The Incomparable Wisdom of Fearing God and not Man!

31 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 10:28.       And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

So our work week is moving along quite nicely; we’ve endured the pangs of frustration and tiredness on Monday, then the less hectic and frustrating passage of Tuesday, until now, we’ve come to the soothing calm of Wednesday, the last day of July, where we hope to regain our second wind.  But that’s difficult to do with all the summer activities on hand, especially the Caribana Week Festivities that are already in full swing, just building to culminate in the big parade on Saturday and all the other glorious weekend entertainment!  

And though we’re hanging in there, nothing much has changed; we’re still doing the same ole, same ole stuff, not making any progress in our personal lives or in that of the world. Strife is still rampant on the world stage, and we are not doing much to change it, because we’re still resisting the necessary call to our duty; that’s witnessing sincerely for Christ! Now, since the Lord blessed us with the privilege to see another glorious day on His earth, as promised, we’ll continue looking at the two things that seem to stop us from doing the Lord’s work as we ought to. 

Yesterday, we said they were fear, fear of what man can do to us, but not what God, who is so much more powerful can do. And we proffered  the serious warning of Christ on the subject: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28) And the second thing which keeps us from doing Christ’s work is our LOVE of the comfortable life. Oh friends, there’s nothing we LOVE as much as the comfortable life, especially in these times of plenty and numerous amenities that just make life so much easier to handle. 

But before we get into that aspect, I want to share a few more words on the fearing of God and not man. And you ask what does it mean to fear God? Well this commentary gives us some insight into the matter. ‘To fear God is to stand in awe of His supreme authority, the most excellent authority that is or ever will be. If you will do that, things will be well with you. That is what God wanted for the Israelites, but they would not fear Him like they should.’ And sadly, neither are we fearing Him like we should. 

And this other commentary further expounds on the subject. ‘Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “The end of all matters is this: to fear God and to obey His commandments.” So, the first step to entering into the kingdom of God is to fear God. All true saving faith has in it the fear of God.’ Now that fear is not a fear that causes us to tremble with fright, to shake in our boots, although we should also have that fear of God in the background, a God who can destroy us seven ways from Sunday, as Jesus mentions in the scripture above, but it’s more a reverential awe of His sovereignty, of His majesty. 

As the scholars tell us it means ‘submission to the Lord and His revelation. When one is afraid of something, he either runs from it or submits to it. The latter idea is in view here. It is a healthy fear. like the fear of electricity, or the fear of one’s parents, which causes one to act in an appropriate manner.’ Unfortunately though, not enough of us have that supposedly healthy fear of God which causes us to act in an appropriate manner. Instead, we seem to have the unhealthy fear of man which causes us to act in an inappropriate manner. 

And friends, that fear of man rather than God is a deadly force in the believer’s life. For instance it can silence our witness for Christ, as John writes in his gospel. ‘Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him (Jesus); but because of the Pharisees they did not confess (publicly acknowledge) him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they LOVED the praise of men more than the praise of God.’  (John 12:42-43) And sadly nothing much has changed down through the years, every day, by our lack of witness, we still show our fear of man and our LOVE of his praise, rather than that of God. 

But please listen to these wise words from Psalm 112 – The man who fears the Lord. ‘Praise ye the Lord (Hallelujah). Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 112:1-3) That’s just the beginning of the good things that happen to those who fear the Lord, and I strongly suggest that you read the rest of the psalm before the day is out, so you can get the full message it proclaims. (smile) 

Finally, let’s turn to the other thing that keeps us from doing a good job for Christ, that’s our LOVE for comfort and the comfortable life. And nowadays, can life ever get comfortable! For we have almost every amenity known to man right at our fingertips, and we just hate for any of them to be even unavailable for a few minutes. We hate to be uncomfortable even for a minute, but let’s remember that being a disciple of Jesus can be one fraught with discomfort. For Jesus defined discipleship thus: ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

Now that doesn’t mean living entirely in comfort, but when necessary to give up one’s comforts, to sacrifice something for Jesus, like He sacrificed so much for us. And if it means doing it every day, then we do it with a good attitude EVERY DAY! That’s what sincere discipleship is all about; doing whatever is necessary to promote Christ’s kingdom, regardless of the difficulty. And let’s remember that Jesus NEVER asks us to do anything that He won’t do, and always gives us the wherewithal to do it. 

