Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 August 2026 John 14:13.
John 14:13. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
It’s a brand new work week friends, and we’re all rested up, fired up and chomping at the bit, to get out there on this Monday morning in August 2026! I know some of you must be wondering what I smoke or drank to be so enthusiastic about a windy and somewhat cloudy Monday morning, after a rather inclement weekend, that spoiled a lot of our outside entertainment. To tell the truth friends, I didn’t smoke or imbibe any kind of alcoholic beverage or uplifting drugs, I just asked the Good Lord for the energy and enthusiasm to get out there and do good work for Him, to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world that He desires me to be, and He gave it to me.
We keep forgetting what Jesus told us about asking for things. First off in the Sermon on the Mount He says: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) So that’s the first lesson; if we want something, we must ask, seek and or knock for it. However, that does not refer to selfish, carnal, meaningless stuff. It must be things and stuff that fit into God’s will.
And having noted that proviso, we can now look to the gospel of John, where Jesus again informs us about asking for stuff. ‘And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.’ (John 14:13-14) And as the scholars explain: ‘In my name means “as My Agent.” The promise of answered prayer is based on the disciple acting as the agent of Jesus’ will (cf. 16:23-26). The promise is for unlimited resources to do the works of God.’
Then in the very next chapter, where He mentions about Him being the vine and we the branches, Jesus again talks about asking. This time He declares: ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.’ (John 15:7-8) Yuh see mih bredrin, it’s all about bearing good fruit for Jesus; not just satisfying our own sinful, lustful urges.
And in the following chapter in telling the disciples about His going away, Jesus says: ‘And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day, ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name. He will give it to you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
These things I have spoken unto you in proverbs (figurative language): but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs (figurative language) but shall shew (tell) you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself LOVETH you, because ye have LOVED me, and have believed that I came out from God.’ (John 16:22-27)
Ah mih people, as we saw yesterday, it’s all about the name of Jesus, the inherent power in His name because of His selfless and marvellous works. There must be faith, a personal relationship to Christ, as well as submission to His Lordship, if we hope to ask for stuff and be granted it. Remember we’re mainly ambassadors for Christ; meaning we need to do the work He desires of us, and if we abide in Him, and His words abide in us, then He will give us the resources to do His will. It’s as simple as that! (smile)
And James, Jesus’ brother, further informs us about asking, when He declares: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8) Words of absolute wisdom my brethren!
But John has the last word from his epistle. (smile) ‘Beloved if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and LOVE one another, as he gave us commandment.’ (1 John 3:21-23) And now, having all of that knowledge about asking for stuff, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, confidently, but humbly and faithfully seeking divine aid to do God’s work.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise and thank You this Monday morning for our jobs; jobs we sometimes don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose; keeping lives and families together. We also thank You Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm You’ve wrought in our weary souls over the weekend. It’s that rejuvenation of spirit which now allows us to sally forth with confidence into the evil and ungodly world, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s evil schemes.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing Your powerful, protective spiritual armour! We surrender our all to You, and humbly ask that You allow Your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit to lead and guide all Your servants, as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, thereby furthering Your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And with our prayer being successfully answered, let’s go out and meet the enemy in battle, confident of our victory in Jesus’ name! Much LOVE!
…to ask…to ask…and yet to ask in faith…in Jesus’ name…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
The Importance of Christians Knowing, Understanding and Believing God’s Promises in Times of Crisis!
09 Nov 2026 Leave a comment
by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a life-saving raft, a state of upheaval, a time of peace, a time of war, a time to be born, a time to break down, a time to build up, a time to cast away, a time to cast away stones, a time to dance, a time to die, a time to embrace, a time to every purpose under heaven, a time to gather stones together, a time to get, a time to hate, a time to heal, a time to keep, a time to keep silence, a time to kill, a time to laugh, a time to lose, a time to love, a time to mourn, a time to plant, a time to pluck up that which is planted, a time to refrain from embracing, a time to rend, a time to sew, a time to speak, a time to weep, Ai (Artificial Intelligence, AI qualifications, all over the world, all things work together for good to them that love God, atrocious greed, becoming more inequitable, benefittiing from their selfish schemes, big money, boggles my imagination, buffeted and bombarded by the enemy's evil schemes, called according to God's purpose, Christian need to get serious about their faith, complaining about the toughness of life, continual oppression brings revolution, continual slide into fewer opportunities, disastrous times, divine aid, divine inspiration, embrace the promises of the Bible, evil and ungodly things being done, faith, fight the good fight for Jesus, fill us with steadfast faith, firing low scale people, for the betterment of all, further feathering their already feathered nest, furthering your glorious kingdom, get worse before it gets better, God has a sovereign design behind everything, have not learned from our mistakes, herald further deprivation, hogwash, hold on to for dear life, holy spirit, humble servants, in our favour, into the enemy's ranks, Jesus Christ, jobs, keep us keeping on, keeping lives and families together, killed the middle class, lead and guide all your servants, look for another job, LOVE, make worthwhile inroads, meet the enemy in battle, mercy, no benefits, oppression, our Father who art in heaven, our world is falling apart, our world is in an uproar, over the weekend, power enamoured leaders, power hunger, praise and thank you, refrain from intimacy, rejuvenation of spirit, repression, rising up in protest, sad commentary on our leaders, sally forth with confidence, salvation, serve a useful purpose, society is at its highest level ever, sure conquerors, the all-embracing love of Jesus, the bastion of society, the bottom ninety percent, the devil's advocate, the eventual outcome, the horns of deprivation and uncertainty, the lower strata of society, the only certainty in this world, the only option is to revolt, the only solid foundation, the only true answer, the renewed vitality and enthusiasm, the same old dead-end job, the throne of grace, the top echelons, the top ten percent, the wisdom of Solomon, the wreckage being caused to so many young lives, the young generation, tired of empty promises, to begin a new week of work, to every thing there is a season, truth, uneasily balance, unprincipled technocrats, we know we're invincible, we're not afraid, wearing your powerful protective spiritual armour, weary souls, wisdom, write indelibly in our hearts, your incredible aura of love
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 November 2026 Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Ecclesiastes 3:1. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
‘Ahoy there mih bredrin, it’s a cloudy and cold Monday! What’s new with you eh?’ And all I get in response is a sour sneer: ‘What you think eh? It’s Monday, and I’m back in the same old dead-end job, working for pennies, with no benefits, listening to a set of people continually complaining about how life tough, like I didn’t know that.’ And playing the devil’s advocate, I ask: ‘So why don’t you look for another job?’ The look got even uglier: ‘Look for another job?’ came the astonished reply. ‘In this economy? Hn! When last have you looked for another job with just the basic qualifications eh?’
