The Overwhelming Need for Confession and Forgiveness in a Believer’s Life!

02 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 32:1.        Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

It’s the big day people; Friday! And it’s especially big in the Province of Ontario because it’s our long Civic weekend holiday, where the yearly Caribana celebrations will be front and centre. They had the King and Queen Competition last night, and tonight the Steelbands will be on stage, then tomorrow the grand parade. So when we shout ‘TGIF! Thank God It’s Friday!’ many will truly be thankful. (smile) 

But fortunately, or unfortunately, my time for all the Caribana hoopla is over. I only go to the Steelband competition these days, as I don’t like the sorry spectacle it’s turned into. But that’s just my opinion…and anyway, the ole body can no longer handle all the physical exertion required to participate in the Saturday parade. (smile) 

Today however, we’ll look at Psalm 32, where Bruh David talks about Confession and Forgiveness, two things that are ever so necessary in a believer’s life, especially in these ungodly and evil times. So let’s read: ‘Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity (doesn’t charge his account with sin), and in whose spirit there is no guile (deceit).’ (Ps. 32:1-2) 

Ah friends, those are such important words for us as believers. For Jesus died that we could be set free from the bondage of sin, and thus we have forgiveness of our sins through the shed blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary. And as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians: ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ ((Eph. 2:8-9) 

But does that give us the right to sin as we please? Obviously not! And Bruh Paul addresses that question in his letter to the Roman church, when he asks: ‘What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid (certainly not). How shall we, that are dead (who died) to sin, live any longer therein?’ (Rom. 6:1-2) 

That means we cannot take advantage of the grace that abounds from God for our sins and keep on living a sinful life. We ought to do our best to live righteously, although we’re still human and will sin occasionally. (smile) However, when we sin, it is in our best interest to ask for God’s forgiveness as soon as possible. 

Why? Listen to Bruh David from psalm 32: ‘When I kept silence, my bones waxed (grew) old through my roaring (groaning) all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture (vitality) is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.’ (Ps. 32:3-4) Yes mih bredrin, that’s what happens to us when we don’t confess our sins; they lay heavy on our souls, along with the Lord’s displeasure, such that our vitality, our pleasure in life seems to be lost. 

But look at what happens when we confess. Bruh David writes: ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.’ (Ps. 32:5) Now that’s what we ought to do when we know that we have sinned. And we have a very good example of that not being done by Bruh Daid after he had sinned with Bathsheba. He only confessed his sin after the prophet Nathan, on the Lord’s directive, confronted him with it. And you can find that story in 2 Samuel 12. And from that, it seems Psalm 51- A Plea for Forgiveness – was born. 

There Bruh David writes: ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified (be found just) when thou speakest, and be clear (blameless) when thou judgest.’ (Ps. 51:1-4) 

And although Bruh David’s sin affected his work for God very much, and his confession and plea for forgiveness was somewhat late, the Lord forgave him because of his sincerity, but for the rest of his life he suffered for it with a dysfunctional family. And according to the scholars: ‘The psalm gives expression to why David was “a man after God’s own heart”: he was not perfect, but he had a sensitivity to sin that few knew about.’ 

So much so, that after confessing his sin and pleading for forgiveness, he continues with a plea for cleansing. ‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all of mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit.’ (Ps. 51:7-12) 

Yes friends, ofttimes that’s the sort of cleansing we need for some of the sins we’ve committed. But please, let’s remember that if we don’t confess our known sins and ask for forgiveness, they will lay heavily on our conscience and will drag us down, causing us to lose our joy and be very ineffective witnesses for Christ. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for divine aid to live our best lives. 

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, the granting of divine aid depends on the examples that we, supposedly faithful believers set. Much LOVE!

…God’s grace should not be abused…by continual and purposeful sin…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit    22 September 2023 Genesis 43:1.

22 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 43:1.       ‘And the famine was sore (severe) in the land.

And it’s another glorious day in my neck of the woods! How can I not give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father for allowing me to see such wonderful weather in the last week of September eh? Usually, by now, the chilly winds would be blowing and the trees far into their autumnal change of colours and ridding themselves of the leaves, so that they can hunker down for the winter without too much baggage. (smile) But only a few have yet begun that process, and most of the leaves are still green and lively. 

