The Christian Life is all about Jesus and His Amazing Work on Mankind’s Behalf!

23 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 15:57.        But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And the weekly merry-go-round of workdays, begins again with another Monday on our plate. But we’re not afraid, worried or anxious about it in the least, for we have been well rested and renewed in the strength of our faith through worship and fellowship. That means we have every confidence that we can handle Monday and whatever it brings against us, like the rainy and cloudy start to the day! And Jesus reminds us of that awesome power when He says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

And so He has! His death, resurrection and ascension assure us of victory over the world. And this commentary gives us a brief, insightful look into what that means. ‘Jesus proved then and there that He was victorious over death. The grave could not hold him. Acts 2:24 says it this way: “But God raised Him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.” No one should be surprised. Jesus had been saying this all along.” 

Yes, He had been telling the disciples that He must die, then rise again, although they did not fully understand His meaning, and Peter quite boldly told Him that that would never happen. Then Jesus famously rebuked Peter: ‘Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not (are not mindful of) the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’ (Matt. 16:21-23) 

Then there are these famous words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians re Jesus’ victory over death. ‘So, when this corruptible (body) shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal (body) shall have put on immortality (through the Rapture of the church), then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:54-58) 

Yes, my fellow believers, that victory of Christ over hell, death and the grave ought to encourage and reassure us to stand strong and steadfast in Christ, doing His work with all diligence and excellence! That’s sacrificing where necessary, being generous, merciful, compassionate, LOVING and kind, fighting against oppression and inequality, for justice and human rights, because when we live that way, when we allow the fruit of the Spirit to flourish in us, then are we true disciples, and will be well rewarded in due course of time. 

And just to show how Bruh Paul was a master of putting scriptures together to suit his purpose, that verse above ‘Death is swallowed up in victory,’ comes from Isaiah 25:8. And the one about ‘O death, where is thy sting?’ comes from Hosea 13:14, which simply means that in many cases, the New Testament is a reflection of the Old Testament, except that in the former, Jesus is formally introduced to fulfill the Old Testament Prophecies. 

One of which was to conquer sin and death. As Isaiah so confidently tells us of Jesus’ birth: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ (Is. 9:6-7) 

And the zeal of the Lord certainly gave us the incarnate Son of God, the Messiah, when the time was right! And Isaiah also prophesied of Jesus tough earthly days and His excruciating death characterizing Him as a Man of Sorrows. ‘Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm (power) of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form (stately form) nor comeliness (splendour); and when we shall see him, there is no beauty (appearance) that we should desire him. 

He is despised and rejected of (forsaken by) men; a man of sorrows (pains), and acquainted with grief (sickness): and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted. But he was wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement (correction, discipline) of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (the wounds he suffered) we are healed.’ (Is. 53:1-5) 

And we know that all of that was fulfilled in Jesus’ life, as well as the other verses that we don’t have time for, that explained Him being like A Lamb to the Slaughter (Is. 53:6-9), and An Offering for Sin, verses 10-12. So, from the beginning of the Bible, right to the very end, it’s all a Testament to Jesus and His marvellous work on mankind’s behalf. Therefore, with that in mind, let’s go to the throne of grace seeking divine aid. 

Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And as our prayer reminds us, the necessary requirements for divine aid are humbling ourselves, praying, sincerely seeking God’s face and turning from our evil ways! Much LOVE!

…to God the Father be the glory…for giving us redemption through Christ Jesus…

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

Perseverance: The Foundation of a Believer’s Faith and Life!

07 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

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

Romans 5:3.       And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh (produces) patience;

And that’s one thing about our work week, or even a normal week; it doesn’t  stumble, or falter, or even miss a beat in it’s cyclical go round. Now that’s something many of us believers ought to try adopting; not faltering or missing a beat in our spiritual journey here on earth, but just staying calm, steadfast in prayer and persevering under whatever our circumstances might be. And no it’s not easy. It’s never easy to go against the grain, and the grain of this current world is evil and ungodliness. 

As Jesus told Bruh Paul when He knocked him off his horse on his way to Damascus to incarcerate more believers. The Bible tells us: ‘And he (Bruh Paul) fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, (his name then was Saul), why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard to kick against the pricks.’ (Acts 9:4-5) 

And if you’re wondering what Jesus meant, this commentary explains. “A ‘prick’ refers to a goad, which is a sharp spear or stick used to poke animals to make them move ahead. Rather than move forward, stubborn animals sometimes kick back to retaliate, literally kicking ‘against the pricks.’ But nonetheless, as true believers in Christ Jesus, we do need to kick back some against the sinfulness of this world, because that’s what our discipleship calls for, as characterized by this statement of Jesus. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

Now, we all know that crosses are heavy things to bear, but with God’s promised help and anointing we are all able to carry our crosses. Nobody said anything about it being easy…and life’s not easy. It never was, and never will be, but those who persevere in spite of the difficulties usually come out on top, come out the winners. And that’s all Christ is asking us to do; to persevere in His name, with His strength. Now why is that? 

