The Lack of Unity Brought about by the Numerous Divisions in Christianity, Stymies the Development of Christ’s Church!

26 Jun 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 June 2026   Romans 16:17.

Romans 16:17.        Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (note) them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

And after the big midnight storm, Friday opened up somewhat cloudy, but by midday has turned into a hot, sunshiny day. That did not stop our Friday Mantra from rising up to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ We can’t seem to get away from that once the weekend looms near, neither can I seem to get away from these late buses in the last little while.

Today, I had some errands to run, and because I was up and about fairly early, I decided to do them sooner rather than later, however they took much longer than I expected. And brother, by 12 pm. the highways and byways were already clogged with traffic. I don’t know if that happened because it was Friday, but if it didn’t, I’m sorry for those of us who have to drive in the Greater Metro Area in the next few years, if they don’t first fix the current roads and then build some new ones, for everyday more cars and truck are coming on line, and the trucks are being driven like if they are cars.

But enough talk, let’s get to our topic for today. And it’s an interesting directive from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome, to avoid those who cause divisions. He writes: ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (note) them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good (smooth) words and fair (flattering) speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (innocent).’ (Rom. 16:17-18)

Ah mih people, right down through the years they have been people who set out purposely to cause divisions in the church, for their own benefit. Just look at the amount of different denominations we have in Christianity. It’s estimated that the number of Christian denominations globally range from around 200 distinct organized groups to over 45,000. And why is there such a great discrepancy in numbers? It depends on whether you count broad global traditions or individual, independent churches categorized by nation.

The fragmentation of the Christian faith is largely rooted in historical, cultural, and theological differences over time. However, demographers and encyclopedists categorize these thousands of groups into a few major branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Restorationism.  They each preach their own version of Christianity, and within those major groups, there are still many smaller divisions, each having some difference or differences to the overall teaching of the larger group.

So Christianity must be divided, which means it’s virtually impossible to mount a united army for Christ. For as Jesus tells us when the Pharisees claimed: ‘This fellow doth not cast out devils (demons), but by Beelzebub, (Philistine deity) the prince (ruler) of the devils (demons). And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?’ (Matt. 12:24-26)

It’s impossible when one section or sector is eroding whatever the other tries to build. That’s why Christianity with so many divisions cannot work together to bring Christ to the masses, as it ought to. Too many little fragments are trying to do their own thing, instead of having one great overall movement. Consequently, Satan does not even have to divide us, for we’re already divided, he only has to conquer, which makes it ever so easy for Him and His evil cronies.

And that’s why the Lord instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to destroy all the people in the Promised Land: ‘make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.’ (Deut. 7:2b-4)  

It’s like what happened to the people of Samaria, who were overrun by the Assyrians, and eventual intermarried with them and thus turned away from Jehovah God and worshipped all sorts of false gods. And another set of dividers in the early church were the ones called the Judaizers, who preached that according to the law of Moses, it was still necessary to be physically circumcised to receive salvation through Christ. But when they all got together in Jerusalem, Peter reasoned that because Jesus spoke of no difference between Jews and Gentiles, purifying the hearts of the Gentiles by faith, and through the grace of God all shall be saved.  (Acts 15:1:11)

Under the New Covenant of Christ circumcision is no longer physical but spiritual, with the heart being metaphorically circumcised. It’s like the Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.’ (Zek. 36:26) That is also why John warned of the Antichrist; those who deny that Jesus is Christ, or that denieth the Father and the Son. (1John 2:18-22)

In closing, I don’t know what to say, to make Christians come together so we can fight the enemy as one. All I can offer is that we go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant seeking divine help to make it come true. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as we keep saying, believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, because out witness for Christ is not good enough! Much LOVE!

…as Christianity proves…divisions don’t help to put forward a unified story…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of the Day of Pentecost to Christ’s Church and His Followers!

24 May 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 May 2026   John 20:22.

John 20:22.        And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

And after a rainy Pentecost Saturday, came a rainy Pentecost Sunday morning! But thankfully by midday the rain has stopped and a glimmer of sunshine has appeared, for how long though, no one knows. (smile) Now, today’s a rather important day in the annals of the Christian faith, for it’s on this Day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit began indwelling believers. And we all know the story, as the Good Book tells it.

‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all (that’s the apostles) with one accord (purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4)

Yes friends, that’s the day Christ’s Church was officially born under His New Covenant. For as this commentary tells us: ‘Originally, Pentecost was the Jewish festival of Shavuot, which commemorated God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. At Christian Pentecost, the Spirit descends as “tongues of fire”. Rather than laws written on tablets of stone, the Holy Spirit writes God’s law of LOVE directly onto the human heart.’

It reminds us of God’s promise to Israel through the prophet Ezekiel: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.’ (Ezek. 36:26-27)

And today we’ll sing a beautiful hymn, written especially to commemorate and celebrate that most auspicious occasion. It was written in 1876 by Edwin Hatch, an Anglican Minster and Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. The song’s titled ‘Breathe on Me, Breath of God.’   Yes, it’s simple, but straight to the point, as this commentary claims: ‘The author invokes the Holy Spirit to come into his life and transform it. Using the first-person perspective throughout the hymn adds to the hymn’s power as the singer seeks the breath of God (Genesis 2:7) as a source for renewal.’

