The Overwhelming Importance of Integrity and Sincerity in the Christian’s Life!

16 Aug 2025 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 August 2025   1 Samuel 1:7b.

1 Samuel 1:7b.        for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Oh friends, am I ever disappointed that I could not stay longer abed this glorious lazy-day Saturday in the middle of August 2025! And why is that? Because after spending almost the whole day in the concrete jungle city called Toronto, enduring traffic jams, going and coming, and waiting a couple of hours before I could have my procedure done, I got home tired and went to bed early – well early by my standards. (smile) But then the ole back eventually rebelled when I lay abed for longer than normal, thus forcing me to get up earlier than I intended. But that’s what happens when you’re getting on in life. Note, I did not say getting old. (smile)

Anyway, we’re up and about, and thankful that we’re alive to see another beautiful day on God’s beautiful but currently chaotic and disastrous earth. That means we have a purpose for being here at this time and place, and the Lord is trying to initiate His plan, His playbook for our lives, but unfortunately too many of us are resisting His advances and His plays. But let’s see if we can’t turn things around somewhat nuh, through the medium of prayer, which God instituted so we can communicate with Him, thus letting Him know how we feel about any and everything, especially the plays He’s calling in our lives. (smile)

Remember, He wants to be involved in everything that concerns us, be it big or small, relevant or irrelevant. So let’s begin with 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 that’s the easiest way to get God’s attention, by seeking greater communication and intimacy with Him. For remember one of the reasons He created us is for us to LOVE Him and each other, and achieve an intimacy that’s pure and wholesome. But the main point of the whole process is sincerity. If we’re not sincere, then the Lord will ignore whatever we say. For unlike mankind, He doesn’t just listen to our words, but searches the depths of our hearts to discover our real motives.

And there are several scriptures which repeat that fact, beginning with this one from 1 Samuel, where the Lord admonished Samuel when he sent him to anoint a new king from the sons of Jesse, and Samuel looks on the comely and manly features of the eldest son, Eliab and believes that he is the chosen 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)

And so it went, until the Lord chose the most unlikely of Jesse’s sons to be king, Bruh David, because he had a sincere heart for the Lord. Then, we have these words of Bruh David from Psalm 7 – A Plea for Protection from Enemies – where he declares: ‘The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins (tests the hearts and minds). My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.’ (Ps. 7:8-10)

Oh my people, being of an upright, sincere heart is ever so important in our relationships; both with God and with our fellow man. Although, like the prophet Jeremiah said so long ago: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?’ (Jer. 17:9) And that’s the indisputable  truth! Man’s heart is oh so wicked that it cannot be trusted, especially in what looks like these last days, when negative and ungodly things like greed, deceit, envy, slander, strife, poverty, inequality are ruling the roost in our world.

That’s why Jeremiah follows up that verse with this one: ‘I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (test the mind, the most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).’ (Jer. 17:10) And knowing all that, it boggles my mind to think that so many of us, even supposed believers, still try to hide things from God eh? We go to Him with a lot of praise and whatever in our mouths, but our hearts are nowhere close to what our mouths are spewing.

It’s like Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees: ‘This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ (Matt. 15:8-9) And brother, is that ever happening in today’s society! The false prophets, the evil snake and His cohorts are running riot over the land with false doctrines, deceits and even outright lies. And sadly, many of us are buying into it!

But if we are true believers, we ought to know better, for as John warns in his first epistle: ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.’ (1 John 4:1-3)

And that’s ever so true friends, for the antichrist is raising a hue and cry all over our world right now, and we have to be very careful about what and whom we listen to. But hear this most important fact from the next verse. ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4)

Now my people, if we don’t believe anything else today, please, let’s believe that, and please, let’s take it to heart, write it indelibly in souls, mind and bodies, because it is the gospel truth, and only as we believe it, and operate from that position of authority and power of the Holy Spirit, will we ever defeat the enemy. Much LOVE!

…it’s foolish to try and hide anything from God…for He created us…and is omniscient – all-knowing…knows everything about us…

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

God Looks at the Heart and not the Outward Appearance, thus the Need For Sincere Hearts!

