18 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a modicum of circumspection, addiction, alcoholic beverages, alcoholism has both physical and psychological effects, allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, allow your incredible aura of love, be as he that lieth in the midst of the sea, be filled with God's own life character and virtues, be filled with the Holy Spirit, be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, be ye not unwise, begin a new week of work, behold strange things, believers not allowed to be intoxicated, brings accidents, Chrisitans ought to be filled with the Holy Spirit, christianity, Christians, common courtesy, constantly bombarded by the enemy's evil schemes, contrary to God's will, cottage country opening, debauched society, delusion, divine help, don't get drunk on alcoholic beverages, drunkenness leads to moral intemperance, enslavement, experienced the feeling of inebriation, faith, fill us with steadfast faith, fire water, furthering God's glorious kingdom, giving thanks always for all things, go easy on the fire water, go out to meet the enemy in battle, he that lies upon the top of a mast, heartbreaking stuff, holy spirit, humble servants, I felt it not, I was not sick, I will seek it yet again, imbibe too much, in the fear of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, into the evil and ungodly world, intoxicating drink arouses brawling, invincible, it biteth like a serpent, Jesus Christ, jobs that serve a useful purpose, keeping lives and families together, leggo beasts, long weekend that ushers in the summer, look thou not upon the wine when it is red, LOVE, make worthwhile inroads into the enemy's ranks, making melody in your heart to the Lord, mankind takes pleasure in the devil's delights, mercy, negative consequences, not as fools but as wise, prohibition, redeeming the time, renewed vitality and enthusiasm, sally forth with confidence, salvation, seek another drink, since Adam was a little boy, singing, sparkles in the cup, stingeth like an adder, strong drink is raging, stumbling, submitting yourselves one to another, sure conquerors, surrender our all to you, thank you for jobs, the BIBLE, the days are evil, the gospel truth, the nitty gritty of drunkenness, the planting of gardens, the rejuvenation of Spirit, the throne of grace, they harm him in every possible way, they have beaten me, they have stricken me, they that go to seek mixed wine, they that tarry at the wine, truth, unconscious wounds, understanding what the will of the Lord is, unto the Father, utter perverse things, Victoria Day long weekend, walk circumspectly, wearing your powerful protective spiritual armour, whatever is in you influences your behaviour, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when shall I awake, who hath babbling, who hath contentions, who hath redness of eyes, who hath sorrow, who hath woe, who hath wounds without cause, whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise, wine is a mocker, wisdom, wrought in our weary souls
Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 May 2026 Ephesians 5:18.
Ephesians 5:18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Oh friends, you won’t believe that it was only late Sunday evening, I realized that this was the Victoria Day long weekend, with cottage country coming alive for the summer and people beginning to plant their gardens. That just goes to show I was totally wrapped up in whatever I was wrapped up in. And don’t ask what that was, because I don’t even know. (smile) Anyway, many of us are blessed to have this Monday off, and with yesterday’s good weather, most likely to be repeated today, I can imagine the celebrations for this long weekend that usually ushers in the summer will be very big and boisterous.
But as always, let’s remember to have a modicum of circumspection as we celebrate, and don’t behave like leggo beasts, or imbibe too much of whatever you plan to imbibe, because you know that kind of behaviour only brings accidents and other heartbreaking stuff, that can often have serious, lifelong negative consequences. End of Sermon!
And as I was looking through the Bible for something to write on, my eyes caught this section of Bruh Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, that seems rather appropriate for today. (smile) He writes: ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully) not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ (Eph. 5:15-18) Now didn’t I say that this passage was rather appropriate for today? (smile)
And if you don’t want to listen to my warning, then you should at least have the common courtesy to listen to Bruh Paul’s and not get inebriated. And as the scholars explain: ‘This verse gives an example of what is and what is not the Lord’s will (vs. 17). Believers are not allowed to be intoxicated with alcoholic beverages; the reason for this prohibition is wherein is excess; that is, drunkenness leads to moral intemperance.
