Overcoming Evil with Good: Lessons from Bruh David and King Saul

15 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 24:17.       And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

And it’s a good lazy-day Saturday… possibly not as warm as we would like it, but nice and sunshiny anyway. And, by my standards, I was up fairly early, but simply had to roll around in the bed and enjoy some of the laziness available this morning. (smile) So now, let’s give thanks to God for allowing us to see another wonderful day on His great earth, by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one, in all sincerity and truth: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And if the Lord read the right motives in our hearts, then I know we are beginning to feel His peace and LOVE flowing through us in greater measure than before, because there’s nothing He likes more than us sincerely asking for His amazing presence in our lives. 

Today, we’ll continue looking at that memorable confrontation between Bruh David and King Saul, when he cut off the corner of Saul’s robe as he sat in the cave relieving himself, but refused to kill him because he was the Lord’s anointed. And after hailing Saul outside the cave, Bruh David explained that he had nothing against the king and whatever rumours he had heard were all lies. 

Then He said to him: ‘The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of (on) thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.’ (1 Sam. 24:12-15) 

What a powerful speech Bruh David laid down on Saul. Intimating that he would let the Lord be his judge and avenger, and though Saul hunted him down like a wild animal, he would not harm him. Those are words that we ought to take very seriously my brethren, because many of us choose to be both judge and avenger in our disagreements with others, when the Lord specifically said: ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay…’ (Rom. 12:19) And moreover, Bruh David also fulfilled one of Christ’s commands, as we saw yesterday, to LOVE one’s enemies. (Matt. 5:44) And as Bruh Paul later wrote to the church at Rome: ‘Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:21) 

Now those are two scriptures we ought to pay very much heed to, since our world is quickly falling apart because the opposite perspective is in vogue: that’s return evil for evil. But all that causes is strife and all the negative connotations that come with it. And it’s only if we believers live up to the commands of Christ that our world will ever turnaround. Now let’s return now to that memorable conversation between King Saul and Bruh David. 

The Bible says: ‘And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how thou has dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away (get away safely)? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.’ (1 Sam. 24:16-19) 

Yuh see friends how the Lord’s commands do work in our practical lives. After Bruh David had been like a son to Saul, playing the harp for him in his palace and soothing his troubled spirit, he then allowed foolish jealousy to turn him around and hunt down Bruh David to kill him. Yes, it was somewhat tough on Saul, since Bruh David, instead of his son Jonathan, was anointed to be next king of Israel, and he had single-handedly killed the Philistine giant Goliath, then had led Israel to numerous victories as a brave warrior. The people obviously LOVED Bruh David. 

It got so bad that one time when Bruh David and Saul returned from battling the Philistines, in traditional fashion, ‘the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music (stringed instruments). And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth (angry), and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom. And Saul eyed David (viewed him with suspicion) from that day and forward.’ (1 Sam. 18:6-9) 

So there you have it, some of Saul’s reasons for wanting to kill Bruh David. But getting back to that memorable confrontation between them outside of the cave in Engedi. After asserting that Bruh David was a better man than him Saul said: ‘And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home: but David and his men gat them up unto the hold (stronghold).’ (1 Sam. 24:20-22) 

And wisely so, for as the scholars tell us: ‘Although Saul recognized the inevitability of David’s kingship, and entered into a covenant with David  concerning the treatment of Saul’s family, Saul nevertheless resumed his persecution of David later. (chap. 26).’ Ah friends, that only shows although we treat evil with good, it does not necessarily mean that the evil will disappear. But as true believers, we must do it, though still keeping our eyes and ears open, being on our p’s and q’s, especially in this evil, deceitful and strife fille world, where no one’s word can be trusted. Much LOVE!

…but ye brethren…be not weary in well doing… (2 Thess. 3:13)

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 June 2024 Philippians 4:5b.

01 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:5b.       The Lord is at hand.

And this first day of June 2024, a lazy-day Saturday, has opened bright, sunshiny and warm! All thanks be to God for letting us see another day on this earth with the wondrous help of His Son Jesus Christ looking out for us in heaven, and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us down here to lead, guide and comfort us in all our troubles! What a wonderful God we worship my brethren! And am I ever so sorry and heart-broken for those who don’t feel the same way, because His is the only real truth, LOVE and peace we’ll ever experience in this currently ungodly and evil world. 

Now, let’s show our heavenly Father how much we LOVE and need Him by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity of heart. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, if our hearts were sincere, then we know that He heard us and will respond positively to our prayer. For as John says in his first epistle. ‘And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions we desired (asked) of him.’ (1 John 5:14-15) Again I say, what a wonderful God we serve! For we know that there is no prayer He likes to hear more than that we LOVE and need Him and desire to spend time with Him. So, by now, if our prayer was sincere, it was answered, and we should be all feeling a sense of peace, rest and joy in the Lord’s LOVING presence. (smile) 

Now yesterday we dealt with the first part of Philippians 4:5 – ‘Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men.’ Today we’ll look at the second half of that verse: ‘The Lord is at hand.’ (Phil. 4:5b) And we all wonder what that means to us in these turbulent times. Well, the scholars, after telling us that Moderation means “graciousness” or “sweet reasonableness.” And that the believer who is at peace with his fellow Christian (vs. 2) and who rejoices always (vs. 4) is indeed a gracious, reasonable person. 

