The Importance of Christian Witness in bringing souls to Christ!

30 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 3:20.        Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (dine) with him, and he with me.

And then it was Tuesday! Praise the Lord for His awesome goodness and mercy in allowing us to see this brand new day! But friends, let’s remember that God didn’t allow us to see another day just for the fun of it. No! He has things in mind for us to do; purposes for us to accomplish that will raise up, that will spread His kingdom all over the face of the earth. 

That was the overall purpose of the Great Commission that Jesus gave to His followers. ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) 

And I believe that in these modern, technological and busy times, although we have many more avenues to do our duty, we’ve sadly neglected our basic purpose on God’s earth. It’s to live the way Christ desires of us, in a manner that others will see it and want to have what we have. In other words, our basic purpose is to bring souls to Christ, or at least open the way for Him to knock on their hearts and come into them. Let’s remember these poignant words of Christ to the church at Laodicea. ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (dine) with him, and he with me.’ (Rev. 3:20) 

Oh friends, that’s what Christ is doing each and every day; knocking at the doors of human hearts, waiting for an invitation to come into the hearts of unbelievers, and we believers are expected to be the catalyst for that circumstance. By our witness and example the hearts of unbelievers ought to be softened, so that when Christ knocks on the doors of their hearts they will be readily amenable and available to let him in, so that He can offer them the great benefits of salvation and eternal life that He has to offer! 

And we all know that we’ve not been doing a good job of softening the hearts of unbelievers with our witness and lifestyles, otherwise so many people would not be rooting for Satan, and living the life that he desires them to live. And why is that eh? What has made us such poor witnesses for Christ eh? Why do people choose to blaspheme His name and laugh at us, call us hypocrites eh? Because that’s the witness we show them. We talk a good talk, but unfortunately don’t walk the walk. 

Look at all the division, dissensions, petty jealousies, and evil doing that’s to be found in Christ’s church…and that’s not in the church buildings, but in the members who are supposed to represent and validate the body of Christ. And, as I’ve said before, but it’s certainly worth saying again. The two main things that keep us from representing Christ in a fulsome way is firstly fear, fear of man, and secondly the overwhelming LOVE of a comfortable life. 

As per fear, we seem to be scared of what the world can and will say about us; the names they will call us, or what physical harm they will do to us if we break out in full bloom and voice about being believers in Jesus Christ. But let’s not forget this warning of Jesus and take it very seriously. ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28) 

In other words my fellow believers, fear of man should not be our overwhelming concern, but rather fear of God, who can destroy both our souls and bodies in hellfire and damnation! And, furthermore, one of the most repeated commands in the Bible is: ‘Do not fear!’ And God doesn’t mean we should never feel fear, because fear is one of the emotions He’s built into us. What He wants to see, is what will we do and where we will go when the power of fear overcomes us. 

And the basic answer is to turn to Him in faith and let him help us deal with our fear. As the prophet Isaiah said to the Israelites on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) Then Bruh Paul told Timothy this scripture, which we all quote but don’t put into action, else we would not be as fearful as we are. ‘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 if you don’t believe those two scriptures, then try this one on for size. (smile) It’s the Lord talking directly to Joshua, when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. He said to Joshua, mano a mano! ‘Have not I commanded thee? be thou 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. 1:9) It couldn’t be said in any firmer words or tone than that my brethren! 

And Joshua, though most likely afraid of the vast responsibilities suddenly placed on his shoulders, took the Lord’s words to heart and went out and did the job expected of him. Likewise, we are expected to take all the encouraging and reassuring words found in the scriptures and use them in our daily lives. What’s the purpose of knowing the scriptures if we don’t put them into action? None whatsoever! 

Please, let’s remember the awesome purpose of the scriptures as Bruh Paul told Timothy. ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ (Tim. 3:16-17) Yes friends, the Bible is our Guidebook for Living, authored by the Holy Spirit of God. And if we want to live a good, full, interesting and eternal life, we ought to follow it much more closely than we’re currently doing. End of Sermon! (smile) 

And if God decides to give us another wonderful and exhilarating day on planet Earth, then we will continue with today’s topic… the lack of good witness from believers. Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know of whom we belong to 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 made that sincere announcement, 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!

