A Gentle Reminder of the Importance of Putting God FIRST in Our Lives!

04 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

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

John 10:14.       I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of them.

And then it was Friday, and the climate change games continue. Yesterday the temperature was in the high teens, but with a big wind, today there’s not much wind, but although it’s sunny, the temp has dropped back into single digits, with a promise of them falling even further. So, who knows what to expect? But for sure, it doesn’t stop the loud shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ from rising up to heaven. 

Apparently, nothing stops that as the weekend is our own li’l oasis in the big desert of an ungodly world. And thankfully, we have Jesus, our omnipotent Lord and Saviour, our ever-LOVING Shepherd to guide us through the turbulent desert called our world, filled with all sorts of storms, fall outs, figments of our imaginations and mirages. That’s why this scripture is ever so important. Jesus declares in no uncertain terms: ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of them.’ (John 10:14) 

Yes friends, that scripture should constantly be at the forefront of our minds, reminding us that Jesus is our caretaker, or as Bruh David so nicely puts it in psalm 23; ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) Oh my brethren, when we make Jesus our light and life, then He takes care of us and all of our needs. As Bruh Paul so confidently says in Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

And if you don’t believe that God can do that, then you need to remember how He fed the Israelites in the wilderness with manna for forty long years, while He said through Moses: ‘And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.’ (Deut. 29:5) So you see, our God can indeed look after us. 

And this commentary breaks down that verse thus, calling it ‘A Miraculous Preservation: The passage emphasizes that despite the arduous journey, the Israelites’ clothes and sandals remained intact, which is presented as a sign of God’s miraculous provision and care.’ And per it’s Significance: ‘This event is often interpreted as a demonstration of God’s power and unwavering support for his people, even in the face of hardship.’ That should certainly lessen our fears and assure us of the provision that God can provide. 

But there’s one important proviso in that assurance my fellow believers. And Jesus in His teachings on worry from the Sermon on the Mount, put’s it like this: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) 

Yes, as we said earlier, our Triune Godhead must continually be at the forefront of our thinking if we expect to enjoy the miraculous and abundant life that Jeus died for us to have, not waiting till we get to heaven, but starting right down here on earth. And we see from Biblical History how that can be miraculously portrayed in a believer’s life by the wonderful story of Cousin Sol’s humility and acknowledgement of Almighty God. It began when he became king after Bruh David, and the Lord in a dream, asked him what he wanted. 

But instead of asking for wealth, long life, or the life of his enemies, he said: ‘And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or to come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great people.’ (1 Kin. 3:7-9) 

Tell me nuh, how many of us would have asked for that simple but very important attribute eh? Not too many! Most of us would have asked for wealth, long life and all the many baubles and bangles that the world continually jingles in our faces. But Cousin Sol’s unusual request thrilled the Lord so much, that He not only gave him the wisdom and understanding he asked for, but also made him the wisest and richest man ever! (1 Kin. 3:10-14) 

Oh my people, that shows what’s possible when we sincerely revere the Lord and do our best to observe His law. Unfortunately though, in this current world, that isn’t happening as much as it ought to, but we can surely seek help to improve by going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant. So, 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 our prayer says it all; if we need divine aid, then we desperately need to improve our witness for Christ. It’s as simple as that friends. So, let’s get to doing that nuh…if we genuinely want divine help in this chaotic world! Much LOVE!

…put God first…and He will also put you first…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 February 2024 Romans 8:32.

10 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:32.        He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Another blessed day of glorious sunshine in my area, friends! Glory be! I got up earlier than usual on this lazy-day Saturday, because sleep was eluding me, and when I opened the window blinds, I was greeted by a burst of sunshine that prevented me from seeing outside. What a glorious moment! And though it’s not going to be as warm as yesterday, it’s still going to be better than a normal February day. And are we ever grateful for that…although we might have to pay for it later on with a big snowfall. But we’ll take small mercies now and worry about the consequences later. (smile) 

So, to be grateful and give thanks, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and offer it up with sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as usual, when we ask our good God for something with sincerity of heart, if it’s His will, we get it. And how could wanting to be in His presence and knowing Him more, that’s being more intimate with Him, not be in His will eh? That’s why I know, all of us who sincerely prayed that prayer were warmed by the deepening presence of God moving in our souls and spirits. That reminds us of this most valuable scripture from the mouth of Jesus. ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) 

And the scholars offer this explanation on those verses. ‘The three imperatives ask, seek, and knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perseverance and frequent prayer. Fervent and continued prayer is to be made on behalf of those for whom we are concerned. God promises to answer all genuine prayer (vs.8). Everything we need for spiritual success has been promised to us. God leaves us no excuse for failure.’ 

