, that can often have serious, lifelong negative consequences. End of Sermon! 

And as I was looking through the Bible for something to write on, my eyes caught this section of Bruh Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, that seems rather appropriate for today. (smile) He writes: ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully) not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ (Eph. 5:15-18) Now didn’t I say that this passage was rather appropriate for today? (smile) 

And if you don’t want to listen to my warning, then you should at least have the common courtesy to listen to Bruh Paul’s and not get inebriated. And as the scholars explain: ‘This verse gives an example of what is and what is not the Lord’s will (vs. 17). Believers are not allowed to be intoxicated with alcoholic beverages; the reason for this prohibition is wherein is excess; that is, drunkenness leads to moral intemperance.

This is clearly contrary to God’s will. His will is that Christians be filled with (by) the Holy Spirit; that is, they are to allow Him to fill them with God’s own life, character and virtues. The analogy between these two moral states is this: a person filled with wine is under its influence; similarly, a Christian is filled with the Spirit when he controls his thoughts attitudes, and actions.’ 

And that’s all basic common sense my brethren! Whatever your mind and body are filled with, will influence your behaviour.  Now, if you don’t believe that Bruh Paul and I know what we’re talking about, then listen to the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol, as he warns from Proverbs. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging (intoxicating drink arouses brawling): and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.’ (Prov. 20:1) And that’s not a lie, because we see it every day in our debauched society, meaning there are a lot of unwise people around us. 

But here’s the real kicker, as Cousin Sol gets right down into the nitty gritty of drunkenness. He earnestly asks: ‘Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (Prov. 23:29) Now those are very good questions. And can you guess the answer? ‘They that tarry (linger) at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.’ (Prov. 23:30) And that’s the gospel truth!

Cousin Sol then continues with this wise advice. ‘Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour (sparkles) in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (goes smoothly). At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder (viper). Thine eyes shall behold strange women (things), and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst (heart) of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick (hurt); they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it (another drink) yet again.’ (Prov. 23:31-35)

Ah my people, Cousin Sol does know what he’s talking about. And so do many of us, who have either experienced the feeling of inebriation, or seen someone intoxicated, behave rather poorly. And the scholars add their take on the situation. ‘Six rhetorical questions drive home the fact that alcoholism has both physical and psychological effects (vs. 29). These effects are further specified: physical and psychological poisoning (vs. 32); delusion (vs. 33); stumbling (vs. 34); unconscious wounds (vs.35a); and enslavement (vs.35b).’

And isn’t it strange that all this stuff has been happening since Adam was a little boy, and yet we still greatly desire to imbibe the fire water. Fortunes have been made, and still are being made, on its production and sale. The devil certainly has us hooked on that one. But here’s what we should really be doing, as Bruh Paul advised the Ephesians. ‘Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:19-21)

And to help us do just that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn for some divine help. 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 to be able to do that, we must stay away from the fire water this holiday Monday! Much LOVE!

…mankind takes pleasure in the devil’s delights…although they harm him in every possible way… 

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Christians having God First Place in Their Lives and not Money or Earthly Wealth!

1 Timothy 6:7.        For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 

One more morning, one more day, one more week of work, heralded by our friend Monday. Yes my brethren, once again, it’s time to dance the dance of work, where we go back and forth to the concrete jungles, and spend our days toiling in high towers, with only other high towers as the surrounding scenery. But that’s okay; we can handle the rushing and pushing of the weekday rat race because the rewards enable us to have a somewhat better standard of living than a lot of the other denizens or inhabitants of our world. 

What we won’t do for the almighty dollar eh! (smile) But unfortunately, in this society the dollar is mucho importante; for it’s our lifeline to everything we need and want. Without it, we can’t buy food, find shelter, afford transportation, clothes and several other necessities of life. And yes, we need to make a fair amount of money to live in a decent manner, especially in these times of constantly rising prices.

But let’s stop right here and make this most salient point: making money, accumulating the almighty dollar is not the end all and be all of this world! No sir! It might be very important, but it’s not supposed to be the most important thing in our lives. The most important thing in our lives ought to be seeking God. As Jesus so rightly puts it in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:34)

And that’s the gospel truth my people! When we seek Almighty God first, all our wants and needs are looked after. Remember these amazing words from Bruh David in Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (shall not lack anything). (Ps. 23:1) And if Bruh David says it, then there must be a lot of truth to it, for he spent his whole life seeking God and though at times his life was very difficult, he lacked nothing, for the Lord took care of his needs. 

Listen to how he corroborates that in Psalm 27. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) That means one needs to have hope in experiencing God’s goodness not only in the afterlife, but possibly more so in this earthly one. Yes friends, a lot of it depends on hope and faith and righteous living. For as Bruh David further states in Psalm 37: ‘I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread.’ (Ps. 37:25)

And as this commentary tells us: ‘That’s a powerful declaration of faith, highlighting a conviction in God’s provision, suggesting that those who live uprightly and trust in Him will not be abandoned, nor will their descendants.’ And that’s the gospel truth. God will never desert a righteous man. As Bruh David says earlier on in Psalm 37: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps. 37:23-24) More indisputable truth friends! 

