The Wisdom of Knowing, Understanding and Acknowledging God’s Great LOVE for Mankind!

16 May 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 May 2026   Romans 5:8.

Romans 5:8.        ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’

And our lazy-day Saturday is here friends, warm but somewhat cloudy with the possibility of rain. But who cares? That’s the exact kind of weather we need to stay inside, to loiter and laze around, doing whatever catches our fancy, or perhaps doesn’t catch it! (smile) But before we allow that attitude to take hold, let’s offer up our ‘Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer’ in all sincerity and truth.

As one strong 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 there’s nothing better in this life than seeking greater intimacy with our heavenly Father, for that’s the main reason He created us; to pass LOVE back and forth between us, so that life would be peaceful, calm and wonderful. Unfortunately though, sin and Satan got in the way, thus making things much more difficult than they ought to be. But nonetheless, we can still be wise and choose to go to God for all the LOVE, comfort, compassion  and help that He has waiting, has stored up for each of His human creations.

And it’s sad to see that so many of God’s greatest creation doubts His LOVE and compassion for them, and consequently turn away from Him, much to their own chagrin and demise. And if there’s one verse in the Bible that clearly demonstrates God’s total and undying LOVE for us is this one from Bruh Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, where he unequivocally declares: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)

Wow! Now why would omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present God send His only Son to die for a bunch of sinners eh, without even having them first turn from their sin? Obviously because of His great LOVE for mankind. Yes friends, while we were still enemies of God, He decided to set in motion the actions that would allow us to come back to His fold, to be reconciled to Him, through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, which would make salvation and eternal life possible to all.

So I really can’t see how we can ever doubt God’s great LOVE for us. We might not make use of the benefits He provided, but doubting His LOVE is certainly irreconcilable with the facts. Even Satan, being once the archangel of Light, Lucifer, knows that fact, although he would never admit to is, because it would spoil or break his treasured hold on those sinners committed to him. And Jesus Himself made several clear and unambiguous statements that pertain to God’s LOVE for us; including this most prominent one to Nicodemus  a Jewish church leader, who through fearing the ire of his fellow leaders, came to Jesus under cover of night to ask questions and hopefully get good answers.

And he surely did, when Jesus declared: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) What could be more assertive and reassuring than that eh? It’s only God’s LOVE that saved all mankind from hellfire and damnation. As the Bible says, it hurts God’s heart to lose even one of His human souls to sin and eternal death, showing that He clearly desires that all of them should come to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9)  

Now, listen to this other statement from Jesus that proves God’s unconditional and undying LOVE for humanity. He says to the disciples: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:13) And there’s no disputing that statement, for the greatest show of LOVE is dying for someone else, and we will only die for someone we seriously LOVE. And then, Jesus went out and died for us. But there was a corollary to Jesus’ statement: ‘Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 15:14)

Yes mih bredrin, friends usually do as their friends desire. And if we don’t do as Jesus desires, then we’re not His friend. But to be His friend, also means to have His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, leading and guiding our lives. For as Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’  (Rom. 8:9b) Direct and to the point. And to further solidify the point that Jesus died for us because He LOVED us, listen to this statement, where He declares: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) And that’s exactly what a good shepherd does; fight for his sheep, and if necessary die for them.

Then there’s this verse from John’s first epistle that again confirms God’s and Jesus’ LOVE for mankind. ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down ours for the brethren.’ (1 John 3:16) Now that’s a powerful scripture my people, not only reiterating that Christ died for us because He LOVED us, but also that we should follow His example, and if necessary, die for the brethren. And yes, it is indeed a tough scripture to contemplate, but thankfully, few of us will ever be called to walk that path of dying for someone else.

So please, on this lazy-day Saturday, let’s not even contemplate the question of whether God LOVES us or not, because there’s lots of proof to show that He does. You might not think so because your life is somewhat topsy turvy and not going the way you desire, but you can’t blame God for everything. He’s promised that if you live sincerely for Him, then everything will work out for good in the end, but in the middle, there will certainly be ups and downs that we don’t appreciate. However, that’s just the way life is, and please, don’t foolishly turn away from God because you don’t like what’s happening in your life right now, for sometimes it’s just a test of your faith, and if you keep failing the tests, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe! Much LOVE!

…doubting God’s LOVE…is mankind’s greatest folly…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 April 2024 Hebrews 9:22.

14 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 9:22.       And almost all things are by the law purged (cleansed) with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness).

Sunday, oh Sunday, it’s so good to encounter you once again! For you are one of the very best days of the week. You take me to the Lord’s sanctuary, where I give Him thanks and praise in concert with other worshippers, and He enhances our souls and spirits with His awesome Word, filled with many great promises and doings, especially that of the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, from which everything in our Christian lives flows. 