They go on to tell us that  ‘The Lord is at hand means two things. First, His (Jesus’) return to earth is near. His imminent coming as judge encourages the Christian to be “gracious” unto all men, for He will judge the believer for all of his actions toward all people, and will avenge all wrongs committed by others against Him. Second the “Lord is at hand” spiritually. The Lord, being presently near should free the Christian from fear and anxiety. Hence the command of verse 6: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6) 

So friends, with the Lord’s coming to judge the earth being imminent, and His powerful presence spiritually abiding with us, we should not be afraid or worried about whatever circumstances we encounter. And as we said in an earlier session, that’s not always easy to do when your whole world seems to be tumbling down around you, but if you constantly pray and give thanks, and study the Word, while saving it deep in your hearts for those troublesome times, then it will help you to find that ‘Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) 

And God’s peace is what gets us through those tough times. We probably won’t understand it, but if we are sincere in our devotions and discipleship, we will feel it. Now, I can vouch for that from personal experience, for I felt it very powerfully some years ago when I was vacationing in California. That morning I was in the process of writing the Bit, when they told me I had a phone call from my mother’s helper back in Canada. It was an unexpected call, but deep down I knew that something disastrous had happened. And when she told me that my mother had died, like all the air just went out of my body, and I was like a deflated balloon. 

But shortly thereafter, don’t ask me how, I was suddenly filled with a sense of peace and calm and went on about my business. My friends and family were concerned that I wasn’t crying and grieving, and so was I. And it’s not that I wasn’t sad and disappointed, but that peace that emanates from our good God, had put me in a different space, helping me to understand that there was nothing I could do about it, and therefore should keep my wits about me. But I did grieve and mourn and cry later on. (smile) So, it’s not always easy to put the Lord’s words into action, but if we’re serious about it, with His awesome help it is very possible. 

And I’m chuckling here because I had not intended to go down that path. What I had planned on doing was to share a couple of other scriptures re the ‘Lord is at hand.’ Like this one from James’ epistle. ‘Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman (farmer) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish (establish) your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (is near). Grudge (grumble) not one against another brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold the judge standeth before the door.’ (James 5:7-9)  

Those are excellent words of warning my people, especially for these unruly and lawless times, when everybody’s doing their own thing, and godliness is sadly lacking in the land. And what better note to close on than these words of Jesus to John in the Book of Revelation. ‘Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.’ (Rev. 22:7) Ah friends, I plead with us to heed Jesus’ warning, for we know not when He comes, but He can come at any time, like a thief in the night, and if we’re not ready, if we’re found wanting, then crapaud smoke we pipe! Much LOVE!

…a wise believer is always ready…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 May 2024 Matthew 6:31.

04 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:31.        Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

And what a beautiful springtime, lazy-day Saturday it is in my neighbourhood! The sun’s shining brightly, not a dark cloud in the sky, with temps in the high teens, with the birds singing their morning praise to their heavenly Father who looks after them with such tender, LOVING care that they want for nothing! Oh how I wish that we could be as grateful and give the plentiful amount of thanks that they give to the same heavenly Father who also takes of our every need! For He’s a Creator who LOVES, understands and looks after His creations. 

How did Jesus put it in His Sermon on the Mount, in his teaching on worry? ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body more than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for (worry about? raiment (clothes)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?’ (Matt. 6:25-30) 

Ah friends, in His usual forthright manner, Christ hit the proverbial nail right on the head! Our great God is not a wishy-washy, fly-by-night operator. No! He is a serious and concerned Creator, who looks after His creations like the wonderful Father He is. And if you dissect Jesus’ words, you’ll find that they are indeed the gospel truth. The birds neither sow nor reap, but they don’t ever go hungry, and they always seem to be happy, singing and dancing. Likewise the flora of the field all look beautiful in their time, more beautiful than Cousin Sol in all his finery, without either sowing or reaping. 

And the lilies do look loverly, as I can attest to because a few have grown up in the duchess’ front garden without help from her or anyone else…and they are indeed loverly shades of red and yellow. So, if the lower rungs of creation can find food, raiment and satisfaction from God, why can’t we eh, His most important creation? Because as Jesus said, our faith is small. 

Then I like how He puts the finishing touches to His argument. ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) 

Yes mih bredrin, Jesus tells it like it is! If you claim to believe in God, then your priority must be seeking Him and His will above all else in this world. It’s as simple as that. It’s just like being a member of any earthly organization: you can’t claim to be a true member unless you follow the rules, go to the meetings and do what the organization is set up to do. Likewise you can’t be a true member of Christ’s church and not follow it’s rules and regulations and do the work it was set up to do. 