So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, sincere, mid-tempo version, one so heartfelt that the Holy Spirit would have no choice but to do as we ask. Singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh breathe on me!’

Wonderful my people, wonderful! The Holy Spirit could never refuse such a touching and heartwarming request! (smile) Yes, the song might sound simple, but it’s rather profound in its imagery and scriptural authenticity, referring first to God’s creation of man in the beginning, then to His giving His spiritual breath to sinful man through the finished work of Jesus at Pentecost.

The Bible tells us in Genesis: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Then we have the situation after Jesus’ resurrection, where He appears to the disciples behind closed doors, says to them: ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit (forgive), they are remitted (forgiven) unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.’ (John 20:21-23)

And that’s the scripture verse in there that connects to the hymn ‘Breathe on Me Breath of God.’ And this commentary explains it thus. ‘This verse is often used as a theological foundation for the hymn, which prays for the renewal and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. It describes Jesus breathing on the apostles after his resurrection, symbolizing the giving of the Holy Spirit. It’s a key moment in the New Testament, highlighting the gift of the Spirit to empower believers.’ And that’s the incredible truth … and made even more incredible by the actual dramatic indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers on the Day of Pentecost!

And Jesus’ last directive to the disciples before His ascension was to stay in Jerusalem: ‘But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8) I’m sure that none of the apostles even dreamed that the Lord would stage such a dramatic scene. But He is God, and every so often he likes to remind us of His omnipotence and flair for the dramatic.

And Job’s friend Elihu, said it perfectly in his challenge to Job. ‘The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.’ (Job 33:4) More incredible truth my fellow believers. And what more can we ask in this life eh, than to have the awesome breath of God fill us with new life, so that we could LOVE the way He does, surrender our will to Him and have His divine fire burning brightly in us as we do His earthly work, to be free and never die, but live with Him through all eternity! Yes friends, those are some of the thoughts that ought to be filling our hearts and minds this Day of Pentecost as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit into our souls! Much LOVE!

…the Holy Spirit…Comforter…Helper…Guide…Robinson Crusoe’s man Friday to all believers…

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

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost!

08 Jun 2025 Leave a comment

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

Acts 2:3.        And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And then it was Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the day the early church was baptized with the Holy Ghost! But, as this commentary tells us, ‘in the Old Testament, Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot, was a celebration commemorating the harvest of wheat and barley, as well as the anniversary of God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. It was a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision and a reaffirmation of the covenant between God and Israel.’ 

And, as we all know, Jesus ascended back to heaven forty days after His resurrection. However, before He left, He commanded the disciples and the other followers to remain in Jerusalem and ‘wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts 1:4-5) So, being obedient to His desire, they stayed in Jerusalem. And this is the amazing and mind boggling scenario the Lord contrived, some two thousand years ago on the Pentecost Sunday, that fell ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven. 

The Bible tells us: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (the followers) were all with one accord (one purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance (enabled them to do).’ (Acts. 2:1-4) 

Yes friends, on that day the Christian church was officially born, with the Holy Spirit alighting on each of the believers, showing that the Spirit’s baptism included them all. This spiritual baptism also fulfilled the promise of a New Covenant between God and Israel, as prophesied by Ezekiel 36: 26-27: ‘A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them.’ 

Meanwhile, the author of Hebrews records it thus: ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man their neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me. From the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities (lawless deed) will I remember no more.’ (Heb. 8:10-13) 

And did He ever do all of that in a majestic and breath-taking manner! First, sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, then filling every believer after that with the promise of the Holy Spirit, as Guide, Comforter and Helper. And also fulfilling another Old Testament promise as prophesied by Isaiah. ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ (Is. 43:25) Wow! What a great and faithful God we serve my brethren! Who calls things as though they were, (Rom. 4:17) then turns around and fulfills them. 

Now, having opened up our spirits, hearts and minds with scripture and understanding of it, this warm, bright and sunny Pentecost Sunday, let’s raise the roof of the Lord’s sanctuary with sweet sacrifices of praise as we offer up a mid-tempo, soulful and scintillating version of a hymn that’s usually sung at this time. It’s aptly titled, ‘Breathe on Me , Breath of God, an English Christian Hymn, written by Edwin Hatch, a Church of England vicar and the Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. It was first published privately in 1878 and publicly published in 1886. 

It’s a short and simple, but very meaningful hymn. One commentary says: ‘The hymn expresses a desire for the Holy Spirit to fill and transform the individual, bringing new life, purity, and a deeper relationship with God.’ While another describes it thus: ‘The author invokes the Holy Spirit to come into his life and transform it. Using the first-person perspective throughout the hymn adds to the hymn’s power as the singer seeks the breath of God (Genesis 2:7) as a source for renewal.’ 

