25 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be of good courage, beloved of God, blessed is the man maketh the Lord his trust, christianity, circumstances pulling us under, crowning glory, doubt tries to creep back in, emptiness into fulness, established my goings, established my steps, even praise unto our God, faith, feel as if I don't matter, girded me with gladness, God is always God, God is faithful, God remains steadfast and true, God's goodness to the children of men, great is thy faithfulness, he abideth faithful, he brought me up also out of an horrible pit, he cannot deny himself, he heard my cry, he inclined unto me, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall strengthen thine heart, hear O Lord and have mercy upon me, help me hold on to hope, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, hurry, I waited patiently for the lord, I will give thanks unto thee for ever, I wonder if you hear my prayers, I'll never stop saying it, if we be dead with him we shall also with him live, if we believe not, if we deny him he will deny us, if we suffer we shall also reign, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, In Touch Devotional, it is a faithful saying, it is good that a man, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, joy comes in the morning, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lo I am with you always, lock stock and barrel, Lord be thou my helper, LOVE, many shall see it and fear, mercy, my glory shall sing praise to thee, my soul shall sing praise to thee, no prayer too repetitive, no situation too broken, not be silent, not talking from hearsay, nothing is too hard for you, out of the miry clay, put a new song im, put off my sackcloth, quicker than the blink of an eye, respecteth not the proud, salvation, set my feet upon a rock, shall trust in the Lord, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, such as turn aside to lies, talking from personal experience, the ache so deep, the BIBLE, the Great Commission, the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the last Tuesday of August, the Lord hears all our prayers, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, the Lord is my portion saith my soul, the Lord never leaves nor forsakes us, the Lord will never leave us in a lurch, the sackcloth of my mourning, the salvation of the Lord, the waiting is so long, the word of God is not a chain, therefore have I hope, therefore will I hope in him, they are new every morning, they too can come to know and love Christ like do, this I recall to mind, to the end, to the soul that seeketh him, trials and tribulations, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn emptiness into into fullness, turn mourning into dancing, turned for me my mourning into dancing, unto the end of the world, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on the Lord and keep his way, waiting patiently in faith is not easy, weeping may endure for a night, when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it, wisdom, worry, y mouth, you are faithful, you see me when I feel invisible, you've never left me
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 August 2026 Psalm 40:1.
Psalm 40:1. I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Ah friends, we’re into the last Tuesday of August; next week Tuesday we’ll be talking about September. (smile) But today, as many of the previous August days, it’s sunshiny and warm, so there’s still hope for August to finish up as a good month. And since we’re running a li’l bit late, (my fault) let’s get to today’s topic right away. And that’s this month’s prayer from the In Touch Devotional.
So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, sometimes I wonder if you hear my prayers – the waiting is so long, the ache so deep. But You’ve never left me – You see me when I feel invisible, when I feel as if I don’t matter. Nothing is too hard for You – no prayer too repetitive, no situation too broken. You turn mourning into dancing, emptiness into fulness. Help me hold on to hope when doubt tries to creep back in. I’ll never stop saying it: You are faithful. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
And that last statement about God’s faithfulness is absolutely true! All of us who have spent anytime in God’s presence know that to be a glorious fact, because we have all experienced at least some modicum (small amount) of His faithfulness in our time with Him. And the bible has oodles of verses that talk about it, but we’ll only share a couple of the better known ones here.
The first one comes from Bruh Paul’s second letter to Timothy, where he is telling him that the word of God is not bound, is not a chain: ‘It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ (2 Tim. 2:11-13) Oh my people, isn’t it wonderful and ever so encouraging to know that God is always God, regardless of who I am, or how I behave! His character is one of utmost faithfulness, therefore He remains steadfast and true even when I am not.
And the second scripture comes from Jeremiah’s famous testimony on the Lord’s faithfulness 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. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:21-26)
Yes my brethren, wiser words were never spoken! And waiting on the Lord can be very long and heart aching, that like the prayer says, we sometimes are led to wonder if He’s heard our prayers. But He indeed hears them all; it’s just that He takes His own time to answer them; whether it be yay, nay, or not now. Our job though is wait patiently and keep on persevering until we get an answer. Know one thing though, the Lord will not leave us in the lurch, whatever answer He has will arrive in good time for us to make the necessary arrangements.
And a man who certainly knew about waiting on the Lord, Bruh David, strongly advises it in several of his writings. In psalm 27, he says: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ Then in Psalm 37: he declares: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34)
Now listen to the crowning glory of waiting on the Lord. In Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance, Bruh David testifies: ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:1-4)
And we all know that Bruh David is not talking from hear say, but from personal experience, because after the Lord anointed him king of Israel, he went through many years of trials and tribulations waiting for that to happen. And it would never have happened if he had not waited on God, patiently in faith. And we also know that waiting patiently in faith is not easy, especially when our circumstances seem to be pulling us under quicker than we can blink, but that’s where our faith and trust in God is expected to show up.
