The Overwhelming Importance of God’s Presence to create a Successful Society!

06 Jan 2025 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 29:18.       Where there is no (prophetic) vision (revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Another Monday, another new work week, which includes fighting the traffic both back and forth! But that’s the way the cookie crumbles these days. And while employers are trying to get their employees to come back into the office several days a week, some of the employees are fighting it because of the terrible toll the traffic situation takes on them, emotionally, physically and mentally. No wonder the modern-day phenomenon of road rage is increasing daily as the traffic situation worsens. 

Now something’s got to be done to cut down on the traffic tie-ups which cause an increasing loss of productivity, to reduce the road rage and resolve the other modern-day phenomenon of working from home. (smile) And please don’t ask me how to do it, because I don’t have a clue, but that’s why we pay all those big-time experts and technocrats those outlandish salaries. Let them earn their money for a change nuh, instead of constantly earning it under false pretenses! 

And it’s so sad to think that with all of our supposed wisdom and technological superiority, we can’t figure out the small problem of too many vehicles on too few roads. (smile) And even sadder still is that we refuse to ask the advice of the One who could most likely fix it without any problems; that’s Almighty God! But we don’t need nor want Him involved in our business, because we think we know it all, so we keep going down the wide and winding path to destruction with Satan as our guide and leader. How sad! 

But that’s why God gave us free will; so we could make our own decisions, regardless of how foolish and faulty they are. And He’s too much of a gentleman to stick His nose in where He’s not wanted, needed, or asked to intervene!  So where does that leave us eh? In a state of chaos, confusion and strife! 

And with only six days into the new year, the turmoil in our world is already escalating in several arenas of strife; far away, close to home, as well as right here in this good land of Canada too, where many have been dissatisfied with our Prime Minister and so strenuously demanded his resignation, that he’s finally promised to step down. So now the backroom dealings are finally in full swing, with numerous people seeking to be the new power broker. And it’s so blatant that many are simply trying to get into power to line their own pockets, or simply for power’s sake, and truly don’t have the country’s best interest at heart. 

Consequently, I believe a few worthwhile sayings on the subject of government and power will fit in nicely here. The first one says that the people deserve the government they get. And that’s no lie! For whoever you allow to get power over you, is basically whom you have chosen, so you cannot argue about the injustice or otherwise of it. You just have to live with it until you choose to change it. 

The second saying is a quote attributed to the British Statesman Lord Acton, which says: ‘Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority.’ 

And what does that mean? This commentary explains it thus: ‘Power tends to corrupt: people in positions of power often abuse their power to do bad things. They become corrupted, or “morally compromised.” Absolute power corrupts absolutely: the more authority someone has, the worse their morality becomes.’  And that’s oh so true, for we can all think of several authoritarian rulers on the global stage right now who are guilty of that very abuse. 

And the third bit of wisdom comes from Cousin Sol’s treasure trove of wisdom, the Book of Proverbs. On the subject, he wisely writes: ‘Where there is no (prophetic) vision (revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) Basically, it means that where there is no spiritual leadership and divine guidance in a community or society, the people tend to become unrestrained, lawless and do whatever they want, which only creates chaos. 

And we see that very thing happening all over the world right now, because we have turned away from God and therefore have no divine direction or spiritual revelation, because we do not think we need it. As one commentary says: ‘This reflects the biblical theme that without God’s guidance, human nature tends toward disorder and sin.’ And why not eh, when Beelzebub is the ruler of this evil and sinful world. 

Meanwhile, blessed is he who keeps the law, means those who keep God’s law, or commandments, enjoy a sense of happiness, contentment and well-being. The same commentary above puts it thus: ‘The verse contrasts the chaos of a visionless society with the stability and blessing that come from obedience to God’s law. In a conservative Christian perspective, this emphasizes the importance of Scripture as the ultimate guide for life.’ And that’s the gospel truth, because the Bible is indeed our Guidebook for Earthly Living! 

And that lack of vison in a society and the detriment it causes is well exampled by the state of Israel during the period when judges ruled. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25) And that’s exactly where our world is heading right now, straight to hellfire and damnation, with the lack of spiritual leadership and divine revelation. 

But thankfully all is not lost, for we believers in Christ Jesus can make a big difference if we so desire, because we have all the tools to do so. The problem is getting us to desire. So, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, and see if we can’t get the desire to turn things around nuh. 

Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’ 

But please note, as our prayer says, until we repent and turn from our evil ways, that desire to improve our world will not be forthcoming, and we’ll keep heading for certain destruction! Much LOVE!

…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…and he who has eyes to see…let him see…

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

A Society without Divine Guidance, without the Moral and Spiritual Law of God, ends up in Chaos!

06 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 29:18.       Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Ah friends, the people have spoken! They have elected an old, inept, incompetent, corrupt, vengeful, white male wannabe dictator as the 47th President of the United States, thus assuring the continuation  of the U.S. as a bastion of white, male supremacy! But isn‘t that what U.S. democracy is all about – life and liberty and justice for the white population? It’s ever been so, and it’s not going to change while the rich white folk are controlling the purse strings that lead to power. It’s time to stop pussy footing and call a spade a spade! 

And isn’t it also interesting that Trump can only win against women candidates. The first time he defeated a white woman, and now a black woman, both of whom are younger, more intelligent and capable than him. In between he was beaten by another old white male. What does that say about the U.S eh? That they’re simply not interested in having a woman lead their government! 

Now, that reminds me of something that I noticed when I first came to North America, fifty two years ago; that North American men are afraid of women. In the West Indies, men were not so much afraid of women, but knowing that they would take the bull by the horns and do whatever was necessary, they became lazy, preferring to sit around and drink and shoot the breeze, while the womenfolk did most of the work. 

But to this day, in North America we still try to keep women tied to the home and children, and the lesser jobs, while the macho men go out and do the supposedly important work that they believe women cannot do. The trouble is that deep down they know that women are mentally and emotionally stronger than them, and can also do a better job, if given the chance. Just look at the mess males, especially white males have made of our world eh. But the proverbial glass ceiling still tries to throttle their rise to greatness, as the old, white boys club keeps a strangle hold on the reins of power. 

And it’s strange that I got an interesting quote yesterday from a friend, which says: ‘The reason people resist change is that they focus on what they have to give up, instead of what they have to gain.’ And that’s very true, since change means forgetting some of the old, hopefully for a better new. But most of us are still afraid of change, especially when we don’t have a good idea of what’s ahead. 

And we’ll close this section of our Bit, with these very appropriate words of some wise person. ‘The people get the government they deserve.’ And that’s the gospel truth! By the way, for all of us Canadians who are thumbing our noses at the U.S. for what we consider a terrible choice, please beware that there’s also much dissension in our land, and that there’s also a wannabe dictator quietly waiting in the wings to grab power, if we foolishly elect Him! Nuff said! 

That brings us to an interesting and also appropriate bit of scripture for these chaotic times. Its these visionary words of Cousin Sol from Proverbs. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) In other words my brethren, where there is no prophetic vision in the land, the people run amok, run wild and thus eventually suffer. Meanwhile the New Living Translation (NLT) puts it like this: “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” The “lack of vision” is referring to not knowing God, to not having that guidance of the Holy Spirit.’ 

And this article on the subject from the bibleref.com website, further enlightens us. They say: ‘This verse emphasizes the extraordinary value of God’s Word. Before the Bible was complete, God revealed His will through prophets. They communicated God’s messages to the people. Solomon observes that the absence of divine revelation leads to moral and spiritual decline. Other lessons in the book of Proverbs point out the dangers which come with rejecting godly wisdom (Proverbs 3:1-2; 8:32-36) 

Without divine revelation people follow the dictates of their sinful nature. Instead of society experiencing calm, society wallows in chaos. This happened in the era of the Judges. First Samuel 3:1 tells us, “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” Judges 21:25 reports that in the times of the judges, “There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Invariably, when people do whatever they prefer, they do what is wrong according to the Lord’s will. Today, as in all times throughout history, the culture needs to know what is acceptable to God; the Bible supplies the information.’ 

But unfortunately, today, just like in the time of the Judges of Israel, there is no prophetic revelation, and therefore too many people are doing what they want; we’re just running wild, especially with the new technologies of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence. We no longer know what is truth from lies. No wonder the disastrous state of our world! And sadly, many people are also putting forth this foolish and unwise theory, as Bruh David writes in Psalms 14 and 53. 

‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back (turned aside): they are altogether become filthy (corrupt); there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.’ (Ps. 53:1-4) 

And that’s oh so true my brethren. Too many of us have not called on God, but rather on Satan, as we compromise and live the sinful life that the world promotes. But let’s remember, that THERE IS A GOD, a God, who is constantly looking down on us and sadly shaking His head in disappointment at our oh so sinful ways. Please, for the sake of our grandchildren and their children’s sake, let’s do something godly and worthwhile about it nuh, before it’s too late! 

Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong 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!’ 

And if we endure right to the end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…contrary to popular opinion…there is a GOD…and there are consequences to ALL sin…

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

The importance of having God’s Law as a Nation’s foundation!

01 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!

Yes my fellow Canadians, our country is now one hundred and fifty seven years old. And that’s young compared to many other countries around the world, but we’re proud to be one of the most progressive and peace-LOVING nations in these strife-filled and turbulent times. Oh, we do have our problems, but unlike many other countries, we still try to fix them through peaceful talk, rather than violent upheavals. I don’t know how much longer that will last though, for now there are some, taking their cue from other nations, who have vowed to voice their displeasure through violence if their desires are not met. And it’s only a matter of time before more divisive and uncontrollable dissent reaches our fair land. 

But please, my fellow Canadians, especially for the sake of our children, many born in this new land, and are unspoiled by strife and bloodshed, let’s promise ourselves to avoid, to turn away from the spectre of violence that currently haunts so many other countries, and where death, weeping and anguish, sickness, poverty and economic insufficiency are the predominant features of the land. 

All of us came here from different lands, with the intention to build a better country and lifestyle than we previously had, so please let’s not give up on that dream, for though we have many differences, I believe the similarities are stronger and more pervasive, and it’s time we start focusing on the things that draw us together rather than those that tend to separate us. And please remember that it’s only sincere cooperation and not petty dissension that will see us through to that wisely integrated, strong and steadfast land that we dream of becoming. 

That reminds me of this most appropriate scripture from the pen of Cousin Sol in Proverbs, where he shares this very truthful bit of wisdom: ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) In other words, where there is no prophetic vision or godly revelation, the people cast off restraint, do as they want, and it all ends up in a rather chaotic situation. And we can certainly see the truth of that in so many of the world’s nations, where God and His moral law don’t count for much, if anything. 

There’s no one, or no group with God given revelation actively leading the way, or setting proper direction in most countries. As Asaph says in Psalm 74 – Remember Your Chosen People – ‘We see not our signs: there is no more (no longer) any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach (revile)? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?’ (Ps. 74:9-10) 

Yes friends, that certainly seems to be the case; the enemy is blaspheming God’s name and nature in a most horrible way, and there seems to be none who can stop him, or any who knows when the Lord is going to intervene and take matters into His own hand. And this passage from 1Samuel tells how things were in Israel before Samuel came on the scene: ‘And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious (rare) in those days; there was no open vision.’ (1 Sam. 3:1) 

The last verse of the Book of Judges also tells us the sad state of affairs that existed in Samuel’s early years. ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25) And that’s exactly what’s happening in today’s world; everyone’s doing as they please, with people calling right wrong, and wrong right, and the Word of God is held in very low esteem. 

It’s like the scholars explain re that verse from Samuel above: ‘The severity of Israel’s apostasy (abandonment or renunciation of God) (cf. Judg. 21:25) caused a dearth (scarcity, deficiency) of God’s revelatory work. The condition was perpetuating and self-defeating (Prov. 29:18). By God’s grace the prophetic institution would receive renewed impetus and standardization in the person and work of Samuel (cf. Sam. 3:21).’ 

And just to round it all out, let’s see what that last scripture reference says, but starting from verse 19. ‘And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground (fail). And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.’ (1 Sam. 3:19-21) 

Oh my people, how wonderful it would be for us to have some strong godly leadership right now as our world is currently being turned upside down by the evil doers. But although there is no overall direction, all of us believers know the right things to do, the right way to live, so let’s get serious and do it nuh, and thus make some small headway until a strong prophet, or Jesus shows up to lead us. And to help us do that, let’s turn to Almighty God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid for our earthly problems. 

Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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 now, having placed it all in God’s hands, let’s go out and celebrate the birth of our land, but all in moderation, for tomorrow is a workday, and too many of us cannot book off sick because of too rich a celebration. (smile) For that in itself just kills the productivity of our economy, and we need to build it, not break it down. Much LOVE!

…where God’s discipline and morality are lacking…chaos eventually rears its ugly head…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 August 2023   1 Samuel 1:10.

