06 Sep 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a lamb without blemish or spot, a pardon receives, a rejoicing spirit of gratitude, according to the riches of his grace, aimless conduct, alive and remain, all the gods of the nations are idols, an atonement for sin, as others which have no hope, as silver and gold, believe that Jesus died and rose again, bless His name, bruised for our iniquities, by the word of the Lord, by tradition from your fathers, caught up together with them in the clouds, christianity, come to the Father through Jesus the Son, comfort one another with these words, concerning them which are asleep, declare his glory among the heathen, descend from heaven with a shout, faith, Fanny Crosby, fellowship, foreordained before the the foundation of the world, from day to day, gave him glory, give him the glory, God so loved the world, God's love for humanity, great our rejoicing, great things he hath done, great things he hath taught us, greater will be our wonder, greatly to be praised, he gave his only begotten son, he gave us his son, he hath borne our griefs, higher, his wonders among all the people, holy spirit, honour and majesty are before him, I would not have you to be ignorant, in the spirit of gratitude, in whom we have redemption through his blood, Jesus Christ, joyful fellowship, let the earth hear his voice, let the people rejoice, LOVE, manifest in these last times for you, mercy, more great things to come, O sing unto the Lord a new song, opened the life-gate, our transport, perfect redemption, Praise the Lord, proclaim the good news of His salvation, purer, raised him up from the dead, remain unto the coming of the Lord, salvation, shall not precede them which are asleep, show forth his salvation, sincere worship, sing unto the Lord with all the earth, so loved he the world, so shall we ever be with the Lord, strength and beauty are in his sanctuary, sweet sacrifices of praise, that moment from Jesus, the BIBLE, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, the dead in Christ shall rise first, the finished work of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, the giving of thanks and praise, the Lord himselff, the Lord is great, the Lord made the heavens, the Lord's Day, the precious blood of Christ, the promise of God, the purchase of blood, the rapture of the church, the sacrificial gift of Jesus, the trump of God, the vilest offender, the voice of the archangel, them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him, through Jesus the son, to be feared above all gods, to every believer, To God be the glory, to meet the Lord in the air, truth, we which are alive, when Jesus we see, who by him do believe in God, who truly believes, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, William Howard Doane, wisdom, with his stripes we are healed, wounded for our transgressions, ye sorrow not, ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, yielded his life, your faith and hope might be in god
Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 September 2026 John 3:16.
John 3:16. For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And after Saturday comes Sunday, the Lord’s Day, when He rested from His creation of the universe, and when we, His faithful followers gather to celebrate His awesome LOVE and goodness through the giving of thanks and praise in joyful fellowship and sincere worship. And we’ll get the proceedings underway with a beautiful hymn dedicated to Almighty God, titled ‘To God be the Glory.’ It’s a hymn with lyrics by that wonderful, prolific though blind hymnist Fanny Crosby and music by William Howard Doane, apparently written around 1872 but first published in 1875.
The story goes that after it got included in Billy Graham’s crusades beginning in the 1950’s, it became famous worldwide, and is still being sung all around the world. According to the website Godtube: ‘To God Be the Glory’ celebrates the greatness of God and calls upon an appreciation for the wondrous things ‘He hath done.’ It is a glorious hymn to be sang rejoicefully in the spirit of gratitude.’ And I totally agree. So, with that in mind, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, scintillating mid-to-up-tempo version, (smile) sincerely expressing that rejoicing spirit of gratitude.
Singing: ‘To God be the glory, great things He hath done, so LOVED He the world that He gave us His Son, who yielded His life an atonement for sin, and opened the life-gate that all may go in. (Refrain: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, great things He hath done.) O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
(Refrain) Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; but purer, and higher, and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. (Refrain: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, great things He hath done.)’
Oh friends, that was wonderful! And did we ever show forth that spirit of gratitude! As so we should, when God has done so much for us, especially the sacrificial gift of Jesus and all it encompasses. And we certainly acknowledge it when we sing that first verse praising God’s LOVE for humanity, and the enormous lengths He went to, to secure our salvation. As Jesus so nicely puts it to the Jewish leader Nicodemus. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16)
And Jesus did sacrifice His sinless life to atone for our sins. And it was by no means easy. Isaiah possibly best describes the terrible time Jesus had long before Jesus’ human incarnation. He writes: ‘Surely he hath borne our griefs (sickness), and wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (blows that cut into his body) we are healed.’ (Is. 53-4-5) And that is exactly what Jesus suffered on our behalf my people. That’s how He ‘opened the gate that all may go in.’
Then the chorus also makes a most worthwhile statement by encouraging us to praise the Lord all over the earth, with grateful rejoicing for all the great things He’s done, and coming to Him through the finished work of His Son. It’s like Psalm 96 – The Greatness of God – tells us: ‘O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord with all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation (proclaim the good news of his salvation) from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all the people.
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.’ (Ps. 96: 1-6) And every word in that scripture passage is the gospel truth my brethren! That’s why the Lord God Jehovah deserves our undying, everlasting, praise and LOVE!
Then we have the second verse that speaks of redemption and the purchase of blood, where even the vilest offender could be pardoned if he believes. Bruh Paul spells it out for us in Ephesains, when he says: ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:7)
And Peter expounds on that some more. ‘Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible (perishable) things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation (aimless conduct) received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest (revealed) in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.’ (1 Pet. 1:18-21)
Yes friends, that’s what God did for us poor sinners through His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ! And yuh better believe that’s not the end of all the great things the Lord has in store for us. No way. There are more great things to come: ‘purer, and higher, and greater will be our wonder, our rapture, when Jesus we see.’ Oh yes, great will be our wonder when Jesus returns to rapture His church! Here’s how Bruh Paul describes it to the Thessalonians. ‘But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (are dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep (dead) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (trumpet) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever (always) be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
And on this first Sunday in September, that is about the best comfort and encouragement we can have my fellow believers. So please spend some time pondering it. Much LOVE!
…Jehovah God is great…and greatly to be praised…there’s absolutely no doubt it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a central declaration of christian faith, a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine, a fortified tower, adopted children of God, all sufficient sacrifice, an army rising up, as the manner of some is, as ye see the day approaching, at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, at the name of Jesus, became obedient unto the death of the cross, being found in fashion as a man, brake their bands in sunder, break every chain, break the chains of Satan, broke their chains in pieces, brought them out of the darkness, by his own blood, eternal redemption for our sin, every knee should bow, every one's bands were loosed, every tongue should confess, exhorting one another, experience God's saving grace, faith, feel the freedom, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, freedom from the bondage of sin, freely given, given him a name above every other name, God also hath highly exalted him, having obtained, he entered in once into the holy place, he has set us free, he humbled himself, he's our Jesus, hear the chains falling, heartfelt, heaven's gates swing wide, help those living in bondage, holy spirit, I hear the chains falling, immediately all the doors were opened, in sincerity and truth, in the name of Jesus, in worship and fellowship, invoke the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus christ is Lord, Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice of his sinless life, Jesus the Conqueror, Jesus' full presence, join the joyful throng of believers, LOVE, mercy, mighty conqueror, neither is there salvation in any other, nether by the blood of goats and calves, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, on our redemption, once and for all time, power in the person of Christ, reciprocal encouragement, reflects the belief in spiritual authority, rollicking, salvation, sang praises unto God, saved them out of their distresses, shout it out, so much more, standing strong and faithful, strengthening, submission to Christ's Lordship, such a price, suddenly a great earthquake, sweet sacrifices of praise, Tasha Cobbs, the assembling of God's people, the church is a body interacting, the foundations of the prison were shaken, the Lord's sanctuary, the miracle working power of Jesus, the name of the Lord, the prisoners heard them, the redeeming power of God, the righteous run to it and are saved, the shadow of death, the stirring up gained from one another, there am I in the midst of them, there is none other name among men, There Is Power in the Name of Jesus, they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, things in heaven, things in the earth, things under the earth, through faith in the person of Jesus, to pay our sin debt, to the glory of God the Father, truth, whereby we must be saved, Will Reagan, wisdom, worship must be a regular occurrence
Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 August 2026 Acts 4:16.