So, when we declare (yesss!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ we must not only consider that the work week is over and the week end is here, but also include a thought for the good, somewhat unseasonal weather we’re currently enjoying, with temps even reaching the low twenties. And all God’s people in the northern climes, said a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord!’ 

Now, before we get to Bruh Joseph’s story, let’s acclaim a few acclamations to boost our spirits. This first one is a beauty: ‘God will supply ALL of my needs through his riches in glory through Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.’ (Phil. 4:19) And that we need to sincerely believe deep down in our hearts, or we’ll just fall apart when the first needs show up. 

Then there’s this: ‘If God be for me, who can be against me eh? Absolutely NOBODY!’ (Rom. 8:31) That too we need to deeply believe, if we expect to make it through this greedy and evil world. And finally: ‘As for me and my house, we WILL follow the Lord, that’s for certain sure!’ (Josh. 24:15) That puts the lid on the pot, so that the ingredients don’t burn off in the blazing fire of evil in which we’re currently embroiled. Brother! The ole fella sure is waxing philosophical this Friday morning! (smile) 

And, finally, let’s see what’s happening in the intriguing saga of Bruh Joseph. We left the story yesterday where the nine brothers return home without Simeon, whom Bruh Joseph kept in jail in Egypt. They gave the bad news to their father, who obviously wasn’t happy with the situation. Then when they opened their bags, all their money was still in them. That meant they had not paid for the food they’d brought home, and they all became scared. They told Jacob about Bruh Joseph’s desire for his younger brother Benjamin to be brought to him in Egypt or they would be considered spies, Simeon would rot in jail, and they would not get any more food. Glory be! 

When Jacob heard that, he could only hold his head and bawl! He’s already lost Joseph and Simeon, now they wanted to take away his youngest Benjamin too! No way Jose! He immediately put the kibosh on that idea. ‘And he said, My son shall not go down with you…if mischief (calamity) befall him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.’ (Gen. 42:38) No doubt the loss of a third son would surely have sent him home to his maker. 

But friends, life happens, and very often we are not able to do what we want to do. Thus it was with Jacob. For the Bible tells us: ‘And the famine was sore (severe) in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn (grain) which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.’ (Gen. 43:1-2) Yes my brethren those worms in our stomachs do make a terrible noise and cause a hurtful pain when they cry out for nourishment! 

But it’s not always easy to assuage their hunger and thirst, like in this case, as the Bible continues. ‘And Judah spake unto him (Jacob), saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us (warn us), saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.’ (Gen. 43:3-4) 

Oh my fellow saints, life certainly does provide some unwanted conundrums, puts us in some positions between a rock and hard place where we suffer in whatever decision we make. It’s like the quote assigned to the U.S President Roosvelt’s wife, Eleanor: ‘You’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t.’ And that’s exactly the situation in which the patriarch Jacob (Israel) found himself. Send his youngest son Benjamin down to Egypt with his brothers, and fear losing him like the other two sons. Or don’t send him, and simply stay at home and starve. 

What wonderful options, none of which we’d wish on our worst enemy. But life has to go on, and decisions must be made. ‘And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill (wickedly) with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? And they said, the man asked us straitly of our state (pointedly about ourselves), and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? Have ye another brother: and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly (possibly ) know that he would say bring your brother down?’ (Gen. 43:6-7) 

And who says our God isn’t a great dramatist eh? All the aspects for great drama can be found in the story of Bruh Joseph; from a dysfunctional family with a sleazy, cheating patriarch, with devious mothers, to devious, unprincipled, hating brothers, who apparently inherited some of their father’s trickery. And when you add life’s unforeseen circumstances to that already volatile mix, it just addles the pot further, and makes it boil and sputter, like a witch’s brew, until it boils right over! 

Ah mih bredrin, many of us are familiar with such goings on, and there’s not much we can do to stop them from happening, we just have to band our belly and do something, then suffer the consequences of which ever decision we make, while sincerely believing that with the help of Almighty God, it will all work out well in the end. And that’s only accomplished by going boldly, but humbly to the throne of grace and seeking divine help for our many earthly problems. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant.

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’  

And if we truly want to see divine help here on earth, then we need to amend our evil ways and sincerely seek God’s face. It’s the only solution to our problem! Much LOVE!

…the world’s evil…can only be counteracted by…the goodness of God… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 May 2014 Proverbs 17:1

24 May 2014 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 17:1.     Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife.

