25 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a most important characteristic of our faith, a positive outlook on life, a strong will, above all these things put on charity, abundance, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, and with what measure ye mete, anger, as far as the east is from the west, As God for christ's sake forgave you, as the elect of God, based upon prejudicial information, be ye kind to one another, christianity, clamour, come to know and love christ like we do, courage, creativity, curse, delivered him unto the tormentors, divine protection, do also unto you, don't care who we hurt, don't condemn the inner motives of another, don't use yourself as the standard of judgement, even as Christ forgave you so also do ye, evil speaking, faith, for our benefit, for with what judgement ye judge, forbearing one another, forgive not every one his brother their trespasses, forgiven of a huge debt, forgiveness, forgiving one another, God's love in action, hath shewed no mercy, holy and beloved bowels of mercies, holy spirit, humbleness of mind, if any man hath a quarrel against any, if ye forgive men their trespasses, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, if ye from your hearts, it shall be measured to you again, Jesus Christ, judge not that ye might not be judged, judged by the law of liberty, judgement without mercy, kindness, let all bitterness, likewise shall my heavenly Father, living in an evil and ungodly society, longsuffering, LOVE, malice, meekness, mercy, mercy rejoiceth against judgement, mercy triumphs over judgement, negative word, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your tespasses, no need to worry, pay all that was due to him, Praise the Lord, refuses to forgive a small debt, remorse, render a verdict, salvation, self-discipline, so far hath he removed our transgressions, so little remorse over the wrondoing, so much wrongdoing in our world, so speak ye and so do, supernatural strength, talent, tender mercies, tenderhearted, the BIBLE, the bond of perfectness, the gospel truth, the parable of the unforgiving servant, through Christ who strengthens us, true judgement will come from God, truth, use our blessings to help others, we can handle anything that comes against us, wisdom, wrath, wrath clamour anger be put away from you, ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 June 2026 Matthew 6:14.
Matthew 6:14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
And we’ve come to Thursday, the second to last day of our work week, a day that begun with some cloud and a little sun, but has now morphed into total cloud and some drizzle. But there’s no need to worry, for we can handle anything that comes our way through the amazing power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who strengthens us. And all God’s people gave a loud and grateful shout of ‘Praise the Lord!’
And today we’ll look at a very interesting aspect of our faith, that’s forgiveness. Jesus made it very clear that forgiveness is one of the most important characteristics of our faith. But unfortunately, today, it’s not something that we practice as much as we ought. Now it all stems from Jesus coming to earth to die on the cross so that the Father could forgive us our sins. And consequently, Jesus clearly stated what the Lord desired of His people, in terms of forgiveness. ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15)
Oh my brethren, it’s oh so clear that the Lord forgave us of our trespasses, as the psalm says, ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.’ (Ps. 103:12) Now He desires us to forgive each other in the same spirit that He forgave us. But our current society is so evil and ungodly, with so much wrong being done against each other, that it’s sometimes difficult to forgive the wrongdoers, especially when they don’t appear to have any remorse over the wrong they committed. And believe me, like forgiveness, remorse in today’s society is almost non -existent. For we knowingly commit wrongs and don’t give a care who they hurt.
But the covenant still stands, as Jesus says: ‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye be not judged (condemned). For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again.’ (Matt. 7:1-2) In other words, we are not to judge or condemn the inner motives of another, or render a verdict based upon prejudiced information, neither are we to use ourselves as the standard of judgement, because it will be the same standard of judgement used against us. The only true judgement will come from the Lord on the day He chooses.
Jesus also bore down on the subject of forgiveness when He told the parable of the unforgiving servant; one who owed his master a lot of money and when he couldn’t pay it, begged for forgiveness, and the master forgave him the debt. But then the same servant had a fellow servant owe him a much smaller sum and when he couldn’t repay the debt, he refused to forgive him, and had him cast into prison until he could pay. However his fellow servants on seeing such unforgiveness went and told the master about it.
The master called him and said to him; ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst (begged ) me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth (angry), and delivered him unto the tormentors (torturers), till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ (Matt. 18:32-35)
Yes friends, our God is very serious about our forgiving each other, because He forgives us. As I heard one preacher recently ask, when has the Lord refused to forgive you of a sin eh? And the answer is NEVER! That’s the point the Lord is trying to drive home to us. If he could forgive us, so can we forgive our fellow human beings.
It’s as Bruh Paul wrote to the Ephesians: ‘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 one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:30-32) Yes my people, we grieve the Spirit of God when we refuse to forgive each other.
Then to the Colossians, Bruh Paul wrote almost the same thing: ‘Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies (tender mercies), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing (bearing with) one another, and forgiving one another, if any man hath a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness.’ (Col. 3:12-14)
It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. James though adds a perfect ending to our discourse, when he writes: ‘So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against (triumphs over) judgement.’ (James 2:12-13) And that’s the gospel truth friends, mercy triumphs over judgement every time! So please, let’s practice it nuh, as it’s all for our benefit.
And just to show how generous and forgiving is our God, let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings bestowed on us to help do His earthly work. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…forgiveness…God’s LOVE in action…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a timeless invitation, a week of stressful work, a wonderful Saturday morning present, according to his riches in glory, actively savour god's presence and goodness, align your desires with God's, all the days of my life, all these things shall be added unto you, asleep at the wheel, christianity, Christians, concentrate on God's will, crucial times, deepen my breath, delight thyself also in the Lord, don't view faith as a list of strict rules, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, faith, find contentment in God rather than in the world, for His name's sake, give thee the desires of thine heart, God is not a genie, granting every fleeting wish, growing intimacy with god, have a personal testimony, he leadeth me beside still waters, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he restoreth my soul, holy spirit, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I shall not want, I want to be with you now, I will fear no evil, improve our intimacy with God, in the presence of mine enemies, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, laze around the house, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, leadeth me in paths of righteousness, LOVE, make God the absolute delight of your life, marvel to think, may know you all the more, mercy, my cup runneth over, my god shall supply all your need, on the early bus, peace and calm, Praise the Lord, puts us through our paces, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, rewards for intimacy with God, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, sincerity and truth, slow my thoughts, spend time with God, strong relationships take time, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the gospel truth, the heartfelt desire of every believer, The Lord is my shepherd, the peace of God which passes all understanding, the responsibilities of a shepherd, thou anointest my head with oil, thou art with me, thou preparest a table before me, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to ease our weary souls, to guard our hearts and minds, trust God and let go, truth, wake up, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present, your ultimate joy
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 June 2026 Psalm 37:4.
