20 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a beautiful autumn day, attained the goal, be enthusiastic about the success of others, be kindly affectioned one to another, be likeminded, be of good cheer, be so strong, be too large for worry, being made conformable to his death, being of one accord, Christian D. Larson, climate change, come to know and love him like we do, crazy times we're living in, divine commendation, don't have to worry, don't have to hurry, duty bound, every man on the things of others, faith, finished my course, finished my race, for the prize of the high calling in God, for the prize of the high calling of God, forget the mistakes of the past, forgetting those things which are behind, fought a good fight, fulfil ye my joy, give every living creature you meet a smile, God's promises are certain, having the same love, holy spirit, I count not myself to be apprehended, i have overcome the world, I press toward the mark, in god's eyes, in honour preferring one another, in lowliness of mind, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Indian summer, Jesus Christ, keep and guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, keep us on the straight and narrow path, let each esteem the other better than themselves, let not your heart be troubled, let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel, look at the sunny side of everything, look not every man on his own things, LOVE, make all your friends feel there is something in them, make your optimism come true, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, nothing can dusturb your peace of mind, of one mind, Peace i leave with you, press on to greater achievements, promise yourself, promises to ourselves can only be kept by following God's word, reaching forth unto those things which are before, rejoice with them that do rejoice, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share Jesus' amazing love and friendship with others, sharing each other's sorrows, talk health happiness and prosperity to everyone, that I may know him, the basic foundations of our Christian faith, the beloved of God, the Christian lifestyle, the divine summons extended to the believer for salvation, the fellowship of his sufferings, the peace that passes all understanding, the personal staisfaction of attaining one's goal, the power of his resurrection, the righteous judge, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, these things I have spoken unto you, this one thing I do, too happy to permit the presence of trouble, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unto all them that love his appearing, wear a cheerful countenance at all times, weep with them that weep, wisdom, with brotherly love
Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 October 2026 Philippians 3:14.
Philippians 3:14. I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Ah mih people, I don’t know what’s happening, and I’m not complaining, but it’s another beautiful, sunshiny, warm day in my neighbourhood! Yes, it’s a Tuesday, twenty days into the month of October and the temperature is in the high teens. Wow! I just went out side at midday, and held my head up to the sun and received a burst of it’s glorious heat. I don’t know if this is only what’s called Indian Summer, or if it’s a direct result of climate change, but I’ll take it any time over the cold weather.
And on such a autumn beautiful day, we need something interesting and uplifting to talk about, so here’s this poem from Christian D. Larson, simply titled, ‘Promise Yourself.’ And though I’ve shared it before, in these crazy times in which we’re currently living, it’s certainly worth sharing again. So please read and promise with me: ‘To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.’
And all God’s children said a loud and proud ‘Amen!’ to that! Yes, because doing those things listed above will keep us on the straight and narrow path most of the time, for they are the basic foundations of our Christian faith. And if you don’t believe me, let’s look at a few of the things the poem advocates and see how they fit into our Christian lifestyle. Right off the bat, it tells us to be so strong that nothing can disturb our peace of mind. Now that dovetails very nicely with what Jesus tells us: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Then later on, Jesus further exhorts us by saying: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Obviously friends, Jesus wanted us to have peace in this troubled world, and the best peace there is, is the one that comes from Him. As Bruh Paul says in Philippians; ‘the peace that passes all understanding, which shall keep and guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7)
And, as being enthusiastic about the success of others as ourselves, there are several scriptures that refer to jealousy and looking out for others. Like Bruh Paul says in Philippians. ‘Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded having the same LOVE, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but also every man on the things (interests) of others.’ (Phil. 2:2-4)
Then there are also a couple of scriptures from Romans that deal with the topic. Bruh Paul writes: ‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another… Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.’ (Rom. 12:10 &15) Those verses definitely show that we should honour each other and appreciate each other’s success as well as sharing their sorrows.
After that, the poem talks about forgetting our past mistakes and pressing on to greater achievements of the future. Now, there’s no better scripture to describe that this one from Bruh Paul to the Philippians, where he excitedly declares: ‘Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended (attained his goal): but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth (forward) unto those things which are before (ahead), I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:13-14)
And according to the scholars, ‘The mark is the objective of verses 10 and 11 (i.e., knowing Christ). The prize is the joyful personal satisfaction of having attained it, as well as the divine commendation and reward granted in heaven for having reached this goal on earth. The high calling of God is the divine summons extended to the believer for salvation.’ So you see our greatest goal is knowing Christ. Or as Bruh Paul puts it: ‘That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.’ (Phil. 3:10)
And when we set our goal to know Jesus, then at the end we can say like Bruh Paul did to Timothy. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that LOVE His appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:7-8) Ah friends, what a blessed day it will be when the Lord, the righteous judge gives us our crown of righteousness. But right now we must concentrate on fighting the good fight and running a good race, so that it can happen when the time comes.
Now, there’s a lot of other scriptural stuff we can talk about in the poem, but it will make today’s Bit way too long, therefore we’ll leave the remainder for tomorrow, obviously if God spares life. (smile) So let’s go home declaring 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 said that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share Jesus’ amazing LOVE and friendship with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…God’s promises to us are certain…but our promises to ourselves…can only be kept…by following God’s Word…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a body of believers, a grievous toil, a modicum of circumspection, a state of dissipation, a three fold cord is not quickly broken, advisable to have a companion when doing certain things, become incapacitated, being a part of a church, being alone is not always the best way, bereave my soul of good, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, created a woman from Adam's rib, daily grind and common task, do life alone, don't have to worry, duty bound, encounter danger or illness, external heat sources, faith, for whom do I labour, frail and fragile, gospel truth, he hath neither child nor brother, he hath not another to help him up, he toils only for himself, holy spirit, how can one be warm alone, hurry, I saw vanity under the sun, if one prevail against him, if they fall, if two lie together they have heat, in god's eyes, it is a sore travail, it is not good for man to be alone, Jesus Christ, letting all and sundy know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make him an help-meet, marriage is better than being single, mercy, more wisdom up his sleeve, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, nothing beats the warmth of a human body, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, spiritual and emotional help, thanksgiving celebrations are over, the bane of older folks, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the one will lift up his fellow, the preacher in Ecclesiastes, the toil of the miser is futile, the wise words of Solomon, there is no end of all his labour, there is not a second, there is one alone, they have a good reward for their labour, this also is vanity, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, two are better than one, two shall withstand him, wisdom, without incident, woe to him that is alone when he falleth, working together brings a better return, working with a partner increases the chances of success
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 October 2026 Ecclesiastes 4:9.
Ecclesiastes 4:9. Two are better than one: because they have a good reward for their labour.