Oh Friends, the ole fella’s physically tired this Saturday morning… but the brain is as quick-witted as ever! (smile) And that’s no thanks to me, but to our heavenly Father. In His vast wisdom, He’s enabling my mental faculties so that I can write a decent Bit, glorifying His Holy Name. And my humble response to that is a lusty: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’
 
And what do we have on tap for this glorious day eh? Well good stuff as usual. And today we’re going to talk about the family, starting with this quote attributed to Randall Jarrell (1914-1965), an American, poet, author and literary critic. Here is Randall’s observation: ‘The dark, uneasy world of family life – where the greatest can fail and the humblest succeed.’
 
Words of indisputable truth my brethren! For we all know supposedly great and successful people in the world in various professions and walks of life with very terrible family histories.
 
Success in the world doesn’t automatically transfer to success in family life, but more often than not success in family life can translate into a successful walk in the world. That’s because when a family is tight, is standing together and supporting each other, without petty resentments and jealousies, then the individuals are free to rise up without the weight of those negative emotions.
 
How many wealthy families are brought to their knees by poor family relationships eh? Countless numbers!
 
Now that doesn’t necessarily mean that poor families are always a tight knit and supportive group either. But it is possible for poor families to have very strong relationships. It just goes to show that material wealth doesn’t always mean good family ties. In fact it’s usually the opposite.
 
I guess a lot of that can be attributed to the fact that we choose our friends, while God chooses our family for us. Unfortunately we don’t have much choice in the situation, so we just have to put up with whom He’s given us, or, as so often happens, live estranged and hateful family lives.
 
No wonder, Cousin Sol in our Bit, so wisely and warily informs us: ‘Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices (sacrificial meals or feasting) with strife.’
 
And that’s the living truth my people! However, in these modern times where the family is no longer the bulwark, the strong fortress of our society, strife is sadly rampant in too many of our families. The dysfunctional family seems to be more the norm today than the exception. It certainly seems as though Jesus’ statements, re signs of the end times, are coming true.
 
Mark puts it this way: ‘Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.’ (Mark 13:12)
 
Meanwhile Luke says it thus: ‘And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.’ (Luke 21:16)
 
Oh Friends, how true that is in this ever more strife torn world. Families are falling apart daily because of the stress and strain being put on them by this busy, ungodly world. So where are we to find help eh my people?
 
Cousin Sol gives us an idea: ‘Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith.’ (Prov.15:16) Now that’s the gospel truth! Only in strong, serious and sincere communion with Almighty God can families withstand the pressure to fight and strive against each other in these treacherous times.
 
As the scholars in great wisdom tell us: ’15:16. Spiritual riches are better than material riches.’
 
Oh Friends and fellow believers, I know that many of you don’t think so, and thus are still striving after much material wealth, but please stand back for a moment and take a look at what that is doing to your family life nuh.
 
If you’re constantly working that means you don’t have much time for your family, and you’re continually stressed, short-tempered and irascible. Some members of your family might even be afraid to approach you on important matters because of those negative elements. And relentlessly pursuing your material dreams will undoubtedly affect your health at some stage of the game.
 
And what will you have to show for it then eh? Just a few material things, but nobody to console you. As somebody once said, when our time comes to go to the other side, we don’t ask to see our possessions nuh, we ask to see people. Whichever way you cut it my brethren, seeking material gain above all else is a fool’s wisdom. Please get that buried deep in your conscience.
 
And all those materially wealthy people, those who built great empires at the cost of a poor family life, where are they now? Either sick and suffering and lonely somewhere, fighting with family over their possessions. Or they have passed on to the next side and left the much prized possessions for the family to fight over, and foolishly have most of it end up in the hands of greedy and crooked lawyers.
 
You see and hear about those kinds of stories every day, but yet still we run behind the things of the world, rather than the things of God. Let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh my people, and stop running down the inferior and destructible things of the world, and instead concentrate on storing up treasure in heaven, where moth nor rust can destroy it, nor thieves steal it.
 
And we’ll end with another wise saying from Cousin Sol on the subject. ‘Better is a dinner of herbs (vegetables) where LOVE is, than a stalled ox (fatted calf) and hatred therewith.’ (Prov.15:17)
 
That’s indeed heavenly wisdom Friends, so let’s try and attain unto it today nuh. Much LOVE!
 
…only through a return to godly family life…can we ever hope to fuel the LOVE Revolution…and right our wrong leaning world…