Psalm 37:4. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’
And so we come to Saturday; our lazy-day Saturday. And would you believe the ole fella did not laze around today…well not much. But I’ve been up and about fairly early, although I went to bed pretty late. I’ve even been out the street to fix my glasses. And despite all of that, we’re on an early bus today! Praise the Lord! (smile) So let’s get the ball rolling by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth.
As one strong and earnest 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 if our prayer was sincere and heartfelt, then the Lord will soon be responding with a big slice of the peace of God, which passes all understanding, to guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7) Now isn’t that a wonderful Saturday morning present, as you laze around the house doing little if anything, basically resting after a hard week of stressful work?
Of course! We could not want for anything better than a big slice of God’s peace and calm to ease our weary souls and renew, or better yet, improve our intimacy with Him. Oh my people, truly getting close to our great and wonderful God is the most important and delightful thing we’ll ever do, because there are so many wonderful rewards to that, as Bruh David says so well in Psalm 37. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:4)
And I like how this overview explains it: ‘”Delight yourself in the Lord” is a timeless invitation from Psalm 37:4 to find your ultimate joy, peace, and contentment in Him rather than in worldly circumstances.’ And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! When we concentrate on God’s will and purpose for our lives, we’re filled with a sense of wonder and astonishment at some of the things He will do for us.
And the overview breaks it down thus: ‘This beautiful phrase from King David carries a deep, two-fold meaning for your daily life: Finding Ultimate Joy: It means to make God the absolute delight and pleasure of your life. Instead of viewing faith as a list of strict rules, it’s about actively savoring God’s presence, goodness, and LOVE. Aligning Your Desires: The second half of the verse promises, “and he will give you the desires of your heart”. This doesn’t mean He acts like a genie granting every fleeting wish. Rather, as you grow closer to Him, your heart becomes so aligned with His will that your desires naturally transform to match what He wants for you.’
That’s why we keep urging and imploring us re finding greater intimacy with God. For that’s when we truly come alive, when our Christian faith truly becomes what it ought to be. And how do we do that in actual practice? Hear what the overview advises. ‘Spend Time with Him: Just like any relationship, delighting in God takes time. You can draw near to Him through prayer, reflecting on scripture, or simply being still in His presence. Trust and Let Go: The passage begins by urging believers not to fret over the wicked or worry about things outside their control. Delighting in God means trusting that He knows what is best for you and will provide for your needs.’
And yuh know that’s really all the Bible is about: having sufficient faith to put our sincere and total trust in Almighty God because we know, are convinced that He knows what’s best for us, and if we sincerely accept His will, then He will ensure we’re well taken care of. Look at the many scriptures that tell us that nuh. Jesus said it thus: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Then Bruh Paul says to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory.’ (Phil. 4:19)
And no one puts it more beautifully than Bruh David in Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen!’ (Ps. 23:1-6)
Wow! No wonder that psalm is the most beloved in the Bible, because it lays out what the Lord can do for us in the likeness of a shepherd. And no one could do that better than Bruh David, because remember he began life as a lowly shepherd boy, before the Lord thrust him into greatness. So he knows perfectly what it’s like being a shepherd and the responsibilities it brings. That’s why the saying, you can’t write about what you don’t know about is oh so true. And also why the Lord puts us through our paces, so we can have personal testimony of what we talk about.
And in closing, all I can ask is that we wake up, because so many of us supposed believers are still asleep at the wheel, and in these crucial times, we desperately need to wake up and get wise and do as Bruh David so urgently beseeches: ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ Ps. (37:4) Much LOVE!
…getting closer to God…growing intimacy with Him…ought to be the heartfelt desire of every believer…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a constant need for Jesus, A Plea for God's Presence, a prophetic hymn, a tenderness in the voice of Jesus to which nothing else compares, Annie sherwood hawks, Be not thou far from me O Lord, been permitted to give out to others, before it's too late, bless me now my Saviour, busy with regular household tasks, can peace afford, come quickly and abide, either in joy or pain, every hour I need thee, faith, feel in the depths of our soul, fellowship, God knows what's best for us, haste to help me, he that abideth in me and I in him, heartfelt, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, I come to thee, I need thee every hour, I need thee oh I need thee, in, in joy or pain, it so beautifully expresses, Jesus Christ, life is vain, like little fish in a big pond, LOVE, make me thine indeed, mercy, most gracious Lord, most holy one, my hour of sweet serenity and peace, need to put our utmost faith and trust in God, no tender voice like thine, not an expression of personal experience, not the the skill of the hymn's construction, O my strength, offering thanks and praise, on the wings of love and joy, only the tender voice of Jesus can fill us with true peace, our inconsolable loneliness, our utter helplessness in the face of evil, our utter poverty without Christ, out of fellowship with God, personal testimony, praying is at a minimum, receiving confidence and strength, Robert Lowry, salvation, seeking the Lord's help in times of need, self-sufficient planning, sincere, song of praise, stay thou nearby, sweet sacrifices of praise, taking full possession of me, teach me thy will, temptations lose their power, the colossal truth, the godless gain of the world, the gospel truth, the hollow emptiness, the impotence of our own strength, the Lord moves in mysterious ways, the Lord's Day, the most touching aspect of the song, the pathetic pretentiousness of our pathological pride, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, the stress of personal sorrow, the thought, these strife-filled and evil times, these words were ushered into my mind, thou blessed Son, thy rich promises in me fulfill, to face the upcoming week, touched the great throbbing heart of humanity, truth, understood something of the comforting power in the words, wafted out to the world, ways we can never understand, we know just how much we need God, when thou art nigh, wisdom, without Christ we are lost, without me ye can do nothing, wondering how could one live without God
Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 June 2026 Psalm 22:19.
