The Overwhelming Importance of Prayer in A Believer’s Life!

05 Jul 2025 Leave a comment

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

Luke 18:1.         And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).

And finally we come to another Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday, where we dare to lie about doing as little as possible, in the opening rounds of refreshing our tired selves and spirits from a mediocre and unpleasant week. And the best way to begin relieving our frustrations is by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth.

So, as one strong voice, let’s pray. ‘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 there’s nothing better at relieving frustrations than seeking intimacy with our heavenly Father, because it lightens our spirits and renews our souls. Remember that eye-opening scripture we read yesterday from the prophet Jeremiah? ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13)

Yes friends, anytime we’re disheartened, discouraged, fearful, worried, lost or even just tired, the best way to relieve our anxieties is by sincerely seeking Jesus in prayer with all of our hearts. souls, bodies and minds. Cousin Sol also offer his two cents worth on the subject in Proverbs, when he writes of the Lord: ‘I LOVE them  that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.’ (Prov. 8:17)

This brings to mind this ever so important verse of the Bible, where it says: ‘And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) Then He told them about the wronged woman who kept seeking justice from the unjust judge, until he finally got tired of her and gave her the justice she desired and deserved.  And prayer, sincere and steadfast must always be number one in our lives.

Look at how often Jesus prayed. Before and after almost every event He went away by Himself to pray, to seek intimacy, strength, renewal and direction from the Father. And this scripture verse on the subject just touches my heart. Mark writes: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)

Now, if Jesus, the Son of God, thought it necessary to make time to be in the Father’s presence, how much more do we, miserable and sinful creations that we are, need to make time to be intimate with our heavenly Father eh? Much, much more! And there are a number of scriptures that do encourage, admonish and exhort us to pray.

So let’s look at a few of them now nuh, beginning with this famous one from 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 of those verses. ‘The three imperatives, ask, seek, knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perseverance and frequent prayer. Fervent and continual 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.’ And that’s something we ought to grab hold of and hold on to quite tightly: we have no excuses for spiritual failure, because God has already given us what we need, and shown us the way to succeed.

Now here is another verse of scripture that encourages us to pray, from Bruh Paul to the Romans. When talking about overcoming evil with good, he says a part of our behaviour to enable us to do that, must be: ‘Rejoicing in hope, patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ (rom. 12:12)

Then to the Ephesians, when talking about the armour of God, Bruh Paul ends with this most important verse. ‘Praying always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for the saints.’ (Eph. 6:18) What he’s saying there is that despite all the godly armour you might have on, prayer is still very important, for without it, the armour won’t work.

And finally, to the Thessalonians, Bruh Paul exhorts them thus: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-18) Yuh see how he throws in that li’l gem in the middle: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ The scholars tell us that means we ought always to have an attitude of prayer, although we might not be praying audibly, and that constant attitude of prayer will help us to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.

No friends, living the Christian life is not easy, definitely not a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park,, but as we saw earlier on, our wonderful God has given us everything we need to live the successful Christian life, so it’s all up to us to delve into His word, meditate and pray on it, then put it into action in our lives. And there’s no better time to begin doing that than right now. So, let’s take some time on this lazy-day Saturday, the first one in July of 2025, and spend it in true and sincere intimacy with our marvellous God. That can only be to our benefit! Much LOVE!

…without prayer…there’s no communication with God…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Strong and Steadfast Faith in Christians!

08 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 4:7.       I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith:

Oh friends, can you believe that we’re already into the eight day of August? The month just began late last week, and it’s almost a third over already. The days are just whizzing by, leaving many of us (including me) in their wake of dust. But not to worry, our omnipotent God is still on His throne, and He’s still controlling things, and if you’re a follower of His magnificent Son, Jesus Christ, then you can be assured that He has you in the palm of His hand, looking after you, and eventually everything will be okay. 

As Bruh Paul promised in Romans: ‘And we know that all things work together for good for them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) So although things aren’t looking so hot now, if we persevere with Christ, stand strong and steadfast throughout the many trials and tribulations, do our best to witness in His name, and live a life that’s overall pleasing to Him, then, in the end, the Lord will make it work out for our benefit. 

And if you don’t believe that, then there’s also this magnificent promise that we read in yesterday’s Bit from James. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (has been proved), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.’ (James 1:12) Oh my people, isn’t that a most reassuring scripture? It certainly is! As it encourages us to hang in there for Christ, because in the long run we will benefit greatly. 

That leads us to these two other marvellous and true scriptures from Hebrews. The first one says: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Heb. 10:23) That means we have to hold on steadfastly to our faith, without ever giving up, despite the highs and lows we will go through, because God is ever-faithful. And you definitely cannot be a sincere believer in Christ unless you believe and live by the faithful promises of our ever-faithful God! 

Which brings us to this other noteworthy scripture. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) Yes my fellow saints, that scripture expects two things from us; the first being we cannot please God unless we have faith, we must believe that He exists, and is who He says He is. And it’s not only the talking faith, but also the action kind. 

Remember what James says: ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ (James 2:17) And that’s a major reason why our world is in such a chaotic state; too many of us supposed believers are talking our faith, but not working it, which does absolutely nothing to bring unbelievers to the kingdom. 

And the second expectation of that last scripture from Hebrews is that we must believe God rewards those who diligently seek Him. And that’s ever so important in our faith walk, for if don’t believe that, then we will never put our best foot forward. Not that we’re putting our best foot forward only to get rewards, but it gives us something concrete to look forward to, like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

Oh, we were indeed made by God to do good works in Christ, meaning that we’re expected to do good works when we become believers, but with those good works, He’s promised numerous rewards. As these words of Bruh Paul in his letter to Titus acknowledge. ‘This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.’ (Titus 3:8) 

And remember we’re not doing good works just to get rewards, but our hearts, our motives must be pure, which brings up what the Lord said to Samuel when he sent him to anoint the next king of Israel from one of Jesse’s sons. When Eliab the first son came in, he looked real good, tall, handsome, strong, etc., like he would make an excellent king. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7) 

Now, it’s obvious that we won’t do everything with right motives and a pure heart, and the Lord understands that, because He created us and knows all our faults and foibles, but overall, that ought to be our desire. And to pull it all together, I believe these memorable words of Bruh Paul to Timothy perfectly encapsulate what we’ve been trying to say. 

‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:6-8) 

Wow! What awesome words my brethren! And I know that very few, if any of us can reach the levels of faith and works that Bruh Paul achieved, but we can certainly die trying. (smile) Yes, at the end of our earthly days, it would definitely be nice to say words like those, or words close to them. But we can only do that if we stand strong and steadfast in our heyday and make hay for Christ while the sun shines in our lives! Now let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings, so we can activate those undeserved blessings the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.

 Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! 

I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having made that passionate declaration (steups!!!) we must now go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…whatever we do…let it be with sincere hearts…all to the glory of God…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 March 2023 Matthew 6:12.

28 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And then it was a sunshiny spring Tuesday morning. Yes friends, today is indeed sunshiny. Yesterday wasn’t, although that’s what I wrote. Ah Lord eh! The devil does as the devil does yes! Yesterday was a rainy day, but somehow or the other I wrote that it was sunshiny. And it wasn’t that I didn’t see and experience the rain first hand and didn’t read the Bit after I had written it. The problem was that I had begun writing the Bit before the rain started, so since it was nice and dry then, and the day before had ended up sunny, I assumed that yesterday was also going to be sunny, thinking that I’d rewrite the opening if it turned out differently. 

And it did turn out differently. But I didn’t rewrite the opening. Steups! And was I ever flabbergasted when I discovered the error after sending out the Bit. That’s why I don’t like prewriting anything. I’m sure my Scrip-Bit family living in my area must have wondered if I’d gone off my rocker, because the sun was nowhere to be seen. (smile) Now, I might be headed in that direction, but I promise you, I’ve not reached that far as yet. So, my most humble apologies for such an infantile mistake. And thank you ever so much for forgiving me. It only means that the ole fella is mortal and thus fallible. (smile) 

And I guess that since we’re on the topic of forgiveness, we might as well stay there, because forgiveness is one of the most important aspects of our Christian faith. And what is forgiveness? It can mean different things to different people, but it’s basically to let go of anger and resentment on being hurt or offended. But here is a good explanation from an article on the topic by Robert Enright, from the Greater Good Magazine website. 

He writes: ‘Forgiveness can be incredibly difficult. When another person hurts us, it can upend our lives. Sometimes the hurt is very deep, such as when a spouse or a parent betrays our trust, or when we are victims of crime, or when we’ve been harshly bullied. Anyone who has suffered a grievous hurt knows that when our inner world is badly disrupted, it’s difficult to concentrate on anything other than our turmoil or pain. When we hold on to hurt, we are emotionally and cognitively hobbled, and our relationships suffer. 

Forgiveness is strong medicine for this. When life hits us hard, there is nothing as effective as forgiveness for healing deep wounds. I would not have spent the last 30 years of my life studying forgiveness if I were not convinced of this. Many people have misconceptions about what forgiveness really means—and they may eschew it. Others may want to forgive, but wonder whether or not they truly can. Forgiveness does not necessarily come easily; but it is possible for many of us to achieve, if we have the right tools and are willing to put in the effort.’ 

And right there is the crux of the problem: having the tools and being willing to put in the effort. And if we call ourselves Christian, believers in Christ, then we have the tools  and we better had have the effort, or else our witness will be immaterial and be burned up in the time of judgement like it was based on straw, hay or stubble. And why is that you ask? Because forgiveness is one of the very tenets on which our Christian faith is based. Christ came to earth specifically to die to pay for our sins, so that we could be forgiven by our heavenly Father, and thus be reconciled to Him, once again become sheep in His fold. 

