01 Nov 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an inspiring ballad, another day of bright sunshine, be able to comfort those in trouble, beats so imperfectly, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, bow down and worship God, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, chicken feed for our great God, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, comforts us in tribulation, Daylight Savings Time, disturbs sleeping patterns, each restless heart, Elijah on Mt. Horeb, emotional weariness, empowerment gained from being lifted up, empowers someone to overcome adversity, faith, faith waivers under tough circumstances, fellowship, find rest unto your souls, finding inner strength and hope, finding strength hope and perseverance, gentle and humble in heart, God showers us with grace mercy and divine power, holy spirit, hope thou in God, human hearts created to be hungry for God, I am filled with wonder, I am still, I am strong, I can stand on mountains, I glimpse eternity, I shall yet praise him, I will give you rest, in these evil and ungodly times, Jesus Christ, Jesus is always right there to restore our strength, Jesus' great invitation, Josh Groban, joyfully fellowship with each other, learn of me, LOVE, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, Moses standing on Mt. Sinai as God passes before him, my heart burdenend be, my soul so weary, my yoke is easy and my burden light, no life without its hunger, o thou of little faith, offering encouragement and support, our faith can stand strong, overcme challenges, Peter walks on water with Jesus, realize our full potential, rest under God's awesome wings, salvation, Secret Garden, stay hungry for God, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, the Father of mercies, the first and great commandment, the first Sunday in November, the full picture of eternity, the God of All Comfort, the gospel truth, the health of my countenance and my God, the heathen god Baal, the Holy Trinity, the Lord renewed Elijah's strength and faith on Mt. Horeb, the mournful plea, the presence of a loving you, the sons of Korah, the support of another person, the Ten Commandments, times of adversity, to heights never dreamed possible, to walk on stormy seas, truth, until you come and sit awhile with me, wait here in the silence, when I am down, when I am on your shoulders, when troubles come, when you come, wherefore didst thou doubt, who comforts us in all our tribulation, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with all our hearts souls and minds, worship the Lord, You Raise Me Up, you raise me up to more than I can be
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 November 2026 2 Corinthians 1:3.
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Come on down to the Lord’s sanctuary on this first Sunday in November, my fellow believers, so that we can worship the Lord and joyfully fellowship with each other, offering encouragement and support in these evil and ungodly times. And it’s another awesomely bright and sunshiny, warm day. Hope they never end! (smile) Now please ensure that you’re not too early (smile) because the clocks have gone back one hour in the Province of Ontario so we can get in tandem with daylight savings time.
Now that’s a very controversial subject, something more than a mere annoyance because, it disturbs the sleeping patterns and life rhythms of many people, but Ontario continues to follow it. And there’s no doubt it will briefly inconvenience us, but it won’t kill us, so let’s get with today’s program, starting with the singing of this wonderful ballad, You Raise Me Up, first recorded by the duo Secret Garden in 2001, but then made famous worldwide by Josh Groban in 2003. So, without further ado, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a rich, slow, soulful, heartfelt version, that leaves no doubt as to our sincerity.
Singing: ‘ When I am down and oh, my soul so weary When troubles come and my heart burdened be Then I am still and wait here in the silence Until You come and sit awhile with me (Chorus: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be.)
There is no life, no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly But when You come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity You raise me up so I can stand on mountains (You raise me up, I can stand on mountains) You raise me up to walk on stormy seas (Walk on stormy seas) And I am strong when I am on Your shoulders Oh, you raise me up to more than I can be You raise me up to more than I can be.’
Now that was a beautiful rendition my people! No one can ever doubt our sincerity. But then someone asks, what’s the song all about? Well, this overview gives an excellent explanation. ‘It’s an inspiring ballad about finding strength, hope, and perseverance through the support of another person, often interpreted as God or a spiritual source, especially during difficult times. The lyrics describe a person’s emotional weariness and how the presence of a LOVING “you” empowers them to overcome adversity, “stand on mountains,” “walk on stormy seas,” and achieve more than they could alone.’
Yes friends, that’s what it’s basically about; finding inner strength and hope in times of adversity, with someone aiding you to ‘stand on those mountains, and walk on those stormy seas,’ and thus overcome the challenges. For our Christian purposes though, that someone who encourages us, is none other than Almighty God, showering us with grace, mercy and divine power so that our faith can stand strong. And there’s no one better at lifting us when we’re down than our God, as Bruh Paul describes Him in his second letter to the Corinthians.