Yuh hear that mih people! We have no excuse for failing to do God’s will, because He’s given us everything we need to succeed, and has promised to do whatever we need. That means it now depends strictly on us. We must now pray fervently, listen for His answers, seek His will, and ask, seek and knock for whatever we need to fulfill His divine desires. Remember, our God doesn’t make idle promises. And, as the Sons of Korah so kindly inform us in Psalm 84: ‘For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.’ (Ps. 84:11) 

Oh friends, if we want to walk successfully on this earth and end up in heaven with Christ, then we need to believe that in spades, and write it indelibly in our hearts. For as Bruh Paul concurs when he wrote to the Roman church: ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:32) And this commentary succinctly explains why God would give up His only Son for a bunch of ungrateful sinners and keep looking after them so wonderfully. It says: ‘The main point of the verse is to emphasize the sacrificial LOVE of God for the World. This LOVE is so powerful that He offered up His one and only Son, the most precious and beloved Person to Him, for the sake of the World.’ 

Now doesn’t that make you feel honoured and LOVED? It ought to, since it means that Almighty God, our Creator, who gave up His beloved Son to save our sinful souls, highly values us. And that should raise up a flame of sincere gratitude within our beings, that makes us want to LOVE Him back with all our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, and sincerely and efficiently do His holy will. For yuh know friends, the most important thing the Lord desires of us is our LOVE…to LOVE Him like He LOVES us. 

Jesus acknowledged it when He said: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) Now, there are no grounds whatsoever for disputing those awesome words of Jesus, for they are the very foundation of our faith. 

And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘To LOVE the Lord is the most important thing that God asks of us. The sum and the substance of everything that God has said is simply to LOVE Him. This has been and will continue to be the central issue of life. The heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart.’ 

Now that’s the gospel truth! I especially like that last sentence: ‘The heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart.’ Yes my fellow believers, with Christ, it’s always about the heart; the state of our hearts. Let’s remember that, and with His awesome help, endeavour to keep our hearts in good shape, pure and true, because it’s then, and only then, that we will truly be able to live and enjoy the abundant life that He sacrificed His sinless life on the cross of Calvary for us to have. Much LOVE!

…it’s simply LOVE…that made God do it…and it’s simply LOVE…with which we should reciprocate…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 October 2023 Genesis 50:12.

16 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 50:12.       And his (Jacob’s) sons did unto him according as he commanded them.

And as surely as the sunshine follows the rain, and the moon the sun, so does Monday follow Sunday. It’s a day that many of us don’t like because it wakes us from our weekend slumber, but it’s all a part of this thing we call life, and instead of complaining about it, we had better grab it by the tail and swing with it, if we want to enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. And all God’s people said, ‘Praise the Lord!’ 

Yes, for our own sakes, we had better hold on to God. Do like Bruh Joseph did despite his many trials and much tribulation, most of which were unfair and unjust. And as the Lord promised, when the time was right, He came through for him. The Lord will do the same for each one of us who faces our storms with a good attitude and keep Him first place in our lives. 

Now, the last time we saw Bruh Joseph his father Jacob had died after blessing his sons and making them promise to bury him in the land of Canaan with his fathers, Isaac and Abraham. Bruh Joseph had therefore had Jacob’s body embalmed and the Egyptians mourned for the patriarch for sixty days. 

The Bible then tells us: ‘And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace (favour) in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now, therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.’ (Gen. 50:4-6) 

It’s obvious that Pharaoh was very proud of and understanding where Bruh Joseph was concerned. And he had just cause because Bruh Joseph had saved Egypt from certain ruin during the years of the severe famine, and even made Pharaoh richer than he had previously been. 

