15 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a desire to know God better, a groundbreaking action, a mirculous situation, a more intimate relationship with God, accept Christ as Lord and Saviour, Adam and Eve, all we have to do is believe in Jesus, be able to separate us from the love of God, children of God, christianity, come to earth to suffer on our behalf, compassion, consider how good we have it, deepen my breath, disobedience of our forefathers, doing good to followers despite their disobedience, don't expect to suffer any hardship, entitled children, eternally sealed by the Holy Spirit, faith, gave his only begotten Son, glorify the Father through Jesus, God commendeth his own love toward us, God never stopped loving us despite our disobedience, God sent Jesus to die on the cross, God sent not his son into thte world to condemn the world, God so loved the world, God's initial goal for creating man, God's nature is one of love, grace, hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, have everlasting life, he that believeth not is condemned already, he that believeth on him is not condemned, hell bound, holy spirit, I am persuaded, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, in all sincerity and truth, in Christ Jesus our Lord, increase my awareness of you today, instead of complaining, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus endured without batting an eyelash, King of Kings, know you all the more, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, leave the glory of heaven, looking forward to our glorious future with Jesus, LOVE, marvel to think, mercy, moaning and groaning, moaning and groaning about god doesn't love us, neither death nor life, nor any other creature, nor things present nor things to come, nothing whatsoever can separate us from god's love, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, sealed until the day of redemption, seeking greater intimacy with God, slow my thoughts, stand a few hard times for Jesus, suffer a little here on earth for Jesus, sufferation, thank you for this tenderness, that neither death nor life nor angels, the annals of history, the BIBLE, the bondage of Satan, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the One True God, the relationship soured, the rough times, the whining of spoiled children, the world through him might be saved, to give us a better option for life, to pay our sin debt in full, truth, we see the glory of heaven, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 August 2026 Romans 5:8.
Romans 5:8. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’
And then it was our lazy-day Saturday, where some of us have the option and/or opportunity to laze around and do nothing much, or nothing at all! And that’s always nice, especially after a hard week’s work, fighting through the traffic and all the other stuff that comes with a job; a lot of it unpleasant and negative. But thankfully we’re children of God; followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Lord of Lords and King of Kings, who has most generously imbued us with His Holy Spirit that leads and guides us through all the rough times of this earthly life…that is if we listen to His guidance. (smile)
Now, before we get too far into that lazy-day Saturday mode, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And what does that prayer mean? Basically that we’re seeking greater intimacy with our heavenly Father. We desire to get closer to Him, to know Him better, and thus arrive at a more intimate relationship than we currently have. And believe me, that’s also the Lord’s greatest desire. Yes, having a close, intimate relationship with us was His initial goal for creating human beings. However, through the disobedience of our forefathers, Adam and Eve, the relationship soured and we were set adrift on our own. And we all know the great mess we’ve made of our lives without the proper guidance and direction of our Creator.
But although He allowed us to do our own thing, doesn’t mean that He forgot about us, or stopped LOVING us, No way! His LOVE continued as strong as ever, and it hurt His heart to see the awful problems we were facing on our own and the bondage that Satan had us tied up in. Thus, when the time was right, when He could not take the ‘sufferation’ we were experiencing through the guidance of Satan, making us automatically hell bound, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross of Calvary to pay for our sins, thereby giving us another and better option for life, both this one and the next.
And if you don’t believe that it was indeed God’s great LOVE for mankind that fuelled His actions, then please listen to this seminal, highly influential verse of scripture, as penned by Bruh Paul in his letter to the church at Rome. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now, has any other supposed god throughout the annals of history ever down such a groundbreaking action; doing good for their followers, while they were still intent on being disobedient ?
Absolutely not! That’s because the other supposed gods have no real LOVE for those who worship them; they’re just greedy and selfish and want more than they ever deign to offer. But the Creator of the universe; the One True God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has an entirely different perspective on the subject; that’s because His very nature is one of LOVE, compassion, mercy and grace, and not one of greed and hate, bondage and cruelty like the other supposed gods that have filled history.
And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul, then listen to Jesus as He explains the situation to the Jewish Leader Nicodemus. ‘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)
Look at that miraculous situation nuh mih bredrin! Jesus came to save the world, and all we have to do is believe in Him! What could be simpler than that eh? Believe and you’re saved! That’s why it’s ever so wise to turn to Christ and accept Him as Lord and Saviour! And once you do that, according to Bruh Paul, you become sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30b) Meaning that when you believe in Jesus, you are sealed as His forever by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Consequently, Bruh Paul could further write to the church at Rome: ‘For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:38-39)
Wow! What an awesome statement! Nothing in this world can separate us from God’s LOVE! What could be more important than that eh? Nothing! Once we pledge our allegiance to Christ nothing can ever separate us from the LOVE of the Father! Now that should make some of us sit up and take notice, and stop complaining about all the stuff we have to go through in this sinful world, moaning and groaning about God doesn’t LOVE us, otherwise He wouldn’t allow us to go through them! That’s just the whining of spoiled and entitled children, who don’t expect to suffer any hardship at all.
And if Jesus endured the ‘sufferation’ He did for us, without batting an eyelash, the least we can do is stand a few hard times, while looking forward to the glorious future we will eventually have with Him, when He comes into His glory. And I believe this glorious, summer, lazy-day Saturday is the right time to consider how good we have it, and instead of complaining, glorify the Father through Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!
…if Jesus could leave the glory of heaven and come to earth to suffer on our behalf…why can’t we suffer a little here on earth for Him…until we see the glory of heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cloudy and dreary day, a heavenly peace, a peace that sets you free in the midst of trouble, a physical home, a promise of rain, a rest to the people of God, a topsy-turvy life, as God did from his, assured that God will work it out, be diligent to enter God's rest, be of good cheer, believers must actively trust God through faith, ceasing from one's own spiritual and physical striving, Christ conquered the world through His death and resurrection, christianity, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, deepen my breath, don't copy the rebellious unbelieving mistakes of the Israelites, endless wandering in the wilderness, eternal rest, faith, find rest for your souls, foreshadowing of a deeper security, frolicking in the sunshine, gentle and humble in heart, he also hath ceased from his own works, he that entered into his rest, holy spirit, I am meek and lowly in heart, i have overcome the world, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, I will give you rest, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, labour to enter into God's rest, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, learn of me, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, marvel to think, mercy, my peace I give unto you, my yoke is easy and my burden light, negative circumstances, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, Peace i leave with you, placing active faith in Jesus, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, relax under th covers, relief from slavery, rest from work like God did on the seventh day, salvation, slow my thoughts, surrendering your need to earn your salvation through good works, take my yoke upon you, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness, the final spiritual rest available to believers, the Giver of Rest, the great invitation, the keys of hell death and the grave, the Lord's greatest desire, the peace and rest of God, the peace of God that passes all human understanding, the Prince of Peace, the Promised Land Rest, the rest of God, the ultimate spiritual rest, the weekly Sabbath Rest, these things I have spoken unto you, to have deep intimacy with His children, trusting God's daily grace instead of your own control, truth, wisdom, with all sincerity and truth, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 August 2026 John 14:27.