This is clearly contrary to God’s will. His will is that Christians be filled with (by) the Holy Spirit; that is, they are to allow Him to fill them with God’s own life, character and virtues. The analogy between these two moral states is this: a person filled with wine is under its influence; similarly, a Christian is filled with the Spirit when he controls his thoughts attitudes, and actions.’
And that’s all basic common sense my brethren! Whatever your mind and body are filled with, will influence your behaviour. Now, if you don’t believe that Bruh Paul and I know what we’re talking about, then listen to the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol, as he warns from Proverbs. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging (intoxicating drink arouses brawling): and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.’ (Prov. 20:1) And that’s not a lie, because we see it every day in our debauched society, meaning there are a lot of unwise people around us.
But here’s the real kicker, as Cousin Sol gets right down into the nitty gritty of drunkenness. He earnestly asks: ‘Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (Prov. 23:29) Now those are very good questions. And can you guess the answer? ‘They that tarry (linger) at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.’ (Prov. 23:30) And that’s the gospel truth!
Cousin Sol then continues with this wise advice. ‘Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour (sparkles) in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (goes smoothly). At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder (viper). Thine eyes shall behold strange women (things), and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst (heart) of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick (hurt); they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it (another drink) yet again.’ (Prov. 23:31-35)
Ah my people, Cousin Sol does know what he’s talking about. And so do many of us, who have either experienced the feeling of inebriation, or seen someone intoxicated, behave rather poorly. And the scholars add their take on the situation. ‘Six rhetorical questions drive home the fact that alcoholism has both physical and psychological effects (vs. 29). These effects are further specified: physical and psychological poisoning (vs. 32); delusion (vs. 33); stumbling (vs. 34); unconscious wounds (vs.35a); and enslavement (vs.35b).’
And isn’t it strange that all this stuff has been happening since Adam was a little boy, and yet we still greatly desire to imbibe the fire water. Fortunes have been made, and still are being made, on its production and sale. The devil certainly has us hooked on that one. But here’s what we should really be doing, as Bruh Paul advised the Ephesians. ‘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 the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:19-21)
And to help us do just that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn for some divine help. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise and thank You this Monday morning for our jobs; jobs we sometimes don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose; keeping lives and families together. We also thank You Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm You’ve wrought in our weary souls over the weekend. It’s that rejuvenation of spirit which now allows us to sally forth with confidence into the evil and ungodly world, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s evil schemes.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing Your powerful, protective spiritual armour! We surrender our all to You, and humbly ask that You allow Your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit to lead and guide all Your servants, as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, thereby furthering Your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Amen!
And to be able to do that, we must stay away from the fire water this holiday Monday! Much LOVE!
…mankind takes pleasure in the devil’s delights…although they harm him in every possible way…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 Aug 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be aware of God's Spirit, be filled with the Spirit, be not drunk with wine, be ye not unwise, brings God's word to life, by taking heed to God's Word, catch our second wind, count it all joy, faith, faithfulness, fall into divers temptations, giving thanks always for all things, goodness, growing in knowledge and understanding in Christ, halfway home, hands on the plough, holy spirit, I will not forget thy word, if we endure to the end, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, joy, kindness, let me not wander from thy commandments, let pateince have her perfect work, LOVE, making melody in your heart to the Lord, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not as fools but as wise, not looking back, one's likeness to Christ, patience, peace, perfect and complete, persevering in God's plan, practical guidelines, praise Your Holy Name, redeeming the time, self-control, solid spiritual food, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, spiritual maturity, thank God, that I might not sin against thee, the breath of life, the challenges of your life, the days are evil, the fear of God, the milk of the word, the quality of our spiritual fruit, the trying of your faith worketh patience, thy word have I hid in my heart, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, understanding the will of the Lord, walk circumspectly, wanting nothing, we Love you Lord, Wednesday Wail, wherein is excess, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way, wiht my whole heart have I sought thee, wisdom, with my whole heart have I sought thee
Psalm 119:10. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
And then it was Wednesday, our mid-week work day that enables us to catch our second wind, renews our energy and enthusiasm, and allows us to continue our good work for Jesus. And all God’s people gave a loud and grateful shout of: ‘Thank You Lord for reenergizing us, for boosting our hope and faith on this Wednesday, in the crazy days of this summer season! We LOVE You, and praise Your holy name! Amen!’