Acts 4:16. ‘Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name among men, whereby we must be saved.’
Sunday’s here again my friends, time to join the joyful throng of believers in worship and fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary, or wherever you may be gathered, for Jesus assured us that ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt. 18:20) That means that even a small group, meeting in the open air, with His authority and intent, has His full presence. So, the size of the gathering or the place is of no real importance, just the Christ-like intentions we bring to it.
And let’s also remember that getting together in worship needs to be a regular occurrence, not a once every so often matter. It’s like the author of Hebrews reminds us. ‘Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:25) That’s because as the scholars advise: ‘The assembling of God’s people provides opportunity for reciprocal encouragement, strengthening, and the stirring up that can be gained from one another. The church is a body interacting; it is not merely a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine.’ (smile)
So let’s get to some interacting right away, by singing this modern worship song, written by Will Reagan and made popular by Tasha Cobbs, titled, ‘There is Power in the Name of Jesus.’ And we’ll offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a rollicking, heartfelt, mid-tempo version of the song. Singing: ‘There is power in the name of Jesus There is power in the name of Jesus There is power in the name of Jesus To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain (Repeat)
There’s an army rising up There’s an army rising up There’s an army rising up To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain. All sufficient sacrifice, freely given, such a price. On our redemption Heaven’s gates swing wide, That’s why we believe that There is power in the name of Jesus There is power in the name of Jesus There is power in the name of Jesus To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain.
We believe that there is power, power, wonderworking power in the name of Jesus. And that’s why There’s an army rising up There’s an army rising up There’s an army rising up To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain! Oh He’s our Jesus, Jesus – the Conqueror – Mighty Conqueror! That’s why we hear the chains falling, the chains are falling! Shout it out! I hear the chains falling I hear the chains falling! I feel the freedom, freedom from the bondage of sin! Yes, He has set us free, because there is power in the name of Jesus, power in the name of Jesus, power to break every chain, break every chain, break every chain…’
Oh friends, that was indeed a powerful piece of worship, and it encourages us to invoke the name of Jesus over our families, communities and struggles! And there’s no doubt that we truly believe what we sang; that there is indeed power in the name of Jesus to do all we said He could do. As one overview tells us: ‘It’s a central declaration of Christian faith, it reflects the belief in spiritual authority, healing, and redemption found in Scripture.’ But before we go further, let’s make one thing absolutely clear; there is power in Christ’s name only because there is power in Christ’s person.
As an article on the subject from the website gotquestions.org explains: ‘Any power that Christians access in Jesus’ name comes from true faith in who Jesus is and what He does for sinners. The saving, healing, protecting, justifying, redeeming power of God resides in the Person of Christ, and Jesus is His name. Where there is no faith, no relationship, or no submission to His lordship, the name Jesus is nothing but a word. We are wise to guard ourselves from the temptation to misuse the name of Jesus. As adopted sons and daughters into God’s family, Christians experience God’s saving grace through faith in the Person of Jesus. When we call on Him, we participate in His power and find that “the name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
And as Peter told the Jewish council when they arrested John and himself for preaching Christ crucified: ‘Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name among men, whereby we must be saved.’ (Acts: 4:16) Yes friends, salvation can be achieved through no other name than Jesus. That just goes to show the awesome power of His name and person. It’s like Bruh Paul says about Christ in Philippians: ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:8-11)
That shows just how powerful and exalted is the name of Jesus! But now, turning to the song where it talks about Christ’s power to break chains, there are several scriptures that agree with it. For instance, in Psalm 107: God’s Redemptive Power, the psalmist declares: ‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder (broke their chains in pieces).’ (Ps. 107:13-14)
And to prove the miracle working power of Jesus and His Exalted Name, listen to this scripture from Acts, where in the city of Philippi, Bruh Paul and Silas are beaten and deposited deep in the bowels of the prison bound and shackled in chains. ‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands (chains) were loosed.’ (Acts 16:25-26)
Oh yes my brethren, there is indeed power in the name of Jesus to break chains, both literally and figuratively! That’s why when we call upon His name in sincerity and truth, chains will break! But we need an army to rise up and help those living in bondage to break their chains. Jesus has already done His part, as the song says: ‘All sufficient sacrifice, freely given, such a price. On our redemption Heaven’s gates swing wide,’ Once and for all time, Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice of His sinless life on the cross of Calvary to pay our sin debt.
As the author of Hebrews declares: ‘Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.’ (Heb.9:12) And the only way we can repay a very small portion of that debt we owe Jesus, is by living sincerely for Him, and being a part of the mighty army He needs to help break the chains and bondage that Satan has on too many of our fellow human beings. Let’s show Him we truly care nuh, by rising up and standing strong and faithful in His mighty name! Much LOVE!
…the name…the name that holds awesome power…JESUS…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a frightening sea storm, a mixture of reverential awe and real fright, a raging tempest, a wake up call, all my heart to him I give, an integral part of church going, an invitation to church, attend church regularly, be not afraid, be of good cheer it is I, be saved today, bid me come unto thee on the water, billows his will obey, carest thou not that we perish, chillingly eerie to witness, church bells are ringing, confidence, cried out for fear, cry out to Jesus for help, enjoy the company of other believers, even the wind and the sea obey him, ever his praises sing, ever to him i'll cling, faith, faithful loving service too, far from the peaceful shore, fellowship, five loaves of bread, focusing on our circumstances, from the waters lifted me, guilty of the same thing, he your saviour wants to be, heard my despairing cry, holy spirit, how is it that ye have no faith, imagines sinking in water to sinking in sin, Immediately, In his blessed presence live, in the fourth watch of the night, into the well being of his grace, it is a spirit, it's all for our benefit, James Rowe, Jesus asleep in the stern of the boat, Jesus Christ, Jesus completely saves, Jesus fed five thousand men, Jesus lifts us up, Jesus rebuked the wind, Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, Jesus went unto them, Jesus went up into a mountain to pray, lift you by his love, likely to go under, Lord if it be thou, lose all sense of courage and faith, LOVE, love lifted me, love so mighty and so true, master of the sea, mercy, merits my soul's best songs, negative situations, never take your eyes off Jesus, no shame to cry out to Jesus, nothing is impossible to Jesus, now safe am I, o thou of little faith, of a truth, out of the angry waves, peace be still, Peter answered him, Peter walked on the water, receiving God's grace and mercy, refocused his attention, required in the Lord's sanctuary, said unto the sea, salvation, sinking deep in sin, sinking to rise no more, sould in danger, souls in danger look above, straightway Jesus spake unto them, sweet sacrifices of praise, take courage, the BIBLE, the Crown Prince of heaven, the disciples were troubled, the disciples worshipped Jesus, the instantaneous dissipation of a violent storm, the Master of the sea, the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, the one who created the wind and the sea, the wind ceased and there was a great calm, they feared exceedingly, thou art the Son of God, to him belongs, to praise worship and fellowship, took his eyes off Jesus, trusting faith, truth, twelve baskets of leftovers, two small fishes, very deeply stained within, walking on the sea, what manner of man is this, when nothing else could help, wherefore didst thou doubt, why are ye so fearful, wisdom
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2026 Matthew 14:31.