…to live for Christ means…biting the bullet whenever necessary…

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

The Immeasurable Value of Patience in a Believer’s Life!

23 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

James 1:3.       Knowing this, that the trying (testing) of your faith worketh (produces) patience.

And then it was Tuesday, another warm and sunshiny summer’s day! We’ve left Monday far behind in our blazing path to glory in Jesus’ wonderful name! That means looking forward to another God-filled day down here on His chaotic but still beautiful creation called Planet Earth. And to be able to do all of that requires the believers in Christ Jesus to behave in a certain manner with certain boundaries that ought not to be crossed. However, since we’re all human, and thus tend to be sinful, selfish and rebellious, we need heavenly help to do our duty and stay within our boundaries. 

And this prayer from the In Touch Devotional for July gives us a good sense of some of the things we need to concentrate on. So please pray with me: ‘God, I pray for patience today – the kind that sits with an anxious friend, waits for a spouse to come around, listens to a child’s concerns. Teach me to hold space for others – and myself. There’s always time to extend your grace and forgiveness. Let my stillness be a declaration. I believe in You and trust in Your care for the people and circumstances in my life. There is no rush when all things are in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Ah friends, that li’l prayer holds so many truths of which so many of us need to be aware of and action in our overly busy, modern lives. Things like having patience, which in today’s world is anathema to the human soul. Many of us claim we can’t find time to sit with a hurting friend, and we certainly don’t want to wait for a spouse to understand our point of view. No! We expect them to come around right away. And one of our big problems is paying serious attention to our children and their concerns. 

Too many parents in this modern technological and information age allow the television and social media to raise their children, and foolishly cater to their every whim and desire. Thus the children grow up to be selfish, with a mistaken sense of  entitlement, and no sense whatsoever of responsibility, with little, if any knowledge of God and no true LOVE for each other. No wonder our children have turned out so badly! I remember the days when it was said that it took a whole village to raise a child, but nowadays all it takes is a Television set and the social media platforms. 

All because we allow ourselves to fall into the false worldly trap of supposed busyness, then claim to have no time to look after the things and people we ought to be looking after. Oh my faithful believers, it’s all a façade of the world and the enemy. It’s only an empty storefront with nothing behind it, to keep us away from doing the things that God desires of us. If you ask the majority of us why we haven’t done so and so, the invariable answer would be, we’re too busy. But then, if you ask what we’ve been busy doing, the majority of us would be hard pressed to say exactly what we’ve been busy about. It’s just become a convenient cliche for avoiding stuff we don’t want to do. 

And what do the scriptures tell us about Patience eh? Plenty! But we’ll only have time and space to consider a few, starting with this one from the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.’ (Eccl. 7:8) And then in Proverbs, Cousin Sol wisely informs us: ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive) exalteth folly.’ (Prov. 14:29) 

And what does all of that mean eh? Why is patience better than pride? Listen as this commentary explains. ‘Our pride, or ego, gives us many opportunities to be angry. According to this passage in Proverbs, “patience is better than pride.” What does that mean to us in everyday life? Simply that most of what makes us angry is foolishness and if we will just be patient most of these things will work themselves out.’ 

Ah friends, impatience is one of our biggest setbacks in this modern world. With all the quick technology we have nowadays, we expect everything to happen now for now, or even sometimes yesterday. Have you ever noticed that when  when you log on to your computer and it doesn’t come up almost immediately, how aggrieved and wronged you feel? (smile) I do. And I’m not a child of this technological age. I grew up when things took time to happen. So if that li’l matter can call up impatience in me, what’s it liable to do to those who were born to all this quick technology? 