11 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 1:10.        And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore (in anguish).

And in our enthusiastic shout today of: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend’s finally here!’ let’s also be thankful that it’s such a beautiful day too; bright, sunshiny and cool! Wow! You can’t ask for much more than that, a beautiful Friday to end the work week. And we’d better enjoy it too, because in the next three or four weeks we most likely won’t be crowing so loudly on a Friday morning. (smile) 

And what does the Lord want us to talk about today eh? Well, it looks like Samuel, because that’s where the Good Library opened this morning. And what’s there to say about Samuel? The first thing to note is that he was the first prophet to show up in Israel for a long time. The scholars explain that ‘The severity of Israel’s apostasy (turning away from God) (cf. Judg. 21:25) caused a dearth of God’s revelatory work. The condition was perpetuating and self-defeating (cf. Prov. 29:18). By God’s grace the prophetic institution would receive renewed impetus and standardization in the person and work of Samuel (cf. 3:21; 19:20).’ 

So, Samuel was a very welcome and needed person in the early annals of Israel. For as the Book of Judges tells us: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25). Sort of like what’s happening now eh? All of us want to do what we think is right in our eyes, and that’s why there’s so much chaos in the world. That’s why Cousin Sol’s words in Proverbs are also so noteworthy. He correctly proclaims: ‘Where there is no vision (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraints): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) 

And is that ever the gospel truth my people, as we are seeing right now in this chaotic, doh-care, do whatever I want day and age! Meanwhile the scholars explain that ‘Vision refers to the divine revelation received by the prophet. Morality is based on adherence to God’s revealed will.’ That tells me that we have very little or no revealed will of God at this time because our moral state is despicable. Our morality is almost non-existent, as few of us seem to consider morals important in these days of anything goes. Our moral compass has fled south, as it were. 

But getting back to Samuel. He was one of those hand-picked from the womb. The story goes that his mother Hannah was barren, unable to have children, and as is usually the case, her husband Elkanah’s other wife made fun of her because she was barren. But one day in the temple of Shiloh where the family had gone to make their yearly worship and sacrifice, she simply couldn’t take it anymore. 

The Bible says: ‘And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore (in anguish). And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come up on his head.’ (1 Sam. 1:10-11) 

Now that’s a mighty powerful prayer and vow to make to Almighty God, and many of us do it in our desperate circumstances, but also, many of us don’t keep our vows when we get our prayer request. And that’s about the worst thing we can do with God, for as Cousin Sol declares (steups!!!) as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes: ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5) 

Thankfully for Israel and for us though, Hannah did keep her vow when the Lord granted her request, and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom she named Samuel. And to show how wonderful, faithful, great and generous is our God, the Bible tells us: ‘And the Lord visited (attended to) Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.’ (1 Sam. 2:21) 

Mama Mia! She asked for one son but got three sons and two daughters! That’s the largesse of our great God to those who hold Him dear to their hearts. It’s like Cousin Sol when he became king, asked for wisdom and strength to guide his people Israel, but in addition to what he asked for, the Lord also gave him riches, and honour untold. And there’s much more to be said about Samuel, which we’ll do tomorrow, if God spares life. But we’ll end with this interesting note. 

While Hannah was praying in the temple for a son, she wasn’t talking out loud, ‘she spake in her heart; only her lips moved.’ (1 Sam. 1:13) Thus Eli, the priest, who was sitting nearby thought that she was drunk and confronted her. ‘And Eli said unto her, how long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my Lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial (a wicked woman): for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.’ (1 Sam 1:14-18) 

Oh friends, yuh see how easy it is to be misunderstood and considered much less than we actually are. So please, let’s not be quick to judge others by what we see, or rather suppose we see on the outside, as is so often the case in these times of quick judgement. But first, please try and get the facts before we say anything negative. or anything at all. Now let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant and ask for divine help with our many problems. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, let’s get to doing what we know we ought to, if we expect to receive divine help! Much LOVE!

…a nation without morality…is a nation destined to perish… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 May 2022 Proverbs 29:18.

10 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 29:18.      Where there is no vison (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

So, what’s new this spring Tuesday morning in May of 2022 eh friends? A sunny day when the trees all seem to be finally blooming, putting on their new look of bright green for the upcoming season, returning to an energetic life after remaining dormant for so long in the cold, dreary depths of winter. 