Matthew 14:31. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Come on friends, the church bells are ringing, letting us know that it’s Sunday and we’re therefore required in the Lord’s sanctuary to praise, worship, fellowship, encourage and enjoy the company of other believers, while receiving God’s grace and mercy to enable us to go out into the new week of work with confidence and trusting faith. And this past week when I was in Toronto, I heard church bells ringing, and was I ever surprised and delighted because I hadn’t heard church bells ringing in a long while.
I remember church bells being such an integral part of church going. They would ring every Sunday morning, inviting you to come to church. Oftentimes too it was a wakeup call, after a late night out on Saturday. But for whatever reason, the practice was abandoned. I don’t even remember when that happened, possibly during a period when I stopped going to church. (smile) But with or without bells ringing an invitation or a wakeup call, we’re still required to attend church regularly and on this Sunday morning we’re going to open the celebrations with a wonderful hymn we all know, simply titled, ‘LOVE LIFTED ME.’
It was written in 1912 by Irish immigrant to the U.S James Rowe (1865-1933). He was a railroad worker for ten years in New York before becoming an inspector for the Hudson River Humane Society. The lyrics draw from the gospel stories of Jesus and His disciples at sea. Rowe imagines sinking in water to sinking in sin and that Jesus can lift us out of despair to salvation. And is that ever a wonderful notion to consider! So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, mid-tempo version that truly reflects our sentiments.
Singing: ‘I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. (Refrain: LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me.) All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling, In his blessed presence live, ever his praises sing. LOVE so mighty and so true merits my soul’s best songs; Faithful LOVING service, too, to Him belongs.
[Refrain] Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His LOVE out of the angry waves; He’s the master of the sea, billows His will obey; He your Savior wants to be, be saved today. [Refrain: LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me…. Yes, When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me….’ Oh, that was beautiful my brethren! And as so often happens, we had heaven singing along with us, because it’s such a sweet, truthful hymn about their Crown Prince! (smile)
Now, although most of us know the stories behind the song, it’s always helpful to review them for whatever information and inspiration they might provide. The first incident occurred after Jesus fed the five thousand men, beside women and children with five loaves of bread and two small fishes, and they collected twelve baskets of leftovers afterwards. Then right after the feeding, Jesus compelled the disciples to get into a boat and sail to the other side, while He sent the crowd away, then went up into a mountain by Himself to pray, where evening found Him up there alone. (Matt. 14:14-23)
However, the boat with the disciples was then in the middle of the sea in a frightening storm. The Bible recounts: ‘And in the fourth watch of the night (between 3 and 6 a.m.) Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit (ghost); and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer (take courage); it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come.
And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous (violent), he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Matt. 14:25-31)
Ah mih people, that’s the same question Jesus asks many of us today, when we allow fear to overcome our Christ-inspired faith and courage. Now Peter had the parts to at least come down and begin walking on the water, but in the midst of it, He unwisely refocused His attention from Jesus to the violent wind blowing around Him. But we are also guilty of the same thing; taking our eyes off of Jesus and focusing them on our circumstances, when we quickly lose all sense of courage and faith. It’s therefore essential to never take our eyes off Jesus when confronted with any disadvantageous situations, because then we’re likely to go under.
But, as with Peter, it’s necessary to cry out to Jesus for help in negative situations, so that His LOVE can lift us up. And when it was all over, the disciples worshipped Jesus saying, ‘Of a truth thou art the Son of God.’ (Matt. 14:33) And though it seems sort of late for them to be doing that, I’m sure Jesus understood their fragility, just like He understands ours today.
And the second story is another incident where Jesus and the disciples are crossing the sea and a raging tempest blows up, with the waves washing over the sides of the boat filling it with water. Meanwhile Jesus is asleep on a pillow in the stern of the boat, and the disciples wake him, saying, ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is this (who can this be), that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:38-41)
That man was only the One who created the wind and the sea, so they obviously obeyed Him. And I like how the scholars put it about the disciples’ fear, saying that ‘it must have been a mixture of reverential awe and real fright – it would be chillingly eerie to witness the instantaneous dissipation of a violent storm.’ And so it would be, but we still need to remember that it’s Jesus we’re dealing with, to whom nothing is impossible. And as one commentary puts it: ‘Rowe’s hymn masterfully incorporates both stories, using sinking or being swamped into the sea as an illustration for “sinking deep in sin…sinking to rise no more.” Jesus, “Master of the sea,” hears our pleas for help, reaches out to us in LOVE, and lifts us up into the well-being of grace.’
And that is exactly what He does! But we must have the faith and the courage to call out to Him for help, when we find ourselves in negative situations. Remember, it’s all for our benefit! Much LOVE!
…it’s no shame…to cry out to Jesus for help…any time at all…under whatever circumstances…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a name written, according to the riches of his grace, at the name of Jesus, be made the righteousness of God in Christ, become the righteousness of God in him, beside me there is no God, bestowed grace on us, carry them in his bosom, celebrates Jesus as our blessed redeemer, Chester G Allen, Christ is coming, crown him, every knee should bow, every tongue confess, faith, Fanny Crosby, feed his flock like a shepherd, for our sins he suffered and bled and died, gather the lambs with his arm, Gentiles brought into God's fold, gently lead those that are with young, give thanks and praise, given him a name above every other name, God also highly exalted him, God made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, God's worthy to be praised, gospel truth, hail him, he hath made him to be sin for us, he hath on his vesture and on his thigh, he our rock, he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, heard the voice of many angelsround about the throne, heavenly portals, highest archangels in glory, his redeemer, His wonderful love proclaim, holy spirit, I am the first and I am the last, I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and are known of mine, I know that my Redeemer lives, I will call upon the Lord, in his arms he carries them all day long, in whom I will trust, in whom we have redemption through his blood, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father, Jesus Christ sacrificed, Jesus our Blessed Redeemer., Jesus reigneth for ever and ever, Jesus Saviour, Jesus the crucified, Jesus who bore our sorrows, Jesus will guard his children, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, like a shepherd, loud with hosannas ring, LOVE, love unbounded, made us accepted in the beloved, mercy, my buckler, my deliverer, my high tower, our hope of eternal salvation, over the world victorious, power and glory unto the Lord belong, Praise Him Praise Him, praises Jesus' amazing gifts of salvation and redemption, Prophet and priest and king, recognize the goodness and greatness of jesus, reconcile us back to Himself, salvation, saved from mine enemies, set us free from the bondage of sin, sing O earth, sound his praises, strength and honour give to his name, sweet sacrifices of praise, the forgiveness of sins, the four and twenty elders, the God of the whole earth, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the greatest gift ever to mankind, the Holy One of Israel, the horn of my salvation, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, the Lord of hosts, the Lord's Day, the redeemer of all men, the righteous judge, thy Redeemer, to receive power and riches, to the praise of the glory of his grace, truth, unto him that sitteth on the throne, unto the Lamb for ever and ever, wisdom, worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever, worthy is the lamb that was slain
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2026 Ephesians 1:7.
Ephesians 1:7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
A new day has dawned bright and sunshiny my people! It’s also the first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, and thankfully we’re still alive to enjoy it. So, it’s our bounden duty then to attend the Lord’s sanctuary so we can give thanks and praise for all the good things He’s done for us, especially the offering of His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to pay for our abominable sins! It’s the greatest gift ever given to mankind! And today’s song of worship is one that addresses that very fact. It’s most appropriately titled ‘Praise Him, Praise Him,’ one of the many hymns of the blind American hymn writer Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), written in 1869, with the musical tune composed by Chester G. Allen.