Then there’s this perfect scripture on patience, where James writes: ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (various trials); 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) And that’s the road to spiritual maturity, to having true patience, to persevere, to be longsuffering like the Lord. As 2 Peter says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) 

Yes friends, just as the Lord restrains Himself and allows us time to come to forgiveness, we likewise ought to offer our fellow man time to change, to improve. But the whole problem simply lies in our getting away, or moving away further and further from God, rather than closer to Him as this busy and ungodly society demands. And there are many more scriptures on patience, but they would make the Bit way too long to consider them today. (smile) So, if God spares life tomorrow, then we’ll consider some more. 

Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) 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 made that declaration (yesss!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…in God’s grace and mercy…there’s always room and time for patience…

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

The Absolute Necessity for True LOVE in this Evil World!

16 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 13:34.        A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.

Oh boy, it’s a rainy Tuesday morning in my neck of the woods! And like it means serious business too, because the thunder’s been rumbling in a very intimidating manner! But there’s no need to worry, because it all comes from our great God, who made the heavens and the earth and still owns and controls it! And if He chooses to grit His teeth and cause the earth to shake with rumbling thunder every once in a while to show His displeasure with our sinful, ungodly life style, then who’s to say Him nay eh? (smile) Nobody whatsoever, because He’s the Boss, and the Boss can do whatever He so desires! 

So it’s a two in one session; some heavenly blessings and some heavenly displeasure. Please, let’s be wise and pay some serious attention to the displeasure aspect, because we would not like to feel even one iota of His godly wrath, which can immediately destroy us, both body and soul. As Jesus warns the disciples and by extension, all other followers: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28) 

And what does that mean? Listen to this commentary. ‘Jesus’s command, Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul (v 28), informs His disciples of the extent of the danger that they will face for following Him. Earthly rulers and mobs will kill the bodily lives of Christ’s followers for the sake of extending or preserving their earthly power.’ So we don’t need to truly fear them, for they can only kill our bodies. But God Almighty can destroy us completely. 

Therefore we ought to have both a reverential fear or awe of Him, as well as a real fear of the power He possesses and can unleash at a moment’s notice if  His displeasure is stirred up. But we don’t need to fear God’s wrath if we live the godly and LOVING life that He expects of His followers. Remember that although His wrath is lethal, His LOVE is even more powerful, and once we’re living in LOVE with Him and each other, there’s nothing to fear. 

Jesus said it very simply but with the utmost confidence and sincerity when He answered the question posed by the facetious Pharisee lawyer: ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:36- 40) 

Yes friends, in God’s kingdom, everything swings on the power of LOVE! Can you imagine a world that is just filled with LOVE? Unfortunately though, most of us cannot conjure such a divine situation because we have become hard, cynical and too accustomed to a world where the negative things like hate, anger, strife and the rest of them are rampant and overwhelming. 

And it’s ONLY LOVE, the LOVE of believers in Christ Jesus that will ever make a difference in this hateful and ungodly world. And Jesus harped on the necessity for LOVE amongst His believers. Listen to this directive. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

Oh my fellow believers, Jesus could not have been any clearer or more explicit. The attribute that’s supposed to set us apart from the heathen and let others know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ is LOVE for each other. But can we truthfully say that LOVE exists today amongst the supposed disciples of Christ in any serious and sincere amount? I doubt it. Not when there are so many divisions, dissensions, denominations, cliques, petty jealousies, infighting and outright evil doings in the body of Christ, in His church. 

That thread of true LOVE in Christ’s church is sadly missing. No wonder the heathen don’t consider us disciples, but rather hypocrites, since we don’t even show the most basic aspect of Christ’s nature, LOVE, to each other and to the world in general. It hurts the heart when you think of the awesome power, the great difference Christ’s church could make in this world if it came together as one, instead of being broken up into many weak and powerless pieces, acknowledging the wisdom of Satan’s scheme, to divide and conquer. 

And when we sing that famous hymn ‘The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is his new creation by water and the Word,’ we’re making a mockery of it because so many people today are trying to lay their own foundation in the church of Christ, unlike what Bruh Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians: ‘For other foundation can no man lay that that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor, 3:11) Oh my people, the only foundation that’s supposed to be in Christ’s church is Christ Himself! We need to build on that, not on anything else. Otherwise it would not be truly of Christ. 