Because, as this passage from an article on the BibleStudyTools website explains: ‘Perseverance is vital to growing in your faith, and God wants his people to persevere no matter what happens, so we have to learn how to overcome obstacles, difficulties, trials, and tribulations to experience victory in Christ. We have two choices when faced with hardship – trust in God and keep our vision on Him or quit and abandon hope. God has so much more in store for us, and His plan for us is for struggles and hardships to become blessings and rewards if we persevere!’ 

And one of the great scripture passages on the subject is this one from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Roman church. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh (produces) patience; And patience, experience (character); and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (has been poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom. 5:1-5) 

Yes friends, through the awesome sacrificial work of Christ, we have been brought back into right standing with God; justified, reconciled, filled with grace by faith, and can therefore rejoice in the hope that comes from all of that. A hope so sure and certain that we can even take pleasure in tribulations and all the other stuff that work against us, but build godly character when we persevere through them. Obviously with the help of the Holy Spirit that imbues us with the amazing LOVE of God. 

One cannot ask for more than that my people. Our great God has indeed given us ALL that we need to succeed in His name in this world. We just need to bear down, buckle up, and use the numerous tools He’s given us, so that we can shine like a light in the darkness and spread the good news of his Word around the world. But success is only possible when we eschew the comfortable life that the world currently glorifies. Oh my fellow believers, in these difficult and mind boggling times, perseverance is a must for us to bring glory to God. 

It’s like James also says: ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers (various) temptations; Knowing this, that the trying (testing) of your faith worketh (produces) patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect  and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing.’ (James 1:2-4) There you have it friends, more godly advice on the power of patience and perseverance during the certain trials of life.  

And Jesus also said it loud and clear in John’s gospel. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And if you’re a true believer, then you will use those words to boost your life. There will undoubtedly be tribulation in the world, but there’s no need to fear, because our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ has already overcome the world and all the trouble that’s in it. 

Thus we can go back to the epistle of James, Jesus’ brother, and read these reassuring words. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when his tried (have been proven), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE Him.’ (James 1:12) And there’s no better verse to go home on this Wednesday morning my people. One that gives us hope and reassurance that if we persevere with Christ, then we’ll receive a wonderful crown of life as promised by our heavenly Father.

 Now let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our amazing position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And let’s remember, that if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s plan to meet at the very end nuh! That’s wisdom to the nth degree! Much LOVE!

…Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence…Talent will not…nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent…Genius will not…unrewarded genius is almost a proverb… (Calvin Coolidge; 30th President of the U.S.)

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

The Importance of Giving God Thanks for His Awesome Goodness and Mercy!

15 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 107:1.        Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good: for his mercy (LOVING-kindness) endureth for ever. 

Another Monday…another day of work, bordered by morning and evening traffic jams! Yes, unfortunately that’s the sad reality in many big cities nowadays; not enough roads to handle the large volume of vehicular traffic. And don’t talk about that concrete jungle called Toronto! Right now, it’s even worse than normal with the daytime repairing of two lanes of the Gardener Expressway which leads into the heart of the city. Then to make matters worse, almost every street is barricaded due to building construction or street repairs. 

Sometimes the confusion of construction and repairs in the summer months, makes you long for the relative peace of winter. (smile) But that’s how our world is set up; cram vehicles and people into the cities in the morning for work, then watch them try to rush out in the evening, without much success. And sadly the process contributes to the loss of a great number of man hours, severe frustration, physical and emotional strain. 

One would have thought that with the magnitude of wisdom supposedly entrenched in our society, a more efficient, less stressful system would be employed. However, that’s the way it currently is, and it won’t change for the foreseeable future, so let’s just say thank you we have a job to go to, despite all the frustration involved, for many of our fellow humans don’t have jobs and are facing much more severe hardship than us. 

That brings us to these most encouraging words from Psalm 107: ‘Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good: for his mercy (LOVING-kindness) endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 107:1) And that’s as it should be my fellow believers! For although we will encounter unforeseen negative circumstances in this rough and tumble life, our faith in Christ Jesus will enable us to face them from a position of strength rather than one of weakness. 

As Moses said to the Israelites: ‘And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken (heed) unto the commandments of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them (be careful to observe them).’ (Deut, 28:13) And what does that mean? Exactly what it says. If you obey the Lord’s commands you will never be inferior or the tail, but always superior or the head. 

And that leads us to this prayer based on Deuteronomy 28:3-14. ‘In the Name of Jesus, I declare…. I am blessed in the city and blessed in the country. I am the head and not the tail in my finances, my family, my health, my job and my ministry—not just sometimes, but all the time. Every day, in every way, I am the head and not the tail.’ Now that’s an interesting prayer we should offer up everyday. 