And Jesus said quite clearly in His teaching on prayer, when He gave the disciples and us a sample of what our prayer ought to be like, what we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’  In the midst of it He stated: ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:12) Now why would Jesus put something like that in there eh? Because as we just said, it’s of the utmost importance in our faith. And after the prayer, He showed us why. ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6: 14-15) 

Yes, my fellow believers, it‘s as simple as that. If we don’t forgive those who hurt us, our heavenly Father won’t forgive us. He’s made it a cardinal rule of His kingdom. In other words, He’s saying, if I can LOVE you so much, want to forgive your abominable sins so much, that I can break my heart to send my only Son to die in your place, then the least you can do is to also forgive those who hurt you. And yes, it’s all based on the mighty, unconditional LOVE of the Father, for us, His sinful children. Bruh Paul puts it best when he wrote to the church at Rome. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) 

Yes, He didn’t wait for us to come to him, He came to us. That demonstrates great LOVE! And LOVE is the main tool we have to use in forgiveness. That’s LOVING God, ourselves and our neighbours enough to forgive. And these two paragraphs from that article by Robert Enright quoted above, show us how important the act of forgiveness is, especially to us. 

He says: ‘Forgiveness is about goodness, about extending mercy to those who’ve harmed us, even if they don’t “deserve” it. It is not about finding excuses for the offending person’s behavior or pretending it didn’t happen. Nor is there a quick formula you can follow. Forgiveness is a process with many steps that often proceeds in a non-linear fashion. But it’s well worth the effort. Working on forgiveness can help us increase our self-esteem and give us a sense of inner strength and safety. It can reverse the lies that we often tell ourselves when someone has hurt us deeply—lies like, I am defeated or I’m not worthy. Forgiveness can heal us and allow us to move on in life with meaning and purpose. Forgiveness matters, and we will be its primary beneficiary.’ 

Yes friends, when we forgive, we are the main beneficiary; our souls start to heal, we become more mature, and the Lord forgives us. We can’t ask for a better result than that. So please, let’s get on with the forgiving of others and ourselves nuh, cause it’s all for our benefit, and it pleases our heavenly Father! And for those of us who are sincerely working on it, lets’ go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one 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 too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…as always…whatever God tells us to do…it’s for our benefit…He’s said to forgive…so let’s forgive… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 May 2021 Matthew 8:26a.

16 May 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 8:26a.     ​And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Let’s go, let’s go friends! Time to gather around our electronic devices to sing, praise, worship and glorify our great God on this His Sabbath Day! Yes, most of our sanctuaries are closed, but the Lord in His manifold wisdom made it possible to come to Him in prayer, with thanksgiving despite that unfortunate circumstance. What a mighty God He is – the One who makes a way where there seems to be no way! 

So, without further ado, let’s get on with our heavenly Father’s business this bright, summer-like Sunday morning. And, as always, we’ll open the proceedings with a song of praise. Today’s’ anthem is rather appropriately titled: ‘LOVE LIFTED ME!’ Wow! Isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren, there’s nothing that lifts us up like LOVE, especially the LOVE of Jesus! 

And I know we are dying to burst open our vocal pipes, (smile) but before we do that, just a li’l background on the author of the hymn, James Rowe (1865-1933). He was an English immigrant to the U.S. in 1889, where he worked as a railroad worker for ten years in New York, then became an inspector for the Hudson River Humane Society. The hymn was written and published in 1912 and soon became popular amongst the United Methodist congregation. 

Awright, time to finally sing (smile). So let’s raise our eyes and hearts to heaven as we declare in sincerity and truth, the awesome fact that Jesus’ LOVE lifted us when we were sinking in the mire of sin. In sweet harmony, in an up-tempo riddim, because it’s a song of joy, let’s offer up our sacrifices of praise. 

‘I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. (Refrain: LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could hep. LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me. When nothing else could help. LOVE lifted me.) All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling, In his blessed presence live, ever his praises sing. LOVE so mighty and so true merits my soul’s best songs; Faithful LOVING service, too, to Him belongs. [Refrain] 

Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His LOVE out of the angry waves; He’s the master of the sea, billows His will obey He your Saviour wants to be, be saved today. [Refrain: LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! Oh yes, When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me!’ 

And isn’t that the awesome truth my faithful brethren! It’s the LOVE of God for us that sent Christ to earth, and the LOVE of Christ for the Father that made Him obediently face the cross and all the cruelty and ‘sufferation’ involved so that He could atone for, be the propitiation for our sins! It was all LOVE my brethren; LOVE the driving force behind forgiveness of sins! 

And no doubt most of us know that Rowe’s hymn is based on the two stories of Jesus and His disciples out on the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee, that we find in the gospel of Matthew. The first one is after Jesus feeds the five thousand, then sends them away in the boat while He goes up the mountain to pray. (Matt. 14:15-21) Then, in the fourth watch, 3-6 a.m. during a terrible storm, He comes to them walking on the water. When they see Him, they cry out in fear, saying it’s a spirit. But Jesus immediately quietens them by saying, ‘Be of good cheer (take courage); it is I; be not afraid.’ (Matt. 14:27) 

That’s when the impulsive Mr. Peter tells Jesus: ‘Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come.’ (Matt. 14:28-29) And we know that Peter bravely got out of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But halfway there, he began to sink because he took his eyes off Jesus and instead concentrated on the strong wind. That obviously scared the living daylights out of him, and he cried out to Jesus for help. And what did Jesus tell him after saving him? ‘O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Matt. 14:31). 