Psalm 22:19. ‘But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.’
It’s a new day friends, in particular, the Lord’s Day, or as we call it Sunday. That means we ought to get out there sometime today to the Lord’s sanctuary and fellowship with other believers, offering up thanks and praise while receiving confidence and strength to face the upcoming week. And today’s song of praise is indeed a beautiful and truthful one, and most appropriately titled, ‘I Need Thee Every Hour.’ The hymn was written in 1872 by Annie Sherwood Hawks, the American poet and gospel hymnist, but this one seems to be the one she’s best known for. Her pastor Robert Lowry apparently wrote the music and added the chorus.
And according to Ms. Hawks: “For myself, the hymn was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on the wings of LOVE and joy, instead of under the stress of personal sorrow.” And that’s good to hear, for so many great songs have been written in times of sorrow and under great duress. And what’s the theme of the song? Basically, the lyrics suggest a constant need for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ at all times in our lives…and that’s no lie!
So having said all of that, let’s now offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a most heartfelt and sincere mid–tempo version, (a la Nathan Drake’s version on his Hymns of the Spirit album), so that everyone will know that we truly mean what we sing. Singing: ‘I need thee every hour, Most gracious Lord, No tender voice like thine, Can peace afford. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee.) I need thee every hour, Stay thou near by, Temptations lose their power, When thou art nigh
(Chorus) I need thee every hour, In joy or pain, Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. (Chorus) I need thee every hour; teach me thy will, and thy rich promises in me fulfill. (Chorus) I need thee every hour, Most holy one, Oh make me thine indeed Thou blessed Son. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee. I need thee, Oh I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee…I come to thee…’
Yes my fellow believers, that was truly beautiful, and all heaven knew that we meant exactly what we sang. So what’s there to be said about the song? Plenty. But we obviously don’t have time and space to say it all. Let’s therefore pick and choose a few juicy and relevant bits. (smile) First off, it’s said that the scripture reference for the title ‘I Need Thee Every Hour’ echoes the cries of Bruh David in Psalm 22, a Plea for God’s Presence. And the particular verse it refers to is, ‘But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.’ s (Ps. 22:19) And I’m sure that’s a cry all of us have shouted at one time or another, desperately seeking the Lord’s help in our time of need.
It’s also been said that the first printing of the song carried the scripture reference of John 15:5, which we all know, says: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ And if that isn’t the gospel truth, then I don’t know what is. For without Christ prominently in our lives, we are lost and alone like little fish in a big pond. But with Him featuring in our lives, we’re capable of great miracles.
And as per that line in the beginning of the song says; ‘No tender voice like thine, Can peace afford,’ it’s been said to mean, ‘No “other” voice than yours, can bring the peace that your voice brings, O Lord. There’s a tenderness in the voice of Jesus, that nothing else can quite compare to.’ That’s more gospel truth my people. Only the awesome, LOVING and tender voice of God can truly instill the peace and calm we truly need in these strife-filled and evil times.
But the most touching aspect of this song is found in an excerpt from an article on the hymn by Jon Bloom from the desiringGod.org website. In the words of Annie Hawks, re the hymn and its origins. ‘One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, I Need Thee Every Hour, were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me…
I did not understand at first why this hymn had touched the great throbbing heart of humanity. It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace.’
Yes friends, the Lord seldom allows us to write or sing stuff without knowing what it means on a personal level. And I can testify to that, as ofttimes I’ve written stuff in the Bit, and before I could even finish it, I was called upon to testify to it in my personal life. And it’s tough that it was only long after in her time of sorrow that she realized the true benefits of what the Lord had put in her heart. But then we all know the Lord moves in mysterious ways; ways that we can never understand, but nonetheless we need to put our utmost faith and trust in Him, because He’s our Creator, Lord and Saviour and knows what’s best for us, at all times.
And we’ll end on this marvellous note from one commentary. ‘It is not the skill of the hymn’s construction that makes it so powerful. It is the colossal truth it so beautifully expresses. O I Need Thee! We need God. It is not until we feel in the depths of our souls our utter poverty without Christ, our bankruptcy of any inherent righteousness, the impotence of our own strength and self-sufficient planning, our inconsolable loneliness when we are out of fellowship with God, the pathetic pretentiousness of our pathological pride, the hollow emptiness of all the godless gain of the world, our utter helplessness in the face of personal, institutional, cosmic, and molecular evil, that we know just how much we need God.’
And I certainly hope and pray, that all of us, at some time before it’s too late, will personally come to know, understand and action the overwhelming need we have for God! Much LOVE!
…we need to feel that urgent need for Jesus…for where real need is not felt…praying is at a minimum…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a disciplined mind, add any enthusiasm to the situation, all for the glory of Jesus, all the days of thy life, allow your incredible aura of love, another new work week, as I was with Moses so will I be with thee, be constantly in thy mouth, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, but of power love and of a sound mind, constantly bombarded by the enemy's evil schemes, dangerous and unfair jobs, depend on us to a large extent, divide for an inheritance, divine aid, don't be afraid of any task God gives us, don't turn away from the law, drilled into Joshua's brain, encouragement, face challenges, faith, fill us with steadfast faith, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, furthering your glorious kingdom, get into the groove, God's conversation with Joshua, have good success, have I not commanded thee, have success, holy spirit, humble servants, humbly ask, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I praise and thank you God, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee, inclement weather, inspire us to rise to greater heights, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, jobs that serve a useful purpose, keep our promises, keeping families together, living in fear, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, make worthwhile inroads into the enemy's ranks, mano a mano, meditate therein day and night, meet the enemy in battle, mercy, no man shall be able to stand against thee, no partying on Monday, observe to do according to all the law, observe to do all that's written therein, our omnipotent and merciful God, perform like you're capable of performing, positive reassurance of our faith, prerequisites for success, prosper, put it into action, reassurance, regardless of what happens, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality and enthusiasm, sally forth with confidence, salvation, step up to the plate, sudy the law and live by it, sure conquerors, surrender our all to you, the evil and ungodly world, the fulfillment of promises, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the gospel truth, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the lustful ways of the world, the throne of grace, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, to lead and guide all your servants, too comfortable in the pleasures of the world, truth, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, we're not afraid, wearing God's powerful protective spiritual armour, wisdom, work all five days, wrought in our weary souls
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 May 2026 Joshua 1:9.