Then let us not forget these marvellously encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spareth not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom. 8:31-32, 37) 

Yes friends, if our great God, who willingly broke His own heart, gave up His most treasured relationship by crucifying His Son Jesus Christ for our benefit, why wouldn’t He give us lesser things than that eh? No reason whatsoever! 

And as this commentary further explains: ‘Nothing that enters our life is able or sufficient to separate us from God’s LOVE demonstrated at the cross. God’s LOVE allows the believer to be a conqueror in adversity. God walks with us through every adversity and hardship. We do not merely survive or squeak by. We do not just succeed.’ 

No my brethren, with God in our corner, we don’t just succeed, we overcome with flying colours.  As Jesus says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And if we are His true disciples, then we too can overcome the world. 

Friends, it’s all a matter of faith, of belief. For as Jesus also says: ‘If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible to you.’ (Matt. 17:20) Oh my people, Jesus was just highlighting that it doesn’t take much faith for God to work in a person, but the disciples needed to believe it, and so do we. 

Yes, we can know the Bible verbatim from cover to cover and don’t believe what it says, and then put it into action, then all our effort to learn it was a waste of time. The Bible is only useful when we believe it, then action it. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking help with out many earthly problems. 

Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And if we truly desire divine aid, then we need to turn from our evil ways and sincerely seeks God’s face. Much LOVE!

…head knowledge is of no use…unless it’s accompanied by heart action

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

2 Timothy 1:7 – Embracing Power, Love, and a Disciplined Mind

18 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 1:7.       For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.

And then it was Tuesday…another Monday lost in the dustbin of history! And some of you are saying, ‘Thank the Lord!’ (smile) Anyway, according to my computer it’s going to very hot in my area again today with another strong, warm wind blowing it’s way through. But that’s what we expect from summer…well, except the continual strong winds. Right now though, too many places around the globe are having unexpected heat waves and unexpected rainfall, and other natural disasters, like tornadoes, earthquakes and volcano eruptions, very valid signs of climate change. 

And those things, in conjunction with the strife-filled disasters that we ourselves have wrought, do serve to make our world a very calamitous and fearful place. That means one has to tread very carefully and examine everything we see and hear in a thorough manner just to ensure that it’s the truth and we’re not being deceived, as deception is rampant nowadays. Yes friends, with all the new technology, things like social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) the stuff out there is very deceptive, slanted to either provide misinformation, or is often totally untrue. 

That’s why believers must know the Word of God, so that they can protect themselves from the constant onslaught, the constant barrage of information being thrown at us in this Information Age. And the first thing we must know is that we’re not supposed to be afraid of engaging this world, for as Bruh Paul spells out in his message to Timothy, and consequently to us: ‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) 

Now that’s a very powerful scripture for us to hold on to, because it drives away the constant fear that so many people right now posses in this turbulent and chaotic world. And then, to bolster those memorable words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, there are these wonderful soul-easing, reassuring words of Jesus, promising His divine peace, that He spoke to the disciples when telling them of the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, after He went away. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) 

Please note friends, that the peace which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ gives us is not like what the world calls peace. No! His peace is a higher kind of peace; one that is above the understanding of mankind. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) Now that’s the kind of peace we have when we sincerely embrace Jesus and continually meditate on His word. 

And I particularly like this promise of peace that He gave to the disciples later on just before His crucifixion. He said to them: ‘Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:32-33) 

Wow! What reassuring and uplifting words from our Lord and Saviour! Though we will certainly have tribulation in this evil and ungodly world, we ought not to be fearful, but be of good cheer, because through His death and resurrection He’s conquered the world! And though Jesus knew that all His followers would desert Him in the upcoming rough days, He was assured of His heavenly Father’s company. Likewise my brethren, when we put our sincere and total trust in Christ, we can also be assured that whatever is happening to us in this crazy and disaster-filled world, we are not alone, but have His holy and reassuring presence right there with us, helping us to handle whatever is troubling us. 

Oh friends, Jesus never said that following Him would be easy, in fact He knew and said that it would be difficult. Just listen to the requirements for being one of His disciples nuh. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Now that’s indeed a rough row to hoe; being always ready for self-sacrifice and daily bearing one’s cross. But just as the Father never left Jesus alone in His earthly tribulation, Jesus will never leave us alone in ours, but will always help us to do His will. 

And that’s where our faith comes in. All that we’ve spoken so far does not become real from little faith, but needs strong faith to carry them through. That’s why we need to spend much time in the word of God, also praying and talking to Him, so that our faith can be bolstered. And there’s no better direction on that than these words of the Lord to Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. In no uncertain terms, the Lord said to Joshua: 

‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall constantly be in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9) 

Oh my fellow believers there could be no better encouragement than that! But it’s up to each one of us to take it and work with it to achieve the plans God has for us, otherwise, crapaud smoke we pipe! It’s as simple as that! Now for those of us who are actively trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having said that, it now behooves us 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!