And not surprisingly, those words are very applicable to a whole lot of us, especially in these pandemic and strife-filled times! Too many of us are doubting our faith and thus are sinking into the mire of things like depression, anxiety, fear and poor mental health. And would you believe the same thing happened in the other story on which Rowe based his song. This time Jesus was with them as they crossed the sea and a huge storm unexpectedly burst upon them. The disciples were scared to death, but Jesus slept quietly in the back of the boat as though nothing was happening. 

And when they woke Him up, saying ‘Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ (Matt. 8:25-26) Once more the matter of faith rose its ugly head! And to make matters worse, after Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples were thoroughly amazed, by the fact that the sea and the wind obeyed Him. 

But didn’t they see Him do all kinds of miracles? Yes! And don’t we also see Him work all sorts of wonders in our own lives? Yes! But still we doubt. And sadly, that doubt just prevents Him from doing more amazing things in our lives. It’s all about faith my fellow believers. That means putting our belief in Jesus Christ into action, not just thinking or talking it. As one person says: ‘Belief is of the mind, but faith is of the heart and spirit!’ 

Now here is this interesting commentary on our hymn. Not sure where I got it from, (smile) but it does make sense. ‘Rowe’s hymn masterfully incorporates both stories, using sinking or being swamped into the sea as an illustration for “sinking deep in sin…sinking to rise no more.” Jesus, “Master of the sea,” hears our pleas for help, reaches out to us in LOVE, and lifts us up into the well being of grace.’ 

And is that ever so true friends. Jesus certainly can lift us from death, despair and every other negative circumstance to salvation and eternal life. Please, for all our sakes, let’s not stop Him from doing so nuh, because it’s all to our benefit. Much LOVE!

…to live and work for Jesus…one’s faith must be strong…                                  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 July 2019 Mark 1:35.

15 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

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

Mark 1:35.   ​And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place and there prayed.

Summer time, summer time, summer time! It’s a good time…but it’s moving oh so quickly! Can you believe that we just finished celebrating Canada Day at the beginning of July and it’s already the middle of July? Where are the days flying by to eh? And next thing yuh know is September and the summer done and yuh haven’t had a good chance to really enjoy it, because it seems so short. Meanwhile, winter just seems to prolong and prolong…like forever. 

I guess that’s because good and pleasant things don’t last as long as we’d like, while the unpleasant ones last much longer than we want. And I guess the same goes for weekends, which morph into Mondays much too quickly. But that’s life friends. We can’t change it, so we just have to make the best of it. And if you happen to be suffering from the Monday Blues, then you’ve come to the right place, because we have the antidote for just such ailments, in the form of sincere prayer, namely, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. So let’s put our hearts and souls into it nuh, as we confidently, but humbly approach the throne of grace, imploring our heavenly Father for His help. 

As one strong voice: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; 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 last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.

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 let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, 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, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Mama Mia! Our wonderful God will never refuse such sincere requests, especially since all we’re asking for is His strength, confidence, leading and guidance to go out and do His will! No wonder you suddenly feel a renewed strength, with a bouncy spring in your step and an overwhelming desire to get out there and engage the enemy in fierce warfare! That’s the Father’s answer to our prayer, through His Holy Spirit. 

Ah mih people, prayer is such a wonderful thing! And why shouldn’t it be eh, since it was devised by the One true and living God, for direct communication between Him and His people; that’s us, believers in His Son Jesus Christ! And there are so many nuances to prayer that we can never cover them all here in the Bit. But let it be known that prayer is, and will always be the best form of therapy, for each and every need, in this evil plagued and ungodly world! 

Yes friends, whatever the problem is, prayer should ALWAYS be our first resort…not our last one! Oh, and don’t forget to give thanks through prayer, when things are going right too eh. Prayer is not just for problems, but also for thanksgiving. And believe you me, our heavenly Father gets annoyed and disappointed when we don’t come to Him first with our problems, because He sees Himself as our great problem solver. And the one thing that all men of great faith had in common was prayer; they offered up prayer for any and everything. So why should we be any different in these troubled times eh? 

And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Bruh Paul. He said that we should be ‘Praying ALWAYS, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’  (Eph.6:18) And don’t forget to ‘Pray without ceasing’ (1 Thess.5:17) But also ‘I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. ’ (1 Tim.2:8) So you see that prayer is an indispensable, continuous, any and everywhere aspect of a believer’s life. And Jesus said it best: ‘And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.’ (Luke 18:1) 

How can you refute Jesus’ command if you are a sincere believer then eh? You can’t. But unfortunately a lot of us still try to do it. Maybe that’s because we’re not sincere. Who knows? But one thing about our Saviour, unlike so many of us, He always walked His talk. And there are so many instances in the Good Book which showed Jesus just leaving the crowds, even the disciples, and going off by Himself somewhere quiet to pray. And I just LOVE this particular scripture, our Bit for today: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place and there prayed.’ 