John 14:27. 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.
And then it was Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday. But unfortunately this second Saturday in August did not open as bright and sunshiny as the first one last week, which we spent frolicking in the sunshine in Caribana. This one’s somewhat cloudy and dreary, with a promise of afternoon rain. But as always we’ll handle it with the grace and style of Jesus that indwells us. And furthermore, what better kind of lazy-day Saturday is there than a cloudy, rainy one where you can just relax under the covers or on the couch and let the world pass by? None!
However, before we get on with the lazing around, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And as we keep saying, the Lord’s greatest desire is to have deep intimacy with His children, and if our hearts were sincere when we offered up that prayer, then we’ll soon find our souls and spirits filled with the peace of God that passes all understanding. A peace that we can in no way truly comprehend or understand, because it’s a heavenly peace not a worldly one. It’s like when Jesus was informing the disciples of His going away and the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He said to them: ‘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, the peace of Jesus, the peace that we get when we interact with Him is of much higher quality than what the world calls peace. It’s truly peace; peace which can set you free from all worries and fears and negative circumstances, even in the midst of your topsy-turvy life. How awesome is that eh! Being able to go though difficult times and circumstances with the assurance that God will work it all out for your good in the end.
Then Jesus went on to later tell the disciples: ‘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) There again Jesus is specifying that in Him we can find a different kind of peace than what the world offers, and in any case we don’t need to be afraid, because He’s already conquered the world through His death and resurrection; having taken aways the keys of hell, death and the grave from Satan. (Rev. 1:18)
And another valuable aspect of our faith, like the peace of God, is what we call the rest of God. It’s like this Overview explains. ‘Entering God’s rest means ceasing from your own spiritual and physical striving. You enter it by placing active faith in Jesus Christ, surrendering the need to earn your salvation through good works, and trusting God’s daily grace instead of your own control.’
And it follows from the scripture in Hebrews. ‘There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour (be diligent) therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (disobedience).’ (Heb. 4:9-11)
The scripture is referring to the disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness who were troubled all through their wilderness stay and died there, while the second generation who went into the Promised Land, led by Joshua, enjoyed a rest in God. Believers must therefore actively trust God through faith rather than copying the rebellious, unbelieving mistakes of the ancient Israelites in the wilderness.
And there are three basic kinds of rest in the Bible. The weekly Sabbath Rest, where we rest from work like God did in the Creation. (Gen. 2:1-3) Then there is the Promised Land Rest that we spoke of above, which the Israelites who came out of Egypt did not enjoy, because of their disobedience in the wilderness, but which their children born in the wilderness enjoyed. They found a physical home and relief from slavery and endless wandering in the wilderness; a sort of foreshadowing of a deeper security. Then there’s the Eternal Rest, the ultimate spiritual rest. The final spiritual rest available to believers. That’s being at rest with Jesus at the end of it all.
And that rest of God is nowhere highlighted better than in Jesus’ Great Invitation, where He declares to all and sundry: ‘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 for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Oh my people, whatever kind of peace or rest you desire, you can find it all in one source; that’s in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; the Prince of Peace and the Giver of Rest! So there’s no need to go searching anywhere else for either peace or rest. And this lazy-day Saturday is as good a day as any to ponder what we’ve spoken about and to consider our own situations as per the peace and rest of God. Much LOVE!
…there’s nothing more important or valuable in this world…than the peace and rest of God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a call for hope, a declaration of hope, a declaration of humility, a declaration of trust, A Humble Heart, abundant redemption, as a child that is weaned of his mother, associate with humble folks, Baruch, be a faithful minister, be not wise in thine own eyes, be not wise in your own conceits, be not wise in your own estimation, being like a little child before the Lord, Christians, cling to God with all our might, condescend to men of low estate, content with the Lord's appointment, deepen my breath, don't seek out your own greatness, don't set your mind on high things, eating grass like and ox, enjoying the good weather, faith, fear the Lord and depart from evil, give thee thy life as a prize, holy spirit, I have behaved, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, I will bring evil upon all flesh, in all places whither thou shalt go, in all sincerity and truth, in things too high for me, increase my awareness of you today, Jeremiah's secretary, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lean not unto thine own understanding, let Israel hope in the Lord, lolling in the sunshine, LOVE, loving-kindness, mercy, mind not high things, my heart is not haughty, my soul is even as a weaned child, Nebuchadnezzar, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, nor mine eyes lofty, peace and calm, Pharaoh, quiet my soul, quieted myself, recognized the sovereignty of God, redeem Israel from all his iniquities, rejoicing, relax my muscles, salvation, seek them not, seekest thou great things for thyself, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, that which I have built I will break down, that which I have planted I will pluck up, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through one's body, the gospel truth, the Lord checks our hearts, the Lord delights in having intimacy with us, the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and jacob, the Lord silikes pride and haughtiness, the plagues of Egypt, thy life will I give unto thee for a prey, to our hungry souls, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, truth, well done thou good and faithful servant, wisdom, with the Lord there is mercy, woe is me now, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 July 2026 Jeremiah 45:5a.
Jeremiah 45:5a. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not:
Wow! It’s our lazy-day Saturday! And I did enjoy some lazy-time in my bed this morning, but had to cut it short to come down and write the Bit. But them’s the breaks! (smile) And besides, it’s too beautiful a summer’s day to waste just lying in bed doing nothing. One should be up and about outside enjoying the good weather, lolling in the sunshine and rejoicing that the breath of life is still flowing through one’s body.