But there are a few things we need to know and believe. Firstly, that the Lord never leaves nor forsakes us, that’s His promise. (Heb. 13:5) So although we may not see or feel His presence, rest assured that He’s always there with us. As Jesus assured the disciples at the end of the Great Commission; ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) We could not desire better assurance than that my fellow believers.
And when the song says: ‘You turn mourning into dancing, emptiness into fulness,’ Bruh David corroborates those sentiments in Psalm 30, when he declares: ‘Hear O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth (the sackcloth of my mourning), and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory (my soul) may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.’ (Ps. 30:10-12)
Yes friends that’s exactly how it ought to be; us continually giving thanks to God for His LOVE, faithfulness and everlasting goodness to the children of undeserving men! Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice! ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
So let’s go out now and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…weeping may endure for a night…but joy comes in the morning… (Ps. 30:5b)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, a positive outlook on life, abundance, according to his riches in glory, all these things shall be added unto you, children of God, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, courage, creativity, curse, depart from evil and do good, disobedient behaviour, divine protection, don't worry about tomorrow, duty bound, dwell for evermore, faith, favour, foolish wisdom, fulfillment, greed, he delighteth in his way, he is ever merciful, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall not be utterly cast down, his seed is blessed, his tongue talks of justice, holy spirit, I have been young and now am old, irrevocable trust in God, is not rich towards God, Jesus Christ, LOVE, material things should not be our first priority, mercy, my god shall supply all your need, negative word, none of his steps shall slide, not seen the seed of the righteous begging bread, penultimate day of our workweek, promotion, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Sermon on the Mount, serving God is our first priority, so is he that layeth up treasure for himself, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, talent, the grim reaper, the law of his God is in his heart, the Lord forsakes not his saints, the Lord loves justice, the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself, the mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, the parable of the rich fool, the righteous shall inherit the land, the seed of the wicked shall be cut off, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the wicked shall fall into mischief, they are preserved for ever, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, thou fool, though he fall, total surrender to God, trust in the Lord, truth, wait on the Lord and keep his way, when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it, wisdom, wisdom for the ages
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 August 2026 Psalm 37:23.
Psalm 37:23. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
And it’s another gorgeous summer’s day in my area! Wow! August is surely doing right by us, as the last summer month of the year. And it also being Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, we’re eagerly looking forward to tomorrow, Friday, and the start of the weekend. But please don’t lose sight of today, let’s concentrate on today’s challenges, rather than theorize and think about what’s going to happen tomorrow and over the weekend. Oh, we must have some basic plans and concerns, but let’s remember Jesus’ warning about that in the Sermon on the Mount.
‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (don’t worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) Yes, every day brings enough problems and challenges of it’s own, and it’s best we concentrate on the present ones, for who knows if we’ll even be around tomorrow to face those of that day. For the Grim Reaper comes when he’s least expected. It’s like the parable of the rich fool, who had so much stuff, with not enough space to store it? So in his foolish wisdom, decided to tear down everything and build bigger and better, and eat, drink, and be merry.
‘But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.’ (Luke 12:20-21) Now that parable deals mostly with greed, but it also shows how quickly and unexpectedly we can be removed from the scene. That brings us back to Jesus’ words before the ‘take no thought for tomorrow’ verse. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Yes friends, our very first concern should be seeking God and all that pertains to Him. Material things should not be our first priority. And when we seek God first, our needs will be provided for. As Bruh Paul promises in Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) That’s God’s promise, and we know He is ever-faithful to keep them. That’s why Bruh David could write these words in Psalm 37, titled, Trust in the Lord.
‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the seed of the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever merciful (always merciful), and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. for the Lord LOVETH judgement (justice), and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement (justice). The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide (slip). The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:23-33)
Ah mih people, that’s just a synopsis of how we ought to behave as children of God. And when we behave in like manner, then both us and our descendants will be blessed. Now that doesn’t mean we won’t have hard times and troubles during our lifetime, but that the Lord won’t allow those negative things to defeat us. And when we do stumble, the Lord will uphold us with His strong right hand. It’s like Cousin Sol says in Proverbs: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity) (Prov. 24:16)
But you know what friends, all of that only works when we place our irrevocable and total trust in the Lord God Almighty, making Him always the Number One priority in our lives, while behaving like we believe what He says, and that He will do what He’s promised. Without that total surrender and godly behaviour, none of that works. So it’s up to each of us to consider what we want; both in this life and the next, and then work towards it. But God has been so good to us, that despite our sinful and disobedient behaviour, He’s bestowed on us undeserved favour to help us do His earthly work, we call them our Thursday Blessings.