Ah friends, unfortunately, life doesn’t get any easier as we get older, but fortunately with God’s help, with each passing day, we mature and get stronger, and are thus better able to handle whatever life throws at us. And what do we mean by growing in spiritual maturity, and how do we do it? This commentary from the cru.org website article on the subject gives a brief but good explanation.
‘You can grow in spiritual maturity by persevering in following God’s plan through the trials and challenges of your life (James 1:2-18) and living a life that is Spirit-filled — that is, learning to be aware of and listen to God’s Spirit, who lives within all Jesus followers (Ephesians 5:18; Romans 6:11-14). Community also plays an important role in character growth, brings God’s Word to life, gives prayer a life-changing impact and is vital for telling others about Christ.’
Yes my brethren, it’s all about growing in knowledge and understanding of Christ and putting it into action for His benefit. And we all know, but don’t like what James says in that reference. (smile) ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers (various) temptations; Knowing this, that the trying (testing) of your faith worketh (produces) patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing.’ (James 1:2-4)
And by any standard that’s tough to do in this evil and ungodly world, but with the help, the numerous tools and promises that God has given to His people, we are certainly able to do it, if we put our hearts, minds, bodies and souls to it. And one of the wonderful things about Bruh Paul, is that not only does he give us sincere doctrine, but always give us some practical guidelines to help us accomplish then. Listen to these simple, practical steps that will certainly help us grow in spiritual maturity, as he writes to the Ephesians.
‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 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; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:15-21)
Oh my fellow believers, you could not find a simpler way to practice godliness and grow in spiritual maturity. And having said that, I just found this other commentary by Art Tilles from the redding.com website, that interestingly expands on our earlier definition of spiritual maturity. He writes: ‘Spiritual maturity is measured by one’s likeness to Christ. Of course, it goes almost without saying that no likeness to Christ is possible at all as long as a person has no real faith-based relationship with him. That is, spiritual maturity is not even an issue when one is spiritually dead.
For a Christian, though, likeness to Christ is the goal of our election and the purpose of the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Viewed from another angle, spiritual maturity is measured the same way the maturity of a fruit tree is, by the amount and quality of its fruit, specifically what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit; and we’re not talking about some hyper-spiritualistic drama; rather, the Bible tells us what the fruit is that the Holy Spirit works in us: LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Those are the measures of spiritual maturity.’
And all of that is gospel truth! And if you really want a study in spiritual growth, then look no further than Psalm 119, which is all about growing in God through learning and LOVING His Word and putting it into action. And these words from the psalm ought to resonate very loudly and clearly in our hearts. ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgements of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto (contemplate) thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.’ (Ps. 119:9-16)
Yes, saints of Christ, what rich, sincere, interesting longing and LOVE for God, His Word and Ways! Oh, if only many more of us could feel that way and put it into practical use! How wonderful our world would be! And no, it’s not a pipe dream, but a positive reality, if we believers in Christ will only wake up and do what we need to do! Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we stick with Jesus right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! He’s promised it! So hope to see you then! Much LOVE!
