Despite’s Man’s many advancements, the Lord God Jehovah is still sovereign over all his thoughts and deeds!

22 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:1.        The preparations of the heart in man (plans of the heart belong to man), and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

So, finally, it’s the big day of Friday, and as we shout: ‘TGIF Thank God it’s Friday!’ we’re looking forward to either a very restful weekend, or one filled with much partying and frolicking. But either way, we take the weekend to be our God-given right to do as we please. (smile) Be careful though, for the Lord ofttimes has something to say about our doings. 

And let’s remember the old saying, ‘man plans, but God laughs.’ The adage is a reminder that life is unpredictable. Yes friends, the Road of Life is certainly unpredictable, and despite our most careful planning, unexpected changes can happen; changes that can be either disappointing or exhilarating. As one commentary puts it: ‘We might have driving and destination strategies but scenic new vistas might beckon us or unforeseen roadblocks can deter us.’ 

That brings us to the wise words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs 16, which deal with man’s plans and God’s reaction. The chapter opens with this most appropriate and intriguing pronouncement. ‘The preparations of the heart in man (plans of the heart belong to man), and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.’ (Prov. 16:1) Yes my brethren, although we have the ability and the right to plan, in the long run it’s what the Lord says that triumphs. Or, as the scholars put it: ‘The Lord is sovereign, even over a man’s thoughts and words. 

And Cousin Sol follows that verse with this other important one. ‘All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.’ (Prov. 16:2) And so it is. We believe that all our doings are right and good, but the Lord doesn’t base His approval on what we do, as much as on why we do it. The Lord mainly looks at our motives for doing things. As the scholars state, ‘The Lord is a great discerner of motives.’ That’s why Cousin Sol later states: ‘When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.’ (Prov. 16:7) 

And that’s the gospel truth! When the Lord’s happy with our motives, He makes us to find favour even with out enemies. It’s like Bruh David says in that most famous Psalm 23: ‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.’ (Ps. 23:5) Oh my people, that’s how our Lord blesses us when we do things His way and not our own. For as Cousin Sol repeats in Proverbs 16: ‘A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ (Prov. 16:9) And per the scholars: ‘The Lord is sovereign over man’s scheming and planning.’ 

So the long and short of the story is that if the Lord desires to thwart our best laid plans He can. Again, as the old saying goes; the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. And we can all appreciate and agree with that, because many times our best laid plans have indeed been foiled by unfortunate or unforeseen circumstances. That’s just life. But Cousin Sol also tells us in Proverbs 16, how to make our plans not go astray as often. And how is that you anxiously ask? He says: ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov. 16:9) 

As simple as pumpkin pie my people! If we don’t want too many of our schemes and plans to go awry, then we have to begin by basing them on God’s word and His will; be obedient to them. The problem though with this current society is that we believe we know everything, even more than God. So much so we’re fighting tooth and nail to rid our society of Him. But friends, that’s an impossible, fool’s dream, if there ever was one. Because the Lord created the universe and still runs it, and will not give up His power to anyone, especially Satan. 

Mark His words from way back when, through the prophet Isaiah. ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’ (Is. 42:8) Let’s hope that puts some sense in our heads, for the Lord will not lie down and allow His foolish creations, man and Satan to take over a world He so LOVINGLY created, and has great future plans for. And I don’t know why it’s so difficult for us to understand that God created us and still pulls our strings, although He gives us free will to do a lot of stuff, which we use to do foolishness, like turning away from Him, and trying to erase Him from our society. 

But believe me friends, the Lord will have the proverbial last laugh for He is the Creator and Controller of this entire universe. And the sooner we come to that realization, the better off we will be. And to help us get there, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid to ease our problems. 

Altogether. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh 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. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the 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 if we don’t wake up and become better examples of Christian living, then we will not see any divine aid. It’s as simple as that. The ball is now in our court, so let’s use it wisely nuh. Much LOVE!

…free will is not so much about doing what we want…as about using it to choose God…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 June 2024 Proverbs 27:1.