So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh, for a blessing is not a blessing until it’s spoken. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as God bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…putting God first place in our lives…and living the way He desires…that’s wisdom for the ages…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook on life, abundance, because they trust him, blame others for our shortcomings, bring forth thy righteousness as the light., cease from anger, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, commit thy way unto the Lord, creativity, curse, delight thyself also in the Lord, deliver them from the wicked, divine protection, dreams that are deep down in my heart, duty bound, faith, feed on his faithfulness, feel aggrieved, forsake wrath, fret not thyself because of him who prospers, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, give thee the desires of thine heaert, he shall bring it to pass, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, holy spirit, interesting diversions, it only causes harm, Jesus Christ, laziness and the devil is diverting me, like a mother weans a babe, LOVE, mercy, my days are numbered, negative word, not an easy road to tread, nothing but me, nothing is holding me back, our shortcomings, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, salvation, self-control, so shalt thou dwell in the land, sourage, stole my good intentions, supernatural wisdom, talent, the devil is diverting me, the Lord has me on a tight rein, the Lord shall help them and deliver them, the man who brings wicked schemes to pass, the mocking reply, the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, their strength in time of trouble, thou shalt be fed, thy judgement as the noonday, to satisfy my hungry soul, trust also in him, trust in the Lord and do good, truth, wait on the Lord and keep his way, when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it, wisdom
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 July 2026 Psalm 37:3.
Psalm 37:3. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness).
And then it was Thursday… Already, I asked? Yes. But I haven’t done anything worthwhile for the week, I claimed. Too bad, came the mocking reply. I’m glad that we have just one more day to go before the weekend. Ah friends, sometimes I sincerely believe the days are running away from me. And it isn’t that I’m doing nothing. I am doing stuff, but not the stuff I truly want to do; the stuff that’s deep down in my heart, the writing and the music, the dreams I believe the Lord put there.
But somehow or the other, either through laziness and procrastination, or because the devil is diverting me with other things, or because the Lord has me on a tight rein, (smile) I just can’t seem to get around to fulfilling those dreams. Oh friends, I’ve tried doing like Bruh David says in Psalm 37 titled Trust in the Lord. ‘Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm).’ (Ps. 37:3-8)
Now, I’ve tried my best to do most of that, but I still feel somewhat aggrieved. (smile) Technically though, I don’t have much reason to be aggrieved, because the Lord has indeed been good to me down through the years, although it hasn’t always been an easy road to tread. And to be truthful, He has given me the knowledge and experience in the areas that I like, but not enough to satisfy my hungry soul. The thing is, after exposing me to those experiences, He took them away, weaned me off of them, like a mother weans a babe, and wrapped me up in His work, His Word and His business, namely writing the Bit.
And since I didn’t know much when I began, it necessitated my taking time to learn about it all. And don’t get me wrong, I fully believe and expect the Lord to fulfill the rest of my desires, but just in His own time. The problem though is that I’m not getting any younger, my days are numbered and I feel like time might run out on me before I get to put things to right. And I’m here chuckling, because I’m wondering where all this is coming from. I guess it stems from me asking myself earlier this morning, why I’m not doing the things I truly want to do?
And after considering the matter, I decided that there was nothing really holding be back from doing some of the things I desired; nothing but me. I guess the Lord is waiting for me to cut out the easy to come by, interesting diversions, and instead take up the heavier tasks that are involved in my heart’s desires. So I guess the challenge rests in my hands. Am I going to accept it and do the stuff I want to do, or continue the way I’m going right now, then complain about not doing what I want to do.
Granted, there has been some recent illness that stole all my good intentions and energy, but that’s over now. So I can’t blame my lackadaisical attitude on that any longer. But isn’t that exactly what we do; try to put the blame on other people and other things for our shortcomings; especially in these days of entitlement? That’s for sure! We’ve become so adept at placing blame everywhere else but where it rightly belongs, on ourselves.
And I’m chuckling again, trying to figure out why the Lord made me go down this road today. I can only guess that it’s a lesson for some of you, my readers, an example of how to, and how not to go about the Lord’s business in our lives. Hopefully someone can learn something from my experiences. The important thing here though is to do exactly as Bruh David says in the Psalm; trust in the Lord, fret not, be not envious, do good, delight thyself in the Lord, commit thy way to Him, cease from anger and forsake wrath.
As the scholars say: ‘All of these exhortations urge the believer to confidently trust the Lord with all of life’s problems.’ Now that won’t always be easy, and you’ll find reasons to complain some, (smile) but if you’re serious and sincere, the Lord will lead you aright, through both the tough times and the good ones. As Bruh David says later on in the psalm. “Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it…. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him’ (Ps. 37:34, 39-40)
Yes my people, it all boils down to how much we truly trust the Lord. And why shouldn’t we trust Him totally, after He’s been so good to us. Take for example these Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings He’s so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. So, let’s declare and thus activate them nuh, for a blessing is not a blessing until it’s spoken. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, we’re now duty bound to go out and use them to help others, use them just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!