So if He gives us a difficult task, it’s surely means that He will anoint us to do it, and will also be in the fray with us, as He’s faithfully promised: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) So please, let’s wise up nuh my fellow believers and get serious about being ambassadors for Christ. For if we desire to see better days in this world, then it’s up to us to instigate the necessary changes, for the enemy will not do it, since they like things as they are – going to hell in a handbasket! A word to the wise is sufficient! 

Now let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) 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 Christ, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s plan to meet at the very end nuh! Much LOVE!

…being a disicple of Christ is not easy…but it’s surely worth it’s weight in gold… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 June 2022 Psalm 119:9.

11 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:9.      Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.​

Can you believe it friends, Friday actually remained bright and sunny for the entire day, and Saturday, our lazy day, has also opened with bright sunshine. Let’s hope it stays that way all day though. (smile) But with the contrariness of the weather system these days, who knows. Anyway, as we rest and contemplate life, let’s also ponder on these quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

And the first one tells us: ‘Always desire to learn something useful.’  Now that’s certainly very good advice, because learning useless things will not enable us to handle the difficult and scary situations we will all face in life. And the best place to begin learning useful things is from the Word of God; His undiluted, unadulterated Word found in the majestic and marvellous book we call the Bible! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this outstanding advice from Psalm 119, where the author confidently declares: ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.’ (Ps. 119:9) 

Yes, my fellow believers, if God’s word found in the Bible is our guidebook for living, then that’s the best place to find useful knowledge. And remember what Cousin Sol says in the first chapter of Proverbs. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov. 1:7) Oh yes, acknowledging the sovereignty, awesome power, majesty and goodness of God is where all wisdom, understanding, knowledge and wise counsel begins, for He is the fountainhead of it all! 

And one of the ways the Good book teaches us to live and operate is highlighted in this next quote: ‘The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.’ Now is that ever so true. And one thing we Christians are very good at is talking, but we’re not so hot when it comes to walking our talk, especially in the tough times. We talk a whole lot about God and faith when things are good, but when problems arise, too many of us jettison or forget the faith we spoke of when things were going well. 

We get angry with God, wonder where He is, and why He allowed such nasty things to happen to us? But friends, in the tough times is exactly when we got to go to God, cry out to Him for help, show the true colours of the Christian faith we profess, not blame and blaspheme Him, like so many of us do in those difficult times. 

But even on a worldly level, the best way to get started on anything at all is to cut down on the talking and get some action going. You’d be surprised how action … can’t find the word I’m looking for (smile) but once you begin doing, it sort of just continues on its own accord. It’s one of the principles involved in building, in growing…the first step is always the most difficult. Thereafter it gets comparatively easier. And it’s ever so important that we believers stop the plentiful talking for which we’re known, and begin doing more action, for which we are not so well known. 

James, Jesus’ brother says it quite well when he talks about faith that works in his epistle, James 2:14-26, which can be summarized by ‘show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.’ (James 2:18b) Oh friends, one of the ways to know true believers is by the works they do based on their faith. As Jesus said: ‘Wherefore by their fruit ye shall know them.’ (Matt. 7:20) 

And the next quote says: ‘It’s almost always possible to be honest and positive.’ I guess that contains a certain amount of truth, but we need to remember that positivity doesn’t work for honesty alone, it also works for dishonesty. The most evil people in our world are some of the most positive, totally believing in the rightfulness of their cause. And in the kind of evil and fraudulent world in which we are currently living, it’s much harder to be honest and positive, for everywhere we turn lies and deceit greet us with opened arms. 

But this next quote will hopefully help us to handle that last one. It tells us to ‘Find joy in the simple things.’ And that’s excellent advice, for our world has also become so complicated recently with so much information and knowledge available on so many different things, that many of us have a hard time understanding it all and thus making good decisions which bring us satisfaction and a joy in living. However, if we concentrate on the simpler things of life, it’s easier to find satisfaction and joy in them. We don’t have to get into all the convoluted stuff that’s going on around us. A basic understanding of it is quite sufficient. 