The hymn celebrates Jesus as our “blessed Redeemer” and praises his amazing gifts of salvation and redemption. Let’s therefore offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a heartfelt, mid-tempo version of the song, ensuring that all who hear us know that we’re truly sincere in our praise! Singing: ‘Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Sing, O earth – his wonderful LOVE proclaim! Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory, Strength and honor give to his holy name! Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children – In his arms he carries them all day long:
(Refrain: Praise him! Praise him! tell of his excellent greatness! Praise him! Praise him! ever in joyful song!) Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins he suffered and bled and died; He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation, Hail him! hail him! Jesus the Crucified! Sound his praises – Jesus who bore our sorrows – LOVE unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong: [Refrain] Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring! Jesus, Savior, reigneth for ever and for ever, Crown him! crown him! Prophet and Priest and King! Christ is coming, over the world victorious – Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong: [Refrain]’
Oh my brethren, all of heaven sang along with us, because they too recognize the goodness and greatness of Jesus and also wanted to offer their own sacrifices of praise. And truthfully, there’s no praise that we can ever offer that can truly capture the awesome sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, offering up His sinless life, taking our sins, so that we could become the righteousness of God. As Bruh Paul says in 2 Corinthians: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ.’ (2 Cor.5:21)
Yes friends, we’re declared righteous in God’s eyes based on the merits of Christ’s work. As the song so rightly says: ‘Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins he suffered and bled and died;’ Job said it long ago: ‘For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day (at last) upon the earth.’ (Job 19:25) Meanwhile Isaiah writes: ‘Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.’ (Is. 44:6) And again: ‘For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.’ (Is. 54:5)
And Isaiah is there prophesying about the Lord becoming both the Maker and husband of the Gentiles, the Redeemer of all men, while also being the Holy One of Israel. Therefore, He is the God of the whole earth. And after Christ’s sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, the Gentiles were indeed brought into the fold of Almighty God, starting with the amazing zeal and hard work of Bruh Paul, whom the Christ sent to preach especially to the Gentiles. That’s why in the letter to the Ephesians, he could say of God: ‘To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved (bestowed grace or favour on us). In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:6-7)
Yes mih bredrin, it was all the Lord’s doing through His wonderful LOVE for His human creation. He sent Jesus to die on the cross so that His blood could redeem us, set us free from the bondage of sin, and reconcile us back to himself. That’s why He’s so worthy of our praise and LOVE, and the psalmist could rightly declare: ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout hallelujah). Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power (mighty firmament). Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness…. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (shout hallelujah).’ (Ps. 150:1-2,6)
Then we have that beautiful imagery in the song: ‘Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children – In his arms he carries them all day long:’ Jesus indeed referred to Himself as a shepherd: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) Which is exactly what He did on the cross of Calvary. Then later he also declared: ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:14) More gospel truth again, for Jesus does indeed know all those who truly know Him as Lord and Saviour. And way back when Isaiah also referred to the Lord as a shepherd. ‘He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is. 40:11)Yes, the Lord takes good care of His people like a shepherd takes good care of his sheep.
And there’s absolutely no doubt that ‘Jesus is our Rock, and our hope of eternal salvation.’ Bruh David says it so eloquently in Psalm 18: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. 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). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3) And that’s what he did, and the Lord saved him from His enemies. And since the Lord doesn’t change, if He did it for Bruh David, then He will also do it for all who sincerely call upon His Holy Name for help!
Meanwhile because of Jesus’ sacrifice, the Lord ‘Hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phill. 2:9-11) And then, when Jesus comes as the righteous Judge, the Bible says: ‘And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:16)
And there’s also joy and singing in heaven, ‘Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!’ when ‘ John says in Revelation: ‘And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts (living creatures) and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessings, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts (living creatures) said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. ’ (Rev. 5:11-14)
Yes my people, that’s only a foretaste of how it will really be. Much LOVE!
…our great Godhead…Father, Son and Holy Ghost…are indeed worthy of all our praise…and even more…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a renewal of faith and confidence, a song about finding strength, a soulful ballad, a spiritual source, a unique song, and lo I am with you always, beats so imperfectly, believest thou this, bondage to Satan, Christians, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, during difficult times, each restless heart, emotional weariness, empowers others to overome adversity, even unto the end of the world, faith, find rest unto your souls, finding inner strength and hope, for praise worship and thanksgiving, gentle and humble in heart, give you rest, have the light of life, he that believeth on me shall never thirst, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, holy spirit, hope, I am filled with wonder, I am still, I am strong, I am the bread of life, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way the truth and the life, I can stand on mountains, I glimpse eternity, I know my sheep and are known of mine, in the face of worldly challenges, Jesus Christ, Jesus is a Superstar, Jesus is there for us in any area we need help, Jesus will take good care of us, Jesus' yoke is filled with mercy and grace, join other believers in the Lord's sancturary, Josh Groban, learn of me, long holiday weekend, LOVE, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, most important action, my heart burdened be, my soul so weary, no life without its hunger, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, numerous festivities taking place, perseverance, reach your full potential, salvation, Secret Garden, sinful darkness, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, that action under our belt, the BIBLE, the first Sunday in August, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the gospel truth, the great invitation, the light of the world, the love and guidance of God, the presence of a loving you, the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the sacrifice of Jesus, the support of another person, though he were dead yet shall he live, to be more than I can be, to walk on stormy seas, truth, until you come and sit awhile with me, wait here in silence, when I am down, when I am on your shoulders, when troubles come, when you come, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, wisdom, You Raise Me Up
Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 August 2026 Matthew 28:20b.
Matthew 28:20b. …and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Oh my people, on this first Sunday in August, although the rain is trying to create some unnecessary havoc, with the long holiday weekend in progress, and the numerous festivities taking place, let’s not forget the most important action we need to take; that’s joining other believers in the Lord’s sanctuary for praise, worship and thanksgiving. For without that action under our belt, the upcoming week will not be as easy to handle, for our faith and confidence would not have received its weekly renewal. (smile)
And to help us do that this week, we have a wonderful song to sing; one that all of us know and LOVE; one simply titled, ‘You Raise Me up.’ It’s a song originally recorded in 2001 by the duo Secret Garden with singer Brian Kennedy, but was made famous worldwide by Josh Groban in 2003. And it’s one of those unique songs that speak to all of us in one way or another, so let’s not delay any longer, and offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful ballad, a scintillating, heartfelt version.
Singing: ‘When I am down and oh, my soul so weary When troubles come and my heart burdened be Then I am still and wait here in the silence Until You come and sit awhile with me (Chorus: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be.)
There is no life, no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly But when You come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity You raise me up so I can stand on mountains (You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains) You raise me up to walk on stormy seas (Walk on stormy seas) And I am strong when I am on Your shoulders Oh, you raise me up to more than I can be You raise me up to more than I can be.’
That was wonderful friends! And though the song is not a recognized hymn, it does have many of the qualities that most hymns have. It’s like this Overview explains. ‘”You Raise Me Up” is an inspiring ballad about finding strength, hope, and perseverance through the support of another person, often interpreted as God or a spiritual source, especially during difficult times. The lyrics describe a person’s emotional weariness and how the presence of a LOVING “you” empowers them to overcome adversity, “stand on mountains,” “walk on stormy seas,” and achieve more than they could alone.’
And isn’t that the gospel truth! We could not find our way in this life without the awesome LOVE and guidance of our wonderful God, through the sacrifice of His sinless Son, Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and then the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit within us to help lead and guide us along the straight and narrow path! And we discover that situation, right in the very first verse, where troubles burden us, and we sit in silence waiting until that special someone comes to sit with us.