04 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 27:1.       Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
And the days continue to move right along with no thought for our problems or negative circumstances. (smile) Yes, Monday has come and gone, and Tuesday is going about its business like there was no tomorrow. And for Tuesday, there is no tomorrow, just Wednesday anxiously waiting in the wings to take its place. Therefore it has to do whatever it needs to do today. Likewise, we believers in Jesus Christ don’t know if we’ll live to see tomorrow, consequently we should be  up and about our Father’s business today, not leaving anything we can do today for the proverbial tomorrow. 
Remember Cousin Sol’s wise words from Proverbs? ‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.’ (Prov. 27:1) And that’s the gospel truth, for look at how many plans we make for the morrow, plans that seem so foolproof, but yet when tomorrow finally shows up, we have to jettison those plans because of other more important matters. Yes friends, that scripture tells us that we are not promised tomorrow. Each day could be our last day and as believers, knowing this should change how we spend our daily lives. That’s doing what we ought to in light of God’s will and plan for our lives. 
And Jesus adds to that by saying in his Sermon on the Mount: ‘Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) In other words He’s warning us: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” And so it does. Yesterday, Monday, had its individual problems, so will today Tuesday, and so will tomorrow Wednesday. Some troubles might carry over from one day to the next, but be sure that each new day will bring its own problems to the front. 
And with all of that in mind, we can turn to the epistle of James, who goes even further when he writes that rejoicing in boastings is evil. He says: ‘Go to now (come now), ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain (make a profit): Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice (boast) in your boastings (arrogance): all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’ (James 4:13-17) 
Jesus’ brother is really socking it to us. And He’s quite right, in these selfish and greedy times we make boastful and arrogant plans to do things without any thought to what Almighty God desires, and when He squashes those plans we wonder why such well-laid plans did not materialize. And again Cousin Sol has wise advice for us in Proverbs, that treasure trove of wisdom. ‘The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth his spirit. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov. 16:1-3) 
In other words: ‘We may make our plans, but God has the last word. You may think everything you do is right, but the LORD judges your motives. Ask the LORD to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.’ That’s it in plain and simple language my brethren! Or as the old people would say, ‘Man plans, but God laughs.’ Also, ‘The best laid plans of man and mice go astray.’ It all shows the overwhelming importance of bringing God into our everyday lives and plans. We shouldn’t make a move without consulting Him. He might not answer right away, but most of the time we know what is right, and as James says, if we know that and don’t do it, then it’s considered sin on our part.  
Let’s remember that the Lord is sovereign, even over a man’s thoughts and words, and He is also the great discerner of motives. As the author of Hebrews reminds us: ‘For the word of God is quick (alive, living) and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest (not hidden) in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account),’ (Heb. 4:12-13) 
My fellow saints, we cannot run from or hide anything from our Creator and Controller. So I don’t know why we foolishly insist on doing it. Please, let’s wake up and see ourselves for what we truly are nuh. That’s creations of God, to whom He gave free will, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t keep tabs on us and just allows us to do what and go where we want. Absolutely not! In His own time, according to His will, He is going to foul up our well laid plans, if we don’t include Him in them. And that’s the long and short of the story! (smile). 
Now for those of us who are trying our best to live according to God’s will, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 
And having made that declaration (awright!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE  and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…if God is not in it…then there’s a strong possibility it won’t be successful…
 
Hear our podcast at  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 October 2022 Matthew 14:27.

15 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 14:27.       Be of good cheer (take heart, courage) it is I, be not afraid.