But, unfortunately, our world had become just like Bruh Paul warned Timothy long ago . ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-2) And he goes on to name a long list of other sinful and ungodly deeds that mankind would be guilty of. And there’s no doubt that all those things are very blatant and rampant in our world right now. 

And the only antidote for what’s ailing our world is true LOVE and LOVING actions amongst those who profess belief in Christ Jesus. It’s a simple but not an easy answer, but with God’s help we can turn things around if we seriously try. However, that’s where the problem lies, we don’t want to seriously try because it will take too much effort and sacrifice. But that’s another sermon for another day! 

Right now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 made that claim, 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!

…life is all about LOVE…LOVE for God…for ourselves…and for our fellow human beings…

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

Living for our Unchangeable God from whom ALL Goodness comes!

09 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

James 1:17a.       Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,

O.K!  Tuesday is here in all its summer glory; sunshiny and warm, and we’ve forgotten Monday, forgotten all the frustrations and concerns it might have caused us, because Tuesday is a new day! And what do we say when a new day dawns? ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) Yes friends, that’s exactly why the Lord gave us a new day, so that we could enjoy it with all of His mercies and compassions that are brand new every day! (Lam. 3:22-23) 

Wow! What an awesome God we serve my brethren! Good and faithful is He from the beginning right down to the very end. As James so rightly says in his epistle: ‘Do not err (be deceived) my brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:16-18) 

What reassuring scriptures my faithful believers. But what does it all mean? These two commentaries spread some light on the situation. The first one says: ‘So, if “there is no shadow of turning,” that means there is no darkness in Him. He is light and He doesn’t change. As we move in and out of the light and the earth moves, our shadow shifts. Not true for God. He is the source of light – there is no shadow because there is no movement (turning) in Him.’ 

And the second tells us: ‘James is encouraging believers in Christ to tell themselves the truth: God gave you every single good thing in your life. He is the source of all the good you have and all the good you crave. Who God is does not change when our circumstances change.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Our God never changes, from day one to the end of time, He has been, He is, and will be the same; merciful, forgiving, LOVING, compassionate, long-suffering, slow to anger, etc. etc. God. 

But don’t forget that though He is longsuffering and slow to anger, He will not put up with our foolish, ungodly ways for ever, and we certainly don’t want to feel His wrath. Remember how the Israelites felt it when they refused to live the way He desired and chose to worship man-made idols instead. And remember too how He destroyed the world by flood when the world was so sinful and ungodly. So, although He’s good and LOVING and all those other marvellous things, His wrath can be very destructive. 

Now that means we should be careful of how we live, but it’s exactly what we’re not doing, for the world is more sinful and ungodly than its ever been! And sadly, many of us supposed believers are helping it along by being OF it, rather than simply living IN it as Jesus desires. So who knows where our world is headed? We’re sure of only one thing, that it’s going through a rather tragic and disastrous time with all sorts of man made strife and natural disasters like we’ve never seen before. 

Some say it’s a sign of the end times, while others say no. But whatever it is, we can only work on the premise that Jesus is the answer…the way the truth and the life, and no man gets to see the Father’s face unless we go through Jesus. (John 14:6) That means sincerely living for Jesus is the wisest decision and best action we can ever take. Being good agents, ambassadors and disciples for His kingdom. And let’s remember what that means in Jesus own words. ‘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) 

That says it all friends! To follow Jesus we have to be much more like Him than we currently are! We have to stop allowing the world to control us as much as it’s doing, and live sacrificially for Him, like He did for us, while LOVING each other, the way He LOVED us. Remember these poignant words of His. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

Now, can we truly say that the members of Christ’s church, truly LOVE one another? Definitely not! With the amount of divisions, dissensions, the serious infighting and petty jealousies that cause much strife in the body of Christ, truly LOVING each other is far from being a reality! And that’s why the heathen don’t see us as true disciples of Christ, and don’t show us any respect. In fact many of them laugh at us and call us hypocrites, because we’re so good at talking the talk, but terrible at walking the walk. 