…one can only develop true trust in God…by going through the tough times with Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a hiding place, a place of comfort, be of good courage, be renewed and refreshed, be responsible, blessed is the man maketh the Lord his trust, by the good example we your faithful believers set, christianity, deal treacherously, defeat and destroy the enemy, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, divine aid, established my goings, faith, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, get sufficient fun fellowship and relaxation, God always gives the best, God is a refuge for us, God shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, God's omnipotent help, God's timing is perfect, he brought me up also out of an horrible pit, he hath put a new song in my mouth, he inclined unto me, he is my defence, He only is my rock and my salvation, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, I shall not be moved, I wait for the Lord, I waited patiently for the lord, In God is my salvation and my glory, in his word do I hope, in soul body and mind, Jesus Christ, let me not be ashamed, let none that wait in faith on thee be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me, let them be ashamed which transgress without cause, LOVE, many shall see it and fear, mercy, more haste less speed, more than they that watch for the morning, my expectation is from him, my hope is from God, my refuge is in God, my soul, my soul doth wait, my soul silently wait thou upon God, my soul waiteth for the Lord, O my God I trust in thee, our best interest, our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffe, our society's desire for speed, out of the miry clay, pour out your heart before God, praise unto our God, relax in God's uprightness, respecteth not the proud, rushing about but going nowhere, salvation, Selah, serious problems are escalating, set my feet on a rock, speed kills, stand strong and steadfast, such as turn aside to lies, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the BIBLE, the Lord heard my cry, the rock of my strength, the throne of grace, the weekend is here at last, time for Christians to rise up, trust in him at all times, trusting faith, trusting in God's will, truth, two short days off, unexpected storms, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on the Lord and keep his way, wisdom, wise guidance, with him is plenteous redemption, with the Lord there is mercy, with your generous help, you shall see when the wicked are cut off
Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 July 2026 Psalm 27:14.
Psalm 27:14. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.
And on this hot and sunshiny summer Friday morning, the shouts of our Friday Mantra obviously rang out loud and clear to high heaven! ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at long last!’ To tell the truth, the weekend doesn’t seem as though it took long to come, but came rather quickly, just like July began only last week and we’re already into double digit days. There doesn’t seem to be anything like slow moving time again, it all seems to have speeded up just like our society’s desire for speed in everything.
But please, let’s remember that very true adage; speed kills, not only on the roads but in many other areas of life too. Not taking time to make wise decisions has become a norm in our society; too many things are being rushed into without proper consideration, and like so many of us we’re simply rushing about, but going nowhere. It’s like that other old adage; more haste, less speed. And most of us have experienced that in several areas of our lives, where we hurry to do things or go places, but we simply end up taking more time that we expected.
That’s why there’s such wisdom in these words of Bruh David from Psalm 27: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) And friends there’s nothing better than waiting in faith on God, for His timing is perfect and He always gives us the best of whatever He has to offer. If, and when we learn to wait in faith patiently on Him, then we’ll see and experience a great calm and trust in our spirits, we’ll not be as anxious and fearful as before, because we’ve accepted the Lord’s timetable and are no longer desirous of pursuing our own will, but trusting in His.
And that statement of waiting on the Lord in faith seemed to be rather important to Bruh David, because he mentions it in several psalms. In Psalm 25, My heart Shall Not Fear, he declares: ‘O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait (in faith) on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause (deal treacherously).’ (Ps. 25:2-3) Then in Psalm 37, Trust in the Lord, Bruh David advises: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34)
Ah friends, it’s all about trusting God, being sure of His supremacy and of His wonderful and generous LOVE and compassion for us; therefore we can rest in His timing and relax in His uprightness and righteousness. Meanwhile in Psalm 40, Praise for God’s Deliverance, Bruh David sincerely informs us: ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet on a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:1-4)
Oh my people, those are the kinds of things that happen when we trust in the Lord and wait on Him, for He is ever generous to those who truly trust, rely and wait on His timing and promise! Then in Psalm 62, My Rock and My Salvation, Bruh David declares: ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62:5-8)
And that’s the glorious truth my brethren! God is a refuge, a hiding place, a place of comfort, calm and peace for those who trust, believe in and wait patiently on Him! And it’s not Bruh David alone that writes about the importance of trusting and waiting on God. Listen to this passage from Psalm 130, Hoping and Waiting for the Lord.
The psalmist acknowledges: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING KINDNESS), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Isreal from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:5-8) And that’s exactly what happens when we wait patiently for the Lord, put our trust in Him and aspire to live the way He desires!
Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid to do all the things we need to do to live sincerely for God. 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 be reminded that we believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because our current Christian witness for Christ is totally unacceptable. It has to be, if the enemy is dominating our world to such a great extent. It’s time for us to rise up, resist, defeat and destroy the enemy! Much LOVE!
