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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 April 2024 John 14:6.

30 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 14:6.       I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

And it’s Tuesday, the last day of April 2024. Can you believe it? We’ve already gone through a third of this supposed new year! (smile) But that’ how it’s running these days; neither time nor tide is waiting for anyone. It’s a good thing then that we have Jesus to help us through these fast moving, evil, deceitful and ungodly times! Where would we be without Him eh? Bound up in the evil bonds of Satan, living like so much of the world is, filled with anger, hatred, strife and all the other negative things that are Satan’s attributes. 

But thank God for Jesus, our Saviour, our Lifeline, our Be All and End All! That means these memorable words of His are the gospel truth: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5) That reminds us of the prophet Hosea’s words when talking about Israel’s return to the Lord. 

‘They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent (aroma) thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir (cypress) tree. From (in) me is thy fruit found.’ (Hos. 14:7-8) Yes my people, Israel would at last discover that God was their EVERYTHING, and only with Him first place in their lives would they grow and prosper. It’s the same thing for us today. Only with Jesus in our lives, and we in His, can we ever do much that’s worthwhile. 

And I really like this last verse of Hosea’s prophecy. ‘Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall (stumble) therein.’ (Hos. 14:9) Meanwhile, in Psalm 111, as he outlines ‘The Greatness of God’s Works,’ the psalmist concurs with Hosea’s proclamation. 

‘The works of his hands are verity (truth) and judgement (justice); all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding  have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 111:7-10) Yuh see the psalmist is even quoting Cousin Sol re the fear of the Lord from Proverbs 1:7. 

And don’t think that Cousin Sol doesn’t have anything to say on the subject. (smile) Of course he does. Like he has something to say on just about every topic under the sun. Listen, as he agrees with the other two scriptures. ‘The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be moved: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth (land). The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the forward (perverse) tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness (perversity).’ (Prov. 10:27-32) 

Oh friends, please let us remember all those words that we’ve just heard and read, and write them indelibly in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, for they will serve us in very good stead, keep us attached to the Lord, provide a lifeline to Him. For, remember without Jesus, and ONLY through Him, will we ever see the Father’s face in the next life. As He says with imperial certainty: ‘I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) So it’s imperative that if we want to spend eternity with the Father, Jesus must be the example that we follow in this earthly life. 

And I believe these words from Hebrews are a good way to cement all that we’ve spoken about above. So please read and understand with me: ‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness (confidence) to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:19-25) 

Oh my fellow saints, that is one of the most comprehensive passages of scripture on our basic requirements as believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ! And if we just do what it says, to be strong in Christ, our heavenly high priest, be steadfast in our Christian beliefs because God is faithful; He keeps all His promises. And above all, to LOVE, encourage and edify each other, stirring up the brethren to do good works, while getting together in praise and worship to strengthen the bonds of unity. 

Yes friends, if we’d only do those simple things consistently, our Christian witness would be ever so much better than it currently is. Therefore, I implore us today, to get serious about our faith and consequently lift up ourselves and those around us, so that Christ can be acknowledged and celebrated all around the glorious universe that He’s made for us to enjoy. 

Now, let’s go home proclaiming to all and sundry, 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!’ 

Now, 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!

…the time to accept Jesus is NOW…it will be too late when you die…

 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 April 2024   1 Corinthians 3:18.

09 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 3:18.       Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world (age), let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

And then it was Tuesday; the day we use to recover from our Monday inefficiencies and insecurities. (smile) Now, since we’ve had fellowship with the Lord and other believers in His sanctuary on Sunday, we ought to be rearing to go on Monday. But it’s not until Tuesday that we really have it all together and our work week running smoothly. Somehow, despite all our good intentions, we never seem to get it right on Monday, possibly because it’s seemingly ingrained in our minds as the bad boy of the week, therefore, we always seem to stump our toes on Monday. 

But if that’s the way it is, then we just have to learn to live with stumped toes on a Monday. (smile) All the Lord can do is give us the power, the grace, the mercy, the anointing, whatever we need to do His will, but it’s ultimately up to us to use the tools He provides. 

And today, the Good Library opened unto the first Book of Corinthians, and, most appropriately, the first words I saw were these: ‘Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world (age), let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (futile). Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ (1 Cor. 3:18-23) 

Ah friends, wonderful words of wisdom. Man ought not to take himself too seriously, but trend more towards God. As Cousin Sol  so wisely says in Proverbs: ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.’ (Prov. 3:7) And when Bruh Paul talks about the Lord taking the wise in their own craftiness, he is there quoting from Job 5:13. Now since the Lord knows whatever we are up to, and since most of it is vain and futile in His eyes, why do we still hunger for the wisdom of man and not that of God eh? I guess it’s a combination of our free will and our foolish pride. But the immediate question is why did Bruh Paul pen those words to the church at Corinth? 

Because there was still a lot of envying and strife amongst the congregation. At the beginning of the chapter, he writes: ‘And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat (solid food): for hitherto (until now) ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions (dissensions), are ye not carnal (fleshly), and walk as men (according to man)? 

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but that God giveth the increase.’ (1 Cor. 3:1-7) 

Oh my faithful brethren, unfortunately the church is still in a state of carnality after all this time. Too many of us are still only able to drink spiritual milk and not eat spiritual solid food, we only know the elementary aspects of our Christian faith, and cannot handle the more serious doctrines. Why? Because  there’s still a lot of strife, envying and fleshly lusts in Christ’s church, that keeps it seriously divided and thus unfulfilled. That means we are nowhere near fulfilling the work that Christ expects of us. And like the factions that destroyed the unity in Corinth, the ones who are destroying today’s unity are not walking in the Spirit but allowing the flesh of man to dictate their ungodly behaviour. 