19 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 16:7b.        for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Oh my people, it’s Easter Saturday and the waiting ensues. Christ was crucified and buried yesterday, so today we wait with bated breath for the upcoming miraculous transformation. Like a butterfly waits for its chrysalis (hard outer shell) to crack and allow it to spread its beautiful wings and fly, so too, we wait for Jesus to arise majestically and victoriously from the grave. While alive, He sounded the imminent demise, the death knell of Satan, hell, death and the grave, and He finally applies the fatal blow in His death! And all of God’s people shouted a loud and grateful, ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ in glorious expectation. 

Yes friends, it’s ofttimes the waiting that kills us; we know that something good is coming, or about to happen, but we get so anxious and impatient that we lose the joyful expectation of what’s to happen. That’s why Bruh David so wisely advises us in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (expectantly, in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (expectantly, with faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) And that’s good advice my brethren this Holy, lazy-day Saturday (smile) that’s fairly warm, but looks rather cloudy and dreary. 

But re the waiting, yuh know what? We’re in a much better position than those early believers who watched Jesus crucified on the cross, then buried in the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Why? Because we know that on the third day, He will rise again in victory! But the early Christians did not pay a lot of attention, or even understand when He mentioned that amazing situation as His time wound down. And at the actual crucifixion they were too afraid and terrified to remember such a seemingly inconspicuous incident. 

The gospel of Mark tells that Jesus, after casting out a dumb and deaf spirit from a child, ‘And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it (didn’t want anybody to know). For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is (being) delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise again the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.’ (Mark 9:30-32) So it was no surprise that they were terrified at Christ’s death wondering what would happen to them. 

And as John says after Jesus’ marvellous kingly entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. ‘These things understood not his disciples at first: but when Jesus was glorified (resurrected and ascended), then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.’ (John 12:16)  But we know better because it happened long ago and was written down for our benefit.  And to help us wait with faith, 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 we know that if our prayer was sincere then our spirits will soon be much calmer and more peaceful that they were before. That’s because our God just LOVES it when we come to Him seeking greater intimacy, and simply cannot refuse our requests. That’s why we have these verses from Jeremiah to remind us of the fact. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) 

Yes friends, it says it right there in spades; when we seek God with all of our heart, we will find Him, and He will listen to our prayer. Now, that can mean sometimes our prayers are not heard, or not answered because we didn’t seek God with our whole heart. As Jesus said when lambasting the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. ‘Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias (Isaiah) prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.’ (Matt. 15:7-8) And Isaiah did prophecy that in Chapter 29:13-16) 

However, with the world having become as material and carnal as it currently is, no doubt many of us fall into that same trap; turning to God, with only our lips and mouths, while our hearts are far from Him. That obviously won’t get us anywhere with Him, for it’s our hearts He looks at, not our outward show, or the insincere words we mouth. And we have at least two examples of the Lord saying this. 

First, when He sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of  Israel, Samuel saw Eliab, who looked physically great and thought that he 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) 

Then, when the prophet Jeremiah talks about blessed is the man that trusts in God, and he shall be like a fruitful tree planted by waters, etc. etc. (Jer. 17:7-8) he also says these very astute and mindful words. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (test the most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).’ (Jer. 17:9-10) 

Yes my fellow believers, this lazy-day Holy Saturday, appears to be a very appropriate one to remember that the Lord looks at our hearts and not our outward doings or empty words, and therefore when we turn to Him, let’s ensure that our hearts are right and sincere. For that could make a whole lot of positive difference in our lives! Much LOVE!

…sincerity is one of the most valued of Christian attributes…

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

A Few Truths about our Great God, to refresh our Hearts, Souls, Bodies and Minds!

31 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

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

Jonah 2:9c.       Salvation is of the Lord.

Well, at long last we seem to be blessed with a dry and somewhat sunshiny day! And I was just about to write that I hope it stays that way for the party goers later on this New Year’s Eve day, when I glanced down at the weather blob on my computer and saw ‘snow this afternoon.’ And a minute or so later I glanced at it and saw ‘2 cm of snow later.’ I’m sorry for those party goers if that actually happens, but it won’t affect me in the least because I’m not going anywhere tonight. 

