The Urgent Necessity for Christians to Awaken to the Overwhelming Importance of Spirituality in These Conflicting Times!

17 Jan 2026 Leave a comment

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

John 4:24.        God is a spirit: and they that worship hm must worship him in spirit and truth.

Oh boy! It’s our lazy-day Saturday! And many of us are just thrilled to the gills because after plowing through the snow for the last couple of days, there’s no need to go out today! We can stay inside and enjoy the warmth, the peace and quiet and the laziness of the day. (smile) However, before we get too lazy, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth. 

As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And I’m sure that many of us who were out there bearing the brunt of the inclement weather could not help but be sincere, for fighting the snowy conditions back and forth everyday is not an easy task, even for the strongest and most righteous of us. So, we’ll very much appreciate the peace and calm, as well as the overwhelming intimacy that comes from our wonderful God this lazy-day Saturday morning. For when you ask to know Him better, that’s exactly what you get; greater intimacy. And there’s nothing better than a deep intimacy with our heavenly Father.

 It’s like Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. After He tells her about her unrighteous life (John 4:16-18) and she replies: ‘Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain (Mt. Gerizim); and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship hm must worship him in spirit and truth.’ (John 4:19-24) 

Yes friends, that is the kind of people the Father wants to worship Him; those who do so in spirit and truth! And please note what Jesus says in that second to last verse; ‘the hour cometh, and now is…’ That means NOW is the time for true believers to worship God in spirit and truth. Jesus is basically trying to point out that WHO and WHOM you worship is much more important than where you worship! 

And I like how this commentary by John Piper in the desiringgod website puts it. He writes: ‘The first thing we learn is that worship has to do with real life. It is not a mythical interlude in a week of reality. Worship has to do with adultery and hunger and racial conflict…. Worship is not merely an external act that you can accomplish by going to a place. Jesus said in another place (Matthew 15:8): “This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.”  

Worship is first and foremost an experience of the heart. Prayer without heart is vain. Songs without heart are vain. Confession and creeds and liturgies and sermons that don’t come from the heart are empty and worthless in God’s eyes. So Jesus says to the woman: Don’t get hung up on irrelevant controversies. How you worship is vastly more important than where.’ And that’s a truth that many of us need to focus on in these days of so many false prophets and false and deceitful rhetoric.  And there are many scriptures that warn us about the importance of our spiritual lives. 

Let’s consider a few of them nuh. Like this one from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service (spiritual service of worship).’ (Rom. 12:1) Yuh see friends, even the quality of our bodies is important, for we belong to God and His Spirit dwells within us, and the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a place that is enveloped in sin. And as Bruh Paul says in the next verse, that means transforming our minds from the works of the world to those of Christ Jesus. (Rom. 12:2)  

Meanwhile, in Psalm 145, Bruh David writes thus: ‘The Lord is nigh (near) unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.’ (Ps. 145:18) And that’s a fact. The only way you will engage the Lord is if your heart is filled with sincerity and truth; with the right motive. It’s like the Lord said to Samuel when he sent him to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel looked on the magnificent physical appearance of Eliab and thought, this must be the one. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7) 

Yuh see mih bredrin, to come to the Lord we have to come clean, come open, for He doesn’t look at what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside, for mankind is very good at hiding what’s really on the inside with enchanting but false stuff on the outside. That’s why it’s so important we adopt this wisdom of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, where he exhorts: ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus.’ (Eph. 5:18-20) 

That’s about the best and surest way to stay spiritually true and sincere. And Peter, in talking about an Holy Priesthood lets us know, first about Jesus then us: ‘To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed (rejected) indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively (living) stones, are built up (are being built up) a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus.’ (1 Pet. 2:4-5) That’s our job friends; to be an holy priesthood and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ. There’s one big problem though, the church of God, that’s the people of God are either asleep or don’t care, that’s why we need a wake up call to get our spiritual lives in order. 

And we’ll end with the opening remarks of the commentary that tells it like it is: ‘If people are spiritually asleep, you have to shock them, startle them, scandalize them, if you want them to hear what you say. Jesus was especially good at this. When he wants to teach us something about worship, he uses a whore (the Samaritan woman). “Go call your husband!” “I don’t have a husband.” “That’s right. But you’ve had five, and the man you sleep with now is not your husband.” She was shocked. We’re shocked. But Jesus simply sits there on the edge of the well with his hands folded, looking at the woman with razors in his eyes ready to teach us about worship.’ 