It’s raining, it’s raining on this lazy autumn Saturday morning! A chill is in the air, ‘cause the wind’s a blowing, so the trees are dancing, their multi-coloured leaves a waving this way and that!  And I’ve been enjoying every bit of this lazy Saturday morning…that is until now, when I can’t put off writing the Bit any longer. Oh, the tough times some of us have to bear eh. (smile) Anyway, as they say, you can run but you can’t hide, especially from the good Lord. So, let’s do what we always do on Saturdays; see if we can make heads or tails of the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now this first quote says: ‘I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.’ And that’s true to a certain extent. When we make up our minds on what needs to be done, in other words when we make a purposeful decision, we generally get a feeling of strength behind it, and we let go of the fear and anxiety that indecision usually causes. But what happens when we can’t make a decision eh, when indecision just bathes us in a stream of fear, especially in this crazy world of today. We keep living in fear and anxiety, keep living the substandard life that those emotions produce. 

But when we live for Jesus…Glory be! Fear is no longer our nemesis, for with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, our Master and Guide, we can move along productively and courageously even in the midst of anxiety and worries. That’s because living for Jesus brings a peace of mind that the world cannot offer. Remember this great promise of our omnipotent God, through the prophet Isaiah? ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) 

Yes friends, that’s the promise Jehovah God made to His people long ago, and He’s kept it up to this day, because He’s not a deity that ever reneges on His promises, like some false gods do. And remember too that some of Jesus’ favourite words were ‘Fear not.’ And He said it so often that we don’t have space nor time to relate them all, only these few. Think of the occasion when Jesus went walking on the water to the disciples on the boat out in the sea. They were terrified as though they saw a ghost and cried out in fear. ‘But straightway Jesus spoke unto them saying, Be of good cheer (take heart, courage) it is I, be not afraid.’ (Matt. 14:27) 

Then there’s that time that Jairus, the synagogue leader came to Jesus to heal his young daughter, but while they were on the way, Jairus’s servants came and told him that the girl was dead. What was Jesus’ response to that news? He told Jairus: ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole (saved).’ (Luke 8:50) And what about when Jesus and the disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee and a terrible storm blew up on them, while Jesus lay asleep in the back of the boat apparently unconcerned. They woke him, terrified of drowning. ‘And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.’ (Matt:8:27) 

There you have it in a nutshell my fellow believers. The three basics for handling fear are to believe, take heart or courage, and have faith in Jesus, for He is our Good Shepherd, and the shepherd always looks after the sheep. (smile) That brings us to these next two quotes. The first tells us. ‘If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.’ And the second advises. ‘When it comes to luck, you make your own.’ Now I chose to lump them together because I believe they basically say the same thing; you have the power to make your life the way you want it, and to change it whenever you feel like doing so. 

Now again, that’s true only to a certain extent with the free will that God’s given us. But how many of us have tried to change our lives when we felt like doing so and just ran into so many roadblocks that change became virtually impossible eh? That’s because the hand of the Lord was in our affairs, like it always is. (smile) Let’s not forget these very important words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘The preparations of the heart in man (a man’s plans belong to him), and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.’ (Prov. 16:1) That means we can plan all we want, but it’s the Lord’s will that will eventually come to pass, because He is sovereign over even the thoughts and words of man. 

And later on in Proverbs, Cousin Sol repeats that advice this way. ‘There are many devices (plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov. 19:21) And I can personally testify to that through hard experience. I never planned to be a writer on scripture, had plenty other secular plans in mind, still do, but then the Lord waylaid me, wouldn’t take no for an answer, and eventually brought all my other ventures to an end. Yes friends, the best laid plans of mice and men usually go astray when the Lord peruses them. (smile) So though we have some leeway to make changes in our lives, what the Lord wants is usually what we’ll become. 

And that certainly contradicts this next quote. ‘Our lives are stories in which we write, direct and star in the leading role. Some chapters are happy while others bring lessons to learn, but we always have the power to be the heroes of our own adventures.’ Again, it’s only true to the extent that the Lord allows us to write and star in our own production. But as we all know, He has a plan for each and every life that He creates, and when He’s ready to put His plan into effect, it’s wisest to simply accept it without any hassle, for He will just keep on making your life more miserable until you accept His dictate. 