Thus, the Bible relates: ‘And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. And all the house of Joseph and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.’ (Gen. 50:7-9) 

Wow! Jacob certainly had a big, royal-like send off. But he deserved it for he was indeed royalty; the patriarch of Israel. And it’s interesting how the Egyptians treated the Hebrews in the early days, as opposed to four hundred years later, under the Pharaoh who supposedly didn’t know of Bruh Joseph and the history of the Hebrew children in Egypt. 

And the Good Library continues: ‘And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and they mourned with a great and very sore (solemn) lamentation: and he made (observed) a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim (Mourning of Egypt), which is beyond Jordan.’ (Gen. 50: 10-11) 

Imagine that nuh, the great sorrow expressed by the Egyptians over a Hebrew man. That was when the Hebrews were a mere handful of people, before they grew into such a substantial amount of people, that they threatened the Egyptian’s security, and had to be enslaved to keep them quiet. 

‘And his (Jacob’s) sons did unto him according as he commanded them. For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.’ (Gen. 50:12-14) 

Oh mih people, can you imagine the spectacle that funeral must have been? With Egyptians and Hebrews, chariots and horses, plus food carts and whatever moving over the land from Egypt to Canaan. And on the way to Canaan land, they stopped for seven days and partied on the threshing floor of Atad. It was such an immense spectacle that the Canaanites changed the name of the place to Abel-mizraim (the Mourning of Egypt). 

At that moment in time, all of the great Hebrew patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, had finally been put to rest in the land that their God had promised to their descendants. And the Hebrew people went on growing and prospering in the land of Goshen in Egypt, through the generous auspices of their great God. Likewise, we can also prosper if we sincerely turn to Him for help… and do we ever need a monumental amount of help in our world right now. 

So, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the throne of grace in confident humility and ask for divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one 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!’ 

It’s obvious then, that our next step is to change our evil ways…if we truly desire to receive divine help. Much LOVE!

…with sincere obedience…divine help is only a prayer away… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 October 2022 Psalm 31:14.

11 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 31:14.       But I trusted in thee. O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

And a fine Tuesday morning, or rather afternoon, to all you fabulous Scrip-Bit readers out there in God’s great kingdom! It’s such a gorgeous fall day in my neck of the woods, too bad I missed a half of it. (smile) And I do hope that after a good and thankful Thanksgiving Day celebration, most of you got to work on time this morning in good form, unlike me, who is only now, at 12.30 in the afternoon sitting down to write the Bit. (smile) 

And no, it wasn’t because of too much partying, because I don’t party that much these days, but it was certainly because of my bad sleep schedule. I went to bed fairly late, even by my standards, (smile) and I did get up at a decent hour, but felt the body wasn’t rested enough to face the day, and so went back to bed for a li’l snooze. Now you know what happens when you do that? It most always turns into a bigger snooze than we desire. 

But the benefit there is that the ole bod feels much better now and is finally ready to face the day, in good fashion, ready to battle the enemy tooth and nail, whatever he decides to throw at me today. And with the certain help of our omnipotent God, who can then defeat me eh? No one! I guess that’s why we are constantly being advised to get sufficient rest, because even with God’s help, we can’t fight the enemy properly if both our body and spirit are not strong. And it’s common knowledge that if our bodies are weak, then that detracts from the strength of our spirit, which then impacts on the level of our faith. 

Oh, enough of my trying to reason away my lateness, (smile) let’s get to whatever aspect of the Lord’s Word that He desires us to ponder on today. And it seems like we have the perfect story for a day such as this. It comes from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin and is most appropriately titled, ‘Autumn Glow!’ 

So please read with me. ‘Lord, if You will make The autumn of my life As LOVELY as this Golden autumn morning I will not look back to grieve The passing days of summer. Of all the regal seasons Autumn is most brilliant. Make my life brilliant too.’ 