…solid food…not merely the milk of the word…is essential for spiritual growth…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spirit of power love and a sound mind, agents of Christ, anger, arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, be filled with the Spirit, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be not drunk with wine, be strong and of a good courage, belly and backbone, Bible, Christ shall give thee light, christianity, discern what is acceptable to God, do the right thing, expose ungodly behaviour, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, giving thanks always for all things, god, goodness, guts and gumption, hands on the plough, hatred, hiding our light under a bushel, I am with you always, in the fear of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, let courage overcome fear, light in the Lord, LOVE, made manifest by the light, make disciples of all nations, making melody in your heart to god, not as fools but as wise, not looking back, our salt has lost its flavour, redeeming the time, resentment, righteousness, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, strife, submitting yourselves one to another, teach all nations, thank God, the breath of life, the days are evil, the fruit of the spirit, the Great Commission, the light of the world, the Lord thy God is with thee, the salt of the earth, the unfruitful works of darkness, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, walk as children of light, walk circumspectly, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, ye were sometimes darkness
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
So it’s Wednesday… What’s new in our world eh? Nothing really, just the same ole, same ole; lots of strife, resentment, anger and hatred, but comparatively little LOVE. What a sad situation! But it is what it is, and we believers in Christ Jesus have to learn to deal with it, to go forward with courage, to let our courage overcome our fear and go out into the foul and evil world and do the right thing. As per the Lord’s long ago directive to Joshua. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9)
And that directive has not changed down through the years my fellow believers. Except that we can now add to the mix, Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) So we have everything we need to get out there and make a difference. But just in case we’re still afraid, or we falter, let’s listen to these ever important words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, which are very appropriate for these times.
‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.’ (Eph. 5:9-13)
Yes friends, we were once children of darkness, living in sin and evil and enjoying it. However, having received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, we should now walk as children of light, flooded with the gospel of Christ, knowing truth from lies and wrong from right. And thus constantly trying to discern what is and what is not acceptable to God. At the same time, refusing to indulge in the sins committed by those who still live in darkness, some of which are so disgusting that they should not even be spoken of in decent company. And furthermore, doing our best to expose that ungodly behaviour, so the unbeliever can realize the appalling and revolting nature of their deeds and the terrible consequences they bear.
And having exhorted us thus, Bruh Paul continues the exhortation: (smile) ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 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 unto the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:14-21)
Oh my faithful believers, this is indeed the time for us to put those immortal words of Bruh Paul into action, for we are way too lethargic and inactive in consciously and constantly living out our faith. True faith in Christ demands action, wise action, especially in these evil times, that are only getting worse because of our lackadaisical and lacklustre attitude. Remember, we are supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. But it seems like we’re hiding our light under a bushel (basket), perhaps through fear and/or mere apathy, so that the world cannot see it.
And our salt… chuh! That looks like it’s completely lost its flavour and is therefore no good but to be trampled underfoot by men, which is certainly what’s happening. Oh friends, instead of being lightless and saltless, we’re supposed to be embracing every opportunity to find out the Lord’s will and do it. That includes staying away from drunkenness where your thoughts and actions are controlled by the alcohol, and only leads to moral intemperance. Instead, we should endeavour to be filled with Holy Spirit, God’s will for us, where we can control our thoughts and actions, hopefully in a godly manner.
Doing things like singing psalms and hymns, making melody in our hearts to God, and giving Him thanks for all that He’s done for us through Jesus Christ. As well as putting the wishes of our fellow believers above our own, which pleases the Lord. Now, nobody ever said that living for Christ was easy, and in these very evil times it get’s even more difficult because the evil doers are fighting tooth and nail to repress the gospel of Christ and all the good things it entails. But that’s exactly why we followers of the Saviour have to come up even higher, stronger and more determined than ever to do the work He desires of us.
My people, Christ is depending on us. We are His agents, ambassadors, His legs, feet, eyes and ears down hear on the earth, and as such we have a great responsibility to carry out and live up to, which unfortunately we’re not doing conscientiously or living up to. Remember Christ’s directive in the Great Commission. ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in the earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples) of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19)
And if we are truthful with ourselves, we will admit that we have not, and still are not doing as good a job as we can or should, else evil would not have the world in such a terrible headlock. End of Sermon! And no, I did not forget about the promise to keep on looking at patience, but this is where I was led today. (smile) Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure to the very end with Jesus, then it’s been promised that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! See you then at the very end! Much LOVE!