And to celebrate our fellowship today, we’ll sing a much favoured and very doctrinally important hymn, titled, ‘Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.’ It’s a traditional American hymn about the blood atonement and propitiation for sin by the death of Jesus, composed in the late 19th century by hymn writer, Baptist Minister and Bucknell University Professor, Robert Lowry. And since we’re all anxious to sing this much LOVED and oh so important hymn, let’s get right to it, and raise our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, heart and gut-wrenching version, that will let all the world, and heaven too, see that we’re very sincere about Christ in our great LOVE and appreciation for Him! 

Singing: ‘What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain: Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.) For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) 

This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Now by this I’ll overcome; Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Now by this I’ll reach my home, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Glory! Glory! This I sing; Nothing but the blood of Jesus, All my praise for this I bring, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Nothing but the Blood…Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.’ 

And there’s no greater truth in this world my fellow believers! No! For nothing but the precious, spilled blood of Jesus Christ; God’s sinless Son, on the cross of Calvary can wash away mankind’s abominable sins. And that’s the very reason the Father sent Him to earth. And why was that necessary? Because as Romans 6:23 tells us, the just penalty of human sin against God is death. But as Hebrews writes: ‘And almost all things are by the law purged (cleansed) with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness).’ (Heb. 9:22) 

That means for any forgiveness of sins to occur, blood must be shed. However, the death of sanctioned animals used in the Old Testament, through the offering of their blood was only a temporary reprieve, and every year, the High Priest had to go into the Holy of Holies and make atonement for the sins of the people (Heb. 9:7 & 25) since ‘It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.’ (Heb. 10:4) 

And according to one commentator: ‘The repeated animal sacrifices were delaying the inevitable, waiting on God’s fullness of times. One day a final reckoning for sin must come. Christians, of course, believe and celebrate that now in Christ, and under the terms of a new covenant, the reckoning has come. Jesus willingly “offered himself” (Heb. 9:14) by “once for all” shedding “his own blood” (Heb. 9:12), bringing to its intended completion the temporary covenant that came before (the old covenant) and inaugurating in its place an “eternal or everlasting covenant,” (Heb. 13:20), which we call the new covenant.’ 

Now there are a few questions on the subject that have been asked down through the ages, like; why is blood so important in the human’s life, and what does it symbolize in the Bible? Blood is the ONLY part of our body that is continually on the move, it continually courses through our bodies, and any time it stops flowing, or we lose it all, like it drained out of Jesus’ body on the cross, then our life also ceases. ‘And so, blood is the premier biblical symbol of life.’  Then there’s this question: Does the blood of Jesus cover us from all sin? Yes. John in His first epistle tells us: ‘But if we walk in the light, as he (God) is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth (purifies, covers) us from ALL sin.’ (1 John 1:7) And why do we need to be covered by the blood of Jesus? ‘The blood of Jesus is the covering that allows us to enter into the presence of a perfect and holy God.’ 

And it’s generally recognized that the blood of Jesus does 5 basic things for us. The first one is propitiation for our sins; to remove God’s righteous wrath from humanity. As Bruh Paul writes to the church at Rome. ‘(Christ Jesus) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (mercy seat, atonement) through faith in his blood, to declare (demonstrate) his righteousness for the remission (forgiveness) of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.’ (Rom. 3:25) Then there’s Justification; to bring us into right standing with God. Bruh Paul writes, again to the Romans: ‘Much more then, (having) being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.’ (Rom. 5:9) What about Redemption, or the purchasing of our freedom? Bruh Paul writes thus to the Ephesians: ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:7) 

There’s also forgiveness; to restore our best relationship. And to the Ephesians, Bruh Paul notes: ‘But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes (once) were far off and made nigh (near) by the blood of Christ.’ (Eph. 2:13) What about pacification, or peace with God Himself? Bruh Paul writes to the Colossians. ‘For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness (deity) dwell. And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in (on) earth, or things in heaven.’ (Col. 1:19-20) 

Yes friends, by Christ’s death, God reconciled the universe to Himself. Finally, we’ve been ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Peter writes in his first epistle. ‘Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible (perishable) things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation (aimless conduct) received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.’ (1 Pet. 1:18-19) 

And there we have it my fellow saints, some of the basic things that the blood of Christ has done for us, and overall, why it’s ever so important in our Christian faith! So, please, let’s spend some time today meditating on the incomparable blood of Christ and how it affects us as believers’ in His holy name. Much LOVE!

…the blood…oh the blood…there’s nothing like the sinless blood of Jesus…

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