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about, because that’s what He did to me when He brought up this Bit idea. I laughed and said I couldn’t because I wasn’t sufficiently knowledgeable in scripture, and that was the truth. But He kept after me, placing obstructions in my way, until I had no choice but to agree. And when I began it was merely a verse of scripture. But through my perseverance and His faithfulness, it’s grown over the last fifteen, almost sixteen years, where I now find myself writing too much instead of too little. (smile) And that’s why I can vouch for the Lord’s faithfulness. He never gives you a task without the tools and the help to do it. 

That brings us to this last quote. ‘Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.’ And that’s the gospel truth, especially if you are a follower of Christ Jesus! We ought never to take a back step to the world, but to step forward into the light and make the world a better place for Jesus. But unfortunately, not enough of us supposed believers are doing that. Instead, we’re playing second fiddle to the dictates, pleasures and evils of the world. 

But please remember that in Jesus’s band, there is only ONE fiddler, that’s Him, and if we want to be a part of it, then we have to come to terms with that fact and stand up strong and steadfast in His marvellous name, and not play second fiddle to the world. As He so passionately desires and zealously stated: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16) 

So please my fellow saints, let’s go out into this evil world and do as Jesus desires of us nuh – shine our lights! That’s our bounden duty. Much LOVE!

…only in Jesus…can we find what our heavenly Father desires for us… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 October 2022 Proverbs 16:1.

08 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:1.       The preparations of the heart in man, (man’s plans belong to him), but the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

And finally it’s Saturday; our lazy day, our day to wind down from a week of hard, exhausting, much travelling and plenty sitting in traffic jams work! (smile) Yes, sadly, for many of us, getting to and from our workplace is more difficult and stressful than the work we go there to do. Unfortunately though, that’s the way our supposedly enlightened, intelligent system is set up. We can’t afford to live close to work, so we live in the cheaper, more distant places, then spend an inordinate amount of stressful time getting to and from work. 

How brilliant! We don’t seem to think that the actual time lost commuting, plus the energy and stress it produces, detracts significantly from our work ethic and enthusiasm for our work. But it certainly does! No wonder so many of us are miserable and short tempered five days of every week, and are just dying to have Saturday come around. And that’s my rant for today! (smile) Most likely it will go unnoticed by the powers that be, because it makes sense, but the current system works for them, so they don’t have to worry about all the stress and strain involved in our ungainly and self-defeating work set up. Awright! Done now! (smile) 

So what of the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this week eh, which is supposed to be our Saturday chore? Well, he sent us a bunch, so let’s see what we can do with them. The first one tells us: ‘Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.’ And although there is some truth to the statement, I still contend that it all depends on what beliefs you hold. And judging from the crazy, mish-mash, dysfunctional, misguided, strife-filled world in which we’re currently living, where there are so many existing belief systems, with everybody trying to advance their own system, it holds to reason that something is significantly wrong with how we’re trying to live. 

I believe that our beliefs can best be boiled down to two major ones, that’s good versus evil, and anything in between is a waste of time, because those two systems don’t leave any room for any others. And obviously, the good system is far superior to the evil one, because the sinless Jesus Christ is the Leader of the good one, and the despicable Satan, the ruler of the evil counterpart. And no two systems could be totally different and opposite. The evil one doesn’t harbour a whiff of good, while the good one doesn’t encourage a whiff of evil. 

And that’s why the rules of the good system strongly advise its followers to ‘Recompense to (repay) no man evil for evil. Provide things honest (have regard for good things) in the sight of all men. (Rom. 12:17) And then it builds on that rule with this one. ‘Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 17:21) Now that’s the belief system I think our world ought to totally adopt if we desire to see goodness spread all over it, not the evil system that’s so powerful right now. 

Then there’s this next quote that says: ‘Nobody’s built like you. You design yourself.’ The first part is true, because our Creator, the Lord God Jehovah didn’t make any two persons totally alike. We might look alike and behave alike in some situations, but all of us have our individual difference(s), our unique DNA, as it were, that defines who we are in God’s eyes. But as to the part that we design ourselves, that’s not all true. The Lord does give us some leeway in what and who we become, but in the long run, He it is that decides what path we tread. 