And if you so do, then your needs will be met by the heavenly Father. It’s a promise made by Christ and fleshed out by Bruh Paul, when he writes to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) And if we stand on that promise, then we can take Jesus’ next words with full belief. ‘Take therefore no thought for (do not worry about) the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the (trouble) evil thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) 

Yes friends all of what we’ve read simply means that the first thing we need to do is to seek the righteousness of God’s kingdom, and then continue seeking it. We can’t ever stop. And if we seek the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom, then He will provide the material aspects we need. As the scholars tell us: ‘When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides. We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’ 

Unfortunately though, especially in these uncertain and troubled times, too many of us still worry about what could happen tomorrow. And yes, we must make some provision and take some thought for the morrow, but not to the extent that so many of us do. And if you’ll think back through the years, I’m sure you’ll realize that many of the hypothetical problems that we’ve outlined for the morrow, either never happened, or not to the extent or degree that we supposed. And worst of all, when we worry about the past or the future, we end up not enjoying the present as we should. 

Remember today only lasts for today! And it’s a gift that we ought to enjoy to the fullest.  That’s why the psalmist wrote these most meaningful words: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And you cannot do that if you’re worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. So let’s wake up and smell the roses and do as Jesus says nuh; stop worrying, for worrying improves nothing. And no, I have not forgotten our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, it just seemed more appropriate for the end today. (smile) 

So let’s offer it up in all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And if your words were heartfelt, then I know that you will enjoy a peaceful and relaxing lazy-day Saturday, for the Lord always answers prayers that seek Him and His righteousness! Much LOVE!

…God doesn’t cause worry…worry is fear invoked by the devil…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 December 2023 Luke 1:37.

09 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:37.       For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Oh, I do hope this lazy-day Saturday turns out like yesterday! Yesterday they promised that it would be mostly cloudy, but by lunchtime bright sunshine was engulfing the whole area, and we had sunshine for a few hours in the afternoon. Today, the forecasters are again calling for cloudy conditions, although with temps in double digits, but let’s hope the good Lord proves them wrong again, at least for a li’l while. (smile) In the meanwhile, as we slowly get up and reacquaint ourselves with life, let’s lift up our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer to heaven in all sincerity and truth. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ And hopefully that prayer brought to our souls, bodies and minds the peace, LOVE and quiet awareness of God’s Spirit that we asked for, and will enable us to live all the more for Him. 

And today, as we are going through the season of Advent, in quiet but exciting expectation of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I want us to look at how it all began, at how our magnificent God does move in mysterious and miraculous ways. Jesus’ birth was foretold by an angel. The Bible tells the story like this: ‘And in the sixth month, (of John the Baptist’s mother Elisabeth’s pregnancy) the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city in Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused (betrothed, engaged) to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail (rejoice), thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind (considered) what manner of salutation (greeting) this should be.’ (Luke 1:26-29) 

And that’s a normal response, or perhaps a better than normal response, for I’m sure, many of us, if as we’re going about our daily chores, we’re suddenly greeted by this spiritual apparition with that abnormal greeting, we’d be scared out of our skins and probably go running out the door. But Mary’s quiet and patient reaction speaks loads about her maturity and faith, though she was only a teenager. She did not react with fear, anger or any other negative emotion, just quietly sat and waited out Gabriel’s message. 

‘And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest (Most High): and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’ (Luke 1:30-33) Now can you imagine this young girl, whose life had only just begun, sitting there listening to this spiritual being tell her all those remarkable things that were going to happen to her. Most of us would have been overwhelmed with fretting and worry, but not Mary. She was confused about how such a thing could happen, but did not show any angry or negative reactions. 

The Bible tells us of her simple response. ‘Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man (I am a virgin)? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest (Most High) shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing (One) which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin (relative) Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the hand maid (handmaiden) of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.’ (Luke 1:34-38) 

And all I can say to that is Wow! Just imagine that simple, unquestioning response nuh from a young girl who had been probably sheltered all of her young life. No tears, no tearing out of her hear, no apparent fear nor anger or whatever such an important announcement would usually bring. And to make matters worse, she had just recently been engaged and to have a child without being married, especially if it was not her betrothed’s, that would have been certain disaster to all concerned. But Mary was quiet and accepting of her fate, whatever turmoil it might cause in her life. 

And yuh know what, something just occurred to me that’s never really occurred to me before, re Mary’s simple acceptance of God’s outstanding favour. It’s obvious that God vetted all the young women very carefully to see who would and would not cause a scene, and even more likely had Mary in that time and place especially for that purpose, since the prophecy said that the Son of God would be born of a virgin, and had to be of the line of Bruh David. So let’s check out a few of those prophecies nuh, beginning with this one from Isaiah, where he talks about a sign from God. 