…only by meditating on God’s word…then actioning it…can we truly live the abundant life…that Christ died for us to have…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 May 2024 Psalm 31:1.

30 May 2024 Leave a comment

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


Psalm 31:1.       ‘In thee, O Lord do put my trust (take refuge); let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

And then it was Thursday…And yes, the ole fella is up somewhat early to be about the Lord’s business, that’s because I have a couple of medical appointments this afternoon and did not want to be rushing around later to accomplish my tasks. So strange things do happen in this world, today, instead of being late…we’re being early! (smile) Now what are we going to talk about this morning eh, this sunny but somewhat chilly penultimate day in May? Well the Good Library opened just now in the Book of Psalms, and my eyes alighted first on Psalm 31 –  Bruh David talking about ‘My Rock and My Fortress.’ One of his many psalms of both lament and praise. 

So please read with me: ‘In thee, O Lord do put my trust (take refuge); let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock (rock of refuge) for an house of defence (fortress) to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily (secretly) for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.’ (Ps. 31:1-5) 

Oh friends, those are powerful words of commitment and trust! Bruh David was serious about them, and as we read them, the question arises, are we also serious in our commitment to Almighty God? Do we consider Him our strong rock and fortress of refuge, our strength and deliverer in these turbulent and topsy turvy times? Let’s hope so, for we surely do need someone bigger and stronger than us to help us get through the craziness that’s overtaken our world. And who better than the Lord God Almighty, the Creator, and Controller of the universe, the most powerful being in existence. If He cannot take care of us, then no one can. 

But as Bruh David says, we have to commit our spirits into His hand if we want His protection. And that’s totally, not partially, as we like to do in most godly things. For some reason we don’t seem to trust the Lord completely, or we just want to always have some sort of control over our goings and comings. However friends, with the Lord it’s ALL or NOTHING at ALL! He doesn’t do partway stuff, so for those of us who like to sit on the fence and try to have a foot in both worlds, He will not pay any attention to your cries for help. 

And we all know that, but yet we still always try to withhold something, not give all of ourselves, possibly because we don’t truly trust the Lord to take care of all of our needs as Bruh Paul assured the Philippians. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) Yes friends, we mouth it, but don’t sincerely believe it…well not all the way. But our God needs our sincere trust and surrender if He is to do much good for us. You’ll notice in Bruh David’s own life, although he was hounded by enemies on all sides, he gave his total trust to God, and the Father, in His time and way resolved them for him. 

Note, his problems did not go away overnight, or that he never had any further problems, but he stood his ground with God throughout all his trials and that’s the way we need to be. Regardless of our circumstances, how threatening or fearful they might be, we need to stand strong in the Lord and His might and believe as the word says: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) The problem is that we expect God to fix all of our problems right away and allow us to live a life of wine, women and song, without any further encumbrances. 

But that will never happen, for in this sinful and ungodly world, we will have troubles and problems until the day we die, because that’s just the kind of world we live in. As Jesus rightly said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, it’s not easy to have good cheer when your whole world seems to be crumbling down around you, but if you have put your sincere trust in Jesus, then you will indeed have a modicum of peace during your trials. 

Your circumstances will not drive you crazy, or to drink and drugs, but you’ll fall on your knees and ask the Lord for help, while giving Him thanks and praise. As Bruh Paul wisely advises us: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving  let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) Now again, that isn’t always easy to do, but if we have sincerely trusted Jesus, and believe that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us, (Phil. 4:13) then we will be able to handle whatever comes against us. 

Many of us erroneously believe that coming to Christ means a life of ease and comfort, but oftentimes it’s not. It might even mean more problems, tests and sacrifices, because living for Jesus desires us to take up our crosses daily and walk with him, forgetting ourselves, so we can do His work. The good news though friends is that living for Christ is all worth it, for in the long run the rewards greatly eclipse the sacrifices. But it takes strong and sincere faith and belief and a willingness to give up all for Christ. 

And on the good side of things, we have a whole lot of undeserved blessings, that the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, but they have to be declared to be activated. So let’s do that right now nuh. As one 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 declared those blessings, we’re now duty bound to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us! Much LOVE!

…to receive all of God’s favour…we must trust Him…ALL THE WAY…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 May 2024 Matthew 11:28.

14 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 11:28.       Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

So another Monday is in the books, we got our feet wet in this new work week, therefore we can now comfortably turn our eyes to Tuesday, without fear or anxiety. (smile) Yes, sometimes we might wish that we didn’t have any time off work on the week end, because it’s so easy to slip into rest mode, but ever so difficult to get back into a work frame of mind after a period of rest. But if we truly focus on Jesus, He will help us move from one arena to the next without much trouble. That’s His promise. And we know that He NEVER reneges on a promise. 