And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Cousin Sol, the wisest man who ever lived. He said quite clearly: ‘The preparations of the heart in man, (man’s plans belong to him), but the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.’ (Prov. 16:1) Yes friends, the Lord God is sovereign over a man’s thoughts and words. Then later on Cousin Sol revisits the subject. This time he declares (steups!!!): ‘A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ (Prov. 16:9) Oh my, my! The Lord is also sovereign over our scheming and planning. (smile) 

And if you still believe you have total autonomy to design yourself, then listen to this quote from the prophet Jeremiah, who was only trying to do God’s bidding, when tribulation befell him. Therefore, he finally understood: ‘O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgement (justice); not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.’ (Jer. 10:23-24) Yes my fellow believers, it is certainly within the Lord’s ability to bring us to nothing if He so desires. So please let’s stop believing that we can do whatever we want with our lives nuh. 

Oh, we do have a certain amount of free will, but if God sees us getting outside of His plan for us, He can and will put a stop to it. And thus, the next quote is very interesting. It advises us to ‘Wake up determined, go to bed satisfied.’ And that’s what we all aspire to. However, the only way to make that aspiration come true is to be obedient to the will and plan that God has for our lives. Remember He has a good plan for our lives, one to give us a future and a hope. (Jer. 29:11) And though, in this sinful world we will undoubtedly encounter trials and tribulations, the Lord has promised to eventually work everything out for the good of those He’s called and those who sincerely LOVE Him. (Rom. 8:28) 

That’s why these two next quotes are so important. The first one says: ‘Not having the best situation, but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.’ And is that ever true. You need to have an attitude of gratitude when there doesn’t seem to be anything to be grateful for. But to do that, you must have strong faith in God, and totally believe those two promises we just mentioned above, as well as the fact that He will never give us more than we can handle, in the sense that He will always give us the necessary grace to escape, or otherwise help us through our tumultuous situations. (1 Cor. 10:13) 

Consequently, the corresponding importance of this other quote: ‘It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.’ Boy oh boy! Truer words were never spoken. It’s when times get really bad that we need to seriously and sincerely focus on Jesus who is the light of this dark and evil world. It’s only with Him, His encouragement, LOVE and compassion bubbling up serenely in our souls that we are able to withstand the darkness and eventually walk out into His bright shining light. Remember His memorable words: ‘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’s why we are so enamoured of Jesus, and believe that He is the Real Deal, for without Him, we cannot do anything worthwhile in this world. He also spelled that out to us. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) Hn! Jesus certainly didn’t mince any words there my faithful brethren, and if we want to bear much fruit and see the light of life, then we can only do what the first part of this last quote says, not the last part. ‘I’m not going to continue knocking on that old door that doesn’t open for me. I’m going to create my own door and walk through that.’ 

Oh, we do have to stop knocking on any doors that seem closed to us, but it’s a fallacy to believe that we can successfully create our own door to walk through, especially if you are a sincere believer in Christ Jesus. Remember what we said at the beginning of the Bit; we make our plans, but it’s God who directs our footsteps. So, if one door seems closed to us, then we need to go to Jesus and seek the door that’s He’s opened elsewhere for us, because whenever He closes one, He opens another. 

And He did tell us to keep on asking, seeking and knocking, and it will be given to us. (Matt.7:7) But He means asking, seeking and knocking on His door, from His righteous kingdom, not of anyone else’s. And with that in mind, let’s go home this lazy Saturday morning feeling encouraged, refreshed and renewed in the service of Jesus, by all the good and enlightening things we’ve spoken about through the quotes of our friend Anselm. Much LOVE!

…only through the light of Jesus…will this world shed it’s darkness… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8​      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 June 2022 Proverbs 16:1.