He writes, ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4) Wow! That shows how great and compassionate our God is. He comforts us, and also gives us the ability to comfort others with the comfort received from Him. Now let’s not forget that He’s also ‘the Father of mercies;’ meaning that He offers us things like blessings that we don’t deserve.
So how could He not be a wonderful God eh? And how could we not be grateful and thankful for all His LOVE and compassion and bow down and sincerely worship Him with all our souls, hearts and minds eh, like the first and great commandment says? (Matt. 22:37) And as the song opens with a weary soul and burdened heart, it reminds us of the mournful plea of the sons of Korah, found in Psalm 42: ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health (strength) of my countenance, and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11)
Now that’s the kind of reaction our God brings out in us, even though we’re worried and burdened. And if you don’t have that kind of strong faith, then simply look to Jesus’ Great Invitation, where He compassionately declares: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Oh my people, only from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can we get such a wonderful invitation! Nowhere else!
And standing on mountains and walking on stormy seas…well that is chicken feed for our great God. Look at how He had Moses standing on Mt Sinai and passed by before him, when he came to get the second set of the Ten Commandments. (Ex. 34:1-9) Then there’s the great prophet Elijah, who, after killing hundreds of the prophets of the heathen god Baal, got a death threat from Queen Jezebel and eventually ran to Mt Horeb in fear. But the Lord accosted him up there and renewed his strength and faith. (1 Kin. 19:1-15)
And we all know about Peter’s walking on water with Jesus during a fierce storm, but began sinking after becoming afraid, and cried out for Jesus to save him, which He did, and afterwards admonished Peter: ‘O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt.’ (Matt. 14:33) Unfortunately though, under tough circumstances, our faith also waivers, but remember that Jesus is always right there to catch us and restore our strength.
Another good thing about the song is that it suggests some sort of empowerment gained from the person that’s raising you up. As per the lyric ‘You raise me up to more than I can be. ‘ That support ostensibly enables you to achieve bigger things and to realize your full potential. There again, there’s no one better at that than our amazing God. Just look at how he enabled people like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Bruh Joseph, Bruh David and Bruh Paul to rise to heights that they never dreamed possible.
And we’ll close with this interesting excerpt from the song: ‘There is no life, no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly But when You come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Human hearts were created to be hungry for God, and when we do find Him, we’re so filled with wonder, that it looks like we’ve been given a glimpse of eternity. The important thing though is for us to stay hungry for God and rest under His awesome wings, so that at the end of this life, we’ll experience not a glimpse of eternity, but the full, real picture with the Holy Trinity! Much LOVE!
…because of God’s LOVE and compassion…He will raise us up…both in this life and the next…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heart-moving song, a promise of love pardon and mercy, as a father pitieth his children, as fas as the east is from the west, as the heaven is high above the earth, awakened the dormant believer, bless the LOrd o my soul, calling for you and for me, come and accept God's mercy together, come home, come short of the glory of God, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, coming for you and for me, crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies, death is coming sooner or later, deathbeds are coming, disobedience, divine strength, earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling, faith, find rest unto your souls, for all have sinned, forget not all his benefits, gentle and humble in heart, God's grace, gospel truth, he has mercy and pardon, he hath not dealt with us after our sins, he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust, healeth all thy diseases, holy spirit, Hymnary.org website, I will give you rest, Jesus Christ, Jesus has the situation fully covered, Jesus is calling like a mother after her children, keeps us keeping on, learn from me, LOVE, love of the world, make the wise decision to seek Jesus, meek and lowly in heart, mercies for you and for me, mercy, my yoke is easy and my burden light, neither will he keep his anger for ever, nothing to be gained by delay, O sinner come home, offering up praise and thanskgiving, on the portals he's waiting and watching, only through Jesus are those wonderful things available, pardon for you and for me, passing from you and from me, pleading for you and for me, plenteous in mercy, promised for you and for me, redeemeth thy life from destruction, rewarded us according to our iniquities, salvation, satisfieth thy mouth with good things, shadows are gathering, sinful and material pleasures, slow to anger, so far hath he removed our transgressions, so great is his mercy to them that fear him, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling, song of worship, stubbornness, sweet sacrificies of praise, take my yoke upon you, the best decision you can ever make, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the long and short of the story, the Lord is merciful and gracious, the Lord will not always chide, the Lord's Day, the moments are passing, the most wonderful thing in the world is coming home to jesus, the wages of sin is death, this evil and ungodly world, though we have sinned, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, time is now fleeting, time to gather in the Lord's sanctuary, to experience all those wonderful things, to them that reverence him, truth, turbulent times, watching for you and for me, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, why linger and heed not his mercies, why tarry when Jesus is pleading, Will L. Thompson, wisdom, you who are weary come home
Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 October 2026 Matthew 11:28.