So, knowing that, wisdom dictates that we throw our everything, our all unto Him so that He can lighten our burden and help us make our way safely and securely. Remember that scripture we call the Great Invitation, where Jesus invites us to come to Him with all of our burdens, worries and problems? In all, LOVE, compassion and truth, He offers: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

What a great invitation that is my people! In fact it’s the greatest invitation ever offered to mankind! So why aren’t many more of us accepting it eh? Because it seems too good to be true? Or because accepting it means we‘ll have to kow tow, or bow down to Jesus and all His demands? So what? It’s much better than kow towing or bowing down to Satan’s demands. And with Satan it never gets any easier, but always harder, more difficult to ferry our way through this turbulent life. 

With Jesus though, the more you entrench yourself in His way of life, the more experience you get with Hm, life becomes easier, well not necessarily easier, (smile) but you can better handle whatever comes against you. And why is that eh? Because then you’ll have the peace of God which passes all understanding, keeping or guarding your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7) And what’s that peace of God, you’re talking about eh? This commentary nicely explains it: ‘The Peace that transcends all understanding does not come from having everything work out exactly as we want it. The peace that transcends all understanding comes from knowing that no matter what life throws at us, we can still have joy when we know that our victory lies in Jesus Christ and not in our circumstances.’ 

Glory to God my people! How wonderful it is to know that we don’t have to worry or be anxious over every little thing in our lives…in truth, neither do we have to worry or be anxious over the big things either, because Jesus can handle anything that come against us. As Bruh Paul says to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6) And when we do that consistently, the peace of God that flows from that prayer, supplication and thanksgiving will allow us to handle it all my brethren. 

And also remember that when Jesus was here on earth, He was big on peace, because peace is what enables you to live the abundant and godly life. Note His words to the disciples. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes friends, Jesus’ peace is not like what the world offers as peace. His peace is that peace that passes all understanding and allows us to handle our problems with wisdom and understanding, not anxiety and fear. 

And don’t you like how He says not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid?  For sure! That’s because He knows when His peace is flowing through us there’s no need to worry or be afraid. Especially when He again talks of peace to the disciples. This time saying: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, sometimes it is difficult to be of good cheer when it seems like your whole world is falling down around you, but that’s exactly when the peace of God is necessary to keep you from falling over. 

And please note my fellow believers, Jesus never said that living the Christian life was easy. Nobody knew that better than Him, as you can see from all the trials and tribulations He encountered. But because He also had the Father’s peace flowing through Him, He was able to handle whatever came against Him. Why yuh think He was always praying and giving thanks to the Father? Because He knew that He could not handle it all on His own, despite His status as deity. So if Jesus as deity could not handle this crazy, evil and ungodly world without His Father’s help, why do we think we can handle it on our own eh? That’s surely a fool’s wisdom! 

We desperately need the awesome help of our Triune God to face this world with strength, wisdom and grace. As Bruh Paul so rightly said to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And that’s why Christians can face this evil and ungodly world without any trepidation or fear. But you have to sincerely embrace Jesus and His philosophy for that situation to apply to you. Satan nor his evil cohorts cannot give your that amazing sense of peace, LOVE and joy, that knowing Jesus can. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…true rest and peace…can only be found in and through Jesus…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 April 2024 Matthew 11:28.

04 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 11:28.       Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

And the good vibes of this Easter Season still percolate strongly through our faith on this wet Thursday spring morning in early April. Thankfully, the rain has let up some, and the li’l snow we got has already disappeared. However, the promise of rain is still in the forecast. But as I like to say: ‘Let it rain, let it rain! With Jesus in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, rain cannot stop us from moving forward with Him!’ No sir! For Jesus is our Guide and Leader, our Good Shepherd, who leads us to green pastures, beside still waters and restores or refreshes our burdened and weary souls. 

That means, if we are wise, we will quickly take Him up on His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Oh friends, there is absolutely no better invitation in all the world! You can bet your bottom dollar on that! 

And Jesus, having died on Good Friday and paid our sin debt in full, then risen on Easter Sunday and proclaimed the awesome power of His resurrection, He now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf, highly exalted for His work on the cross. As the Good Library tells it: ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:9-11) 

Wow mih bredrin! Jesus, for His stellar, unselfish work here on earth has been proclaimed King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the name that’s above all names! That means, if possible, He is now even more able to offer us the peace and rest that we so desperately need in these tremulous and turbulent times, than when He first offered that invitation while here with us on Mother Earth. So why are many more of us not turning to Him for the comfort, relief and solace He so readily offers eh? Why instead are so many of us leaving His church, turning away from Him and all the wonderful things He offers? 

