The Necessity for Believers to seek Greater Intimacy with God through Sincere hearts!

06 Dec 2025 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.’

The weekend’s here friends! It’s our lazy day Saturday and we can do whatever we want to do without fear of any serious repercussions…well some of us can! (smile) And in my area it’s flurrying which doesn’t give us any inclination to go out there unless we have to. So, hopefully, today we’ll simply stay inside and watch the flurries flutter and fall, while relaxing with a good book, or watching the tube, or just doing nothing at all. 

And if you’re wondering why I am up so early on this lazy day Saturday, well, the truth is that I’ve been in bed for most of the night, trying to rest and get over this persistent cold that’s been bothering me all week. So I’m just tired resting now, and my back is protesting the large amount of lying down it’s been doing. So here we are up and about rather early. 

But regardless of what we do or not do today, we must offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. So 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 kind of prayer our God really wants to hear from us. One seeking greater intimacy with Him, because that’s His heart’s desire, and therefore He will NEVER turn away such a sincere prayer, but will gladly grace our souls with the peace, calm and closeness we seek from Him. And there are several scriptures that emphasize seeking closeness with, drawing near to God or longing for His presence, and it’s all for our benefit. 

So let’s look  at a few of those verses, beginning with this one from James, that we all know, but don’t put into practice as much as we should. He admonishes his readers thus: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners: and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.’ James 4:7-8) Yes friends, the onus is on us to clean up ourselves, inside and out, and draw near to God, for He is always there waiting for us to come to Him. 

It’s like He says through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:13) There again we see the emphasis on us seeking God, and not in any old way, but sincerely, with all of our heart. That’s the only way we will ever find Him, because God wants us to truly desire His presence in our lives, and not simply be used for our convenience. 

And Jesus said it quite clearly when He spoke about the vine and the branches. ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5) Now that’s telling it like it is! Without Jesus in us and we in Him, we are unable to do much of anything for the kingdom. That means we have to get close and stay close to Him like white on rice, or else crapaud smoke we pipe! (smile) 

And we see the longing for God in many of the psalms like this one we all know by the Sons of Korah. ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’ (Ps. 42:1-2) Oh my people, that is how we are supposed to be seeking our wonderful God; panting for Him like the deer pants for water at the brooks. Not just a wishy-washy approach like so many of us have, and still expect to enjoy His many blessings. 

Now listen to Bruh David as he declares in Psalm 63: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;’ (Ps. 63:1) Now tell me nuh, how many of us truly desire the Lord with such passion and sincerity eh? Not enough of us. But it’s by a deep passion and longing for God that we truly get to enjoy all the benefits of His grace and mercy. 

And we cannot forget Jesus’ Great Invitation, where he faithfully promises: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Now why would Jesus offer such an invitation if He did not seriously care for us and desire great intimacy with those who truly seek Him. But again, we have to go to Him, to accept His invitation. He’s done all He can, the next move is now in our hands. 

And if you still don’t believe that Almighty God seeks a deep relationship with us, then listen to this telling verse from Revelation, where Jesus declares: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open up the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (dine) with him, and he with me.’ (Rev. 3:20) Oh friends, Jesus is always right there at our hearts, knocking on them seeking to come in and dine with us. All it takes is for us to open our hearts to Him, so that we can enjoy all the goodness and mercy He desires to share with us. 

And we will end with is this exhortation from Hebrews: ‘Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation (rebellion of the Israelites)’ (Heb. 3:15) Yes my people, the message is urgent; it’s time to stop being stubborn and rebellious, meaning today is the day that you let Jesus into your heart! Please do it if you hear Him knocking. It will be the wisest decision you’ve ever made. Much LOVE!

…God can only get as close to us…as we allow Him to…

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

The Indisputable Necessity For Believers to Continually Seek Closeness and Intimacy with Almighty God!