To tell the truth, that’s how I try to live my life these days. I endeavour to know what’s happening, but I don’t let it all get into my soul and spirit. I choose the parts or aspects that are necessary and just concentrate on those. Thus, I have much less confusion and dismay in my life. However, don’t ever forget that Jesus must be an integral part of it all, otherwise you won’t be successful. 

That brings us to this last quote. ‘Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.’ Again, there’s lot of truth in that statement. We ought to live the dreams that the Lord has put in our hearts. As Bruh David so rightly said 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.’ (Ps. 37:4) However we do need to remember that sometimes the Lord allows problems into our lives to test and push us forward. 

As they say, problems are a method of growth, of advancement. And whenever we solve a problem, it automatically increases our understanding and helps us to grow. And you better believe that in going after our dreams, we will encounter problems, so it’s necessary to keep an open mind when it comes to problems, for they can be very useful in our growth and Christian walk of life. Much LOVE!

…Jesus had plenty problems here on earth…but He solved them through faith, works and the Father’s help…and so can we… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 March 2022 ​Proverbs 1:7.

23 Mar 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 1:7.      The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and understanding.

Oh friends, like so many other things in this crazy world, the bright spring-like weather was too good to last! We had it for three consecutive days. Let’s be thankful for it and show our endurance and faithfulness by embracing the cold, wet scene out there in our neighborhood, that’s even got some white precipitation, actually ice, speckling the ground. (smile) It’s not much mind you, but at this time of year, we don’t want to see any white on the ground at all. Matter fixed! 

And that’s why, this Wednesday morning in late March of this confusing and oh so uncertain year of 2022, we are going to listen to the amazing wisdom that flowed from the pen of Cousin Sol so long ago, when he declared at the beginning of Proverbs: ‘A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain (acquire) unto wise counsels.’ (Prov. 1:5) 

And that’s the indisputable truth my faithful brethren in Christ! If one is wise, one will always pursue learning, and seek out the counsel, the wisdom and understanding of other wise persons. And that’s even truer, if possible, (smile) for believers in Christ Jesus, because He desires us to keep on learning all through our earthly lives, since we can never know enough about the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and the more we know, the better off we will be. 

Now, before we go further, let’s talk about a couple of definitions, namely that of ‘wisdom’ and ‘understanding.’ The former basically means ‘wise behaviour or living, or good sense.’ On the other hand, understanding ‘means the capability to distinguish between true and false, good and bad, what matters most and what does not matter at all.’ 

So, hopefully, when we have wisdom and understanding, we can live a full and meaningful life. However, two verses later, Cousin Sol injects one more important principle by warning that ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and understanding.’ (Prov. 1:7) 

Wow! Now that’s the key to the whole matter of wisdom and understanding; having a reverential awe of Jehovah God! Yes friends, without that awesome reverence of God we can never acquire true wisdom and understanding because they come from Him, for He is the original fountain of wisdom and understanding.

 And Cousin Sol corroborates that when he says in Proverbs 3: ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths (deeps) are broken up, and the clouds drop down dew.’ (Prov. 3:19-20) There you have it friends! As the scholars explain: ‘Wisdom is so important that God himself used it in creating the world.’ 

The patriarch Job, also had something to say about wisdom and understanding. While undergoing his trials and tribulation, he asked this most material question: ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding. (Job 28:12) Then, after setting out many different scenarios, he ends with this magnificent answer. ‘And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28) 

Mama Mia! What an awesome scripture! Yes friends, wisdom is God’s gift to mankind…but we must diligently seek it throughout our lives. And now, having gained some insight into the origin of wisdom and how to acquire it, let’s go back to that most important verse which talks about ‘the fear of the Lord.’ 

And the scholars give us a good explanation on it. They say that ‘The fear of the Lord means submission to the Lord and His revelation. When one is afraid of something, he either runs from it or submits to it. The latter idea is in view here. It is a healthy fear, like the fear of electricity or the fear of one’s parents, which causes one to act in an appropriate manner. The beginning does not mean that ‘the fear of the Lord’ is left behind in the course of acquiring wisdom, but that it is the controlling principle of wisdom.’ 