Joshua 1:9. 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.
Another new work week my people. And this time we have to work all five days, no partying on Monday, like we did last week. (smile) And it will undoubtedly be difficult for some of us to get back into the five-day groove, but get back into it we must, if we’re to do Jesus proud. Then the inclement weather we’ve had over the weekend certainly doesn’t add any enthusiasm to the situation, but the bright sunshine and warm weather of this Monday ought to inspire us to rise to greater heights, all for the glory of Jesus! (smile)
And as we face our challenges today, please, let’s remember we can face them mano a mano, because of this most important acclamation, this positive reassurance of our faith: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengetheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) And that’s the gospel truth, for whatever we need to do on Christ’s behalf, He will enable us to do it. And that reminds me of God’s conversation with Joshua, when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. He promised him: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (Josh. 1:5)
Yes friends, the Lord gives us all wonderful promises, but sometimes the fulfillment of those promises depends on us to a large extent. And so it was with Joshua. The Lord made sure He pointed out certain things he needed to do to have a successful mission. He warned him: ‘Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance (you shall give as a possession) the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success) whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:6-7)
Please note that the Lord specifies two things in those two verses; that Joshua must stick to the letter of the law, and twice He warned him, to be strong and very courageous. Those were the prerequisites for success. Now that warning hasn’t changed since then. We modern day believers are still required to be strong and very courageous and obey the law in living for Christ. And let’s not say we can’t do it, because Bruh Paul has already declared that we are more than able, for ‘God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) In other words, we need not be afraid of any task we are given.
But the Lord took His commands to Joshua so seriously that He expanded on them in the next couple of verses, when He warns: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 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. 1:8-9)
Oh my brethren, you see how the Lord drilled those three things into Joshua’s brain: First we need to study the law and live by it, don’t turn away from it regardless of what happens. Then we need to be strong and courageous, and we have all the tools to do that. And last but not least, don’t be afraid, because the Lord our God is with us wherever we go! What wonderful assurance that is my fellow believers! No other supposed God offers that kind of assurance and confidence to their followers because they can’t fulfill it. They don’t have the power or wherewithal to do so. Only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, omnipotent and merciful can make such a promise and fulfill it!
But yuh know what friends, we can have all the encouragement and reassurance in the world from God, but until we believe it and put it into action, it’s all wasted. And that’s what the Lord was trying to push home to Joshua; you can do it, because I’ve given you all you need, and I’m here to back you up, but you need to step forward, step up to the plate and perform like you are capable of performing. The same goes for us today, as so many of us are living in fear, or have simply gotten too comfortable in the lustful ways of the world and thus are not stepping forward to do our duty.
However, we hope and pray that very soon, before it’s too late, we’ll all wake up and see the light and perform the way we ought to. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine help to turn things around. 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!
Now, let’s go out and keep our promises! Much LOVE!
…it’s not if we can…for we have all it takes…but if we desire to…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a strong will, abundance, access by faith into grace, being justified by faith, belief, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us, character, Christians, clear direction for my life, courage, creativity, culminates in eternal life, curse, divine protection, even the youths shall faint and be weary, experienced, faith, favour, for what a man sees why does he yet hope for ir, fulfillment, glory in tribulations, God's faithfulness, God's supernatural wisdom, have peace with God through Christ, He gives power to the faint, holy spirit, hope does not disappoint, hope for what we don't see, hope in God, hope is the basis of faith, hope keeps us holding on to our dreams, hope keps us going, hope maketh not ashamed, hope of a good futre, hope that is seen is not hope, hope that things will turn out alright, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I wait for God my Saviour, I watch in hope for the Lord, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, my God will hear me, negative word, patience, penultimate day of our workweek, plans to give us a future and a hope, promotion, rejoice in hope of the glory of God, run and not be weary, salvation, self-control, self-disicpline, self-sacrifice, shall mount up with wings like eagles, talent, the basic catalyst, the BIBLE, the gospel truth, the groundwork called for in God's word, the level of our belief based on our hope, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, the young men shall utterly fall, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, tribulation worketh patience, truth, undeniable truth, walk and not faint, we are saved by hope, wisdom, with patience we wait for it, without hope you cannot have faith
Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 May 2026 Jeremiah 29:11.
Jeremiah 29:11. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’
Ah friends, the penultimate day of our work week, Thursday, has opened somewhat cloudy and chilly, but let’s not lose hope, for yesterday afternoon turned out to be quite nice, despite the poor early morning weather. And if it’s one thing we Christians have is hope. Hope in God, and hope that things will turn out all right in the end. For without hope, what’s the purpose of living? None whatsoever! Since hope is the basic catalyst that keeps us going; keeps us holding on to our dreams and desires, whatever they may be. With hope we expect things to get better and those dreams to materialize at some point in time.
And that’s why the Bible, God’s Word is filled with so many wonderful verses on hope. So let’s look at some of them, and see how they boost our faith. for remember without hope, you cannot have faith, as hope is the basis of faith. And possibly the most well known and favourite verse of hope in the Bible is this one from Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) Yes my fellow believers, that’s what the Lord has in mind for us; hope of a good future, that culminates with Him in eternal life. And there’s nothing better to look forward to than that!
Then there’s this other amazing promise from the prophet Isaiah, that we all know and mouth, but don’t always believe, otherwise we would not be so often lacking in hope. ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:29-31)
What a marvellous promise! But if we don’t truly believe it, then it will not happen for us, for that’s the groundwork called for in God’s Word; belief, which is born of hope and topped by faith. As Bruh Paul says in Romans. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly wait) for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) And that’s the gospel truth! For hope is looking and waiting for something we don’t see. If we see it, then there’s no point in hoping for it.