Wow friends! That just talks to my soul and spirit! I guess that’s why I like to sit on my front porch in the early hours of the morning; it’s so conducive for communing with the Father. The only difference is that I don’t like to get up early, I prefer to go to bed late. (smile) Just goes to show that Jesus began each day with prayer, and if the Son of God needed to hear from His heavenly Father before going out into the world, then who are we to be any different eh? 

So my fellow saints in Christ, I implore us, from this day forth, to make prayer a big, constant and anywhere thing in our lives. Remember, it’s all for our benefit…not God’s. So let’s show some serious wisdom and reverence nuh, it will pay off in the end. Much LOVE!

…PRAYER…the lifeblood of the Christian believer…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 February 2019 Psalm 57:5.

05 Feb 2019 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 57:5.   ​Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
 

And so we’ve come to Tuesday… a somewhat damp and cloudy day in my part of the universe, but the sun’s looking to give it a good try though, and that’s all we can ask of it. (smile) And yes we late, because I got up late, then my computer rebelled and wanted to do its own thing, so I had to reboot it, then the garbage truck came much earlier than I expected, so I had to rush out there and put out my garbage, else it would stay there for another two weeks. 

So those are my early morning woes! And for those of you who are interested, I am feeling better than I did yesterday… Glory to God!  (smile) So let’s get with something that I believe will be very useful for us this warmer Tuesday morning with few traces of snow on the ground. It comes from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. And it’s titled most appropriately: ‘Be Thou Exalted.’ 

Please pray with me: “Be thou exalted, Lord In thine own strength: So will we sing And praise thy power.” Yes, Lord, Yes! David’s prayer is my prayer. Be exalted in my day-by-day agenda In my motives and dreams My priorities and goals. Even in my failures, Lord As You turn them into stepping stones Toward spiritual growth. 

Be exalted in my worship and praise In my sobbing and singing. Be exalted in my secret thoughts My emotional responses. Be exalted in my daily routine The delays, the unexpected emergencies The disappointments that often come. Lord God, as You are exalted In heaven and on earth Be exalted in Your home – my heart.’ 

Oh my people, what wonderful words and sentiments! Especially when we remember that God made us essentially to exalt and proclaim His wonderful and holy name! And doing so should indeed be a part of every part of our existence, both here on earth and later on in heaven…in other words forever and ever! 

Like the elders in heaven, we ought to be continuously praising and exalting our most wonderful God! And the only way we can continually praise and exalt our God, is when He indeed lives in that secret place He ordained for Himself and no one or nothing else, that special place deep down in our hearts; the very depths of our souls, where all our most sacred thoughts and feelings lie! 

And the good thing about exalting God is that we do get such a wonderful sense of well being, of confidence and strength, of growth in our faith and our LOVE walk! It’s not just a rote and empty act of obeisance and/or obedience, but when we do it sincerely, it also lifts us up! So it’s also for our benefit my faithful brethren! 

So why don’t we do it more often and more sincerely eh? Who knows? But it’s for sure that Bruh David never stopped acknowledging and exalting his God, even in times of deep distress – and so should we. Hear his prayer in our Bit: ‘Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.’ 

And yuh know what friends? He thought that it was so nice that he had to write it twice! (smile) He ends the psalm with that same line. ‘Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.’  (Ps.57:11) And he thought it nice enough to also write it in Psalm 108:5. (smile) 

So if Bruh David, who was considered a friend of God and a man after His own heart could be so emphatic in his exaltation, why can’t we lesser mortals do the same eh? Because we’re just stubborn and own way and like to do our own thing, allow our flesh to lead us astray, even though we know better. 

But the great thing about our God friends, is that He will NEVER turn us away when we sincerely come to Him, regardless of the time and our state. Who could have been more disobedient than Bruh David eh? But the Lord saw that his heart was basically right and thus listened to and answered his soulful, heart-rending prayers like this one at the beginning of Psalm 57: 

‘Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast (passed by). I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up (snaps at, or hounds me).  Selah.   God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.’ (Ps.57:1-3) 

Yes my people, that’s the kind of undaunted faith that Bruh David had in the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And He never disappointed him either! How do you think he was able to get away all those times that Saul tried to kill him eh? That’s why I keep reminding us that Bruh David knew on which side his bread was buttered, and if we’re wise, we too should be able to figure that out. 

And if you can’t do that, I’ll let you into a li’l ‘secrat’ as my young daughter used to say…our bread is buttered on God’s side! Glory Hallelujah my people! Exalt His holy name! 

Now let’s go home letting all and sundry know who and whose we are by declaring (chuh, wrong again) our Tuesday Mantra in strong voice and sincere sense of purpose: ‘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 the world.  Amen!’ 

And having spoken it, let’s go out and action it nuh, like Jesus desires of us! Much LOVE!