Well friends, this year’s Thanksgiving celebrations are over now, and it’s back to sowing and planting, or the common grind and daily task, so that we can have another awesome harvest to celebrate at next year’s Thanksgiving. Let’s hope that we didn’t overdo it, didn’t get to a state of dissipation, (smile) like Bruh Paul warned us about, and indeed exercised a modicum of circumspection so that the celebrations were joyful and without incident. And this Tuesday’s weather is certainly excellent, warm, bright and sunshiny with a decent wind, although it began as a dark and rainy morning. But who’s complaining eh? In the middle of October, we’ll take this kind of weather any day!
And today we’ll look at some wise words of Cousin Sol writing as the preacher in Ecclesiastes. He wisely advises us that ‘Two are better than one: because they have a good reward for their labour.’ (Eccl. 4:9) And that’s ever so true, because working together brings a better return on our labour. But that’s not the only reason why two together are better than one alone. No, for as Cousin Sol continues: ‘For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow (companion): but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.’ (Eccl. 4:10)
More gospel truth my fellow believers! That’s why it’s always advisable to have a companion when you are going to do things that might be dangerous or harmful, or when you are frail and fragile in old age. (smile) And that’s certainly the bane of older folks, especially those that live alone. They can get harmed very easily and without anyone to help them they can become incapacitated, or even lifeless, and remain there for days before someone discovers the tragedy.
And if you think that those are the only two reasons for two being together better than one alone, think again, for Cousin Sol has more wisdom up his sleeve, that he dispenses thus: ‘Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?’ (Eccl. 4:11) Now that’s a very good question, one that I cannot answer. (smile)
And that’s especially true in these cold northern climes where the temperature can get truly cold, and though you may have external heat, there’s nothing that beats the warmth of the human body. Yes, there’s just something about the heat from the human body, possibly an inherent warmth built into it by the Lord, our creator, that provides a kind of warmth that external heat sources cannot offer, and it much improves the situation when two are lying together.
Furthermore, Cousin Sol continues with his theory that two are better than one, when he declares: ‘And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a three fold cord is not quickly broken.’ (Eccl. 4:12) In other words, there’s better security in numbers. The odds of you winning a fight with a companion are much better than if you fight alone. And it’s even better when you have a third person, because then their strength is tripled instead of merely doubled.
And there you have it, the basics of Cousin Sol’s theory for two being better than one. And if you’re wondering how he came to put that theory forward, it stems from his earlier observances on the subject of oppression, where he says: ‘Then I returned, and I saw vanity (futility) under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second (companion): yea, he hath neither child (son) nor brother: yet there is no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave (deprive) my soul of good? This also is vanity (futility), yea, it is a sore travail (grievous toil).’ (Eccl. 4:7-8)
That’s what led Cousin Sol to put forth his theory that two is better than one. And although many of us prefer to do life, or whatever we do, alone, it’s not always the wisest choice, because we never know when we’ll encounter danger, illness or some such drawback that we cannot handle by ourselves. And the scholars offer this explanation to the situation. ‘The toil of the miser is futile, especially when he toils only for himself.’
That’s why marriage is better than being single, especially at certain times in our lives, because working with a partner increases the chances of our success. And also why being a part of a church, a body of believers, is also important, because they may better understand our spiritual and emotional problems and can thus provide more effective spiritual and emotional help. And although our society lauds those who apparently achieve success on their own strength, that’s a fallacy, for it’s almost impossible to do anything without help from someone or another. It might not be much, but it still goes to show that being alone is not the best way.
And besides, the Bible itself tells us about God’s creation of man: ‘And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help-meet for him (a helper comparable to him).’ (Gen. 2:18) So even the Lord, in His great wisdom, realized that being alone is not always the best thing for us, and thus created a companion, a woman from Adam’s rib. (Gen. 2:21-23)
So, now that we’ve seen that Cousin Sol’s theory does hold water, is worthwhile, makes sense, let’s go home declaring 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!’
That now makes us 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…being alone is sometimes useful…but in general…companionship is better…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Oct 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faithful Creator, a red pencil in my hand, able to guard, according to the will of God, against that day, am persuaded that he is able, as for me, Atacama Desert in Chile, black and bold, blessed with an abundance of rainfall, blocking my peace, blooming with numerous types of beautiful flora, brick barrier, bring forth thy righteousness as the light., cease from anger, climate change, come to know and love him like we do, commit the keeping of their souls to him, commit thy way unto the Lord, don't care whom they trample upon, don't get jealous of prospering evildoers, duty bound, El Nino, envious at the boastful, envious at the foolish, evildoers shall be destroyed, faith, fighting to get material wealth and power, for which cause I also suffer these things, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, give all your cares and fears to God, God's goodness and mercy, gospel truth, haunting anxiety, he shall bring it to pass, holy spirit, hurry, I am not ashamed, I give it to you now, I had almost stumbled, I know in whom I trust, I know whom I have believed, I sit here at my desk, if any man suffer as a Christian, in god's eyes, in well doing, it only causes harm, it's very important to stay close to God, Jesus Christ, joy, keep, laughter, let him glorify God on this matter, let him not be ashamed, let them that suffer, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped, not what people say about me, one strong and sincere voice, only seen the occasional drizzle, palms down, promises of rain, put everything into God's hands for safekeeping, release, release our burdens to God, relief, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sinister intrusion, suddenly, suffering here in prison, the beloved of God, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the heavy load we're bearing, the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass, the One Year Book of Bible Promises, the powers that be, the prosperity of the wicked, the psalmist Asaph, the weight of it is breaking me, the word keep looms from the page, then understood I their end, those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth, thy judgement as the noonday, to keep that which I have committed to him, to whom we belong, trust also in him, trust in the Lord,, trust my friend Jesús, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unburden ourselves on Jesus, until I went into the sanctuary of God, until that day, what I have entrusted to him, who prospers in his way, wisdom, with your word before me, worry,
Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 October 2026 2 Timothy 1:12b.
2 Timothy 1:12b. for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.
And amazingly it’s another sunshiny but cool autumn Tuesday. Brother! We’ve seen the sun so much recently that we possibly won’t know rain when we next see it. (smile) With all the promises of rain in the past week, we’ve only seen the occasional drizzle in my area. Meanwhile the Atacama Desert in Southern Chile has been blessed with an abundance of rainfall, so much so that’s blooming with numerous types of beautiful flora. All of this supposedly under the auspices of a hot El Nino wind system that’s changing up the weather patterns on this side of the world.
And yet so many of us still deny the phenomenon of climate change. Unfortunately there’s not much most of us can do about that problem when many of the powers that be refuse to acknowledge it, but here’s something we can surely do something about. It’s the October 6th, poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled ‘Keep.’
So please read with me: ‘I sit here at my desk, With Your Word before me – A red pencil in my hand. Suddenly the word keep Looms from the page Black and bold: He will keep Keep Keep That which I have committed…” Really, Lord? This haunting anxiety? This brick barrier which is Blocking my peace? This sinister intrusion? It’s so heavy, Lord The weight of it is breaking me. But You said You’d keep So I give it to You now Palms down. Release! Relief! Laughter! Joy!’