‘Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us).’ (Is. 7:14) Then in chapter nine Isaiah gets a little more explicit, when he writes of the birth of the Prince of Peace. ‘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 even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ (Is. 9:6-7) 

And perform it He did my brethren through the incarnate birth of Christ to the virgin Mary in the city of Bethlehem as prophesied by the prophet Micah. ‘But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little  among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting (the days of eternity).’ (Mic. 5:2) 

Ah mih people, our Lord isn’t like us, He doesn’t do stuff in a vie-ke-vie (T&T slang) or careless, unplanned manner. His stuff is always well ordered and prepared, so that things fit together like a hand in a glove. And such was the birth of Jesus foretold hundreds of years before his actual birth and it all went as prophesied. Now, isn’t it a wonderful thing that our God isn’t vie-ke-vie like us, (smile) else we’d be in even more trouble than we currently are! Much LOVE!

…when God orders our steps…He knows what He’s doing…so stop fighting Him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 December 2023 Psalm 31:24.

02 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 31:24.       Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

And it looks like the first lazy-day Saturday in December will be just like the first Friday yesterday; wet and cloudy with promises of rain and intermittent snow. But it’s a perfect day for staying inside and allowing all the stress and tension to flow out of you, as you get quiet and somewhat lazy (smile) and contemplate your position in life: like where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, are you improving, especially your spiritual self, becoming more Christlike… 

Yes friends, today, at the beginning of the Christmas Season, when we celebrate the incarnate birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, it’s a perfect time to reconsider our goals in life and see if they line up with the Lord’s will and Word. And to help us do that, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with sincere hearts, minds, bodies and souls. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And it never ceases to amaze me, that every Saturday when we say that prayer, how quiet, relaxed and thoughtful I become. I surely hope it does the same for you, because at the end of our busy work week, we certainly need something to quiet our spirits and keep our souls in communion with God and His awesome plan for our lives. And there’s nothing better than prayer to do so! In fact, that’s what prayer was designed for; to bring us closer to our heavenly Father. 

So anytime you feel like you’re drifting away from Him, please turn to prayer, sincere prayer, so that you can get reconnected and be safely ensconced, hidden in the refuge of His ever-LOVING embrace. For, as Moses so wisely wrote in the book of Deuteronomy so long ago: ‘There is none like the God of Jeshurun  (righteous people), who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.’ (Deut. 33:26-27) 

Yes my faithful brethren, that’s the strong and powerful and ever-LOVING God we righteous serve. As one commentary puts it. ‘Deuteronomy 33:26-27 Prays For Those Who Are Struggling, saying: Oh God, that they would rest in you, the eternal God as their dwelling place. That they would find deep rest in you today, right now in this moment, and they would know underneath them are the everlasting arms of the eternal God.’ 

And that’s our prayer for all of us this lazy-day Saturday my fellow saints, for in this troubled and chaotic world we all need a safe and secure refuge when the enemy comes with his evil minions to tempt and test our souls and spirits. And the only place we believers can find such security and refuge is in the everlasting arms of our great and wonderful God, who has faithfully promised to protect us from all the attacks of the enemy if we would only surrender our souls and lives to him. 

That’s why Bruh David could afford to write in Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1) Oh my people, those sure are powerful words of faith and trust! And until we can declare (yesss!!!) them with the utmost certainty and sense of purpose, we will be forever doubtful when the enemy tempts and tests us. 

Now, we’re not saying that those are easy words to proclaim, but we can only do so if we keep practicing what they say. That means we need to be continually turning to the Lord for whatever we desire in our everyday lives, for only with practice can we ever come close to perfection. And Bruh David could utter those words with complete conviction because he had personally experienced the safety and security of God in his everyday life, especially in those crazy times when he was running from King Saul who desperately wanted to kill him.  

And these words of Bruh David from Psalm 31, subtitled ‘My Rock and My Fortress,’ gives us more insight into how it is when we walk sincerely with God. Please read with me: ‘Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear (reverence) thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence (secret place) from the pride (plots) of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues. 

Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication when I cried unto thee. O LOVE the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth (fully repays) the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.’ (Ps. 31:19-24) 

Oh my fellow saints in Christ, I could not put it any better than that, and I do hope that what we’ve said this lazy-day Saturday will help to fill us with the strength the courage and the will to sincerely turn to Almighty God, to surrender our all to Him, and be obedient to His will, because that is the highest form of wisdom for all the ages! Much LOVE!

…the One who created you…He’s the One who will keep you safe from all harm… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 November 2023 Mark 1:35.

18 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

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

And the sunshine missing from yesterday has returned this lazy-day Saturday friends. Thank the Lord! Oh, there are a few clouds hanging around, but it’s good to know that the sunshine is in the ascendance! Glory be! And with all of that thankfulness in our minds and on our tongues, (smile) let’s get to out Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, and declare it (yesss!) like we really mean it. 

Altogether now: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Now let’s hope that our sincerity shone through in our words and that the Lord did quiet our souls and deepen our breaths while surrounding us with His glorious presence, because there’s no greater feeling of peace and joy than when one can truly feel the Lord’s presence surrounding us. That aura of light and LOVE, of compassion and well-being that emanates from His presence is like no other in this whole wide world! 