And until we change our hypocritical, two-faced ways like the Pharisees of old, we will never climb to the standard that Jesus desires of us, and one that will make others believe us and want what we claim to have. So, if we are truly desiring to live for Jesus, then we know what we all have to do; stop being as hypocritical as we currently are, reduce the divisions, dissensions and infighting in the church, and start sincerely LOVING each other! And that only means being good to each other, treating each other with courtesy and respect, helping each other in times of need. In other words, basic human kindness. And if we can’t show basic human kindness to those around us, then we have no claim to be called Christians. End of Sermon! 

Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Jesus, let’s go home declaring 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!’ 

And having made that declaration (yesss!) it’s now our bounden duty 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!

…true believers ought to live like Jesus did…without much fanfare…but with much kindness and compassion…

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

The absolute necessity of forsaking Evil for Good!

02 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 34:14.       Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

So my people, all the Canada Day partying is over now, and on this bright and sunshiny summer Tuesday, it’s time for us to get back to work, to seriously try and solve our many problems without resorting to violence, because in the end, violence never proves anything, it only breeds more violence. That’s why the Bible, the Law of God, tells us so much about refraining from evil. And just in case you don’t believe me, let’s look at some of those verses that repudiate evil, that warns the believer about accepting or indulging in the works of the devil.

 First up are these explicit warnings from Bruh Paul to the Roman church. ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good… Recompense to (repay) no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things)…. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord… Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12: 1, 17, 19, 21) 

Yes friends, all of that on the repudiation of evil in just one chapter. But unfortunately those warnings don’t seem to have any effect on  today’s modern world, since it’s filled with evil right up to the gills, with evil currently being the predominant force on the planet, while good runs a distant second. But that should not be so my faithful brethren, as our mandate from our Lord and Saviour is to fill the earth with goodness, joy, and LOVE! Remember these words He spoke to the disciples, and consequently to us? 

‘These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you…These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.’ (John 15:12-13, 17) Yuh see friends, we should be all about LOVE and joy while we zealously pursue Christ’s command in the Great Commission. ‘Go ye therefore and teach (make disciples) of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things what soever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) 

Now that’s supposed to be our job, but obviously, for whatever reason(s), we are falling down on it, otherwise the word would not be so filled with the evil and negative influences of Satan. What don’t we understand about the necessity for spreading God’s Word and staying away from evil eh? Now hear this further warning from Bruh David in Ps. 34. 

‘What man is he that desireth life, and LOVETH many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile (deceit). Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth.’ (Ps. 34:12-16) 

Oh my brethren, even if we’re the most simple minded of people, those words are very easy for us to understand. Stay away from evil because the Lord doesn’t like it and He will eventually destroy all that’s evil on His planet! But no, many of us seem to rejoice in and regale the works of evil. So much so that even in Christ’s own church, evil is very rampant. The divisions, the dissensions, the selfish cliques and petty differences keep us apart, so that evil can easily infiltrate the church and drive us even further away from God and each other. 

And if the father, Bruh David was wise, the Son, Cousin Sol, was even wiser. (smile) Listen, as he tells us about the abominations, that’s the evil things that the Lord hates. ‘These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him. A proud look (haughty eyes), a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (devises wicked plans), feet that be swift in running to mischief (evil), A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.’ (Prov. 6:16-19) 

And sadly, all those things that Cousin Sol listed as abominations unto our God are front and centre in today’s world. And the rampant rise and spread of evil in our world is largely due to Christ supposed believers sitting much too idly on their fat fannies, enjoying the pleasures of the world, instead of doing the job they were commissioned to do. Our world would never be in such a dire state of chaos and disaster, if we were living up to Christ’s description of us: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth… Ye are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:13, 14, 16) 

Yes friends, unfortunately our salt has lost its flavour, and our lights have become darkened, lost their lustre. And I believe we need a timely reminder of what happened way back when, when the world was in a state very much like ours. The Bible tells us: ‘And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart (his intents or thoughts) was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord (He was sorry, regretted ) that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart (His heart was deeply troubled). 