Yes my brethren, that’s exactly what happens when we give all our cares and fears to God, when we unburden ourselves from what ever heavy load we’re bearing! When we release it all, we get relief, laughter and joy! And that’s just as it ought to be; letting go of burdens should bring some kind of relief, otherwise what’s the point? And when we release our burdens to God, like Jesus invites us to do in his Great Invitation, we certainly get joy, peace, rest and the many other benefits that flow from his goodness and mercy.
And the Bible verse for today’s poem comes from Bruh Paul’s second letter to Timothy. It says: ‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.’ (2 Tim. 1:12) Meanwhile, the New Living Translation which is used in the book puts it thus: ‘And that is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.’ (2 Tim. 1:12)
Oh friends, our omnipotent and ever-faithful God is most surely able to guard whatever we entrust to His safe keeping! In fact there is no safer place to entrust anything at all than to the Lord’s keep! And Peter, when talking about Christians being partakers of Christ’s sufferings, corroborates it when he declares: ‘Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (matter)… Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.’ (1 Pet. 4:16 & 19)
And there’s no greater wisdom that that my fellow believers! To whom else should we surrender our souls but to the One who created them in the first place, and who also has the best security system to protect them? Now that’s exactly why Bruh David in Psalm 37, titled ‘Trust in the Lord,’ encourages us to ‘Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devises (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:5-9)
And all of that is the gospel truth my people! If we commit ourselves and all that we have to Almighty God then He will take care of us. But we need to wait patiently on Him, and not get jealous of the prospering evildoers, for the Lord’s promised to destroy them in the end. We cannot afford to be like Asaph says in Psalm 73, titled ‘The Prosperity of the Wicked.’ ‘But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I had almost stumbled); my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps. 73:2-3)
Yes friends, we need to be careful of whom we look at nowadays, when so many are fighting to get material wealth and power and don’t care whom they trample upon, or what they do to get it! And thankfully for Asaph, he finally understood what the future held in store for the wicked and those prospering from evildoing. But please note when and where he saw the writing on the wall: ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (Ps. 73:17) Yuh see mih bredrin, it’s only when Asaph went into God’s house and contemplated the situation, he discovered the answer. That just goes to show how important it is for us to stay close to God!
Now, let’s go home declaring 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 said that, we are 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…true wisdom dictates that…we put everything we have…and all that we are…into God’s hands for safekeeping…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chance to listen and learn, a positive impact, a variety of stunning colours, allow the enemy to make us talk too much, anger does not produce the righteousness of God, autumn - the most beautiful season, bridling our tongues, Christians, cliched sayings, come to know and love christ like we do, death and life are in the power of the tongue, enormous benefit to our society, even a fool when he holdeth his peace, everyone has an opinion, faith, fix problems before they get out of control, forgers of lies, Glory be, harbinger of winter, he that shutteth his lips, hearken to the pleading of my lups, hold your peace, holy spirit, hurry, I am not inferior unto you, I desire to reason with God, in god's eyes, interrupting others whie they're talking, is counted wise, is esteemed a man of understanding, it should be your wisdom, Jesus Christ, keep silent, keeping quiet when you don't know is wisdom, keps us from saying hurtful things, let every man be swift to hear, listen more than you talk, listening first, LOVE, mercy, mine ear hath heard and understood it, mine eye hath seen all this, our future behaviour, our two cents worth, pay close attention to the words of others, pay the price for talking too much, physicians of no value, proving they are not wise but foolish, put your foot in your mouth, rowdy and ungodly times, salvation, self-control, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, silence hides ignorance, slow to speak, slow to wrath, social media, speaking too much leads to mistakes, spouting of at the mouth, stay calm, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the leaves are changing colour, the Lord displays His artist's palette, the Lord spoke the universe into existence, the vaalue of restraint, the wrath of man, there's power our words, they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Manrta, understand the other's viewpoint, unsympathetic terms, using our tongues indiscriminately, we assume quiet people are smart, wisdom, words might be wind but can cause unkind blows, worketh not the righteousness of God, worry
Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 September 2026 Proverbs 17:28.
Proverbs 17:28. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace (keeps silent), is counted (considered) wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Oh friends, it’s a somewhat cloudy but warm autumn Tuesday at the end of September. And if you didn’t know that it was autumn, then you’ll certainly know it now, because all the leaves have begun changing colour. I looked out my bedroom window a short while ago and was I ever amazed at the beautiful golden yellow that a couple of trees had already turned in my neighbour’s backyard. And although autumn is the harbinger of winter, we still need to acknowledge it as the most beautiful season; the time when the Lord displays His artists’ palette with a variety of stunning colours.
And today we’re going to look at a very interesting and most applicable scripture for these rowdy and ungodly times in which we’re currently living. It comes from the awesome wisdom of Cousin Sol in Proverbs, where he unequivocally states: ‘Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace (keeps silent), is counted (considered) wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.’ (Prov. 17:28)
Now that’s oh so true my brethren, as most of us have experienced through our long years of life. For we’ve seen so many of our supposed wise fellow human beings spouting off at the mouth, and so proving that they are not wise, but rather foolish. And we’ve also known foolish people, who have kept their mouths shut and thus considered wise. And in a sense they are indeed wise; keeping quiet when you don’t know something is indeed wisdom.
And I like how this overview breaks down that proverb. ‘Meaning and Lesson: Silence Hides Ignorance: When an unwise person stays quiet, others cannot hear their foolish thoughts, so people assume they are smart. Value of Restraint: Speaking too much often leads to mistakes, arguments, or trouble. Choosing not to speak shows self-control. Listening First: Keeping quiet gives you a chance to listen and learn instead of reacting too fast.’ And those are all good reasons for not spouting off at the mouth.
And the last one ‘Listening first,’ ties right into these wise words from James. ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:19-20) Yes friends, man’s anger does not produce God’s righteousness, meaning the way He desires His people to live.
And being swift to hear and slow to speak also provide several other benefits. It teaches us self-control, helps us to stay calm and hopefully fix problems before they get out of control. We also need to pay close attention to what others are saying, trying to understand their point of view, before rushing to reply or getting angry. Waiting before you answer also helps stop arguments and keeps us from saying hurtful things we may later regret.
Believe me friends, those two Bible passages above are of great importance in our Christian lives, if we are to successfully live for Christ. And they all boil down to a few old and clichéd sayings which we all know but don’t pay much attention to in these days of social media, where everybody has an opinion and are ever so willing to share it. We all know the saying about putting our foot in our mouths. But we still do it all the time. What about listening more than you talk? Hn! That’s a no brainer! But we still make the mistake of interrupting others, not giving them a chance to finish their speech before rushing in with our two cents worth.