And so it is my people! To keep on acquiring wisdom throughout our lives, like Jesus desires of us, we must always have the reverence of God blossoming in our souls, bodies and spirits, for without it, true wisdom is not obtainable, no matter how hard we try. And please remember that we’re not talking about wisdom as the world defines it, but as God, the original source of ALL wisdom does!  

So, now that we have some understanding of true wisdom and understanding, (smile) I think we’ll end for today, because it’s already late and continuing with the second part of our Bit will make it even later and too long. And for those of us who have chosen the path of true wisdom by reverencing Almighty God, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong, sincere and confident 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 we all know that if we endure to the end, that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! So please let’s concentrate on, plan on enduring to the end nuh, so that we can enjoy it. Much LOVE!

…with God’s gift of free will…we can either be wise or foolish…but each choice has consequences…for good…or for bad…  

P.S. Please accept my humble apologies for the lateness of the bit, but I had an important matter to go out and attend to. But as they say…Better late than never! (smile) Much LOVE! 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 November 2021 Psalm 50:14.

04 Nov 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 50:14.     Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High:

Well hello there my beautiful Scrip-Bit Family! The grace, peace and LOVE of our great God be upon us this new and exciting day! And it is exciting simply because we are alive and kicking! Could you imagine what we’d be saying if we hadn’t woken up this morning… (smile) I don’t know. But I do know that many of us would not have been happy. Yes, it is good to go to heaven and meet our Saviour, but many of us are just not ready yet, and obviously the Lord isn’t ready for us either, otherwise He would have taken us home. That means He still has important work down here on earth for us to do. 

Therefore, let us declare as the psalmist so appropriately and joyfully did a long time ago…shout it out loud: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) And that should be our motto for each and every day that we draw breath on God’s great and wonderful, though evil and ungodly earth! Yes, friends, with Jesus leading our lives, we ought to be in a joyful mood for most of the day, despite our earthly problems, since He is the Giver and Comforter of our lives. 

And I like how Asaph the psalmist puts it on God’s behalf in Psalm 50 – titled God is the judge. He writes: ‘Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ (Ps. 50:14-15) Oh my people those are two of the basic foundational rules of our faith: Praise God and ask Him for help. One leads to the other. We can’t ask for help unless we give Him thanks and praise, adoration and reverence, acknowledging that He’s the Mightiest of the Mighty! 

Now, it won’t do any harm to look at a few scriptures that uphold that contention, would it? (smile) The prophet Hosea said it thus to his people Israel. ‘O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.’ (Hos. 14:2) 

And what does all of that mean. Listen to the scholars. ‘14:1-3. Calves of our lips: The word ‘calves’ (Heb. par, “a young bull or produce”) is best understood metaphorically, referring to the words that lips produce – in this context praise to the Lord. The nation had used its lips to praise the idolatrous calves; now it will use its lips in praise to the Lord God.’ 

But yuh know what? Sadly, that exact same iniquity can be placed at our feet. In the last thirty or so years we have indeed turned from the God of our fathers to idolatrous worship. Nowadays we worship everything from money to men, and yet we expect our society to flourish and prosper. We obviously have forgotten these most important words of Moses to the Israelites. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut. 8:18) 

And since the Lord our God does not change, it means that that condition still applies to all societies. Yes, societies can seem to get wealthy and opulent, but they never last, because the Good Book tells us in Psalm 127:1. ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep (guards) the city, the watchman waketh (stays awake) but in vain.’ 