‘Not for a while,’ I answered. ‘Well then, you better had don’t start looking …unless you have AI qualifications, because that’s all they’re hiring nowadays, for big money too!’ I sagely nodded and replied, ‘I see.’ ‘Yes, AI is all the rage now, and they’re firing low scale people like me, and bringing in AI to do my lowly job. It’s a wonder I still have a job!’
Ah mih people, life is indeed getting rougher and tougher for many of us, but especially for those in the lower strata of society. And it doesn’t seem as though things will get any better in the near future. As they say, it might just have to get worse before it gets better. Can you imagine it? At a time when society is at its highest level ever, with the most wealth, education and technological advancement, our world is falling apart, it’s becoming even more inequitable than it previously was.
The atrocious greed and power hunger at the top is terrifying. They’ve conveniently killed the middle class that was once the bastion of the society. Now you’re either in the top ten percent or in the bottom ninety, for there’s nothing in between anymore. Unfortunately, our world is now being run by a handful of unprincipled technocrats and power enamoured leaders, who are only interested in further feathering their already highly feathered nest, while those below them uneasily balance on the horns of deprivation and uncertainty.
It boggles my imagination to behold the evil and ungodly things they are doing yet pretending that it’s for the betterment of all. As the man said, ‘Hogwash!’ Only the top echelons are benefitting from their selfish schemes. And the people, especially the young generation, are tired with all the empty promises and the continual slide into fewer opportunities with even less benefits that only herald further deprivation. No wonder they are rising up in protest all over the world.
It’s a sad commentary on our leaders, who either don’t care, and/or don’t see the wreckage they are causing to so many young lives. What’s wrong with mankind eh? Have we not learned from our many mistakes down through the years, that continual oppression and repression eventually brings revolution? Apparently not. At some stage the people will get so fed up that they believe their only option is to revolt. And no one truly wins when that happens, but in the light of the then existing circumstances, that always seems to be the only answer.
However, the only true answer seems to be found in the wisdom of Cousin Sol, speaking as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, where he puts forward the reasoning that Almighty God has a sovereign design behind all events of the universe He created. Listen, as he expounds his theory. ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get (gain), and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend (tear apart), and a time to sew (sew together); a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to LOVE, and a time to hate (refrain from intimacy); a time of war, and a time of peace.’ (Eccl. 3:1-8)
Yes friends, that’s the only way to rationalize what’s going on in our very troubled world, that’s facing more unfortunate upheaval every day. And for the individuals, particularly Christians, we need to truly get serious about our faith and embrace the promises of the Bible like we’ve never done before, because that’s the only solid foundation there is in these disastrous times. And it’s promises like this one found in Romans, that we desperately need to hold on to. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Now that’s something we need to write indelibly in our hearts and hold on to for dear life, like it’s a life-saving raft, because it is indeed one, as it assures us that regardless of what happens, in the long run, the Lord our God will work it all out for our good. So, although our world is in an uproar, and we don’t know what’s going to happen next, we can rest assured that the eventual outcome will be in our favour if we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and endure with Him to the very end. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for some much-needed divine aid to keep us keeping on.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise and thank You this Monday morning for our jobs; jobs we sometimes don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose; keeping lives and families together. We also thank You Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm You’ve wrought in our weary souls over the weekend. It’s that rejuvenation of spirit which now allows us to sally forth with confidence into the evil and ungodly world, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s evil schemes.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing Your powerful, protective spiritual armour! We surrender our all to You, and humbly ask that You allow Your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit to lead and guide all Your servants, as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, thereby furthering Your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And with that divine inspiration, let’s get out there and fight the good fight for Jesus! Much LOVE!
…the only certainty in this world…is the all-embracing LOVE of Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien