The Overwhelming Importance of Prayer in A Believer’s Life!

05 Jul 2025 Leave a comment

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

Luke 18:1.         And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).

And finally we come to another Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday, where we dare to lie about doing as little as possible, in the opening rounds of refreshing our tired selves and spirits from a mediocre and unpleasant week. And the best way to begin relieving our frustrations is by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth.

So, as one strong voice, let’s pray. ‘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 there’s nothing better at relieving frustrations than seeking intimacy with our heavenly Father, because it lightens our spirits and renews our souls. Remember that eye-opening scripture we read yesterday from the prophet Jeremiah? ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13)

Yes friends, anytime we’re disheartened, discouraged, fearful, worried, lost or even just tired, the best way to relieve our anxieties is by sincerely seeking Jesus in prayer with all of our hearts. souls, bodies and minds. Cousin Sol also offer his two cents worth on the subject in Proverbs, when he writes of the Lord: ‘I LOVE them  that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.’ (Prov. 8:17)

This brings to mind this ever so important verse of the Bible, where it says: ‘And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) Then He told them about the wronged woman who kept seeking justice from the unjust judge, until he finally got tired of her and gave her the justice she desired and deserved.  And prayer, sincere and steadfast must always be number one in our lives.

Look at how often Jesus prayed. Before and after almost every event He went away by Himself to pray, to seek intimacy, strength, renewal and direction from the Father. And this scripture verse on the subject just touches my heart. Mark writes: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)

Now, if Jesus, the Son of God, thought it necessary to make time to be in the Father’s presence, how much more do we, miserable and sinful creations that we are, need to make time to be intimate with our heavenly Father eh? Much, much more! And there are a number of scriptures that do encourage, admonish and exhort us to pray.

So let’s look at a few of them now nuh, beginning with this famous one from Jesus: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8)

And the scholars offer this explanation of those verses. ‘The three imperatives, ask, seek, knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perseverance and frequent prayer. Fervent and continual prayer is to be made on behalf of those for whom we are concerned. God promises to answer all genuine prayer (vs. 8). Everything we need for spiritual success has been promised to us. God leaves us no excuse for failure.’ And that’s something we ought to grab hold of and hold on to quite tightly: we have no excuses for spiritual failure, because God has already given us what we need, and shown us the way to succeed.

Now here is another verse of scripture that encourages us to pray, from Bruh Paul to the Romans. When talking about overcoming evil with good, he says a part of our behaviour to enable us to do that, must be: ‘Rejoicing in hope, patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ (rom. 12:12)

Then to the Ephesians, when talking about the armour of God, Bruh Paul ends with this most important verse. ‘Praying always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for the saints.’ (Eph. 6:18) What he’s saying there is that despite all the godly armour you might have on, prayer is still very important, for without it, the armour won’t work.

And finally, to the Thessalonians, Bruh Paul exhorts them thus: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-18) Yuh see how he throws in that li’l gem in the middle: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ The scholars tell us that means we ought always to have an attitude of prayer, although we might not be praying audibly, and that constant attitude of prayer will help us to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.

No friends, living the Christian life is not easy, definitely not a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park,, but as we saw earlier on, our wonderful God has given us everything we need to live the successful Christian life, so it’s all up to us to delve into His word, meditate and pray on it, then put it into action in our lives. And there’s no better time to begin doing that than right now. So, let’s take some time on this lazy-day Saturday, the first one in July of 2025, and spend it in true and sincere intimacy with our marvellous God. That can only be to our benefit! Much LOVE!

…without prayer…there’s no communication with God…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 November 2022 Matthew 7:7.

12 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 7:7.       Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

So, after our holiday Remembrance Friday, we come to lazy Saturday. And I’m sure many of us are glad that it’s Saturday since we had a rollicking good time yesterday. And why not, with no work and a long weekend ahead? But friends, let’s remember that too much of a good thing stops being good after a while, and can instead turn disastrously bad. And that applies to partying more than many other things. So, as we’ve recently said, it’s best to let Bruh Paul and Jeeves’ advice control our behaviour. The first says, moderation in all things; the second speaks of a modicum of circumspection in all we do. 

And we ought to get that fixed permanently in our souls, because today’s world is one of excess, we overdo everything, take everything to the limit. But that’s a certain formula for trouble. We therefore need to curtail some of our overboard behaviour, if we desire to stay out of trouble. End of Sermon! (smile) 

Now let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.’ Oh, the basic idea might have some truth to it, but nowadays people aren’t afraid to say what they want. I think it’s the exact opposite; they are too quick and bold-faced to say what they want, and even what they are entitled to, because we live in a society that preaches entitlement instead of responsibility. 

But nonetheless, ofttimes we don’t get what we want, because we don’t ask for it. Jesus said to ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) And Jesus doesn’t lie, but there’s one moderator to those statements. You obviously have to be a born-again believer in Christ, but above all, you must ask what’s in the Father’s will. And James further enlightens us, that, ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.’ (James 4:3) Now that’s no lie, since it’s what so many of us really do. 

Anyway, what Jesus is doing there is emphasizing the importance of prayer, which includes asking and getting answers from God. However, as the scholars inform us, ‘prayer is more than just asking; it is confession, adoration, thanksgiving, and fellowshipping with God. By its nature, prayer is talking with God. It is the basis of the successful Christian life, and is so important that not praying is considered a sin (1 Sam. 12:23). Illustration: Jesus pointed out that God heard the prayer of a humble publican (tax-collector) rather than that of a proud Pharisee (Luke 18:14). 