It doesn’t take a genius to understand that. Unless a society stands sincerely and securely on the Word of God, whatever it builds doesn’t last. And we are currently experiencing that awesome truth my brethren. Our society is crumbling fast, and the only thing that can stop it from going to hell in a handbasket is our turning back to the Lord our God. Or, as the author of Hebrews so wisely puts it: ‘By him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.’ (Heb. 13:15) 

Oh my people, that’s the wisest move we can make in these deeply troubled and sorrowful times. And it doesn’t take a lot of wisdom to realize it either, for we have tried everything else and nothing’s working for us, the strife, hatred, anger, sickness and misery are becoming worse every day. The only thing we haven’t yet tried is a return to our roots, to the God we used to reverence, adore and worship not so long ago. And these words of Eliphaz, Job’s supposed friend, when he mistakenly implored Job to repent do serve as a wonderful reminder to us today of what’s to be gained in serving the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

Eliphaz said: ‘Acquaint now thyself with him (God), and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles (tents, homes). Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense (gold), and thou shalt have plenty of silver. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.’ (Job 22:21-28) 

Oh friends, it’s same basic advice that the Lord gave Joshua and every other prophet to speak unto the people: Honour me and I will make thy way safe and prosperous. But instead, we have chosen to dishonour God, even going so far as to try to get rid of Him from our society. But that‘s only a fool’s pipe dream! The Creator of the universe will never allow His foolish, prideful and arrogant creation to kick Him out of what He created, just like He did not allow that other fool, Lucifer, now known as Satan, the evil one, to kick Him out of heaven. 

So please, let’s wake up, be the wise creation that the Lord boasts of, and realize that our ONLY HOPE is God Almighty. And He is still so good to us, despite our terrible iniquity, because He so dearly LOVES us, that He showers those of us who want to work for Him with magnificent blessings to do that work. But since a blessing is not a blessing until it’s spoken out loud, let’s declare what we call our Thursday Blessings in loud voice to put them into effect. 

Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! 

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

And the corollary to that, is we now must go out and share all those blessings as generously with others as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord…is the beginning of knowledge…but fools despise wisdom and instruction… (Prov. 1:7) 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 December 2020 Psalm 121:2.

07 Dec 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 121:2.     ​My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.

Oh friends, the ole fella’s in a bit of a quandary this morning; he doesn’t know what to talk about, he has no coherent subject to comment on, like my well has run dry. (smile) These things do happen to the best of us at times. However, as I was leafing through the Good Book, the Psalms in particular, I came upon some verses that seemed to be just made for today. They’re all from different psalms, but something about them just touched me and I got the great idea to put them forward for our understanding and knowledge today. And I hope that all of them, or even just one touches our hearts this Monday morning and gives us thought for pause and ‘ponderation.’ (smile) 

So here goes. The first verse comes from Psalm 109 – A prayer for the punishment of the wicked – from the pen of Bruh David. After wishing divine retribution on his enemies, he boldly declares (yeahh!): ‘I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn (are judging) his soul.’ (Ps. 109:30-31) 

My question is, are we praising the Lord greatly amongst the multitude of the heathen, among the numerous evildoers in our world? And do we believe that the Lord will fight for the poor and downtrodden against the rich and mighty? If our hearts are right, the answer to both questions ought to be a loud and proud: ‘YES!’ 

The next verse comes from Psalm 111, where the psalmist proclaims with certainty: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 111:10) Now that’s the very essence of life my people! 

And to show it’s oh so true, Job made that declaration in Job 28:28, and Cousin Sol makes the same declaration, not once, but three times; in Prov. 1:7, Prov. 9:10, and Eccl. 12:13. So there must be a whole lot of truth to it. That leads to the question, do we fear the Lord? Do we possess that awe-filled reverence toward the Lord God Almighty; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Hopefully we will all shout out another loud and proud: ‘YES!’ 

And then we move on to that great Psalm 119, where the author desires of the Lord: ‘Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works….Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.’ (Ps. 119:27, 33-34) 

Wow mih bredrin! Those are the kinds of things we ask of the Lord when we have wisdom, when we reverence Him with our whole hearts, soul and being, because those are the things that keep us on the right track in this wicked and perverse world. And yuh know what’s next, (smile) the question of whether we desire those right-living things of the Lord? And I hear another loud and proud shout of: ‘YES, WE DO!’ 

Glory be mih people! That’s why we can conclude with these awesome words of the psalmist, as he talks of God’s sustaining power in Psalm 121: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills (mountains), from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.’ (Ps. 121:1-2) Yes friends, our help comes from nowhere or No One else but the Lord God Jehovah! 

