30 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abominable transgressions, alive and kicking, all the gods of the nations are idols, and on my worst, as far as the east is from the west, as the heaven is high above the earth, believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, divine aid, every hour you watch over me, eyes have they but they see not, faith, Father You see me on my best days, Friday chant, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, give our leaders wise guidance, God commendeth his love toward us, God demonstrated his LOVE for us.', God gives us new grace and mercy every morning, God is LOVE, God so loved the world, God's generous help, God's heartfelt love and compassion for humanity, great is thy faithfulness, have ears but hear not, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he hath not dealt with us after our sins, he the loveth not knoweth not God, help us to be responsible, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, human flaw, I want my life to show others the great love you shown me, in Jesus' name, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, neither is there any breath in their mouths, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffe, plenteous in mercy, real love and compassion, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, rewarded us according to our iniquities, salvation, scriptures that proclaim God's undying love for man, serious problems are escalating, slow to anger, smell it sweet and strong, so far hath he removed our transgressions, so great is his mercy to them that fear him, stand strong and steadfast, take time from our busy schedules to communicate with God, teach me to reflect your faithfulness, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the beginning of the weekend, the breath of life only comes from God, the gifts of salvation and eternal life, the gospel truth, the idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the joyful shout, the judgemental hand of God, the Lord is merciful and gracious, the Lord made the heavens, the prayer from the October In Touch Devotional, the supreme sacrifice of both Father and Son, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, the work of men's hands, therefore have I hope, they are new every morning, they have mouths but speak not, this I recall to mind, to handle these unexpected storms properly, trusting faith, truth, two dyas to do what we want, unconditional LOVE, went up to heaven, what a wonderful God we serve, when I stumble you don't condemn me, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, wisdom, with your omnipotent help, worthwhile ambassadors for Christ, you love me the same through it all, you reach out your hand and lift me up, you see my victories and my failures
Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 October 2026 John 3:16.
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.’
‘It’s Friday, it’s Friday! TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Yes mih bredrin, that was the joyful shout that went up to heaven from numerous workers this last Friday morning in October 2026. And why not eh? We’re alive and kicking, it’s a warm, sunshiny, autumn day, and much to our surprise, the cold weather has not seriously weighed in on us as yet. And above all, it’s the beginning of the weekend, when we get two whole days to do whatever we want to do, not what some fuddy-duddy old boss tells us to do! No wonder we’re so excited that it’s Friday! (smile)
Anyhow, despite all the happiness we’re currently experiencing, we still need to take some time from our busy schedules to communicate with Almighty God, our Creator and Controller. And today we’ll do that through the prayer from the October In Touch Devotional. So please pray with me: ‘Father, You see me on my best days – and on my worst. And You LOVE me the same through it all. Every hour You watch over me. You see my victories and my failures. When I stumble, You don’t condemn me. You reach out Your hand and lift me up. Teach me to reflect Your faithfulness. I want my life to show others the great LOVE You’ve shown me. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
What a wonderful God we serve my fellow believers! He’s constantly watching over us, so He knows all about us; both the good and the bad, but yet He still LOVES us with a fiery, undeniable, unalterable LOVE! And there are so many scriptures that proclaim God’s undying LOVE for us, that we can spend the whole day looking at them, and still not cover them all. (smile) But let’s cover a few of the more well known ones, to stir up our own LOVE. And I have to put my favourite here first, as stated in the words of Bruh Paul. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)
Now if that doesn’t show real LOVE and compassion, I don’t know what does. As one overviews explains: ‘It highlights unconditional LOVE given even before human flaw was removed.’ And that’s the gospel truth, because the Lord didn’t wait for us to become as sin free as possible under our own strength, He went right ahead and gave us the opportunity to do so through His awesome LOVE and power. That brings us to this next awesome scripture that emphasizes God’s great LOVE for His human creation.
Words from the mouth of Jesus Himself, the one who put the Father’s amazing LOVE into action. He said to Nicodemus the Jewish leader who came to him by night seeking answers. ‘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.’ (John 3:16) Ah friends, that shows the supreme sacrifice of both the Father and the Son, who were willing to forego their own pleasure to enable us to have the gifts of salvation and eternal life.
Now it could be nothing else but LOVE that caused them to make such an amazing, very much needed sacrifice. For as John says in his first epistle: ‘He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE.’ (1 John 4:8) And that’s the glorious truth! If you don’t know LOVE, you cannot know God, because that’s His major attribute! Now listen to these verses which show that although we are not perfect and make mistakes, ofttimes too many unnecessary ones, the Lord doesn’t denigrate or belittle us for them, but instead helps us to get up and do better the next time around.
The prophet Jeremiah, remembering the tough times he faced under the judgemental hand of God, (Jer. 3:1-20) solemnly declares in his Lamentations. ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 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.’ (Lam. 3:21-23) Yes friends, if the Lord so desired, He could wipe us out every day for our abominable transgressions, but because of His compassion and overwhelming faithfulness, we’re still around. Instead, He gives us new grace, and mercy ever morning that we are alive.
As Bruh David says in Psalm 103: ‘The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS)… 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-KIDNESS) toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.’ (Ps. 103:8, 10-12) Wow! What other God have you ever heard about that’s so generous to his subjects like ours eh?
There’s none! For as the psalmist says in Psalm 96 – God’s Greatness: ‘For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.’ (Ps. 96:5) That’s for sure! And as it so rightly says in Psalm 135 -Praise the Lord. ‘The idols (gods) of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.’ (Ps. 135: 15-17) And how could they ever have breath eh, when they are made by human hands, and the breath of life ONLY comes from Jehovah God?
And although many of us desire to show or reflect that amazing faithfulness of God in our lives, it’s not an easy task, but we can certainly do better than we’re currently doing, by going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, for divine aid to do it. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land.
So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now, please note that it’s not only the heathen, but also we believers, who need to wake up and smell the coffee, if we want to be worthwhile witnesses and ambassadors for Christ! Much LOVE!