And  my people, Jesus is still sitting, this time in heavenly places, waiting to teach us about worship. Let’s hope He shocked us all today into wanting to learn about it! Much LOVE!

…the body of Christ…needs to be shocked into awakening…to the importance of spirituality… in these urgent times…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Integrity and Sincerity in the Christian’s Life!

16 Aug 2025 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 August 2025   1 Samuel 1:7b.

1 Samuel 1:7b.        for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Oh friends, am I ever disappointed that I could not stay longer abed this glorious lazy-day Saturday in the middle of August 2025! And why is that? Because after spending almost the whole day in the concrete jungle city called Toronto, enduring traffic jams, going and coming, and waiting a couple of hours before I could have my procedure done, I got home tired and went to bed early – well early by my standards. (smile) But then the ole back eventually rebelled when I lay abed for longer than normal, thus forcing me to get up earlier than I intended. But that’s what happens when you’re getting on in life. Note, I did not say getting old. (smile)

Anyway, we’re up and about, and thankful that we’re alive to see another beautiful day on God’s beautiful but currently chaotic and disastrous earth. That means we have a purpose for being here at this time and place, and the Lord is trying to initiate His plan, His playbook for our lives, but unfortunately too many of us are resisting His advances and His plays. But let’s see if we can’t turn things around somewhat nuh, through the medium of prayer, which God instituted so we can communicate with Him, thus letting Him know how we feel about any and everything, especially the plays He’s calling in our lives. (smile)

Remember, He wants to be involved in everything that concerns us, be it big or small, relevant or irrelevant. So let’s begin with offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one strong and sincere 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!’

Now that’s the easiest way to get God’s attention, by seeking greater communication and intimacy with Him. For remember one of the reasons He created us is for us to LOVE Him and each other, and achieve an intimacy that’s pure and wholesome. But the main point of the whole process is sincerity. If we’re not sincere, then the Lord will ignore whatever we say. For unlike mankind, He doesn’t just listen to our words, but searches the depths of our hearts to discover our real motives.

And there are several scriptures which repeat that fact, beginning with this one from 1 Samuel, where the Lord admonished Samuel when he sent him to anoint a new king from the sons of Jesse, and Samuel looks on the comely and manly features of the eldest son, Eliab and believes that he is the chosen one. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7)

And so it went, until the Lord chose the most unlikely of Jesse’s sons to be king, Bruh David, because he had a sincere heart for the Lord. Then, we have these words of Bruh David from Psalm 7 – A Plea for Protection from Enemies – where he declares: ‘The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins (tests the hearts and minds). My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.’ (Ps. 7:8-10)

Oh my people, being of an upright, sincere heart is ever so important in our relationships; both with God and with our fellow man. Although, like the prophet Jeremiah said so long ago: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?’ (Jer. 17:9) And that’s the indisputable  truth! Man’s heart is oh so wicked that it cannot be trusted, especially in what looks like these last days, when negative and ungodly things like greed, deceit, envy, slander, strife, poverty, inequality are ruling the roost in our world.

That’s why Jeremiah follows up that verse with this one: ‘I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (test the mind, the most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).’ (Jer. 17:10) And knowing all that, it boggles my mind to think that so many of us, even supposed believers, still try to hide things from God eh? We go to Him with a lot of praise and whatever in our mouths, but our hearts are nowhere close to what our mouths are spewing.

It’s like Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees: ‘This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ (Matt. 15:8-9) And brother, is that ever happening in today’s society! The false prophets, the evil snake and His cohorts are running riot over the land with false doctrines, deceits and even outright lies. And sadly, many of us are buying into it!

But if we are true believers, we ought to know better, for as John warns in his first epistle: ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.’ (1 John 4:1-3)

And that’s ever so true friends, for the antichrist is raising a hue and cry all over our world right now, and we have to be very careful about what and whom we listen to. But hear this most important fact from the next verse. ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4)

Now my people, if we don’t believe anything else today, please, let’s believe that, and please, let’s take it to heart, write it indelibly in souls, mind and bodies, because it is the gospel truth, and only as we believe it, and operate from that position of authority and power of the Holy Spirit, will we ever defeat the enemy. Much LOVE!

…it’s foolish to try and hide anything from God…for He created us…and is omniscient – all-knowing…knows everything about us…

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

God Looks at the Heart and not the Outward Appearance, thus the Need For Sincere Hearts!