Application: God will answer our prayer when we obey Him (1 John 3:22), confess sin (Ps. 66:18), abide in Christ (John 15:7), ask according to the will of God (1 John 5:14), ask in faith (Mark 11:24), have pure motives (James 4:3), and live peaceably with our mate (1 Pet. 3:7).’ Oh my fellow believers, you see all the things that fall under the simple terms of asking, seeking and knocking! (smile) You’ve a lot of scriptures to look up today, and you can’t claim to not have time, because it’s lazy Saturday, and laziness here doesn’t mean not opening your Bible Library. (smile) I just did, and those reference scriptures are all spot on! 

That brings us to this quote. ‘Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.’ And that’s the gospel truth! Because the only perfect person is, was, and always will be Jesus Christ. And I don’t like the words chase or catch in that sentence, because they seem to give it a sense of rushing and trying to catch something unattainable, when excellence doesn’t need to be chased or caught. It needs to be worked towards and achieved. It’s a continual process, not a hurried action. 

And though Jesus doesn’t expect us to be perfect, since we were not created to be such, He does expect us to be excellent, and to be thus, requires diligence; that’s patience, hard-work, perseverance, strong faith and belief. So, excellence is an integral aspect of working for Jesus. That leads us to this next quote: ‘You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.’ Now that’s somewhat of a laugh, because since we are not perfect, it’s highly unlikely that nothing is impossible in our own strength. 

But there’s one to whom NOTHING is impossible, that’s Jesus Christ! And if we hook up with Him, then, and only then will all things be possible through us. Remember when Jesus spoke to the disciples about a camel passing through a needle’s eye? He told them: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God ALL things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) And that’s the truth in spades my brethren! With our Creator, ALL things are possible, and until we sincerely and truly believe that, we will not see the miracles and the goodness and mercies He wants to do in our lives. 

Then this last quote tells us: ‘When we let fear be our master, we cannot be happy and free as a butterfly. But when we choose to trust the journey and embrace LOVE and joy, we are free to fly.’ Now that is quite true, but the problem is how do we trust the journey and embrace LOVE and joy? And the answer is, ONLY in sincere belief and trust, full surrender to Jesus Christ! Yes, friends, that’s the only way we can ever be free to fly like a butterfly! Remember what the scriptures say in Nehemiah? ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) 

So, without the joy found in the Lord, you cannot have a strong spiritual life. And you can only get the joy of the Lord through Jesus Christ, for He made that quite clear, when He proclaimed: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) That tells us in no uncertain terms that if we want to fly free like a butterfly, we need to put our trust in Jesus, for Hs is the epitome, the personification of JOY and LOVE! You cannot get those two things in this evil and fallen world without having Jesus as the Lord and Master, the Leader, Provider and Guide of your life! 

That says it all my fellow saints. So please, let’s go out today and live for Jesus nuh. Our world is quickly and sadly falling apart and He’s expecting, trusting us to try and keep it together until He returns. Let’s not disappoint Him. Much LOVE!

…only in Jesus…can we be perfect… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ    

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 October 2022 James 5:13.

27 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

James 5:13.        Is any among you afflicted (suffering)? let him pray. Is any merry (cheerful)? let him sing psalms.

Well my Scrip-Bit friends and family, what’s up with you this Thursday autumn morn eh? I sincerely hope that my missive finds you all in good health, and if not, that you are getting good medical help as well as prayer from your fellow believers. For, as James, Jesus’ brother, writes in the Good Book: ‘Is any among you afflicted (suffering)? let him pray. Is any merry (cheerful)? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much.’ (James 5:13-16) And all of that to say, that prayer is also extremely important in the life of a believer when he or she is sick. We all run to the medical people, or the medicine cabinet as soon as we feel somewhat off kilter, but friends, the first place to run is always to Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. 

Now, He might send us to the medicine cabinet or the doctor, but it is ever so important to get Him involved in whatever sickness we are experiencing. For though we have come a long way in terms of medical technology, there are many times when man and man-made medicine can’t cure our illnesses, but Almighty God certainly can, if He so desires. It’s happening all the time around our world, where doctors sign off on patients, claiming they can’t do any more for them, but eventually through faith and prayer they get healed. 

So, it’s not like it doesn’t or can’t happen. Much of the time it’s because we don’t try, that’s ask for divine healing, or we don’t believe that we will get it. Remember Jesus’ admonition. ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt. 7:7) And James corroborates his brother’s words by stating: ‘…ye have not because ye ask not.’ (James 4:2) And even when we ask: ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures) . (James 4:3) So my people, persistent asking, seeking and knocking isn’t always successful unless our motives are right, because God looks at our hearts before He contemplates our pleas. 

Anyway, getting back to our subject of healing through prayer. Here’s what the scholars say on those verses above: ‘One of the Old Testament names of God is Yahweh-Rapha, meaning “The Lord That Heals You” (Ex. 15:26). Illustration: The healing power of God is evidenced in a number of instances in Scripture. God heals by preserving health (Deut. 8:4), and advising good nutritional habits (Ex. 15:26; Lev. 11) and a healthful life-style (Lev. 12-14) and through the application of medical treatment (James 5:14), forgiveness of disease-causing sin (Num. 12:13), and the prayer of faith (James 5:15). 

Application: Although God does not always choose to heal, He sometimes does. When a Christian is sick, he should confess his known sins, and God may heal him if the sickness is caused by sin. He may also be led to ask his elders to anoint him with oil and pray for his healing. Some diseases experienced by Christians today could be prevented by trusting God as Yahweh-Rapha, and allowing Him to deal with those things in their lives causing stress, anger, and worry. (First Ref. Ex. 15:26; Primary Ref. James 5:14-16; cf. Matt. 19:14)’ 

Now, that should certainly give us much food for thought, especially with the way sickness is still paralyzing our world despite our high level of medical technology. And I think it’s imperative to quote this very meaningful verse of scripture that the scholars referenced above. It comes after Moses made bitter water sweet for the Israelites at Marah after all their complaining. He said to them: ‘If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.’ (Ex. 15:26) 

Now, that should give us even more food for thought. Remember all the plagues that the Lord sent down on Egypt because Pharaoh refused to set the Israelites free? Like the plague of blood, where all the water in Egypt was turned to blood, the plagues of frogs, of lice, of boils, of darkness, the death of the first born of every Egyptian family, which led to the Jewish Passover, still celebrated to this day, because Jehovah Rapha saved the sons of the Israelites by getting them to put the blood of an unblemished lamb on the lintels of their doors, and the angel of death ‘passed over’ those doors that had blood on them. 

Consequently, for argument’s sake my brethren, let’s look at the kind of life we are currently living; sinful, disobedient, idol worshipping, denying the authority, even the existence of Almighty God, then put that in context with what Moses said to the Israelites. Isn’t it highly likely, very logical, that a lot of our problems stem from our sinful, disobedient, ungodly behaviour? It surely is! But the only way to find out is if we turned back to Jehovah God, He of many, many wonderful attributes, especially those of grace, mercy and forgiveness. It’s high time we revert to godliness, because our current behaviour is getting us nowhere, but destruction. 

And I believe this verse of scripture should also be very instructive in our thoughts and ponderings. It comes after Cousin Sol built the first temple in Jerusalem dedicated to the God of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Lord said unto Cousin Sol in a night vision: ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’ (2 Chr. 7:14) 

There again my fellow believers, it’s clearly spelled out that God requires righteous and goldy behaviour from us, strong and true belief in Him and His glorious power, constant communication with Him, and obedience to His will and Word. And any society that’s lacking in those requirements will never truly prosper. We can deny it all we want in this new age of supposed human renaissance, but the truth still remains that if we don’t serve our Creator, Almighty God, the way He desires, we won’t have a joyful or prosperous society. 

And what’s so sad is that despite trying all our man-made solutions, which any fool can see aren’t working, we still refuse to try a return to God’s fold. But as they say, we reap what we sow. And that’s the gospel truth, as we are indeed reaping the strife, sickness, and economic problems of our ungodly behaviour. But for those of us who are still hanging in there, trying to fight the good fight, the Lord has bestowed many undeserved blessings on us, what we call our Thursday Blessings, tools to help us do His earthly work. However, they need to be declared so that they can be activated. 

So as one strong and sincere voice, let’s declare them right now. ‘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 time for us to go out and use those divine blessings to bring others to Christ. Much LOVE!

…the wages of sin is death…so why the surprise at the dying of our sinful society… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 January 2022 Psalm 34:4.

02 Jan 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 34:4.      I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 

Here it is friends, the first Sunday of this new year of 2022! And although we still can’t worship with the freedom and gay abandon that we once did, with the Lord’s help, we’ve found technological ways to keep on worshipping individually, while gathering in small Covid regulated groups for corporate worship. But regardless of how we do it, the important thing is that we are still worshipping despite the many constraints and restrictions placed upon us. 

And today, this first Sunday of the new year, we are going to open with a most appropriate song, one of the most remarkable and beautiful songs of this century. We are talking about the reworking by Shane Barnard of the first ten verses of Bruh David’s famous Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous. And that He certainly does my people! Barnard subtitled his song ‘O taste and see that the Lord is good,’ and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has done a wonderful version of it. 

Every time I see the live video of it, my spirit gets a miraculous lift. As one comment on the performance says: ‘Every time I listen to this song, I imagine myself along with all the other saints in heaven worshipping. This song carries a strong anointing. You can feel the presence of the heavenly hosts.’ And that’s no lie. So, a la the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, let’s raise our voices in sacrificial praise, let’s magnify and exalt the Lord’s holy name together, letting Him know that this year we are determined to be more faithful than we were in 2021. 

From the depths of our hearts and souls then: ‘I sought the Lord And He answered me And delivered me From every fear. Those who look on Him Are radiant They’ll never be ashamed They’ll never be ashamed. This poor man cried And the Lord heard me And saved me from My enemies. The Son of God Surrounds His saints He will deliver them He will deliver them. 

Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever. Oh taste and see That the Lord is good Oh blessed is he Who hides in Him. Oh fear the Lord Oh all you saints He’ll give you everything He’ll give you everything. (Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever. Repeat) 

(Let us bless the Lord Every day and night Never ending praise May our incense rise. Repeat 4 times) Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever. {Repeat} Oh taste and see That the Lord is good. He’ll give you everything He’ll give you everything. Oh taste and see That the Lord is good. He’ll give you everything He’ll give you everything. …He’ll give you everything…’ 

Oh my people, that was just wonderful! We were almost as good as the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir! (smile) Wow! Heaven knows now that we are serious about worshipping our great God. And a couple more accolades for the BTC, are in order here. One says: ‘I just imagine being in heaven worshipping with this magnificent choir, just magnifying our great God! Hallelujah!!’ 

And the other declares: ‘The worship that the people utter after the song is like Heaven, every race, every tongue raising up their voices in one accord unto The King of Kings.’ But you know what grabs me most about the whole performance is the way the musicians get into the song. You can see that they are truly feeling it. And that to me is what makes it so lively and enchanting, for when musicians really feel what they play, it just lifts the entire performance. 

And the whole psalm is based on Bruh David’s simple but heart felt words: ‘I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’ (Ps. 34:4) Yes friends, that’s what sincerely seeking the Lord can do. And we know that’s what Bruh David did for his whole life, despite the many mistakes he made, and the Lord blessed him continually. 

Now the prophet Azariah also made a similar claim to the people of Israel on one of the occasions when they had turned away from the God of their forefathers and found themselves in serious trouble. The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, (the pious and faithful king who was sincerely trying to clean up Israel’s idolatrous behaviour) and said unto him, 

Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest (prophet), and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.’ (2 Chr. 15:1-4) 

Yuh see that mih bredrin? Although Israel had forsaken the Lord, when they turned back to Him in time of trouble, they found Him, and He released their fear. So what does that tell us in this current time of great fear and ungodliness eh? It’s simple and so apparent: we need to turn back to the God of our forefathers and ask for His help. But very few of us, comparatively speaking are even looking to the Lord for help in these turbulent, fearful and very disruptive times. 

And listen to Bruh David’s advice from Psalm 9 nuh. ‘The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ (Ps. 9:9-10) Oh my people, it couldn’t be any plainer or more straightforward than that! In times of trouble the Lord God Almighty is our surest refuge, the best place to turn to for help! So why aren’t we turning to Him in greater numbers eh? 

Because we are too hard-headed, proud and stubborn, and like to do our own thing, even though it’s not working. But please remember these wise words of Jesus: ‘And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Luke 11:9-10) 

And I believe that’s a good place for us to end today. But please my fellow saints, let’s not forget that though this is a new year, nothing has really changed, just some digits on our computers and papers. We still have a host of problems to deal with and changing a date won’t solve them. The only thing that will, is for our society to sincerely turn back to Jesus Christ, and all that He stands for! Much LOVE!

…to Christ be the honour…to Christ be the glory…for all that He’s done for mankind… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 March 2021 John 10:10b.

27 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 10:10b.     ​I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

So it’s finally Saturday, and we’re either sleeping in, getting ready to do piled up household chores, or getting ready to go out and do the grocery shopping that we also couldn’t do during the work week. But whatever it is we’re doing, even if it’s just nothing, please remember that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is always right there with us, leading, guiding, encouraging and LOVING us, through the indwelling power of His amazing Holy Spirit! 

And for that, we ought to be eternally grateful, because no other faith is guaranteed what we Christians have: the LOVE, mercy and grace of Jesus, that brings forgiveness of sins, and eventually leads to eternal life in heaven with Him. We indeed have the best of all worlds! So let’s give sincere thanks and do our best to walk holy as we go about His business today nuh, so that others can see Christ in us and be encouraged to come to Him, because that’s what He desires of us, His ambassadors, His agents, His foot soldiers! And all God’s children said ‘Amen!’ 

Now let’s look at the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘If you do not change direction, you might end up where you are heading.’ Yes friends, you can be pretty sure that if you don’t veer away from your current direction, you will end up where it’s leading. For you certainly can’t be going in one particular direction and expect to end up other than where it’s headed. 

Consequently, this next quote puts it all into the proper perspective. ‘We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea.’ And that’s the gospel truth! Too many of us prefer to stay in our comfort zone rather than step out of it and risk disappointment or trouble. But trouble and disappointment can, and will find you wherever you are. That’s for sure. 

The problem with staying securely in your comfort zone is that you will never really see the beauty and treasures that life really holds. That’s because life only opens up to those who truly seek it, who step out and look for it. Remember what Jesus said: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt. 7:7) Yes my people, that’s also what life expects of us; to come seeking it. All its beauty and treasures won’t just drop in your lap if you stay safe and comfortable. The same thing goes for our Christian beliefs; we have to step out and show others Christ in us. 

And that brings us to this next quote: ‘The changes we dread most may contain our salvation.’ Now that’s no lie my brethren! Ofttimes, the change(s) we are most afraid of are the ones which hold the best end result for us. But that’s just life; the best things are usually the hardest to do and achieve. For whatever reason, life just doesn’t do easy as much as we would like it to. So we can’t run from it, if we want to enjoy it. We have to join the fray; get involved, handle whatever comes against us with a good attitude, with God’s help obviously. 

It’s the only way to live the abundant life that Christ says He came and died for us to have. And if you don’t believe me, listen to Him tell it. ‘The thief (that’s Satan) cometh not but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) And that abundant life is one filled with a heavenly perspective, trusting and surrendering to Jesus, walking in the Spirit, and letting its fruit blossom forth in our lives as we journey on to heaven and eternal life. And we can only do that if we are not afraid of change. 

So we move on to the next quote that says: ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’ And that’s true to a great extent since life changes whether we want it to or not. For example, we grow older and more infirm every day, although we don’t want to. (smile) But the ones who handle aging the best are those who realize the predicament and make the necessary changes so that they can still be productive. You eat as healthily as possible, get as much exercise as possible, pray and show LOVE as much as possible. 

