The importance of Godly Leadership in our World!

04 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 9:16.       For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY U.S. OF A!

Yes friends, today the U.S. A celebrates it’s 248 year of independence from Great Britain after the challenging war to gain their freedom ended with the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776. So they are not so old either, (smile) less than a hundred years older than us up here in Canada. However, their history has been a tumultuous one from the very beginning. The fight for freedom from Britain, then their own Civil War between the Northern and Southern States in 1861over slavery; with the economics of slavery and political control of that system being more central to the conflict than the basic morality of it. 

And sadly, right now the U.S is facing a significant amount of serious internal conflict, while also having deeply committed connections to several other external conflicted areas. Let’s hope and pray that they can solve their many problems without the threat of violence rearing it’s ugly head, for remember as the U.S goes, so does a lot of the world!  

That reminds me of the these words of wisdom in that old song by the Temptations: ‘War! What is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING!’ And that’s the gospel truth my people, but yet mankind insists on regularly fighting wars, wars that don’t really prove anything, wars that only kill and destroy, leaving the combatants worse off than they were before. I guess it’s an ego problem; generally the ego of the countries leaders. 

That brings up a couple of sayings: one from Jonathan Swift, the English/Irish author (1667-1745) who said ‘There are none so blind as those who will not see.’ Yes, understanding cannot be forced on someone who chooses to remain ignorant. And the other quote is from Jesus , where He says of the Pharisees: ‘Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ (Matt. 15:14) 

And I like how this commentary explains it. ‘Jesus uses the ridiculous one-sentence mini-parable of a blind person leading another blind person in order to show that following the lead of the Pharisees is equally ill-advised. His point could not be made any more vividly: your highly respected religious leaders, the Pharisees, are not reliable guides at all.’ 

This all stems from earlier on when Jesus referred thus to the Pharisees. ‘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. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ (Matt. 15:7-9) Back then, the Pharisees  and various other religious leaders pushed more traditions of men on the people, rather than the dictates of God, using it to advance their powerful place in the society. 

And sadly, in these modern times the same thing is happening, many preachers or churches are using the traditions of men to keep the people in quiet submission, rather than teaching them the true word of God. It’s reminiscent of Isaiah’s words re Israel: ‘For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed.’ (Is. 9:16) Unfortunately that’s happening quite a lot today, not only in religious circles, but also in political ones. No wonder the enormous amount of strife and upheaval that’s currently endangering our world. 

Malachi’s words on the punishment of the priests, who were speaking untruths and thus breaking the covenant of an everlasting priesthood made to Levi and his descendants, also ring true in these ungodly and hypocritical times. He writes: ‘For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial (shown partiality) in the law.’ (Mal. 2:7-9) 

Ah mih people, a spate of ungodliness and deceitfulness is spreading across our world like we’ve never seen before, and it’s up to us, the true believers in Christ Jesus  to rein it in, or preferably, put a stop to it. But it won’t happen unless we give up the pretty baubles and bangles that the world constantly dangles before our lustful eyes, then come together as one true body and fight tooth and nail to regain the lost territory and gain new ones for Christ. 

It’s as Bruh Paul says to Timothy: ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art so called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) Yes my fellow believers, our world will never turn around, or even have a hope of doing so, unless and until we get up and fight the good fight of faith. It’s all up to us, unless we want the world to go the way it’s currently going; that’s to hell in a handbasket. 

And for those of us seriously  interested in making some good and godly changes, the Lord has generously provided us with underserved blessings to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare them now, so they can be activated in our lives. Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now it’s our duty to go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us. Much LOVE!

…thou therefore endure hardness (hardship)…as a good soldier of Christ… (2 Tim. 2:3)

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 November 2019 1 Samuel 2:3.