Who’s that special someone eh? No one but Jesus, as He offers His Great Invitation to all who are burdened and weary. ‘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 in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Yes friends, Jesus’ yoke is indeed light, for it’s not as heavy as the yoke that the Rabbis of old, placed on their followers, with the numerous laws that no sinful human could ever keep properly. Instead, Jesus’ yoke is light and unencumbered, because it’s filled with mercy and grace. That makes Him the best One to provide comfort and support and lift you up when you are hurting.
And if as they say, the song is about finding inner strength and hope in the face of worldly challenges, He is indeed the One most able to provide those things. And if you’re also looking for someone to support you, so that you can reach your full potential, and even greater, then Jesus is again the One you need. For lets’ look at all the things He is and does.
In the first place, He claims: ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 8:35) He is the bread that gives spiritual and eternal life. Then He claims: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) That means Jesus won’t allow you to be pressured into or remain in the sinful darkness and bondage that Satan delights in keeping those who follow him.
Then again, as Jesus says to Martha, Lazarus’ sister: ‘I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’’ (John 11:25-26) Now that’s a good question for all of us to seriously ponder. Then there’s this claim, where Jesus says to the disciple Thomas, and consequently to all of us: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) So nobody can get to Father God, but through belief in His Son Jesus Christ.
Then last, but by no means last, Jesus claims: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:11&14) And we all know what a good shepherd does- take good care of the sheep in his flock. Therefore, if we put our trust in Jesus, He will take good care of us. In fact, all those ‘I am’ statements were to show us how unique and all-encompassing is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In any area in which we need help, He is always there for us. As he says at the end of the Great Commission: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b)
Now how can you beat that eh? You simply cannot, for Jesus is a Superstar; the One and only One in the universe. That means we can rest assured in all areas of our lives, if we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Let’s hope you do. Much LOVE!
…Jesus can raise us up from any state or trouble…in which we find ourselves…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deficiency causes a clear adverse outcome, a misguided heart, a need is something that's necessary to sustain life, a want is a desire wish or aspiration, all fall down, bowing here, cling to God, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, congregate in the Lord's sanctuary, consider all the blessings we have, dysfunction, eternal death, exciting, faith, fellowship, find grace to help in time of need, find rest unto your souls, find true rest and direction, gentle and humble in heart, God goodness and mercy, God's largesse, hard, headed straight for hell fire and damnation, Holiness is Christ in me, holy spirit, I confess, I find my rest, I need you every hour, I will call upon the Lord, I will give you rest, I will love thee O lord my strength, I'll fall on you Jesus, in whom I will trust, Jesus Christ, Jesus is more than sufficient for all our needs, Jesus is our be all and end all, joy filled, learn from me, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, Lord I come, Lord I need you, LOVE, makes me wan to worship, Matt Maher, meek and lowly in heart, my buckler, my burden is light, my deliverer, my god, my high tower, my one defense, my righteousness, my shield, my stronghold, my yoke is easy, O God how I need you, obtain mercy, on the right hand of God, painful, run to God, salvation, saved from mine enemies, song of worship, Sunday, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, teach my song to rise to you, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, the delicious truth, the first day of the week, the horn of my salvation, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, the throne of grace, the undeserving children of men, there is no other God like our God Jehovah, this evil and ungodly society, time of need, total reliance on God, trust God with everything we're going through, truth, we cannot make it on our own, we need God every minute, we need God in every situation in our lives, we need the Lord's saving grace, when I cannot stand, when temptation comes my way, where grace is found is where you are, where sin runs deep, where you are Lord I am free, wisdom, without you I fall apart, worthy to be praised, you're my hope and stay, you're the one that guides my heart, your grace is more
Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 July 2026 Matthew 11:28.
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
It’s the first day of the week my fellow believers! Sunday! The day we congregate in the Lord’s sanctuary to celebrate His sovereignty as one joyful body, to offer up praise and thanksgiving for His mercy and goodness to us undeserving children of men. For without His largesse, we’d have no chance whatsoever of escaping eternal death.
And today’s song of worship is one that shows our total reliance on our Creator. It’s a 2011 contemporary Christian song by Matt Maher, most appropriately titled `Lord I Need You. So, without further ado, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, lively and uplifting version, as per the Brookly Tabernacle Choir.
Singing: ‘Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart (Chorus: Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You) Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord I am free Holiness is Christ in me (Chorus)
So teach my song to rise to You When temptation comes my way And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You Jesus, You’re my hope and stay (Chorus. Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You You’re my one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You!’
And isn’t that the delicious truth! We desperately need the Lord’s saving grace, mercy, salvation, and all the other good things He has to offer, for we simply cannot make it on our own! But before we get into the specifics of the song, I think we should clarify what we mean by a need. And this commentary gives us a good basis on which to begin.
It says: ‘A need is something that is necessary for an organism to live a healthy life. Needs are distinguished from wants in that, in the case of a need, a deficiency causes a clear adverse outcome: a dysfunction or death. In other words, a need is something required for a safe, stable and healthy life (e.g. food, water, shelter), while a want is a desire, wish, or aspiration.’
From that explanation, we can deduce that needs are ever so necessary in a human’s life, and most, if not all of them can only be met by or obtained through God’s goodness, grace and mercy! Just look at the first verse: ‘‘Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart.’ Now where else can you find true rest and direction for an unsure or misguided heart eh? Nowhere else but in and through Jesus!
As He says in His Great Invitation: ‘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 in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11: 28-30) Now that’s Jesus satisfying a couple of our most basic needs; rest and relief from heavy burdens. No one else can do that like He does.
Then look at the chorus: ‘Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You).’ And if that isn’t the gospel truth, then I don’t know what is! And in this evil and ungodly society that seems to be getting worse with each passing day, do we ever need the Lord. Not only every hour but also every minute, because life is passing by so swiftly, if He isn’t with us all the time then all fall down.
And the chorus most rightly terms the Lord, ‘our one defense,’ which Bruh David clearly states in Psalm 18 – A Call for God’s Deliverance, when he confidently declares: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength (rock), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3)
It could not be said more clearly than that my people! And we know that Bruh David was talking there from personal experience and not simple hearsay. Then this verse tells us: ‘Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord I am free Holiness is Christ in me.’
And where do we find grace, but at the throne of grace! As the author of Hebrews so rightly informs us: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) And if we find grace where Jesus is, then Jesus must in heaven, as Peter says: ‘Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.’ (1 Pet. 3:22)
Yes my fellow believers, as I keep on saying, Jesus is our End All and Be All; without Him we’re completely lost, headed straight for hell fire and damnation, but with Him in our lives, we don’t need anything or anyone else, for He is more than sufficient for all our needs!
And we’ll close with a couple of testimonies on the song. The first one says: ‘God is ALL that we need. That’s what He wants from us. For us to run to Him, cling to Him and trust Him with everything we’re going through. Whether it’s painful and hard, or joy filled and exciting! We need Him!’ Don’t we know it!
And the second testimony declares: ‘This is a very beautiful song.it makes me look at God and see how much I need him in every situation in my life. It makes me want to worship every time I sing it. It surely is a blessing.’ What an awesome truth! And with that truth declared, I think we should spend some time today considering all the blessings we have, by having Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour! Much LOVE!