And in this oh so voluble society of today, talking less and listening more would surely be a step in the right direction, especially for those who claim to believe in and follow Christ! It’s like Cousin Sol says earlier in Proverbs: ‘In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth (restrains) his lips is wise.’ (Prov. 10:19) Yes mih bredrin, there is more likelihood of sin in a multitude of words than in a few choice ones. It’s like Job warned his friends when they began talking in rather unsympathetic terms about why he had suffered his calamity.
He declares: ‘Lo mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace (keep silent)! and it should (would) be your wisdom. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.’ (Job. 13:1-6) Yes friends, that’s one of those instances where Job’s friends should have just kept quiet, instead of ranting on about his sins causing his calamity.
And these later words of Cousin Sol are also true: ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.’ (Prov. 18:21) Yes, there is power in our words, for remember the Lord spoke the universe into existence. However, when we LOVE to talk, we will eventually pay the price of our too many words. Oh my people, we know all those things, but yet we allow the enemy to taunt and tempt us into using our tongues indiscriminately. So, let’s hope that all we’ve said today about talking too much will have some positive impact on our future behaviour, for bridling our tongues would be of enormous benefit to our society.
Now, let’s go home declaring 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 declaration, it now behooves us to share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…words might be wind…but they can cause some very unkind blows…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Prayer fo Confidence, a strong feeling, accounted as sheep for the slaughter, act it out with courage and faith, as it is written, awakened from the dormant state, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be of good cheer, be strong and of a good courage, called according to God's purpose, challenges in life, chilly days are here, Chrisitans should never lack confidence in God's word, Christ has defeated hell death and the grave, christianity, Christians, confident attitude, distress, Dr. Robert H Schuller, duty bound, everything will work out beautifully, expenditure of effort, face challenges calmly, faith, famine, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, go through difficult times, God is behind me, God will help me, God will rescue me, God's promise, God's Word, handle anything that comes against us, hardy folks, have good success, have I not commanded you, have the keys of hell and death, holy spirit, hurry, I am alive for evermore, I am he that liveth, I feel his spirit of confidence, i have overcome the world, If God be for me who can be against me, if god be for us who can be against us, in all these things we are more than conquerors, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, in your court, it is flowing into me now, Jesus Christ, Jesus conquered hell and death by His resurrection, Jesus controls the gateway to eternity, keep on fighting the good fight, keep on keeping on, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lifted our spirits and confidence, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made the right decision, meditate therein day and night, mercy, my conscience is clear, nakedness, not afraid of problems, not to worry, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, observe to do all that's written therein, our relationship to God, peril, persecution, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, stand strong and steadfast for Christ, summer is officially over, surging in my heart, Thank You God, that's it in a nutshell, the amazing help of Jesus, the awesome truth, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the Creator and Controller of the universe, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Hour of Power 50th Anniversary Devotional, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the only thing to get us through these evil and ungodly times, the sword, then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, these things I have spoken unto you, they too can come to know and love Christ like do, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, to them that love God, tribulation, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unshakeable faith in Almighty God, was dead, we know that all things work together for good, what shall we say then to these things, who shall separate us from the Love of Christ, wisdom, With God I cannot fail, worry
Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 September 2026 Romans 8:31.
Romans 8:31. ‘What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’
Aye mih people, it seems like the summer season is officially over, as well as the summer weather we’ve been enjoying for the last couple of weeks. Chilly days are here, notwithstanding that the sun is still shining brilliantly, but it’s heat has fallen away southward, so the southern climes can now enjoy some of its joyful heat. But not to worry, we’re hardy folks, and can handle anything that comes against us with the amazing help of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And all God’s people acknowledge that fact with a loud and sure ‘Amen!’
And with that confident attitude, it’s ever so appropriate for us to offer up ‘A Prayer for Confidence,’ from the Hour of Power 50th Anniversary Devotional, with writings by the late Dr. Robert H Schuller. So please prayer with me: ‘It is flowing into me now, for my conscience is clear. I have made the right decision. I am not afraid of problems. I will face challenges calmly and serenely for God is behind me. He will help me. If I must go through difficult times, He will rescue me. I feel His spirit of confidence surging in my heart now. With Him I cannot possibly fail. “If God is for me who can be against me?” I have a strong feeling that everything is going to work out just beautifully. Thank You, God. Amen.’
Now that’s a wonderful prayer, and let’s hope it lifted our spirits and our confidence as it is supposed to. Let’s hope that our hope and trust in God was awakened from the dormant state in which it’s been lying in for some time now, because having confidence, unshakeable faith in Almighty God is the only thing that will get us through these terribly evil and ungodly times. And that’s what God’s Word, the Bible, is preeminently written for; to give those who believe the strength, confidence, faith and trust to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Thus it’s like the prayer says, quoting Bruh Paul: ‘What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom. 8:31) And the confident answer to that question is ‘NOBODY!’ And how can anyone be against you when the Creator and Controller of the universe is in your court eh? No way! Now times are hard, and are possibly going to get harder, but with God’s Word to support us we are encouraged to keep on keeping on, to keep on fighting the good fight in Jesus’ name. And if there’s one thing the Bible doesn’t lack is encouragement. Oh yes, it’s chocked full of encouraging words and statements. Like what you ask?
Well let’s begin with a couple more from Bruh Paul’s amazing Chapter 8 in Romans. He writes: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) That means that life will work out good eventually for all those who are called to God’s purpose. So though we go through troubles and challenges during life, in the end, it all will work out well. That’s God’s promise!
Then later in the chapter Bruh Paul asks this most important question: ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded (that nothing) shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35-39)
Oh friends, with that kind of confidence and certainty about our relationship to God, how can we not stand strong and steadfast in His name eh? And when you add these most encouraging words of Jesus to the equation, things only get brighter. Believe Him, when He says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
And that’s the awesome truth! Jesus has overcome the world by defeating Satan, the world’s ruler, and taking away the keys of hell death and grave from him. It’s like He says to John in Revelation: ‘I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’ (Rev. 1:18) And yuh know what that means my brethren? Jesus has complete authority over hell, death and the grave, because He’s conquered them by His resurrection. Thus He controls the gateway to eternity, and therefore we don’t need to fear the grave because our Lord and Saviour controls eternity!
Wow! How could we not be confident under those amazing circumstances eh? But unfortunately all of that doesn’t happen without some expenditure of effort on our part. And the Lord said it very plainly to Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Yes friends, that’s it in a nutshell. All the good things are waiting for us, but we have to do our part by reading, studying and living the word. And I like the last part of the Lord’s speech to Joshua: ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9 ) Oh my people truer words were never spoken, for the Lord our God is indeed with us wherever we go, but we need to sincerely believe it, and act it our with courage and faith, so that we can be prosperous wherever we go.