Oh my people, what a short but sweet and marvellous prayer! And I do hope that as we read it, our spirits drifted up that same plea to heaven, to make our lives as beautiful, golden and brilliant as the season of autumn is. And it’s a most wonderful prayer to make, and our graceful and merciful God would like nothing better than to grant us that marvellous wish, but for Him to do so, it also requires some work or action on our part. And what’s that work or action required on our part, you ask? 

Well, it’s the Bible promise on which our poem is based. The soul searching and uplifting words of Bruh David from Psalm 31. Having been…Chuh man! I considered paraphrasing what went before the promise we’re talking about, but it seems much easier and puts it all into better context to relate the exact words of the psalm. 

Bruh David writes in this section of the lament: ‘Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed (wastes away) with grief, yea my soul and my belly (body). For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed (waste away). I was a reproach (a despised thing) among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without (outside) fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel (perishing). For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised (schemed) to take away my life.’ (Ps. 31:9-13) 

Yes friends, many of us know some of what Bruh David was suffering at the time he wrote those fateful words, hopefully not all of it at the same time though. (smile) And we know how difficult it is to handle the lies, the evil schemes and the gut-wrenching fear that engulfs us when we fall into those scenarios. However, here is what Bruh David did to assuage his fear, and what we also need to do in those times when we’re alone and afraid. He writes with a humble certainty: ‘But I trusted in thee. O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.’ (Ps. 31:14) 

Oh my fellow saints, that’s such a simple but oh so powerful a statement! One, that if we sincerely believe it and utter it, will give us strength to face our fears and enemies, regardless of who they are! And I keep reminding us all the time, that Bruh David’s life was certainly not one of wine, women and song all the time, he suffered mightily too, some of the consequences through his own poor decisions and actions, just like we do, but through it all he never gave up on, or turned away from the Lord God Jehovah, the God of his forefathers. 

He definitely knew on which side his bread was buttered. He remembered the mighty things the Lord had done in the lives of His people Israel, and also in his own life, and constantly held on to the faith that drove him towards his divine destiny. Now, all of us also have a divine destiny, but to reach it, we have to execute that kind of faith and trust in our Lord God Jehovah, for it is He that allows us to reach that place for which we are divinely destined. 

So please, let’s remember today, that whatever trouble, whatever fear we are facing in this crazy world, the only way out, the only way to successfully reach our goals, our destiny, is through a strong and zealous faith in Almighty God, our Creator and Provider. It’s not always going to be a wine and roses kind of life, but it will be much better than if we embrace the only other option we have, that of living for the world and it’s fading pleasures, for Satan and his iniquitous works, because the end of the enemy is hellfire and damnation, but the end of a child of God is eternal life in heaven with our most marvellous and worthy Godhead; the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Wow! Nothing can ever beat that! And for those of us who are seeking such an end, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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, let’s go out and do just that nuh, share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they can also come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…only through faithful trust in…and surrender to Jesus…can we ever enjoy the abundant life He died for us to have… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   3 October 2022 Nehemiah 8:10.

03 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Nehemiah 8:10.         …the joy of the Lord is our strength.

One more time on the merry-go-round called the workweek my friends. Yes, I know, it can get somewhat tiresome doing the same thing week after week for thirty or forty years, then looking forward to a dreary retirement of doing absolutely nothing. (smile)  But unfortunately, that’s the way our world system is set up, and the sooner we stop allowing the same old, same old, bland way of life to get us down and depressed, the sooner we will be able to go about enjoying the abundant life Christ died for us to have. 

We can’t always have exciting new stuff to boost our spirits, because that’s just not the way life runs. And besides, in today’s world of numerous technological inventions, we have so many amenities, opportunities and toys to occupy our time, that we should never be bored. Sadly though, despite all those joys and toys, I don’t think there’s ever been a time before where boredom has afflicted so many people. The problem might just be we have too much stuff, too many opportunities and options at our fingertips, and we don’t have to work as hard as in earlier times to satisfy our selfish desires and pleasures. 

And the best way to get to that point where the worries, problems, boredom and misfortunes of the world aren’t stealing our hard-earned joy, is by having Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, Guide and Good Shepherd! That’s because, with Him as our foundation stone, the life we build will be as solid as a rock, and the world will not be able to touch our Christ-like spirits. 