19 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

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

1 Samuel 16:7b.        for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Oh my people, it’s Easter Saturday and the waiting ensues. Christ was crucified and buried yesterday, so today we wait with bated breath for the upcoming miraculous transformation. Like a butterfly waits for its chrysalis (hard outer shell) to crack and allow it to spread its beautiful wings and fly, so too, we wait for Jesus to arise majestically and victoriously from the grave. While alive, He sounded the imminent demise, the death knell of Satan, hell, death and the grave, and He finally applies the fatal blow in His death! And all of God’s people shouted a loud and grateful, ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ in glorious expectation. 

Yes friends, it’s ofttimes the waiting that kills us; we know that something good is coming, or about to happen, but we get so anxious and impatient that we lose the joyful expectation of what’s to happen. That’s why Bruh David so wisely advises us in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (expectantly, in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (expectantly, with faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) And that’s good advice my brethren this Holy, lazy-day Saturday (smile) that’s fairly warm, but looks rather cloudy and dreary. 

But re the waiting, yuh know what? We’re in a much better position than those early believers who watched Jesus crucified on the cross, then buried in the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Why? Because we know that on the third day, He will rise again in victory! But the early Christians did not pay a lot of attention, or even understand when He mentioned that amazing situation as His time wound down. And at the actual crucifixion they were too afraid and terrified to remember such a seemingly inconspicuous incident. 

The gospel of Mark tells that Jesus, after casting out a dumb and deaf spirit from a child, ‘And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it (didn’t want anybody to know). For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is (being) delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise again the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.’ (Mark 9:30-32) So it was no surprise that they were terrified at Christ’s death wondering what would happen to them. 

And as John says after Jesus’ marvellous kingly entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. ‘These things understood not his disciples at first: but when Jesus was glorified (resurrected and ascended), then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.’ (John 12:16)  But we know better because it happened long ago and was written down for our benefit.  And to help us wait with faith, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And we know that if our prayer was sincere then our spirits will soon be much calmer and more peaceful that they were before. That’s because our God just LOVES it when we come to Him seeking greater intimacy, and simply cannot refuse our requests. That’s why we have these verses from Jeremiah to remind us of the fact. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) 

Yes friends, it says it right there in spades; when we seek God with all of our heart, we will find Him, and He will listen to our prayer. Now, that can mean sometimes our prayers are not heard, or not answered because we didn’t seek God with our whole heart. As Jesus said when lambasting the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. ‘Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias (Isaiah) prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.’ (Matt. 15:7-8) And Isaiah did prophecy that in Chapter 29:13-16) 

However, with the world having become as material and carnal as it currently is, no doubt many of us fall into that same trap; turning to God, with only our lips and mouths, while our hearts are far from Him. That obviously won’t get us anywhere with Him, for it’s our hearts He looks at, not our outward show, or the insincere words we mouth. And we have at least two examples of the Lord saying this. 

First, when He sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of  Israel, Samuel saw Eliab, who looked physically great and thought that he must be the one. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7) 

Then, when the prophet Jeremiah talks about blessed is the man that trusts in God, and he shall be like a fruitful tree planted by waters, etc. etc. (Jer. 17:7-8) he also says these very astute and mindful words. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (test the most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).’ (Jer. 17:9-10) 

Yes my fellow believers, this lazy-day Holy Saturday, appears to be a very appropriate one to remember that the Lord looks at our hearts and not our outward doings or empty words, and therefore when we turn to Him, let’s ensure that our hearts are right and sincere. For that could make a whole lot of positive difference in our lives! Much LOVE!

…sincerity is one of the most valued of Christian attributes…

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

A Few Truths about our Great God, to refresh our Hearts, Souls, Bodies and Minds!

31 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

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

Jonah 2:9c.       Salvation is of the Lord.

Well, at long last we seem to be blessed with a dry and somewhat sunshiny day! And I was just about to write that I hope it stays that way for the party goers later on this New Year’s Eve day, when I glanced down at the weather blob on my computer and saw ‘snow this afternoon.’ And a minute or so later I glanced at it and saw ‘2 cm of snow later.’ I’m sorry for those party goers if that actually happens, but it won’t affect me in the least because I’m not going anywhere tonight. 