…there is nothing greater in this world…than God’s heartfelt LOVE and compassion for humanity…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: as I have seen in the sanctuary, be renewed and refreshed, because thou hast been my help, become too self-righteous, blessed is the man that trusteth in him, Christians, dark clouds fighting the sunshine for supremacy, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, delivered me from all my fears, despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, early will I seek thee, encampeth round about them that fear him, endure the trials and tribulations of this world, eternal life, faith, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, give our leaders the wise guidance, glorifying our heavenly Father, God delivers them, God is a refuge for us, God's omnipotent help, help us to be responsible, his praise shall continually be in my mouth, holy spirit, hope thou in God, I shall yet praise him, I sought the Lord and he heard me, I will bless the Lord at all times, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, in all sincerity and truth, In God is my salvation and my glory, in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ will eventually reign supreme, Jesus is the best thing that's ever happened to mankind, let us exalt His name together, lift up my hands in thy name, LOVE, meditate on thee in the night watches, mercy, my flesh longeth for thee, my lips shall praise thee, my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, my refuge is in God, my soul followeth hard after thee, my soul shall be satisfied, my soul shall make her boast in the Lord, my soul thirsteth for thee, O God thou art my God, o magnify the Lord with me, O taste and see that the Lord is good, O thou that hearest prayer, our serious problems are escalating, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffe, our witness for Christ has been unsatisfactory, pour out your heart before him, praise the Lord for His goodness to the children of men, remember thee upon my bed, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, saved him out of all his troubles, Selah, so have I looked for thee, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the angel of the Lord, the BIBLE, the fool says in his heart there is no God, the good example that we your faithful believers set, the health of my countenance and my God, the humble shall hear thereof and be glad, the living truth, the Lord heard him, the rock of my strength, the sacrifice of Jesus, the sunshine will eventually reign supreme, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, the wise man continually seeks god, their faces were not ashamed, they looked unto him and were lightened, they were radiant, this poor man cried, thus will I bless thee while I live, thy loving-kindness is better than life, thy right hand upholdeth me, time to wake up and do better, to handle these unexpected storms properly, to see thy power and thy glory, tough and turbulent times, trust him at all times, trusting faith, truth, unto thee shall all flesh come, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with marrow and fatness, with your generous help
Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 October 2026 Psalm 34:8.
Psalm 34:8. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
And then it was Friday, the day we all look forward to, so we can send up our Friday Mantra to high heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Unfortunately though, today is not as bright and sunshiny as the last few days, because there are some dark clouds fighting the sunshine for supremacy, but we are not perturbed or concerned, because we all believe that the sunshine, like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will eventually reign supreme. (smile)
And all God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord God Almighty for His goodness to the children of men, so generously giving us His Only Son Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Saviour!’ And my faithful brethren, that’s the best thing that’s ever happened to mankind, because it’s only through the sacrifice, strength and grace of Christ that we can endure the trials and tribulations of this evil and ungodly world, and then with salvation, enter eternal life with Him. That means Jesus deserves all the praise, honour and glory we can ever bestow on Him, for He’s definitely earned it several times over!
And that’s why these verses from various psalms encourage us to turn to God in each and every situation. Like this one from Psalm 42, when sadness fills our hearts, and the Sons of Korah question: ‘Why art thou cast (bowed) down, O my soul? why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health (help, salvation) of my countenance, and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11) Turning to God in times of sorrow, certainly lifts our spirits.
Then listen to these verses from Psalm 62, as Bruh David confidently announces: ‘In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust him at all times; ye people, pour our your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62: 7-8) And isn’t that the glorious truth? It certainly is! Therefore, Bruh David could also say in Psalm 63, when he was in the wilderness of Judah, running from his enemies: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary (so have I looked for thee). Because thy LOVING-KINDNESS is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard (close) after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.’ (Ps. 63:1-8)
Oh my people, can we long for the Lord and sing His praises so confidently if we were hiding out in a dry and thirsty land? I doubt it. We can’t even do it when we have all the advantages of this easy life, so how will we when we don’t have them eh? Or is it because we have all these advantages that we believe there’s no need to long for God and praise Him, but when we are disadvantaged we will be quick to seek Him? Either way friends, we ought to long for God, to seek and praise Him! As Bruh David says in Psalm 65: ‘O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.’ (Ps; 65:2)
And that’s how it ought to be. As we see in Psalm 34,where Bruh David ardently declares: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened (radiant): and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.’ (Ps. 34: 1-8)
Now that’s the living truth my people! But the problem is you’ll never know it, unless you turn to the Lord in all sincerity and truth and discover the truth of those words for yourself. And to help us do just that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant for divine aid in these tough and turbulent times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them.
Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And before we get too self-righteous, let’s understand that we believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, strong and sweet, because our witness for Christ so far has been rather unsatisfactory, and it’s one of the reasons why our world is in such an angry and strife-filled state. So it’s high time we wake up and do better! Much LOVE!
…the wise man continually seeks God…while the fool says in his heart…there is no God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cry for help, a long weekend, according to His abundant mercy, amidst all the anxiety and confusion, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, another beautiful autumn day, as good as some but better than many, be able to comfort them which are in trouble, be joyful O earth, better than an ox or bullock, blessed be God, blossomed up to heaven, break forth in singing O mountains, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, come into deep waters, covered on all sides by our wonderful God, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, divine aid, don't let your hair down too much, end of sermon, faith, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, give our leaders wise guidance, God will have mercy on the afflicted, God will save Zion, God's omnipotent help, God's generous help, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, help us to be responsible, holy spirit, horns and hoofs, I am poor and sorrowful, Jesus Christ, keep our faith strong, kept by the power of God, let the heaven and earth praise him, let thy salvation O God, LOVE, mercy, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God, my throat is dried, neck deep in problems, no leaves fell off the trees, no need to worry, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, our trusting faith, preparation for the upcoming celebrations, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, requirements of our daily walk with christ, reserved in heaven for you, salvation, save me O God, serious problems are escalating, set me up on high, sing o heavens, sink in deep mire, stand strong and steadfast, tall trees caught up in an exhilarating dance with the wind, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that fadeth not away, that's when serious problems occur, the crazy moments of the dance, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the floods overflow me, the God of All Comfort, the good example that we your faithful believers set, the gospel truth, the humble shall see this and be glad, the Lord hath comforted his people, the Lord hears the poor, the only one who can solve our problems, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the seas and everything that moves therein, the seed of his servants shall inherit it, the strong wind that's cavorting through the area, the throne of grace, the trees endured the dance quite well, the trees stood resilient, the waters are come in unto my soul, the weekend is here at last, they that love his name shall dwell therein, through faith unto salvation, to be revealed in the last time, too comfortable Christians, truth, underperfoming Christians, unexpected storms, ungodly times, we're never short of mercy or comfort, weary of my crying, where there is no standing, who comforts us in all our tribulation, who gives us life and health, wisdom, won't concentrate on our hurts, your heart shall live that seek God
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 October 2026 Psalm 69:30.
Psalm 69:30. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Oh my people, it’s another beautiful, sunshiny autumn day in my neighbourhood, though with seemingly a little less heat from the sun, (smile) possibly caused by the strong wind that’s again cavorting through the area. But surprisingly, I just watched some tall trees in my neighbour’s backyard caught up in an exhilarating dance with the wind, however they endured it quite well, with no leaves dropping off in the crazy moments of the dance. The trees stood resilient, like we believers in Christ ought to stand when strong provocation and temptation from the enemy comes our way.