…truly working for Jesus requires…belly and backbone…guts and gumption…nothing else will do…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 May 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 50th anniversary, be not drunk with wine, Come Holy Spirit, deepen my breath, diferent faiths and cultures, different kinds of food, diversity, faith, fellowship, give life to the dry bones, giving thanks always for all things, god, God's good time, holy spirit, in the fear of God, in unity is strength, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let my muscles relax, LOVE, make us a living people, make us agents of peace, making melody in your heart to the Lord, not as fools but as wise, Pentecost Prayer Breakfast, prayer, quiet my soul, redeeming the time, renew the face of the earth, running errands in the rai, sincere witness for Christ, singing, slow my thoughts, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, submitting yourselves one to another, the days are evil, truth, understanding the will of the Lord, walk cirumspectly, wisdom, your peace and love are present
Ephesians 5:19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Oh friends, I’m truly sorry that the Bit is this late, but there is good reason for it. Unlike many of you, I was not able to have a lazy-day Saturday morning because I had to attend our annual Pentecost Prayer Breakfast at church, which necessitated me being up and out at an early hour, and by the time I got back home after twelve, having first run a couple errands in the rain, I was too tired and bloated to make a good go at the Bit, so I enjoyed a nap first, and here I am at two o’clock finally beginning the Bit.
Now that’s good Bruh Paulian sentence, as I like to call those long, involved ones! (smile) And yes, the rain finally fell today, as we knew it would in God’s good time. But it was all worth it friends. As usual, it was a good diverse crowd, from different faiths, different cultures and plenty of different kinds of food. And our priest, Father Jeff was in his element, much charged up by the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately though, the guest speaker, an Anglican Bishop fell sick and so was unable to grace us with her company and encouraging words.
But not to worry, a fine time was still had by all, as is always the case when the people of St. Francis of Assisi Anglican church get together, even more so, as we are celebrating our 50th anniversary as a parish in this neighbourhood. (smile) We prayed and sang, danced and worshipped, ate good food, and had wonderful fellowship together, under the encouraging presence of the Holy Spirit. What more can one ask for of a lazy-day Saturday eh? Not much! And hopefully, because of the late hour, we will end up with a short Bit. Hn! Hn! Hn! But I won’t count on it, for brevity has never been one of my many attributes. (smile)
Anyway, let’s get started by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer with all sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And as we like to say, if your prayer was offered up from a sincere heart, then it was immediately being answered, because there’s no prayer that our wonderful God likes to hear more than one calling to be in His faithful and ever-LOVING presence. Now, with all of our activity earlier today, this scripture popped up as being a rather appropriate one for the Bit. Please read with me, these educating and encouraging exhortations of Bruh Paul to the church at Ephesus.
‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time (making the most of every opportunity to expose sin), because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 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; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:15-21)
Oh my people, that is exactly what we did this morning at our Pentecost Prayer Breakfast! We were filled with the Holy Spirit…and not wine…and gave thanks to the Father through Christ Jesus, as we sang songs and hymns, making melody in our hearts and voices to the Lord God Almighty! Nothing could be sweeter than that, my brethren! That’s why I keep advising us to fellowship with each other, for in numbers there’s a greater potential for encouragement and education. And we’ll end with this prayer we offered up this morning, titled ‘The Holy Spirit.’
Please pray with me, in a call and answer fashion. ‘Come Holy Spirit, creator, and renew the face of the earth. Come Holy Spirit, come. Come, Holy spirit, counsellor, and touch our lips that we may proclaim your word. Come Holy Spirit, come. Come Holy Spirit, power from on High: make us agents of peace and ministers of wholeness. Come Holy Spirit, come. Come Holy Spirit, breath of God, give life to the dry bones of this exiled age, and make us a living people, holy and free. Come Holy Spirit, come. Come Holy spirit, wisdom and truth: strengthen us in the risk of faith. Come Holy Spirit, come. Amen’
Yes friends, we desperately need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us do all those things which we’re supposed to be doing, but which we are not doing to the extent that we should. So as I implore us every day, let’s get serious and get together, forget our petty differences, only remembering our common faith in Christ Jesus and begin working towards our goal of true and sincere witness for Christ. That’s the only way we will ever make a positive difference!
And wonder of wonders, the Bit is shorter than normal. Strange things do happen in this world my bredrin. (smile) Much LOVE!