And I know that most of us would reply ‘same old, same old,’ to the above question. But what’s really wrong with same old eh? Nothing at all! Because that’s what life is all about; that’s how we learn, by repetition. If we had a new situation every day we wouldn’t know or learn anything. And sadly, that’s how it’s shaping up these days when we are all hungering and clamouring for something new, and quickly getting bored and frustrated although we have so many new toys to keep us occupied. 

In our recent rush for speed, we’ve developed very short attention spans, which make us quickly disenchanted with new stuff. But let me put this other question to us. What do you think will, or would have happened to us if our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ had a short attention span, and was easily bored and frustrated like us eh? We’d certainly be left out in the rain, in the dark, in the cold, without a safe place to shelter. 

But thankfully Jesus is strong and steadfast, and not worried about the same old, same old that He does by constantly saving us from making foolish mistakes and interceding for us every day to His Father. So please, let’s get wise and give up this foolish rush for speed and change nuh, because it’s causing us to lose the ability to truly enjoy life, the abundant, same old life that Christ died for us to have. 

Our appreciation for the things and people in our lives are plummeting each day, because we have so many things, we can’t keep count or enjoy them properly. And as per people, too many relationships these days are only surface deep, so false and plastic, that there’s little trust and true enjoyment to be found in them. And sadly, the relationships and situations that words like loyalty and honour breed are quietly disappearing from our vocabulary and society. How unfortunate my people, because those are the basic things that make a society rich and powerful and enjoyable, without their members having to keep a constant watch for dishonor and disloyalty which are rife in our world today. 

When a society has lost its trustworthiness then it’s on its way down. When a person’s word is no longer sacred, when even the laws can be successfully manipulated to cause hurt and dishonour, then that society is no longer growing like a strong, tall and steadfast cedar of Lebanon, but is withering like a cursed fig tree. And believe me, withering like a cursed fig tree happens much quicker than the growth of a cedar of Lebanon. So, once a society gets on that path of destruction, its demise happens rather quickly. 

And that’s why proper leadership is ever so important for a society or any organization to function properly. No wonder Cousin Sol says in his wisdom that:’ ‘Where there is no vison (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) And that’s the indisputable truth! Where there is no moral or divine inspiration in leadership, then people cast off restraint and do whatever they feel like. 

Sadly, that’s exactly what’s happening in our world today. Our leaders seem more interested in a grab for power, self-aggrandization and war-mongering than in building a moral and godly civilization. We’re even trying to remove God from our society, so why should we be surprised at the way our world is going since, as the scholars tell us: ‘Morality is based on adherence to God’s revealed will.’ And if there’s no God, then there can’t be any revealed will. 

And unfortunately, all that we’ve spoken of above is reflected in these few words of author Adrian McCullen in an article titled ‘Where there is no vision the people perish,’ on the website medium.com. He writes: ‘Society has reached a stage where more people are dying from abundance than from lack. Obesity and obesity-related illnesses kill more people than starvation. People are at a point where their basic needs have been met.’ That’s in our western based societies. 

And we see the perfect example of the lack of divine vision and inspiration in the state of Israel when the Lord called Samuel. The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious (rare) in those days, there was no open vision.’ (1 Sam. 3:1) 

And the scholars explain: ‘The severity of Israel’s apostasy (rejection of God)  (cf. Jud. 21:25) caused a dearth of God’s revelatory work. The condition was perpetuating and self-defeating. (cf. Prov. 29:18) By God’s grace, the prophetic institution would receive impetus and standardization in the person and work of Samuel. (cf. 3:21; 19:20) 

Ah friends, our current world is now almost like that of Israel back then. And that reference to Judges 21:25 in the scholars’ explanations spells it out in spades. It says: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ And unfortunately, that’s the same philosophy that’s taking hold in our current society. The moral law of God is being rejected for that which we consider appropriate to our personal needs. 

So why the surprise when we discover that our world is sinking into the morass, of death and decay eh? When we do our own thing and don’t follow God’s law, we will suffer and eventually perish, unless we come to our senses like Israel did under Samuel. It’s as simple as that. So, for those of us who are trying to live the righteous life, as set out in God’s law, let’s go home now declaring (yessss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong 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 the world. Amen!’ 

Now it behooves us to go and do just that; share Christ’s amazing LOVE and friendship with those we meet, so that they too can come to LOVE and worship Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…God’s law works to build up…man’s law to destroy…   

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