However, before we do any lazy stuff, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, in all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And as always, when the Lord checks our hearts, if He finds them to be sincere, then He’ll soon be sending the peace and calm that we requested, to our hungry souls, for He just delights in having intimacy with His greatest creation; the human being. And today we’ll look at Psalm 131, titled ‘A Humble Heart,’ Bruh David’s declaration of humility. So please read with me: ‘Lord, my heart is not haughty (proud), nor mine eyes lofty (conceited): neither do I exercise (concern) myself in great matters, or in things too high (difficult, profound) for me. Surely I have behaved (calmed) and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.’ (Ps. 131:1-3)
Yes friends, it’s short and simple but contains some profound sentiments. The first one is humility. Remember the Lord dislikes pride and haughtiness possibly more than anything else, because it shows that you have no need of or use for Him. Cousin Sol calls it one of the seven abominations that the Lord dislikes, (Prov. 6:16-19) and throughout the Bible those who have been overly proud have eventually been brought to task by the Lord. For example, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon who thought he was so great, and the Lord humbled him by seven years of madness, eating grass like the ox, until he recognized the sovereignty of the God of Daniel, the One True God. (Dan. 4)
And like Pharaoh, ruler of the greatest nation at the time, who refused to free the Israelites and faced a whole lot of plagues on Egypt, then drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea when trying to pursue the fleeing Israelites, breaking Egypt’s power, humbling her, through His great might. (Ex. 7-12)
Then there’s this interesting story of the biblical scribe, Baruch, the prophet Jeremiah’s secretary. It seems Baruch was of noble birth and was apparently aware that he could have risen to a high position, but under Jeremiah’s influence, he repressed his ambition, being contented to follow the prophet. Jeremiah dictated his prophecies to Baruch, who read them to the people. King Jehoiakim was a greatly angered at hearing them, and had Baruch arrested and the scroll burned. Baruch was eventually taken to Egypt, along with Jeremiah. (43:6)
Now, apparently at one stage Baruch had been depressed and or unhappy, and had written ‘Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.’ (Jer. 45: 3) Then the Lord instructed Jeremiah: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil (adversity) upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey (as a prize) in all places whither thou goest.’ (Jer. 45: 4-5)
Yes my people, that’s the voice of the Lord warning one worker not to seek his own greatness, but to stick with the Lord’s work. As the scholars say: ‘Baruch’s lofty calling was simply to be a faithful minister, content with the Lord’s appointment. For faithfulness has its own reward.’ And that’s the living truth! For when we serve the Lord faithfully and don’t seek out our own greatness, He rewards us with lasting favour and mercy.
And we have this other passage from Bruh Paul to the Romans where he warns about high-minded and haughty things. ‘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 humble folks). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation).’ (Rom. 12:16) Now that’s wonderful advice my brethren, for as Cousin Sol warns in Proverbs: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding… Be not wise in tine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.’ (Prov. 3:5; 7)
Exactly what Bruh Paul said. For being haughty, wise and know it all, will only bring your down fall eventually, when the Lord gets tired of your foolish pride. But getting back to Psalm 131. The scholars say that the second verse where Bruh David claims to have weaned himself like a child is a declaration of his trust in the Lord, being like a little child before Him, and the third verse is a call for hope. It’s like what the palmist says in Psalm 130: ‘Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:7-8)
Now that’s the gospel truth my brethren! For only with the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is there much LOVING-KINDNESS and plenty redemption! Therefore wisdom dictates that we follow the Lord, cling to Him with all our might, so that we can receive His numerous, wonderful rewards at the end. Much LOVE!
…the words every believer desires to hear…well done…thou good and faithful servant…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: .answer to our prayer, behold thy mother, being more intimate with God, breathed his last, brutal and inhumane situation, Christ died to save us from the bondage of sin, Christ was accursed of God for us, Christ's Resurrection, christianity, come tomorrow, crucified as a common criminal, darkness was over all the land, deepen my breath, don't allow our agony to overcome our faith, drawing closer to God, Eli Eli lama sabachthani, eternal separation from Almighty God, faith, Father forgive them, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit, filled with compassion, free will, God's ultimate purpose of saving mankind, great joy, he gave up the ghost, holy spirit, I marvel to think, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, if thou be the Christ, in all sincerity and truth, in the throes of death, increase my awareness of you today, innocent of all crimes, Jesus Christ, Jesus cried with a loud voice, Jesus is our hero, Jesus sacrificed His sinless life, joy comes in the morning, know you all the more, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, mercy, My God my God, one who had done no wrong, pay the consequences of unwise decisions, peace and contentment, pomp and passion, prayer is one of our greatest privileges, quench our sadness, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, sad and downcast, salvation, save thyself and us, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, the agony of spiritual death, the atonement of our sins, the BIBLE, the disciple took her into his own home, the fiery jaws of hell, the high cost to Christ, the horrific scene of Christ's crucifixion, the inequity of Jewish society, the joy of the Lord is our strength, they know not what they do, today thou shalt be with me in paradise, truth, why hast thou forsaken me, wisdom, Woman behold thy son, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me
Luke 23:46. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (breathed his last).
So we’ve come to our lazy-day Saturday of Holy Week, and many of us are feeling somewhat sad and downcast because of yesterday’s replaying of the horrific scene that took place two thousand years ago in the city of Jerusalem; that’s Christ’s crucifixion. And how can one not be affected by such a brutal and inhumane situation eh, especially to one who had done no wrong, was innocent of all the crimes He was accused of, but was nonetheless battered and bruised by His fellow countrymen, then crucified as a common criminal between two real criminals.
But thankfully Jesus knew exactly what He was doing and why He suffered the indignities and abuse as quietly as He did. It was all because His heavenly Father desired that He pay the price for mankind’s abominable sins by sacrificing His sinless life so that God’s greatest creation could have a chance of bypassing eternal separation from Him, because that’s where we were surely headed if we did not get atonement for our wrong doing. And it’s of the utmost importance that we remember that Christ died to save us from the bondage of sin and the fiery jaws of hell.
Therefore, we ought to regard Him as not only our Lord and Saviour, but also as our Hero. And you know how we honour our heroes with pomp and passion. So why don’t we do the same for Jesus eh? Why do some of us even go so far as to hold Him in contempt despite His life-saving sacrifice for us? Who knows my people? The Lord gave us free will to choose whom we adore and glorify, and if we choose not to adore and glorify Jesus, then we’ll just have to pay the consequences inherent in that unwise decision.
Enough theorizing though, (smile) let’s ease the sorrow in our hearts by the best method there is; that’s prayer, our greatest privilege. So let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Oh friends, there’s nothing better to quench our sadness than seeking to draw closer and more intimate with our heavenly Father! For when we get closer to Him, our sadness falls away and is replaced by a feeling of peace and contentment. It’s like the Bible says: ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) So when we are sad, our joy is depleted, and when we get close to God, our joy is increased. And though we know that tomorrow we will indeed be joyful because of Christ’s resurrection, today we’re still in the doldrums, and it might just be a good time to sit and consider some of the things Jesus did even while he was being abused and crucified.
For instance while nailed to the cross He prayed thus: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34a) How many of us would even consider forgiving those who abuse us in such an inhumane manner eh? Not many, if any. But Jesus was filled with compassion even in His throes of death. And besides, those who crucified Him did not really know what they were doing. they thought they were getting rid of a nuisance, a renegade prophet, not knowing that their evil deeds were serving God’s ultimate purpose of saving mankind.
Then look at how the Bible portrays this touching scene. It says: ‘And one of the malefactors (criminals ) which were hanged railed on him (blasphemed), saying, If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss (wrong). And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:39-43)
Yes my brethren, even in His suffering, Jesus was still compassionate and kind. And that’s how He would like us, His followers, His disciples, his ambassadors to also be. Unfortunately though, too many of us are exactly the opposite; we have no time for others when we are going through our own problems. Then look at this other even more touching scene from Jesus hanging from the cross.
The Bible tells us: ‘Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he LOVED (John), he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.’ (John 19:25-27) Now wasn’t that very thoughtful of Jesus to leave His mother in a safe and secure situation, for her husband Joseph had probably died already, and in those days widows had a tough time surviving the inequity and unkindness of Jewish society.