23 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:1.       The preparations of the heart in man (the plans of the heart belong to man), and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 

Well, sunny days are here again…Glory Hallelujah! Yes friends, summer seems to have gotten into full swing right away, and we are indeed glad for that after the long dreary, winter months, but right now we could use a li’l rain, a li’l heavenly blessing to ease the pressure, ease the thirst of the plants. (smile) They haven’t been able to drink of their creator’s elixir for several days now, and that just makes them listless and faint and dulls their amazing beauty. So please, let’s pray for a few renewing showers. Not floods, but just enough to keep everything strong and beautiful, the way the Lord intended it to be. 

And I find it difficult to believe that today is already Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and also that we are nearing the end of June which just began. Can somebody please tell where the time is going, because it seems to be flying right by and sadly leaving me behind in its riotous wake. (smile) Every day I ask the duchess about it, and she just smiles benevolently and replies that time waits on no one, so I had better get my act together. 

And I do try, but something always crops up that forestalls my best laid plans. I guess that I either plan to do too many things or am simply not interested in doing them and find excuses not to do them. I also ask the Lord for help, but He seems to be ignoring me. It’s either that He wants me to go along and do just what I’m doing, or He’s waiting for me to get up off my fat, no, off my lean fanny, and get moving on my own. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I am not doing stuff, but there’s so much I want to do, but what I’m actually doing doesn’t satisfy my ego or pride, or whatever you call it. 

So, what is one to do eh? I guess that I will keep calling on the Lord for help and doing what I can in my own strength, or weakness, for as Cousin Sol so wisely says in Proverbs: ‘The preparations of the heart in man (the plans of the heart belong to man), and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits… A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ (Prov. 16:1-2, 9) 

The scholars tell us that means ‘the Lord is sovereign even over a man’s thoughts and words, over his scheming and planning. He is also the great discerner of motives.’ And if we believe His word, then that’s obviously true. So how do we accomplish anything then eh? Cousin Sol also provides the answer to that question. ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov. 16:3) 

Now, if the Lord is indeed sovereign over man’s thoughts, words and plans, then that makes perfect sense. We ought to first go to Him and consult Him on what plans He has for us, because He has a detailed plan for each of our lives, which dovetails with a general one for all of His creation. It’s like Bruh David says in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him: and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:4-5) 

And that’s excellent advice; advice that both Burh David and Cousin Sol took, that’s why we are reading about them thousands of years later. But all of that is comparatively easy when you take these other words of Bruh David into account. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.’ (Ps. 37:7) 

Now that’s the difficult part for most of us; waiting on God’s timing, especially in this now for now society, and when we see the wicked prospering and the good not getting ahead like them. However, we need to be patient and believe God’s promises. As Bruh David wisely advises. ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:8-9) 

That’s the cut-tail part of it all my brethren; waiting on the Lord’s timing. It’s not easy, but if we want to prosper in His kingdom, we need to learn that most important lesson, because there’s no getting away from it. The Lord moves in His own time. And though it seems like He’s always holding us back, like He has us on a tight rein, He is never late! He’s always right on time! I can vouch for that from personal experience. Many times in difficult situations I’ve wondered where He’s been, but He’s always showed up before disaster strikes. He’s never left me in the lurch. 

Therefore, if you follow the advice of Bruh David and Cousin Sol, especially the waiting on His timing, you’ll do very well. It won’t always be easy, especially with disaster staring you in the face, (smile) but the wait will surely be worth it. And having said all of that, it’s now time to turn to our Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings bestowed on us to enable us to accomplish God’s work, for our God doesn’t ask us to do anything without giving us the wherewithal, the tools, the grace to do it. 

So let’s declare (brother!!!) those Thursday Blessings right now so we can activate them. In confident 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!’  

Now, my fellow saints, it’s time for us to get out into the evil world and use those blessings just as generously as Christ shared them with us, to encourage others to come to Him. Much LOVE!

…wait in faith on the Lord…wait… I say…on the Lord… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 December 2019 Proverbs 16:9.