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me (I am sorry, regret) that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.’ (Gen 6:5-8) And we’re infinitely lucky that Noah found favour with God back then, or there would be no life on earth now, allowing us to make the same dreadful mistakes, and even worse ones, with all of our modern knowledge and technology. 

Oh friends, if the Lord found the world wicked and evil enough to destroy it back then, what do you believe He’s thinking about ours now eh?  For our world is a million times more evil and wicked than Noah’s. And let’s remember, that the Lord never promised to not destroy the world again, just not by water. So, if we continue with our evil ways, anything is possible. However, from the way the worldly strife is heating up, and the talk of using nuclear weapons to settle our differences, the Lord won’t have to raise a finger, for we will do the deed ourselves.

Nonetheless, for those who are trying our best to serve the Lord, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know of whom we belong to, 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 said that, we now need 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!

…the wise fear the LORD…and shun evil…but a fool is hotheaded…and yet feels secure. (Prov. 14:6)

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

The absolute necessity for Christians to pursue Good over Evil!

25 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Romans 12:9.        Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.

Oh friends, can you believe that we’re already in the last week of June, which seems to have only just begun? (smile) By next week we’ll be talking about July and not June. That means six months of this crazy year of 2024 would have been in the books, and we’re no way nearer to peace, or even less strife in our world. In fact, with each passing day, a new theatre of strife seems to open up without any others closing. 

The news media simply stops paying attention to the old areas of strife, so they can concentrate on the new ones. Does anybody remember that there’s sill civil unrest in places like Syria, and Libya, like in the Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, and several other parts of the world, because the strife between Russia and the Ukraine, and Israel and Hamas, are now the main talking points, have taken centre stage in the worldwide conflicts. 

What a sad state of affairs my people! Affairs that most of us, as ordinary people, cannot do anything about except to pray for the lessening, or better yet, the ending of the strife that currently engulfs our world. And furthermore, in our daily lives, let’s remember these simple but life changing words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. 

‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affecctioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another. Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent in spirit; serving the Lord: Rejoicing in hope; Patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly continuing) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.’ (Rom. 12:9-14) 

Now those might be some tough rules to live by, especially with all the animosity, deceit and fraudulent behaviour that’s currently in ascendance. But it is the way that Jesus desires His followers to live. As He plainly says in the gospel of Luke. ‘But I say unto you which hear, LOVE your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully (spitefully) use you.’ (Luke 6:27-28) 

Yes my brethren, those are indeed rough rows to hoe, but if you are a sincere follower of Christ, He gives you the general wherewithal to do it, but you also have to bear your part of the bargain, willingly sacrificing whatever you need to keep His commandments. That’s what we signed up for. And Bruh Paul’s not done with us as yet. (smile) So let’s go back to his memorable words from Romans, as he continues his practical steps for Christian living. 

‘Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind) on high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom. 12:15-18) 

Now that last verse is especially difficult to do in these times of widespread hatred and animosity, where very few of us are willing to turn our backs on others getting up in our faces with abuse and even personal violence. But we do need to try, as Bruh Paul says: ‘as much as depends on us.’ Unfortunately though, too many of us are prone to doing what he says not to do in this next verse. ‘Dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.’ (Rom. 12:19) 

Bruh Paul is there quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, to show that only God has the power to avenge, and He will most certainly do so. However, the repayment of vengeance for either imagined or actual wrongs is exactly what’s causing all the strife in our world today. But as we can see that only leads to further violence and strife. And sadly, we’re seeing those old hatreds moving from the old countries to the new ones as refugees and migrants move away from the areas of strife. All the old angst resurfaces when they meet their old enemies in the new countries, so that the feuds never stop. 