The worst part of the whole affair on Jesus’ part was possibly this one. The Bible says: ‘Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour (3.pm). And about the ninth hour (3 p.m.) Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Matt. 27:45-46) Yes friends, Jesus hung on that cross from about 9 a.m. to 3.pm before any words of complaint echoed from His soul. And even then it wasn’t even so much a complaint, but more of a big disappointment.
For as the scholars explain: ‘Here we have the high cost to Christ of His atonement for our sins, who was accursed of God as our sin-bearer and suffered the agony of spiritual death for us.’ In other words Christ was painted with the brush of sin, and since the Lord could not countenance sin, He was separated from the Father for the first time ever. And as the scholars note: ‘Even in the midst of bearing God’s wrath for sin, Jesus still calls Him my God. His agony does not overcome His faith.’ Now that’s something we all should try to also achieve; don’t allow anyone or anything to destroy our faith in God.
And to cap it all, a short time later, ‘And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (breathed his last). (Luke 23:46) So though the memories of Jesus crucifixion are heartrending, let’s remember that He did it willingly as the will of the Father, so we should not despair, for remember, joy comes in the morning, and indeed, there will be great joy…come tomorrow! Much LOVE!
…Jesus suffered greatly for our sins…but both Him and Father thought it worthwhile…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Jan 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sense of love, according to all that I command thee, and now abideth faith hope love, call them to mind, deepen my breath, embrace the Love Revolution, faith, fall the marvellous colours of God's artistry, for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, for Jesus' sake, foundational truth, gather thee from all the nations, God gives grace and mercy to those who seek Him with sincere hearts, God's love showing through, God's soothing peace, hang all the law and the prophets, have compassion on you, he is a liar, he who loveth God love his brother also, holy spirit, how can he love God whom he hath not seen, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, if a man say I love God and hates his brother, in all sincerity and truth, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, last day of January, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, love for God ultimately leads to love for others, love is God's greatest attribute, Love makes the world go round, love the Lord with all thy heart soul and mind, Love thy neighbour as thyself, loving God with one's entire being, mercy, nothing as beautiful as bright sunshine on clean snow, obey God's voice, on these two commandments, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, responsibility to god, responsibility to man, return unto the Lord thy God, salvation, selfless love, slow my thoghts, spring rebirth of trees in green, summer the total resurgence of life, thank you for this tenderness, the blessing, the curse., the first and great commandment, the foundation for all spiritual life and obedience, the gospel truth, the greatest of these is love, the Lord will turn thy captivity, the prescription for god's compassion, the second is like unto it, the true level of our love meter, total unselfish devotion to God, truth, we all have room for improvement, when ye shall search for me with all your heart, wisdom, wishy-washy lip service, with all thine heart, with all thy soul, ye shall seek me and find me, your love both surrounds and fills me
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And it’s still pretty cold, around minus 11 Celsius on this lazy-day Saturday, the last day of January, so the snow on the banks of the roads and rooftops can’t melt, but it’s also another glorious sunshiny day. And you know there’s nothing as beautiful as bright sunshine on clean, unadulterated snow; it just gleams like a precious jewel! (smile)
No, I’m not crazy. If you really enjoy God’s creations, you will notice that in every season, He’s made something beautiful and amazing in it. In the spring it’s the beautiful rebirth of the trees in green, in the summer it’s the total resurgence of life in nature, strong and sturdy, while fall shows off the marvellous colours of God’s artistry, and in winter it’s the beauty of the sunshine reflecting off the white snow. That’s God’s LOVE showing through. Although seasons change, and life becomes more difficult, He still graces us with wonders in each one.
But enough talk of the weather and the seasons, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And, as always, if our prayer was heartfelt, the Lord will soon respond with His soothing peace and calm overwhelming our spirits, for He’s ever glad to give His grace and mercy to those who seek Him with sincere hearts. And He’s said that so often in the Bible that I can’t understand why more of us don’t do it. As this foundational truth from Jeremiah reminds us, where the Lord clearly states: ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:13) That statement is as clear as day. If you want to find God then you have to seek Him with all of your heart. Not with wishy-washy lip service.
Now, that wasn’t something new to the Israelites, for Moses had long ago warned them: ‘And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind (remember them) among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord will turn thy captivity (bring you back from captivity), and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord hath scattered thee.’ (Deut. 30:1-3)
There you have it friends; the prescription for God’s compassion! Obey the Lord and LOVE Him with all thy heart and soul! And it’s exactly what Jesus says when the arrogant, smart-aleck Jewish lawyer tries to tempt Him into an argument by asking about the great commandment. ‘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. 22:37-40)
And as the scholars explain, Jesus outsmarted the lawyer by simply summarizing ‘the two tables of the law: (1) responsibility to God; and (2) responsibility to man, by paraphrasing Deuteronomy 6:5, and Leviticus 19:18, LOVE the Lord thy God and LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ And I like the overview from this commentary. ‘This commandment serves as the foundation for all spiritual life and obedience, requiring total, unselfish devotion to God.’
That’s for certain sure! It necessitates LOVING God with one’s entire being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. It then explicably leads to the second commandment, to LOVE your neighbour as yourself, as true LOVE for God ultimately leads to LOVE for others. For you can’t LOVE God and hate His human creation. As John so rightly tells us in his first epistle. If a man say, I LOVE God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that LOVETH not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he LOVE God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who LOVETH God LOVE his brother also.’ (1 John 4:20-21)
And when we truly focus on LOVING God, then we are better able to LOVE our neighbours with divine, selfless LOVE. And it’s as Jesus says, all the laws and the teachings of the prophets depend on those two commandments; LOVING God with everything you have and then LOVING your neighbour the way you LOVE yourself. Yes my faithful brethren, it’s all about LOVE, God’s greatest attribute. Remember how Bruh Paul puts it in that famous verse in his first letter to the Corinthians? ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE), these three: but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor, 13:13)
And that’s the gospel truth! LOVE is indeed the greatest! And we all notice the great difference in our hearts and spirits when we’re filled with LOVE instead of hate. For as we say, though sometimes in jest, it’s very real: ‘LOVE makes the world go round!’ Now, on this cold lazy-day Saturday, it’s a good time to take a look at ourselves and see how we’re truly doing in the LOVE Department, ascertain the true the level of our LOVE meter.
Now, although some of us might be doing okay, we all have room for improvement, and I don’t need to tell us that our world is currently suffering from a serious lack of LOVE, and it’s our job as disciples and followers of Jesus Christ to embrace the LOVE Revolution and move it forward, so that when Jesus returns, He will find much hope, faith and LOVE here on earth! So, let’s put our hands, heads and hearts together and do it nuh…for Jesus! Much LOVE!