However, I do remember the many New Year’s Eves when the Duchess and I would be driving back and forth through snow to all parts of the city to party. But somehow or the other it never felt as dangerous as it does now. I guess we were younger and more foolish then. (smile) And now, we party at home on New Year’s Eve, with very little imbibing, not that we were ever great imbibers. (smile)  

But let’s hope and pray that there are no serious accidents or incidents this New Year’s Eve, let’s welcome in 2025 with as clean as slate as possible. And to help us do that, let’s say this most interesting prayer from the Pamphlet of Prayers Through the Ages – Daily Prayers for Spiritual Renewal – recently published by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. This prayer is attributed to St. Patrick of Ireland (387- 461) 

Please pray with me: ‘Christ, be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me, Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ, May our salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.’ 

What a fantastic prayer, my fellow believers! Christ being in us, and all around us, as well as in those who think about us, and see and hear us! Wow! That would certainly spread Him all over, much more than He is right now! And in all of that St. Patrick made sure that we remembered on which side our bread was buttered: ‘Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ.’ 

And so it is my faithful brethren. Please, let’s never forget that. Whatever else we may do and believe, let’s never forget that the most important part of our livelihood, SALVATION, comes from Almighty God, and without it, we are separated from God, lost souls in the hands of the evil one. 

That reminds us of this seminal, most important verse of scripture from the Book of Jonah, when he prayed, fervently and sincerely, in the belly of the large fish that had swallowed him. ‘They that observe lying vanities (worthless idols) forsake their own mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS). But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ (Jon. 2:8-9) Yes friends, that is the gospel truth; Salvation only comes from and through our God! 

As one commentary informs us: ‘Salvation is entirely dependent on God and comes from Him alone: The phrase is a central truth of God’s saving grace, which means that humans are unable to save themselves from God’s wrath. The only contribution humans make to salvation is the sin that was laid on Jesus Christ at the cross.’ More indisputable truth. We can only receive salvation, through God’s good grace. 

And I like what this other commentary says about the situation with Jonah, when he made that amazing acknowledgment that Salvation comes from God alone. It says: ‘Jonah learned this sentence of good theology in a strange college. He learned it in the whale’s belly, at the bottom of the mountains, with the weeds wrapped about his head, when he supposed that the earth with her bars was about him for ever.’ 

And unfortunately, so it is with many of us, we don’t learn the truth of our situations until we are mired in some unfortunate circumstance, and wisdom suddenly pops into our consciousness. And we all know what happened after Jonah made that pronouncement. The Bible tells us: ‘And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited Jonah upon the dry land.’ (Jon. 2:10) 

Oh my people, are we entangled in any such situations right now and we can’t make heads or tails of them? Then our only recourse is to turn to the Lord and ask for His help. Once we acknowledge His sovereignty, like Jonah did, He will most certainly help us. And let’s remember we need to acknowledge it not only with our lips, but more importantly with our hearts, because that’s where the Lord looks to discover our sincerity and our true motives. 

As He so plainly told Samuel when He sent him to anoint a new king of Isreal from the sons of Jesse. Samuel saw and admired the physical attributes of the first son, Eliab and thought he was fit to be the next king. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 17:7) 

Now that’s something we ought never to forget, as we practice all our li’l ungodly schemes and vices. Man might not see us, or know the depravity of our hearts, but be sure that our God most certainly will! And this commentary adds a wise flavour to the subject. It asks: ‘What does it mean when God looks at the heart?’ And answers: ‘1 Samuel 16:7 agrees with the above passage in that it says our omniscient God knows our hearts – every one of our hearts. He knows each person’s heart condition and the motives behind everything we think, say, and do. Man cannot see another’s heart; only God can see a man’s heart — the seat of who he intrinsically is.’ 

That reminds us of another important scripture on the heart, from the wisdom of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘For as he (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he:’ (Prov. 23:7a) And these commentaries explain it thus. The first one says: ‘The verse suggests that a person’s true character is reflected in their innermost thoughts and beliefs. It implies that our thoughts shape our actions and ultimately determine who we become.’ 

While the second informs us: ‘What you see in this verse is a person who is saying one thing with their mouth—but their heart is in a completely different place. When faced with this conundrum, which one do you believe? You believe what’s in the heart. The thoughts and inclinations of the heart shape the reality of who you are.’ 

Oh my fellow saints, what plentiful truth we have uncovered today…or should I say renewed in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies? (smile) But whatever it is, please let’s hold on to them for dear life, for they are the foundation of our faith, and thus our lives. Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having made those statements, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…the ONLY saving grace in this life is…salvation…which comes ONLY from God Almighty…

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