And with all of that confidence flowing through us, let’s go home declaring 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 said that, 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…Christians should never lack…confidence in God’s word…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a true Christian, advertises Christ both in word and deed, baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost, be it sinner or saint, broached the topic of Christ to anyone, Christ's ambassadors, christianity, Christians, cloudy skies trying to suppress the sunshine, come to know and love christ like we do, committed them to prison, devout men carried Stephen to his burial, dragging of men and women, easier said than done, faith, feeling like the weather, gave heed to what Philip spoke, go ye therefore and teach all nations, greater is he that is in you than he that's in the world, haling men and women, have overcome them, help bring unbelievers to Christ, holy spirit, hurry, in fear of the unbeliever's reaction, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, Jesus is indeed stronger than the devil, keep their mouths shut, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lo I am with you always, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made great lamentations over him, made to stumble, make disciples of all nations, mercy, one of those days, persecuted Christians didn't run and hide, persecution against the church at Jerusalem, Philip went down to a city of Samaria, preached Christ unto them, put you out of the synagogue, responsible for administering Christ's earthly kingdom, salvation, Saul made havoc of the church, Saul was consenting unto Stephen's death, Saul watched them stone Stephen to death, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, stand steadfast and persevere, surrender to his evil wiles, teaching them to observe all things, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the decptive devil, the Great Commission, the indwelling strength of Jesus, the people were scattered abroad, the people with one accord, the time cometh, there was great joy in that city, these things have I spoken unto you, those scattered abroad, till the Son of man come, today's Christians are afraid to talk about Christ or His word, too focused on their own comfort, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unworthy of the name, went everywhere preaching the word, whatsoever I have commanded you, when they persecute you in this city flee to another, whosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God a service, wisdom, worry, ye are of God little children, ye should not be offended
Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 September 2026 1 John 4:4.
1 John 4:4. ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’
Ah friends, we’re running a tad late, because it’s one of those days, when the ole fella is feeling somewhat like the weather, (smile) cloudy skies trying to suppress the sunshine. But we won’t allow it to happen, with the indwelling strength of Jesus we will stand steadfast and persevere. And we all know that’s easier said than done, especially when the deceptive devil is doing his best to make you surrender to his evil wiles. But let’s remember the truth and wisdom of John’s words in his first epistle: ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4).
And is that ever the glorious truth! Jesus who dwells in us is much stronger than the devil who dwells in the world! And that’s one of the scriptures we need to keep first place in our hearts for when the evil Beelzebub dares to come against us. That brings us to these words of warning from Jesus to the disciples in John’s gospel. He tells them: ‘These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended (made to stumble). They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God a service.’ (John 16:1-2)
I guess that refers to the cruel times in the early days of the church, and to people like Bruh Paul when he was called Saul and very intent on hurting the followers of Christ, like when he stood by in silent consent and watched them stone Stepehen to death. (Acts 7:57- 60) The Bible tells it thus: ‘And Saul was consenting unto his (Stepehen’s) death. And at the time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the region of Judaea and Samaria, except for the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentations over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling (dragging off) men and women committed them to prison.’ (Acts 8:1-3)
Yes mih bredrin, the supporters of the early church experienced much persecution, but hear the good news that the Bible brings: ‘Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.’ (Acts 8:4) It’s like they took Christ’s warning in the gospel of Matthew to heart. ‘But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over (through) the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Christ’s second coming).’ (Matt. 10:23)
That’s when the Bible recalls: ‘Then Philip went down to the (a) city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people (multitudes) with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies (paralysis), and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city.’ (Acts 8:5-8)
Yuh see how it was back then my people? When the early Christians were persecuted, they didn’t run and hide or keep their mouths shut like so many of us do today. No. They simply moved on to another place and continued preaching the truth of Christ’s gospel. And the sad part is that very few of us have ever suffered or will ever suffer the kind of persecution that they underwent. But yet, so many of us supposed Christians refuse to speak of Christ or His Word to the unbelievers, either in fear of their reaction, or because we’re too focused on our own comfort to be bothered to expend any energy on Christ’s behalf.
And now’s a good time for all of us to consider the question that one Pastor asked his congregation: ‘When last have any of you broached the topic of Christ to anyone, be it sinner or saint?’ And the sad part is that too many of us, if we’re truthful, would have to answer: ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve done that,’ or ‘I’ve never done that.’
And that surely doesn’t speak well of our Christian conviction and witness, for remember Christ’s directive was for us to: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) That means friends, that too few of us are really doing our small part of the Great Commission, and thus not helping to bring the unbelievers to Christ, like we ought to.
Remember we’re Christ’s ambassadors, meaning that we’re responsible for administering His kingdom here on earth. And if we’re not doing anything to help build and/or stabilize His earthly kingdom, then we’re unworthy of the name ambassador, or even follower, believer or Christian. Now that’s not a very nice thing to be said of us, but unfortunately it’s very true. However, we still have the opportunity of turning it around. So please let’s do that nuh, beginning right now, by declaring 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 said that, 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…you can’t be a true Christian…unless you advertise Christ…both in word and deed…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: christianity, Christians, confidence in God's faithfulness, do serious work for Jesus, establish you and keep you from evil, faith, filled with wonder, for thou art with me, from Genesis to Revelation, God comes through in amazing ways, God will never leave nor forsake us, god's ever-faithful promise, great is thy faithfulness, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, He is faithful that promised, his compassions fail notthey are new every morning, hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, holy spirit, I praise God's name, I remember all God's done in the past, I will fear no evil, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord, if we be dead with him we shall also live with him, if we believe not, if we confess our sins, in god's eyes, In Touch Prayer Card on God's Faithfulness, it is a faithful saying, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jeremiah's lament, Jesus Christ, keep his commandments, keepeth covenant with them that love him, lift up my heart to you in trust, lock stock and barrel, look forward with joy, LOVE, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, nothing is too hard for God, our bounden duty, our faith grows when we remember God's faithfulness, our trust in God deepens, refresh our hearts minds and souls, run and not be weary, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, summer time freedom over, take stock of our spiritual maturity, thank you for your perfect works, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the faithful God, the gospel truth, the Lord is faithful, the Lord thy God He is God, the Lord will take care of me, the lord will take me up, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they too can come to know and love Christ like do, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds, thy faithfulness shalt thou esteblish in the very heavens, thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to a thousand genearations, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, to seeing your plans fulfilled, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk and not faint, when I don't understand an outcome, when my father and mother forsake me, when things look impossible, wisdom, with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness, with the whole wide world, you are faithful, your ways never fail
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 September 2026 Psalm 36:5.
Psalm 36:5. ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.’
So the Labour Day partying is over and done with now. That means the summer time freedom and frolicking is also done, and it’s time to get down to some serious work for Jesus; contemplating, who He is, what He’s done and is doing, and how we are reciprocating His awesome LOVE and compassion. It’s time to take stock of our spiritual maturity; see whether we’re growing, regressing, or just standing still, marking time, for who knows what. And to help us do that, today we’ll take a look at God’s faithfulness, starting with the information on the In Touch Prayer Card on the subject.