Now that doesn’t mean we must change just for change’s sake. And that’s why I have an issue with our last quote. ‘We must be impatient for change. Let us remember that our voice is a precious gift and we must use it.’ I thoroughly disagree with the first statement. We should not be impatient for change, because all change is not necessarily good or timely change. And that’s one of the major problems in our world right now: everybody’s hollering for change! But look at all the problems that change has caused us in the last little while nuh, especially with the worldwide explosion of social media, where so much negative stuff is now being disseminated. 

Change is good to the extent that it improves our lives, and that does not mean making us fat or fatter and lazier, as has been the case in the last few years. We have so many helpmates nowadays, that we end up doing very little for ourselves, and that’s no good for the species, for as the saying goes, ‘if you don’t use, it you’re going to lose it.’ And that’s exactly what’s been happening to the human race. We haven’t been using all of our faculties and bodies, thus we are steadily losing the ability to function without all of our helpmates. 

And with the hasty pursuit of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) we’ll soon lose even more, as we are required to do even less. You can see it already in platforms like what’s app, where after a few messages, they can almost write one for you. So, soon, we won’t even have to think any more, the machines will be doing it for us. And what do you think will happen to our minds and brains eh? They’ll simply atrophy. We’ll lose the ability to use them. Now is that what we desire for our species? Certainly not! 

Too much easy life is no good. That’s why societies fall into disarray and ruin, after having reached a pinnacle of work and productivity. Then they just sit on their fannies and enjoy the good life. But if everyone does that, the society crumbles. Life is strange that way. We work hard to rise to the heights, and when we get there, thinking there’s nothing left to achieve, we just allow it to fall apart. 

But that’s not what Jesus expects of his people, of His church my brethren! Our voices are precious, and He expects us to use them to be productive on His behalf right to the very end, even to our last breath, encouraging others to come to Him. So please my fellow believers, let’s stand up strong for Jesus nuh! Let’s allow our voices to be heard loud and clear for what we believe in, and don’t pursue change just for the sake of change. It’s not good for our species, or what God desires for us. Much LOVE!

…change is necessary…but not all change is good… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 March 2021 Jeremiah 29:13.

22 Mar 2021 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.

Rise and shine mih beauties! It’s another awesome day in God’s great universe! Blazing sunshine and warm temps! (smile) And be it known that His universe is unfurling exactly as He has planned it; with all sorts of new compassions and mercies made just for today! Wow! Yes friends, in God’s economy we don’t get any stale stuff, everything is brand new every day! (smile) 

But with those divine blessings, He does expect our faith and trust in Him, to grow with each passing day, and our total surrender of our will to His, just like Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His crucifixion. ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except (unless) I drink it, thy will be done.’ (Matt. 26:42) 

Now that’s the kind of spiritual maturity that our God desires of each of us! Our faith and trust in Him must be so strong that we don’t doubt whatever plan He has in mind for us, knowing deep down that it will indeed be a good one, even though it may be filled with some rough times thrown in for good measure. (smile) Yes precious people, when we truly believe, we don’t doubt the goodness of God towards us. 

The following scriptures faithfully promise us His fatherly goodness and LOVE. Hear Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Oh mih bredrin, God is in the process of working everything out for good, but those of us who are called to do His bidding, and who LOVE Him no matter what, are best able to appreciate that fact. 

Meanwhile Jeremiah puts it this way to God’s chosen people of Israel, while they were held captive in Babylon. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) 

And Jesus, while teaching on judgemental behaviour and prayer, wraps it up thus: ‘Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?’ (Matt. 9-11) 

Yes my people, if we with our sinful nature are kind to our children, why wouldn’t our heavenly Father be kind to us eh? No reason whatsoever! But it all boils down to our coming to Him in sincerity and truth. As Jesus said earlier on: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) Words of divine wisdom friends! 

But we didn’t even need Jesus to tell us that nuh, because Jeremiah had said it long before that on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) Oh my fellow saints, how much clearer and plainer can our God put it eh? He has good plans and gifts for us, but we need to sincerely seek Him with hearts whose motives are pure. Then we’ll find Him, and He’ll listen to our requests. 

And the author of Hebrews tells us very clearly that because we have a high priest in Jesus up in heaven who can empathize with all our weaknesses, because He also suffered serious affliction: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) 

And the website christiantoday.com has an interesting article that gives us this very appropriate info. ‘The Bible encourages, even urges us to come boldly to the throne of grace, most especially for mercy and grace that we will need in trying times. Many of us know that we should do that, but many of us don’t, because we either don’t know how, or perhaps just feel like we cannot do that even if we wanted to. 

Whenever we refuse to come boldly before the throne, we deprive ourselves of our own needs. We deprive ourselves of the privileges that were already purchased for us. We deny ourselves the joy of coming to our own Father who LOVES us, waits for us to come, and longs to bless us with all the heavenly blessings in Christ (see Ephesians 1:3).’ 

Truer words were never spoken friends. So, in these ever so trying times that we’re currently experiencing, since our efforts have not met with any success, let’s go to God nuh, let’s seek Him with sincere and pure hearts, because deep down we know that we can’t do much without His divine help. And we have the perfect vehicle for that sincere gesture, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

So confidently, yet humbly, as one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the many natural disasters that now seem more prevalent than ever. 

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 to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, 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!’ 