So, although we need money to live, and we need to work for it, it should not be our first LOVE. That ought to be God. Therefore, we ought not to spend most of our time trying to get or accumulate money. Sadly though, the world we live in judges you by the amount of money you possess, thus the misfortune where a lot of us are indeed running down the almighty dollar, accumulating it with no thought for self, family or nothing else, using it to boost our ego and power and live the high life.

But let’s remember one thing, money is no respecter of persons, and you must work hard to get it, but it flies away much easier than it comes. Thus, the wisdom of these words from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich (desire to be rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction). For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil: which while some coveted after (for which some in their greediness), have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’  (1 Tim. 6:6-10)

And though we see the truth of those words being played out every day in our greedy and selfish world, too many of us are still choosing to run down earthly wealth with all our might. When, as Bruh Paul continues to Timothy, this is how we ought to be living. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) 

And since it’s not easy to live that way in our current world, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine help to do so. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

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

And the Lord will certainly keep His promise, if we keep ours…that’s turn from our evil ways, and instead seek Him first and foremost! Much LOVE!

…money and earthly wealth are important…but are not worth…the tearing asunder of our lives and souls… 

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

The Importance of Believers Observing a Righteous and Godly Path to Achieve Success!

Proverbs 4:26-27.         Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.’

And wouldn’t you know it, Monday, the first day of the work week, and in this case the first day of December 2025, has rolled around again friends, just like it has done for eons, and yet many of us still find it difficult to handle. (smile) Now, the weather should not be a problem since most of the snow from yesterday’s storm has melted, so that’s one item in our favour. And today we have some important and interesting info to share on the topic of problems from the ‘Consider This’ Section of the November Edition of the In Touch Magazine. 

So please read with me: ‘When there’s a problem, we want to know how God will fix it. But we never know exactly what He’ll do. In these moments, trusting the Lord feels risky (when it’s actually anything but). A good way to begin building trust is to choose peace rather than be ruled by our emotions. This doesn’t mean we abandon our hopes or ignore our feelings – but simply that we keep them in the passenger seat rather than behind the wheel. 

This decision puts space between us and our desires and welcomes God in them. And by doing so, we’re better able to receive whatever he has planned – whether it’s what we imagined or something altogether different. So how do we begin? With a prayer like this: “Lord, I want to experience the peace that comes only from You and not be governed by my emotions. Help me hold my hopes with open hands and trust you for everything. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” 

Ah mih people, what wise information! Because in this wishy-washy society in which we currently live, with so many distractions and evil schemes, too many of us are ruled by our emotions and not good common sense which advises us to put our trust in Almighty God, who sincerely LOVES and cares for us and will never lead us astray. And there are several scriptures that warn of falling prey to unwise, ungodly distractions, and live by God’s Word and His guidance instead. 

Listen as the prophet Isaiah warns us, while telling his people Israel about God’s graciousness and mercy. He writes: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) Yes friends, it’s a divine promise from God to His people, assuring us of His guidance if we will turn away from our own ways and listen to Him. 

And this commentary offers this explanation as per the ‘Spiritual interpretation: The phrase is interpreted as a spiritual message that regardless of the choices one faces, God will provide the correct path. It is a call to trust in divine guidance and be attentive to the “voice” of God, whether through scripture, the Holy Spirit, or an inner sense of direction.’ And per the ‘Practical application: For believers, the message encourages listening to God’s will rather than the advice of others and trusting that He will guide them, even when they feel lost or uncertain.’ 

And is that ever the infallible truth! Of course! For it’s the very same thing the Lord told Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) It could not be put any plainer than that my faithful brethren. 

Then we also have these warning words from Cousin Sol in Proverbs re swerving from God’s path, where he solemnly advises: ‘Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.’ (Prov. 4:25-27) There again we have a warning about staying focused on a righteous path, not allowing temptations to derail us from it through emotional desires. 

Remember, God is in the driver’s seat, not our emotions. That’s why Cousin Sol tells us to specifically watch where we walk. It’s also like the psalmist says: ‘Thy word is a lamp uno my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And that’s exactly why the Lord gave us His Word, so it can light our path and guide our feet. But none of this will happen if we don’t know the Word and then place our lives in the hands of God, trusting Him to eventually work all things out for our good, because that’s His promise. (Rom. 8:28) 

And though all we’re saying is the gospel truth, it’s still not easy to navigate on God’s behalf in this evil world. That’s why we can go confidently to the throne of grace seeking divine help in times of need. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. 

Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

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

And it’s all well and good to remind God of His promise to prosper us, but what about the conditions that must first be met eh? That’s our turning from our evil ways. The point is, until we clean up our act and become better Christian witnesses and ambassadors, God will not cause us to prosper. So let’s concentrate on doing that nuh … if we indeed desire divine help. Much LOVE!

…when we sincerely place our lives in God’s hands…He will never let us down… 

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

Previous Older Entries