Then there’s this interesting verse from the prophet Micah, where he declares: ‘Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.’ (Mic. 7:7) Now that’s a tremendous statement of hope and faith. As this translation puts it: ‘But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.’ And that’s more undeniable truth my brethren. If we wait and hope in our God, He will hear us and provide salvation. But then again, that all depends on the level of our belief that’s based on the amount of our hope. (smile)
Now these are also important verses on belief and hope, but I don’t think we appreciate them as much as some of the others. Why? Just listen. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh (produces) patience; And patience, experience (character); and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom. 5:1-5)
Ah mih people, we all like the end product, but none of us like to go through the middle section that talks of tribulations and perseverance. However, that is a most basic and foundational aspect of truly living for Jesus. It’s the calling of self-sacrifice that all followers of Jesus are expected to engage in, following His glorious example. And there are several more interesting scriptures on hope, but since time and space have runout on us, we’ll look at those tomorrow, if God spares life obviously. (smile)
And to help us find and keep that hope, the Lord has also most generously bestowed on us undeserved blessings, we call our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and activate them right now! In one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…there are too many examples of God’s faithfulness…to ever lose hope in Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a conviction in God's provision, a lifeline to all our needs, a powerful declaration of faith, all sinned and disobeyed your word, all these things shall be added unto you, before many witnesses, believed to see the goodness of God, concrete jungles, confessed a good confession, constantly rising prices, dance the dance of work, divine help, drown men in destruction and perdition, ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, erred from the faith, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, fall into temptation, fight the good fight of faith, follow after righteousness, God should be our first love, God will never desert a righteous man, godliness, godliness with contentment is great gain, havng food and raiment, he delighteth in his way, he shall not be utterly cast down, his seed begging bread, holy spirit, hope in experiencing God's goodness on earth, humble ourselves and pray, humble servants, I had fainted, I have been young and now am old, in our greedy and selfish world, in the land of the living, indisputable truth, into many foolish and hurtful lusts, it all depends on hope faith and righteous living, it is certain we can carry nothing out, Jesus Christ, lay hold on eternal life, let us therewith be content, live the high life, LOVE, making money is not the end all and be all of life, meekness, mercy, money is no respecter of persons, money is not worth tearing asunder our lives and souls, money should not be our first love, no thought for family or self, not seen the righteous forsaken, O man of God flee these things, one more week of work, other high towers for scenery, patience, pierced themselves through with many sorrows, professed a good profession, rat race, ruin and destruction, running down the almighty dollar, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, sincere repentance, sincerely seeking God's face, some in their greediness, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, the gospel truth, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the Lord upholds him with his hand, the LOVE of money, the many suffering from negative situations, the mass confusion in our world, the most important thing in life is seeking God, the necessities of life, the power to solve our many problems, the root of all kinds of evil, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the throne of grace, the truth is played out everyday, the upright and trusting will not be abandoned, they that will be rich, though he fall, to alleviate our problems, toiling in high towers, truth, turn from our evil ways, using money to boost our ego and power, we brought nothing into this world, what we won't do for the almighty dollar, which some coveted after, wisdom, wise guidance and direction
1 Timothy 6:7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
One more morning, one more day, one more week of work, heralded by our friend Monday. Yes my brethren, once again, it’s time to dance the dance of work, where we go back and forth to the concrete jungles, and spend our days toiling in high towers, with only other high towers as the surrounding scenery. But that’s okay; we can handle the rushing and pushing of the weekday rat race because the rewards enable us to have a somewhat better standard of living than a lot of the other denizens or inhabitants of our world.
What we won’t do for the almighty dollar eh! (smile) But unfortunately, in this society the dollar is mucho importante; for it’s our lifeline to everything we need and want. Without it, we can’t buy food, find shelter, afford transportation, clothes and several other necessities of life. And yes, we need to make a fair amount of money to live in a decent manner, especially in these times of constantly rising prices.
But let’s stop right here and make this most salient point: making money, accumulating the almighty dollar is not the end all and be all of this world! No sir! It might be very important, but it’s not supposed to be the most important thing in our lives. The most important thing in our lives ought to be seeking God. As Jesus so rightly puts it in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:34)
And that’s the gospel truth my people! When we seek Almighty God first, all our wants and needs are looked after. Remember these amazing words from Bruh David in Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (shall not lack anything). (Ps. 23:1) And if Bruh David says it, then there must be a lot of truth to it, for he spent his whole life seeking God and though at times his life was very difficult, he lacked nothing, for the Lord took care of his needs.
Listen to how he corroborates that in Psalm 27. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) That means one needs to have hope in experiencing God’s goodness not only in the afterlife, but possibly more so in this earthly one. Yes friends, a lot of it depends on hope and faith and righteous living. For as Bruh David further states in Psalm 37: ‘I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread.’ (Ps. 37:25)
And as this commentary tells us: ‘That’s a powerful declaration of faith, highlighting a conviction in God’s provision, suggesting that those who live uprightly and trust in Him will not be abandoned, nor will their descendants.’ And that’s the gospel truth. God will never desert a righteous man. As Bruh David says earlier on in Psalm 37: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps. 37:23-24) More indisputable truth friends!
So, although we need money to live, and we need to work for it, it should not be our first LOVE. That ought to be God. Therefore, we ought not to spend most of our time trying to get or accumulate money. Sadly though, the world we live in judges you by the amount of money you possess, thus the misfortune where a lot of us are indeed running down the almighty dollar, accumulating it with no thought for self, family or nothing else, using it to boost our ego and power and live the high life.
But let’s remember one thing, money is no respecter of persons, and you must work hard to get it, but it flies away much easier than it comes. Thus, the wisdom of these words from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich (desire to be rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction). For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil: which while some coveted after (for which some in their greediness), have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ (1 Tim. 6:6-10)
And though we see the truth of those words being played out every day in our greedy and selfish world, too many of us are still choosing to run down earthly wealth with all our might. When, as Bruh Paul continues to Timothy, this is how we ought to be living. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12)
And since it’s not easy to live that way in our current world, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine help to do so. Altogether: ‘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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’
And the Lord will certainly keep His promise, if we keep ours…that’s turn from our evil ways, and instead seek Him first and foremost! Much LOVE!
