The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Understanding that Jesus is not Only Their Lord and Saviour, but also Their Best Friend!

13 Sep 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 September 2026   John 15:13.

John 15:13.         Greater LOVE hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

The Sundays just keep rolling around my people, but that’s the way the Lord designed it, so we must accept it with good grace, and keep gathering in His sanctuary with other believers in joyful fellowship, so we can give Him the praise and thanksgiving He so richly deserves. How did the psalmist put it? ‘Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:4-5) 

And those are certainly good enough reasons for us to gather in worship every Sunday, on His day. And we’ll open today’s worship with a hymn that’s chocked full of much truth and is rather appropriate for these turbulent times. It’s titled ‘What A Friend We Have in Jesus.’  It was written in 1855 near Port Hope Ontario, by Joseph M. Scriven (1819-1886), an Irish immigrant to Canada.

According to the Hymnary.org website, it seems that Scriven’s life was filled with many trials and tribulations; for instance, he wanted to have an army career, but poor health nixed that ambition. Then on the eve of their wedding in 1844 his fiancée died in a drowning accident. After that he moved to Ontario as a teacher. However, his life plans were again thwarted when his new fiancée died after a short illness. Apparently, his life took a downward plunge from there, with him not working regularly, living in other people’s homes and experiencing mistrust with neighbours because of his eccentricities.

He was also a member of the Plymouth Brethren, and tried to live according to the Sermon on the Mount as literally as possible, giving and sharing all he had and often doing menial tasks for the poor and physically disabled. Because Scriven suffered from depression, no one knew if his death by drowning in Rice Lake was suicide or an accident. And since his life was apparently filled with much solace and grief, it’s no wonder he was able to write such a powerful, consoling hymn.

Now, having had some background on the hymn’s author, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, mid-tempo version of the song, singing out its awesome truth to all who hear it. Singing: ‘ What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!  – Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer! – Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge– take it to the Lord in prayer! Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there. What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!… What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!’

Oh friends, that is the most wonderful and extraordinary privilege we have in this life! Wow! Those who don’t know Jesus really don’t know what a thrill and blessing they are missing! He’s the best friend a man can ever have! Why? Just listen to the truths of the song: Firstly, he bears all our sins and griefs. And that’s a fact, for He selflessly sacrificed His sinless life on the cross of Calvary to pay for our abominable sins.

And as to hearing our prayers, just listen to these scriptures. The Lord said to Jeremiah: ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty (inaccessible) things, which thou knowest not.’ (Jer. 33:3) That means our God wants us to call Him and share whatever is happening in our lives. And John goes on to confirm it with these most encouraging words from his first epistle. ‘And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired (asked) of him.’ (1 John 5:14-15)

In other words, the Lord won’t refuse a request that’s in His will, but He might tell you not yet. (smile) And if you’re looking for a shield from the world’s problems, Bruh David says it loud and clear in Psalm 18: ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold),’ (Ps. 18:2)

And as per discouragement, I like how Hebrews tells us about, ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (become discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:2-3)

Yes my people, when we see what Jesus put up with on our behalf, how can we ever become discouraged eh? Especially when He’s invited us through His Great Invitation to bring all our burdens to Him. Hear His call: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me, for I am meek and lowly (gentle and humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ‘ What more can we ask for eh friends? Nothing really, for Jesus has given us an invitation that covers everything.

Oh my people, we can never get a better friend that Jesus. Cousin Sol refers to Him as a friend who sticks closer than a brother.’ (Prov. 18:24b) Meanwhile Jesus Himself told the disciples, and consequently us: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you.’ (John 15:13-14) And He indeed laid down His life for us. Then, finally, in the Great Commission He ended by sincerely promising: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b)

That’s how great Jesus is: a friend, a brother, a Saviour, a Lord… Whatever post you have to fill, He’s the One to fill it! Let’s remember that as we go forward today! Much LOVE!