…sincere and true exaltation of God…is necessary…both for God…and for us…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 November 2018 Psalm 103:5.

07 Nov 2018 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 103:5.   ​Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
 
Now please don’t blame me for this early Bit, blame my mechanic. (smile) He gave me an early appointment to come and get my chariot fixed, which means I have to get out there and face the early morning traffic shenanigans. But what to do eh? I’ve been waiting to get this particular repair done since before I went away, so I can’t put it off again. 

And to get us all off on a good foot, this cold but dry Wednesday morning, here is this wonderful poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s titled, ‘Lord, You LOVE to Say Yes.’ And does He ever! 

Please pray with me: ‘Lord, I asked You for abundant life Rich, challenging, full of adventure And You said yes. I asked You for an undisturbable joy Independent of transitory change And You said yes. I asked You to thread my tears into a song When I was shattered and torn with grief And You said yes. I asked You to steady me when I staggered – To hold me when I struggled To seize me when I resisted And You said yes. 

I asked You to forgive my vain grasping My foolish fears, my willful pride And You said yes. I asked You to be my Helper, my Friend My light in the darkness And you said yes. I asked You to guide me all my life With Your wisdom, Your counsel Your captivating LOVE And You said yes. Sometimes Lord I feel like a spoiled child who gets whatever he asks for. You overwhelm me with joy For You just LOVE to say Yes!’ 

And isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren? We have such an awesome generous, and magnanimous God, that we sometimes indeed feel like spoiled brats. And the great thing about it is that He has no real reason to treat us as generously as He does, because we’re such disobedient and undeserving child, but that amazing, unconditional LOVE that fills His heart towards us, just makes it impossible for Him to give us our just deserts. 

Please give Him plenty praise and thanks and reverence and exaltation, because He is such a wonderful God! There’s NONE OTHER LIKE HIM! Glory Hallelujah! Now enough with the praise, because if you give me a chance, I can sing His praises all day long! (smile) 

And the Bible Promise for that poem is also our Bit; thankful words of Bruh David as he offers thanksgiving for God’s mercy: ‘Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ Ah friends, sometimes when I sit down and think about all the goodness that the Lord has bestowed on me, tears come to my eyes. 

And we have a perfect example of that in my recent vacation to Jamaica. Wow! Was it ever good…and did people ever LOVE on me…! Chuh! It was just amazing the way everything came together. His hand must have been in the pie; otherwise it could not have been so tasty! (smile) 

And I’m sure I’m not the only one who enjoys God’s blessings, so I don’t understand why we’re so reluctant to LOVE and obey Him, giving so much of our time and space instead to the evil ruler of this evil world. My fellow believers, Jehovah God LOVES us with a burning LOVE, a passion that knows no end! That we can never dispute after He so sacrificially gave His sinless Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be the blood atonement for our sins! 

And all He’s asking in return is that we obey His laws and exalt His name…Is that too much to ask? Certainly not! But here is the kicker: All He asks us to do is not for His benefit, but for ours. So if we refuse to live according to His will, we are the ones who will suffer, both here on earth and in the dungeons of hell later on. 

Please remember these significant words of Jesus. ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break in and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matt.6:19-21) 

And that’s indisputable truth friends! Wherever our treasure is stored, there will our hearts be. And the sad fact of the matter is that too many of us are concentrating on storing up treasure here in the world, where it begins to decay from the moment you get it, and everybody wants to take it away from you. So please, let’s be more heavenly-minded nuh. Remember it’s up there we will spend eternity, and we can’t carry anything from down here with us. 

And to lift us back up again, after all that admonishment, (smile) listen to this well-known and much quoted verse from Isaiah. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40:31) More indisputable, gospel truth my brethren! Give God the glory! 

Now let’s go home declaring (Steups! Spelled it wrong again!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all the world know our current position in Jesus. As one now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! 

I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And do I ever look forward to that glorious future! Hope you do too. Much LOVE!

…the rewards of obeying God…both earthly and heavenly…more than outweigh the deprivation we might suffer doing so…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 September 2018 John 3:16.

10 Sep 2018 Leave a comment

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

John 3:16.   For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And through our heavenly Father’s mercy and compassion, which are new every morning, much needed showers of blessings are generously falling upon the dry land in my area! Thank You Lord! Let’s just hope it isn’t associated with rain that’s being caused by hurricane Gordon out on the East Coast. And just for your information, there were three hurricanes forming in the Atlantic yesterday, and one over Hawaii’s way. 

Friends, let’s pray that they just fizzle out and don’t do any damage nuh, because we can’t handle much more of God’s wrath. And believe me, some, if not all of it, is indeed God’s wrath, for the sinful, evil and godless way we’re living! 

Look at all over the world nuh, at how unexpected, unusual and very destructive natural disasters are happening. Just think about the famine, the plague, the drought, the wild fires, the floods and storms that are currently or have recently afflicted our world. Is that just coincidence? And I won’t bother to even throw in the man made problems like war and strife and economic deprivation that are so prevalent in today’s world! 