…money and earthly wealth are important…but are not worth…the tearing asunder of our lives and souls…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a big Glory Hallelujah, a more than glorious future, Always there, be diligent and efficient for Jesus, be like a well-watered garden, be your best, blessed is the man maketh the Lord his trust, bring us to our knees, casting all your care upon him, catch our second wind, challenging changes, christianity, despite our innate strength, distressful and hurting times, do your best, don't know what to do, don't know which way to turn, down to nothing, Dr. Charles Stanley, dry places, endure to the end, established my goings, established my steps, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, feel totally impoverished, from the depths of despair, get ourselves together for Jesus, god, God commendeth his own love toward us, God's timing is perfect, halfway home, hands on the plough, he brought me up also out of an horrible pit, he cares for you, he hath put a new song in my mouth, he heard my cry, he inclined unto me, he may exalt you in due time, holy spirit, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, humility, I call your name, I reach the bottom of the abyss, I waited patiently for the lord, I want to vanish into nowhere, it is there exactly there, Jesus Christ, like a spring of water whose waters fail not, loneliness, look your best, LOVE, make fat thy bones, many are feeling lost and lonely, many shall see it and fear, mercy, my own helplessness, never run from God, not looking back at the past, not turning back, obedience, of all self-sufficency, One Year Book of Bible promises, our second wind day, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, out of the miry clay, perilous and hazardous times, Praise for God's Deliverance, praise unto our God, present circumstances looking dire and hopeless, respecteth not the proud, Ruth Harms Calkin, s promised to work everything out for our good, salvation, satisfy thy soul in drought, set my feet upon a rock, shall trust in the Lord, sincerity, sinking deep into a miry pit, so glad to be alive, so often Lord, strengthen your frame, such as turn aside to lies, sun-scorched lands, taste the dre, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the gospel truth, the joyful Easter celebrations, the Lord shall guide thee continually, the succour that God alone can provide, the true healing and loving that only come from Him, the ups and downs of life, the vicissitudes of life, time to cry out to God for help, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turn immediately to God, ungodly and ungrateful sinners, wallowing in the mires of despair, Wednesday Wail, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, wisdom, worthlessness, you are always there for me, you come to my immediate rescue
Psalm 40:2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps).
So we’ve come to Wednesday, our second wind day. But we shouldn’t need to catch any second wind, for most of us have only worked one day so far this week. What we might need to catch our second wind from is the joyful Easter celebrations that are still weighing us down. We’d be lucky if we can get any serious work done this week.
But we need to get ourselves together for Jesus’ sake, for although celebrating His Easter resurrection is a big deal and a must, we also need to abide by His wishes that we give the best of ourselves to our work, doing so with diligence and efficiency, behaving as though we were working directly for Him. As Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) liked to say: ‘Always look your best, do your best and be your best.’ And that is exactly what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects from His followers.
Now today, we’re going to check out an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin simply titled ‘Always There,’ and I’m sure it will strike a note in many of our hearts because it’s so appropriate in these distressful and hurting times. And as always, I don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but it’s certainly worthwhile sharing again. (smile)
So please read with me: ‘So often, Lord I reach to the bottom of the abyss. So often I taste the dregs Of my own helplessness. Yet it is there, exactly there That You come to my immediate rescue. When I feel totally impoverished Of all self-sufficiency When I want to vanish into nowhere From the depths of despair I call Your name And You are always there for me!’
And that calls for a big ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ my people, because that is the gospel truth! Whenever we are down to nothing, wallowing in the mires of despair, loneliness and worthlessness, that is the time to desperately cry out to God for help, for the succour that He alone can provide, for the true healing and LOVING that only come from Him!
And I know that in these perilous and very hazardous times a lot of us are feeling like we’re lost, lonely and don’t know which way to turn. However, the best advice you can ever get in such a situation is to turn immediately to the God of Abraham, Isacc and Jacob for He cares very much for you. As Peter so wisely puts it in his second epistle: ‘Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (2 Pet. 5:6-7)
And He certainly does, else why would He send his only begotten Son to earth to die for you eh? Simply because He cares a whole lot for His finest creation. As Bruh Paul says in one of my favourite scripture verses: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now, if that isn’t showing amazing and abundant LOVE for a bunch of ungodly and ungrateful sinners, then I don’t know what is!
That’s why we never have to run from God. We might not like everything He does or desires of us, but we know in the long run He’s promised to work everything out for our good, (Rom. 8:28) and we definitely know that He is a God who keeps all of His promises, never reneges on any of them. And yes, the ravages and vicissitudes of life, those unpredictable, often uncontrollable, and frequently challenging changes, the ups and downs that we all experience at some time or other, tend to bring us to our knees, despite our innate strength.
And that’s exactly when we need to turn to Almighty God, to cry out for His help, and yuh better believe that His timing will be perfect; He will lift you up out of the mire and bring you to safety. It’s like Bruh David says in Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.’ (Ps. 40:1-3)
Oh my people, that’s exactly what the Lord will do for those of us who feel lost and sinking deep into a pit of miry clay. But the most important part is that we have to call out to Him, call out to Him in all sincerity and truth for His help! And when you do that, have no fear, He will be there to help you. It’s like the Bible Promise for our poem today from the prophet Isaiah says: ‘And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought (dry places, sun scorched lands), and make fat thy bones (strengthen your frame): and thou shalt be like a well-watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not (never fail).’ (Is. 58:11)
Oh my fellow believers, that’s a promise our God will always keep if we come to Him in humility, sincerity and obedience. And Bruh David said that in spades in Psalm 40. ‘Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps, 40:4) So, on this Easter Wednesday, please, let’s make up our minds to seek God sincerely, especially if our present circumstances are looking dire and hopeless. For that’s what He’s there for.