And sadly, that’s something too many of us don’t take the time to seek and find. Even when we pray, we often just get up and go about our business, without spending a few moments to either listen to what the Lord has to say in reply to our prayers, or to just sit quietly and enjoy the peace and stillness that radiates from His awesome presence. And that unfortunately detracts from the power and rejuvenation that prayer is supposed to have. 

Taking time to just spend in God’s presence is one of the most energizing and refreshing things we can ever do. We don’t even need to say a single word, but silently ask Him to come into our presence and be with us. And believe me, He will do it very enthusiastically, because, like any other father, there’s nothing the Lord enjoys and relishes more than being in the presence of His children. 

Remember how Jesus always went off by Himself somewhere to pray, especially after some tiring preaching, even to the point of leaving the disciples on their own. Like the time he fed the five thousand men, besides women and children, then sent the disciples to the other side of the lake in a ship. ‘And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart (by himself) to pray: and when evening was come, he was there alone.’ (Matt. 14:23) 

Yes friends, Jesus relished the quiet time He spent with the Father, because He knew that He desperately need the refreshing and rejuvenation for His human body and soul to do the tasks the Father had set him. And, except in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His crucifixion, when things were really on the bubble, I’m sure that Jesus didn’t say all that much to the Father, for they both knew the plans that were afoot, but He just felt so much better simply basking in the Father’s presence. It’s like those times in our own experiences when we’re with a friend or somebody close to us, and there’s no need for words, because the silence between us says it all. 

But my favourite verse about Jesus’ prayer life is this one found in the gospel of Mark, where he writes: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35) Wow mih bredrin! If Jesus, the Son of God, God Himself, needed to get up early and go out and pray to his heavenly Father, so that He could handle the days difficulties and do His bidding, what does it say about us eh? 

We need the guiding of the Holy Spirit even much more, especially in these days of worldwide chaos and disaster. But so many of us just get up and run out of the house desperate to get to work on time, without even giving the Lord a simple thank you for bringing us safely through the night, much less asking Him to take us safely through the day! And then we wonder why our lives are so miserable and chaotic. 

Hn! What else do we expect when we don’t honour God eh? When we’re too busy with the perishable things of this evil world, and don’t sufficiently consider the imperishable things of the next life! There’s no magic or miracle to it nuh my fellow believers. All the Lord asks of us is basically to LOVE and reverence Him, and be obedient  to His Holy Will, which we can find in His Word, the Bible. 

But being the stubborn, rebellious, sinful children we are, we foolishly refuse to adhere to His wishes, and instead lustfully listen to the lies and deceits of Satan, just like our foolish foreparents, Adam and Eve did. And when we find ourselves deep, and sinking ever deeper in the mire of Satan’s cesspool, we wonder why that is. 

The foolish and ever-stubborn ones simply accept their fate, but the smart ones desperately cry out to God for help, because they know deep down, that our LOVING God will NEVER turn down a sincere cry for assistance from one of His human creations. Just like He heard Jonah’s sincere cry from the belly of the fish and delivered him, likewise He will deliver all who cry out to Him from the mire of Satan’s sinful cesspool. 

And that is our prayer for all of us today friends; that wherever we are, and at whatever stage of our lives, if we need help, then let us cry out to our heavenly Father for it, because He’s promised never to turn away a single soul who comes to Him in all sincerity and truth! 

And yuh know what, every single, solitary one of us needs divine help, right this very minute, for none of us are perfect, and if the ONLY perfect One that ever lived on planet earth, Jesus Christ, needed divine help to handle his situation, then we most certainly do too! So let’s do what we know we need to do nuh; cry out to God for divine help! Much LOVE!

…it’s not a shame to cry…for tears are the window washers of our souls… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit    30 September 2023 Genesis 45:8a.

30 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 45:8a.       So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God:

I can’t believe it nuh, but this lazy-day Saturday, the last day of September 2023, is shaping up to be another glorious day of sunshine and fairly warm temps in my area! The nice summer-like weather just keeps rolling on in these early days of autumn! And who’s to complain eh? Nobody! Not until the other half of the situation hits us, which won’t be as nice. (smile) But chuh! Whenever that comes, we’ll handle it like the victors in Christ that we are! 

Now, let’s get ourselves together and say our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Oh mih people, there’s something about that simple prayer that just reaches out and touches me every time we pray it. I guess after a hard week’s work and finally a day of peace and quiet, when we don’t have as many worldly distractions hitting on us, it just brings us closer to God, where we can truly feel His presence. But whatever the reason, it just sets a nice relaxing tone for my Saturday morning. Glory be! 