Please pray with me: ‘I’m filled with wonder, God, when I think of Your great faithfulness. When things look impossible, You come through in amazing ways. Truly nothing is too hard for You. I remember all You’ve done in the past and praise Your name! When I don’t understand an outcome, I will lift up my heart to You in trust. You are faithful, and Your ways never fail. I look forward with joy to seeing Your plans fulfilled. Thank You for your perfect works.’
Ah friends, those are perfect sentiments for us to consider in our own lives. Do we feel and also remember God’s faithfulness in our own lives? If we are true believers then we certainly ought to! And that’s one of the great things about our faith. When we remember God’s faithfulness, all the times that He’s shown up when things seemed impossible, but He came to our rescue just in time, then our faith grows, our trust in Him deepens, because we know that we can depend on Him in the tough times. He will never leave, forsake nor fail us, it’s is ever-faithful promise, and He keeps repeating it in His Word from Genesis right through to Revelation.
So let’s see if we can find some scriptures that reflect God’s faithfulness to refresh our hearts, minds and souls. And we’ll begin with this one where Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s faithfulness, as they are about to enter the Promised Land. ‘Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that LOVE him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.’ (Deut. 7:9) And I believe that scripture will do some of us a world of good if we sit and ponder it for a moment or two; the important thing there being the keeping of God’s commandments.
Then we have this verse from Psalm 36, that the In Touch Prayer Card uses as its resource. Bruh David writes: ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.’ (Ps. 36:5) Meanwhile in Psalm 89, which speaks of the Mercies of God, Ethan the Ezrahite contemplates God’s faithfulness and writes: ‘I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS) shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.’ (Ps. 89:1-2)
And we all know Jeremiah’s famous lament on the subject: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) What more can we ask eh? Now here’s another magnificent verse re God’s faithfulness, one we all spout, but don’t truly pay much attention to. It’s from Bruh David’s famous Psalm 23, where he declares in no uncertain terms: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:4) What assuredness in God’s faithfulness! Do we have that confidence in God’s faithfulness? Let’s hope so.
Then in 2 Thessalonians, Bruh Paul tells them: ‘But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil (the evil one).’ (2 Thess. 3:3) And to Timothy, Bruh Paul writes: ‘It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he will also deny us: If we believe not (are faithless), yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ (2 Tim. 2:11-13) And that’s the gospel truth friends! God cannot deny His attributes.
Then we come to this scripture from Hebrews that strongly and wisely advocates: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is fateful that promised;) (Heb. 10:23) And that’s great advice for us to follow, especially in these deceitful and untrustworthy times. And what about this amazing verse from John’s first epistle, where he states with all certainty: ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1:9) Now that’s a wonderful scripture for us to know and keep at the forefront of our minds!
And here’s another awesome verse displaying God’s faithfulness, another one we know but don’t truly action in our lives. The prophet Isaiah shouts it from the mountaintop: ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) Yes friends, waiting on God is never in vain, for He will always be faithful to those who are faithful to Him. And we’ll close with this very reassuring verse from Psalm 27, when Bruh David declares: ‘When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up (take care of me).’ (Ps. 27:10)
Now isn’t that wonderful assurance of God’s faithfulness! It certainly is! And there are plenty more scriptures that address God’s faithfulness, but unfortunately time and space prevent us from quoting anymore. So let’s go home now declaring 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!’
Now, it’s become our bounden duty 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…take time to remember God’s faithfulness in your life…then let it lift your trust and faith in Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a very present help in trouble, a wordl of evil and ugodliness, all things are possible to him that believes, all things work together for good to them that love God, assurance, assurance about what we do not see, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be not dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, believing in who Jesus says He is, by faith the elders believed the word of God, by faith the elders obtained a good report, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, condition ourselve to the upcoming winter season, conviction is faith relating to the present, do not depend on your native instincts, duty bound, faith, faith cometh by hearing, faith in God provides security, faith is confidence in what we hope for, faith is the substance of things hoped for, faith provides evidence, faith provides substance, faith strengthening scripture, fear thou not for I am with thee, for we walk by faith not by sight, future hope, God is always right beside us, God is our refuge and strength, grow in faith, have fellowship and intimacy with God, have I not commanded thee, he shall direct thy paths, hearing by the word of God, holy spirit, hope for the return of Christ, hope is faith relating to the future, hope of the resurrection, hurry, I am thy God I will strenthen thee, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, if thou canst believe, if wishes were horses all beggars would ride, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, LOVE, mercy, no belief means no substance to build your faith on, nothing is impossible for God, our ever-faithful God, present realities that are unseen, proof that results in conviction, salvation, scriptures that build up our faith, Selah, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, strife, take root in your heart and soul, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the evidence of things not seen, the first day of September, the forgiveness of sins through Christ's sacrifice, the glorification of the saints, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, the present intercession of Christ in heaven, the things which are seen, the worlds were framed by the word of god, therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters roar and be troubled, through faith we understand, to them who are called according to his purpose, trials and tribulations, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, we believe that God created the world form nothing, we know that all things work together for good, were not made of things which do appear, worry
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2026 2 Corinthians 5:7.
2 Corinthians 5:7. For we walk by faith, not by sight:
And this Tuesday morning, the first day of September opened earlier with bright sunshine, but by midday it’s become somewhat humid and cloudy, but we’ll take it anyway. (smile) Let’s hope and pray that the fairly warm weather keeps up for some time yet, as we need to get our minds and bodies conditioned to the upcoming winter season. Oh, there’s no doubt we’ll handle it, but it would be so much nicer if we didn’t have to. And yes, if wishes were horses, all beggars would ride, for we cannot get away from the cold weather that’s in the offing, because that’s just how it is in the northern climes.
But enough whimpering, let’s look at some scriptures that build up our faith, that provide strength and confidence in God and all His promises, because in the current state of our world, with all the strife, evil and ungodliness that’s happening, we need something strong to hold on to. And the first scripture is that awesome verse from Philippians, where Bruh Paul writes: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengetheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Of course we can! Since nothing is impossible to Jesus, if He desires us to do something then He will surely empower us to do it.
And Jesus reinforces that when He tells the father who brought his epileptic son to Him for healing. ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ (Mark. 9:23) Yes friends, this life with Jesus all depends on believing: in believing who He says He is, and that He can do what He says He can and will do. If you don’t believe that Jesus is who He is then there is no substance on which to build your faith. For as Bruh Paul emphasizes in 2 Corinthians: ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight:’ (2. Cor. 5:7)
Yes, with Jesus, it’s all about faith; basically what you can’t see, but believe is possible and will happen at some time or other. Or, as Hebrews puts it: ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand the worlds (ages) were framed (prepared) by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (are visible). (Heb. 11:1-3) In other words, by faith we believe that God created the world from nothing, and by faith the elders believed the word of God and lived it, even though they did not always get what they expected.