…all we do…should be done out of a sense of LOVE…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jan 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bunch of ungrateful sinners, action the promises of God, be not dismayed, break your own heart, come boldly to the throne of grace, communion with god, deepen my breath, delivers them out of all their troubles, enjoy the abundant life, enjoy the fruits of your labour, faith, fear thou not for I am with thee, find grace to help in time of need, for evermore, from this time forth, from whence cometh my help, fulfill our God-given destiny, God commendeth his love toward us, God neither slumbers nor sleeps, God shields us from danger both day and night, God so loved the world, God's love does not fluctuate on human performance, God's love is eternal, God's love is rooted in his faithful character, God's proximity to those in pain, great is thy faithfulness, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he that keepeth thee will not slumber, help from above, his compassions fail not, hold fast our profession, holy spirit, I am thy God, I will help thee, I will strengthen thee, in all these things we are more than conquerors, increase my awareness of you today, intimacy with god, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, it never fails, Jesus Christ, Jesus has firsthand experience of this evil world, Jesus the Son of God, know you all the more, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lift up mine eyes unto the hills, LOVE, many are the afflictions of the righteous, mercy, my help cometh from the Lord, nigh unto those of a broken heart, nor the moon by night, nothing can separate us from the Love of God, obtain mercy, passed into the heavens, preserve thee from all evil, preserve thy going out and coming in, preserve thy soul, relax my muscles, salvation, saves those of a contrite spirit, slow my thoughts, suffer thy foot to be moved, sympathize with our weaknesses, thank you for this tenderness, the emotional connection of Jesus to human suffering, the Lord delivers him out of them all, the Lord is thy keeper, the promise of ultimate relief from distress, the righteous cry and the Lord heareth, The sun shall not smite thee by day, the ultimate proof of God's love is Jesus death on the cross, therefore have I hope, they are new every morning, thy shade upon thy right hand, truth, unceasing nearness, undying LOVE, unfailing sympathy, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, was in all points tempted like as we are, we have a great high priest, which made heaven and earth, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, wisdom, yet without sin, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Psalm 121:2. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Here we are friends, on this lazy-day Saturday, betwixt and between bright sunshine and dark cloudiness. Let’s hope the sunshine wins the day. (smile) And as it’s still pretty cold, snowy and dangerous out there, if you don’t have to go out, then don’t. Just stay inside and enjoy the fruits of your labour with rest and friendly communion with God. And we’ll begin the latter half of that equation by offering up our ‘Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.’
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Now, if our hearts were sincere and true, then the Lord will flood them with peace and goodwill, for there’s nothing He LOVES more than His children seeking greater intimacy with Him. And having accomplished that, let’s turn to our unfinished business with the poem, ‘Promises and Non-Promises of God’ where we still have to check out scriptures dealing with the promises for ‘help from above, unfailing sympathy, and undying LOVE.’
So, let’s get right into scriptures dealing with ‘help from above.’ And as expected, God’s promises in any area are numerous, but we’ll begin with these most reassuring words from Psalm 121, titled, ‘God Neither Slumbers Nor Sleeps.’ Please read with me: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills (mountains), from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved (slip): he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper (protector): the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve (keep) thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve (keep) thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and for evermore.’ (Ps. 121:1-8) There you have it friends, a golden promise that help comes directly from the Creator, who shields us from danger both day and night.
And we’ll highlight one more scripture on help from above, one that many of us know but don’t action in our everyday lives. The prophet Isaiah declares 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) Now how much more assurance can the Lord give than that eh? None really.
So let’s move on to ‘unfailing sympathy.’ And I like how this commentary explains it. ‘Scriptures regarding unfailing sympathy, compassion, and comfort emphasize God’s proximity to those in pain, the emotional connection of Jesus to human suffering, and the promise of ultimate relief from distress.’ But again, there are so many verses of promise to choose from that it just boggles the imagination.
Anyway, these most reassuring words from Bruh David in that magnificent Psalm 34, surely capture the idea of God’s sympathy and compassion for His children. ‘The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite (crushed) spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’ (Ps. 34:19-19)
Oh my people how much more sympathy can we ask for eh? Meanwhile, in Jeremiah’s Lamentations, he highlights the very essence of God’s sympathy, when remembering God’s faithfulness, he writes: ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:21-23)
But here is one of the greatest promises of heavenly empathy, as the author of Hebrews declares to us. ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16)
Ah my fellow believers, there’s nobody who can sympathize, empathize and show more compassion than Jesus, because He knows firsthand what we experience in this evil and ungodly world! And that finally brings us to the last of the promises; ‘undying LOVE.’ And I won’t even bother to tell you that there are oodles of scriptures that talk about that, because it’s the most important attribute of God, and why He made us in the first place.
And possibly the greatest showing of God’s undying LOVE, is this verse from the lips of Jesus to Nicodemus the Jewish teacher. ‘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.’ (John 3:16) Then there’s one of my favourite scriptures, from the pen of Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his own LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)
Yes mih bredrin, God didn’t wait for us to change our ways, His LOVE was so great that He went ahead and did His part, trusting that we would eventually do ours. What greater LOVE can be shown eh, than breaking your own heart by giving up your only Son to save a bunch of ungrateful sinners and doing it before they were even fully aware of it? And just for good measure, or lagniappe, we’ll throw in these wonderful assurances of Bruh Paul to the Roman church.
‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, though him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:37-39) That says it all my people!
Now let’s close with what this commentary calls the ‘Core Themes of God’s Undying LOVE: (1) His Unchanging Character: God’s LOVE does not fluctuate based on human performance, but is rooted in His faithful character. (2) His Sacrificial Action: The ultimate proof of this LOVE is Jesus Christ laying down His life. (3) God’s Eternal Presence: His LOVE is described as “everlasting” and “never fails,” offering comfort through trials.’
And this cold, snowy, lazy-day Saturday is an excellent day to understand, appreciate and accept God’s great promises, so that we can have the good and abundant life that Christ promised and died for us to have! Much LOVE!
…only as we understand, accept and action the promises of God…will we fulfill our God-given destiny…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Jan 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a living stone, a spiritual house, acceptable to God by Jesus, an holy priesthood, anything that doesn't come from the heart is worthless in God's eyes, be filled with the Spirit, by the mercies of God, false prphets, giving thanks always for all things, God is a Spirit, holy acceptable unto god, holy spirit, I want to be with you now, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in vain do they worship me, increase my awareness of you today, intimacy with god, Jesus Christ, John Piper, Jsus is ready and waiting to teach us about worship, know you all the more, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, look not on his countenance, LOVE, making melody in your heart to the Lord, man looks on the outward appearance, mercy, neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will ye worship God, now is the time to worship in spirit and in truth, prayer without heart is vain, present your bodies a living sacrifice, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, salvation is of the Jews, scandalize them into listening to you, shock them, slow my thoghts, snowy conditions, songs without heart are vain, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, spiritual service of worship, spiritually asleep, thank you for this tenderness, the church of Christ needs to be awakened, the desiringgod website, the Father seeketh such to worship Him, the hour cometh, the importance of our spiritual lives, the importance of spirituality, The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, the Lord looks on the heart, the Lord sees not as man sees, the right motive, their heart is far from me, they teach as doctrine the precepts of men, they that worship, this people honour me with their lips, thrilled to the gills, to all that call upon him in truth, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, transforming our minds, true worshippers, truth, urgent times, who and whom you worship is more important than where you worship, wisdom, worship has to do with real life, worship Him in spirit and in truth, worship is first and foremost an experience of the heart, worship is not merely an external act
John 4:24. God is a spirit: and they that worship hm must worship him in spirit and truth.