…what a great God we serve…there is no other like Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 10th century African Prayer, a light unto my path, abide with you for ever, air quality warnings, all for our benefit, and again I say rejoice, ask and it shall be given you, be careful for nothing, be filled with the Spirit, be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, because I live ye shall live also, blessed be God, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, calamity, call upon me, comforts us in all our tribulation, dissipation, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, everyone that asketh receiveth, faith, fellowship, giving thanks always for all things, God will come to you if you ask him to, going to God's house to worship Him, have the light of life, He came to me when I needed Him, He gave me eyes to behold, He gave me wealth untold, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, he that seeketh findeth, He's only a prayer away, hearken unto you, holy spirit, I am the light of the world, I asked the Lord to comfort me, I asked the Lord to walk with me, I count all my blessings each day, I didn't ask for riches, I know the thoughts that I have toward you, I only had to pray, I thank the Lord for everything, I will come to you, I will comfort you, I will not leave you comfortless, I will see you through, if ye love me keep my commandments, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in every thing give thanks, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, it shall be opened, Jesus Christ, Ji, Jimmy Duncan, Johnny Lange, knock and it shall be opened unto you, let your moderation be known unto all men, let your requests be made known unto God, lift your cares away, listen to you, LOVE, making melody in your heart to the Lord, mercy, Mule Train, My Special Angel, never be afraid, pray the Father to give you another Comforter, pray without ceasing, rejoice evermore, Rejoice in the Lord always, renew our spirits, salvation, search for me with all your heart, seek and ye shall find, seen a great light, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, speaking to yourselves in psalms hymns and spiritual songs, sweet sacrifices of praise, the best of everything is bestowed on you, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the firmament sheweth his handiwork, the God of All Comfort, the greatest privilege is prayer, the heavens declare the glory of god, the Lord is at hand, the moon and the stars, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the people that walked in darkness, the Spirit of truth, the sun in the sky, this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to give you a future and a hope, to give you an expected end, to him that knocketh, truth, unto god the Father, upon them the light hath shined, we may comfort them which are in trouble, when darkness was all I knew, when things weren't going my way, will not leave you as orphans, wisdom, ye shall call upon me and pray unto me, ye shall seek me and find me
Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 July 2026 John 8:12.
John 8:12. ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’
Ah, Sunday, sweet Sunday! Going to God’s house to sing and praise and worship Him with other believers and renew our sprits for another week! What a glorious time it will be, as we meet and greet and encourage each other! And though some air quality warning is still in place, it’s otherwise a bright and sunshiny day with blue skies and a cool breeze, which makes it even more satisfying to journey to the Lord’s sanctuary. (smile)
And today’s song of worship is a beautiful 20th century hymn, written by Jimmy Duncan (1927-2011) and Johnny Lange (1905-2006) simply but very expressively titled ‘I asked the Lord.’ It’s strange that those two got together to write a hymn, when they were both known for more popular worldly music, like ‘My Special Angel,’ and ‘Mule Train.’ But a beautiful song was indeed created from the collaboration, so, without further ado, let’s raise our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise, in a rich, soulful, scintillating, mid-tempo version.
Singing: ‘I asked the Lord to comfort me When things weren’t going my way; And He said to me, “I will comfort you And I’ll lift your cares away.” I asked the Lord to walk with me, when darkness was all that I knew; And He said to me “Never be afraid, and I will see you through.” I didn’t ask for riches, but He gave me wealth untold, The moon and the stars, the sun in the sky, and He gave me eyes to behold. I thank the Lord for everything, and I count all my blessings each day; For He came to me when I needed Him, I only had to pray. And He will come to you, if you ask Him to, For He’s only a prayer away…. Yes, if you ask Him to, He will come to you, For He’s only a prayer away…’
Oh friends, that was a wonderful version! And what I truly like about the song is that it’s short and simple, but very much to the point. You ask the Lord for something within His will, and He’ll certainly do it for you. As Jesus says: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) And if Jesus says it’s so, then it is so!
And what did we ask for above there? Comfort, when things weren’t going our way. And what did Jesus promise when He told the disciples about His going back to heaven? ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.’ (John 14:15-19)
Yuh see that mih people: Jesus promised the disciples, and consequently us, a Comforter in the form of the Holy Spirit, who will live within us and transmit His messages to us. And furthermore, on the topic of comfort, listen to these wonderful words of Bruh Paul in his second letter to the church at Corinth. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Now isn’t that simply awesome; the Lord comforts us so that we can comfort others. That’s the wonderful kind of God we serve my faithful brethren! And, as per asking the Lord to walk with us the darkness, listen as Isaiah pours it out: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them the light hath shined.’ (Is. 9:2) And who was that light? None other than Jesus, for as He says in one of His many ‘I Am’ statements: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)
What more can we ask for eh? And if that isn’t enough, then listen as the psalmist tells us about the Lord’s Word. ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) So however you take it, once you’re in the Lord’s space, you have light now and forevermore! And though we never asked for riches, the Lord gave us wealth untold in the beauty of His magnificent universe, and eyes wherewith to see, admire and enjoy it. As Bruh David says in Psalm 19: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament (expanse of heaven) sheweth his handiwork (the work of his hands).’ (Ps. 19:1)
Now here comes possibly the most important part of the song: ‘I thank the Lord for everything.’ Yes friends, thanks to Almighty God for all that He’s done for us, especially since we don’t deserve any of it, is of the utmost importance! And so is counting our many blessings, which is all wrapped up in these scriptures of Bruh Paul. To the Ephesians he says: ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;’ (Eph. 5:18-20)
Then to the Philippians he wrote: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness, reasonableness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:4-7) Meanwhile, to the Thessalonians, he simply says: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (Thess. 5:16-18)
And how do we connect it all? Through the greatest privilege in the world; PRAYER! As the Lord says through Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all of your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) The message could not be any clearer than that my brethren, so please let’s take it to heart and put it into action nuh. For remember all that the Lord’s doing is for our benefit, not His. Much LOVE!
…when you embrace Jesus…the best of everything is bestowed on you like…light…life…LOVE…comfort…joy…and peace…amongst many other things…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a humble and grateful attitude, a stressful time, a very present help in trouble, an abundantly available in time of trouble help, approach life and God with a heart full of thankfulness, be thankful unto him, bless His name, blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul, born from the depths of such unimaginable sorrow, Christ has regarded my helpless estate, devout Christian, enter into his gates with thanksgiving, faith, faith shall be like sight, find words of God to reassure us, for thy coming we wait, God has the power to overcome even the darkest times, God is a refuge for us, God is our comfort and calm, God is our refuge and strength, God will see us through any storm, haste the day, he is my defence, He only is my rock and my salvation, his mercy is everlasting, his truth endureth to all generations, holy spirit, Horatio Spafford, I bear it no more, I shall not be moved, in death as in life, In God is my salvation and my glory, into his courts with praise, it is well, it is well with my soul, Jesus Christ, joyful celebration, let this blest assurance control, LOVE, mercy, much like Job, my expectation is from him, my refuge is in God, my sin, my soul, nailed to the cross, not in part but in whole, only in god can we ever find true refuge and solace, Philip Bliss, placed his trust in god both in prosperity and calamity, pour out your heart before him, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord O my soul, S.S Ville de Havre, salvation, scarlet fever, Selah, shall we not receive evil, shall we receive good at the hand of God, shed his own blood for my soul, silently wait thou only upon God, sorrows like sea billows roll, strong faith does not spare us from adversity, sweet sacrifices of praise, taught me to say, terrible upheaval, the bliss of this glorious thought, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the gospel truth, the Great Chicago Fire, The Lord is good, the Lord shall descend, the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, the only way to keep things together, the pinnacle of success, the rock of my strength, the sky not the grave is our goal, the trump shall resound, the waters thereof roar and be troubled, therefore will not we fear, though Satan should buffet, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, tragedy, tragic loss, tragic times, trials should come, trump of the angel, trust in him at all times, truth, turmoil, turn to the scriptures, voice of the Lord, whatever my lot, when peace like a river attendeth my way, when tragedy strikes turn to God, whisper thy peace to my soul, wisdom
Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2026 Psalm 46:1.