And according to the scholars, ‘faith provides substance or assurance. It also provides evidence in the sense of proof that results in conviction. Of things hoped for involves future hope, like the hope of the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the glorification of the saints. While of things not seen involves present realities that are unseen, such as the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice, and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Hope is faith relating to the future, conviction is faith relating to the present.’
Then in Romans, Bruh Paul advises us: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:17) And that’s the truth! You cannot believe the word or have faith until you hear it preached. It must be heard over and over so it can take root in your heart and soul, get strong, and grow into faith. Meanwhile, Isaiah, offers comfort, assuring believers of God’s presence and strength in difficult times. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) If you believe and have faith, then that’s what the Lord will do.
Then we have these wonderful words of faith from the Sons of Korah in Psalm 46. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart of) the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3) So through faith in God we also find a place of security, when everywhere else is insecure.
And we must remember these awesome words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6) And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Three commands are given: trust, meaning “rely on, depend on”; lean not, meaning do not depend on your own native instincts; and acknowledge, meaning have fellowship and intimacy with God in all of life. The result of such devotion is that God will make the paths straight before you.’ What wonderful advice! But it’s all based on belief, faith and trust in Almighty God!
Then there’s this overwhelming command of God Himself to Joshua. ‘Have I not commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) You can’t beat that friends! We can be courageous because we know that our God is always right there beside us. But here’s the awesome scripture that I believe holds it all together. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to His purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Ah mih people that scripture gives us the godly assurance that despite all the trials and tribulations we might face during our earthly lives, our wonderful God will use it all to make it good at the end! Now that’s where our faith truly comes in; believing that it will all work out right in the end, because our ever-faithful God says so!
And with all that faith strengthening scripture in our hearts and souls, let’s go home declaring 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 that now makes us 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…faith is confidence in what we hope for…and assurance about what we do not see…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be of good courage, beloved of God, blessed is the man maketh the Lord his trust, christianity, circumstances pulling us under, crowning glory, doubt tries to creep back in, emptiness into fulness, established my goings, established my steps, even praise unto our God, faith, feel as if I don't matter, girded me with gladness, God is always God, God is faithful, God remains steadfast and true, God's goodness to the children of men, great is thy faithfulness, he abideth faithful, he brought me up also out of an horrible pit, he cannot deny himself, he heard my cry, he inclined unto me, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall strengthen thine heart, hear O Lord and have mercy upon me, help me hold on to hope, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, hurry, I waited patiently for the lord, I will give thanks unto thee for ever, I wonder if you hear my prayers, I'll never stop saying it, if we be dead with him we shall also with him live, if we believe not, if we deny him he will deny us, if we suffer we shall also reign, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, In Touch Devotional, it is a faithful saying, it is good that a man, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, joy comes in the morning, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lo I am with you always, lock stock and barrel, Lord be thou my helper, LOVE, many shall see it and fear, mercy, my glory shall sing praise to thee, my soul shall sing praise to thee, no prayer too repetitive, no situation too broken, not be silent, not talking from hearsay, nothing is too hard for you, out of the miry clay, put a new song im, put off my sackcloth, quicker than the blink of an eye, respecteth not the proud, salvation, set my feet upon a rock, shall trust in the Lord, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, such as turn aside to lies, talking from personal experience, the ache so deep, the BIBLE, the Great Commission, the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the last Tuesday of August, the Lord hears all our prayers, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, the Lord is my portion saith my soul, the Lord never leaves nor forsakes us, the Lord will never leave us in a lurch, the sackcloth of my mourning, the salvation of the Lord, the waiting is so long, the word of God is not a chain, therefore have I hope, therefore will I hope in him, they are new every morning, they too can come to know and love Christ like do, this I recall to mind, to the end, to the soul that seeketh him, trials and tribulations, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn emptiness into into fullness, turn mourning into dancing, turned for me my mourning into dancing, unto the end of the world, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on the Lord and keep his way, waiting patiently in faith is not easy, weeping may endure for a night, when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it, wisdom, worry, y mouth, you are faithful, you see me when I feel invisible, you've never left me
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 August 2026 Psalm 40:1.
Psalm 40:1. I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Ah friends, we’re into the last Tuesday of August; next week Tuesday we’ll be talking about September. (smile) But today, as many of the previous August days, it’s sunshiny and warm, so there’s still hope for August to finish up as a good month. And since we’re running a li’l bit late, (my fault) let’s get to today’s topic right away. And that’s this month’s prayer from the In Touch Devotional.
So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, sometimes I wonder if you hear my prayers – the waiting is so long, the ache so deep. But You’ve never left me – You see me when I feel invisible, when I feel as if I don’t matter. Nothing is too hard for You – no prayer too repetitive, no situation too broken. You turn mourning into dancing, emptiness into fulness. Help me hold on to hope when doubt tries to creep back in. I’ll never stop saying it: You are faithful. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
And that last statement about God’s faithfulness is absolutely true! All of us who have spent anytime in God’s presence know that to be a glorious fact, because we have all experienced at least some modicum (small amount) of His faithfulness in our time with Him. And the bible has oodles of verses that talk about it, but we’ll only share a couple of the better known ones here.
The first one comes from Bruh Paul’s second letter to Timothy, where he is telling him that the word of God is not bound, is not a chain: ‘It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ (2 Tim. 2:11-13) Oh my people, isn’t it wonderful and ever so encouraging to know that God is always God, regardless of who I am, or how I behave! His character is one of utmost faithfulness, therefore He remains steadfast and true even when I am not.
And the second scripture comes from Jeremiah’s famous testimony on the Lord’s faithfulness in his Lamentations. ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:21-26)
Yes my brethren, wiser words were never spoken! And waiting on the Lord can be very long and heart aching, that like the prayer says, we sometimes are led to wonder if He’s heard our prayers. But He indeed hears them all; it’s just that He takes His own time to answer them; whether it be yay, nay, or not now. Our job though is wait patiently and keep on persevering until we get an answer. Know one thing though, the Lord will not leave us in the lurch, whatever answer He has will arrive in good time for us to make the necessary arrangements.
And a man who certainly knew about waiting on the Lord, Bruh David, strongly advises it in several of his writings. In psalm 27, he says: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ Then in Psalm 37: he declares: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34)
Now listen to the crowning glory of waiting on the Lord. In Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance, Bruh David testifies: ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:1-4)
And we all know that Bruh David is not talking from hear say, but from personal experience, because after the Lord anointed him king of Israel, he went through many years of trials and tribulations waiting for that to happen. And it would never have happened if he had not waited on God, patiently in faith. And we also know that waiting patiently in faith is not easy, especially when our circumstances seem to be pulling us under quicker than we can blink, but that’s where our faith and trust in God is expected to show up.
