The Overwhelming Importance of Understanding that God Disciplines Those Who Disobey Him!

09 Jun 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 June 2026   Deuteronomy 8:5.

Deuteronomy 8:5.        Thou shalt also consider (know) in thine heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.

Ah friends, today we’re on a real late bus, because I went to see my family doctor about a bad sore throat I’ve had for almost a week now and it wasn’t falling prey to my prayers or any of my home remedies, so I succumbed to the medic as a last resort. (smile)  Anyway, without further ado, let’s get to our topic for today, making it as short and sweet as possible. (smile) 

And it’s the same topic as it yesterday, God’s disciplining of His people, just with more scriptures. And if several people spoke about it down through the ages, that just goes to show how important it is. So we’ll go right back to the early years, where Moses is instructing the young Israelites who were going into the Promised Land, about the things the Lord had unsuccessfully tried to teach their forefathers.

He began by telling them that they had to keep all the commandments that he would tell them that day, so that they could live and multiply and go in and possess the Promised land. Then he related about the tough forty years spent in the wilderness, with the Lord trying to prove their faithfulness, humbling them, suffering them to hunger, then feeding them with manna, so that they could learn that man did not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the Lord’s mouth, and how their garments never grew old, nor their feet swollen in those forty years. (Deut. 8:1-4)

And he continues, ‘Thou shalt also consider (know) in thine heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his way, and to fear (reverence) him.’ (Deut. 8:5-6)  And all of that still stands to day my people! If we don’t keep the Lord’s commands as His children, He will discipline us.

Then we have the prophet Nathan speaking to Bruh David about God’s promises after his death. ‘I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes (strokes) of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.’ (2 Sam. 7:12-16)

Yes mih bredrin, that’s how much the Lord valued Bruh David, to make sure the kingdom was always ruled by his descendants, beginning with Cousin Sol, right down to Jesus. But please notice that He promised to chasten Cousin Sol if he erred. Just like He chastened Bruh David for his sinful and ungodly behaviour with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. So no one is exempt from the Lord’s discipline.

As Eliphaz, Job’s supposed friend reminds us: ‘Behold happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.’ (Job 5:17-18) Now that’s the awesome truth my people; the Lord’s work runs the whole gamut of our existence.

Then in Psalm 119, the psalmist declares: ‘It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.’ (Ps. 119:71-72) Unfortunately though, that’s a fact some of us can only learn the hard way. (smile) But don’t worry, the Lord will not give up on us, once we desire to rest under His umbrella, He will make sure that we learn what we need to.

And in closing, let’s remember this most appropriate verse from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians, where he reminds them and us: ‘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) That’s just to remind us that every day we’re alive, the Lord will be putting us through our paces on His potter’s wheel, attempting to make us more Christ-like, on our earthly journey.

And since we cannot evade the Lord’s discipline, hopefully the scriptures we’ve reviewed these past two days, will enable us to do what’s right more than ever, and thus not need to be disciplined by the Lord too often. (smile) 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 that now makes duty bound to go our 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 Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) liked to say…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 February 2024   1 Peter 4:16.

21 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 4:16.       Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (matter).

Oh friends, if I didn’t know better I would swear that spring has sprung! That’s because a short while ago I opened my side door to put out my waste and was greeted by a blast of relatively warm sunshine! Wow! According to my computer it’s already 5 degrees on the plus side, and it’s going up to 8, when normally at this time of year, it’s on the minus side of the centigrade scale. But I’m not complaining about the weather, rather I’m complaining about my right hip that’s suddenly for the last two days making my life a so and so nightmare. Almost every movement of my right leg sends a shooting pain through my hip. Can’t even sleep comfortably on that side. Chuh! 

Then to make matters worse, this morning I woke up with a sore throat. Brother! I had planned on going to church today and doing some other chores, but my sore throat and tender hip nixed that idea right in the bud. Ah Lord eh! You’d think that my physical problems would be with my right eye, on which I had surgery last week, but that’s been fairly wonderful, no real problems with it. But my foolish hip, which bugs me off and on decided to act up at a level it’s never done before. However, I won’t allow those minor aches and pains (smile) to quell my desire for God. 

That’s why I searched our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin until I found this most appropriate writing, titled ‘Fiery Trials.’ So please read with me: ‘God is teaching me incredible lessons regarding growth. I see with undeniable evidence that growth means pruning, and pruning means pain. I confess, I’m actually a coward about pain. I certainly never pray for it. I don’t anticipate or look for it. I do only one thing. I ask God to steady me, since the Bible so clearly states that trials are a part of our lifewalk with Him. 

In all honesty, I would prefer to escape the testing. I don’t like the pain of emotional trauma, which can be so overwhelming and baffling. I don’t like the deep cutting pain that goes on and on without relief. The pain of loneliness frightens me, the pain of losing someone dear to me grieves me. Nevertheless, I am praying for an open heart. I can’t begin to contemplate what fiery ordeals God may choose for my testing and growth, but I do long for my yieldedness to prove my willingness to be conformed to the image of His dear Son.’ 

Wow! How true all of that is! None of us like pain, but it’s all a part of life, especially in the Christian walk when the Lord decides to test our faith. And we’d rather escape the test than go through it. In fact, many of us cringe in fear when we learn that pruning, which equals pain, is an important aspect of our Christian life. And no, it doesn’t seem fair to test us, least of all when we do not expect it. And that’s when we usually get the testing, when we least expect it and under unusual circumstances that most times we cannot handle on our own. 

But that’s the very purpose of the testing; to ofttimes bring us to our knees and show us that we cannot do life successfully without Almighty God in our corner. And all we can really ask for is the  strength and power to bear whatever pain it takes to conform to the image of Christ, which is God’s eventual state for us. And the great part of it all is that God either gives us the strength to handle the test, or helps us escape it through one of His many means and miracles. 

The Bible promises, in Bruh Paul’s words: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) Yes friends, though our God might allow us to undergo temptation, which is as old a the world itself, He will not leave us alone to handle it, but will lend a helping hand in one form or the other. The problem is that we must be big and faithful enough of Spirit, Hope and Trust to understand this. 

As Hebrews so kindly informs and reassures us. ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16) 

What a marvellous scripture my brethren! It tells us that Jesus was tempted with sin like all of us, but never sinned. That means He can sympathize with our frailties, our shortcomings, and we can trust Him to help us. But it all takes a measure of faith. Thus the Bible verse for our writing today, which comes from the first epistle of Peter. ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch (to the extent that) ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

If ye be reproached (insulted) for the name of Christ, happy (blessed) are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of (blasphemed), but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody (meddler) in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (matter).’ (1 Pet. 4:12-16) 

Oh my fellow believers, that is indeed some hard scriptures to put into action, but by the grace of God we can certainly do it! It’s all a part of the testing of our faith, that when we suffer for Christ, that eventually we will rejoice with and in Him. That’s the glorious hope of our Christian future. The point is that we never give up, keep hoping and trusting in our great God, who LOVES us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins! Now that ought to mean a whole lot more to us than it does. So please, in these evil and ungodly times, let’s stand up strong and faithful in the promises of the God of our forefathers. That’s the ONLY way to conquer the enemy and make a significant difference in our world. 

Now, let’s declare (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, telling the whole world of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we endure to the very end with Christ, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, let’s plan to meet there at the vey end nuh! Much LOVE!

…true Christianity…is strong faith in action…

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