Oh boy! It’s our lazy-day Saturday! And many of us are just thrilled to the gills because after plowing through the snow for the last couple of days, there’s no need to go out today! We can stay inside and enjoy the warmth, the peace and quiet and the laziness of the day. (smile) However, before we get too lazy, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.
As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And I’m sure that many of us who were out there bearing the brunt of the inclement weather could not help but be sincere, for fighting the snowy conditions back and forth everyday is not an easy task, even for the strongest and most righteous of us. So, we’ll very much appreciate the peace and calm, as well as the overwhelming intimacy that comes from our wonderful God this lazy-day Saturday morning. For when you ask to know Him better, that’s exactly what you get; greater intimacy. And there’s nothing better than a deep intimacy with our heavenly Father.
It’s like Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. After He tells her about her unrighteous life (John 4:16-18) and she replies: ‘Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain (Mt. Gerizim); and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship hm must worship him in spirit and truth.’ (John 4:19-24)
Yes friends, that is the kind of people the Father wants to worship Him; those who do so in spirit and truth! And please note what Jesus says in that second to last verse; ‘the hour cometh, and now is…’ That means NOW is the time for true believers to worship God in spirit and truth. Jesus is basically trying to point out that WHO and WHOM you worship is much more important than where you worship!
And I like how this commentary by John Piper in the desiringgod website puts it. He writes: ‘The first thing we learn is that worship has to do with real life. It is not a mythical interlude in a week of reality. Worship has to do with adultery and hunger and racial conflict…. Worship is not merely an external act that you can accomplish by going to a place. Jesus said in another place (Matthew 15:8): “This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.”
Worship is first and foremost an experience of the heart. Prayer without heart is vain. Songs without heart are vain. Confession and creeds and liturgies and sermons that don’t come from the heart are empty and worthless in God’s eyes. So Jesus says to the woman: Don’t get hung up on irrelevant controversies. How you worship is vastly more important than where.’ And that’s a truth that many of us need to focus on in these days of so many false prophets and false and deceitful rhetoric. And there are many scriptures that warn us about the importance of our spiritual lives.
Let’s consider a few of them nuh. Like this one from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service (spiritual service of worship).’ (Rom. 12:1) Yuh see friends, even the quality of our bodies is important, for we belong to God and His Spirit dwells within us, and the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a place that is enveloped in sin. And as Bruh Paul says in the next verse, that means transforming our minds from the works of the world to those of Christ Jesus. (Rom. 12:2)
Meanwhile, in Psalm 145, Bruh David writes thus: ‘The Lord is nigh (near) unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.’ (Ps. 145:18) And that’s a fact. The only way you will engage the Lord is if your heart is filled with sincerity and truth; with the right motive. It’s like the Lord said to Samuel when he sent him to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel looked on the magnificent physical appearance of Eliab and thought, this must be the one. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7)
Yuh see mih bredrin, to come to the Lord we have to come clean, come open, for He doesn’t look at what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside, for mankind is very good at hiding what’s really on the inside with enchanting but false stuff on the outside. That’s why it’s so important we adopt this wisdom of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, where he exhorts: ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus.’ (Eph. 5:18-20)
That’s about the best and surest way to stay spiritually true and sincere. And Peter, in talking about an Holy Priesthood lets us know, first about Jesus then us: ‘To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed (rejected) indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively (living) stones, are built up (are being built up) a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus.’ (1 Pet. 2:4-5) That’s our job friends; to be an holy priesthood and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ. There’s one big problem though, the church of God, that’s the people of God are either asleep or don’t care, that’s why we need a wake up call to get our spiritual lives in order.
And we’ll end with the opening remarks of the commentary that tells it like it is: ‘If people are spiritually asleep, you have to shock them, startle them, scandalize them, if you want them to hear what you say. Jesus was especially good at this. When he wants to teach us something about worship, he uses a whore (the Samaritan woman). “Go call your husband!” “I don’t have a husband.” “That’s right. But you’ve had five, and the man you sleep with now is not your husband.” She was shocked. We’re shocked. But Jesus simply sits there on the edge of the well with his hands folded, looking at the woman with razors in his eyes ready to teach us about worship.’
And my people, Jesus is still sitting, this time in heavenly places, waiting to teach us about worship. Let’s hope He shocked us all today into wanting to learn about it! Much LOVE!
…the body of Christ…needs to be shocked into awakening…to the importance of spirituality… in these urgent times…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Nov 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better frame of mind, a closer walk with God, a figment of my imagination, a saline drip, a special kind of comfort, amazing truths from the scriptures, an unexpected medical problem, back home, blessed is the man that trusteth in him, contemplating life, deepen my breath, diplomatic, faith, familiarity, feel closer to our Maker, God's greatest joy, going through hell, his faithfulness unto all generations, his mercy endures for ever, holy spirit, hospitals can be discouraging, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, mercy, my grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness, no place like Home, O taste and see that the Lord is good, only the Lord knows, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, seeking intimacy with Him, seeking medical help, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, the earthly paradise, the hellish stuff, the long and short of the story, The Lord is good, the Lord moves in mysterious ways, the peace and calm which emanates from God, the Pitch Lake, therapeutic salt water, to get to paradise, Tobago, trials and tribulations, truth, twenty four hour observation in hospital, well mannered, wisdom, with all sincerity and truth, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me
Psalm 34:8. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
We home my Scrip-Bits family! We back home in good ole Canada! And there’s’ no place like home! Even if you spend time in a palace, when you return to the l’il hovel you call home, you always feel a special kind of comfort, a special familiarity, that brings out a different vibe. Anyway, today is Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday, where we do little or nothing at all! And believe me, today is one day I don’t want to do anything, but I must write the Bit, since I haven’t done so for what…the last three days, because as I said in the last Bit, whenever that was, (smile) I was going through hell to get to paradise in Tobago, which sadly turned out to be just a figment of my imagination.