Now our next move is to prove to God that we are truly sincere, not just mouthing empty words. And as believers in Christ, we all know how to do that! Much LOVE!

…our heavenly Father has already come to us…through Jesus…now He’s waiting for us to come to Him…through Jesus… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 August 2017 Psalm 34:4.

18 Aug 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 34:4.   I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Oh friends, oh friends, it’s here; Friday, the great leveller! For no matter what your persuasion or position, Friday plays an important part in all our lives. 

Whether you’re rich or poor, black, white, or any shade in between, we all have this affinity for Friday because it marks the start of the weekend, and the Jewish brethren consider it the start of their Sabbath. So Fridays are special in some form or the other. 

That’s why the workingman, with a couple of days off from work, makes a big to-do about it, crying out to all and sundry: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! That means the weekend is here! Yes mih breddren, the weekend, the weekend! 

That is we time to party and do what we want, with no massa constantly watching over we shoulder to see if we doing his hard, dirty, menial work for li’l pay. Party time people! Party time is here at last! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend oui!’ 

And you really can’t blame the ordinary working person for feeling that way, because life is indeed getting rougher and more impersonal, but that response is definitely overdoing it. 

As believers in Christ, we can’t just let go like leggo-beast, although it’s very appealing. (smile) We must observe some sort of decorum, with definite boundaries to our behaviour. That’s why our Friday Chant is a much more fitting declaration for believers. 

Please declare it with me now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. 

Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ 

Yes my fellow believers, the weekend is indeed a time for some fun and frolic, but it also means resting, renewing and refreshing ourselves, with some praise and worship included, so that we can positively handle the upcoming week. 

That brings us to our Bit: ‘I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’ Ah mih people, that’s the glory and wisdom of believing in Almighty God! When we truly seek Him, He can do such wonderful and marvellous things in our lives. 

Bruh David proudly and positively proclaims in the psalm: ‘The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want (lack) to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want (lack) any good thing.’ (Ps.34:7-10) 

Oh friends, how good and how pleasant it is to seek the Lord and to trust totally in Him! There is no want or lack or fear to those who sincerely reverence Him! So why aren’t more people seeking and reverencing our Creator, Controller and heavenly Father eh? 

It’s certainly mind-boggling to see us all trying to go our own way and do our own thing, following the foolish and unwise wisdom of the world and suffering defeat and rejection, sorrow and pain every time. 

That unsuccessful, do-it-yourself, or as the world does attitude and belief is very heart-breaking, especially when we have true and faithful affirmations from God’s Son, our Saviour and Redeemer, who sacrificed His life for us on the cross at Calvary. 

Listen to these true and encouraging words from the Master nuh, as He teaches about prayer. ‘And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall opened. 

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?’ (Matt.7:7-11) 

Ah mih people, since Jesus is incapable of lying, why don’t more people believe and live for Him eh? That’s a billion dollar question which I can’t answer, but I know that me and mine are certainly going to do so. 

Now here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘7:7-10. The three imperatives ask, seek, and knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perseverance and frequent prayer. 

Fervent and continual prayer is to be made on behalf of those for whom we are concerned. God promises to answer all genuine prayer (vs.8). Everything we need for spiritual success has been promised to us. God leaves us no excuse for failure.’ 

And that’s exactly how it should be with a Deity of such power and magnitude! Yeh friends, as Jesus so powerfully reasons; if we, with our natural sinful nature can give good gifts to our children, why wouldn’t our holy and sinless and magnanimous heavenly Father give us good gifts if we genuinely seek and reverence Him eh? No reason whatsoever! 

So let’s ponder it all today nuh, and see the wisdom in Jesus’ words and put them into practice, for it is to OUR great benefit, no one else’s. Much LOVE!

…following Jesus…and sincerely seeking the Father…is a no-brainer for the wise  amongst us…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 October 2015 Proverbs 8:17

17 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 8:17.      I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) will find me.

And then it was Saturday…. and I don’t have clue as to what I’m going to write about. (smile) But that’s where my faith comes in. I know that eventually the Lord through His Holy Spirit which indwells me, will point the way to whatever He desires me to write about. 

And I can be sure of this because it has happened often enough before, and the Lord has never let me down yet. So why should He now eh? I am trying to write about His Word, spread it all over the world as Jesus detailed His disciples to do, (Matt.28:19-20) so why would He leave me in the lurch eh, where I have nothing sensible and substantial to say to my readers, His true and sincere followers?  

Oh Friends, there are so many promises in God’s Word that we should want for nothing, once it is within His will! And this promise suddenly came to mind: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt.7:7-8) 

And I did just that my brethren…I asked, I knocked and I sought. And all of a sudden I was bombarded with all sorts of useful scripture! Oh glory to God! But now I have a different problem; hn, hn! I have so many options that I don’t know which to choose. 

But we’ll deal with that later, right now I want to share a quote from our Friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And this one says: ‘There will always be a reason why you meet people. Either you need them to change your life or you’re the one that will change theirs.’ And that’s indisputable truth my people. 

As they say, some people come into our lives for a reason, a season or an entire lifetime, but there’s always a reason why. And I can think of several people who came into my life just at the right time, either to help me change, or for me to help them change. And if you go to see the movie that I told you about earlier this week ‘War Room,’ the very truth of that quote will be driven home to you. 

And if you scrutinize your own lives, you’ll see that there are some people who just drop in for a short time, while others spend a little longer, while others will be associated with you for the long haul. But they each serve a purpose, regardless of the time they spend in your life. 