Friends, it’s time we sit up and take serious notice. The Lord isn’t pleased, and He’s warning us to change our evil ways. What does the Good Book say? A word to the wise is sufficient? Let’s get wise and see the light nuh! 

Anyhow, it’s Monday, and work is upon us again. And some of us still find it difficult to get up and get going. So what’s the answer eh? I humbly suggest singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with us, because I believe it’s the antidote for anything that ails you today. And why do I believe that? Because it’s prayer, the most powerful force in God’s great universe. 

So let’s take a deep breath, get our prayer faces on, (smile) and come before the throne of grace with boldness and confidence, but also with suitable humility. All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; 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 last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

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 let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, 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, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Yeh friends, yuh see how it works! Our spirits have been lifted though the working of the Holy Spirit, and now we’re enthused, ready and able, to go out and do Jesus’ work, spread His LOVE, care and compassion to all we meet. Glory to God! He’s such a wonderful, awe inspiring Deity! That’s why so many of us just live our lives for Him, by following in the footsteps of His sacrificed Son, Jesus Christ! 

Oh people, don’t even get me talking about Jesus nuh! Because He’s just the GREATEST! Anybody who could leave a comfortable life in heaven and come down to this plagued earth and sacrifice their sinless life to pay for my abominable sins… well brother, yuh know in my book, they are indeed the GREATEST! And that’s exactly what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did! 

So I’ll tell you again…He is the GREATEST! Maybe if you hear it often enough you might believe. (smile) And you know where all of that began, where it started? From the grace, mercy, compassion and LOVE of our heavenly Father, of our Creator! Wow! How could there be any other God but Him eh? 

Listen to how His Son, Jesus Christ puts it in our Bit. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ 

Mama Mia! What a great God we serve and worship my brethren! All the other supposed gods are only interested in taking away from us and making life difficult for us, but Jehovah God sincerely desires to give us, the most precious gift of all, eternal life through belief in His Son Jesus! Wow! 

And hear Jesus again nuh: ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And that calls for another big Wow, friends! And He made it all so easy; just believe in His Son Jesus Christ! It couldn’t be any easier than that my brethren. So let’s get wise and pay serious attention to Jesus and all that He stands for nuh. Remember, it’s all for our benefit, not His. Much LOVE!

…believe…only believe…that’s all it takes… 

P.S. I like it friends. I like how this Bit came together ever so smoothly. I didn’t have to work hard on it at all. The inspiration just flowed as I wrote. That’s why I must LOVE our God; He’s ever so faithful and true. But don’t think it happens so easily everyday nuh. Not on yuh life! Plenty days I have to work hard at it. But it’s all worth it. I sincerely hope that the Bits inspire you too. Much LOVE!

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 July 2018 Lamentations 3:22-23.

11 Jul 2018 Leave a comment

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

Lamentations 3:22-23.   It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Well top o’ the morn to all you Scrip-Bit friends and family…and top of the afternoon to those of you faithful readers on the other side of the world! (smile) It’s just another brilliant, sunshiny day in the land of the living, with all of God’s manna, mercies and whatever brand new! 

Wow! It’s like waking up to fresh bread every day! And we should be much more thankful than we are for those blessings. But our God is what we call magnanimous, generous to a fault, so He gives us stuff that we don’t truly deserve. 

And yes, we’ll continue with the same Bit, because there are so many scriptures on compassion, a most important Christian trait in which we current believers are sadly lacking. 

Jeremiah knew exactly what he was talking about when he declared in His Lamentations: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ 

If you are a bonafide (true, sincere) believer, then you certainly cannot argue with that statement or the sentiments contained therein since it’s only through God’s LOVING-kindness that life is not more disastrous than it is. Now let’s check out some scriptures on compassion. 

The first one we’ll look at today is Jesus’ telling of the parable about the two servants who owed money they could not repay. The first owed his master thousands of dollars, and when the master threatened to cast him into debtors’ prison, he begged for mercy, and the master forgave him the entire debt. 

However that same forgiven one, found someone who owed him a measly few dollars, but when he couldn’t pay, he had him and his family cast into prison. Obviously that disgusting news got back to the master, who called the first servant and castigated him. 

‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst (begged) me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth (angry), and delivered him to the tormentors (torturers) till he should pay all that due unto him.’ (Matt.18:32-34) 

And it’s sad to say friends, that that kind of behaviour is still rampant in this world, amongst Christians too, believe it or not. But listen to the moral of the story as told by Jesus: ‘So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ (Matt.18:35) It couldn’t be any clearer than that! 

And John says it thus in his epistle: ‘But whoso hath this world’s good (goods), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels (heart) of compassion from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him?’ (1 John 3:17) Good question friends? And the answer is that the LOVE of God does not dwell in such a person. 

And to provide a solution to that unchristian behaviour, John therefore recommends: ‘My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue (talk); but in deed and in truth.’ (1 John 3:18) 

Oh my people, that is oh so necessary in the calamitous days our world is currently experiencing! We just need to have more LOVING action than just mere talk, as we all are so good at doing. I don’t know if there’s ever been a time that the saying; walk your walk and talk your talk, has been more important. 