And is this kind of weather ever so welcome as we celebrate our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Yes, this is the big weekend of thanks in our wonderful country of Canada. We’re not perfect, possibly as good as some, but certainly better than many. No wonder our Friday Mantra blossomed like it did up to heaven earlier this morning. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at long last!’ And a long weekend to boot! So you know the busyness that’s taking place in preparation for all the upcoming celebrations. And I would be amiss if I didn’t warn us to be careful in those celebrations, don’t let our hair down too much, because that’s when serious problems occur. End of sermon! (smile)
Now what does the Lord want us to talk about today? Well the Good Book opened at Psalm 69, Bruh David’s cry for help: ‘Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (neck). I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.’ (Ps. 69:1-3) Yes my fellow believers, many of us are now in a situation like Bruh David was back then, but we won’t concentrate our hurts today, no, not on this Thanksgiving weekend.
Instead, we’ll go to the end of the psalm where Bruh David, despite his sad and sorry state, decides to offer thanksgiving and praise to our great God. He solemnly declares: ‘But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed (descendants) also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that LOVE his name shall dwell therein.’ (Ps. 69: 29-36)
Yes friends, though we are neck deep in problems, we must never forget our great God who gives us life and health and the many other benefits we enjoy, and who oftentimes is the only One who can solve our problems. Thus, thanks and praise are necessary requirements of our daily walk with Christ. And on this Thanksgiving weekend when the world is in such a topsy-turvy state, with strife, hate and anger being so prevalent, it’s of the utmost importance that we give thanks and praise to our Creator. It’s like the prophet Isaiah said so long ago to his people Israel. ‘Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on the afflicted.’ (Is. 49:13)
And that’s the gospel truth my faithful brethren! Our God will indeed be merciful and comfort us in time of need, because, as Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians in his second letter. ‘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) Meaning that God is not only merciful, but also comforts us, and furthermore, enables us to comfort others with that same comfort He bestows on us. So we’re never really short of mercy or comfort.
And, as Peter in his wisdom reminds us: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-5) That means, though we suffer tribulation in this evil and ungodly world, we’re covered on all sides by our wonderful God, and there’s no need to worry, but let our faith keep us strong.
And for divine aid to do that, let’s go confidently, but humbly to the throne of grace. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now, let’s remember that it’s not only the ungodly who need to wake up and smell the coffee, but also we underperforming, too comfortable Christians! Much LOVE!
…thanks and praise are essential…in our walk with God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a personal relationship with jesus, all was futility, all was vanity, be renewed and refreshed, christianity, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, don't get too carried away, earthly pleasures leave us unfulfilled, eternal life, eternal sustenance and provision, faith, fame, fear God and keep his commandments, finding no real satisfaction, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, generous help, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, give our leaders the wise guidance, give unto him that is thirsty, God is the goal or aim of all things, God is the the origin and source of all things, God shall bring every work into judgement, God's eternal purpose has now been accomplished, grasping for the wind, great disappointment, he shall be my son, he that overcometh shall inherit all things, help us to be responsible, holy spirit, I am the Alpha and Omega, I was great, I will be his God, in these two short days off, increased more than all that were before me, inherit all that belongs to him as a son of God, it is done, Jesus Christ, looked on all the works my hands had wrought, Lord we desperately need your help, LOVE, mercy, my heart rejoiced in all my labour, my reward from all my labour, my wisdom remained with me, no earthly pleasure satisfies forever, no profit under the sun, of the fountain of the water of life freely, omnipotent help, only heavenly pleasures endure forever, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffe, our supposed holiness and righteousness, our witness for Christ is not good enough, poignant testimony, problems escalating, pursued fulfillment through pleasure, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, seeking enduring fulfillment from earthly pleasures, smell it sweet and strong, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the beginning and the end, the BIBLE, the complete package, the entirety of something, the eternal purpose of God, the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet, the good example that we your faithful believers set, the labour that I had laboured to do, the Lord is the beginning and end of everything, the one who has genuine saving persevering faith, the only lasting satisfaction is, the Preacher, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, the whole duty of man, the whole of something, the wisest man of all time, things to look forward to, to gather a holy devoted people for Himself, to handle these unexpected storms properly, trustung faith, truth, vexation of spirit, what profit hath a man from all his labour, whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, whether it be evil, whether it be good, which he taketh under the sun, wisdom, with every secret thing, withheld not my heart from any joy
Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 August 2026 Ecclesiastes 12:13.
Ecclesiastes 12:13. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
And I can just imagine the joyful shouts of our Friday Mantra that went up to heaven this beautiful Friday morning: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at long last!’ Yes, the weekend is one of the few promising things we have to look forward to throughout our long years of labouring under the sun. As Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes puts it: ‘What profit hath a man of (from) all his labour which he taketh (toils or labours) under the sun?’ (Eccl. 1:3) And that’s a very good question, which he proceeded to find an answer to by using his wealth and wisdom to build and plant and have all the nicest things possible.
As he says later on: ‘So I was great, and increased (excelled) more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy (pleasure); for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of (reward from) all my labour.’ (Eccl. 2:9-10) Wow! Can you imagine the things Cousin Sol did in search of enjoyment and pleasure and finding out the destiny of man!
And what did all of that seeking prove? Cousin Sol says in great disappointment: ‘Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured (toiled) to do: and behold all was vanity (futility) and vexation of spirit (a grasping for the wind), and there was no profit under the sun.’ (Eccl. 2:11) Ah friends how sorrowful that must be, doing all those things and in the end finding no real satisfaction. It’s as the scholars say: ‘Solomon pursued fulfillment through pleasure, wine, great works, wealth, aesthetic and artistic pleasures and fame. (Eccl. 2:1-9) All of these failed to bring lasting satisfaction to the wisest man of all time, yet people three thousand years later are still trying them in search of enduring fulfillment.’
And so we foolishly are! But the important word in it all my brethren is ‘enduring.’ No pleasure of this world can satisfy us forever. The only thing that can bring true and lasting satisfaction is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because that lasts forever and provides salvation and eternal life! Now those are the two most important things our human soul requires, because when our bodies die, we leave everything of the world behind, except Jesus Christ. And that’s guaranteed in this promise Jesus made to John in Revelation.
‘And he (Jesus) said unto me, It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst (thirsty) of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.’ (Rev. 21:6-7) And what does all of the mean? Per the scholars: ‘It is done: The eternal purpose of God to gather a holy, devoted people for Himself has now been accomplished.’
And as per Alpha and Omega, this overview explains it thus: ‘The phrase “alpha and omega” means the beginning and the end. Alpha is the first letter and omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Used together, they describe the whole of something, meaning the complete package, the entirety, or “from A to Z”. Therefore the Lord is the Beginning and End of everything.