…in unity…there’s strength and power of purpose…just waiting for us to harness them…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, bury them deep in our hearts, by understanding he established the heavens, children of disobedience, Christ shall give thee light, daily grind and common task, divine help, grace unto thy neck, he delivered them out of their distresses, he is good, his mercy endureth for ever, his wonderful works to the children of men, Jehovah Rapha, life unto thy soul, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, not as fools but as wise, oh that men would praise the Lord, redeeming the time, spreading the good news of Christ's coming, strong faith in Christ, The Christmas season, the days are evil, the God who heals, the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, to give thanks unto the Lord, walk as children of light, walk circumspectly
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
It’s Monday morning my people! The celebrations finish now until Valentine’s Day in February. (smile) Time to get back to the daily grind and common task we call everyday life. That’s the drama, the ups and downs of work, school, friends and family… and Covid problems, all while living for Jesus! And there was a great big sigh at the realization that the Christmas season is winding down to its inevitable end. But so it must my brethren, because we can’t always live on such a continual high.
It’s not we’ve forgotten Jesus, but we’re just normalizing life, getting back down to brass tacks, with the more serious task of spreading the good news of His coming kingdom and the amazing benefits it holds for all those who choose to follow Him. And today, in these dark and troubled times, I just want to share a few wise and uplifting scriptures that we need to get a hold of right at the beginning of this new year, hold on to the tightly, bury them deep in our hearts, and then put them into useful action.
Now let’s begin with some wise advice from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, where he tells them: ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things (that’s immoral living – 5:3-5) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable to the Lord.’ (Eph. 5:6-10)
Yes friends, since we are now children of light, we ought not to get involved in the behaviour associated with darkness, except to expose it, to the light of Christ. And time is of the utmost importance, that’s why Bruh Paul later advises: ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.’ (Eph. 5:14-16)
Ah my people, there’s absolutely no doubt that we are living in very evil times, and thus need to walk carefully, watch how we live, but at the same time take every opportunity granted to us to witness to the lost, to those who still walk in darkness. But to do that we also have to be wise, to acquire that wonderful attribute of wisdom. And how do we do that eh? Cousin Sol tells us right up front that wisdom begins with the fear and reverence of the Lord. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov. 1:7) Oh, how true that all is!
And why does wisdom begin with submission to God’s will and revelation? Because as Cousin Sol informs us later on: ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down dew.’ (Prov.3:19-20) Yes my fellow believers, it’s wisdom and understanding the Lord used to create our universe and all therein! That’s how important it is! So if we want to do good and God-like things, then it’s necessary for us to obtain the wisdom and understanding that comes from God.
Then Cousin Sol warns his son about the beneficial effects of wisdom and understanding. ‘My son let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to your neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.’ (Prov. 3:21-24) Isn’t that wonderful my brethren? When we have the wisdom and understanding that comes from Almighty God, we will make good decisions and not have to fear about whatever comes against, so we can sleep like a baby. (smile)
But then the problem crops of how to go about getting that godly wisdom and understanding, when we are in a turbulent and unsatisfactory situation like our world is currently undergoing. The psalmist tells us straight and plain: ‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.’ (Ps. 107:6-8)
Now that again is wisdom; asking the wise Creator for help, and then praising Him after He’s provided the help. But we seem to do neither ask nor praise, so we get nothing. So today, let’s put the first action of achieving wisdom into motion nuh, by crying out unto our God for His awesome help through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
But let’s remember that we first have to keep our promises before the Lord keeps His! Much LOVE!