And now it’s time to continue with the climax of Bruh Joseph’s story, where he finally reveals his true identity to his brothers. And after trying to ease their guilt and uneasiness by telling them: ‘And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity (remnant) in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God:’ ( Gen. 45:7-8) I don’t know how much that really eased their guilt and fear, but Bruh Joseph didn’t give them much time to think on it either. He said to them: ‘Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith my son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not (don’t delay).’ (Gen. 45:9) 

Wow! We’re now beginning to see the real Bruh Joseph, where all the pent-up memories of his family are finally coming out, and his soul is being set free from any resentment and anger he had hitherto borne towards them. Renewed relationships with family can do a lot to free us my brethren, so please, as much as we can, let’s look to renewing some of our own negative family relationships nuh. 

And the good sentiments just keep flowing out from Bruh Joseph’s spirit, as he tells them. ‘And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou and thy children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast. And there will I nourish (provide for) thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.’ (Gen. 45:10-11) 

Now that’s the way family should be concerned about each other! Not the travesty or caricature that passes for familial relations nowadays, where, as Jesus so prophetically proclaimed. ‘And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.’ (Matt. 10:21) 

Yes friends, such is the terrible state of the family nowadays, that’s where it exists, since, with the new-fangled lifestyle of today, families are no longer the most important group of the society, where you are nurtured and LOVED for an entire lifetime. Unfortunately, we have developed an antipathy, an antagonism or dislike for the family, just like our current antipathy to God. Heaven help us yes! 

Anyway, Bruh Joseph in a display of true family relations, continues to his brothers. ‘And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.’ (Gen. 45:12-15) 

Oh, how beautiful reunions can be, especially those amongst family! But that wasn’t the best part of the situation, for when our God showers blessings on us, He doesn’t do it stingily, or grudgingly, but lavishly, in abundance, according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. And the Bible tells it thus: ‘And the fame (report) thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade (load) your beasts, and go, get you into the land of Canaan; And take (bring) your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat (best) of the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father and come. Also regard not your stuff (do not be concerned about your things); for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ (Gen. 45:16-20) 

Mama oh Mama! Yes mih people, when the Lord pours out His favour on you, it’s not done piecemeal, but lavishly. Only our great God could cause a foreign, idol worshipping king to make such a generous and welcoming offer to a bunch of Hebrews who were generally an abomination to his nation! And we’ll close with this explanation from the scholars, re the land of Goshen, which Bruh Joseph promised to his brothers. 

The scholars say, ‘The land of Goshen was an Egyptian region (47:6, 27) in the eastern delta area (47:11) not far from the court at Memphis. It was in the area around the Wadi Tumilat, a valley that was about 40 miles long. It was highly suitable for cattle (47:4-6), but hated by the Egyptians (46:34); thus it provided good seclusion. This isolation would provide for Israel’s distinctive cultural preservation under conditions favourable to their growth and unity.’ 

And who says our great God doesn’t know what He’s doing eh? Ah my fellow saints, there couldn’t be a more encouraging story in the Bible showing how the Lord prepares for and looks after His people. He set them up in a fertile, secluded part of Egypt where they could grow and become the people He desired them to be. What more can we ask of Him eh, for He does the same for each one of us who sincerely calls upon His name! 

But we need to believe, as Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Jairus, whose daughter He was on the way to heal, when his family brought word that she was dead. Jesus overheard the news but said to him: ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ (Mark 5:36) And that’s exactly what we need to do in these trying and very difficult times my brethren: ‘Be not afraid, only believe!’ Much LOVE!

…for he that cometh to God…must BELIEVE that He is… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 August 2023 Psalm 68:1.

05 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 68:1.       Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

Oh friends, it’s Lazy -day Saturday…and do I ever need it, after a rough outing at the Pan Alive Festival last night in Toronto. What a fiasco that turned out to be, especially after my pardner and I got there early, about six o’clock, when it was officially scheduled to begin. The only thing on time was the box office, an improvement over last year. The doors weren’t even opened, but that was not a big problem because the crowd was still very sparse. I guess they learned from previous experience that it never starts on time. 

Then at 7.15, they promised to begin at 7.30. Somewhere in the eight o’clock vicinity they opened with some Indigenous drumming, and then a Nigerian drummer did his thing. Then as happens every year, they couldn’t find the judges. The first panside didn’t play the first note until 8.30, and then it sounded terrible because they put it through the sound system which wasn’t properly set up for the pans. The whole night we were plagued with reverberations and problems with the sound system, where the pans were concerned. And nobody in the crew thought to do something about it. 

So the next three bands played through it, but then the fifth band, Pan Masters, walked off the stage and they were forced to fix it. That meant the last three bands Pan Masters, Pan Fantasy, and Afro Pan sounded more like they should sound. And as far as I’m concerned, Pan Fantasy mash them up again! (smile) Ah Lord eh? When are we going to learn to plan things properly and have them set up on time? That’s why our reputation for putting on functions is so terrible. 

Anyway, when they got the sound problem fixed for the pans, D.J Bad Lad began playing some old tunes and the partying in the stands truly began, with a crowd that had by then increased substantially. In the beginning I vowed that would be my last Pan Alive Concert, but by the end, at 12 am. I might have changed my mind, (smile) because the vibes are usually beautiful at the pan festival. It’s sad though, that after their boast of putting on the show for fifty something years, they still can’t get it right. 