As the scholars declare: ‘Beginning means God is the origin and source of all things (cf. Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12). End means He is also the goal or aim of all things (cf. Rom. 10:4) The water of life represents eternal sustenance and provision (cf. Rev. 22:1; Ps. 36:9; Is. 55:1; Jer. 2:13; John 4:14) available freely by faith (Rev. 22:17). He that overcometh is the one who has genuine, saving, persevering faith (cf. Rev. 2:11; 3:5; 1 John 5:4-5) He will inherit all that belongs to the him as a son of God (cf. John 1:12; Rom. 8:16-17; Gal. 3:29; 4:7).’
Now that’s certainly a lot of scriptures to look up, but if you truly want to understand what we’ve read, then I strongly advise you take the time and look them up. I just did, making the Bit even later than it already was, (smile) and I was surprised at how they dovetailed nicely with what is said in Revelation. But getting back to Cousin Sol and his search for fulfillment in earthly pleasures, we find him showing why he was considered the wisest man ever, that is before he turned away from the God of his forefathers, married numerous foreign wives and began worshipping their foreign gods.
His wise and poignant testimony still stands, as he says; ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ (Eccl. 12:13-14) No wiser words can be spoken than those my people! And for our information, Deuteronomy 6:2; 10:12, and Micah 6:8, also detail that our bounden duty is to serve the Lord. So in our somewhat unsuccessful efforts to do our duty, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid to help us do better..
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now my fellow believers, let’s not get too carried away with our supposed holiness and righteousness, because we also need to wake up and smell the coffee, since our witness for Christ is not as good as it ought to be! Much LOVE!
…life’s earthly pleasures leave us unfulfilled…but those of heaven endure forever…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a splendiferous weekend, addicition, alcoholism has both physical and psychological effects, allow things to get out of hand, an uncontrollable urge, arouses brawling, at the last, be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, be filled with the Spirit, be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, behold strange things, booze, brown girl in the bottle, by the good example we your faithful believers set, Caribana weekend, Christians, Civic holiday, criminal activity, death-provoking waters, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, delusion, divine aid, enslavement, excess libation, exercise a modicum of circumspection, faith, fallen into similar traps, family upheaval, firewater, Friday chant, further your glorious kingdom, get moving for Christ, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, glorious weather, goes down smoothyly, he that lieth on the top of a mast, help the rest of us to be responsible, help those who are floundering, holy spirit, I felt it not, I was not sick, I will seek it yet again, in these trying times, intoxication doesn't count as wise living, it biteth like a serpent, Jesus Christ, look not thou upon the wine when it is red, Lord we desperately need your help, lose our sense of equilibrium, LOVE, mercy, moderate drinking, omnipotent help, our minds playing tricks on us, our sinful world, problems are escalating, Prohibition in the U.S, recreational drugs, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, seek another drink, self-control, self-discipline, sky high addictions, stand strong and steadfast, stingeth like an adder, strong drink is raging, stumbling, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the BIBLE, the intoxicating liquid, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, they have beaten me, they have stricken me, they that go to seek mixed wine, they that tarry long at the wine, thine eyes behold strange women, thine heart shall utter perverse things, to fix our problems, trusting faith, truth, unconscious wounds, unexpected storms, wake up and and smell the coffee, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright, when it sparkles in the cup, when shall I awake, who hath babbling, who hath contentions, who hath redness of eyes, who hath sorrow, who hath woe, who hath wounds without cause, whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise, wine is a mocker, wisdom, wise guidance, witness for Christ, your generous help
Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 July 2026 Ephesians 5:18.
Ephesians 5:18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation), but be filled with the Spirit;
And the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ were even more boisterous than normal because this last day of July begins the Civic Holiday long weekend with Caribana and all the other festivities taking place, in Toronto and neighbouring cities. And with the glorious weather we’ve been having over this past week, hopes are at the maximum for a splendiferous weekend!
But as always, please, let’s remember that modicum of circumspection in all our activities, because you know the dire consequences that can occur when we lose that sense of equilibrium and allow things to get out of hand. So let’s enjoy the weekend, but as Bruh Paul warned the Ephesians, ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation), but be filled with the Spirit;’ (Eph. 5:18) (smile)
And as I was chuckling at that last sentence, I was led to some more scripture that advise against excess libation. And who do you think is at the top of the list on the subject? None other than Cousin Sol, the wisest and richest man ever, who had many opportunities to test his theories. In chapter 20 of Proverbs, he solemnly declares: ‘Wine is a mocker, strong (intoxicating) drink is raging (arouses brawling): and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.’ (Prov. 20:1) Yes friends, wine is indeed a mocker because it deceives those who imbibe it, and that doesn’t count as wise living.
But the passage I like on the subject is this from Proverbs 23, where Cousin Sol really gets into it. He says: ‘Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry (linger) long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour (sparkles) in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (goes down smoothly). At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder (viper).Thine eyes behold strange women (strange things), and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick (hurt); they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it (another drink) yet again.’ (Prov. 23:29-35) And does Cousin Sol ever know what he’s talking about, for any of us who has imbibed too much have fallen into similar traps, with our minds playing tricks on us, because that’s how alcohol affects the human body.
And the scholars offer these explanations of the passage. ‘Six rhetorical questions drive home the fact that alcoholism has both physical and psychological effects (vs.29) These effects are further specified: physical and psychological poisoning (vs.32); delusion (vs.33, strange women should be translated “strange things”); stumbling (vs.34); unconscious wounds (vs.35a)); and enslavement (35b).’ That last one we would now couch in nicer terms, calling it ‘addiction’ rather than ‘enslavement’, but the effects are all the same, a very strong, uncontrollable urge to imbibe the dangerous liquid.
And the sad part is that alcohol has become one of the biggest businesses in our society today, with the resultant addictions running sky high. Unfortunately too, it’s the source of much family and relational upheaval, as well as criminal activity, both in an attempt to get the alcohol or to get funds to purchase it. It’s one of the worse products that our society produces and embraces, but it also brings great wealth and fortune to those who produce and sell it. And nothing’s wrong with a drink of alcohol now and then, but the problem is that many of us don’t have the self-control or self-discipline to moderate ourselves when imbibing it, so we go on imbibing until it’s too late.
And what’s the first question we’re asked when we visit somebody: ‘Yuh want a drink?’ Ah mih people, firewater, the brown girl in the bottle, booze, and the many other names by which we call it, is the devil’s own concoction, for I’ve seen family and friends reduced to absolutely nothing by being addicted to the drink. And there’s nothing sadder than seeing a well-educated, once prosperous person, wandering the streets in an alcoholic daze begging for money to buy the stuff.
But the people who prosper from it don’t really care. In fact many of them are alcoholics themselves, only thing is they don’t have to go around begging for money to buy it, and they can hide behind their wealth and power and ease of getting the intoxicating liquid. And there’s no sense in prohibiting it’s production and sale either, for look at what happened during the period called Prohibition in the U.S in the early part of the last century. Alcohol flourished underground more than ever, and criminal activity increased severely over it’s sale and acquisition.