Now let’s look at a few scriptures that prove our point nuh. As per Jesus being our strong foundation, the Good Book tells us that Jesus Himself quoted these words of Psalm 118:22-23 to the chief priests and Pharisees when they dismissed Him as a son of the devil and not the Son of God. ‘Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner (chief cornerstone): This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?’ (Matt. 21:42)  

Jesus was referring there to Himself, whom the Jewish leaders were rejecting as the Messiah, thinking that He wasn’t a good enough subject on which to build God’s kingdom, especially since He came preaching LOVE and peace rather than the war and hate they expected the Messiah to bring, so that they could get out from under the servile conditions of Roman rule. But little did they know that it would be the same rejected figure of Jesus, despised, brutally beaten and horribly abused who would indeed bring salvation and reconciliation to the world. 

And that all falls into sync with Jesus’ parable of the two foundations. He warns: ‘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 winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was built 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. 724-27) 

Oh my people, that just goes to show that if we build our lives on the strong rock that’s Jesus, if we hear His words and do them, then nothing in this world will be able to destroy us, for He is always there to help, to look after, to lead and guide us through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. But if we don’t follow Him, then the world and all its evil doings and doers will simply tear us apart like rain washes away sand. And that’s why the Good Book also tells us that ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) 

So, if you don’t have the joy of Christ engulfing your weak and sinful spirit, then the enemy will be able to control you, causing you to do all sorts of things that are against God’s will. And that’s how you begin guarding against the boredom and sinful lusts of this evil world. Accepting Jesus Christ as the foundation stone of your life is the first move. Then you begin building upon that foundation by reading His Word and doing what it says. 

Now, it doesn’t all happen overnight, or is it easily done, but it’s a lifelong journey, fraught with problems, but also filled with learning, with meditating, with tests of our faith, but all of it faithfully promised to be eventually worked out for our good, to those who are called and who sincerely LOVE the Lord. (Rom. 8:28) 

Thus, living for Jesus is a lifestyle very different from that promoted by the enemy and the world. And one of the most important aspects of that lifestyle is prayer; sincere communication with our Lord and Saviour. It’s always our best first line of both offence and defense, where we go to our wonderful God for help in whatever situation we find ourselves, with whatever problem we have, be it big or small. So, since there’s no time like the present, 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. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that 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. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land 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!’ 

Now, my fellow saints, let’s not forget that to get God’s blessings, we need to have right motives in our hearts and be good examples of godly living. Much LOVE!

…a word to the wise is sufficient… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8​       

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 August 2022   Matthew 7:24.

12 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 7:24.       Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock.

Awright! So we’ve finally crossed the finish line and everyone’s shouting: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And this glorious summer weekend is here at last!’ And we’d better enjoy it too, because we don’t have many more summer weekends left on the calendar. (smile) 

Now, I was just led to our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin to seek a suitable writing for today. And it didn’t take long for me to find this most appropriate gem. I don’t know if I’ve ever shared it before, and if I’ve never, then I can’t understand how I could have missed such a beautiful and inspiring piece. And if I’ve shared it before, then it’s certainly worth sharing again, (smile) especially in these unfortunate and troubled times when the very foundation, the bastion of our society, the family, is sadly falling, or been torn apart. 

It’s aptly titled ‘A Family Pledge.’ And we definitely need more stuff like this in our lives. So please read with me. ‘We will permit God to use our conflicts and mixed emotions as lessons in quiet growth. With LOVING patience, without ridicule or judgement, we will support each other in the gradual untangling of built-in defenses. We will focus on each other as persons made in the image of God. We will seek to please rather than pressure, to delight rather than to demand, to give rather than to get. 

We will share the humdrums as well as the highlights, the tears as well as the laughter, the defeats as well as the victories. We will not insist on perfection – rather we will anticipate growth. We will not compete for the mountaintop, rather we will climb the mountain together. We will wait for each other if one of us gets behind. We will lift our hearts in a celebration of gratitude for God’s amazing LOVE, which makes our family LOVE possible. We will LOVE each other as we do these things.’ 