But there are a few things we need to know and believe. Firstly, that the Lord never leaves nor forsakes us, that’s His promise. (Heb. 13:5) So although we may not see or feel His presence, rest assured that He’s always there with us. As Jesus assured the disciples at the end of the Great Commission; ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) We could not desire better assurance than that my fellow believers.
And when the song says: ‘You turn mourning into dancing, emptiness into fulness,’ Bruh David corroborates those sentiments in Psalm 30, when he declares: ‘Hear O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth (the sackcloth of my mourning), and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory (my soul) may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.’ (Ps. 30:10-12)
Yes friends that’s exactly how it ought to be; us continually giving thanks to God for His LOVE, faithfulness and everlasting goodness to the children of undeserving men! Now let’s go home declaring 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!’
So let’s go out now and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…weeping may endure for a night…but joy comes in the morning… (Ps. 30:5b)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a baker's dozen, an unsuccessful life, and with what measure ye mete, As God for christ's sake forgave you, be kind one to another, be measured against you, be put away from you, be tenderhearted, bless them with the joy and peace, blessed are the merciful, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, debtor's prison, duty bound, enjoy the summer to the max, evil speaking, faith, fill your heart with love for them, for with what judgement ye judge, forgive not every one his brother their trespasses, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, forgiveness, forgiveness is for you not someone else, forgiving one another, from your hearts, go out and share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, help me be merciful, holding a grudge hurts no one but you, holy spirit, hurry, I want to forgive others the same, if ye forgive men their trespasses, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, in god's eyes, in the power of your Holy Spirit, In Touch Prayer Card on Forgiveness, it heals my soul, Jesus Christ, judge not that ye might not be judged, judged by the law of liberty, judgement without mercy, let all bitterness wrath anger and clamour, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make hay while the sun shines, may you be glorified as trust is restored, mercy, mercy rejoiceth over judgement, mercy triumphs over judgement, my heavenly Father do also unto you, negative things prevent us from forgiving, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, no reason to hold a grudge, of knowing they've been forgiven, open my heart to those who have wronged me, pray for God to bless others, remembering the debt Christ paid for me, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, show me if I'm holding on to any resentment, shower your goodness on them, thank you for your forgiveness, the Beatitudes, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the Lord's prayer, the parable of the unforgiving servant, the Sermon on the Mount, they shall receive mercy, time and tide will pass us by, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, with all malice, worry, wrath clamour anger be put away from you
Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 August 2026 Matthew 5:7.
Matthew 5:7. ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall receive mercy.’
Here it is friends, another beautiful summer Tuesday in August. But let’s enjoy these beautiful summer days to the max, because in another baker’s dozen of days, September will step in …with the cold weather. But can you imagine it? The summer will soon be over, when it seems like it’s just begun. That’s why we must ensure to make hay while the sun shines, otherwise time and tide will pass us by. (smile) And in keeping with that sentiment, today we’ll talk about a very important aspect of our faith; FORGIVENESS. Yes friends, forgiveness is right at the top of the list of our faith’s do’s and don’ts.
And we’ll begin by looking at the Prayer Card for Forgiveness that was recently put out by The In Touch Organization. So please read with me: ‘Heavenly Father, thank You for Your forgiveness. It heals my soul, and I want to forgive others the same way. Help me be merciful, remembering the debt Christ paid for me. If I’m holding on to any hidden resentment, please show me so I can release it. In the power of Your Holy Spirit, I open my heart to those who have wronged me. shower your goodness on them. Bless them with the joy and peace of knowing they’ve been forgiven. May you be glorified as trust is restored.’
Ah mih people, forgiveness is of the utmost importance in our Christian faith! So important, that in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ included it in those eight characteristics we call the Beatitudes, which describe one who has been saved. ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall receive mercy.’ (Matt. 5:7) And that’s the scripture verse quoted for the Prayer Card. It’s simple, but ever so powerful! Those who give mercy or forgiveness, will also receive mercy or forgiveness. It implies that those who do not give mercy or forgiveness, will not receive it either.
The scholars explain that verse thus: ‘Those who are merciful … shall obtain mercy has reference to those who have been born again by the mercy of God. Because divine LOVE has been extended to them, they have the work of the Holy Spirit in them producing a mercy that defies explanation by unregenerate men. Jesus Himself became the ultimate example of this when He cried from the cross, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34)
Now mih bredrin, that’s truly saying something! Jesus crying out from the cross for His Father to forgive the hateful, jealous, angry men who crucified Him on trumped up charges. They thought that they took His life, not knowing that He willingly gave it to procure their forgiveness. What a crossed up situation! But who else could have such a forgiving heart and Spirit but the Son of God, who gave His sinless life as a sacrifice on the cross of Calvary for a bunch of ingrates? Nobody!
And just to show how important forgiveness is in the Christian faith, in the prayer that Jesus taught the disciples, which we call the Lord’s Prayer, it says: ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:12) That also implies that the Lord ought to forgive us according to how we forgive the wrongs others commit against us. And immediately after the prayer, Jesus made the importance of forgiveness very clear by saying: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15)
Now it could not get any clearer than that my people! If we want to be forgiven, then we must forgive! It’s that simple. But it’s so important that we’re reminded of it all through the New Testament. Jesus Himself repeated it in a slightly different form in Matthew 7, where He declares: ‘Judge not (condemn not), that ye be not judged (condemned). For with what jurdgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured against you.’ (Matt. 7:1-2) In other words, the same things and methods you use against others, will be used back against you.
Then in the parable of the Unforgiving Servant, where the Master is irate after forgiving the servant a great sum owing to him, but the servant then refuses to forgive his fellow servant a small sum, and has him thrown into debtor’s prison, Jesus declares: ‘So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ (Matt. 18:35)
And then in Bruh Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, where he talks about some practical ways of putting on the new man, he admonishes: ‘Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice: And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:31-32) And it’s those same negative things listed above that often prevent us from forgiving others.
However, please note that forgiveness is not for the other person but for you! For if you don’t forgive, you won’t be forgiven. And if you keep all the anger and bitterness in your heart then they will make you miserable and you’ll lead a less that successful life. And something that also amazes me is that we tend to hold grudges against other people, and believe that we’re hurting them by so doing, but ofttimes they either don’t know about it or don’t care. So the grudge doesn’t hurt them, but boomerangs back on us. So there’s absolutely no reason to hold a grudge.
And the last scripture on forgiveness comes from James’ epistle, where he condemns favouritism and declares: ‘So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against (triumphs over) judgement.’ (James 2:12-13) And please, let’s remember that, as it’s all for our benefit.
Now, let’s go home declaring 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!’
That then makes us 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 we do! Much LOVE!
…as you pray for God to bless others…He will fill your heart with LOVE for them… (In Touch Forgiveness Card)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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