The problem is that whatever mankind truly desires, it will get one way or the other. Just look at all the prohibiting laws on the other kinds of recreational drugs, yet they still are out there in vast quantities, making money for some, as well as causing criminal activities over them. Who knows the answer my fellow believers? I certainly don’t. But we must make sure we help those who might be floundering in those kinds of murky and death-provoking waters. And to help us help them, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in these troubled times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And having said all of that, we believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because our witness for Christ in these trying times is certainly not good enough. So let’s wake up and get moving for Christ! Much LOVE!
…if you can’t control your imbibing…then don’t imbibe…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a future and a hope, a Messiah, a Saviour, a solid foundation of hope, and now abideth faith hope love, anxiety, anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, basic kind of enthusiasm, be renewed and refreshed, be responsible, by the good example we your faithful believers set, calamity, Christians, cleanse and wash away our sins, Comforter, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, do some serious work for Christ, eagerly waiting with patience, eternal life, faith, faith is strong hope in Christ, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, for what a man sees why does he yet hope for ir, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, generous help, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, get up off our derrieres, God does not lie, God is a god of hope, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on our behalf, God's omnipotent help, Guide, heard of your faith in Jesus Christ, holy spirit, hope, hope for that we see not, hope is an essential ingredient in our Christian journey, hope is something in the future, hope that is seen is not hope, hope that leads to faith, I know the thoughts I think toward you, Jesus Christ, life will improve, LOVE, man Friday, mercy, need your help to fix our problems, our bounden duty, our sinful world, positive exuberance, problems are escalating, rally round the cross of Christ, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, show our hope faith and love, society won't degenerate any further, stand strong and steadfast, Thank God it's Friday, the BIBLE, the expectation of good things to come, the God of hope, the greatest of these is love, the hope laid up for you in heaven, the love you have to all saints, the scriptures encourage us to have hope and patience in God's Word, the throne of grace, the truth of Christ's gospel, the weekend is here at last, the word of the truth of the gospel, things will get better, thoughts of peace and not of evil, through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost, to give you an expected end, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storms, unity of Jews and Gentiles, wake up and smell the coffee, we are saved by hope, whatsoever things were written aforetime, wisdom, wise guidance, with patience wait for it, written for our learning, ye may abound in hope, you cannot have faith without hope
Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 July 2026 Romans 8:24.
Romans 8:24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
‘It’s Friday, it’s Friday, it’s Friday! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ It was indeed an ecstatic Friday Mantra that we declared this morning, what with a beautiful, cool, sunshiny summer’s day in the offing, and knowing that the work week will soon end. It’s certainly interesting and amusing the change that the upcoming weekend can produce in us. Only wish Monday could produce the same positive exuberance. (smile) But I don’t think we’ll ever see that the way our society and its working conditions are now set up.
However, there’s one thing we always have as believers in Christ Jesus, that’s HOPE! Hope, which in general is a basic kind of optimism that things will get better, life will improve and our society won’t degenerate any further. But the Christian hope goes deeper than that; for we are assured that things will indeed get better through the Word of God. So let’s check out a few scriptures that give us that solid foundation of hope, of expectation, of optimism.
And the first one comes right from the Lord Himself, when He declares through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity) to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) And if the Lord God Almighty, the Creator and Controller of the universe says that, then we know we can believe it, because He does not lie and His promises are true and faithful.
Then, as Bruh Paul writes in Romans: ‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime (beforehand) were written for our learning, that we through patience (perseverance) and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ (Rom. 15:4) There we have more confirmation, more of a solid base for our hope, because the scriptures were written to encourage us to have patience and hope in God’s Word.
And way back in the Old Testament the Lord also promised that He would send us a Messiah, a Saviour, who would cleanse and wash away our sins, and when the time was right, He sent His Son Jesus Christ, to die on the cross at Calvary to pay for our sins, and give us the options of salvation and eternal life, with the Holy Ghost dwelling in us, as our comforter, guide and all around man Friday. And we get that salvation through a hope that leads to faith.
Bruh Paul puts it thus in Romans: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) (eagerly) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) Yes, hope is something in the future, not something you can see or already have, and as Christians we are expected to be filled with hope of all the good things that the future will bring, and are expected to wait eagerly for them.
Therefore, Bruh Paul, when talking about the unity of Christian Jews and Gentiles could say: ‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom. 15:13) Yes friends, our God is a God of hope! He promises and He comes through when we put our hope and faith in Him.
And if you’re wondering what’s faith; faith for our purposes is basically strong hope in Jesus Christ. We believe that He is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do; receiving His promises as truth and living the way He desires. And you cannot have faith without hope, for hope is the very basis of faith. As it’s broken down in the LOVE chapter of 1 Corinthians: ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor. 13:13)
So hope is indeed an essential ingredient in our Christian journey, for without it, we’re lost, we have no starting point, and belief in Jesus begins with hope. And that hope is certain, as Bruh Paul says in his letter to the Colossians: ‘We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the LOVE which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.’ (Col. 1:3-5) There we have it my people, hope is laid up in heaven for us, we’re sure of that from the truth of Christ’s gospel.
Consequently, we can now go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in these turbulent and uncertain times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
But you know what friends, we too also need to wake up and smell the coffee, for all the talk and prayer in the world won’t help until we actually get up off of our derrieres and get out into the evil world and do some serious work for Christ! It’s our bounden duty! We need to at least try and stop our world from degenerating any further. So let’s rally round the cross and show our hope, faith and LOVE! Much LOVE!
…HOPE…the expectation of good things to come…and eagerly waiting with patience for them…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crown of glory, a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, air quality warnings, all this I have proved by wisdom, anxiety, be it good or evil, be responsible, christianity, confusion, current witness for Christ is unacceptable, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, diabolical schemes, even of foolishness and madness, exalt her, faith, fallen short of the glory of God, fear God and keep his commandments, foolishness, for all have sinned, forest fires, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, get wisdom, give to thine head an ornament of grace, God made man upright, God shall bring every work into judgement, God's omnipotent help, gospel truth, holy spirit, I applied my heart to know, I said I will be wise, it was far from me, Jesus Christ, LOVE, madness, man cannot attain God's righteousness without His help, man has sought out many inventions, mercy, not a wise woman among them, one wise man among a thousand, our fallen nature, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffe, proble, problems are escalating, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, saw his face as the face of an angel, she shall promote thee, Solomon's wisdom was insufficient to understand life fully, stand strong and steadfast, supposed righteousness, take no heed to all the words that are spoken, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that doeth good and sinneth not, that which is far off and exceeding deep, the BIBLE, the boldness of his face shall be changed, the face of wisdom, the reason of things, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, there is not a just man upon earth, thou hear thy servanr curse thee, to know the wickedness of folly, to search, to seek out wisdom, trusting faith, truth, two short days off, unexpected storms, ungodly times, who can find it out, who is as the wise man, who knoweth the interpretation of a thing, wisdom, wisdom is the principal thing, wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men, wise guidance, with all thy getting get understanding, with every secret thing, with your generous help, your own heart knows you have cursed others
Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 July 2026 Ecclesiastes 8:1b.