Wow mih bredrin! What a marvellous pledge, not just for individual families but for all of society! Can you just see families practicing that stuff, coming together, and working together the way the Lord desires His people to gel and be One under His awesome majesty! Heaven would have a heyday, it would turn over, go mad with joy if something like that should ever happen! 

Okay, so I’m daydreaming a tad, because it most likely will never happen until Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom, but that’s what our faith, Christianity is all about – everlasting hope; believing in dreams and promises that though improbable, are definitely not impossible with our omnipotent God! And until, and unless, we bring some semblance of that pledge to pass in our families, they, along with our society will continue to fall apart, to sink deeper into the evil and ungodly mire that our world has become. 

Oh my fellow believers, we’re not only in a foolish situation with all the current infighting amongst families, but a very dangerous one. For if we continue on this unwise path, the darkness will befall us even in the midst of the noonday sun, while brother continues fighting brother, father against son, and mother against daughter. Now, that Family Pledge, we just read, could be a marvellous and vital beginning to a resuscitation of our family values, and could eventually bring a semblance of peace amongst the many warring families that currently exist. 

And it’s interesting to note that the Bible Promise allocated to that pledge is Jesus’ opening statement on the ‘The two foundations,’ in the Sermon on the Mount. ‘Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock.’ (Matt. 7:24) 

Oh friends, that’s indeed what we need to build our lives and thus our families on, on the rock! On the rock that’s Jesus, where no rain, flood or earthquake or any negative thing can destroy it! Yes, living for each other, having each other’s backs, looking out for each other, and helping each other as we travel this rough and rocky road of life, is the ONLY way to make it at least palatable, if not pleasurable. It’s the only way we’ll ever enjoy the abundant life that Christ sacrificed His holy and sinless life for us to have. 

And I simply can’t understand why we keep on fighting each other, when it benefits us nothing whatsoever! It just keeps us sinking ever further into the mire, the quicksand that the devil has prepared for us, and thus elicits a big smile on his satanic majesty’s ugly face! Oh my fellow saints, is that the kind of life we truly desire to live, when Jesus has provided a much better one? I very much doubt it! But if we are to escape Satan’s evil clutches, we must rise up and accept the teachings of Jesus. Build on the solid, rock-like foundation He has established, not on the shifting sand that Satan desires us to build on. 

That means, it’s of the utmost importance that we not only hear Jesus’ words, but even more importantly, put them into action in our lives, for words are useless until they are actioned! And it all begins with prayer; reaching out to our wonderful God in sincerity and faith, knowing that He’s a keeper of His promises, if we live the way He desires. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

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

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, we’ve got to give the Lord good reason to positively answer our prayer, by cleansing our hearts and hands and keeping our promises. Much LOVE!

…he who builds his life on Jesus…will stand strong forever…but he who builds on Beelzebub…will eventually perish with him… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8​         

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 April 2022   1 Corinthians 12:6.

09 Apr 2022 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 12:6.       And there are diversities of operations (different activities), but it is the same God which worketh all in all (works in all things). 

Here’s Saturday my people; cloudy and chilly! But some of us will like it like that since it gives us more incentive to stay abed and enjoy the early morning rest that we’ve been deprived of all week. (smile) And nothing’s wrong with that. There are rewards for getting up early five days a week, and one of them is sleeping in on Saturdays. So, if you’re one of those late risers this Saturday morning, please enjoy it.. Just make sure you keep Jesus close beside you, in your spirit and your soul, don’t let Him slip away from you for even one moment, for that could spell eternal disaster. 

Now, let’s do what we do every Saturday morning that God blesses us with the breath of life and strength to read His word; we check out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us the past week and see how they fit into our setting of Christian faith. And this first quote says it all. ‘If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.’ 