Psalm 46:1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.
And after our lazy-day Saturday, where we do little or nothing, comes the Lord’s Day, Sunday, when we go to church, or as the psalmist says: ‘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) Yes, my fellow believers, that’s how we ought to enter the Lord’s sanctuary today, and every day we visit it.
As this overview puts it. ‘The scripture invites believers into God’ presence. It beautifully pairs a humble, grateful attitude with joyful celebration, serving as a reminder to approach life—and God—with a heart full of thankfulness.’ So please let that always be our attitude when we go to church, for that’s what the Lord expects of us. And today’s song of worship is a well-known and marvellous song, but one with a heartbreaking story. It’s titled, ‘It is well with my Soul.’
The story goes that Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) a Presbyterian layman, successful lawyer and real estate investor in Chicago, had four beautiful daughters and one son. One commentary describes him thus: ‘Much like Job, he placed his trust in God during his life’s prosperity, but also during its calamities.’ And just like Job, at his pinnacle of success, living a blessed life, he encountered numerous calamities. As the commentary says: ‘But faith, no matter how great does not spare us from adversity.’
To begin with, his four-year-old son died from scarlet fever. Then, when the Great Chicago Fire happened in 1871, Spafford lost most of his real estate fortune. Obviously, it was a very stressful time for Spafford and his family. Then in 1873, with his wife still overcome by grief, He decided to send her and their four daughters to England for a holiday aboard the S. S. Ville de Havre., intending to join them later after straightening out some business affairs.
While crossing the Atlantic Ocean on November 22, 1873, the ship became involved in a terrible collision and apparently sank within 12 minutes. Spafford’s four daughters and some 200 hundred other people died in that tragedy. It is said that when his wife Anna reached Cardiff, Wales, she sent her husband a telegram that began: “Saved alone. What shall I do?” After receiving the telegram Spafford immediately set sail for England, and during the voyage, the captain, who was aware that Spafford had lost his four daughters in the collision, requested Spafford to join him.
The captain pointed out the location where the collision occurred. A devout Christian, Spafford thought about his four daughters, and he was comforted by the hope he had. He rushed to his room, and penned the words to a poem, which was the beginning of this timeless hymn. A few years later, famous hymn composer, Philip Bliss (1838-1876) was apparently so moved by Spafford’s prose, that he composed a peaceful tune to accompany the words. The song was published by Bliss and Sankey, in 1876.
So now that we know the story behind the song, let’s finally offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise, in a soulful, heartfelt, mid-tempo rendition. Singing: ‘When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say It is well, it is well, with my soul (Chorus: It is well (it is well) With my soul (with my soul) It is well, it is well with my soul.)
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. (Chorus) My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul (Chorus) For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. (Chorus)
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! (Chorus) And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul. It is well (it is well) With my soul (with my soul) It is well, it is well with my soul.’
Now that was certainly beautiful and heartfelt, so much so, that all heaven sang along with us. And to be a believer with such awesome faith is certainly not easy, because that kind of tragic loss reaches right down into one’s soul, just desiring to eat away at it. But like Job, Spafford must have reasoned: ‘What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive (accept) evil (calamity)?’ (Job 2:9a)
Yes, that would be the right thing to say, but very few of us under those circumstances would probably not be able to even think those words much less speak them. Neither the words, ‘It is well with my soul,’ for most of our souls would be in terrible upheaval and turmoil. And at such tragic times the only way to keep things somewhat together is by turning to the scriptures and finding words of God to reassure us.
Words like these 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)
And then we have words like these from Bruh David in Psalm 62, that we only recently spoke about. He writes: ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62: 5-8) Yes friends when tragedy strikes, God should be our strength and refuge, our comfort and calm, for no else can do it like Him.
And this commentary provides us with a very good ending. ‘It’s incredible to think such encouraging and uplifting words were born from the depths of such unimaginable sorrow. It’s an example of truly inspiring faith and trust in the Lord. And it goes to show the power our God has to overcome even the darkest times of our earthly life. We pray this brought you inspiration. Be sure to share this story with others who could use a reminder that our God will see us through any storm!’ And that’s the gospel truth! So please remember it! Much LOVE!
in tragic times…only in Jehovah God…can we ever find true refuge and solace…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a feeling of such joy and elation, a heartfelt version of the song, a touch of fear, a writer of gospel songs, be enthusiastic about serving God, be of the most use to my Master, celebrates joyful companionship with Jesus, Charles Austin Miles, Christians, clung to him for dear life, do not cling to me, experience tender moments, faith, fellowship, go to my brethren, grief turned into joy, he bids me go, he speaks, He walks with me and He talks with me, his voice to me is calling, holy spirit, I am not yet ascended to my Father, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, I come to the garden alone, I know not where they have laid him, I serve willingly, I'd stay in the garden with him, In the Garden (He walks with me), Jesus calls Mary by name, Jesus Christ, Jesus saith unto her, listen to what Jesus says, LOVE, loved ones in joyful surprise, Mary did not recognize Jesus, Mary Magdalene, mercy, no heat warning, none other has ever known, not as efficiently as is my desire, poetic justice, Rabboni, renewed an revitalized spirits, salvation, scintillating music, sincere words, sweet sacrifices of praise, take the time to walk with Jesus, tells me I am His own, the BIBLE, the birds hush their singing, the dew is still on the roses, the elation of seeing Jesus alive, the first to see Jesus alive, the joy we share as we tarry there, the melody that he gave me, the night around me be falling, the Son of God discloses, the sound of his voice is so sweet, the voice I hear falling on my ear, the voice of woe, they have taken away my Lord, those assumed dead suddenly return alive, to my god and your God, touch me not, truth, turned around and saw Jesus staning there, whom seekest thou, wisdom, within my heart is ringing
Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 July 2026 John 20:15a.
John 20:15a. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?
And it’s another Sunday, somewhat cloudy and not as hot as the last few days, that’s why the church bells are pealing, inviting us to come together in the Lord’s sanctuary to praise and worship Him, fellowship with other believers, while having our spirits renewed and revitalized so we can get back out into the world, strong and ready to continue doing good work for Jesus. And all God’s people, said, ‘Praise the Lord!’
Now, today’s song of worship was authored by the American gospel song writer Charles Austin Miles (1868- 1946) He began his career as a pharmacist, then around 1892 got into the song writing and publishing business. And as per that switch, he says: ‘It is as a writer of gospel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Master, whom I serve willingly although not as efficiently as is my desire.’
Oh friends, I wish many more of us could be as enthusiastic about serving the Lord as Miles seemed to be. And today’s song, written in 1912, is one we all know and like, titled, ‘In the Garden (He walks with Me).’ So, without further ado, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful, heartfelt version of the song, with rich, scintillating music accompanying our sincere words.
Singing: ‘I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses… And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other, has ever, known! He speaks and the sound of His voice, Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that he gave to me, Within my heart is ringing . . .
And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other, has ever, known! I’d stay in the garden with Him though the night around me be falling. And He bids me go through the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling… And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other, has ever, known! (Repeat)’
As always, that was wonderful my people, no one can say that we didn’t mean what we sang. (smile) And what’s the song all about you ask? It celebrates the joyful companionship that the author experiences with Jesus as he walks through the garden. It seems that the song was inspired by the elation Mary Magdalene felt when she saw the risen Jesus.
As this commentary says: ‘One occasionally hears stories of someone who disappeared and was assumed dead suddenly reappearing to their family and loved ones in a joyful surprise. Imagine how much greater Mary Magdalene’s shock and elation was when Jesus, whom she had seen dead and buried three days earlier (Mark 15:40, 47), suddenly called her by name and she turned and saw Him, very much alive and in person (John 20:16). This hymn elaborates on the emotions she may have felt in that moment, when her grief was turned to joy.’