And Bruh Paul continues his discourse on the subject. ‘Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are all labourers (God’s fellow workers) together with God: ye are God’s husbandry (field), ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 3:8-11) 

And there we have the crux of the problem: the ONLY foundation worthy of being built upon is that laid by Jesus Christ! But sadly, many of us are building on foundations not laid by Christ, and some who are building on Christ’s foundations are using different materials to build upon it. However, Bruh Paul further explains: ‘Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble (straw); every man’s work shall be made manifest (become evident) for the day (judgement day) shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try (test) every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide (endures) which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved: yet so as by (through) fire.’ (1 Cor. 3:12-15) 

Yes my fellow believers, come the judgement day, our works will be tried by fire, and if they stand up strong like the incombustible elements mentioned above (gold, silver, precious stones), we will receive a reward. However, if we build with combustible elements, like wood, straw and hay, then our work will be consumed by the fire, meaning our work was not satisfactory, and though we will be saved, our rewards will be negated. 

So what do we get from all of this eh? First that we Christians are all One; labourers in Christ, and as followers of Christ we are thus children of God, therefore everything that we have comes from the Father, and consequently our differences and divisions based on allegiances to mere men are absurd and ungodly. But then too we need to build our earthly work on the foundation laid by Christ, that’s His gospel and the examples He set for us, and take care to build with good, strong materials, that can withstand God’s judgement. 

And now my fellow saints, it’s all up to us. So 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 that, we now need 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!

…it’s high time believers become spiritually mature…stop drinking spiritual milk…and begin eating solid, spiritual food…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 April 2024 Matthew 6:12.

02 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:12.        And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Then it was Easter Tuesday, time to get back to working for a living, therefore, most of the Easter hoopla has now been toned down. But not the celebrated Easter Tuesday Goat Races in that picturesque, seaside village of Buccoo in sweet Tobago. Ah friends, that’s gotten so big and popular now that in recent years they built a stadium to house those goat races. I remember the days when it used to be just an open field in the village betwixt some houses, with parties galore happening all around, and people standing along the side lines, shouting for their favourite goat or crab. 

Obviously the event was much more raucous and spontaneous. But apparently, as things grow bigger, they need to be better handled and managed, thus the building of the stadium. However, to a certain extent that quells the natural spontaneity of the event, making it less colourful. But in some quarters, that’s called progress, (smile) and as it’s still a colourful event, we’ll see you later down in Buccoo at the Goat Races. Party Time! 

Now let’s get serious about the real ramifications of this Easter weekend. On Good Friday, Christ sacrificed His sinless life on the cross of Calvary so that our sin debt could be paid in full. That was the exorbitant price required by the Father for that situation to be solved. And Christ paid it without any hard feelings, despite the gross ‘sufferation’ He was forced to endure. As Isaiah so rightly says: ‘All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.’ (Is. 53:6) 

Yes my fellow believers, the Lord laid ALL of our abominable sins on the shoulders of Christ that Good Friday day two thousand years ago. Meaning He was totally weighed down with, and made responsible for our ungodly transgressions. That means we now have forgiveness of our sins. However, that doesn’t come automatically or naturally. No! As Jesus said to the Jewish Leader, Nicodemus: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, (or from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God. … Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ (John 3:3, 5) 

Now, that means to be forgiven of our sins and thus be able to enter in God’s kingdom we also have to do something. And what’s that, you ask? Listen to Jesus tell it. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.’ (John 3:16-18) 

There you have it friends; what we need to do so that we can be saved. It’s simple and straightforward: Believe in Christ Jesus! Believe that He is the Son of God; the promised Messiah; be born again of the Holy Spirit and be baptized in water, as an outward show of our inner sincerity! That makes us saved and eligible to enter heaven. But within that new born again life there are a couple of things that are necessary to live the Christian life; the life Christ died for us to have. As He says: ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) 

So, if we believe in Jesus and live the way He desires of us, we will have an abundant life beginning right down here on earth. But before we move on to heavenly matters, (smile) there is one earthly thing we must remember and get absolutely right, and it deals with the forgiveness of sins. Christ died so that that could be achieved, that we could renew a right relationship with the Father, but there’s one codicil to it, that regarding the sins of the individual. Jesus specifies it quite plainly in His Sermon on the Mount, when teaching His disciples to pray. It’s this simple but ever so important line of what we call the Lords’ Prayer. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:12) 

Oh my people, that is the most important thing we need to remember and do after we believe in Jesus. Otherwise, He continues: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15) It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. Forgiveness of other’s sins against us must be meted out, if we want forgiveness from our heavenly Father. But sadly, in this strife-filled, angry and hateful world, unforgiveness is one of the major drawbacks in turning things around. 

Our human selfishness is showing up ever so greatly with our refusal to forgive others the way we want the Lord to forgive us. And that’s what causing so much of the negativity in our embattled and turbulent world. Now we all know that a lot of harsh and hurting things are done each and every day to numerous people, and it’s very difficult to forgive some of those trespasses, but the fact is that we must try, through prayer and heavenly help, if we want our own sins to be forgiven and our world to therefore become a better place. 

And it’s so sad to realize that much of the strife and hatred now in place began centuries ago, and some of those now involved in the negativity don’t even know what they’re really fighting and hating for. That’s how bad our inhumanity and unforgiveness has become. What more can I say eh friends, when these days, finding a country where there’s no strife or very little, is like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. And unfortunately, things will not get better until we begin forgetting and forgiving the sins and trespasses of our individual neighbors and those worldwide. 

And if God spares life, tomorrow we’ll continue with the heavenly mattes we spoke about earlier on. (smile) But for those of us who are trying to live the abundant life in these tough circumstances, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock 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 becomes 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!

…to be forgiven…one needs to forgive…

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

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