Ecclesiastes 8:1b. a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness (strength) of his face shall be changed.
It’s Friday, so most working people are happy, and very early in the morning, have joyfully sent their Friday Mantra up to high heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at long last!’ But let’s remember, we still have to work and live through Friday before we can truly relax and let out hair down, because Friday also has challenges for us to navigate with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who strengthens us so that we can do His awesome will.
And for the third day in a row we have air quality warnings, and today’s warning claims it’s severe. What a way July has begun, not only with several heat warnings but also now with air quality warnings because of the many forest fires burning in the northern part of the province. And one would think that as the days progress the quality would improve, but apparently not. The first day, Wednesday the sky was very dark, which led me to forecast rain, until the duchess informed me otherwise.
Yesterday it wasn’t dark, jut a bit cloudy and the sun was shining fairly bright so I decided to go out and run some errands. But as soon as I left home, I had to close my windows and put on the AC, because the smoke smell was fairly strong. I did the few errands that were in a small area, but left those that required me going further afield undone, for the smoke was getting to me. So now, although the sun is shining brightly with not much cloud cover, and with the air quality possibly worse, I’m wondering if I’m going out again this afternoon to find my errands. Who knows? But we’ll consider that when the time comes.
Right now though, let’s consider some wise and interesting words from Cousin Sol talking about the Face of Wisdom, as the Preacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes. He declares: ‘Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness (strength) of his face shall be changed.’ (Eccl. 8:1)
And that’s no lie, for as Cousin Sol asserts in Proverbs: ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head (place on thine head) an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.’ (Prov. 4:7-9) Yes friends, when we seek wisdom and understanding they brighten both our physical and emotional selves.
And Luke corroborates that in the Book of Acts when he describes Stephen’s features as he stood before the Jewish council on charges of blasphemy. ‘And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.’ (Acts. 6:15) And earlier on in Ecclesiastes, Cousin Sol argues: ‘Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men (rulers) which are in the city. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.’ (Eccl. 7:19-20)
Now there can be no argument with the last statement, for as Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘For all have sinned and come short (fallen short) of the glory of God.’ (Rom. 3:23) Yes, for as the scholars tell us: ‘Man can exceed his own standards but never, left to himself, can he attain to God’s righteousness.’ That’s why we need God in our lives.
And Cousin Sol continues: ‘Also take no heed unto (don’t take to heart) all the words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.’ (Eccl. 7:21-22) And isn’t that the gospel truth! We can’t listen to everything or we’ll find much that discourages and disappoints us. And for sure, many of us have likewise spoken badly against others.
Then Cousin Sol makes these very interesting statements. ‘All this I have proved (tested) by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
…Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one (adding one thing to another), to find out the account (reason): which yet my soul seeketh, but find not: one (wise) man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions (schemes).’ (Eccl. 7:23-25; 27-29) And that’s oh so true. God made man upright, but in our fallen nature we have searched out the most wicked and diabolical schemes, especially in these times of great learning and knowledge.
And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Solomon is known as the wisest man who ever lived, but even his wisdom was insufficient to understand life fully (7:23). In his search for wisdom Solomon found many sinful people (7;26), but few righteous (7:28; cf. Prov. 31:10). In spite of the failures of wisdom, it is still the most attractive virtue since it helps bring inner happiness (8:1).’ Now can you imagine if the wisest man’s wisdom was not enough to fully understand life, what does that say about us, less wise beings eh?
But that’s exactly why Cousin Sol ends Ecclesiastes thus. ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ (Eccl. 12:13-14) Yes my people, it’s so simple. All that’s really required of us is to reverence the Lord and keep His commandments. Nothing else. But we make life even more difficult than it already is by adding all sorts of foolishness and evil to it.
Anyway, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid to help us stick to the true programme. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And let’s not get carried away by our supposed righteousness, for the truth is that our current witness for Christ is totally unacceptable, which means we also need to wake up and smell the coffee sweet and strong. Much LOVE!
…if more of us…sought true wisdom and understanding…our world would not be in the terrible mess it’s currently in…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bright light suddenly shined down from heaven, a glorious truth, a heat warning in effect, anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, arise and go into the city, be not afraid of their faces, be renewed and refreshed, be responsible, before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, before thou camest forth out ot the womb, Behold, Christian witness for Christ, christianity, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, divine aid, faith, far from perfect, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, go to all that I shall send thee, goads, God does not call us by chance but by choice, God gives you all the tools you need to do His work, God's omnipotent help, holy spirit, How high Lord, I am Jesus, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, I am with thee to deliver thee, I cannot speak for I am a child, I have put my words in thy mouth, I have this day set thee over nations, I knew thee, I sactified thee, it is hard to kick against the pricks, it shall be told thee what to do, Jesus Christ, LOVE, made havock of the church, make excuses, making life difficult, mercy, not enough religious knowledge, ordained thee a prophet unto the nations, our sinful world can wake up, over the kingdoms, personal experience, problems escalating, reading and studying the word, refuse God's call because we feel unworthy, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, salvation, Saul harassing the church, Saul Saul why persecutest thou me, Saul was blind and did not eat or drink for three days, say not I am a child, set thee apart, sharpened sticks used to prod animals, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the BIBLE, the Creator of the universe, the example we faithful believers set, the great persecutor of the church became its greatest zealot, the long process, the Lord always gets his man, the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth, the sufficiency for God's service comes only from God Himself, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, the word of the Lord came unto me, to build, to destroy, to plant, to pull down, to root out, trembling and astonished, trusting faith, truth, two short days off, unexpected storms, wake up and smell the coffee, what wilt thou have me to do, whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak, when God comes a calling, who art thou Lord, wisdom, wise guidance, young and inexperienced
Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 July 2026 Acts 9:6a.
Acts 9:6a. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
And finally, our long awaited day of Friday. Obviously the shouts of our Friday Mantra rise to the sky. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ And many of us are just dying to get it over with so we can rest up after the Canada Day celebrations earlier on in the week. But please be careful, because it’s going to be another hot, sweltering day, with the heat warning still in effect. So stay inside, or make sure you’re well protected if you’re outside.
And today the Lord caused the Bible to open to the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah. Why? Because He wanted to point out an example to many of us who make excuses to do His bidding, like Jeremiah did. Jeremiah relates it thus: ‘Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ‘Before I formed thee in the belly (womb) I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee (set thee apart), and ordained (appointed) thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child (youth).