I truly don’t know why, neither can I understand why in this age of turmoil and confusion we would run away from the ONE source of true peace and comfort in this evil and ungodly world. My people, please, I plead with us to remember these most important words of Jesus on the subject of peace in this strife-filled world. He says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) 

Right there you have it friends! Jesus’ peace is an entirely different kind of peace from what this ungodly world offers as peace. And furthermore, when you have the peace of Jesus, you don’t have to be worried and anxious about what’s happening in the world, or even in your particular situation, because He will keep you peaceful if you live for Him. And Jesus second quote on peace comes just after He tells the disciples about His upcoming crucifixion, acknowledging that in their fear they would scatter like rats at the presence of a cat. (smile) 

Nonetheless, He comforts them with these words. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, we all know that it’s hard to have peace when we’re undergoing trials and tribulations, but if we put our complete trust in Jesus, surrender our all to Him, He will give us the necessary peace to go about our business without too much worry and anxiety. That’s His absolute promise! And I’m here to testify to it. 

But unfortunately, it doesn’t happen overnight. However, as you draw closer to Jesus; pray, read and understand more of His Word and put it into action in your own life, you find yourself being less and less worried and anxious, because little by little, you’re experiencing His faithfulness in your life. Your faith grows stronger as He slowly raises you from glory to glory! Now that my fellow believers is the least we can ask of our Saviour. But the truth of the matter is that He has a lot more to offer us, if we will only turn to Him seriously and sincerely! 

As He says in His Invitation; you will find rest for your souls, an easy yoke, a light burden, plus stuff like forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life with Him wherever He might be. Now what can be better than that eh? Certainly not our only other option; that of sojourning in hell with Satan and his band of evil doers. But  it’s all up to the individual. The Lord gave us free choice, hoping that we’d choose Him, over Satan. Thus Moses’ exhortation to the Israelites in the wilderness: ‘I call heaven and earth to record (as witnesses) this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) 

It could not be said any clearer than that my fellow saints. Now the ball is in our court. Please play it wisely. And our God is so wonderful that He even bestows on us undeserved blessings to profitably share His Word on the earth. We call them our Thursday Blessings, but there’s one proviso; a blessing is not a blessing until it’s declared (yesss!!!). So let’s declare (awright!!!) them right now nuh. 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 (yeahhh!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…why choose sorrowful death…when there’s glorious life to be chosen…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 January 2024 Psalm 46:1.

23 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 46:1.       God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.

And may the grace and mercy of our wonderful God be on all of us this snowy winter’s Tuesday, my Scrip-Bit friends and family! And do we all ever need His LOVING-kindness and compassion in these troubled and frenzied times. For, instead of getting better as the days go by, our world seems to be getting more angry, violent, hateful and strife filled. Who knows why? Some of the players may have even forgotten why they got involved, and are just acting out for acting out sake. But for sure, it’s not a good scene we’re currently witnessing. 

And though most of us cannot do anything to change matters on the big stage but pray for godly wisdom and guidance for our leaders, on the smaller stage of our individual lives we can certainly do our best to show the LOVE and compassion of Christ in our own neighbourhoods, and thus lessen the tension at the grass roots level. So to help us do that, let’s turn to our biggest privilege and our number one source of help, PRAYER, as we go to our heavenly Father with these words of prayer from the January In Touch Devotional. 

Please pray with me: ‘Father, there is so much noise in the world: voices shouting in anger, crying in pain at one another and at You. We pray for clarity, to hear through all the commotion the pleas of the hurting, to recognize suffering underneath the veil of anger in each other and in ourselves. Lord, soften our hearts. Let compassion and gentleness be our first instinct. May You be near to every aching person, and may every aching person feel heard. In Jesus’ name. Amen.’ 

Oh friends, the sentiments in that prayer are ever so necessary and needful in these uncertain times. And yuh know what? It’s the times of uncertainty that cause us the most worrying concerns. At least that’s the way it is with me. If I am certain about something, then, although the outcome might be unpleasant and hurtful, I don’t worry about it nearly as much as if I am not sure of the outcome. I believe the devil nags and niggles us a li’l more in those times of uncertainty to get us to lose our cool and not trust our Lord and Saviour the way we ought to. 

But if our faith is strong enough, we can successfully run him off with some overruling scriptures like these powerful verses of faith from Psalm 46, where the Sons of Korah write: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3) 

Yes my faithful brethren, that’s a good example of strong faith with which to deter the devil’s evil lies and deceptions. We won’t be afraid even though the world is falling down around us, because our omnipotent God has promised to protect us in each and every situation. He is always present in our lives. And as the saying so truly goes: ‘When uncertainty abounds – cling to God.’ There can be no greater truth than that my people! Now, I’m chuckling here because I just got the bright idea to make today’s Bit one chocked full with scripture verses that talk about handling fear and anxiety. 