..Jesus…is all we need…both in this life and the next…and He’s always available…through prayer…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Calling on God in EVERY Circumstance!

01 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 33:3.       Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty (inaccessible) things, which thou knowest not.

And the month of March has opened like the lion it purports to be; cold, windy and with bright sunshine! And truthfully, it’s always been the winter month that I’ve least liked because of the cold, biting, icy winds that it stirs up; winds that get into your clothing, no matter how much you have on, and still chill you to the bones. 

It’s like Jesus says of the wind in the gospel of John while talking to the Jewish leader Nicodemus, when He uses it as an analogy for the Holy Spirit. ‘The wind bloweth where it listeth (wishes), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.’ (John 3:8) 

Now, that basically means, as this commentary explains: ‘You can’t see the wind directly. But you can see it move tree tops and hear it when it rustles through the leaves. It’s similar to the Spirit. You can’t see it directly either, but you can see through the way it changes people when it’s there.’ And once you’re born again, the Holy Spirit is always with you, working to bring you to the place that the Lord desires, that’s as close as possible to Jesus in both behaviour and outlook. (smile) 

That reminds us of this interesting scripture, where Bruh Paul writes to the Philippians: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) Yes friends, in other words, we’re a work that’s always in progress, until whenever Jesus comes back. 

The scholars say that ‘Paul is convinced that the work of grace that God began in the Philippians at conversion will be divinely continued until the day of Jesus Christ. That is, the Lord will keep working in these believers until Jesus returns to earth, at which point He will finish His work, bringing it to completion. This speaks of the Christian’s eternal security. For God had a purpose in view when He began His saving work in the Philippians, and that purpose will neither be abandoned nor unrealized.’ 

And the same goes for all those who put their trust in Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour. The Lord will keep working His saving grace in them through His Holy Spirit until Christ returns. So, we don’t have to worry about a thing, the Lord’s at work, just be obedient and faithful the best we can. (smile) And don’t think that I’ve forgotten our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. No,  not at all! It’s just that the other stuff got in the way. (smile) 

Then, let’s offer it up right now in all sincerity and truth nuh. ‘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 as always, that prayer just brings the presence of God ever nearer, with a heightened sense of peace, calm and grace, because the Lord just cannot deny us His amazing presence when we come to Him in such sincerity and truth. In fact, that’s how He would always like us to come to Him, with hearts and souls opened wide to receive His reinvigorating and regenerating presence. But that’s entirely up to us, because He’s always there waiting for our call. 

Remember the Lord’s promise to Jeremiah the second time, while he was locked up in prison. ‘Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord (Jehovah) is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty (inaccessible) things, which thou knowest not.’ (Jer. 33:2-3) Oh friends, we are to call upon God through prayer, in every time of trouble, in every circumstance – knowing He hears us and will be there. 

And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘One of the most profound promises in the Bible during times of crisis is Jeremiah 33:3. Some aptly refer to this verse as heaven’s 911—an emergency line to call when we are in distress. The Lord implores us to call to Him and reassures us of His favorable response when we do.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people, when we call from a sincere heart, the Lord will hear and respond. We just need to remember that most of the communication depends on us, because God is always hovering over us waiting for us to call, so that He can show us wonderful things that we don’t know. 

Meanwhile, this other commentary configures verse 33 thus. ‘Shows Us the Great and Hidden Things About God. You will tell us great and hidden things we’ve not known in your word and by your spirit. God, we want to know you. We want to see your glory. Lord, we want to see great things in you.’ 

And do we ever my faithful brethren! But as James so rightly says: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.  (James 4:7-8) And Peter admonishes: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) 

Now, my fellow saints, those are the elementary requirements for being in God’s calming and peaceful presence. So please, let’s spend a part of this cold and blustery lazy-day Saturday in March, doing just that nuh; seeking God and all the good things He has to offer and tell us about! Much LOVE!

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

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