And according to John’s gospel early on the resurrection morning, Mary Magadalene was in the garden where Christ had been buried, and when she came to the tomb, it was empty, but two angels in white sat at the head and foot of where He had lain. ‘And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back (turned around), and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?
She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence (carried him away, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master (Teacher) Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not (don’t cling to me); for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.’ (John 20:13-18)
Oh my people, can you imagine how Mary Magdalene must have felt being the first to encounter Jesus in His risen state? I guess the first reaction might have been a touch of fear after the sadness of not knowing where his body lay. Then when the realization that He was indeed alive, really sunk in, it was one of such joy and elation that she could not control herself and clung to Him for dear life. As the song says: ‘And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other, has ever, known!’
And I guess that’s the truth, because she was the first one to see Him after His resurrection, and what joy could eclipse that of being the first person to see the Lord alive and embrace Him after His resurrection? Truly, none! And can you imagine how Mary felt when she heard Him call her name? The song explains it very nicely: ‘He speaks and the sound of His voice, Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that he gave to me, Within my heart is ringing . . .’
Yes, for the rest of her life, she certainly would have remembered and treasured those few moments alone in Jesus’ company, and the sound of His voice when He called her name. And could it have been poetic justice that Mary was the first to see Jesus alive, since He had turned her demon filled life around and she had become a serious and sincere follower? Who knows?
But what I do know friends, is that all of us can experience tender moments like the song says, if we take the time to walk somewhere quietly with Jesus and simply listen to what He has to say to us, through His Holy Spirit that indwells us. But we need to make the time and effort to do it. Much LOVE!
…it’s easy to hear Jesus…just listen when He speaks…and He does speak…we just don’t listen hard enough…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a most moving experience, a powerful reminder of our God's faithful protection, a renewed and refreshed spirit, a soulful heartfelt version, afflictions, always remember that God is by our side, an incurable cripple, another beautiful summer's day, are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, are ye not much better than they, are you not more valuable than the birds, astonishing faith, bedridden, behold the fowls of the air, bright hopefulness, but one step I may see, Charles H Gabriel, christianity, Civilla D Martin, expression of boundless faith, faith, fear him which can destroy both body and soul in hell, fear not them which kill the body, fear ye not therefore, feeling down and discouraged, fellowship, fired the imagination, from care he sets me free, gather in barns, giving thanks and praise, God watches us through all our difficulties, gripped the hearts, guide thee with mine eye, he shall direct thy paths, His eye is on the sparrow, his tender word I hear, holy spirit, I draw the closer to him, I know He watches me, I lose my doubts and fears, I sing because I'm free, I sing because I'm happy, I will instruct thee, improve our sense of worth, in all thy ways acknowledge him, inspiration and comfort, Jesus Christ, Jesus is my portion, Kirk Franklin, lean not unto thine own understanding, led by God when we put our trust in Him, let not your heart be troubled, lived happy Christian lives, long for heaven and home, LOVE, mankind is worth a lot to God, mercy, moving at breakneck speed, my constant friend is he, no doubt about our sincerity, none of them shall fall to the ground without your father, not able to kill the soul, our faith shows up in our afflictions, propelled himself in a wheelchair, resting on His goodness, ring ever so true, salvation, see ourselves as God sees us, sweet sacrifices of praise, teach thee in the way thou shall go, the BIBLE, the Doolittles, the everlasting truth, the outcome of, the Sermon on the Mount, the very hairs of your head are numbered, they sow not neither do they reap, though by the path he leadeth, touches your heart, true saints of God, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, truth, want to make a difference, when hope within me dies, when songs give place to sighing, whenever clouds arise, whenever I am tempted, why should I feel discouraged, why should my heart be lonely, why should the shadows come, Why we sing, wisdom, ye are of more value than many sparrows, your heavenly Father feeds them
Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 June 2026 Matthew 10:31.
Matthew 10:31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
And the weekly cycle has come around again; it’s Sunday, another beautiful summer’s day. But would you believe it’s already the last Sunday in June? Another two days and June is done! And if I didn’t know better, I’d swear that time has sped up, so that the days and months seem to be moving at breakneck speed. But whether time is moving more quickly or not, the fact that today is Sunday means we need to visit the Lord’s sanctuary to fellowship with other believers, giving thanks and praise and receiving a renewed and refreshed Spirit in return.
And our song of worship for today is a beautiful, relatively recent and very interesting Christian song written in 1905 by Civilla D. Martin and Charles H. Gabriel, titled ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow.’ The song is so popular that’ it’s been recorded by numerous artists from several different genres, but many of us might only know it as the powerful, climactic bridge in Kirk Franklin’s gospel song, ‘Why We Sing.’ However, today, we’re going to do the real song in a slower more soulful, heartfelt version like it was originally written.
So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise, letting them ring ever so true, that there’s no doubt about sincerity. Singing: ‘Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, And long for heav’n and home; When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is he; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. (Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For his eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me.)
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on his goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path he leadeth, But one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. [Refrain] Whenever I am tempted, Whenever clouds arise; When songs give place to sighing, When hope within me dies, I draw the closer to him, From care he sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. [Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For his eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For his eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me.’
And that’s the everlasting truth, my people! The song is a powerful reminder of our wonderful God’s faithful protection! And this commentary cements it: ‘Throughout life, we may feel discouraged and down. But always remember that He is by our side and watches over us through it all. Just like the lyrics of ‘His Eye Is On The Sparrow’ remember that He is with us in all that we do. And when you hear how this popular hymn came to be written, your heart will be touched. Do not be troubled because we have the King of kings on our side!’
More glorious truth my fellow believers! And the story behind the song’s creation is truly touching and most encouraging. The lyricist, Civilla Martin, explained that her inspiration for the song came from a friendship they made with another couple, Mr. And Mrs. Doolittle, while living in Elmira, New York. She called them ‘true saints of God.’ And here’s why. Apparently Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for almost twenty years. On the other hand, her husband was an incurable cripple who propelled himself to and from his business in a wheelchair. But despite their afflictions, they lived happy, Chrisitan lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them.
One day, while visiting the Doolittles, her husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: ‘His eye is on the Sparrow, and I know He watches over me.’ What astonishing faith! Many of us who have all our faculties intact don’t have half as much faith. But I believe that it’s in our afflictions that our faith shows up the most. And according to Mrs. Martin, the beauty of that simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of she and her husband, and the hymn, ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ was the outcome of that most moving experience.
And what else can one expect when you come upon such true and beautiful faith. It makes you also want to make a difference of some magnitude. And Mrs. Martin certainly did with that song. But what of the scripture references eh? They seem to echo words from Bruh David in Psalm 32: ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way in which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.’ (Ps. 32:8) That’s to do with being led by God when we put our trust and faith in Him. It’s as Cousin Sol also wisely advises 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)
Then, as per the connection to the sparrow, they come from the words of Jesus, trying to make us understand how very much the Father cares for us. In the Sermon on the Mount, during His teaching on worry, He points out: ‘Behold the fowls of the air (birds): for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better (more valuable) than they?’ (Matt. 6:26) That seems rather obvious, although we don’t seem to accept it.
Then, later on, when talking on fear, Jesus says: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ (Matt. 10:28-31) More everlasting truth my fellow believers! And let’s hope that we were able to renew and also improve our sense of worth and thus see ourselves as our heavenly Father sees us. Much LOVE!
…to be God’s most valuable creation…means that we’re worth a lot to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
Previous Older Entries
SCRIP-BITS 