And as the psalmist continues: ‘He will not suffer thy foot to be moved (slip): he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper (protector): the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve (keep) thee from all evil. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.’ (Ps. 121:1-8) And do we believe all of that? ‘YES!’ 

Good! Then in awe-filled reverence and wisdom, let’s look to the Lord for the help that we desperately need today nuh. Let’s cry out to Him for succour and sustenance through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for we desperately need His assistance. So altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. 

We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have 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, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance, and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, 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!’ 

Now please remember, the state of our hearts, if they are filled with true repentance, will decide the Lord’s answer. And who would have ‘thunked’ it eh – I didn’t have anything to say. (smile) Our God surely does move in mysterious ways. That’s why He’s such a great and wonderful God! Much LOVE!

…only when we look up…will help come from above… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 November 2015 Proverbs 9:10‏

04 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 9:10.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (One) is understanding.

Well Friends, the clock has run its race, gone around its course and brought us to another glorious autumn day called Wednesday! (smile) Just wish that we could all be as faithful in running our courses as clocks are; always steady and steadfast. 

Nonetheless, we are working on it with the help of God’s Spirit which dwells within us. And since it’s Wednesday, it means that it’s wailing time. So let’s wail out our Wednesday Wail with much sincerity and truth nuh! 

Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

Oh my people what a joy it is when one is walking sincerely with Jesus Christ…Glory Hallelujah! It brings us such warmth, such security and comfort just knowing that He is not only dwelling in us, but is also walking, beside, behind and in front of us…Oh glory to God for the undeserved LOVING-kindness He’s shown us! 

Now here is an interesting quote from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ Poster, which brings out our Christ –like nature of caring for and thinking about others. And it simply says: ‘Do for others with no desire of returned favours. We should all plant some trees that we’ll never sit under.’ 

And isn’t that indisputable truth? It surely is! It highlights the second great commandment that Jesus gave us: ‘LOVE your neighbours as yourself.’ In this case we are being very unselfish, planting something, either physically or metaphorically that we know we’ll never enjoy. 

If I remember rightly, somewhere in his Hour of Power Devotional, Gramps Schuller mentions that his father or someone else planted a tree when they were eighty years of age, knowing that they would never sit below it and enjoy it’s refreshing shade. 

Oh my people, that’s the unselfish, caring attitude that ought to run through all aspects of a believer’s life! 

Unfortunately though, we will never attain to such lofty heights until we have sincerely embraced the ideas contained in our Bit. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (One) is understanding.’ 

Yes Friends, then and only then, will the innate selfishness that permeates our natural selves be brought under control, and allow us to think about others more than ourselves, which is a foundation stone of our Christian heritage, as espoused by Christ through the ‘LOVE your neighbour as yourself,’ commandment. 

Oh what a truly wonderful world we’d have if we only practiced that commandment to the best of our ability! Sadly though, our natural selfishness, encouraged by the selfish attitude that is currently in ascendance in our world, is preventing us from doing so. 

Instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us along paths of unselfishness, we are allowing the pressure of the enemy to take us down unrighteous paths. However, as we said earlier, to change that ‘undesirous’ pattern, we need to come to the true wisdom and knowledge of our great God. 

Now let’s hear some scripture that corroborate our Bit, beginning with the awesome words of Psalm 111 – Praise the Lord for His care. The psalmist ends his song thus: ‘The fear of the Lord (reverential awe), is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.’ (Ps.111:10) 

Yes my brethren, words of glorious truth! If only we could take them to heart. 

Meanwhile Cousin Sol offers us these two verses in Proverbs 15. ‘Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom (of discernment): but a man of understanding walketh uprightly…. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom: and before honour is humility.’ (Prov.15:21, 33) 

Oh Friends, the Good Book contains such a wealth of truth, and it has all been placed there for our benefit, for our enlightenment, so that we can walk a path of righteousness in this ungodly world. But until we read and study those truths and put them into practice in our lives, we’ll remain like lost sheep, foraging unsuccessfully in a sinful world. 