And this verse from Acts shows that is exactly what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did. ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’(Acts 10:38) 

Oh my fellow believers, we have also been anointed with the same Holy Ghost and power that Jesus had, so it’s also our bounden duty to go around doing good and helping the less fortunate as much as we can, not keeping, hoarding and/or storing our power and anointing merely for our benefit. That’s what being a Christian means. 

If we are followers of Christ, then we’re supposed to do like Christ did! And unfortunately we’re not doing it as much as we ought. Our compassion level is woefully low, while our greed and selfishness meter is way too high. So let’s hope today’s writing lights a fire, a compassionate fire under us. (smile) 

But it’s time to go home now. And we’ll do so by declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the entire world know our situation in Christ Jesus. As one voice now:  ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! 

I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And yuh know what friends? Our finite minds can’t even truly imagine how glorious that future will be! Much LOVE!

…true Christianity is sharing…and giving…and LOVING…and sacrificing…and being there in time of need… 

P.S. It’s a tad late because I got held up talking to a friend about the World Cup Soccer Tournament. Some things just can’t wait. (smile) Much LOVE! 


Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 June 2018 Psalm 107:43.

13 Jun 2018 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 107:43.   Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the LOVING-kindness of the Lord.

So friends, it seems as though our long string of continuously beautiful, sunny days has finally ended. We did get a sprinkling of rain this morning and it does look somewhat cloudy out there. But you know what they say: after the rain comes the shine, so we’re not giving up on a sunny day just yet. (smile) 

But is it ever heart warming and reassuring to know that regardless of the physical weather, the bright and everlasting light of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is ALWAYS out there, shining forth for our benefit! Bless His holy name, my people! Oh my, my, He is such a wonderful being that we can NEVER go wrong by hooking up our lives to His bandwagon. 

You know how we usually elicit a negative vibe when we join a bandwagon just for our aggrandizement. Well friends, in this case, it is simply wisdom to jump on Christ’s bandwagon, for He is the BE ALL and END ALL, the Alpha and the Omega, and there is no negativity whatsoever in joining His show. Wow! It’s all positive and sensible vibes my brethren. 

In fact, when you don’t jump on Christ’s bandwagon, that’s where the negativity and unwise behaviour begins. That brings us to our Bit, the last verse of Psalm 107, in which the psalmist details and declares God’s wonderful works to the children of men. And in true wisdom he closes by declaring: ‘Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the LOVING-kindness of the Lord.’ 

The same thing goes for us today my brethren, we are wise when we understand that living with and for Jesus is the best avenue to take in this ungodly and evil world. It’s the ONLY path to the ONE and ONLY true God, for Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and NOBODY comes to the Father but through Him. 

So why are we fighting so hard to remove Him from our society eh? I really can’t understand it, when He is the source of ALL that we are, ALL that we have, and ALL that we can ever be! That’s why Bruh David could solemnly declare in Psalm 64 – Plot and punishment re the workers of iniquity who think their evil doings will not be discovered. 

‘But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves (stumble over their own tongue): all that see them shall flee away. And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.’ (Ps.64:7-9) 

Oh precious people of God, are we paying attention to what’s happening to the wicked, are we fearing the Lord and declaring His work as we ought to? I don’t believe enough of us are doing so, else our world would not be in the terrible mess in which it’s currently in. And if you don’t believe Bruh David, then listen to Cousin Jeremiah, as he talks about how disobedience brings God’s punishment. 

‘And I will make Jerusalem heaps (a heap of ruins), and a den of dragons (jackals); and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Who is the wise man, that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through? 

And the Lord saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; But have walked after the imagination (stubbornness) of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them. 

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall (bitter or poisonous water) to drink. I will scatter them also among the heathen (Gentiles), whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.’ (Jer.9:11-16) 

And that is exactly what he did, although, in His mercy and LOVING-kindness He did not consume them entirely! Oh my brethren, if God could do that to His special people for their disobedience, why wouldn’t He do the same to us, especially after he broke His own heart, showed us how much He LOVED and cherished us by sending His only Son Jesus to die on the cross at Calvary to atone for our sins once and for all? 

He poured out His heart friends, so that we, the lost of the world could be found and saved by believing in Jesus, and we’re repaying Him by wanting to cast Him out of our society? Hn! That surely is not wisdom my brethren! 

And just for your information fires are indeed passing through the land and burning it up into a wilderness. We have volcanoes spewing forth fire and brimstone in Hawaii and Guatemala, and some 30 wildfires burning in 9 states of the Western U.S. 

Anyway, for those of us who have attained some degree of wisdom and truly endeavour to follow Jesus, let’s go home today declaring our Wednesday Wail, boldly letting the world know of our position in Jesus. Let’s wail in strong voice with sincere hearts people: 

‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And everytime I think how glorious that future with Jesus will be, I just want to hold on to him tighter! Much LOVE!

…he who has ears to hear…I implore you…please, please hear…

 

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