So true my fellow saints! We might not like the quality of our life right now with all its ups and downs and dramatic sequences, but believe me, if life was just sure and placid all the time, we would not enjoy it, not be satisfied, because the human spirit was made to be constantly moving, in other words, drama filled. Yes, that’s why our Creator gave us free will and not robotic animation. Life would indeed be flavourless. Note Jesus’ admonishing to His followers nuh: be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. That means we need to add a tasty flavour and brilliant, overflowing joy to the world. (smile) 

Therefore, this next quote should play a significant part in our lives. ‘Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.’ Oh my people, what would dreams be without a dreamer and vice versa eh? Our world would be devoid of so many wonderful things, because its dreamers who put dreams into creation, even if they don’t see them to fruition. 

And remember you cannot get an ending without a beginning. So, if the dreamer only dreams the dream, he is indeed an important, if not the most important part of the scenario. And that was certainly God’s desire for all of us when He placed whatever dreams we have in our hearts. That’s why Bruh David could confidently say in Psalm 37, titled – The true state of the wicked: ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:4) 

Yes my fellow believers, our great and wonderful God places a dream, or several dreams in each heart that He creates, and expects us to fulfill it, or them, by accepting the anointing of His Son Jesus Christ, and thus receiving the Holy Spirit that enables us to acquire ‘the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.’ And please believe that it’s only through sincere association with Almighty God, and with His awesome munificence, that’s His lavishly generous nature, or amazing grace that we can ever acquire the things we need to make a difference in our world. 

And when we have wisely hooked up with Christ, then the following quote becomes important. ‘Play to your strengths. If you aren’t great at something, do more of what you’re great at.’ Now that’s the gospel truth my people! Too many of us try to be a Jack of all trades and masters of none! But Christ gave us special gifts at which we are particularly good for a reason. He anointed us with grace to do certain things well because that’s what He wants us to concentrate on most. 

Those gifts enhanced by His awesome power dovetail perfectly with His plans for us and for the world. As Bruh Paul says in 1 Corinthians re spiritual gifts. ‘And there are diversities of operations (different activities), but it is the same God which worketh all in all (works in all things). But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (profit everybody).’ (1 Cor. 12:6-7) 

So please, let’s stop fooling around with stuff that we possibly will never get good at nuh, and instead focus on the few things that we know we are good at, that we’ve been anointed to excel in. Remember, there’s always method to what we consider God’s madness. He does nothing without a good reason. And I can vouch for that because I am now writing these words some fifteen years after He approached me with the outlandish, seemingly impossible task of writing on His word. But now, we see that it was not total madness at all, (smile) for through His awesome faithfulness, and much perseverance and faith on my part, His dream, His plan for me has eventually come true. 

What more can I say eh? Nothing…except this next quote: ‘Don’t let rejection create self-doubt. The founder of Starbucks was turned down by 217 of the 242 investors he initially spoke with.’ Remember friends, the Good Book says that a righteous man falls numerous times, but he keeps getting back up until he succeeds. (Prov. 24:16) And we all know that in Christ’s kingdom there are no words like giving up, so we are not expected to lay defeated on the ground, but to rise and shine again like our Lord and Saviour did on the first Easter weekend some two thousand years ago. 

And believe me, whatever dream(s) the Lord has put in your heart, it (they) will not be easy, because He desires to always test our faith to see if we truly believe the words we speak so flippantly; in other words, to see if we can walk our talk. Jesus did not have it easy, but He accomplished His awesome task with the Father’s help, and likewise, as followers of Jesus we won’t have it easy either, but if we stay in faith and sincerely trust Him in whatever happens, then we will eventually succeed. 

That brings us to this last quote: ‘Every day the clock resets. Your wins don’t matter. Your failures don’t matter. Don’t stress on what was, fight for what could be.’ I don’t totally concur with those sentiments nuh, because I believe that our failures and our victories are very important. They provide very valuable life lessons, as in what to do and what not to do as we journey through this interesting, complex and ofttimes difficult earthly voyage. However, we must not become so fixated on them that they take away from our forward motion, that’s always learning and always working towards God’s divine plan for our lives. 

And to help us stay on the straight and narrow path, we’ve been given the invaluable attributes of the Holy Spirit as our Guide and Leader. And if we listen to Him and closely follow His righteous guidance, we will do wonderfully well (smile) and enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have! And that’s the general goal! Much LOVE!

…what’s life all about…in three words…living for Jesus…  

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8