06 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 63:1.        ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Then it was Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday! And we do not mind in the least that it’s cool, because it’s mostly sunny, for we plan on doing very little of anything but lazing around in this first part of the day. And I did laze around in the bed this morning, enjoying the peace and quiet that surrounded me, without all the hustle and bustle that goes on during the work week. 

Now, to further our efforts of peace and calm, 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 we know that if our prayer was sincere and heartfelt, the overwhelming peace and joy of the Lord will soon be filling our hearts, minds, souls and bodies! Why? Because a prayer to get closer to God, for greater intimacy with Him, is one He simply cannot refuse, since that’s what He’s all about; LOVE and togetherness. Oh, how the Lord’s face lights up, and His heart dances a tango, when we come to Him just seeking true closeness, nothing else but being near to Him and enjoying His marvellous company!

That reminds us of Psalm 63 – A Thirsting Soul – written when Bruh David was running from the murderous clutches of King Saul and hiding in the wilderness of Judah. He didn’t ask for deliverance or revenge on His enemies or any such thing, but he simply sought the Lord’s presence and remembered His goodness and mercy. 

Thus, he writes: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen (looked for) thee in the sanctuary. Because thy LOVING-KINDNESS is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.’ (Ps. 63:1-4)  

Oh my fellow believers, isn’t that just wonderful! Instead of crying out for divine help in such a crucial time, Bruh David offers up praise and thanksgiving. Now that’s an example many more of us ought to follow. Instead of always asking God for help when we come to Him, sometimes we just need to go to Him for His awesome refreshing presence and company, offering Him praise and thanksgiving for all that He’s done, and still intends to do for us. 

It’s like the scholars explain: ‘Unlike many of the psalms written in these dire situations, however, this psalm is overflowing with thanksgiving rather than lament and petition. David declares his longing for spiritual renewal (vs. 1-2), he expresses his thankful mood (vs. 3-6), he gives voice to his trust in God (vs. 7-8), and he announces his hope for the future (vs. 9-11). Enemies are mentioned only in passing (vs. 9-10).’ 

Oh friends, could we ever do something so wonderful when we are being bombarded by the wiles of the enemy and the numerous temptations that this world offers? I certainly hope so, because that’s when we will know that we’ve attained a decent level of spiritual maturity. And that we can do like Bruh David, as he continues with praise and meditation. 

‘My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.’ (Ps. 63:5-8) 

Ah mih people, as I read those words I wonder about certain things Bruh David mentions. The first is, are we ever satisfied? In this age of greed and lust for plenty, even when the Lord blesses us, are we truly ever satisfied, and give Him thanks for it? Not very often…if ever. Then, where is our supposed trust in God, and our praise for His goodness to us? Much, if not all of it has disappeared, because we have become so taken up with the material things of this world, that we’ve lost the humanity and the spirituality we once had. We’ve allowed the world to devour our sense of godliness. 

It’s as John writes in his first epistle. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interests), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Now, hopefully, that scripture passage will awaken us from the comfortable slumber that we’ve fallen into, and cause us to improve our disobedient and lustful ways. (smile) And Bruh David, in his unshakeable confidence in the Lord, concludes the psalm thus: ‘But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion (a prey) for foxes (jackals). But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.’ (Ps. 63: 8-11) 

And that’s the gospel truth my people! The Lord has promised throughout His Word that the wicked will eventually be destroyed, while the righteous shall be glorified! So please, let’s take a few moments to consider our ways this lazy-day Saturday, and see where we’re out of sync with the Lord, and ask for His help to get back into sync with Him. That’s wisdom for the ages! Much LOVE!

…sincere closeness to God…ought to be our most sought after goal…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 June 2022 Psalm 63:1.

29 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 63:1.      O God thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 

And so, Wednesday opens somewhat cloudy, but no real signs of rain that the earth and the plants are now dying to receive. Yes friends, the absence of heavenly blessing is becoming crucial for Mother Nature to continue exhibiting her marvellous colours and eye-catching beauty. So, let’s hope and pray that some heavenly water will soon rain down on us and the parched land that is unfortunately afflicted with thirst. 