And we’ll end rather appropriately with words from Cousin Sol in his role as the Preacher. ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ (Eccl.12:13-14) 

Yes my fellow believers, those last two verses of Ecclesiastes puts it all into the proper perspective. Our duty is to LOVE and reverence God, and faithfully do His bidding, because at the judgement day, all our works will be brought to light, and we’ll be judged on them. 

So let’s be wise and do the right thing nuh, for as the Good Book says: ‘Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’ (James 4:17) 

Let’s all take that to heart today Friends and do right nuh. Much LOVE!

…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) is wont to say…the best way to live this life…is simply to obey God…and leave all the consequences to him…gospel truth that…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 November 2015 Proverbs 9:10

03 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 9:10.   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (One) is understanding.

Oh Friends, welcome to another wonderful day in the annals of mankind! Brother! It’s promising to be a terrific Tuesday in my neighbourhood, with the temperature around 17 Celsius and the sun shining brightly. 

In fact the weather is supposed to be in the mid to high teens for most of this week, accompanied by mostly sunshine. Glory Hallelujah! That’s certainly somewhat unusual weather for this time of year, but we’re not complaining and will gladly take it, even giving off a most thankful ‘Glory to God!’ (smile)  

Anyway, let’s get right to our Tuesday Mantra, for there are lots of things to share today. 

As one voice now: ‘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 the world.  Amen.’ 

Yes my brethren, that’s who we are; children of God! That’s our main identifier in this world – beloved children of God to boot! That means we’re not supposed to fret or worry over anything, just take it all to our trusted Friend, our Brother, our Lord and Saviour, our God, Jesus Christ. 

Wow! Is He many things to us or what! That just goes to show how great and noble He is, and why we should put our complete trust in Him, surrender our entire lives to His will. Oh glory to the Most High God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 

Now here are some inspiring words from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H Schuller) – gone but not forgotten – from his Hour of Power Devotional. It’s titled ‘When the Road Ahead Is Short.’ 

Please pray with me: ‘O God, from the vantage point of today the road ahead looks very short. I sense that I am about to reach the end. Remind me that every time of ending is always a time of new beginning. Every time one door closes, another door opens. 

Every sunset is a move closer to a new sunrise. Death is always the prelude to resurrection. Help me to forgive myself for my imperfections and faults. I dishonour you when I disgrace myself by nursing regrets over my human shortcomings. 

Help me to honour you by recalling great accomplishments you made possible through my life. So let me come to the end of the road with pride behind me, LOVE around me, and hope ahead of me – only to discover that what I thought was the end of the road is a bend in the road leading me into an exciting new world of opportunity or eternity.’ 

Yes my fellow believers, there are lots of truths in that prayer. Every time one door closes, another one opens; the ending of one thing or aspect of our lives is always the beginning of another. And above all when we do reach the end of the earthly road, there is the glory of eternity with God to behold and look forward to! 

And all God’s people declared a loud and thankful ‘Glory Hallelujah! Blessed is the Lamb that was slain, so that we could inherit eternity!’ 

Yes Friends, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is indeed most worthy and deserving of all glory and blessing, adoration and worship! 

Now let’s turn to our Bit which encapsulates all that we’ve said so far, and takes us even further into the real of wisdom and truth. 

Hear now my people, these divine words of Cousin Sol: from the Book of Proverbs. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (One) is understanding.’ 

Gospel truth that in spades my brethren! For until we come to reverence the Lord God our Creator and to know His ways and means, we’re like sheep lost in the wilderness. And the only way we can achieve those things is by reading and studying His Word written in His Holy Book, the Bible. 

Now that to some, is like cursing them. But the actual fact of the matter is that when you don’t read God’s Word, that is when you are really cursed and left hanging out to dry, to live by your own wits, which don’t really add up to much, and won’t get you very far. 

But when you know the One and Only True Living God, then the whole world opens up to you; the whole world is your oyster, so to speak. (smile) 

Now let’s check some other scriptures that also give the great advice found in our Bit. First up is Job’s declaration, as he speaks of wisdom being God’s gift. He ends the chapter thus: ‘And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28) No doubt about that my people! 

Meanwhile in the first chapter of Proverbs, Cousin Sol issues this immense warning. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7) What glorious words of truth those are Friends! 