Now, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, letting all the 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 here’s an even greater promise: all who endure to the end with Christ, will enjoy a more than glorious future with Him. One that we cannot even imagine or comprehend. So, wisdom dictates that we endure to the very end, that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…the ONLY ONE…truly able to pull you out of the mire of life…is Jesus Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a big occasion in the Christian faith, a modicum of circumspection, a time to be sensible and responsible, all sinned and disobeyed your word, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, be willing to sacrifice every day for Christ, become discouraged, blow up in our faces, bring victory to the love revolution, clean on the outside but dirty inside, consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners, deny ourselves, despising the shame, direct one's eyes to the finish line, do a commendable job, do as I have done to you, ease the pain, Easter Monday, ecsessive body weight, endured the cross, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, for the joy that was set before him, heed the warning, heroes of faith, holy spirit, humble ourselves, hypocrites like the Pharisees, I have given you an example, if I have washed your feet, impediments that weigh us down, increase our Christian witness, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus has already blazed the trail and finished the course, Jesus set a direct example, Jesus washing of the disciples' feet, Jeus' followers ought to serve one another, lay aside every weight, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds, like a turtle in no hurry, like Jesus, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, mankind is never satisfied, mass confusion in our world, mercy, not many Christians are truly humble, operate in humble servanthood and love, performing the role of the lowliest servant, perseverance, pray, put our noses to the grindstone, rally round the cross, rise up, run with patience, salvation, seeing we are compassed about, servant leadership, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, show our undying love for Christ, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerely seek God's face, strong faith in Christ, surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, take their own sweet time, take up our crosses daily, the author and finisher of our faith, the day of celebration, the days of work, the diligent runner, the faithful Christian, the foundation of Jesus' philosophy, the God who heals, the gospel truth, the many suffering from negative situations, the passion of Easter, the power to solve our many problems, the race of faith is to be run with endurance, the race that is set before us, the sin that defeats a Christian, the sin which doth so easily beset us, the supreme example of endurance is Jesus, the throne of grace, the world is hanging by a thread, therefore endure hardness, to be a disciple of Jesus, to demonstrate humility, truth, turn from our evil ways, well done thou good and faithful servant, whitewashed tombs, wisdom, wise guidance and direction, ye also ought to wash one another's feet, zip by like a windstorm
Hebrews 12:1a. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us,
And isn’t it amazing how the days of celebration can zip by like a windstorm, while the days of work, take their own sweet time, like a turtle in no hurry whatsoever to get wherever he’s going. (smile) Yes, friends, we’re already down to Easter Monday in this season of Easter celebration, meaning tomorrow is a day of work. Chuh! We’re never satisfied eh, even when many of us had a four-day weekend, from Monday to Sunday, and some were even smart enough to wangle five days, from Thursday to Monday.
And although yesterday was somewhat cloudy and blustery, the celebrations seemed to be fairly large, for in my area alone, the streets were chocked full of cars of visitors to friends and families in the neighbourhood. And most likely today, the same thing will be happening in many neighbourhoods around the world, for the passion of Easter is indeed a big occasion in the Christian faith. But please, let’s remember not to overdo it, and thus institute a modicum of circumspection into the celebrations, for we already have enough problems in our world, and this is a time to be like Jesus; sensible and responsible. (smile)
That reminds us of some sensible and important things Jesus asked us to know and do. Like, if we want to be His disciple, we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily and follow Him. (Luke 9:23) That means being willing to sacrifice on His behalf every single day. Then there’s the unexpected washing of the disciples’ feet that Jesus humbly performed. He did that as this commentary tells us, ‘To demonstrate humility, servant leadership, and LOVE. By performing the role of a lowliest servant, Jesus set a direct example for his followers to serve one another.’
Then He gently but seriously admonished them. ‘If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.’ (John 13:14-15) Now that’s the very foundation of Jesus’ philosophy and the way He desires His kingdom to operate, in humble servanthood and LOVE, for that’s exactly how He carried Himself while here on earth. In truth though, how many of us supposed Christians are truly humble and take servanthood in our stride, while showing sincere LOVE to all we meet?
Not as many as ought to. And that’s a crying shame, for most of us talk the talk but don’t walk the talk, meaning we’re simply a bunch of hypocrites, like the Pharisees, whitewashed tombs, clean on the outside, but dirty inside. (Matt. 23:27-28) That’s why the author of Hebrews penned these most encouraging words for us to meditate on, and then follow. ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (become discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:1-3)
Yes my fellow believers, we have all the bygone heroes of faith watching us as we now run our own race here on earth, and we cannot afford to let them down. And to successfully run this race of faith, the scholars tell us; we must first ‘lay aside every weight. This refers to impediments that weigh us down, whether clothing or excessive body weight. These things are not inherently wrong, but for the diligent runner or the faithful Christian they must be removed. Secondly, it is to be run by putting off the entangling sin. This seems to refer to the one sin above all others that defeats a Christian. This may be a different sin for everyone. Thirdly, the race of faith is to be run with patience, or endurance.’
And the scholars continue: ‘Just as verse 1 establishes some qualities for the entrance into the actual running of life’s race, so verse 2 directs one’s eyes to the finish line. Jesus is the author and finisher in that He has already blazed the trail and finished the course. And though there are many champions for believers to emulate, the supreme example of endurance is Jesus Himself.’ And that’s the gospel truth! Nobody does it like Jesus!
And He is by no means an easy example to follow, but if we do as Bruh Paul tells Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Tim. 2:3) In other words, if we put our noses to the grindstone, we will do a commendable job, with the Lord eventually greeting us, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ (Matt. 25:23) And having said all of that, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid to help in these perilous times.
Altogether: ‘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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’
Oh friends, we desperately need to use this time of increased passion and faith to increase our Christian witness, because our world is hanging by a thread, and if we don’t make the most of the time, then it’s liable to simply blow up in our faces, both literally and figuratively! It’s as simple as that! So please, let’s heed the warning and show our wonderful gratitude and amazing, undying LOVE for Christ in spades. Much LOVE!