That brings to mind, Bruh David’s words in Psalm 63, subtitled – God satisfies the thirsting soul. And sadly, ever so many of our souls are thirsty for God! Some of us know that we thirst for God, but others don’t know it. They just know that’s something’s wrong, that something essential is missing from their lives, and they can’t be satisfied with life as they keep searching for that essential missing link. 

Here’s how Bruh David puts it in the psalm with eloquence and heart-felt emotion. ‘O God thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen (looked for) thee in the sanctuary. Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hand in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.’ (Ps. 63:1-6) 

Oh my people, how many of us actually taking refuge in a wilderness – a dry and thirsty land – would write such a glowing testimony to the Lord eh, especially after he had anointed you to be king, but had you running and hiding from the current king like a common criminal? Not many, I can assure you. But Bruh David did, because he felt the awesome power and call of God in his life and from his personal experience with God knew that as Bruh Paul said many eons later: ‘…all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

Yes friends, life is not a bed of roses, has never been since our forefathers Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden and sin became an inherent part of our nature, and will only become that way when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom. But until then, we need to truly believe in Jesus and stand strong and steadfast for Him in this evil and terribly ungodly world. That is our bounden duty as believers and ambassadors, and we must learn to take the good with the bad. As the Father of patience, Job, said so dramatically to his wife: ‘…What? Shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive (accept) evil (calamity)?’ (Job 2:10) 

Ah mih bredrin, at times life can surely be a rough and rocky road to tread, but with the amazing LOVE and sacrifices of Jesus working to our benefit, and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us and guiding us over the rough patches, we need not be afraid or worried. Yes, we must be concerned and responsible, but never worried or afraid, because our Lord and Saviour has faithfully promised to take care of us. 

And if you don’t believe me, just listen to these awesome promises of His Great Invitation. ‘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 you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Now who else but our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has both the boldness and the power to make such an amazing offer eh? Nobody else! And that’s the underlying principle that Bruh David must have known and felt when he wrote Psalm 63. And I do like how the scholars explain the Psalm. 

They say: ‘The location of the writing of the psalm is described generally as in the wilderness of Judah. Unlike many of the psalms written in these dire situations, however, this psalm is overflowing with thanksgiving rather than lament and petition. David declares his longing for spiritual renewal (vs. 1-2), he expresses his thankful mood (vs. 3-6), he gives voice to his trust in God (vs. 7-8), and he announces his hope for the future (vs. 9-11). Enemies are mentioned only in passing (vs. 9-10) 

Mama Mia! What a strong and enduring faith and trust Bruh David had in the God of his forefathers. And what I believe the Lord LOVED so much about Bruh David is that despite his frail and fatal flaws as a man, and all the hardship he was forced to endure, much of it innocently, he never turned away from worshipping and seeking Him, that’s why He could call him His friend and a man after His own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14, Acts 13:22) 

Oh my fellow saints, these are times like Bruh David faced in the wilderness, the enemy is making desperate attempts to steal our joy and peace in the Lord by raining on our parade in so many ways, but like Bruh David, we need to seek our heavenly Father with a hunger and thirst that the enemy cannot ever kill! 

And like Bruh David, we should emphatically declare: ‘Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee (close behind thee): thy right hand upholdeth me. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion (a prey) for foxes (jackals). But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.’ (Ps. 63:7-11) 

Yes friends, Bruh David hit the nail right on the head there: those that believe in Christ shall rejoice, while those that blaspheme His holy name will end up in Hades, in hellfire! Now for those of us who truly believe and also behave like we believe, (smile) let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most excellent position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong, confident and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Now, never forget that if we endure to the end, like Bruh David did, that promised future will be even greater than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s hang in there nuh for Jesus’ sake my faithful brethren! Much LOVE!