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Here we go again my fellow believers, time to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary on His day, Sunday, and sing out our hearts to Him, offering up oodles of praise and thanksgiving for all that’s He’s done for us down through the ages, while receiving in return, His grace and divine strength that keeps us keeping on in this evil and ungodly world.
And today’s song of worship is a beautiful, uplifting and most appropriate Christian hymn for these dangerous and turbulent times. It was written in 1880 by American born Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909), who after having problems with selling his songs to a commercial publisher began publishing them himself. The song is titled ‘Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling,’ and according to the Wikipedia website, it’s his most famous and well-loved composition.
‘It has circulated far beyond its origins in the American Restoration Movement. It’s also among the most prolifically translated gospel songs and has spread appealingly into the repertoire of various fellowships of Christendom.’ And we all know why…because it’s a wonderful, spirit and heart-moving song. So, let’s now offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, mid-tempo version, so that all who hear it will feel it deep down in their souls.
Singing: ‘Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; see, on the portals he’s waiting and watching, watching for you and for me. (Refrain: Come home, come home; you who are weary come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home!) Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, pleading for you and for me? Why should we linger and heed not his mercies, mercies for you and for me? (Refrain)
Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, passing from you and from me; shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, coming for you and for me. (Refrain) O for the wonderful LOVE he has promised, promised for you and for me! Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me. (Refrain: Come home, come home; you who are weary come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home! (Repeat)’
Yes my brethren, Jesus is out there looking for us, sincerely calling us to come home to Him. He’s at the door, anxiously waiting for us to accept His invitation. And I like how this commentary from the Hymnary.org website explains the song. ‘This hymn invites us to come and accept God’s mercy together. The first stanza and refrain give the picture that Jesus is gently calling, like a mother after her small children. The second stanza reminds us that there is nothing to be gained by delay, especially when the third warns that death is coming sooner or later. The final stanza entices us with a promise of love, pardon, and mercy that is wonderfully available for those who wish to accept it.’
And it’s all the gospel truth my people! And furthermore, it says that ‘Thompson was inspired to devote himself to writing while attending a meeting by popular evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899). When Moody was dying in the hospital he told Thompson, “Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life.” Now, if a famous evangelist like Moody could say something like that, it just shows how remarkable the song truly is.
And it certainly recalls, Jesus’ Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly (gentle and humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Oh friends, there could never be a better invitation than that issued by Jesus, for He has the situation fully covered. And it’s just our stubbornness and disobedience, through LOVE of the world and it’s sinful and material pleasures that keep us from accepting His wonderful invitation to come home to Him.
As the song says: ‘Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me.’ He does indeed, for the Bible tells us: ‘For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God;’ (Rom. 3:23) However, the Bible also tells us: ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus.’ (Rom. 6:23) Yuh see that mih people, the Lord has made provision for all of our sins, through Jesus. That means you have to come home to Jesus if you want your sins forgiven, so that you can be blessed with eternal life.
And I believe Psalm 103 puts it all in the right perspective. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-KINDNESS and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s…. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS).
He will not always chide (strive): neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-KINDESS) toward them that fear (reverence) him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear (reverence) him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.’ (Ps. 103:2-5; 8-14)
Oh my people, the long and short of the story is, if you want to experience all those wonderful things that the psalmist acclaims, then you must come home to Jesus, because it’s only through Him, that all of that wonderful stuff is available. So, let’s hope that today with all the good stuff we’ve talked about, and all the amazing things that are awaiting all those who come to Jesus, we’ve awakened the dormant believer in you. (smile) Remember, it’s all up to you. You need to make the wise decision to seek Jesus, although He’s always waiting for your call. Believe me, turning to Him, is the best decision you can ever make! Much LOVE!