…Easter is the time when Christians rally round the cross…and rise up to bring victory to the LOVE Revolution…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a future we cannot imagine or comprhend, a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, a lack of mountain-moving faith, a lesson for all of us, a motivator, a small amount of living faith, a small beginning with massive God-given potential, a small seed that grows into a very large plant, achieve monumental spiritual feats, All Fools Day, appraise opportunities intellignetly, April Fool's day, be wise and endure, because of your unbelief, catch my second wind, christianity, Christians, communicating continually with God, conservative and cautious attitude, discipleship requires forward-focused undivied devotion, discouragement is rampant in our soicety, do not be discouraged, do not expect to succeed, doing God's will with diligence and excellence, don't accomplish everything you set out to do, Don't Get Discouraged, dontrust in the size of our faith, Dr. Robert H. Schuller, endure to the end with Christ, eyes fixed straight ahead, fail to move forward with an expectant confidence, faith, fall into calamity, get cold feet, grab the opportunity, guide you into all truth, halfway home, hands on the plough, he shall glorify me, he shall not speak of himself, he shall receive of mine and declare it unto you, help you move on to victory, hold back your full power, holy spirit, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, indecisive people, is fit for the kingdom of heaven, it shall move, Jesus Christ, looking back, looking back after gripping the plow, looking back compromises one's service and spirtual progress, lose nerve, LOVE, mercy, never give up attitude, no man having put his hand to the plough, not looking back at the past, nothing shall be impossible unto you, produce significant results, promote opportunities confidently, receive what is mine, remove hence to yonder place, run a few errands, salvation, say unto this mountain, second wind day, seize opportunities swiftly, shall not speak on his own authority, shew you things to come, sincere trust placed in God, small authentic faith can grow and accomplish great things, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the evil and ungodliness permeating our society, the fast moving opportunity, the gospel truth, The Hour of Power 50th AnniversaryBook of Daily Motivation and Inspiration, the wicked shall fall into mischief, these dark and dangerous times, to a glorious future with Jesus, total commitment to following Jesus, trust in the power of God, truth, want to be a success, Wednesday Wail, when he the Spirit of truth is come, wisdom
Matthew 17:20a. If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move);
And then it was Wednesday, our second wind day, but unfortunately we’re on the late, late bus, no I won’t deceive you on this 1st of April, April Fools Day. (smile) But I went to my church group, then I ran a few errands, which always take longer than planned, and by the time I got home the ole fella was tired, and therefore had to rest a spell to catch his second wind. What a great excuse for All Fool’s Day, as we call in the West Indies. But it’s the truth and I’m sticking to it. (smile) And since we’re running late, I’ll endeavour to keep the Bit short and sweet… although I sometimes wonder if the word short exists in my vocabulary. (smile) Yes, it’s a smiley kind of day!
Anyhow, in my attempt to keep things short and sweet, here is an encouraging passage from The Hour of Power 50th Anniversary Book of Daily Motivation and Inspiration by Dr, Robert H. Schuller. The passage is aptly titled ‘Don’t Get Discouraged,’ and that’s a wonderful motivator for us today in these very dark and discouraging times. I’m sure I shared this already, but as with so many other things, this is worth sharing again and again. So please read with me, as Dr. Schuller advises us.
‘Do not be discouraged if you do not accomplish everything that you set out to accomplish. Surely if you do not expect to succeed you will hold back your full power, investment and enthusiasm. Immediately, the kind of people who would help to move you on to victory begin to draw back. Your conservative and cautious attitude will reflect itself in an anxious look on your face that will disturb and discourage people from helping you. There are two major reasons why people fail. Both stem from a lack of mountain-moving faith.
(1) People who fail are often people who are indecisive. They cannot make decisions swiftly and surely. The fast moving opportunity is past before they decide – too late – to take hold. (2) Then some decisive people fail because after making the decision, they fail to move forward with an expectant confidence. They grab the opportunity only to lose nerve, get cold feet, and begin to wonder if they have done the right thing. They have gripped the plow but now they are looking back. Want to be a success? Develop the ability to appraise opportunities intelligently, seize opportunities swiftly, and promote these opportunities confidently.’
And in there somewhere is a lesson for all of us, because discouragement has become so rampant in our society because of the evil and ungodliness that’s permeating it. But the first thing we all need to have is as Dr. Schuller calls it, is ‘mountain-moving faith.’ It’s like Jesus said to the disciples who could not cure an epileptic boy. When they asked why? ‘Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible unto you.’ (Matt. 17:20)
Yes friends we need to start with faith, not necessarily plenty, but strong. And I like how this commentary explains it. “Faith the size of a mustard seed” is a metaphor from Jesus in the Gospels (Matthew 17:20) indicating that even a tiny amount of genuine, living faith can achieve monumental spiritual feats, such as moving mountains or uprooting trees (Luke 17:6). The mustard seed represents a small beginning with massive, God-given potential.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people!
For, as the commentary continues: ‘The mustard seed was considered one of the smallest seeds, yet it grows into a very large plant, symbolizing that small, authentic faith can grow and accomplish great things. However, the message is not to trust in the size of our own faith, but in the power of God, with whom nothing is impossible. The metaphor encourages believers to trust God even in the face of massive, insurmountable obstacles (mountains). In essence, having faith the size of a mustard seed means having a small amount of sincere trust that, when placed in God, can produce significant results.’
And after having the faith to do whatever we want to do, then we must act decisively on it, expecting it to be successful, not being luke-warm and non-enthusiastic about the outcome. And we can only do that properly if we communicate with our heavenly Father through the auspices of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. For as Jesus told the disciples: ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority), but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of (what is) mine, and shall shew (declare) it unto you.’ (John 16:13-14)
Oh my people, living this life successfully is a matter of having faith, communicating continually with God, then doing what He says with diligence and excellence, keeping our hands on the plow and not looking back, for as Jesus says: ‘No man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven.’ (Luke 9:62) That means, as this commentary tells us: ‘Luke 9:62 is a profound biblical proverb emphasizing total commitment to following Jesus. It signifies that discipleship requires forward-focused, undivided devotion, warning that looking back at past comforts, sins, or regrets compromises one’s service and spiritual progress.’
And above all friends, it means never giving up, for in Jesus’ vocabulary ‘giving up’ does not exist. It’s as Cousin Sol says in Proverbs: ‘A just (righteous) man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity.’ (Prov. 24:16) And that’s as short as we could make it, (smile) so let’s go home now declaring 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’re faithful and endure to the very end with Jesus, then we will also enjoy a more than glorious future, one we cannot comprehend or imagine, promised to those who stick it out! So let’s be wise and endure nuh! Much LOVE!
…Christians have enough tools and support from Christ…to not give into discouragement…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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