…waiting in faith…patiently on God…is in our best interest…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a shortsighted situation, a wise and perceptive passage, as the grave, as those that go down to the pit, behold the upright, bringing tough circumstances to the forefronteach day can cause tous, cast in thy lot among us, caught with our pants below our knees, christianity, Christians, come to know and love christ like we do, come with us, death-bringing sinfulness, deliver them from the wicked, do not err my beloved brethren, drawn away of his own lust, duty bound, each day can cause serious challenges, earthly pleasures, enticed, every man is tempted, faith, fill our houses with spoil, find all precious substance, for the innocent without cause, full grown sin brings forth death, God cannot be tempted with evil, God tempts no man, have rule over all my labour, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, I am tempted of God, I am the beloved of god, I hated all my labour, I sought him but he culd not be found, if sinners entice thee consent not, in god's eyes, in the sight of any bird, in vain the net is spread, involved with the schemes of the wicked, Jesus Christ, leave it unto the man tat comes after me, let no man say when he is tempted, let the world know to whom we belong, let us all have one purse, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily, let us lurk secretly, lie in wait for blood, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, lurk privily for their own lives, lust brings forth sin, make haste to shed blood, make Tuesday and easy target, mark the perfect man, mercy, one strong and sincere voice, our nemesis, plunder, promise wealth without work, refrain thy foot from their path, salvation, save them because they trust in him, seen the wicked in great power, share His love with my neighbours, shewed myself wise under the sun, sin brings painful consequences, so few seeking righteousness, so many practicing wickedness, spreading himself like a green bay tree, swallow them up alive, taken under the sun, taketh away the life of the owners, the BIBLE, the counsels of the wicked are deceit, the end of sin is always death and destruction, the end of that man is peace, the end of the wicked shall be cut off, the house of the righteous shall stand, the individual's responsibility, the Lord shall help them, the mouth of the upright shall deliver them, the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, the thoughts of the righteous are right, the transgressors shall be destroyed together, the way of sinners, the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, the wicked are no more, the wicked are overthrown, the wise son rejects the invitation of criminals, the words of the wicked, their feet run to evil, their strength in time of trouble, they lay in wait for their own blood, this also is vanity, to avoid the tempter's snare, to go out and share the love and friendship of Christ, trust in the Lord, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wait on the Lord and keep his way, walk not thou in the way with them, when the wicked are cut off, who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool, wisdom, with the whole wide world, worry, yet he passed away, you shall see when the wicked are cut off
Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 May 2026 Proverbs 12:7.
Proverbs 12:7. The wicked are overthrown, and are not (no more): but the house of the righteous shall stand.
Oh boy, we’ve beaten our nemesis Monday into the ground! But please, don’t think that will make Tuesday an easy target. It most likely won’t be, for Monday might give us starting problems after the weekend break, but each day is very capable of bringing tough circumstances to the forefront. That means every day is a challenge in itself, and we cannot afford to lower our expectations, otherwise we can be caught with out pants below our knees. (smile)
And on this bright, warm, sunshiny Tuesday, with temps in the mid-twenties, we’re going to look at a few verses from the wisdom of Cousin Sol in Proverbs, re the difference between the wicked and the righteous. He expounds thus: ‘The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. The wicked are overthrown, and are not (no more): but the house of the righteous shall stand.’ (Prov. 12:5-7)
Oh friends, how many times in the Bible have we been told the same basic story eh – that the wicked shall be destroyed and the righteous saved? But too many of us seem not to believe it, otherwise there would not be so many wicked people in the world practicing their wicked behaviour, and not so few seeking righteousness. And right at the beginning of Proverbs, Cousin Sol warns us about walking in the way of sinners with a very wise and perceptive passage.
‘My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, come with us, let us lay wait for blood (to shed blood), let us lurk privily (secretly) for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down to the pit: We shall find all precious substance (wealth), we shall fill our houses with spoil (plunder): Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain (keep) thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain (futility) the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily (secretly) for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.’ (Prov. 1:10-19)
Yes my brethren, we could not get a better discourse on the actions of the wicked and advice not to fall into their snare. As the scholars explain: ‘The wise son rejects the invitation of criminals who promise wealth without work (vs.13). The verse stresses the individual’s responsibility to avoid the tempter’s snare (cf. James 1:14-15).’ And that’s the point we’re trying to make, it’s our responsibility, not anybody else’s, to avoid getting involved with the deeds and schemes of the wicked.
As James states it: ‘Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desire), and enticed. Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death. Do not err (be deceived), my beloved brethren.’ (James 1:13-16) So when we’re tempted to sin, we cannot say it’s God tempting us, but it’s our own lustful, carnal desires that are driving us to sin. And in the end, that sinful desire only causes death!
How many times do we need to hear that before we turn away from sin eh? Obviously some of us must like death, the way we live such a sinful life. But that’s a shortsighted and very unwise situation, for you cannot carry any of the wealth and pleasures you amass here into the next life; in fact you’ll forfeit it all to someone else. As Cousin Sol writes as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes:
‘Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken (toiled) under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity (futility).’ (Eccl. 2:18-19) Yes, you’ll leave all your earthly wealth for someone else to possibly use and abuse. So what’s the point in toiling hard to amass it eh?
And if you don’t believe Cousin Sol or James, or me, (smile) then listen to Bruh David from Psalm 37, titled ‘Trust in the Lord.’ where he confidently declares: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree (a native green tree). Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect (blameless) man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust him’ (Ps. 37:34-40)
Oh my people, it could not be said any clearer than that! Stay away from evil and trust in the Lord and your life will be saved. It as simple as that! So please, let’s cut out, turn away from all the foolish and death-bringing sinfulness that we’re currently involved in nuh, because it certainly doesn’t do us any good, neither now or in the hereafter. And furthermore, sin always brings painful consequences right here on earth. So why pursue it eh?
Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
That makes us duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…sin might bring some earthly pleasures…but its end is always…death and destruction…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a by product of our addiction to speed, abundance, addiction to speed, be of good courage, blessed are all they that wait for him, both hope and wait quietly, christianity, Christians, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, courage, creativity, curse, delight thyself also in the Lord, divine protection, duty bound, even the youths shall faint and be weary, excessive reliance on speed, eyes blazing, faith, favour, focus on today's tasks, fulfillment, give thee the desires of thine heart, good friends, good health, He giveth power to the faint, he may be gracious unto you, he may have mercy on you, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, I had fainted, I wait for the Lord, in his word do I hope, in the Lord's kingdom timing is everything, it is good that a man, it's hard to wait on the Lord's timing, Jesus Christ, let Israel hope in the Lord, LOVE, mercy, more than they that watch for the morning, mount up with wings as eagles, mouths salivating, my soul doth wait, my soul waiteth for the Lord, negative word, offering their morning sacrifices of praise, personal experience, promotion, prosper and succeed, run and not be weary, salvation, self-control, serenade the one who provides for them, talent, the BIBLE, the Lord has me in waiting mode, the Lord is a God of justice, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, the young men shall utterly fall, therefore will he be exalted, therefore will the Lord wait, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, thou shalt see it, times of total impatience, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, to the soul that seeketh him, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, truth, undeserved blessings, unless I had believed, uplifting to hear them, use those blessings to help others, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on the Lord and keep his way, waiting on God and His timing, wake up to the sweet singing of birds, walk and not faint, when the time is right things will happen, when the wicked are cut off, wisdom, with him is plenteous redemption, with the Lord there is mercy
Psalm 37:34. ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’
Oh friends, how wonderful it is to awaken to the sweet singing of the birds on a spring Thursday morning, or any morning for that matter! It’s certainly uplifting to hear them offering their morning sacrifices of praise to their Maker and Provider, in such a natural manner. They can’t think like we do, but they know that they must serenade the one who provides for them. Only wish that more of us would do like them.
And on this fairly warm but cloudy and drizzly penultimate day of our work week, instead of wishing that tomorrow and the weekend would hurry up and come, let’s focus instead on the many tasks we need to perform today, for some of us might not even be around to see tomorrow. That’s why I believe the Lord guided me to these scriptures for today on waiting on Him and His timing.
Listen to these wise words of Jeremiah from his Lamentations. ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:25-26) Yes my people, waiting on our God is most important, but sometimes extremely difficult to do especially in these times of total impatience and the excessive reliance on speed.
And waiting on God is so important that there are many scriptures that call for it. So let’s look at a few of them, so that we can renew our minds and spirits on the subject. (smile) Hear, as the prophet Isaiah, talks about God’s graciousness and mercy. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait. That he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18)
And we all know this next popular scripture from Isaiah. ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint. ‘ (Is. 40:29-31)
Now all of us want to ‘mount up with wings as eagles,’ but we don’t want to do the waiting on the Lord. And not wanting to wait is a sad byproduct of this society’s addiction to speed, to have everything move faster and done more quickly. We’re regularly offered new devices, and in many cases they’re not really much better than the last one, but they are always faster, and that gets our eyes blazing and our mouths salivating for them.
Meanwhile in Psalm 130 – Hoping and Waiting for the Lord – the psalmist declares: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), And with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption.’ (Ps. 130: 5-7) Wow! What great reasons to wait on the Lord: abundant redemption and plenty mercy!
Then there are a couple of scriptures from Bruh David that we all know, but don’t necessarily action them. (smile) The first comes from Psalm 127 – My Heart Shall Not Fear. he writes: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13 -14) Bruh David could not have put it any clearer or stronger than that my faithful brethren. And we all know his story, where although he made some bad mistakes, he waited on the Lord for most of his life, and he was successful as a king, a warrior, a poet and a musician.
And yes, it is hard to wait on the Lord’s timing. I can tell you that from personal experience, because I’ve been through it earlier on in life. When I didn’t wait, my projects were unsuccessful, but when I waited, they bore good fruit. Right now, I have several projects waiting in the wings, but not doing anything about them, either because I’m too lazy to jump start them, (smile) or the Lord has me in waiting mode. I’d like to think it’s the latter, but who knows,?
Anyway, I’ve learned from hard experience that when the time is right, things will happen. Therefore I’m doing as Bruh David says in Psalm 37 – Trust in the Lord – ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:4) And do I ever have several desires of mine heart still left to be manifested, in the short time I have left! (smile)
And lastly, there’s this verse also from Psalm 37, where Bruh David advises us to: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34) Yes my people, if we want to see the goodness and mercy of God, then we have to wait on His timing. That’s the living truth. Now, let’s declare and thus activate our undeserved Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection!