…truly living for Jesus…oh, it’s such a joy…a joy that no one or nothing can ever steal… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8​ 

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 September 2021 Psalm 63:3.

17 Sep 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 63:3.     Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 

It’s the big day of the work week friends – Friday! The day when our spirits finally exhale a huge sigh of relief that work is winding down for a couple days, and hopefully a li’l excitement and enjoyment will enter our lives on the upcoming weekend. But in these unfortunate times of pandemic, strife and all kinds of natural disasters, the chances are not as great as they were a year and a half ago. However, as sincere believers in Christ Jesus, we have an undying, an unending hope that things will turn out right once He is involved. 

And all God’s children declared a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Thank You Jesus for being in my life! Thank You for all that You’ve done for me, including paying my sin debt in full on the cross of Calvary, for giving me your righteousness so that I could be reconciled back to the Father, and have everlasting life with You in heaven when my mortal body is no more for this earth! We LOVE You and give You much thanks and praise! Amen!’ 

And a very good example of that hope and faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the words of Psalm 63 – God satisfies the thirsting soul – written by Bruh David when he was hiding out in the wilderness from his nemesis, King Saul. Bruh David, in his anguish and uncertainty writes: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary (so have I looked for thee).’ (Ps. 63:1-2) 

That’s what you call hope and faith friends! In the midst of his problems, Bruh David is still concerned with seeking the face of God because he knows that’s his only hope for successfully getting out of those problems. In our time of adversity, do we seek the Lord with an ever-increasing intensity and fervour, or do we get angry and complain about why those problems are happening to us, and why the Lord didn’t prevent them in the first place? 

Ah mih people, I know our first tendency is always to complain, but remember the Lord is the Boss and He moves in mysterious ways, and has a plan for each and every life, and within those plans are times of adversity and hardship that He thinks are necessary to develop our faith and trust in Him. And we can take Bruh David as a good example of that. He was anointed king in his teenaged years, and he did mighty deeds in his early twenties, that had the women dancing and singing, ‘Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,’ (1 Sam. 18:7) but it was not until he was in his thirties, some twenty years after he was first anointed, that he finally became king. 

And during those wilderness years, he experienced a whole heap of trouble, including constantly running from Saul, who wanted to kill him through simple jealousy. And Bruh David had a couple of opportunities to kill Saul, but simply refused to, saying ‘I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ (1 Sam. 24:10) And that’s the same Saul who was trying to kill him for no good reason. No wonder the Lord considered him His friend and a man after His own heart. 

And though he was struggling and suffering in the wilderness Bruh David continued writing in the psalm: ‘Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.’ (Ps. 63:3-6) 

Oh friends, what a heart for God Bruh David had. Do we even come close to that? We need to, because it’s only when we truly believe and live our belief that the Lord moves heaven and earth to satisfy our needs and desires. Can we be in the wilderness, hungry, thirsty and afraid and still conjure up thanks and praise for Almighty God? Bruh David did it. He further declares: ‘Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after (close behind) thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.’ (Ps. 63:7-8) There is no remorse or bitterness in his supplication, despite his tough circumstances. 

And then he concludes, with even further assurance. ‘But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion (a prey) for foxes (jackals). But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.’  (Ps. 63:8-11) Oh my fellow saints, what powerful faith and trust! 

And I like how the scholars explain it. ‘Psalm 63. The location of the writing of the psalm is described generally as in the wilderness of Judah. Unlike many of the psalms written in these dire situations, however, this psalm is overflowing with thanksgiving rather than lament and petition. David declares his longing for spiritual renewal (vs. 1-2), he expresses his thankful mood (vs. 3-6), he gives voice to his trust in God (vs. 7-8), and he announces his hope for the future (vs. 9-11). Enemies are mentioned only in passing (vs.9-10).’ 