But before we get into that hellish stuff, which is all behind us now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, as one voice, with all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And every time we say that prayer, it touches something in me, making me feel somewhat closer to our Maker. And that’s how it ought to be, because what we just asked for is a closer walk with him, increased intimacy. And if you don’t know, or don’t remember, our God’s greatest joy is for us to come seeking intimacy with him, since that was His main purpose in creating us. And now that we have grown closer to our God, and are feeling the peace and calm which emanates from Him, when we ask for it, let’s go back to the hellish stuff we were talking about earlier. (smile)
Well, in the last Bit, I mentioned the tough day in the Pitch Lake in South Trinidad, then having to come back to Port of Spain and go to dinner with some family members, and after that, simply being too tired to write anything. Now, the next morning, Friday, we were up early again, so we could stop off to see my favourite Uncle, Uncle Foster, with whom I lived a wonderful bachelor life back in the day, before heading to the airport, dreaming of some easier time in that earthly paradise called to Tobago.
But unfortunately that was not to be. For after we got settled there on Friday afternoon, the Duchess went off with a couple of friends to get some food, while I waited for a gentleman to bring a rental car for me. And the Lord does move in mysterious ways, because the fella finally showed up in the night when I could not see the car properly, and I almost said leave it until tomorrow, but something told me to take it right then. And it’s a good thing I did, for around nine the next morning, while sipping some coffee, contemplating life on the porch of the villa, looking out at lovely expanse of greenery on a marvellous golf course, that backed on to the villa, the Duchess called me inside and informed me that she had an unexpected medical problem.
Well, hell began again after that. The children came down from their hotel a little ways up the street and began making enquiries about medical help. We finally found a doctor who was willing to see her, and headed out to see him around midday. He, in his medical wisdom decided that she needed to be hospitalized for a twenty four hour period of observation. So we journeyed down to the hospital, which sadly began my journeying back and forth to the hospital. When we got there we sat in the Emerge Dept. for some time, before she was finally admitted to the Triage unit, where apparently they wanted to do some tests, but since she had eaten something shortly before, they had wait some time before doing them.
Oh friends, I don’t know how many times I journeyed back and forth to the hospital, in the rain and in the sun. And would you believe that for two of those days rain fell like crazy. On one day I even had to step into water to get into the car where it was parked at the villa, because the parking spot was flooded. And several times, just like at the pitch lake, especially walking up the hill to the hospital in the broiling sun, I had to ask the Lord for the strength to do it. And He indeed lived up to His Word as He said to Bruh Paul, who had asked Him three times to remove the thorn from his side. ‘And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a)
The long and the short of the story though is that they did not do very much for the Duchess at the hospital, except put a saline drip in her arm, and take blood. Sunday eventually came, and the same story. Then later in the day she was transferred to the Surgical Unit. For what purpose? They alone knew. But we knew that there was going to be NO surgery done in Tobago! Sunday evening I went to see her, and she looked worse that she did before being admitted. So obviously I was unhappy. And the sad part is that the doctors and nurses were too arrogant and full of themselves to speak to you properly. But thankfully, they were dealing with the well-mannered and diplomatic Duchess and children and not me.
So Sunday passed away and Monday came. And the same nonsense went on, supposed tests and no real word of anything concrete. Meanwhile the doctor who had admitted her, as well as a medic cousin of mine, were saying there was no need to keep her there when the medical problem had subsided. So Monday evening came, and still nothing. Eventually though, the Duchess decided that she would release herself. And that’s what she did. And from the moment she stepped out of the hospital, she looked better and was in a better frame of mind, because hospitals, unless you’re truly sick, can be rather discouraging and disconcerting if you’re just lying there with no medical treatment.
Anyway, with her release, it meant going back and forth to the first doctor to check on her, and unforunately, with all the running around, I believe it was not until late Tuesday evening, night had already fallen, I was able to get a short dip in the wonderfully therapeutic salt water. Imagine that nuh…in sweet Tobago for five days before immersing the ole, pained up body in the salt. After that though hell became more like the paradise we had hoped for, and we were able to get in some visiting with friends and family, as well as go around the island on Thursday. Then on Friday, it was time to head home.
And here we are, on this lazy day Saturday at the end of November 2025, contemplating what happened back there. Ah friends, only the Lord knows the purpose for all that happened, but even if I didn’t believe before, now I have to, because without the Lord’s amazing strength and grace during those ten days away from home, I most definitely would not have been able to handle the trials and tribulations that I experienced. That’s why we’ll close with these amazing truths from the scriptures. ‘O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.’ (Ps. 34:8) ‘For the LORD is good; his mercy endureth for ever; and his faithfulness unto all generations.’ (Ps. 100:5) Much LOVE!
…if you say you believe…then you ought to show it by your trust…
Visit the Scrip-Bit Blog at https://randyobrien50.com
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Nov 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartrending act, a higher level of love and sacrifice, all which he hath given me, as the heavens are higher than the earth, believest thou this, Christ died for the ungodly, deepen my breath, do anything we want, everyone who sees the Son and believes on Him, faith, God commendeth his love toward us, God created us to spend communal time with Him, God demonstrated his LOVE for us.', God sent not his Son into the world to condemn it, God so loved the world, handle the ups and downs of this strife-filled world, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he that believeth in me, hectic work week, holy spirit, I am the resurrection and the life, I came down from heaven, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I shall lose nothing, I want to be with you now, I will raise him up at the last day, if any man will come after me, in due time, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, laze on the couch, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let him deny himself, LOVE, mercy, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, my ways higher than your ways, no doubt of God's great love for mankind, not to do my own will, our eternal destiny, perhaps for a good man, quiet my soul, raise it up again at the last day, read a good book, reconcile them back to Himself, relax my muscles, relax my musclesslow my thoughts, salvation, scarcely for a righteous man will one die, shall have everlasting life, sinful rebellion against God, some would even dare to die, spend time with the Father, take up his cross daily and follow me, thank you for this tenderness, the righteousness of God in christ, the ups and downs, the will of him that sent me, the world through him might be saved, this is the Father's will, this is the will of him that sent me, this strife-filled world, though he were dead yet shall he live, truth, warms the cockles of God's heart, when we were yet without strength, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Romans 5:8. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his own LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Oh boy, it’s Saturday; our lazy-day Saturday where we can do anything we want! Now isn’t that a wonderful feeling? It surely is! Except for those who might have young children or old parents to look after. (smile) But otherwise, we can laze the day away, in bed, on the couch in front of the TV, or just sit in our favourite chair and read a book we’ve been dying to read for ages, but could never find the time during our hectic work week. And thankfully I did get to laze away some of the morning hours in bed. But one thing we must not forget to do though, is offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth. (smile)
So please pray with me: ‘‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And it’s oh so wonderful when we spend time with or ask the Father to help us get to know Him better, because it’s only through greater knowledge of and intimacy with Him, that we’ll ever be able to handle the ups and downs of this strife-filled and angry world. And as I always remind us, our heavenly Father desires nothing more than His human creation seeking to spend intimate time with Him, for that’s one of the reasons He created us in the first place; so that we could commune deeply together. And there’s’ nothing that warms the cockles of His heart like us coming to Him seeking closeness and sincere time with Him.