So please don’t feel too badly if people you like or are useful to you don’t stick around for long. Once their time is done, they have to move on. It’s a little harder though to handle those who seem to stick around long past their due date. (smile) But count it all as God’s mysterious working. 

Now here’s our Bit, from the Proverbs of Cousin Sol. ‘I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) will find me.’ There’s absolutely no doubt about any of that my Friends! 

Now the Lord LOVES all of us basically the same, but He does tend to gravitate towards, or to specially bless those who sincerely LOVE Him, and those who diligently seek Him, will always find Him. That’s what He’s been saying from the very beginning of time, but we’re always too busy to listen, and too taken up with the foolishness of this world to pay any attention to Him. 

Here’s what He said through Jeremiah, re the promise of Israel’s return from captivity in Babylon. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. 

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away (bring you back from) your captivity, and will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up (raised up for us) prophets in Babylon.’ (Jer.29:11- 15) 

Oh Friends, it’s so simple. Israel was God’s chosen people, but they disobeyed His word and followed after other Gods of the heathen, so He had them taken away captive to Babylon, promising that after seventy years He would cause them to return to Israel. So why are we today still insisting on worshipping false gods and idols eh, and not the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? 

If he could punish His chosen people for their disobedience, why wouldn’t He do the same to us eh, especially after He has warned us so often? That punishment is in the offing my people because it doesn’t seem like we understand that God is not joking, and we are wallowing mirthfully in disobedience, following the foolish ways of the world. 

Now here is a seminal piece of scripture Friends, re the Lord’s covenant with Cousin Sol at the dedication of the temple. ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent (attentive) unto the prayer that is made in this place.’ (2 Chr.7:14-15) 

And the scholars put those verses into proper perspective for today. ‘7:14-15. While this promise was originally given to Solomon regarding the people of Israel, it is certainly applicable to all who will call on the Lord in repentance and faith. These verses stand as a high expression of God’s LOVING readiness to hear the prayers of a repentant people (cf. 6:37-39; James 4:8-10).’ 

There’s only one thing left to be said my brethren; that we desperately need to turn back to Jehovah God in repentance and faith, if we want to escape the calamity that will eventually befall us if we keep living in prideful disobedience to our Creator. It’s simple wisdom, but unfortunately man doesn’t seem to deal in that. Much LOVE!

…the first time was water…the next time will be…fire and brimstone…so let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh people…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 September 2015 Psalm 119:81

26 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.

Oh Friends, another sun fest is expected in my area this Saturday morning! Glory to God! And on top of that I did not read my name in the obits this morning either. Wow! That means I am still alive on God’s great earth with work to do for Him. What a marvelous privilege to work for Jesus! 

And you know what? When we work for Jesus we enjoy the time, even though some of the tasks might be difficult, painful and inconvenient. Mama Mia! What a great Master He is to work for because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. (Matt.11:30) Yes my people, Jesus is the only employer that calls the toiling and heavy laden unto Him, so that He can teach them and give them rest for their weary souls. (Matt.11:28-29) 

Now why wouldn’t you want to work for such a caring and compassionate employer eh? I really don’t know and can’t find a good explanation for the reticence, especially since the majority of our earthly employers are greedy, selfish, power hungry, slave masters. That puts me in mind of the quote I got today from our friend Anselm, who is always aspiring to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

And the quote says: ‘Some people are just plain old negative so stop trying to convert them. When they are ready to graduate to the next level you’ll see the change in them the way they saw your light shining. Until then, live in your bubble of happiness and stop sharing your dreams with dream killers.’ 

Now there is a lot of truth there, because some of us are so ignorant, stubborn and negative that it doesn’t make sense to try and show them a better way, to tell them about the good news of Jesus, and continuing to spend time with them only frustrates us. Once we have shared the Word with them and see their negative response, it’s truly better to leave them to God and just enjoy our own journey with Christ, let them see from our lifestyle how joyful we are in Jesus; being the salt of the earth and shining like the light of the world.  

As James says, faith without works is useless, is dead. (James 2:17-18)  And unfortunately today our Christian walk truly lacks Christian works. That’s why so many people laugh and jeer at us and don’t have time for Jesus. And why should they if we’re not performing as we should? This world could be such a beautiful place if believers in Jesus behaved just a tad more Christ-like. 

And that doesn’t mean holier than thou, but simply by doing good as Jesus did; sharing and caring for the poor, downtrodden and destitute, of which there are far too many in our world. Enough preaching though, (smile) let’s turn to our Bit from Psalm 119, under the section CAPH – All thy commandments are faithful. 

And they definitely are my brethren, that’s why the psalmist confidently declares: ‘My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.’ What trust and confidence the psalmist has in the word of the God of his forefathers! 

Oh Friends, do we possess that high level of trust and confidence to day in Jehovah God? I sincerely doubt it. Otherwise we would not be behaving as wishy-washy, resentful and contentious as we are, while trying to run Him out of our society. 

Listen as the psalmist continues his plea. ‘Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? For I am become like a bottle (wineskin) in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes. How many are the days of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgement on them that persecute me? The proud have digged pits (dug pits, laid traps) for me, which are not after (according to) thy law. 