…O give thanks unto the Lord…for he is good…for his mercy endureth for ever… (Ps. 107:1) Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
12 Nov 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, as we forgive our debtors, be filled with the Spirit, be not drunk with wine, be responsible and stay safe, bring backsliders back to your fold, confusion and havoc of Covid 19, crossing our t's, do unto others as you want them to do to you, dotting our i's, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, embrace your love and compassion, forgive and you will be forgiven, forgive us our debts, Friday chant, if we forgive men their trespasses, in psalms hymns and spiritual songs, in the fear of God, it takes two to tango, making melody in your heart to the Lord, minding our p's and q's, not as fools but as wise, one that honours Him, one with God is the best there is, our sinful world, redeeming the time, sonny boy, speaking to yourselves, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the days are evil, the Lord like a good party, time to party, two together are better than one alone, wake up and smell the coffee, walk circumspectly
Matthew 6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And then there was shouting and singing of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! Thank God this brutal workweek almost done! The weekend is upon us and the time to party finally come!’ Ah Lord eh! How we do like our parties. Wish we could even give a small percentage of the time we think about partying to thinking about God. Our lives would be so much better all around.
And it’s not like we can’t party in and with the Lord, because we can. Like all of us, the Lord likes a good party, but one that honours Him, in ways that glorify and proclaim His holiness and righteousness, not the leggo-beast parties that the world seems to value so much. Remember the numerous feasts that the Israelites were commanded to have in olden times. Well, likewise we could also have numerous occasions to sing and praise and glorify our great and wonderful God.
Like Bruh Paul told the Ephesians. ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 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; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:15-21).
Yes friends, that’s how believers ought to behave in their daily lives. Making melody to God in our hearts, while walking circumspectly and wise amongst the evil and ungodly world in which we live, not being licentious and dissipated and ungodly like so many of us tend to be. Please remember that God sees all that we do, both in public and private, and also reads the motives of our hearts, so it’s foolish to claim to be a believer and then living so much like the world. We might fool our peers, but not the Lord.
As Granny always warned: ‘Sonny boy, please remember, that drunk or sober, always to mind yuh business.’ But, unfortunately, in this crazy and evil world, too many of us supposed believers are not minding our business like we should, not minding our p’s and q’s, crossing our t’s and dotting our i’s. And that’s a big part of why our world is so depraved and ungodly; Christians are not doing their part; we are not standing up to the heathen as we should. We are placidly accepting whatever the world offers when we know to do better.
And not only is our stance against the world not good enough, but our help, edification and encouragement to each other is not worthwhile either. Instead of building up our fellow saints we are ever so quick to pull them down. We forget that one of the building blocks of our faith is helping each other.
As Bruh Paul said earlier in his letter to the Ephesians. ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:29-32)
Now, if we could only lower the great amount of bitterness, wrath, malice and evil speaking that currently exists in Christ’s church, both the church and the world would be a whole lot better off. We all desire people to be nice to us and forgive us, but sadly we don’t do the same to and for them. Whatever happened to the Golden Rule: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ And remember Jesus’ very decisive words on forgiveness in the Sermon on the Mount. A part of the prayer He taught us reads: ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:12)
That means we are asking the Lord to forgive us in proportion to how we forgive others. And Jesus went on to further clarify that statement by saying: ‘For if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15) That’s it loud and clear friends; forgive and you will be forgiven; don’t forgive, neither will you be forgiven.
But we have become so arrogant and boldface these days that we go to the Lord asking for forgiveness, while bearing a whole lot of unforgiveness in our hearts towards others. And when the Lord doesn’t forgive us and answer our prayers, we foolishly wonder why and get angry with God, even to the point of turning away from Him. Oh my people, many of our problems, anxieties and woes stem directly from our ungodly behaviour. Why can’t we wake up and see it eh? Anyway, it’s never too late to make amends, so let’s begin that process right now nuh, by going to the Lord in sincere prayer, asking for His divine help through our Friday Chant.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And as the saying goes, ‘it takes two to tango.’ So, if we want the Lord to do our bidding, then we have to reciprocate by doing His. It’s as simple as that my brethren! Much LOVE!