That is how we ought to live as faithful believers, my brethren. The Lord God Jehovah must mean, and be EVERYTHING to us, and eternal faith and trust in Him and His awesome promises must make our souls burst with praise and thanksgiving, even in our worst adversity. That means in troubled times like we are now experiencing, our faith and trust ought to rise to the top and push our fears and anxieties to the bottom. And the best way to do that is like Bruh David did, in and through prayer. So, let’s take our problems to God right now nuh, as we declare our Friday Chant. 

‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! 

Please remember though, that our God isn’t looking for talk from us, but action, so until we truly behave like faithful believers, our prayers won’t be answered positively. Much LOVE!

…talk is cheap…but true faith requires action and sacrifice…                                                                                                                 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8      

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 April 2020 Psalm 63:3.

27 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 63:3.    ​Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
 

And then it was Monday… a new day and a new week, but the world was still in panic and pandemic mode. However, true believers in Almighty God were calm and peaceful, as they faithfully declared like Bruh David did when he was running in the wilderness of Judah from his many enemies: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.’ (Ps. 63:1) Ah friends, many of us figuratively feel like we’re in a wilderness without water today because of our many unsolvable problems, some of us might even be literally in a dry desert. 

But please take heart, the Lord knows our situations, and He’s in the process of fixing them, we just have to remain faithful and stick close to Him, as Jesus so powerfully and truthfully declared: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) He couldn’t have put it any plainer than that. So there are two basic things we need to do this early Monday morning, in fact every morning. The first thing is to stick close to our great God, then the next is to seek His face early with prayer; hopefully as soon as we are consciously awake. 

Yes, we don’t even have to get out of bed, before we offer some thanks and praise, and asking for health and wisdom to have a good day while being obedient to His will. And that will usually set the tone for our day; allowing the Lord to get into our soul and spirit first, rather than give Beelzebub the first chance to corrupt our fragile and tender souls. For as Bruh David continued, two verses down: ‘Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.’ 

Wow mih people! What a powerful, and oh so truthful statement! The Lord’s mercy is indeed better than life…in fact it is life giving, in the sense that without His abundant mercy, we wouldn’t have any life at all, since we have all sinned and come short of His glory, and the penalty for sin is death. But because mercy is not receiving what we deserve, He’s been merciful to a fault and allowed us to have salvation and eternal life! And yes, I did digress a tad there, (smile) but I thought it was important to point out that small matter. Hn, hn! 

So where were we? Oh yeh! We were talking about sticking to Jesus like white on rice, and seeking His face in prayer early everyday. Now assuming that we’ve already stuck to Him, let’s seek His face in prayer through our Monday Morning Covid-19 Battle Hymn nuh. As one body now, with sincere hearts: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive, and hopefully haven’t contracted the virus that’s causing havoc around our world. 

Despite the crucial lockdown, those of us considered essential, still have go to work, and we’re somewhat fearful, because we have no idea, how, when and where the virus might strike. Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction. 

Please show us how to successfully handle this scourge that’s plaguing the earth, and help the scientists to find a positive solution, a sure antidote to it as quickly as possible. And for those who have already contracted the virus, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’ 

And yuh know what friends, because the Lord judges us by the state of our hearts and not our mouths, and our hearts just now were truly sincere, we know that the Lord will answer our prayer, just in His own time! And that’s the part that gives us trouble; the waiting for His timing. But as He says, His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, so if we’re smart, we’ll just wait with a good attitude, until He achieves whatever He desired to achieve when He allowed the deadly virus to proliferate in such a worldwide manner. 

Consequently, wisdom decrees that we declare and behave like Bruh David continues after our Bit. ‘Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best; lit. fat) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after (close behind) thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.’ (Ps. 63:4-8) 

And that last clause is the gospel truth my fellow saints in Christ – the Lord’s strong right hand is what upholds us in this earthly pilgrimage. And when we remember all that the Lord’s already done for us, is now doing, and has promised to do in the future, then ought our mouths to loudly sing His praises through joyful lips, and our attachment to Him, never falter, as we constantly seek His face, early in the morning, during the day, and late at night. That’s how true saints, true believers ought to live my brethren! Much LOVE!