…the most wonderful thing in the world…is coming home to Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cloudy and dreary day, a heavenly peace, a peace that sets you free in the midst of trouble, a physical home, a promise of rain, a rest to the people of God, a topsy-turvy life, as God did from his, assured that God will work it out, be diligent to enter God's rest, be of good cheer, believers must actively trust God through faith, ceasing from one's own spiritual and physical striving, Christ conquered the world through His death and resurrection, christianity, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, deepen my breath, don't copy the rebellious unbelieving mistakes of the Israelites, endless wandering in the wilderness, eternal rest, faith, find rest for your souls, foreshadowing of a deeper security, frolicking in the sunshine, gentle and humble in heart, he also hath ceased from his own works, he that entered into his rest, holy spirit, I am meek and lowly in heart, i have overcome the world, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, I will give you rest, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, labour to enter into God's rest, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, learn of me, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, marvel to think, mercy, my peace I give unto you, my yoke is easy and my burden light, negative circumstances, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, Peace i leave with you, placing active faith in Jesus, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, relax under th covers, relief from slavery, rest from work like God did on the seventh day, salvation, slow my thoughts, surrendering your need to earn your salvation through good works, take my yoke upon you, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness, the final spiritual rest available to believers, the Giver of Rest, the great invitation, the keys of hell death and the grave, the Lord's greatest desire, the peace and rest of God, the peace of God that passes all human understanding, the Prince of Peace, the Promised Land Rest, the rest of God, the ultimate spiritual rest, the weekly Sabbath Rest, these things I have spoken unto you, to have deep intimacy with His children, trusting God's daily grace instead of your own control, truth, wisdom, with all sincerity and truth, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 August 2026 John 14:27.
John 14:27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
And then it was Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday. But unfortunately this second Saturday in August did not open as bright and sunshiny as the first one last week, which we spent frolicking in the sunshine in Caribana. This one’s somewhat cloudy and dreary, with a promise of afternoon rain. But as always we’ll handle it with the grace and style of Jesus that indwells us. And furthermore, what better kind of lazy-day Saturday is there than a cloudy, rainy one where you can just relax under the covers or on the couch and let the world pass by? None!
However, before we get on with the lazing around, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all 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 we keep saying, the Lord’s greatest desire is to have deep intimacy with His children, and if our hearts were sincere when we offered up that prayer, then we’ll soon find our souls and spirits filled with the peace of God that passes all understanding. A peace that we can in no way truly comprehend or understand, because it’s a heavenly peace not a worldly one. It’s like when Jesus was informing the disciples of His going away and the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He said to them: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Yes friends, the peace of Jesus, the peace that we get when we interact with Him is of much higher quality than what the world calls peace. It’s truly peace; peace which can set you free from all worries and fears and negative circumstances, even in the midst of your topsy-turvy life. How awesome is that eh! Being able to go though difficult times and circumstances with the assurance that God will work it all out for your good in the end.
Then Jesus went on to later tell the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) There again Jesus is specifying that in Him we can find a different kind of peace than what the world offers, and in any case we don’t need to be afraid, because He’s already conquered the world through His death and resurrection; having taken aways the keys of hell, death and the grave from Satan. (Rev. 1:18)
And another valuable aspect of our faith, like the peace of God, is what we call the rest of God. It’s like this Overview explains. ‘Entering God’s rest means ceasing from your own spiritual and physical striving. You enter it by placing active faith in Jesus Christ, surrendering the need to earn your salvation through good works, and trusting God’s daily grace instead of your own control.’
And it follows from the scripture in Hebrews. ‘There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour (be diligent) therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (disobedience).’ (Heb. 4:9-11)
The scripture is referring to the disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness who were troubled all through their wilderness stay and died there, while the second generation who went into the Promised Land, led by Joshua, enjoyed a rest in God. Believers must therefore actively trust God through faith rather than copying the rebellious, unbelieving mistakes of the ancient Israelites in the wilderness.
And there are three basic kinds of rest in the Bible. The weekly Sabbath Rest, where we rest from work like God did in the Creation. (Gen. 2:1-3) Then there is the Promised Land Rest that we spoke of above, which the Israelites who came out of Egypt did not enjoy, because of their disobedience in the wilderness, but which their children born in the wilderness enjoyed. They found a physical home and relief from slavery and endless wandering in the wilderness; a sort of foreshadowing of a deeper security. Then there’s the Eternal Rest, the ultimate spiritual rest. The final spiritual rest available to believers. That’s being at rest with Jesus at the end of it all.