However, I do remember the many New Year’s Eves when the Duchess and I would be driving back and forth through snow to all parts of the city to party. But somehow or the other it never felt as dangerous as it does now. I guess we were younger and more foolish then. (smile) And now, we party at home on New Year’s Eve, with very little imbibing, not that we were ever great imbibers. (smile)  

But let’s hope and pray that there are no serious accidents or incidents this New Year’s Eve, let’s welcome in 2025 with as clean as slate as possible. And to help us do that, let’s say this most interesting prayer from the Pamphlet of Prayers Through the Ages – Daily Prayers for Spiritual Renewal – recently published by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. This prayer is attributed to St. Patrick of Ireland (387- 461) 

Please pray with me: ‘Christ, be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me, Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ, May our salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.’ 

What a fantastic prayer, my fellow believers! Christ being in us, and all around us, as well as in those who think about us, and see and hear us! Wow! That would certainly spread Him all over, much more than He is right now! And in all of that St. Patrick made sure that we remembered on which side our bread was buttered: ‘Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ.’ 

And so it is my faithful brethren. Please, let’s never forget that. Whatever else we may do and believe, let’s never forget that the most important part of our livelihood, SALVATION, comes from Almighty God, and without it, we are separated from God, lost souls in the hands of the evil one. 

That reminds us of this seminal, most important verse of scripture from the Book of Jonah, when he prayed, fervently and sincerely, in the belly of the large fish that had swallowed him. ‘They that observe lying vanities (worthless idols) forsake their own mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS). But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ (Jon. 2:8-9) Yes friends, that is the gospel truth; Salvation only comes from and through our God! 

As one commentary informs us: ‘Salvation is entirely dependent on God and comes from Him alone: The phrase is a central truth of God’s saving grace, which means that humans are unable to save themselves from God’s wrath. The only contribution humans make to salvation is the sin that was laid on Jesus Christ at the cross.’ More indisputable truth. We can only receive salvation, through God’s good grace. 

And I like what this other commentary says about the situation with Jonah, when he made that amazing acknowledgment that Salvation comes from God alone. It says: ‘Jonah learned this sentence of good theology in a strange college. He learned it in the whale’s belly, at the bottom of the mountains, with the weeds wrapped about his head, when he supposed that the earth with her bars was about him for ever.’ 

And unfortunately, so it is with many of us, we don’t learn the truth of our situations until we are mired in some unfortunate circumstance, and wisdom suddenly pops into our consciousness. And we all know what happened after Jonah made that pronouncement. The Bible tells us: ‘And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited Jonah upon the dry land.’ (Jon. 2:10) 

Oh my people, are we entangled in any such situations right now and we can’t make heads or tails of them? Then our only recourse is to turn to the Lord and ask for His help. Once we acknowledge His sovereignty, like Jonah did, He will most certainly help us. And let’s remember we need to acknowledge it not only with our lips, but more importantly with our hearts, because that’s where the Lord looks to discover our sincerity and our true motives. 

As He so plainly told Samuel when He sent him to anoint a new king of Isreal from the sons of Jesse. Samuel saw and admired the physical attributes of the first son, Eliab and thought he was fit to be the next king. ‘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. 17:7) 

Now that’s something we ought never to forget, as we practice all our li’l ungodly schemes and vices. Man might not see us, or know the depravity of our hearts, but be sure that our God most certainly will! And this commentary adds a wise flavour to the subject. It asks: ‘What does it mean when God looks at the heart?’ And answers: ‘1 Samuel 16:7 agrees with the above passage in that it says our omniscient God knows our hearts – every one of our hearts. He knows each person’s heart condition and the motives behind everything we think, say, and do. Man cannot see another’s heart; only God can see a man’s heart — the seat of who he intrinsically is.’ 

That reminds us of another important scripture on the heart, from the wisdom of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘For as he (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he:’ (Prov. 23:7a) And these commentaries explain it thus. The first one says: ‘The verse suggests that a person’s true character is reflected in their innermost thoughts and beliefs. It implies that our thoughts shape our actions and ultimately determine who we become.’ 