Enough of my jabbering though. Let’s get serious and invoke our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And do I ever need that refreshing of the Lord’s Spirit this Saturday morning. It just reminds me that I’m no longer a spring chicken and I can’t try to burn the candles at both ends at the same time. (smile) And today we’re just going to keep things simple and extol our great God through these marvellous words of Bruh David in Psalm 68 – subtitled – The Triumphant God. 

The scholars tell us that the psalm probably details the moving of the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Obed-edom to the new location on Zion’s mountain in Jerusalem. (2 Sam. 6:2-18) That’s when Bruh David danced before the Lord with all his might; an expression of spiritual joy, although his wife Michal saw his conduct as unbecoming of the king. In the psalm Bruh David reflects on the blessings of God on His people, Israel, and the conquest of her foes. 

Please proclaim with me: ‘Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God: sing praises to his name: extol (praise) him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, (a shortened form of Lord), and rejoice before him.’ (Ps. 68:1-4) 

Yes friends, that’s how we, the righteous of the land ought to extol and praise the name of the Lord! And even when we come griping and complaining to Him, our first words must always be of praise and reverence, of respect for His overwhelming sovereignty, His dominance over the universe He so wonderfully created. In this case, after Bruh David gave thanks and praise, he then proceeded to elucidate the goodness of our magnificent Creator on His people’s behalf. 

Let’s read again: ‘A father of the fatherless, and a judge (defender) of widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary (lonely) in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains (into prosperity): but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.’ (Ps. 68: 5-6) Please note that my people, our God is a defender of the poor, the downtrodden and lonely. He stands up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. So please be careful how you treat any who fall into those categories, for you will have the Lord God Almighty to deal with. 

And Bruh David continues his exaltation of the works of Jehovah God on Israel’s behalf. ‘O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped (rain) at the presence of God: even Sinai (Mt. Sinai) itself was moved at the presence of the God, the God of Israel. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.’ (Ps. 68:7-10) 

And that’s no lie friends, the Lord always prepares of His goodness for them that fear and reverence Him. So please, on this lazy-day Saturday, let’s take a little of that lazy time and reflect on God’s goodness in our own lives nuh. I guarantee that it will open our eyes wide with surprise at the amount of goodness He has actually bestowed on us, and that will oh so joyfully deepen the beautiful feelings of intimacy we each share with Almighty God! Much LOVE!

…ALL believers enjoy the tremendous goodness of God…it’s just that we don’t acknowledge it like we should… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 July 2023 Psalm 24:1.

29 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 24:1.       The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

And what a perfect way to begin a lazy-day Saturday: dark and cloudy, raining and somewhat humid! Yes friends, that fits in very well with the kind of Saturday morning we desire, where there are no pressing circumstances to attend to, and one can simply take one’s time to do anything…or nothing. (smile) Anyway, my lazy time for this morning has already been used up by lying in bed, so it now behooves me to get to the Father’s business. Therefore, let’s now offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity of heart, mind, body and soul. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Now, that’s cutting straight to the chase. No messing about with a whole lot of unnecessary, flowery words, but getting right down the nitty gritty, letting the Lord know how much we LOVE, desire and need Him, how grateful we are for His awesome presence and nearness in our lives, the way He comforts and relaxes us, and He’s oh awesome and amazing that we just thirst and hunger to know Him more, to get ever closer to His magnificent person that just overflows with LOVING-kindness! 

Wow! There’s certainly no other God as wonderful as our God Jehovah! In fact, there’s no other God BUT our God Jehovah! All other supposed gods are fakes and failures, dead to the world! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the One True and Living God in existence, the One who made the universe and all therein! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to these words of Bruh David from Psalm 24, which prove my declaration. (steups!!!) Read with me: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers).’ (Ps. 24:1-2) 

Meanwhile Ethan the Ezrahite writes in Psalm 89: ‘O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab (Egypt) in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon (mountains) shall rejoice in thy name. 

Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgement (righteousness and justice) are the habitation (foundation) of thy throne: mercy (LOVING-kindness) and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed are the people who know that joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn (strength) shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defence: and the Holy One of Israel is our king.’ (Ps. 89:8-18) 

Oh my fellow saints, what a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve! A God whose foundation is based on truth, justice and LOVE! And the truth is that I wasn’t planning to include so much of the psalm, possibly just verses 11and 12, but when I read all that beautiful and powerful description about our great God, I just had to include it. (smile) 

And my people, we can never know too much about wonderful God or give Him enough glory. So please, wherever, whenever and however we encounter God’s praises, let’s take serious note of them and file them in our hearts so that later on we can bring them to remembrance and use them for His glory and our praise. That takes us to another great passage of scripture extolling God’s greatness, where Bruh David blesses the Lord, as the Israelites generously made their offerings to build God’s temple. 