And that rest of God is nowhere highlighted better than in Jesus’ Great Invitation, where He declares to all and sundry: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Oh my people, whatever kind of peace or rest you desire, you can find it all in one source; that’s in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; the Prince of Peace and the Giver of Rest! So there’s no need to go searching anywhere else for either peace or rest. And this lazy-day Saturday is as good a day as any to ponder what we’ve spoken about and to consider our own situations as per the peace and rest of God. Much LOVE!
…there’s nothing more important or valuable in this world…than the peace and rest of God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a renewal of faith and confidence, a song about finding strength, a soulful ballad, a spiritual source, a unique song, and lo I am with you always, beats so imperfectly, believest thou this, bondage to Satan, Christians, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, during difficult times, each restless heart, emotional weariness, empowers others to overome adversity, even unto the end of the world, faith, find rest unto your souls, finding inner strength and hope, for praise worship and thanksgiving, gentle and humble in heart, give you rest, have the light of life, he that believeth on me shall never thirst, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, holy spirit, hope, I am filled with wonder, I am still, I am strong, I am the bread of life, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way the truth and the life, I can stand on mountains, I glimpse eternity, I know my sheep and are known of mine, in the face of worldly challenges, Jesus Christ, Jesus is a Superstar, Jesus is there for us in any area we need help, Jesus will take good care of us, Jesus' yoke is filled with mercy and grace, join other believers in the Lord's sancturary, Josh Groban, learn of me, long holiday weekend, LOVE, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, most important action, my heart burdened be, my soul so weary, no life without its hunger, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, numerous festivities taking place, perseverance, reach your full potential, salvation, Secret Garden, sinful darkness, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, that action under our belt, the BIBLE, the first Sunday in August, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the gospel truth, the great invitation, the light of the world, the love and guidance of God, the presence of a loving you, the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the sacrifice of Jesus, the support of another person, though he were dead yet shall he live, to be more than I can be, to walk on stormy seas, truth, until you come and sit awhile with me, wait here in silence, when I am down, when I am on your shoulders, when troubles come, when you come, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, wisdom, You Raise Me Up
Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 August 2026 Matthew 28:20b.
Matthew 28:20b. …and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Oh my people, on this first Sunday in August, although the rain is trying to create some unnecessary havoc, with the long holiday weekend in progress, and the numerous festivities taking place, let’s not forget the most important action we need to take; that’s joining other believers in the Lord’s sanctuary for praise, worship and thanksgiving. For without that action under our belt, the upcoming week will not be as easy to handle, for our faith and confidence would not have received its weekly renewal. (smile)
And to help us do that this week, we have a wonderful song to sing; one that all of us know and LOVE; one simply titled, ‘You Raise Me up.’ It’s a song originally recorded in 2001 by the duo Secret Garden with singer Brian Kennedy, but was made famous worldwide by Josh Groban in 2003. And it’s one of those unique songs that speak to all of us in one way or another, so let’s not delay any longer, and offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful ballad, a scintillating, heartfelt version.
Singing: ‘When I am down and oh, my soul so weary When troubles come and my heart burdened be Then I am still and wait here in the silence Until You come and sit awhile with me (Chorus: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be.)
There is no life, no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly But when You come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity You raise me up so I can stand on mountains (You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains) You raise me up to walk on stormy seas (Walk on stormy seas) And I am strong when I am on Your shoulders Oh, you raise me up to more than I can be You raise me up to more than I can be.’
That was wonderful friends! And though the song is not a recognized hymn, it does have many of the qualities that most hymns have. It’s like this Overview explains. ‘”You Raise Me Up” is an inspiring ballad about finding strength, hope, and perseverance through the support of another person, often interpreted as God or a spiritual source, especially during difficult times. The lyrics describe a person’s emotional weariness and how the presence of a LOVING “you” empowers them to overcome adversity, “stand on mountains,” “walk on stormy seas,” and achieve more than they could alone.’
And isn’t that the gospel truth! We could not find our way in this life without the awesome LOVE and guidance of our wonderful God, through the sacrifice of His sinless Son, Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and then the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit within us to help lead and guide us along the straight and narrow path! And we discover that situation, right in the very first verse, where troubles burden us, and we sit in silence waiting until that special someone comes to sit with us.