All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. They had almost consumed me (made and end of me) upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. Quicken me after (revive me according to) thy LOVING-kindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.’ (Ps.119:82-88) 

Yes my brethren, though life seemed to be pretty rough with the psalmist, nonetheless throughout all his pleading, he never once doubted or gave up on the Lord and His Word…’yet do not I forget thy statutes…but I forsook not thy precepts…’ 

Oh my people, if only our faith in the Most High God today was so strong and incorruptible! But sadly it isn’t, for our generation doesn’t  seem to have the parts, the belly and backbone to stand up to the enemy the way we ought to. No wonder every day they are taking away more of our godly and Christian rights, rites and ways. Meanwhile we just mutter and complain and do nothing about it. 

I’m sure Jesus must be sorely disappointed to see how we are simply lying down before the pagan onslaught and not putting up a more serious fight. Please remember Friends, the battle has already been won, victory is ours, for Christ has conquered hell, death, Lucifer and the grave! 

We just have to stand strong now and see the war through until Jesus returns in all His glory, power and splendour. But for whatever reason, we seem incapable of doing that. We don’t seem to have the longing for God that the older folks did. 

And we’ll close with some most appropriate words from Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God. ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after (longs for) 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’s how we ought to be longing for the Lord our God; so much that we can’t wait to come before Him. Now let’s see if we can’t sit down today and begin that process nuh, that soulful longing for our Creator, by seriously and sincerely inspecting our souls, see where we may be found wanting and ask the Father to help us change our somewhat negative, less than stellar approach. You know He will always help us, so please don’t be afraid to ask for it, since it is the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!

…ask, and it shall be given you…seek, and ye shall find…knock, and it shall be opened unto you…  (Matt.7:7)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 January 2015 Psalm 3:4

27 Jan 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 3:4.   I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.   Selah.

Oh Friends, yesterday was indeed a rough day! I haven’t had one like that for a long while, and in truth, I don’t want to have another one for an even longer while! (smile) I guess though, that I was due for one of those rough and miserable days.

But the reality Friends, is that today is Tuesday; a brand new day, and I’m certainly looking forward to the brand new mercies and new blessings which the Lord prepares for us every day!

I’m still tired and a tad woozy (smile) but I am feeling better, although I could not get up to write an early Bit. However, I am waiting with hungry hope and expectant faith for all the good things that the Lord has in store for me today, and I would strongly advise that you do the same thing too.

And believe me, that first cup of java, tinged with some cough syrup, is certainly going down warm and soothing on the chest! (smile) Let the naysayers say what they want, but you can’t beat a hot cup of coffee on any morning, especially a cold one, and it is cold an snowy by me.

But enough of my woes, you have your own to contend with, and the only thing that’s going to help either of us, is reaching out to our Creator, our Healer, our Heavenly Father and generous Provider; the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

So let’s do that nuh. Please pray with me. ‘Heavenly Father, our be all and end all, Your grateful children come to you this morning bearing heavy burdens that we cannot carry. We sincerely ask for Your help, either for strength to bear them, or for Your LOVING-kindness to lessen and lighten our load.

We’re doing our best, but You know we can’t do much in our own strength, that’s why we’re looking to You this morning for grace, mercy and succour in our time of need.

We LOVE and adore You, and give You thanks and praise in our own simple way, and ask that You lead and guide us safely and wisely on this blessed day, as we make our way through this fallen world, trying to do Your holy will.

This we pray, in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose precious blood that was shed at Calvary, enables us to confidently come to You with our petitions. Thank You father. Amen.’

And you know what my people? If you sincerely prayed that prayer, I truly believe that our gracious Father in heaven heard it, and is right now getting ready to act on it on all our behalves! So let’s all look forward to a brighter day! Glory to God for His goodness to the undeserving children of men!

And rather appropriately, here is my friend Anselm’s quote from yesterday that inspires for a better tomorrow. ‘An attitude of positive expectation is the mark of a superior personality.’

And that’s no lie, my brethren, for all successful achievers have a positive attitude and outlook on life! Our Bit today is also rather appropriate. It comes from Psalm 3, Bruh David’s prayer of confidence in God. ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.   Selah.’

And that’s exactly what we did earlier on my people; we cried out to our ever-generous God for help and succour in these very trying and needful times.

We have that option because we are believers in Jesus Christ, which has made us new creations, with the freedom to approach God’s holy throne of grace, since we are now reconciled to Him once more. We are now His saved children, joint heirs with Christ in the kingdom.

And all God’s children declared a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All praise to the Lamb that was slain for us, so that we could get back into the Father’s good graces!’

By the way, the second cup of caffeine is going down just as good as the first! (smile)

Now let’s look at a couple of scriptures that reinforce our Bit. And we’ll begin with the verses right after it. ‘I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3:5-6)

Oh Friends, I do hope that we can all say those things in sincerity, because until we can, we will always be fearful and anxious about our lives.

And from way back when, comes this warning of the prophet Azariah. ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: and he went out to meet (before) Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.’ (2 Chr.15:1-2)

Now my brethren, the matter couldn’t be stated any simpler or more straightforward than that! It’s up to us to look for God.

And we’ll end with these famous words of Christ that convey the same basic message. ‘And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Luke 11:9-10)

Yes Friends, it’s time we start seeking, asking, and knocking, if we want to enjoy God’s goodness! That’s heavenly wisdom! Much LOVE!

…to be successful…one must seek the Giver of success…Almighty God… 

P.S. Please be forewarned that tomorrow’s Bit may be even later than today’s because I have some stuff to do out of town that will push my whole schedule back. But please wait with baited breath, because it will be good – as always. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

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