26 Dec 2019 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:9.    A man’s heart deviseth  (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
 
Well the big day’s finally over! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day and are now moving into a quieter Boxing Day! Hope you did find some time to ponder on the spiritual aspect of the season betwixt and between all the food and frenetic celebrations, (smile) because it’s that spiritual connection which is going to carry us through the upcoming year. Without it, we’d be simply lost and out of our league. So please hang on to it.  (smile) 

But look at how life changes eh! Remember when Boxing Day was the big day of sales? Now it’s just the baby brother, mostly for returning Christmas stuff that you didn’t want or didn’t fit. All of a sudden it’s been overtaken by Black Friday and Cyber Monday as the premiere sales days. But that’s how it moves, ever so quickly nowadays in our topsy-turvy technological world. Let’s never forget one most significant thing though friends; regardless of how this world turns, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it’s Creator, is still sitting on His throne in high heaven in total control! 

Yes friends, man can do whatever he wants, because the Lord has given him a free will, but in the overall context, it is the Lord’s purpose(s) that always has and have prevailed, and will always prevail. Let’s check out some scriptures that remind us of this most important fact nuh. And Cousin Sol is a master of these li’l bon mots; these witty but ever so true sayings. Hear him in these words of moral, ethical and spiritual precepts. 

‘The preparations (plans) of the heart in man (belong to man), and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.’ (Prov.16:1-2) All of that simply means that the Lord is sovereign over man’s thoughts and words and is a discerner of our thoughts. He searches our hearts for our motives, doesn’t just accept the words or actions we declare. Therefore, the only wise and sensible way to live this life is to do as Cousin Sol advises: ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov.16:3) 

Now that’s what we, as supposedly sincere believers in Christ Jesus ought to be doing. But too often we let the enemy into our souls and he screws up our lives, making them of none effect for Christ and the Good News we’re supposed to be spreading. But hear Cousin Sol again nuh: ‘A man’s heart deviseth  (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ Oh  my people, why is it so difficult for us to understand that God is sovereign over our scheming and planning eh? When are we going to learn that in the long run, it is always God’s plans that are going to prevail? 

As Cousin Sol says: ‘The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil (doom).’ (Prov.16:4) So even the wicked belongs to the Lord! And Jeremiah adds his two cents worth: ‘O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.’ (Jer.10:23) And it wouldn’t hurt either if we could pray like Jerry: ‘O Lord, correct me, but with judgement (justice); not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.’ (Jer.10:24) 

Yes friends, as the scholars tell it. ‘10:24-25. Jeremiah surrenders to God’s programme of judgement but asks that the necessary chastisement not be carried out severely (cf. 46:28; Hab.3:2).’ We absolutely need to surrender our lives to God, to get with His programme, and not ours or the enemy’s, if we want to be successful and prosperous in this life and the one to come. Now here are some more words of wisdom on the subject from Cousin Sol, he has so much to offer. (smile) 

‘There are many devices (plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand… The fear (reverence) of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied: he shall not be visited with evil.’ (Prov.19:21, 23) And furthermore: ‘Man’s goings (steps) are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?’ (Prov.20:24) That’s a very good question my fellow believers. And the answer is simply he can’t, because God’s thoughts, plans, and ways are so much higher than ours. 

So my brethren, as we wind down this Christmas season, I think it’s only fit for us to spend some time pondering our personal situations; re our attitude towards God, and consequently the time we spend with Him, for remember, God doesn’t really need us, but we do need Him…and tremendously too! So having said it all, let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings this wonderful Boxing Day, blessings the Lord has so generously bestowed on us so that we can do His work. 

In loud voice with sincere hearts: ‘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 everyday! Amen!’

Now let’s go out and share those magnificent blessings with the less fortunate, as Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!

…in Christ Jesus…we have EVERYTHING we need…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 September 2019 Jeremiah 10:23.