I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…in the Lord’s kingdom…timing is everything…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: amidst all the anxiety and confusion, be as a tree planted by the waters, be fat and flourishing, be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, be responisble, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, blessed is the man that walketh not in the way of the ungodly, bring forth fruit in their old age, brings forth his fruit in his season, by the example your faithful believers set, cease from bearing fruit, crying out for your help, day and night, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, depart from evil, discontent, dissatisfaction, do good, doesn't take your fancy, dwell for evermore, dwell therein for ever, faith, flourish in the courts of God, Friday chant, God's promises for the righteous, gospel truth, grow in spirituality, grow like a cedar in Lebanon, he delights in his way, he is always merciful and lendeth, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall not be utterly cast down, heavenly Father, her leaf shall be green, his delight is in the law of the Lord, his leaf shall not wither, his seed begging bread, hit the ball out of the park, holy spirit, I have been young and now am old, I have not seen the righteous forsaken, in his law doth he meditate, insufficient Christian witness, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, keep his way, lean on God's everlasting arms, LOVE, mercy, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, nor stands in the way of sinners, not afraid of whatever comes against him, obedience, omnipotent help, our sinful world, positive chages, problems escalating, Psalm 23, restoring faith in you, return backsliders to your fold, righteousness, salvation, shall not be careful in the year of drought, shall not fear when heat comes, show them the error of their ways, spreading our slat and light, spreads out her roots by the river, stand strong and steadfast, stay safe, step up to the plate, strong faith in God, strong roots planted in God, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Lord forsakes not his saints, The Lord is my rock, The Lord is my shepherd, the Lord loves justice, the Lord upholds him with his hand, the necessities of life, the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, the righteous shall inherit the land, the seed of the wicked shall be cut off, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, there is no unrighteousness, these ungodly times, they are preserved for ever, though he fall, to enjoy the good life one must live the good life, to shew that the Lord is upright, to show that the Lord is upright, too much a part of the world, trust God's every word, trusting faith, truth, unbelievers could be attracted to jesus, unexpected storms, wait on the Lord, wake up and smell the coffee, whatsoever he does shall prosper, when the wicked are cut off, whose hope the Lord is, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 92:12. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (strong and tall).
And then, at long last, it was our favourite workday, Friday. And although the sun’s not as hot and shining as we might like it, with a few clouds overhead, it doesn’t stop those shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ from rising on high. I guess it would take a really terrible Friday to stop those shouts from rising up. (smile) Anyway, since God has spared our lives to see another day on His beautiful planet earth, that’s sadly beset by all kinds of disasters, both natural and man-made, let’s keep our promise of yesterday to check out God’s promises for the righteous, having seen how He intends to utterly destroy the wicked.
And one of the best scriptures on God’s blessing on the righteous is found in Psalm 1, aptly titled – Blessings on the Godly. The psalmist opens with this awesome proclamation: ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder on) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps. 1:1-3)
Wow! What a wonderful blessing the Lord proclaims for the righteous! And if that scripture doesn’t take your fancy, then try this one from Psalm 92, titled – Give Thaks to God. The psalmist confidently declares: ‘The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (strong and tall). Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bring forth fruit in their old age; they shall be fat and flourishing (plump and green); To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.’ (Ps. 92:12-15)
Now, that’s the indisputable truth! There is no unrighteousness whatsoever in the Lord God Almighty! That’s why we can trust His every word and lean on His everlasting arms without fear! And even in their old age, the righteous will still be flourishing bringing forth good fruit, because the Lord is with them. But if you still don’t believe, then try this word from the prophet Jeremiah. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:8)
Another wonderful verse of the Lord’s blessing upon the righteous! And you might be wondering why all these metaphors about trees planted by water. That’s because in the old time agrarian society, where farming was a major part of life, it was much easier for them to understand that kind of comparison. And furthermore, when you receive Christ as Lord and Saviour, afterwards you don’t just sit around and do nothing, No, you’re expected to grow in spirituality and obedience, in faith and righteousness.
And what better way to explain that than by talking about trees planted by a plentiful supply of water with long, strong roots that go deep into the ground, and bear good fruit even in a season of drought. That’s how the righteous Christian ought to be; with strong roots planted in God and His Word, not afraid of whatever comes against him because of his strong faith in His Creator and Giver of Life, who blesses Him with all the necessities of life.
And Psalm 37 further tells us: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and am now old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever (always) merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the Lord LOVETH judgement (justice), and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.’ (Ps. 37:23-29)
Now, you cannot want better testimony than that! Straight from the personal experience of Bruh David. He was a man just like us, with all our faults and foibles, but He trusted the Lord with all of his heart, and though his life was not easy, he still ended up victorious because of the Lord’s faithfulness. And he perfectly describes the Lord’s faithfulness and blessings on the righteous in his famous and heartfelt Psalm 23 – the Lord is My shepherd. Perhaps you should take a minute afterwards and check it out and see how rich and wonderful it is in godly faithfulness and blessings. (smile)
In the meanwhile please follow these most reassuring words of Bruh David from Psalm 37. ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34) And that’s the gospel truth my people! Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help in these tough and turbulent times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And truthfully, one of the major reasons for the chaotic state of our world is insufficient Christian witness. We have been too much a part of the world, rather than being apart from it and spreading our marvellous salt and light so that the unbelievers could be attracted to Jesus. And if we want to see productive and positive changes in our world, then we have to step up to the plate and hit the ball out of the park. And do it right now! It’s as simple as that my faithful brethren! Much LOVE!
…to enjoy the good life…one must live the good life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Dec 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a aman's relationship with God, Anselm's Quote, blasphemous, blessings, Bruh David, Buddha, by thy words thou shalt be justified, Christians, Christmas, condemned, contentment, contentment is the greatest wealth, cutthroat world, dominion, faithfulness, faithfulness is the best relationship, foolish, God's Sovereignty, gospel truth, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, health, health is the greatest gift, his tongue talks of justice, holy spirit, idle word, Jesus Christ, keep his way, LOVE, material things, mercy, moral law, peace, physical law of God, power, righteousness., salvation, sin, social media, spiritual law, stress, the day of judgement, the good treasure of his heart, the law of God is in his heart, the mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, understanding of god's Word, ungodly world, wait on the Lord, wisdom, words have power, write it indelibly in our hearts
Psalm 37:30. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement (justice).
Well Friends, another beautiful day is in the offing! It’s Tuesday, and thankfully there are just two more days to the big day of Christmas. Hope you have all your preparations completed, and are not running around like a chicken with its head cut off to try and complete them before the day arrives. (smile)
Thank the Lord I’ve given up all that sort of stuff! I no longer run around to buy gifts etc. If I give anything, it’s usually money for others to run around and buy what they want. That works perfectly for me. (smile)
Anyway, today I’m going to share a quote from a friend, who sends me one every day. It’s called ‘Anselm’s Quote For the Day. Inspiring You For a Better Tomorrow.’ And the quote itself is attributed to Buddha, the religious deity of Buddhism. It says that: ‘Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.’
And Anselm himself offers this advice. ‘This is a nice quote to remind us that without health we really have nothing, and without being content all the riches in the world matter not. There are a lot of people out there that are sick and ailing that would trade anything for good health.
And there are plenty of rich people in the world that are absolutely miserable and resort to drugs and alcohol to make up for an empty life. It’s easy to think that riches bring true wealth and that there’s a gift better than health, but when you stop to consider it further you realize that this quote is right.’
And isn’t that the gospel truth my people! Regardless of what material things or power we possess, if we don’t have decent health, then we’re helpless to really enjoy life. The things of the world don’t always ensure a good and/or healthy environment for us. So please remember that and stop running down the things of the world.
In fact, running them down will only make you sick, note the pandemic of stress that’s currently has our world in grip, because we are all working like crazy to make ends meet or get ahead in this cutthroat world. And the sad part too, is that when we finally get the material things or power we’re running after, we either get fed up with them quite quickly, or we just don’t have the time to enjoy them. And this Christmas season is a great example of that. A lot of the stuff we receive is returned to the stores for one reason or another.
Anyway, let’s turn to our Bit, taken from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked, by Bruh David. ‘The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement (justice).’
Now that’s indisputable truth my people! You cannot be righteous and foolish and blasphemous. And Jesus added His contention to the matter by saying: ‘A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’ (Matt.12:35-37)
Oh Friends, please write that indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls, especially in this day and age where unjustified talking is on the upswing with the many means of quick communication now available to us. And we are already seeing Jesus’ warning coming to pass down here on earth, where people are saying and posting a lot of nonsense on the social media and getting in trouble for it. Remember that words have power, both for good and for evil.
But as Bruh David continues after our Bit: ‘The law of his God is in his heart (that of the righteous); none of his steps shall slide (slip). The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.’ (Ps.37:31-33)
Yes my people, our God will not allow the wicked to have dominion over His righteous children. He will enable them to get out of the grip of the evil one and his cohorts. Please believe that and act on it.
Now here is some interesting and educational info from the scholars re the Law of God. ’37:31. The law of God is the extension of God’s nature and expression of God’s will in His creation. God’s law is expressed in different forms, relating to different areas of His creation. The physical law of God includes the laws of nature which govern the continuous physical existence of this world. (Gen.8:22; Col.1:17).The moral law, also called “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25), governs the immaterial issues of life (2 Tim.3:17). The social law of God affects interpersonal relationships and can be summarized by “the royal law” (James 2:8). The spiritual law deals with a man’s relationship with God. It is summarized in “the first and great commandment” (Matt.22:37).
Illustration: The purpose of the law is to reveal the sovereignty of God (ex.20:2), to place a restraint on the sinner (68:7-8), to show the greatness and reality of sin (Rom.3:19-20), and to lead the sinner to Christ (Gal.3:24). The purpose of the law did not change with the gospel. When the Judaizers in Galatia sought to teach their erroneous view of the law, they failed to realize that the law has never been able to save anyone. Application: As Christians, we should be concerned to live decently and orderly. First Ref. Gen.2:17; Primary Ref. Rom.1:7-14; cf, Ex.3:13.)’
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, I do hope that that info gives us greater understanding of God’s Word. And we’ll end with this wise advice from Bruh David. ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’ (Ps.37:34)
Words to live by my people! So let’s live by them nuh, so we can be considered righteous and have the blessings of our wonderful God! Much LOVE
…in righteousness…there is always wisdom and justice…
SCRIP-BITS 