The Importance of Christians understanding why God sought Reconciliation with Man!

30 May 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 May 2026   James 4:4a.

James 4:4a.         Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God?

And then it was Saturday, sunny and warm; our lazy-day Saturday, where we can do exactly as our li’l ole hearts desire, with no one to say us nay! (smile) And doesn’t it feel good! No bosses telling you what to do, as well as constantly looking over your shoulder to see if you’re actually working or simply wasting time. I wish every day could be like this one. That’s why they say that if wishes were horses, all beggars would ride. (smile) And would you believe that it’s already the last day of May, a month that just recently began? (smile) The year is surely slipping by quickly, so we had better perk up and do what needs to be done, before it’s too late.  

And before I forget, let me apologize for my mistake in yesterday’s Bit, where I talked about declaring our Thursday Blessings, when it was Friday, and then rightly declared our Friday Chant instead. And was I ever annoyed when I discovered it, and though I fixed it in the Blog and the Podcast, it was too late to fix it in the original Bit I sent out.

And the only logical reason I can find for that contradiction is my having taken a tablet for my sinuses, which were acting up, and it making me feel somewhat drowsy and lethargic, and thus the ole mind not functioning properly. And what amazes me is that I read it over at least three times before I sent it out, and still never saw the mistake. Anyhow, please forgive me for that error, and I hope it never happens again. But since I’m only human, who knows? (smile)

Now, 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 if our prayer was sincere and heartfelt, then the warmth and peace of God will soon flow into our hearts and souls and calm them so that we can handle the evil and ungodly world that surrounds us. Yes! The Lord God, never refuses a call for intimacy from His human creations. In fact, that’s one of the reasons He created us in the first place. Why do you think He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to die and thus give us the option of forgiveness and salvation, of being reconciled to Him, and thus returning to His wonderful fold?

Because He desired greater intimacy with us, and His heart ached badly, when He saw so many of us had turned away from Him, and embraced Satan and his foolish worldly pleasures. Yes friends, our God was suffering from the heartfelt pangs of unrequited LOVE! And many of us know, either from personal experience or the experience of someone close to us, how devastating unrequited LOVE can be to the human psyche. Ofttimes making one desire death instead of life. And so, we have some idea of how God felt when so many of His wonderful human creation had moved into the enemy’s camp, intent on enjoying the carnal lusts and pleasures that he advertised and revelled in.

But remember what Bruh Paul wrote to the Romans: ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh  cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:6-8) That means if you’re cavorting with Satan, then you’re God’s enemy.  And James tells it like it is, when he declares: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ (James 4:4)  

It could not get any clearer than that my brethren! If we desire to hob nob with the world, then we become God’s enemy, and is set down for eternal separation from Him. And He could not take the heartache of so many of us being eternally separated from Him, so he made a way for us to turn around and come back to Him. Remember, He is the one who can make a way where there seems to be no way. As He promises in Isaiah. ‘Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:19)

Ah mih people, only our omnipotent God could have designed a way for us to turn from enemies to friends, to sons and daughters. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Colossians, when talking about Christ, the Hope of Glory. ‘And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled; In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight:’ (Col. 1:21-22) And the scholars explain: ‘Reconciliation is the act whereby God through Christ’s atonement, brings men who are at odds with Him back into a peaceful, proper relationship with Himself. Jesus’ death is the divine means of achieving reconciliation to God.’

So you see friends, this whole reconciliation business stems from God’s great LOVE for us, and His desire not to lose any of us to the evil enemy. And it only makes sense, that true wisdom dictates living for God rather than for Satan, for Satan’s ultimate end is total destruction or eternal death, while God’s is eternal life.

And as John so rightly warns us 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 forever.’ (1 John 2:15-17)  

Oh my people, what a most appropriate scripture for us to ponder on this lazy-day Saturday, the last day of May, where our world is going nuts with all the evil and ungodliness that it’s currently filled with.  Much LOVE!

make up your mind…you’re either in God’s camp or Satan’s…you can’t ride the fence…

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

God’s Spiritual Armour Needed to Fight our Spiritual War!