Who’s that special someone eh? No one but Jesus, as He offers His Great Invitation to all who are burdened and weary. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Yes friends, Jesus’ yoke is indeed light, for it’s not as heavy as the yoke that the Rabbis of old, placed on their followers, with the numerous laws that no sinful human could ever keep properly. Instead, Jesus’ yoke is light and unencumbered, because it’s filled with mercy and grace. That makes Him the best One to provide comfort and support and lift you up when you are hurting.
And if as they say, the song is about finding inner strength and hope in the face of worldly challenges, He is indeed the One most able to provide those things. And if you’re also looking for someone to support you, so that you can reach your full potential, and even greater, then Jesus is again the One you need. For lets’ look at all the things He is and does.
In the first place, He claims: ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 8:35) He is the bread that gives spiritual and eternal life. Then He claims: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) That means Jesus won’t allow you to be pressured into or remain in the sinful darkness and bondage that Satan delights in keeping those who follow him.
Then again, as Jesus says to Martha, Lazarus’ sister: ‘I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’’ (John 11:25-26) Now that’s a good question for all of us to seriously ponder. Then there’s this claim, where Jesus says to the disciple Thomas, and consequently to all of us: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) So nobody can get to Father God, but through belief in His Son Jesus Christ.
Then last, but by no means last, Jesus claims: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:11&14) And we all know what a good shepherd does- take good care of the sheep in his flock. Therefore, if we put our trust in Jesus, He will take good care of us. In fact, all those ‘I am’ statements were to show us how unique and all-encompassing is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In any area in which we need help, He is always there for us. As he says at the end of the Great Commission: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b)
Now how can you beat that eh? You simply cannot, for Jesus is a Superstar; the One and only One in the universe. That means we can rest assured in all areas of our lives, if we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Let’s hope you do. Much LOVE!
…Jesus can raise us up from any state or trouble…in which we find ourselves…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deficiency causes a clear adverse outcome, a misguided heart, a need is something that's necessary to sustain life, a want is a desire wish or aspiration, all fall down, bowing here, cling to God, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, congregate in the Lord's sanctuary, consider all the blessings we have, dysfunction, eternal death, exciting, faith, fellowship, find grace to help in time of need, find rest unto your souls, find true rest and direction, gentle and humble in heart, God goodness and mercy, God's largesse, hard, headed straight for hell fire and damnation, Holiness is Christ in me, holy spirit, I confess, I find my rest, I need you every hour, I will call upon the Lord, I will give you rest, I will love thee O lord my strength, I'll fall on you Jesus, in whom I will trust, Jesus Christ, Jesus is more than sufficient for all our needs, Jesus is our be all and end all, joy filled, learn from me, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, Lord I come, Lord I need you, LOVE, makes me wan to worship, Matt Maher, meek and lowly in heart, my buckler, my burden is light, my deliverer, my god, my high tower, my one defense, my righteousness, my shield, my stronghold, my yoke is easy, O God how I need you, obtain mercy, on the right hand of God, painful, run to God, salvation, saved from mine enemies, song of worship, Sunday, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, teach my song to rise to you, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, the delicious truth, the first day of the week, the horn of my salvation, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, the throne of grace, the undeserving children of men, there is no other God like our God Jehovah, this evil and ungodly society, time of need, total reliance on God, trust God with everything we're going through, truth, we cannot make it on our own, we need God every minute, we need God in every situation in our lives, we need the Lord's saving grace, when I cannot stand, when temptation comes my way, where grace is found is where you are, where sin runs deep, where you are Lord I am free, wisdom, without you I fall apart, worthy to be praised, you're my hope and stay, you're the one that guides my heart, your grace is more
Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 July 2026 Matthew 11:28.
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
It’s the first day of the week my fellow believers! Sunday! The day we congregate in the Lord’s sanctuary to celebrate His sovereignty as one joyful body, to offer up praise and thanksgiving for His mercy and goodness to us undeserving children of men. For without His largesse, we’d have no chance whatsoever of escaping eternal death.
And today’s song of worship is one that shows our total reliance on our Creator. It’s a 2011 contemporary Christian song by Matt Maher, most appropriately titled `Lord I Need You. So, without further ado, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, lively and uplifting version, as per the Brookly Tabernacle Choir.