But enough talk, let’s do exactly as those commentaries say; seeking a more meaningful and intimate relationship with God through the power of the Holy Spirit as we sing this marvellous hymn. But wait, before we begin, let’s note that one video version had this most appropriate scripture from Job 33:4, as a prologue, and I want it to be our prologue too. So let’s declare it:  ‘The Spirit of God has made me, And the Breath of the Almighty gives me life.’ That’s the gospel truth friends!  

So, finally singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh Lord… breathe on me! Yes Lord…breathe your ever-LOVING, life giving breath on me…’

Oh my people, what an outstanding rendition! All heaven was moved by our heartfelt, soulful sacrifices of praise! And as this commentary expresses: ‘The hymn’s request to “breathe on me” directly relates to the biblical imagery of God breathing life into Adam in Genesis 2:7 and Jesus breathing on the apostles in John 20:22. Both passages emphasize God’s active role in imparting life and the Holy Spirit.’

 Now, nuff said, let’s go home, with hearts rejoicing after much praise and thanksgiving in the Lord’s house, hopefully, with all of our spiritual tanks refilled to overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit, this Pentecost Day of 2025. Much LOVE!

… And the Lord God…formed man of the of the dust of the ground…and breathed into his nostrils…the breath of life…and man became a living soul…  (Gen. 2:7) 

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

We Humans ought to appreciate God’s Goodness much more than We do!

24 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 107:15.        Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-KINDNESS), and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

So we’ve come to Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, a warm and sunshiny day, and we’re just panting for Friday, like a hungry or thirsty animal panting for food or water. Oh, how I wish we could be like the sons of Korah say in Psalm 42: ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’ (Ps. 42:1-2) 

And Bruh David corroborates it in Psalm 63, ‘A Thirsting Soul’ while  in the wilderness, running from his arch enemy King Saul. He writes: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul longeth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;’ (Ps. 63:1) 

Yes friends, it’s the living God we should be panting and thirsting for; not the day when we get a break from work! For who do you think allows you to have that break eh? In the long run, it’s the living God! In fact everything that you have or get, initially flows from Almighty God! It might come through other people, but it all originates from the grace, mercy and LOVE of our heavenly Father! As Bruh David spells out in the next couple of verses. ‘To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee (looked for thee) in the sanctuary. Because thy LOVING-KINDNESS is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.’ (Ps. 63:2-4) 

Now that’s how we supposed believers ought to be behaving, not looking forward to the material, perishable things of the world, as so many of us are currently doing. It’s like Jesus says in the Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6) 

And the scholars offer this interesting explanation of that verse. ‘These future possessors of the earth are its presently installed rightful heirs, and even now they hunger and thirst for righteousness. They experience a deep desire for personal righteousness, which in itself is a proof of their spiritual rebirth. Those who are poor and empty in their own spiritual poverty recognize the depth of their need, and they hunger and thirst for that which ONLY God can give them. They shall be filled refers to a complete satisfaction. The psalmist proclaimed: “He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Ps. 107:9) 

And that’s the indisputable truth my fellow believers! When we sincerely hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God, He fills us up, because that is His very nature, which He cannot deny. And we find one of the best examples of that in the Book of Acts, on the Day of Pentecost when the church members were sitting together in a room, ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave then utterance.’ (Acts. 2:2-4) 

Oh my brethren, that was certainly an unusual outpouring of righteousness all at once, but it marked the beginning of the Holy Spirt indwelling believers and not operating outside on certain occasions. It’s what God promised the Israelites in the prophesy of Ezekiel. ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.’ (Ezek. 36:26-27) 

And this commentary offers an explanation of those verses. ‘They promise a spiritual transformation, where God will replace the Israelites’ “heart of stone” (stubbornness, resistance) with a “heart of flesh” (responsiveness, obedience), and infuse them with a “new spirit,” symbolizing a renewed relationship with God and obedience to His laws. This promise is a type of the New Covenant, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, offering spiritual renewal to all believers. 

In essence, Ezekiel 36:26 is a powerful message of hope and spiritual renewal, promising a restoration of the Israelites’ relationship with God through a transformation of their hearts and minds. This transformation is also seen as a foreshadowing of the New Covenant, where God’s spirit dwells within believers, enabling them to live in obedience and righteousness.’ 

Now that ought to help us believe God’s Word even more, as those prophecies in the Old Testament keep being fulfilled in the New Testament. Consequently, our behaviour ought to be like the psalmist says in Psalm 107: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-KINDNESS), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass (bronze), and cut the bars of iron in sunder.’ (Ps. 107:15-16) 

Yes, friends, the Lord has broken all our chains and released us from the prison of sin and being hell bound through the auspices of Christ’s work on the cross of Calvary. That means we should be thankful, grateful and show it through our obedience and LOVE, especially since He’s further showered us with our Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings to do His earthly work. So let’s declare and activate them right now nuh. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’

 And having made that declaration (yeah!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share those blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…instead of yearning for perishable earthly things…we ought to ye yearning for imperishable spiritual or heavenly things…

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