And I think we’ll end today with some very useful explanations on that verse from the scholars. ‘1:7. The fear of the Lord means submission to the Lord and His revelation. When one is afraid of something, he either runs from it or submits to it. The latter idea is in view here. It is a healthy fear, like the fear of electricity or the fear of one’s parents, which causes one to act in an appropriate manner. 

The beginning does not mean that “the fear of the Lord” is left behind in the course of acquiring wisdom, but that it is the controlling principle of wisdom.’ 

Okay my fellow believers, let’s write all of that indelibly in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies today, then get to wisely practicing it. Much LOVE!

…true wisdom is ONLY available from and through Almighty God…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 September 2014 Psalm 111:10

19 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 111:10.  The fear of the Lord (an awe-filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
 
Greetings and salutations my people, on this new and blessed day of September 2014! Tell me, have you communicated with your Creator as yet for today?
 
Well, if you haven’t, then take a moment now to tell Him thanks for bringing you safely through the dark and dreary night, into the bright and illuminating sunshine of His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
 
Then you can boldly and sincerely declare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God that the weekend is upon us, and we’ll soon be free from the bondage of labour… if only for a couple of days! Indeed, we must thank God that it’s Friday!’
 
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant, so that we can have the right perspective on how to use the weekend. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
 
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
 
Yes my brethren, it’s very important that we view the weekend in the right manner; as a time of rest and rejuvenation, not merely a time for partying and engaging in other lustful worldly activities. Remember, when you use the weekend properly, then the new work week unfolds calmly and smoothly, like a pleasant dream. (smile)
 
That brings us to our Bit: ‘The fear of the Lord (an awe-filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’
 
Oh Friends, those words are ever so true! If the reverence of God doesn’t permeate our souls, then we’ll drift aimlessly for ever, like lost sheep in the dry and waterless wilderness, without a goodly shepherd to look after us.
 
But when we truly reverence our great and wonderful God, then we see Him for who and what He really is: a wise, powerful, merciful, forgiving and LOVING Deity, generous and magnanimous to a fault. As so many other men of God have stated, that’s where all wisdom begins, my brethren!
 
Now let’s have a quick look at some of the scriptures that tell us so, beginning with the father of patience, Job, as he talks about wisdom being God’s gift. After asking the profound question: ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?’ (Job 28:12) He goes on to detail where it cannot be found. (Job 28:13-21)
 
Then he finally declares: ‘And unto man he (God) said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28)
 
And if you don’t believe Job, then listen to Cousin Sol, proclaimed the wisest man ever. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7)
 
Yes my people, when we submit to Almighty God with a healthy fear of awe and reverence, then our eyes, hearts, minds and souls are opened, and we are able to discern wisdom and truth and knowledge, as decreed by our heavenly Father, not as the evil and ungodly world considers it.
 
And Cousin Sol later on, again wisely informs us on the subject: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (Holy One) is understanding.’ (Prov.9:10)
 
Oh my brethren, it’s therefore obvious that true wisdom and knowledge and understanding are all tied up with knowing our Creator, and unless we are in solid league with Jehovah God, the ONE who created the universe and all therein, we cannot attain to those things.
 
And as Cousin Sol seriously warns us: ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou doest embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.’ (Prov.4:7-9)
 
Yes my Friends, that’s what happens when we diligently seek wisdom; she just overwhelms us with goodness! So why aren’t more of us seeking it eh; godly wisdom that is, not the wisdom of the world?
 
I guess because too many of us tend to turn away from anything that smacks of God. And that definitely is not true or real wisdom my people! It’s the wisdom of a fool, for they despise true wisdom and instruction, as Cousin Sol says earlier.
 
And on that note we’ll close for today, because the rest of what I have to say will definitely make the Bit too long, and I know that our attention span is short on most days, but especially so on Fridays, when the weekend beckons. (smile)
 
So may the Lord bless and keep us as we walk faithfully with Him today, and may he cause His favour to shine on us, and give us His wisdom and peace that passes all understanding. Much LOVE!
 
…how can a mortal human ever attain wisdom…without a true and stable connection to the fount of all wisdom…the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…