And if you don’t believe that God truly LOVES us and wants to be a major part of our lives, then tell me why He’s done all that He’s done for us, when He was not required to do so, especially after our sinful rebellion against Him? But He did it because He created us to spend communal time with Him and He LOVES us more than any of His other creations. Just think on these scriptures nuh, and tell me if what I’m saying isn’t true.
Hear this first one from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome: ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his own LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:6-8) Now that’s one of my favourite scriptures, because it shows how much God really LOVES us, in that He didn’t wait for us to come to Him, like most other supposed gods would, but He came to us through the birth, death and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ.
And I like how this commentary explains it. ‘The saying highlights a contrast between a “righteous” person, who follows the law, and a “good” person, who is seen as noble and selfless. The passage immediately uses this idea to explain that while it is rare for someone to die for a “good” person, God showed his LOVE by having Christ die for “ungodly” people, demonstrating a higher level of LOVE and sacrifice.’
And why not eh, since as He tells us in Isaiah: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) Therefore it’s not surprising that our magnificent and magnanimous God would do such and unheard of thing like sending His sinless Son to die for bunch of abominable sinners, placing the whole weight of their sin on His shoulders, so that He could reconcile them back to Himself as the righteousness of God in Christ, because of Christ’s payment for their sin.
Only someone who truly LOVED someone else would ever dream of doing such a heartrending act. But as Jesus said to Nicodemus when he came searching for answers: ‘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.’ (John 3:16-17)
Now friends, that’s what true LOVE looks like; sacrificing one’s own heart for an undeserving other. And that’s why Jesus expects those who claim to be His disciples, His followers, to follow His example and sacrifice themselves for others, as He so expressly specifies in the gospel of Luke. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That shows that following Jesus is a daily thing. We need to do just like He did, that’s follow the will of His heavenly Father.
And He said it out loud and clear: ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:38-40) Yes my faithful brethren, it could not be any clearer than that: The will of the Father, is that everyone who believes in Jesus receives eternal life and will be raised up on the last day.
And as Jesus said to Martha, shortly before He raised her brother Lazarus from the dead: ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
Now that’s a question we would all do well to seriously consider and ponder on this rainy lazy-day Saturday in the middle of November 2025, because our eternal destiny hinges on it. Much LOVE!
…if one reads the scriptures…there’s no doubt of God’s great LOVE for mankind…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: able to hang in and fight, after one time is two, anything praiseworthy, be careful for nothing, be of good cheer, busy ourselves with the right activities, Christ is the Prince of Peace, Christ's peace is different to the world's peace, deepen my breath, expression of confidence, faith, far from God, God's peace far surpasses our understanding, God's peace is above mortal comprehension, greater intimacy with God, he trusteth in thee, he trusts in you, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, I marvel to think, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you, if there be any praise, if there be any virtue, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in my ye might have peace, in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, in the world ye shall have tribulation, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Jesus compassionately warned us, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, know you all the more, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let not your heart be troubled, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, meditate on these things, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, not as the world giveth give I unto you, occupy our minds with the right things, of good report, Peace i leave with you, perfect peace, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, shalom, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, Thanksgiving Saturday, the God of peace shall be with you, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the Prince of Peace, the rock of ages, these things I have spoken unto you, think on these things, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, to love and be loved in return, trials and tribulations, trust ye in the Lord for ever, truth, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are true, whose mind is stayed on thee, winter is party time, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Isaiah 26:3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Well our lazy-day Thanksgiving Saturday has opened somewhat cloudy and damp, after some evening rain, and the promise of more to come, but I doubt that will dampen the thanksgiving spirit and celebrations, more of it might just have to take place inside rather than outside. Anyway, we’re accustomed to that, because in the northern climes, the cold and inclement weather is the party season, for during the summer everybody goes away on vacation, thus it’s much harder to get a group together. However, in the winter time, everybody’s home and ready to get out and party.
Looking back on the situation now, it amazes me how the duchess and I used to leave home in the snow and drive miles away just to be a part of a partying group. We would also drive back home in the falling snow, not thinking anything strange or untoward about such doings. Nowadays though, I don’t even want to go around the corner in the snow. (smile) But as they say, after one time is two. Anyway, let’s get to the best party ever; that’s intimate time with our wonderful God, through our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Ah mih people, developing greater intimacy with God is very important in our Christian lives, for it’s through that positive and close interaction that we are able to hang in and fight through all the tough stuff that comes against us in this earthly life. Being far from God will never allow us to handle the trials and tribulations of this world. That’s why Jesus compassionately warned us: ‘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)
But to find that peace and good cheer, we need to get and stay close to Him, become as intimate as possible. And remember intimacy with His greatest creation is what the Lord desires above everything else, for that’s one of the reasons He created us in the first place; to have people to LOVE, and be LOVED in return. And in today’s evil, ungodly, rebellious and prideful world, where so many have turned away, and are still turning away from Almighty God, it’s no wonder that there’s very little, if any peace in it.
That’s because Christ is the Prince of Peace, as Isaiah indicates in Is. 9:6. And most importantly, He is the Prince of True Peace, not what the foolish world calls peace, as Jesus Himself tells us. ‘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) So you see friends, Jesus’ peace is very different than that of the world. In fact, it’s on a much higher lever; so high that we cannot understand it.
It’s as Bruh Paul wrote 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. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) Yes my brethren God’s peace is so high that our puny and finite minds cannot understand it.
It’s like the scholars explain: ‘The peace of God is that tranquility of mind freeing the believer from fear and worry. “Peace” which passeth all understanding means (1) peace divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it; and (2) God’s peace far surpasses one’s own understanding of the problem, and his ability to cope with and solve it.’
Obviously then, if we need true peace in our lives, it is very important to have God involved in them, and to have a close, healthy, personal relationship with Him. However, in order to achieve that godly peace, as Bruh Paul tells us, we must occupy our minds with the right things, and busy ourselves with the right activities.
Listen to his practical advice. ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:8-9)
And you cannot get any more practical than that my fellow believers. But are we thinking on and doing those things which bring godly peace? Certainly not as much as we ought to, otherwise our world would not be in the shambles its currently in. And what Bruh Paul says above there is nothing new. No. The same basic advice was given by Isaiah to his people Israel, when he wrote: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength (the Rock of ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4)
And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Israel is promised perfect peace (shalom, shalom, lit., “peace, peace”). This emphatic expression indicates a peace that goes beyond human comprehension (cf. Phil. 4:7). To have one’s mind … stayed means to lean on God in total confidence and security. Trust is the ultimate expression of that confidence. Notice that the object of one’s faith is as important as the act of trust. Here the object of faith is the Lord JEHOVAH.’
In closing friends, let’s hope and pray that on this lazy-day Thanksgiving Saturday, that we’ll all take some time to ponder, to consider what we’ve spoken about, and with the Lord’s help, make whatever changes are necessary, so that we can all have greater intimacy with our heavenly Father, and therefore true and godly peace in our lives and consequently in our world! Much LOVE!
…to have true peace…one must know Jesus intimately…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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