…two together are better than one alone…and one with God is the best there is…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
27 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a return to godly living, a time for every purpose under heaven, all praise and glory to God, all-seeing, all-wise, Amen, as wise not as fools, be filled with the Spirit, be not drunk with wine, beautiful people, being a witness to sinners, bless and keep us safely, blooming, Christians, dissipation, enjoy every minute of time, Ephesians, ever-present, evildoers are not procrastinating, exposing the sins of the lost, flowers of Jesus, further His righteous kingdom, giving thanks always, glorify God, God of comfort, godly wisdom, growing, healing, heathen, hymns, in the fear of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, knock their evil blocks off, know the true value of time, looking beautiful in the sight of unbelievers, Lord chesterfield, maturing, never put off till tomorrow what you can do today, no idleness, no laziness, no procrastination, omnipotent, on a roll, perilous moral age, provision, psalms, Redeem the time, reflecting God's love, security, sins, So let it be, spiritual songs, strength, summer-like Tuesday, the days are evil, the image of God, the will of the Lord, time for repentance, time never comes back, to every thing there is a season, top o' the morning, true believers, truth, undeniable truth, under the umbrella of god's unconditional love, using time wisely enhances our lives, walk circumspectly, watch carefully how you walk, wisdom, wisdom of the highest order, words to heed and live by
Ephesians 5:15-16. See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Well hello there you beautiful people, all made in the remarkable image of our wonderful God! Top o’ the morning to you all! We are a tad late, but as always, better late than never. (smile)
And may our God of comfort, healing, provision, strength and security, bless and keep us all safely under the umbrella of His unconditional and everlasting LOVE!
Wow mih people! The ole fella’s certainly on a roll this summer-like Tuesday morning. But that’s how we ought to think as true believers in Christ, and as I mistakenly said yesterday, ‘flowers of Jesus’ instead of followers.
But after reviewing the situation, I concluded that ‘flowers’ was and even better description, because it implies that we are blooming, growing, maturing, looking beautiful in the sight of the unbelievers and the heathen. All praise and glory to our omnipotent, all-wise, all-seeing and ever-present God!
And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful: ‘Amen! So let it be!’
And today I want to share a quote attributed to Lord Chesterfield – Phillip Stanhope (1694-1773). In this, one of his many quotes, he wisely advises: ‘Know the true value of time; snatch, seize and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination, never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.’
Words of awesome wisdom and truth my brethren! Words that we should all heed and attempt to live by, because time is one of the most valuable things we have, and unfortunately it is also one of the things that never comes back. We can never retrieve whatever time we’ve wasted or loss, not even one second of it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever!
So today, please let us look closely at the use we make of our time, and try to improve it, use it to the best of our ability. And the great thing about using time wisely is that it enhances our lives immeasurably.
And all of that measures up and segues nicely into our Bit: ‘ See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.’
Oh Friends, what undeniable truth and godly wisdom! We do have to walk carefully and use our time profitably in these evil times. Please note that the evildoers are not procrastinating, but using their time wisely to do all the evil they desire. So too should we believers, provided we truly desire to knock their evil blocks off.
Now here is some info from the scholars’ re our Bit: ‘5:15. See then that ye walk circumspectly means “therefore watch carefully how you live.”
5:16. Redeeming the time (or, “making the most of every opportunity”): Contextually, the specific opportunity in view is that of exposing the sins of the lost and being a witness to them. Because the days are evil assigns a reason to seize each opportunity. It is because the sins being committed during these days are so evil.’
And we don’t have to wonder about that last sentence Friends, since we see it happening daily, for the sins and evil of this world are ever increasing!
Bruh Paul could never have imagined the sorry depths that mankind would reach two thousand years after he wrote these wise words to the Ephesians. Words that still very much pertain to our current situation.
Listen up closely friends. ‘Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (scholars – since the current age is so perilous morally, Christians must clearly understand what the will of the Lord is). 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; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph.5:17-21)
Oh my people, as true believers, that’s how we ought to live!
So today, please, let’s ponder all those things we’ve spoken of and try to successfully integrate them into our lives, or simply improve on each aspect, so that our lives will truly reflect the LOVE of God, and thus glorify Him, and further His righteous kingdom, as is expected of us. That’s wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!
…to every thing there is a season…and a time to every purpose under the heaven… (Eccl.3:1)…now is a time for repentance and return to godly living…
SCRIP-BITS 