That means to end that sort of continued hatred, we have to do like Bruh Paul says: ‘Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.’ (Rom. 12:20) And that’s not literal coals of fire, (smile) but rather a kind of shaming or remorse caused when we treat an evil doer kindly. And that leads to this momentous verse: ‘Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:21) 

Now that ought to be the basic motto of a true Christian! And it’s just a reiteration of Jesus’ own sentiments: ‘But LOVE ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again (in return); and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.’ (Luke 6:35-36) 

Yes friends, living for Jesus is no Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, but it is doable when with the grace He gives us, we put our minds to it. So for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 my fellow saints, it’s our bounden duty 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!

…returning evil for evil…only furthers the cause of evil…which is the essence of foolishness…   

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   4 June 2024 Proverbs 27:1.

04 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 27:1.       Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
And the days continue to move right along with no thought for our problems or negative circumstances. (smile) Yes, Monday has come and gone, and Tuesday is going about its business like there was no tomorrow. And for Tuesday, there is no tomorrow, just Wednesday anxiously waiting in the wings to take its place. Therefore it has to do whatever it needs to do today. Likewise, we believers in Jesus Christ don’t know if we’ll live to see tomorrow, consequently we should be  up and about our Father’s business today, not leaving anything we can do today for the proverbial tomorrow. 
Remember Cousin Sol’s wise words from Proverbs? ‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.’ (Prov. 27:1) And that’s the gospel truth, for look at how many plans we make for the morrow, plans that seem so foolproof, but yet when tomorrow finally shows up, we have to jettison those plans because of other more important matters. Yes friends, that scripture tells us that we are not promised tomorrow. Each day could be our last day and as believers, knowing this should change how we spend our daily lives. That’s doing what we ought to in light of God’s will and plan for our lives. 
And Jesus adds to that by saying in his Sermon on the Mount: ‘Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) In other words He’s warning us: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” And so it does. Yesterday, Monday, had its individual problems, so will today Tuesday, and so will tomorrow Wednesday. Some troubles might carry over from one day to the next, but be sure that each new day will bring its own problems to the front. 
And with all of that in mind, we can turn to the epistle of James, who goes even further when he writes that rejoicing in boastings is evil. He says: ‘Go to now (come now), ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain (make a profit): Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice (boast) in your boastings (arrogance): all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’ (James 4:13-17) 
Jesus’ brother is really socking it to us. And He’s quite right, in these selfish and greedy times we make boastful and arrogant plans to do things without any thought to what Almighty God desires, and when He squashes those plans we wonder why such well-laid plans did not materialize. And again Cousin Sol has wise advice for us in Proverbs, that treasure trove of wisdom. ‘The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth his spirit. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov. 16:1-3) 
In other words: ‘We may make our plans, but God has the last word. You may think everything you do is right, but the LORD judges your motives. Ask the LORD to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.’ That’s it in plain and simple language my brethren! Or as the old people would say, ‘Man plans, but God laughs.’ Also, ‘The best laid plans of man and mice go astray.’ It all shows the overwhelming importance of bringing God into our everyday lives and plans. We shouldn’t make a move without consulting Him. He might not answer right away, but most of the time we know what is right, and as James says, if we know that and don’t do it, then it’s considered sin on our part.  
Let’s remember that the Lord is sovereign, even over a man’s thoughts and words, and He is also the great discerner of motives. As the author of Hebrews reminds us: ‘For the word of God is quick (alive, living) and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest (not hidden) in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account),’ (Heb. 4:12-13) 
My fellow saints, we cannot run from or hide anything from our Creator and Controller. So I don’t know why we foolishly insist on doing it. Please, let’s wake up and see ourselves for what we truly are nuh. That’s creations of God, to whom He gave free will, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t keep tabs on us and just allows us to do what and go where we want. Absolutely not! In His own time, according to His will, He is going to foul up our well laid plans, if we don’t include Him in them. And that’s the long and short of the story! (smile). 
Now for those of us who are trying our best to live according to God’s will, 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 made that declaration (awright!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE  and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…if God is not in it…then there’s a strong possibility it won’t be successful…
 
Hear our podcast at  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 May 2024 Psalm 47:6.

21 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 47:6.       Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.