Singing: ‘Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart (Chorus: Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You) Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord I am free Holiness is Christ in me (Chorus)
So teach my song to rise to You When temptation comes my way And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You Jesus, You’re my hope and stay (Chorus. Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You You’re my one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You!’
And isn’t that the delicious truth! We desperately need the Lord’s saving grace, mercy, salvation, and all the other good things He has to offer, for we simply cannot make it on our own! But before we get into the specifics of the song, I think we should clarify what we mean by a need. And this commentary gives us a good basis on which to begin.
It says: ‘A need is something that is necessary for an organism to live a healthy life. Needs are distinguished from wants in that, in the case of a need, a deficiency causes a clear adverse outcome: a dysfunction or death. In other words, a need is something required for a safe, stable and healthy life (e.g. food, water, shelter), while a want is a desire, wish, or aspiration.’
From that explanation, we can deduce that needs are ever so necessary in a human’s life, and most, if not all of them can only be met by or obtained through God’s goodness, grace and mercy! Just look at the first verse: ‘‘Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart.’ Now where else can you find true rest and direction for an unsure or misguided heart eh? Nowhere else but in and through Jesus!
As He says in His Great Invitation: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11: 28-30) Now that’s Jesus satisfying a couple of our most basic needs; rest and relief from heavy burdens. No one else can do that like He does.
Then look at the chorus: ‘Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You).’ And if that isn’t the gospel truth, then I don’t know what is! And in this evil and ungodly society that seems to be getting worse with each passing day, do we ever need the Lord. Not only every hour but also every minute, because life is passing by so swiftly, if He isn’t with us all the time then all fall down.
And the chorus most rightly terms the Lord, ‘our one defense,’ which Bruh David clearly states in Psalm 18 – A Call for God’s Deliverance, when he confidently declares: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength (rock), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3)
It could not be said more clearly than that my people! And we know that Bruh David was talking there from personal experience and not simple hearsay. Then this verse tells us: ‘Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord I am free Holiness is Christ in me.’
And where do we find grace, but at the throne of grace! As the author of Hebrews so rightly informs us: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) And if we find grace where Jesus is, then Jesus must in heaven, as Peter says: ‘Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.’ (1 Pet. 3:22)
Yes my fellow believers, as I keep on saying, Jesus is our End All and Be All; without Him we’re completely lost, headed straight for hell fire and damnation, but with Him in our lives, we don’t need anything or anyone else, for He is more than sufficient for all our needs!
And we’ll close with a couple of testimonies on the song. The first one says: ‘God is ALL that we need. That’s what He wants from us. For us to run to Him, cling to Him and trust Him with everything we’re going through. Whether it’s painful and hard, or joy filled and exciting! We need Him!’ Don’t we know it!
And the second testimony declares: ‘This is a very beautiful song.it makes me look at God and see how much I need him in every situation in my life. It makes me want to worship every time I sing it. It surely is a blessing.’ What an awesome truth! And with that truth declared, I think we should spend some time today considering all the blessings we have, by having Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour! Much LOVE!
…what a great God we serve…there is no other like Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future we can neither imagine or comprehend, April showers bring May flowers, attest to those sentiments, by the grace of God, can't take another step, catch our second wind, christianity, Christians, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, endure to the end with Jesus, even the youths shall faint and be weary, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, faithful believers in Christ, feel like a millon dollars, feel quite bankrupt, find rest unto your souls, gentle and humble in heart, gently led me through it, God held my hand, God I come to you in thanks, God is with us every step of the way, God strengthens all who come to Him with sincere pleas, halfway home, handled the situation, hands on the plough, hast htou not known hast thou not heard, he gives power to the weak, He giveth power to the faint, help me go on, his commandments are not burdensome, his commandments are not grievous, holy spirit, I am meek and lowly in heart, I came not to call the righteous, I will give you rest, I've has many cloudy days, In Touch Organzation, in your strength God, Jesus Christ, keep on keeping on, leap along the toughest path, learn of me, let God's strength surprise you, LOVE, mercy, moment by moment, mount up with wings as eagles, my path is long and tiring, my yoke is easy and my burden light, no searching of his understanding, not looking back at the past, not turning back, only Jesus has the power to make such an offer, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, Prayer Cards from IN Touch Ministries, problems seem to grind on endlessly, put one foot in front of the