14 Jan 2025 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 6:14a.       Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (girded your waist with truth),

So it’s Tuesday, and we have forgotten Monday’s problems, and are instead concentrating on the current ones that Tuesday is bringing, because that’s what Jesus said to do. (smile) ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34b). And the scholars explain: ‘That means each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’  And one of the problems that can and will arise today and every day is that of putting on and keeping on the armour of God which helps us to fight against the deadly attacks of the enemy. 

Now, yesterday we talked about what it meant to put on the armour of God and why it was necessary, today we will delve into exactly what it is. Bruh Paul defines them thus, in his epistle to the Ephesians. ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (girded your waist with truth), and having on the breast plate of righteousness; And your feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’ (Eph. 6:14-17) 

Those are the six pieces of the armour of God, which we should always be clothed in, if we desire to effectively turn away, and eventually conquer the enemy. And what does it all mean? It’s essentially the six pieces of protection that a Roman soldier went into battle with, or any soldier should never go into hand to combat without. It begins with the truth, or knowledge of the truth of God’s Word girded about one’s waist. And per the scholars, ‘The ancient soldier’s loins (waist) were girt about with a leather belt which held most of the other pieces of armour in place. Similarly, the other pieces of the Christian’s armour depend on, and are held in place by, his spiritual “belt” or his knowledge of the “truth” of scripture.’ 

Then the second piece of protection in a soldier’s armoury was his breastplate, a device worn over the torso or chest to protect it from injury. The scholars say that ‘The breastplate of righteousness may be read “the breastplate which is righteousness.” It represents a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the “truth” known produces a godly life (righteousness).’ 

Meanwhile, the third piece of the believer’s armour, the ‘preparation of the gospel of peace, means “eagerness that comes from the gospel of peace.” That is, as the Roman soldier wore special shoes called caligae (heavy-soled hobnailed military sandal-boots) on his feet, enabling him to advance against the enemy, so the Christian must have on his feet (possess) a sense of “eagerness” or “willingness” to advance against the Devil and take the fight to him. Such “eagerness” to contend with Satan “comes from the gospel of peace.” The gospel gives peace to the believer, freeing him from anxiety though he advances against such a powerful opponent.’ That ought to remind us of the old adage; offense is the best part of defense. And that’s oh so true, especially in our spiritual warfare with Satan and his evildoers. 

That brings us to the fourth part of our Godly spiritual armour; The shield of (which is) faith, the handheld protection that a soldier used to protect himself from the arrows launched at him, or from the enemy’s weapons in hand-to-hand combat. As per its spiritual interpretation, the scholars say, ‘it means taking God at His word by believing His promises. Such doubts will protect one from the doubts induced by Satan.’ 

Then there’s the fifth part of the armour, the helmet of salvation. And we know that soldiers going into battle all wear a helmet, or protection for their heads. The scholars put forth that ‘Since the readers are already Christians (Eph. 2:8), they are not here urged to be saved. First Thessalonians 5:8 describes this helmet as “the hope of salvation” that is the certainty (assurance) of salvation.’  

And just because I like to spoil us so much, (smile) I will quote the two references that the scholars gave above. The first about Christians already being saved is a verse we all should know and LOVE, for it’s the very basis of our faith. ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.’ (Eph. 2:8) Please let’s remember that salvation has nothing to do with our works or otherwise, but all to do with God’s great LOVE and compassion for us! And the verse from first Thessalonians about the helmet of salvation, says: ‘But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast plate of faith and LOVE; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.’ (1 Thess. 5:8) 

And finally, the sixth part of our spiritual  armour: ‘The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.’ Now, according to the scholars, ‘The Greek term rendered “word” is not logos, referring to the whole Word of God, but rhema, referring to certain portions or selected verses of Scripture.’ However, when we wield those verses at the enemy, they’re powerful enough to cut them down to size. For remember what the Bible says about God’s word? 

‘For the Word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’ (Heb. 4:12) Yes friends, the Word of our omnipotent God is living, powerful, can cut us down to size, and can judge all of our thoughts and intentions. In other words, we cannot hide from it. 