Read with me: ‘Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: And David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.’ (1 Chr. 29:10-13) 

Oh friends, what a powerful exaltation on our wonderful God’s behalf! And the beauty of it all is that Bruh David knew in spades what he was talking about, because all throughout his long, interesting and contrary life, he felt the power of God working in and for him. And the same thing will happen to us if we stand up strong and live for the Lord the way Bruh David did! He wasn’t perfect, but through thick and thin, He made the Lord his constant companion, always seeking His will and His favour. 

And that’s all the Lord asks of us yes: to seek His will and favour. But we’re so rebellious and so intent on doing our own thing because of our free will, that we often stumble and fall, and only then become wise and cry out to the Lord for help. But friends, a lot of those mistakes can be avoided if we wake up and walk with the Lord right from the very beginning. 

But no, we foolishly want to spread our wings and fly in our own strength, forgetting that we’re not birds, who were meant for that purpose. We were made to walk, and the only way we could ever fly, even like the lowly sparrow, much less soar like the mighty eagle, is with the help and strength of Almighty God. Please, let’s remember that when we try to get ahead of ourselves. Much LOVE!

…in the beginning…God created the heaven and the earth… (Gen. 1:1) 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 July 2023 Jeremiah 29:13.

15 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 29:13.       And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And it’s a cool, cloudy morning, with rain in the offing, but it’s the perfect kind of atmosphere for a lazy-day Saturday my bredrin! Where you don’t need to do anything or go anywhere, but just relax and laze some time away in idle but not evil thinking. (smile) Hopefully though, within that lazy time, we will communicate with our heavenly Father, for although doing nothing is sometimes an option, disregarding Him, is never one! 

And if there’s one thing our heavenly likes better than one on one communication is corporate worship, because it shows Him that there is unity in the body of Christ, and with the general state of the world, that most certainly warms the cockles of His heart. So, let’s communicate with Him right now through our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Oh my people, that prayer never ceases to touch me! I guess because it brings home to me the awesome presence and wonder of our great God spiritually interacting with us with amazing compassion and kindness as we humble ourselves and ask for His grace and mercy. Wow! I hope we realize what an awesome and amazing God we serve, one full of LOVE and tenderness towards His most precious but disobedient creation! 

Yes friends, when you truly seek to know the Lord, you’ll be surprised at the unusual and unexpected places you’ll find Him, see His unerring hand at work. It’ll be so unnatural that you’ll know without a doubt that it’s the hand of God moving in your life! Likewise with little things that will suddenly jump out at you. In the greater scheme of life, they’ll be small and insignificant, but somehow or the other they will make a big impact on you, opening your eyes to miraculous and mysterious ways in which our God moves. 

And one of the reasons I believe we don’t see out God more, or appreciate Him more, is because we tend to look for Him in the big things of life. However, He is more present and available, easier seen in the li’l, seemingly unimportant, everyday aspects of life. And a lazy-day Saturday is just the time to look for Him, to seek Him in all the most unusual and unexpected places. 

Remember what Moses said to the Israelites about repentance and seeking the Lord. ‘But if from thence (their disobedience and idol worship) thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” (Deut. 4:29) And many years later, on the Lord’s behalf, Jeremiah gave the Israelites the same warning, or solution for their problems during their captivity in Babylon. 

‘But I know the thoughts that I have toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord…’ (Jer. 29:11-14) 

Ah friends, the message is still the same today. When we are in distress, when problems overwhelm us, or we’re simply lonely or aimless, whatever the situation, seeking God with our whole hearts is the wisest decision we can make! And how do we seek God with our whole hearts? One commentary gives us this answer: ‘When Jesus gave His life for us on that cross, when God prioritized our salvation above everything else, it wasn’t for us to make Him a side thought. But for us to surrender our lives to Him and embrace the one He has for us. This is how we seek God with our whole heart.’ 

And this other commentary encourages us: ‘God is a God hearing prayer; he listens to the requests of his people, and answers them in his own time and way; which is no small encouragement to pray unto him.’ That’s for sure! If He is our Creator, our Provider, our Heavenly Father and controls all that happens in our lives, it’s only logical and sensible that we need to seek Him out for help in our topsy-turvy lives. 

Seeking and searching are ever so important in our Christian faith my brethren. Jesus set the stage for that when He warned: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Then He followed it up by later declaring (yesss!!!) ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) 

That undoubtedly means that Christians should always be asking, seeking and knocking, looking for the truth in all situations, as well as seeking to open the hearts of others so that they too can know Jesus and seek and serve Him with their whole hearts. Oh my fellow saints, our Christian life is supposed to be one of action, always moving along a path that leads to Jesus, doing our best to personally seek and serve Him, as well as spread the good news of His gospel to the many who have never heard it. 

And we can only do that successfully if we are united, united as one church, one body of Christ. So, let’s begin today by seeking unity amongst ourselves nuh, let’s ask for it, knock on closed doors for it. Let’s desire and actively pursue a unity that will propel Christ’s church to the forefront of this world, its rightful place! Much LOVE!

…to seek…to search…to find…that is the Christian’s duty… 

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