other, refreshes me for each new day, regardless of the circumstances, rest assured, run and not be weary, run the deepest valley, salvation, so glad to be alive, take my yoke upon you, thank God, thank you for your great love, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Creator of the ends of the earth, the great invitation, the Lord fainteth not neither is weary, the Lord never lets' you go through anything alone, the Lord reaches down and enables us, the young men shall utterly fall, they that are whole need not a physician but they that are sick, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, this is the love of God, to a glorious future with Jesus, to call sinners to repentance, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, truth, walk and not faint, we keep His commandments, we need patience and endurance for the long fight ahead, Weariness prayer card, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, you give me strength, you keep hope alive in my heart, you're there to hold me up
Isaiah 40:29. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Well friends, on this rainy and cloudy Wednesday morning, when we’re catching our second wind, we’re also halfway through the month of April. And let’s hope that the saying about April showers bringing May flowers, is true, because we seem to be getting a fair amount of rain everyday this week. But yuh know what, we’ll take the rain over the white precipitation any day. Thankfully too, we don’t have to think about that for at least another six months. (smile)
Anyway, today we’re going to look at one of the Theme Cards published by the In Touch Organization last year, a few of which I’ve already shared. Today’s theme is ‘Weariness.’ And it’s rather appropriate, because it’s a sad fact that many of us all over the globe are indeed weary, for one reason or another, with my name at the top of the list, for I’m just tired of all the sickness I’ve been undergoing for the last few months, where as soon I’ve dealt with one thing, something else crops us. But as faithful believers is Christ Jesus, we have to keep on keeping on as best we can, regardless of the circumstances.
So please read with me the prayer on today’s ‘Weariness’ card. ‘God, I come to You in thanks, because You give me strength. Sometimes I feel I can’t take another step. But when problems seem to grind on endlessly, You’re there to hold me up. When my path is long and tiring, help me go on. Though I’ve had many cloudy days, You keep hope alive in my heart. In Your strength, God, I can run the deepest valley and leap along the toughest path. Thank You for your great LOVE that refreshes me for each new day. Amen!’
Yes friends I can attest to those sentiments, because it was only by the grace of God that I handled the situation, and am still handling it, (smile) especially when in the early stages the medical people could not figure out exactly what was wrong with me, which forced me to make more visits to the hospital than I desired. But the saying that the Lord never let’s you go through anything alone is oh so true. And everyday I endured the unfortunate tiredness and pain, He held my hand and gently led me through it.
And if I ever had any doubts about His goodness and mercy, I certainly don’t have any now, for without His strength I could not have made it… and He’s still here with me, because I’m not completely out of the woods as yet. Some days I feel like a million dollars, others I feel quite bankrupt. (smile) And I’m sure many of you also have that same testimony, because He doesn’t only strengthen certain people, but all who come to Him with sincere and heartfelt pleas. And the scripture for today’s ‘Weariness’ card comes from that famous passage of Isaiah on weariness. Let’s read it together and use it renew our strength today.
Isaiah starts out by querying: ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28:31)
And that’s no lie friends, for many of us can attest to such testimony, as when we thought we could not even put one more foot in front of the other, the Lord reached down and enabled us to go the whole distance we needed to go! For that’s the kind of God He is! The God of the poor, the weary, the lost, the helpless, the abused and the underprivileged! And yes, He’s also the God of the strong, the healthy and the rich! But it’s like when the Pharisees complained to the disciples about Jesus eating with the publicans (tax collectors) Jesus heard their disparaging remarks and then informed them: ‘They that are whole (healthy) need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ (Luke 5:31-32)
That’s why the Lord is so interested in the weary, the tired and downtrodden. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Jesus as He offers what we call the Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly (gentle and humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Oh my brethren, where you can get a better offer than that eh? Nowhere! For Jesus is the ONLY ONE who is able to make such an exciting, promising offer and back it up with His awesome power! And I like how John corroborates Jesus’ last verse there with this one from his first epistle. ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome).’ (1 John 5:3) Yes friends, Jesus’ commandments are not burdensome, but they do need patience and endurance for the long fight some of us might have to endure, and we can rest assured that He will be with us, every step of the tiring, weary way.
Now, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then we’re promised a future so glorious that we can neither imagine or comprehend it. Now, I’d say that’s a very good reason to stick it out to the very end…wouldn’t you! Much LOVE!
…let God’s strength surprise you…moment by moment… (the postscript from the ‘Weariness’ prayer card.)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