While the second informs us: ‘What you see in this verse is a person who is saying one thing with their mouth—but their heart is in a completely different place. When faced with this conundrum, which one do you believe? You believe what’s in the heart. The thoughts and inclinations of the heart shape the reality of who you are.’ 

Oh my fellow saints, what plentiful truth we have uncovered today…or should I say renewed in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies? (smile) But whatever it is, please let’s hold on to them for dear life, for they are the foundation of our faith, and thus our lives. Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having made those statements, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…the ONLY saving grace in this life is…salvation…which comes ONLY from God Almighty…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 June 2024 Jeremiah 29:13.

08 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

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

And it’s another lazy-day Saturday friends, but a rather windy one in my area. Well what’s new about that eh? Nothing! For this will be the third straight windy day we’ve had this week. And according to my theory, it’s blown away most of the rain we were supposed to have. (smile) So we’ve had a miniscule amount of heavenly blessings, compared to what the weather forecasters had predicted. Yesterday was also pretty chilly, as far as I was concerned. But who knows what’s going on in this crazy times of climate change and inconsistent weather patterns? Only the Good Lord…and He’s not telling. So we just have to grin and bear whatever comes against us, of course with His compassionate help! 

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

Now, I just LOVE that prayer, because it’s one the Father cannot refuse to answer if our motives are sincere, since it’s one where we are actively seeking His person, His presence, offering up praise and thanksgiving, asking Him to come more deeply into our lives, our souls, bodies and minds. How could He ever refuse our sincere pleas to know and LOVE Him more eh? Never! Otherwise He’d be denying His own word. Remember what He says in Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Yes friends, when we seek the Lord with all of our hearts, we will find Him, and He will listen to our pleas. But the operative words there are ‘with all of our hearts,’ or in true sincerity. That’s the number one requirement for activating heaven’s help – a true and sincere heart. For as Cousin Sol so wisely tells us in Proverbs: ‘Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth (weighs) the hearts. To do justice and judgement (righteousness and justice) is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.’ (Prov. 21: 2-3) 

So though we may think that everything we do is right, remember the Lord judges us by the motives of our hearts, by what is in our hearts, by our earnest and sincere efforts; rather than by what we can accomplish through our actions. And a long time ago, the Lord pointed out this very salient fact to Samuel when he sent him to choose the new king of Israel from amongst the sons of Jesse. When Samuel saw the fine physical attributes of the eldest son, Eliab, he at once thought that he would be the new king. But the Lord immediately stopped him by saying:  ‘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. 17:7) It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. 

And later on when Bruh David became king, ‘a man after God’s own heart’ (1 Sam. 13:14) on handing over the building of God’s temple to Cousin Sol, he tells him. ‘And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.’ (1 Chr. 28:9-10) Oh my people wiser words were never spoken from a father to a son. And those are the kind of words we ought to be speaking to our children in these ungodly and lawless days. 

Now, Jesus also mentions God judging our hearts when He says to the Pharisees: ‘Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.’ (Luke 16:15) And we all know that some things considered acceptable to men are disliked by God to such an extent, that they become abominations to Him; obscene, totally revolting, and hated. 

Then, there are Bruh Paul’s words on the subject of God trying our hearts. In recalling his conduct to the Thessalonians, he says: ‘For our exhortation was not of deceit (error), nor of uncleanness, nor in guile (deceit): But as we were allowed of  (approved by) God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth (tests) our hearts.’ (1 Thess. 2:3-4) 

And I like how the scholars explain that verse. They say: “Allowed” means that God had carefully examined Paul and found him to be fit for the ministry, thus entrusting the apostle with this responsibility. “Trieth” means that the Lord examines him daily to see whether he remains fit and can continue in the ministry. This habitual divine scrutiny is the reason Paul seeks to please God rather than men. God, then, is the ultimate cause and motive of Paul’s ministry, not impurity (vs.3), or of covetousness (vs.5).’ 

And there is no better note to end on today than on that my people; the utmost importance of pleasing God and not man, if we expect our witness to be worth anything! Much LOVE!

…the outward appearance of man is deceitful…for it’s in the heart of man…that his true motives lie…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 February 2019 1 Samuel 16:7.