05 Sep 2019 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 10:23.    ​O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
 

Well friends, we’re seeing another brand new day! Bless the Lord, oh my soul! Yes, obviously the number of our days have not yet been accounted for, so there is good reason to give our great and most generous God much thanks and praise for lengthening our glorious days on planet Earth! 

I don’t know about you nuh mih people, but the ole fella sure isn’t ready to give up this earthly life as yet. Though it can be rough and tough, it’s the only one I know, (smile) and I still have plenty work to do for the Lord. In fact I haven’t done anything really worth talking about as yet, which means the best days of my life are still out there before me. Glory be! 

And before you go thinking that I’m boasting or counting on my own efforts to bring that glorious future to pass, hear me say and acknowledge, like Jeremiah: ‘O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.’ 

And I wish that the whole world, this evil and ungodly society in which we now live would come to that realization, sooner, rather than later, so that our wonderful world can find some peace and much less war and strife. Instead of counting on our own strength, we ought to be praying like Jeremiah: ‘O Lord, correct me, but with judgement (justice); not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.’ (Jer.10:24) 

And believe me my brethren, if the Lord really pours forth His anger on us, as He has the right to, in view of our abominable, sinful and ungodly behaviour, we will be brought to nothing! The scholars tell us:‘10:24 –25. Jeremiah surrenders to God’s program of judgement but asks that the necessary chastisement not be carried out severely (cf. 46:28; Hab.3:2).’ 

And so should we be praying too my friends, because our God is just as angry with us these days, as He was back in Jeremiah’s time, with the Israelites backsliding and disgusting worship of idols. It’s hard to see how Israel could have fallen so completely to idolatry in the light of all the Lord had done for them. 

But we are doing the same thing. In light of our prosperity and advancement, we now believe that it’s all our doing and are pushing God aside and leaning on, and in our own strength and thus worshipping the idols of material wealth and power. But please remember Moses’ warning to the Israelites way back when. 

‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee the power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut.8:18) And that most salient fact has not changed, not even one iota my brethren! It’s still the Lord God Almighty who gives us life and the power to get wealth! 

So how can we move away from Him and expect to prosper for any real length of time eh? That’s pure folly, utterly lacking in wisdom, the wisdom we like to pride ourselves so much on! It’s now time therefore to listen to some of the wise words of Cousin Sol, beginning with these most applicable ones: ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.’ (Prov.16:18) 

It’s a fact of life that we all know, yet for some foolish reason believe that it will happen to everybody else, but not to us. That’s a fool’s wisdom friends! And hear Cousin Sol again. ‘The preparations (plans) of the heart in (belong to) man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes: but the Lord weigheth the spirits…A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ (Prov.16:1-2,10) 

And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘16:1. The Lord is sovereign, even over a man’s thoughts and words.’ ‘16:2. The Lord is the great discerner of motives.’ ‘16:10. The Lord is sovereign over man’s scheming and planning.’ And it’s not like we don’t know all of that, but we’re just stubborn, hardheaded and hardhearted, just like the Israelites were. But yet we expect to have a different ending than they did! Steups! 

Ah friends, that’s just more ‘foolish folly’! Remember, we can’t sow sin and ungodliness and expect to reap righteousness and justice! What we need to be doing instead, is as Cousin Sol wisely states. ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov.16:3) 

And furthermore: ‘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 straight or smooth) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body) and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov.3:5-7) 

Oh my people, after accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour, those are possibly the wisest words in the Good Book! So please let’s actively live them nuh, not just talk them! They will cause us to be blessed with true health and strength! And talking about being blessed, its’ time for us to go home declaring (ah Lord eh!) the amazing Thursday Blessings that our magnanimous God has given us to work with here on earth. 

As one voice, in sincerity and true sense of purpose: ‘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 everyday! Amen!’ 

And just a reminder that those awesome blessings are to be generously shared in doing Christ’s work, not selfishly hoarded for our own selfish purposes! (smile) Much LOVE!

…it’s amazing…but totally foolish…how the created…can think…they’re greater than their Creator…