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull (tear) down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant.’ (Jer. 1:5-10)
Yes friends, many of us make excuses when the Lord calls us to do something for Him, claiming we’re not capable for whatever reason. Jeremiah claimed that he was young and thus inexperienced. When He approached me to write the Bit, I laughed, because it did seem like a joke, and claimed that I did not have enough religious knowledge, which at the time was perfectly true. But the Creator of the universe and all therein knows what He’s doing and does not call us by chance, but rather by choice. Yuh see how He told Jeremiah that He knew him and set him apart as a prophet from before his birth, then touched his mouth and made him understand.
Unfortunately, with me, He did not touch my mouth and make we wise, No. After making life difficult for me until I accepted His call, I had to go through the long process of reading and studying His Word and trying to understand what He was saying to me through the Holy Spirit. And even after nineteen long years of writing the Bit, I’m still far from perfect. But I have improved from first writing only a few lines to now writing too much. (smile) And don’t think we’re alone in refusing God’s call because we feel unworthy, for many great men of God at first refused for just that reason.
Here are some examples that the scholars give. ‘Moses (Ex. 3:4), Barak (Judg. 4:8), Gideon (Judg. 6:15), Saul (1 Sam. 10:22), Bruh David (2 Sam. 7:19), and Cousin Sol (1 Kin. 3:7), and many others who understood clearly that sufficiency for God’s service comes only from God Himself.’ And that’s a glorious truth my people, for God does not call you to do something and leave you in the lurch. No! He takes time and teaches you what He expects from you, gives you all the tools you need to do His work efficiently and peacefully.
And my best advice is if and when the Lord calls you to do something, make a true excuse, if there’s one, but if He persists, then right away say, ‘Yes Lord, how high do you want me to jump?’ (smile) That’s because He will make your life miserable in so many different ways until He finally breaks you down and you agree to His offer. And I’m speaking there from personal experience. Please understand, that if the Lord truly wants you, He will get you.
And there’s a fine example in Bruh Paul. He was out there harassing the church. The Bible says: ‘As for Saul (Paul), he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling (dragging off) men and women committed them to prison.’ (Acts 8:3) And he was present when they killed Stephen. Then, one day while on his way to Damascus to do more harassing of the church, this bright light suddenly shined down from heaven blinded him and knocked him off his horse.
And he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads, sharpened sticks used to prod animals). And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what to do.’ (Acts 9:4-6) And Saul got up from the ground blind, and they led him to Damascus, where he stayed blind and didn’t eat nor drink for three days.
Oh friends, yuh see how easily the great persecutor of the church became it’s greatest zealot. Yes, because the Lord desired it. He had planned it that way from long before. And what amazes me is how Bruh Paul gave in so easily, with no fight or bluster at all. It just goes to show that when the Lord wants your services, He will get them one way or another. So when next He comes a calling, just agree from the very beginning, and save yourself some trouble. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in these troubled times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And unfortunately, it’s not the unbelievers alone who need to wake up and smell the coffee, but also believers, for our Christian witness for Christ is certainly not good enough! Much LOVE!
…don’t try to kick against the pricks (goads)…for the Lord ALWAYS gets His man…or woman…eventually…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new heart also will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you, avoid them, brought to desolation, by the good example we your faithful believers set, cast out devils by Beelzebub, Catholicism, Christian denominations, christianity, circumcision of heart, clogged with traffic, deny the Father and the Son, destroy thee suddenly, divided against himself, dividisond don't help, divine help, Eastern Orthodoxy, errands to run, every city or house divided against itself shall not stand, every kingdom divided against itself, faith, fragmentation of the Christian faith, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, give you an heart of flesh, God's omnipotent help, God's generous help, having one great overall movement, help us be responsible, holy spirit, how then shall his kingdom stand, I beseech you brethren, if Satan cast out Satan, impossible to mount a united army for Christ, Jesus Christ, Judaizers, late buses, LOVE, make no marriages with them, mark them which cause divisions, mercy, midnight storm, no physical circumcision necessary for salvation, offences contrary to the doctrine you have learned, Oriental Orthodoxy, our sinful world, our witness for Christ is not good enough, preach their ovwn version of christianity, problems escalating, Protestantism, put forward a unified story, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, Restorationism, run them sooner rather than later, salvation, Samaritans intermarried with the Assyrians, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, serve other gods, serve their own belly, simmering unrest, stand strong and steadfast, take away the stony heart out of your flesh, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the anger of the Lord be kindled a gainst you, the BIBLE, the highways and byways, the prince of the devils, the weekend is here at last, they that are such, those who deny that Jesus is Christ, tmake no covenant with them, trucks driving like cars, trusting faith, truth, turn away thy son from following me, two short days off, wake up and smell the coffee, warnings about the Antichrist, wisdom, wise guidance
Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 June 2026 Romans 16:17.
Romans 16:17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (note) them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
And after the big midnight storm, Friday opened up somewhat cloudy, but by midday has turned into a hot, sunshiny day. That did not stop our Friday Mantra from rising up to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ We can’t seem to get away from that once the weekend looms near, neither can I seem to get away from these late buses in the last little while.
Today, I had some errands to run, and because I was up and about fairly early, I decided to do them sooner rather than later, however they took much longer than I expected. And brother, by 12 pm. the highways and byways were already clogged with traffic. I don’t know if that happened because it was Friday, but if it didn’t, I’m sorry for those of us who have to drive in the Greater Metro Area in the next few years, if they don’t first fix the current roads and then build some new ones, for everyday more cars and truck are coming on line, and the trucks are being driven like if they are cars.
But enough talk, let’s get to our topic for today. And it’s an interesting directive from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome, to avoid those who cause divisions. He writes: ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (note) them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good (smooth) words and fair (flattering) speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (innocent).’ (Rom. 16:17-18)
Ah mih people, right down through the years they have been people who set out purposely to cause divisions in the church, for their own benefit. Just look at the amount of different denominations we have in Christianity. It’s estimated that the number of Christian denominations globally range from around 200 distinct organized groups to over 45,000. And why is there such a great discrepancy in numbers? It depends on whether you count broad global traditions or individual, independent churches categorized by nation.
The fragmentation of the Christian faith is largely rooted in historical, cultural, and theological differences over time. However, demographers and encyclopedists categorize these thousands of groups into a few major branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Restorationism. They each preach their own version of Christianity, and within those major groups, there are still many smaller divisions, each having some difference or differences to the overall teaching of the larger group.
So Christianity must be divided, which means it’s virtually impossible to mount a united army for Christ. For as Jesus tells us when the Pharisees claimed: ‘This fellow doth not cast out devils (demons), but by Beelzebub, (Philistine deity) the prince (ruler) of the devils (demons). And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?’ (Matt. 12:24-26)
It’s impossible when one section or sector is eroding whatever the other tries to build. That’s why Christianity with so many divisions cannot work together to bring Christ to the masses, as it ought to. Too many little fragments are trying to do their own thing, instead of having one great overall movement. Consequently, Satan does not even have to divide us, for we’re already divided, he only has to conquer, which makes it ever so easy for Him and His evil cronies.