And that’s the six basic pieces of our spiritual armour. But there’s one more piece that doesn’t pertain to the Roman soldier’s armour. And Bruh Paul reveals it in this later verse. ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph. 6:18) 

Oh my people, all our armour is of no use unless we pray! The scholars tell us that ‘Without prayer God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Because prayer is indispensable!’ And we have to pray whenever Satan attacks, seeking divine aid with the help of the Spirit. Furthermore, we are to be very vigilant in the matter of prayer, and to pray not only for ourselves, but also for all our fellow believers. Because spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’ And there we have it, the whole armour of God, that we need to fight the enemy. So please, let’s study, meditate on it, and put it on, so that we can have God’s protection in this our deadly spiritual war. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 that commitment, we’re 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 do! Much LOVE!

…only dressed in God’s spiritual armour…with the Holy Spirit’s help in prayer…can we win the spiritual war…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 January 2020 Psalm 71:23.​

12 Jan 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 71:23.    My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
 
And another Sunday has dawned; wet and icy and dark in the Greater Toronto Area! We did get that rain storm that was promised, and sincerely hope that it soon peters out to dry weather, because it has caused some damage in several areas. Unfortunately, I know that the inclement weather is going to be used as a convenient excuse not to attend the Lord’s sanctuary today and fellowship with other believers. 

But friends, we’re only doing ourselves a serious injustice when we stay away from church, unless it’s for a very good reason. That’s because we miss the camaraderie, the encouragement, the praise and thanksgiving, and the hearing of the Lord’s uplifting and guiding Word that such fellowship entails, and which allows us to leave the proceedings filled with trust and confidence in our omnipotent God! But to each his own. And as always, we’ll get the celebrations going with a song of praise. 

And today’s song is a wonderful one, officially titled ‘Hymn of Joy,’ but which most of us know as ‘Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,’ from its first line. Apparently it was a poem written by minister Henry van Dyke in 1907, inspired by the beauty of the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts, with the intention of musically setting it to the famous “Ode to Joy” melody of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s final symphony, Symphony No. 9. 

Van Dyke explained the hymn thus: ‘These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this present time—hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thought of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.’ And therefore rather appropriate for today’s gathering! So let’s raise our voices in sweet harmony to heaven, with joy, hope, trust and overwhelming sacrifices of praise in our mouths and our hearts. 

As one awesome choir now: ‘Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day! All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays, Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, Singing bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee. 

Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest! Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, All who live in LOVE are Thine; Teach us how to LOVE each other, Lift us to the joy divine. Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Father LOVE is reigning o’er us, Brother LOVE binds man to man. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us Sunward In the triumph song of life. You bring us joy, joy, joy, We adore thee…You bring us joy, joy, joy, We adore Thee, Lord of mercy and of grace…We adore thee…You bring us joy, joy, joy…’ 

And does our great and wonderful God ever bring us joy by the bucketful my faithful brethren! You also see the amazing sentiments we can glean from merely admiring God’s handwork in nature, making the hymn one of the most joyful in our English language hymnal! Oh, friends, our God is indeed exceptional; exuding trust, LOVE, hope and faithfulness in miraculous and enormous quantities! There is none other like Him in this universe precious people! 

That’s why the psalmist who penned Psalm 71 – A prayer for help in old age – could confidently declare: ‘I will praise thee with the psaltery (lute or lyre), even thy truth (faithfulness), O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they (mine enemies) are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.’ (Ps. 71: 22-24) 

Yeh friends, the old man had seen enough of God’s goodness and mercy in his younger days that he had ho hesitation in placing his utmost trust in Him during the winter of his days! Can we say the same thing? I certainly hope so! And just to stir us up some more, (smile) listen to Bruh David as he offers thanksgiving for God’s mercy. 

‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps.103:1-5) 

Oh friends, it couldn’t be put any simpler and more straightforward than that! God’s goodness to the children of men is so wonderful, and the truth is, we don’t deserve any of it. But that’s the kind of magnanimous God He is! So please, I implore us, today, let’s spend some time pondering on His individual goodness and mercy and grace and forgiveness etc. etc. to us nuh, so that our spirits will be refreshed and our trust renewed, and thus give us the courage and confidence to go out and work diligently and excellently for Christ in this upcoming week. Much LOVE!

…remembering God’s goodness in our lives…raises our trust and faith in Him…