19 Feb 2019 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 16:7.   ​But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
 

And after the long weekend, I do hope that those of you who have to go to work today will make it without too many problems – read, hangovers, tiredness etc. (smile) Well my trusty desktop seems to be working decently again…Praise the Lord! 

Yes, I know it’s old and out of fashion and all that, but it’s like the old saying, new broom sweep clean, but old broom know the corners! And I’m just more familiar with my desktop than my laptop. The former just knows what I want to do and where I want go, especially when it comes to writing the Bit. (smile) 

Now here’s an interesting question for us from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional. I don’t know if I’ve ever posed it before, but I was led to do so today. And the question is ‘Are You Happy?’ I guess though we should pose it as being joyful, since happiness is based more on our circumstances than our beliefs. 

You can read it any which way you want, but this is how Gramps Schuller put it, and it does ask a very good question which most of us should be asking ourselves. Listen up: ‘Happiness – that deep inner strength that is made up of courage, faith, hope, and peace. Mix them together, and you have happiness. Happiness – the courage to hang on in the face of severe adversity! 

Happiness – the faith that God will have the last word, and it will be good! Happiness – the hope that even though you can only see the shadow, someday the clouds will clear away and the sun will shine again! Happiness – the quiet sense of self-esteem that comes when you know you have done your best. 

Happiness – the assurance that you have been merciful and kind to enemy and friend alike. Happiness – the quiet assurance that God will be merciful and kind to you, too. Happiness – the beautiful belief that this life, no matter how difficult it may be, is not your final destination.’ 

Yes friends, if we can answer yes to all of them, then we are giants of our faith! But I doubt that most of us can answer all those questions in the affirmative. The important thing though is that we can definitely answer ‘yes’ to some, and that we are working courageously and sincerely on the others. 

Our God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, because He knows that He created us as imperfect beings, but He does insist that we try to come up as high as possible. That’s why He looks at the secret motives of our hearts rather than our outward actions to judge our sincerity. And the Lord made that quite clear long time ago, when He sent Samuel to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be the new king of Israel. 

 When Samuel saw Eliab looking big and strapping and king-like, He said 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 him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ 

There we have it friends, right from the Lord’s mouth. So I don’t know why so many of us still try to fool the Lord with wonderful outward actions when our hearts are dark and black with unresolved, unrepented sin! We can fool our fellow man a lot of the time, but we can’t fool God at any time because He looks at the true story that’s hidden deep inside our sinful hearts! 

That’s why the Lord chose Bruh David to be the king over his brothers; He knew that his heart was right, as right as a human heart could be, and why, in spite of all Bruh David’s mistakes He never set him adrift, though he certainly paid for his failures.

And sadly, that’s what happening to too many of us believers today; our hearts aren’t really right with God. We put on a great Christian show on the outside, but on the inside the devil rules our spirit. 

As Jeremiah so famously said on the Lord’s behalf: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try (test) the reins (mind), even to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.’ (Jer.17:9-10) I think that’s as clear as it can get. 

But the scholars offer this explanation: ‘17:9-10. The heart (cf. Prov.4:23) means man’s innermost being. The bent of man’s natural disposition, apart from God’s redeeming grace, is described as deceitful (lit. crooked) and desperately wicked (incurably sick).

Therefore, man cannot trust his own heart but must leave all to God who alone knows the heart and judges all men fairly. Only a person with a redeemed heart can live in proper fellowship with God (Job 11:13; 1 John 3:18-24).’ 

Please take a moment and check out those two scriptures my fellow believers, for they get right to the heart of the matter! (smile) And I’ll throw in this langniappe (li’l extra) for good measure. (smile)

Listen to Cousin Sol: ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’ (Prov.4:23) Yes friends, the heart is the figurative seat of our intellect and that in turn controls our minds. We therefore need to keep tight control of our minds, because that’s where all of the battles are fought. 

And having said all that, let’s go home declaring (right ho) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the entire world know who and whose we are. In full voice with sincere hearts and a strong sense of purpose:

‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

And if our hearts are right, then let’s go out and action those statements, as Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!

…whatever captures the mind…captures the man…