And why not eh, since our world is currently filled with so many of those negative emotions? So let’s continue with this magnificent verse from the first epistle of John, which exhorts: ‘There is no fear in LOVE; but perfect LOVE casteth out fear: because fear hath (involves) torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in LOVE.’ (1 John 4:18) And that says so much about God’s LOVE, how strong and potent it is, that it can even sustain us in our darkest times, and drive away our fear and anxiety. 

Then we have these verses from Isaiah, where our God ascertains His help in times of trouble. ‘For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.’ (Is. 41:13-14)  Oh my bredrin, isn’t that wonderful? It surely is! Just imagine Almighty God promising to help us nuh. As this commentary so rightly says: ‘God’s promise is to comfort and help us amid our worry. This Bible verse about fear holds the power to give us peace during the most uncertain of times. The Lord will take your hand and journey with you through the storm.’ 

How true that is! For with Christ as our Pilot and Guide, there’s no storm that conquer us! And we all know this next verse that drives away fear. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Now that’s a verse we all should have indelibly written in our hearts, souls and minds. For as this commentary reminds us: ‘We know we will face troubles in this life, but one of the Bible verses about fear that can sometimes be the most comforting is John 16:33. When you consider all Jesus faced — His torture and death — and how He overcame, it offers us profound comfort. Remember this among the Bible verses about fear and worry when you reflect on difficult times.’ 

Yes friends, we definitely need to remember that our Lord and Saviour has already overcome the world and all the evil therein, it’s just for us to faithfully live out the days till He returns in victory and takes us home. And with that promise uppermost in our minds, we can do it without fear of Satan and his evil doing consorts. And although there are many more notable verses of scripture that tone down fear, unfortunately, we only have time and space for one more. And it’s this marvellous one from Bruh David’s most famous writing. ‘Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:4) 

Now that’s a certain fact my faithful brethren. And I like how this commentary explains it. ‘God will not abandon you. Bible verses about anxiety remind us that we do not need to fear evil or uncertain events, because God will walk with us through these valleys. He LOVES us and wants the best for us. The Psalmist knew that the peace of God would be with him wherever he went and whatever situations he encountered. Know that God is right beside you during those difficult times.’ 

Yes my fellow saints, let’s go home with that comforting thought as we declare (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. As one voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, it time to go out and do just that; 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!

…FAITH…the only thing that can successfully drive out…FEAR…                                   

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 December 2023 Matthew 11:28.

26 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 11:28.  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

And then it was Tuesday, the day after Monday, the day after Christmas day, making it Boxing day! Yes friends, the big day has now come and gone, and I hope that you all had a good time celebrating with your families and friends. I know I did with my family. And as always, the food was excellent, but too much for the few celebrants. And, unfortunately, in this Christmas season of lavish and extreme preparations, a lot of good food will be thrown away, despite the fact that there are many hungry people in our society. 

However, in these days of excessive litigation, people are afraid to give away and also accept food, as those who receive the food can get sick and cause all sorts of problems. What a contentious, cantankerous and fearful society we’ve become, that allows so much good food to go to waste in a time of serious hunger, simply because of possible lawsuits. And another note, remember when Boxing Day was the big sales day? Well that’s no longer the case, the Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays, around the time of Thanksgiving are now the big sales days! 

Ah Lord eh! We’ve taken every holy and/or religious day and made them so commercialized, that many don’t even remember the true reason behind all the activity. So, now, the Boxing Day sales are merely shadows of their earlier selves. And anyway, I don’t know how many of us would like to go shopping on a wet, drizzly, cloudy day like today. In fact, the whole Christmas weekend has been wet and dark, leaving many of the outdoor enthusiasts saddened by the absence of the white stuff (snow) for them to frolic in. I guess that’s just another effect of the climate change that’s currently bewildering our world. 

But the most important thing to remember, especially in this Christmas season, is that we have Jesus; our End All and Be All – our answer to every problem – our Go to Guy! That’s why He came to earth as a man in this season; to eventually sacrifice His sinless life and save us from our sins and be the One we turn to when the storms of life batter and besiege us. And there’s no better example of that than Jesus’ Great Invitation, where He invites all and sundry to ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me, for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

What a marvellous invitation my people, one that we refuse to our own detriment. But let’s make one thing perfectly clear, Jesus is not promising the easy life. No! He’s promising one that’s easier and more bearable than that offered by Satan and the world. Note that He also has a yoke, but that’s much easier to bear, and His burden is lighter that what you’ll find if you refuse His offer. This world is full of sin, trials and tribulations that we cannot escape, but with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we can mitigate the circumstances and handle them in much better fashion that without His help. 

Jesus Himself said it; twice to boot. Listen up: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes friends, Jesus’ peace is an entirely different kind to that which the world offers, and consequently we ought not to be afraid or worried. As Bruh Paul wrote about it to the Philippians. ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 4:7) That means when we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour we will experience a peace, God’s peace, that surpasses all human understanding. And who wouldn’t want to have that kind of peace in these turbulent and evil times eh! 