05 Nov 2019 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 2:3.    ​Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy (arrogance) come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
 

It’s Tuesday morning and the ole fella is somewhat pained up in both body and soul! (smile) I guess that’s because I went to bed too early last night and did not get up during the night to do anything constructive. Oh, how I envy those blessed people who can lie in their beds for ten hours or more! Me, I’m lucky if I can get to four or five without the old aches and pains starting to act up. And I know that, but last night I was just too lazy or tired, or whatever to get up, so now I’m feeling the consequences of my actions. (smile) 

Yes friends, there are always consequences to our actions, be they good or bad. And one of the sad things about our society nowadays is that we don’t stop long enough to consider the consequences before acting. And to make matters even worse, when those unthought of consequences of our unwise actions backfire on us, we’re quick to blame everybody and everything else but ourselves! No wonder our society is going to Hades in a hand-basket! When you don’t think of consequences before acting, and can’t accept the blame for the resulting negative stuff then the society is indeed in a bad way. 

That reminds me of one of Uncle Charles’ (Charles Stanley) favourite sayings: ‘You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow!’ And that’s just how it is in God’s economy.  And the most unwise, no, let’s not clothe it in purple robes, but show it for what it really is; the most stupid and foolish decision this society has so far made is to take God out of our lives; out of our schools and public places! And quite correctly, we are now reaping the consequences of the foolish seed we’ve sown. Just look at our world; at how strife-filled and strife-torn it is; there’s negative upheaval all over the planet; with a new age of dictatorship coming to the fore; while both natural and man made disasters are proliferating like never before! 

Do think this is just happenstance friends? Trust me, it is certainly not! Remember our God moves in mysterious ways, and He has not given up control of His universe, that means His hand can be in anything. Please remember the adversity He brought upon His chosen people, the Israelites, every time they rebelled against Him. Now why wouldn’t He do the same thing with us eh? That brings us to our Bit, which comes from the Song of Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother, after the Lord had ended her barrenness. ‘Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy (arrogance) come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.’ 

And isn’t that the gospel truth my fellow believers! Listen to what the Lord told Samuel later on when He sent him to anoint one of Jesse’s sons and Samuel admired the big, good looking son Eliab. ‘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) Ah mih people what’s wrong with us eh? Why are we so stubborn and hard-headed eh? Why can’t we realize that the Lord’s hand is upon us in our foolish rebellion? 

Please take note of these significant words of the psalmist: ‘Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.’ (Ps.49:20) Oh friends, we’re supposed to be the crème de la crème of God’s creation, but when we reject His solemn word and rebel against His will, then we’re just like the wild beasts who cannot think, and thus perish in their ignorance. And there are so many scriptures that remind us of God’s power and righteousness, as well as man’s foolhardiness. Let’s check out a couple. 

Hear Isaiah, as he talks about Judah, being a sinful nation. ‘The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib (manger or fed trough): But Israel doth not know (understand), my people doth not consider.’ (Is.1:3) Oh friends, it couldn’t be put any better than that nuh! We are indeed a sinful nation, who don’t know where our bread is truly buttered, and sadly, we don’t even consider our actions regarding it. We just blunder ahead foolishly; like a horse with blinkers. And Jeremiah’s words still ring true today: ‘And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.’ (Jer. 9:3) 

Unfortunately, those words bring a sad chuckle to my soul, as we now face a diabolical debate over truth with Trump’s behaviour in the U.S. And Jeremiah continues later on: ‘Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait (inwardly he sets his ambush). Shall I not visit (punish) them for these things? Saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?’ (Jer.9:8-9) Personally, I think the answer to that is a resounding ‘YES!’ And the Lord has already set it in motion with all the adversity that’s happening in the land, despite the overall prosperity. 

Now for us true believers, let’s go home declaring (yeh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the world know who and whose we are. In strong voice and sincere hearts: ‘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 yuh serious, then now is time to go out and share that LOVE and friendship of Jesus with the unfortunate others who don’t know Him! Much LOVE!

…there’s none so blind…as he who refuses to see…