And that’s why the Lord instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to destroy all the people in the Promised Land: ‘make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.’ (Deut. 7:2b-4)
It’s like what happened to the people of Samaria, who were overrun by the Assyrians, and eventual intermarried with them and thus turned away from Jehovah God and worshipped all sorts of false gods. And another set of dividers in the early church were the ones called the Judaizers, who preached that according to the law of Moses, it was still necessary to be physically circumcised to receive salvation through Christ. But when they all got together in Jerusalem, Peter reasoned that because Jesus spoke of no difference between Jews and Gentiles, purifying the hearts of the Gentiles by faith, and through the grace of God all shall be saved. (Acts 15:1:11)
Under the New Covenant of Christ circumcision is no longer physical but spiritual, with the heart being metaphorically circumcised. It’s like the Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.’ (Zek. 36:26) That is also why John warned of the Antichrist; those who deny that Jesus is Christ, or that denieth the Father and the Son. (1John 2:18-22)
In closing, I don’t know what to say, to make Christians come together so we can fight the enemy as one. All I can offer is that we go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant seeking divine help to make it come true. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land.
So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And as we keep saying, believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because out witness for Christ is not good enough! Much LOVE!
…as Christianity proves…divisions don’t help to put forward a unified story…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an expose of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, be content with your wages, be renewed and refreshed, bring forth therefore, by the good example we your faithful believers set, Christians, Christians also need to wake up and smell the coffee, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, desperately need your help, despite wayward lives, do violence to no man, every tree which brigeth fort not good fruit, evil machinations, exact no more than which is appointed you, faith, flee from the wrath to come, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, fruits worthy of repentance, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship rest and relaxation, go back out next week, go work in my vineyard, God demands both trust and obedience, God desires loyalty from His people, God is able of these stones, God will dispense judgement at the appropriate time, God's omnipotent help, he that hath meat let him do likewise, he that hath two coats, help us to be responsible, hewn down and cast into the fire, holy spirit, I go sir and went not, I will not, immoral disobedience, improve our witness for Christ, in soul body and mind, in the way of righteousness, Jesus Christ, Jesus' Second Coming, John came unto you, John's influence on the people, let him impart to him that hath none, LOVE, mercy, neither accuse any falsely, O generation of vipers, one without the other is incomplete, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffe, our trusting faith, problems are escalating, salvation, saved due to being ethnic Jews, stand strong and steadfast, strong winds, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the ax is laid unto the root of the trees, the BIBLE, the first did the father's will, the parable of the two sons, the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you, the publicans and harlotsbelieved him, the soldiers also demanded of him, then came also the publicans to be baptized, then he repented and went, to raise up children unto abraham, truth, vindication of John's ministry, we have Abraham as our father, what shall we do, what think ye, whether of them twain did the will of his father, who hath warned you, wisdom, wise guidance, with God's generous help, ye believed him not
Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 June 2026 Matthew 21:31a.
Matthew 21:31a. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?
And as we awakened this morning, the words of our Friday Mantra automatically went up to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at long last!’ And it’s indeed another bright and sunshiny day, with the strong winds still blowing from yesterday. Brother! They went on all day, all night and are in full swing today again. Let’s hope they don’t too much damage. Anyway, since we can’t do anything about the constantly blowing winds, let’s turn to something we can control, and that’s this parable of the two sons, as spoken by Jesus to the Pharisees.
He says to them, ‘But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first , and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented (regretted it), and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?’ (Matt. 21:28-31a) Now that’s a very good question my brethren. The first one said he wouldn’t go, but then went, while the second said he would go, but did not. So who did the father’s will?
The Pharisees answered Jesus: ‘They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you. That the publicans (tax collectors) and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.’ (Matt. 21:31b) Now that’s a very big statement for Jesus to make, so obviously He had some grounds for telling them that. Then He explains to the Pharisees. ‘For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans (tax collectors) and harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented (relented, regretted) not afterward, that ye might believe him.’ (Matt. 21:32)
So what’s the parable all about eh? The scholars explain it thus: ‘The parable of the two sons follows as an expose of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, as a vindication of John’s ministry, and as a vindication of the true work of God in general. The first son initially said I will not, representing the immoral disobedience of the publicans and harlots who later repented under John’s and Jesus’ preaching. The second son promised to go, but did not follow through with obedience. Jesus asked, “Which did the will of his father?” By answering the first, the religious leaders condemned themselves. This very effective teaching method is commonly used in the Bible as the judicial parable, whereby the answerer condemns himself by the obviously implied response.’
In other words, the publicans and harlots who first refused the teachings of John and Jesus, eventually repented and accepted them. However, the hypocritical Pharisees, who were supposed to be true religious leaders, and ought to have accepted John and Jesus’ teaching without any misgivings, did not, and even debased and dismissed them as heretical, Satanic works, and eventually, through their evil machinations, had both teachers killed. And we have the evidence of what Jesus was saying in Luke’s gospel as to the teachings of John the Baptist.
Luke writes: ‘Then said he (John) to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation (offspring, brood) of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to (as) our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.’ (Luke 3:7-9)
And the scholars offer a couple of explanations re those verses. As per verse 7, they say; ‘It was believed with good Old Testament support, that the messianic reign would be accompanied by God’s judgement against all evil. In the Cross this did indeed occur. The wrath spoken of here, while it may have some relation to Jerusalem’s fate (A.D 70), relates more directly to Jesus’ second coming. See 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.’ And as per verse 8. ‘Some apparently believed that, despite wayward lives, they would be saved due to being ethnic Jews. John reminds them that God demands both trust and obedience – each is incomplete without the other.’
Then Luke continues: ‘And the people asked him (John), saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats (tunics), let him impart (give) to him that hath none; and he that hath meat (food), let him do likewise. Then came also the publicans (tax collectors) to be baptized, and said unto him, Master (teacher) what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact (collect) no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.’ (Luke 3:10-14)
Yes friends, you see all the other people except the religious leaders coming to John the Baptist to be baptized and know what to do with their lives after that. Instead of cleaning up their hypocritical lives, the religious leaders were intent on planning how to get rid of John and his influence on the people. Just like they did with Jesus. It just goes to show that not all religious leaders are in fact working for God, but many for themselves and their own aggrandizement. And we see that happening a whole lot in today’s society. But thankfully the Lord knows who is who, and will dispense judgement in the appropriate time.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, confidently, but humbly, seeking divine aid in these uncertain and difficult times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And the truth is, that we Christians also need to wake up and smell the coffee, and improve our witness for Christ, because right now it’s certainly not good enough1 Much LOVE!
…above all else…God desires obedience and trust…that’s loyalty from His people…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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