Now, here’s the next statement of Jesus that we should pay attention re peace and fear. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Ah mih people, what reassuring, encouraging and true words from our Lord and Master! And has He ever overcome the world, defeating Satan, hell, death and the grave when He rose triumphantly on that first Easter morning, showing that He is indeed the resurrection and the giver of eternal life! 

As Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom. 8:37) For sure! That conquering Spirit of Jesus is indwelt by all His followers, and if we live the way He desires, we’ll overcome all that’s necessary to be overcome. And John adds his bit to the subject in his first epistle, when he truthfully informs us: ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) And isn’t that the glorious truth my brethren! It certainly is! For Christ is indeed greater than the enemy, the evil fallen angel, Satan! 

However, my fellow saints, to achieve all that Jesus offers we need to continuously keep Him first place, uppermost in our lives. As He so emphatically warned: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Our omniscient God knows all that we need to live this life at a high standard and He will provide them if we revere and exalt Him the way we ought. It’s as Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

And for good measure, (smile) let’s just remind ourselves that we cannot get to the Father except through Jesus. And He said it loud and clear too: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) Please friends, let’s keep that uppermost in our minds this Boxing Day, as we continue celebrating the birth of Christ. Now, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. 

As one sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having made that momentous declaration, (yesss!!!) we’re now obligated to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…Jesus is the Answer….Jesus is the answer…Yes…Jesus is the Answer to EVERYTHING… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 November 2023 Hebrews 10:23.

17 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 10:23.       Let us hold fast to the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).

Well, the beautiful sunny days look like they have ended on this last day of the work week,  as we shout: TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes, friends, it cloudy and windy and the presence of some kind of precipitation is in the air. But as we know, all good things must end sometime or the other, no good nor bad thing lasts forever. That’s why we have such strong belief and faith in Christ Jesus, because He has promised to be always with us in our every circumstance, and to eventually work them all out for out good! And the Good Book tells us that He who promises is faithful to deliver on His promises. 

Wow! That’s why the author of the Book of Hebrews so candidly laid it out for us, when he wrote: ‘Let us hold fast to the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).’ (Heb. 10:23) Yes my people, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is indeed faithful to His every promise, He has never reneged, and will never renege on even one! That’s why we need to be strong and steadfast in our faith and hope in Him, for He is the ONLY ONE in whom we can put our total trust, and surrender our entire being to. Praise His holy name you faithful saints! Praise the Lamb that was slain so that we could be forgiven of our abominable sins! May He reign in glory for ever and ever! Amen! 

Ah mih bredrin, the Christian life is tough, for it’s not easy to have strong and steadfast faith in Christ and then grow more faithful and righteous like Him every day, because that’s what discipleship calls for, and it’s what the Father expects of us. And the sad part of it all is that we only grow in faith through suffering and hardship, through trials and tribulation. That means to be a lifelong believer, you will always be faced by some problem or the other. Life will NEVER be clear sailing all the time, in due course, inclement weather will undoubtedly arrive at your doorstep. And only when we have that assured faith in Christ, will we ever be able to handle it. 

The truth of the matter is that the more problems you encounter, the more your faith grows and the easier it gets the next time around. And I know that’s no consolation, but it’s the truth! (smile) But these encouraging words of Jesus do make things a tad easier. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

Yes my fellow saints, Jesus has indeed overcome the world, by defeating hell, death and the grave and rising on the third day, and thus has also given all believers the victory. We now just have to endure the tough times this world has to offer, and to assist us in that endeavour, He’s generously given us His Holy Spirit to be our Guide, Comforter, Helper and Reminder of His truth, so that we can live the abundant life that He died for us to have, beginning right here on earth. 

Give Almighty God the praise for all He’s had Jesus do on our behalf! That’s why Bruh Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth, could write thus: ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:9) And later in that same letter, he wrote these words of encouragement: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) 

The problem with that verse though is too many of us focus on the word ‘escape.’ However, in the Lord’s vocabulary, ‘escape’ doesn’t always mean literal escape. Many times it means, enabling us to go through the tough circumstances, not bypassing them completely. Yes, sometimes, God will allow us to escape certain things completely, but more often than not, He will give us the strength and the wherewithal to bear the temptations, because in doing so we will grow and mature in our faith, and that’s His plan for each and every one of His born again children. 

And since we’re not doing as well as we ought to in these difficult and ungodly times, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and ask for divine help to do better. Altogether now: ‘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 my fellow saints, I’m sure the Lord sometimes chuckles when He hears our prayers for help, prayers which include the very thing(s) we need to do to get it. Like above there where we say: ‘And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ Now that’s exactly what we need to get divine help, set a better example than we’re currently doing! Much LOVE!

…faithful is he that calleth you…who also will do it… (1 Thess. 5:24)  

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

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