…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 September 2015 Psalm 119:81‏

27 Sep 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:81.   My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Grace and peace be unto you this Sunday morning my fellow believers from the Lord God and our Saviour Jesus Christ! 

It’s our big day, where we gather to fellowship with each other, sing and praise and worship our great and wonderful God, and in return receive His encouragement and strength to face another week down here on this crazy and very disturbed earth. 

And all God’s people declared a loud and sincere, ‘Praise the Lord, for He is indeed good to those who believe in Him and walk in His paths of righteousness! Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Yes Friends, all of that is indisputably true, so please, let’s get ourselves together and go out to church and join in grateful praise and worship this wonderful Sunday morning. We are alive and well blessed, so let’s give some thanks in return. 

Now here is something wise and wonderful, strengthening and uplifting from Gramps Schuler’s (Robert H. Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. I believe I’ve shared it before, but it’s ever so appropriate for sharing again in these very turbulent and disruptive times. It’s titled ‘A Prayer for Confidence,’ and do we ever need that these days. 

So please pray with me. ‘It is flowing into me now, for my conscience is clear. I have made the right decision. I am not afraid of problems. I will face challenges calmly and serenely for God is behind me. He will help me. If I must go through difficult times, he will rescue me. 

I feel his spirit of confidence surging in my heart now. With him I cannot possibly fail. “If God is for me who can be against me?” I have a strong feeling that everything is going to work out just beautifully. Thank you, God. Amen.’ 

Oh mih breddren, it’s that kind of confidence we need to exude today! And if you sincerely prayed that prayer with me, then I’m sure you can feel that surge of confidence just pulsing through your entire body, soul and mind right now. Oh glory to God for His answers to our prayers! 

And I sincerely hope that all of what we’ve said so far will light a fire under us, will increase our desire and longing for God, as our Bit, the same as yesterday, declares. ‘My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.’ 

Yes Friends, though life might be rough, and we long to be saved from our trials and tribulations, we must not lose hope and trust and faith in the holy and indisputable Word of Jehovah God! For it is indeed a guide to successful earthly living. 

As the psalmist says further on in Psalm 119. ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I have sworn, and I will perform (confirm) it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements.’ (Ps.119:105-106) 

Oh my people, please allow the Word of our God to be our lamp and guide down here on this polluted and ungodly earth! Let’s swear to keep all His statutes and commandments, so that it will be right with us as we continue on our pilgrim’s journey.  

Now let’s hear a couple of scripture passages that corroborate the truth of our Bit. Let’s begin with beautiful words of the sons of Korah, from Psalm 84 – Blessed are they that dwell in thy house. ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles (how lovely are thy dwellings), O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 

Yes, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.  Selah.’ (Ps.84:1-4) 

Oh Friends, doesn’t that just touch the very cockles of one’s heart? It surely does! When someone longs so much for God, we can only be touched and hopefully influenced by it. 

Now listen to the words of Asaph from Psalm 73 – The mystery of prosperous wickedness. ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (the rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. 

For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (who are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:25-28) 

Yes my people, that’s what you call inordinate wisdom. (smile) And we’ll end with these trusting and faithful words of Bruh David from Psalm 63 – God satisfies the thirsting soul. 

‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee (looked for thee) in the sanctuary. Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.’ (Ps.63: 1-3) 

Oh Friends, if Bruh David could pen those faithful and trusting words when he was lost and foraging in the wilderness of Judah, we who are not suffering such tribulation can certainly get up this Sunday morning and go out to the Lord’s sanctuary and look for Him, and praise His Holy Name for all the LOVING-kindness He’s bestowed on us, unworthy though we be. Much LOVE!

…when one sincerely longs for Christ…He comes into one’s soul and strengthens it…  

P.S. You all can’t complain about the length of today’s Bit, because it’s very short…but nonetheless sweet. (smile) Much LOVE!