And this Tuesday, the 21st day in the month of May, in the year of our Lord 2024, has opened bright and sunshiny with a summer’s warmth that touches the hearts, souls, bodies and minds of those who have been cooped up in a long winter season. And it’s just the natural instincts of the human animal to celebrate such a day with joy and laughter, even though today we have to go to work after the long Victoria Day weekend. (smile) 

Yes friends, summer’s in the air! And I know it by the constant noise of lawn mowers that is now disturbing the peace of my neighborhood. Chuh! No time is sacred to these mowers of lawns – from early morning to late evening somebody is out there mowing the li’l piece of grass around their houses that they seem to cherish so much. Even my own lawn care person comes at a time that disturbs my rest. But I guess that’s the price I have to pay for living in such a wonderful neighbourhood. (smile) 

Enough of my complaining though. It’s too beautiful a day, and life is too short to complain, so let’s do the right thing and turn to the Lord’s word and find something to exhort and educate us. And all God’s people said a loud and proud, “Praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy to us underserving children of men!” 

And what gem of scripture will we look at today eh? Psalm 47 from the pen of the Sons of Korah seems like a good place to be today, for it talks about exactly what is definitely needed a lot more in this crazy and strife-filled world. It’s aptly titled, ‘Exalt the Lord Most High.’ And that’s one of the many things we were made for, but which we don’t do in sufficient quantity or quality. 

So please read with me: ‘O Clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible (awesome); he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he LOVED. Selah. God is gone up (ascended) with a shout, the Lord with the sound of the trumpet. 

Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen (nations, Gentiles): God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.’  (Ps. 47:1-9) That’s wonderful and oh so true news my people! For our God reigns over the whole earth: He is indeed the King, the sovereign ruler of all creation, both in heaven, and on earth, and whatever is under the earth! 

And the scholars offer these explanations on the psalm. ‘Psalm 47 is one of the six psalms of the divine kingdom, the psalm celebrates the Lord’s kingship over all the earth (vs. 9). It begins with a universal call to praise Israel’s God (vs. 1). This is reinforced with reasons: He is an awe-inspiring God (vs. 2), He redeemed Israel and settled them in their land (vs 3-4), and He presently is ruling in Israel. A second call renews the need for praise (vs. 6). It is likewise reinforced with a reason: the revelation that His kingship is destined to be universal (vs. 7-9). These last verses speak prophetically of the time when the Lord Jesus will reign on the earth.’ 

Wow! What a short psalm, but one fully packed with all kinds of good information. Especially that which concerns our praise to the Almighty who created us, bore our sins, and still LOVES us though our waywardness is exceedingly great. Oh friends, anyone who LOVES us that much under the most trying situations, all down through the ages, most surely deserves our heartfelt thanks and praise. For it very truly shows the Lord’s longsuffering nature, since any other lesser God would have long ago, surely destroyed us a second time, like He did with those who lived before the Great Flood, only saving Noah and his family. 

And believe me, the earth is even more disobedient and sinful now than then, for with out expanded knowledge has also come expanded sinful behaviour, which the Lord tried to mitigate with the sending of Jesus to earth to die for our sins and offer us forgiveness and salvation with eternal life. But unfortunately, so far, only a comparative handful of people have accepted that amazing offer. 

Why? I truly don’t know. I can only suppose that the pleasures of sin are more enjoyable than the pleasures of a life with Christ. Also, that leading a Christ-like life is more difficult with all kinds of sacrifices and hard times necessary to fulfil that discipleship. And between the fear of the world, our laziness and LOVE of comfort and material possessions, we simply don’t put forth the effort necessary to do God’s will, so that He can be properly exalted. Thus the evil-doers are currently ruling the roost. But my people, if we continue in our lackadaisical efforts, one day we will pay a great price for slumbering and sleeping, when we ought to have been diligently working on Christ’s behalf. 

Nuff said, since you can only take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Likewise, we can tell others about Jesus and live a godly lifestyle, but we cannot force them to accept Jesus. So, for those of us who are trying to be faithful, let’s go home now 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 now, it’s our bounden duty 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!

…when we sing sincere praises to our God…our hearts soar with joy and peace…

 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

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