The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Understanding what is the Good Life and How to Live It!

12 May 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 May 2026   John 10:10b.

John 10:10b.        I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

So, we’ve gotten through Monday with flying colours, and now come to this sunshiny day called Tuesday. Well what’s in for us we wander? Is it more heartache, more trials and tribulations or the Good Life? Now all of us pant for the Good Life, but what exactly is it? Today, we’ll look at what Dr. Robert H Schuller wrote about it in his Hours of Power, Daily Book of Motivation and Inspiration. He wrote thus about the Good Life.

‘If you want to know what is meant by the good life, direct your attention to Jesus Christ. This was the good life incarnate.’ Oh, for sure! None of us would ever doubt that Jesus’ life was indeed the good life, but what was it all about eh? Dr. Schuller continues: ‘What was life like for Him? Take a look at His last days on earth and you will see the secret of His satisfying life. Shortly before He died he said to his apostles, “I would that my joy might be in you and that your joy might be complete” (John 15:11). The good life, then, is a life that has an inner joy.

Then hear this: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The good life is a life that has a deep undercurrent of profound peace. The last words to fall from Christ’s lips, as he hung and died under the Jerusalem sky, were short and simple, but triumphant: It is finished” (John 19:30). He had carried out His divine mission. The good life is the awareness of fulfilment. For “every man’s life is a plan of God.” God has a plan for you. And the good life is the deep feeling that we are fulfilling God’s plan and purpose in our life.’ 

Yes friends, that’s the basics of the good life! Doing what God desires us to do, while doing it with a sense of joy and inner peace. And to help us find those things, we need to remember these reassuring words of Jesus, as he talks about the good shepherd in the gospel of John. ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) That was certainly Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth, so that we could have the abundant life of being saved, taken from darkness into the light, not be overwhelmed by our trials and tribulations, have joy and peace, with the eventual action of eternal life in His wonderful presence!

Wow! Who would not want that sort of life eh? But it doesn’t just fall in our laps, no, we have to get up and live it; live it sincerely and seriously by the rules set out by Christ for His church; the people who truly believe in Him and follow Him. On the other hand though, the devil will fight us tooth and nail to not do what Jesus desires, but to succumb to his evil and ungodly will. That’s why it takes a lot of belly and backbone, a lot of gumption and perseverance to live the good and abundant life.

And one of the first steps in living that life, is found in these words of Paul. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) And you might ask, why do we need to do that? James answers that question thus: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will (wants to) be a friend of the world is (makes himself) the enemy of God?’ (James 4:4)  

And you might want to delve further in the reason for that. John explains it this way in his first epistle. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him.’ (1 John 2:15) Basically, it means that living as the world dictates is living by the flesh, by our feelings, carnally minded, while living for Christ is done through the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, found in the Bible, and these two ways of living are totally different and thus cannot exist together in the same body. It’s either one or the other.

But listen to this more in depth explanation from Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for (on account of) sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness (righteous requirements) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For they that are after flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’ (Rom. 8:1-9)

That’s the technical reasoning for the differences in the two ways of earthly living; one by what the world desires, or fleshly living, and living by the Spirit of Christ which dwells within believers. So you have to be a believer if you want to live by the Spirit, because that’s the only way to receive the Holy Spirit. So yes, it is possible to live the good life, the abundantly life that Christ died for us to have, but it must begin with an individual decision, and then lots of perseverance, study, prayer and fellowship.

Now let’s go home declaring 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!’

That now makes us 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!

…living the good life…begins and ends with living for Christ…

Visit the Scrip-Bit Blog at https://randyobrien50.com

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

The Absolute Necessity for Becoming a New Man in Christ, if One Desires to enter the Kingdom of God!

19 Jun 2025 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 43:19a.         Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?

And we’ve worked our way down to Thursday, the penultimate day of the workweek, without any major problems. Give thanks and praise to Almighty God for that, for we could not have done it without His Guiding Light and Presence! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord for your goodness and mercy toward us, although we don’t deserve it! Amen!’

Anyway, I’m  chuckling here, because yesterday, before I even finished writing about it being sunshiny and bright, with the promise of rain in the afternoon, the rain apparently came pouring down, but I did not notice it here in the basement. And once it came down, it kept drizzling for most the afternoon and evening. Meanwhile, today, we’ve already felt it’s presence, with more to come later, with our new friend, the wind, also acting up out there. But it’s all good, because it’s all a part of God’s great plan to water the earth and seed it, so that it can bear food for us to eat and flora for us to admire. (smile)

And as I just went seeking something to write on from The Good Library, it opened unto the Book of Isaiah, and this amazing scripture caught my eye: ‘Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons (jackals) and the owls (ostriches): because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth (declare) my praise.’ (Is. 43:19-21)

Oh my fellow believers, the Lord was there referring to making a way in the wilderness for His people Israel, after using Babylon to punish them for their gross disobedience and rebellion. It’s the same thing He’s doing for His chosen people today. That’s those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ, accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and live according to His dictates. The Lord’s always doing something new in us, trying to bring us closer to Him, so that we can grow in spiritual maturity, have greater intimacy and know Him better.  

And these words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians attest to that fact. ‘Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.’ (2 Cor, 5:17) Yes friends, as the scholars tell us, ‘that’s the universal truth that has been applied to Christ personally. Anyone who comes into vital union with the risen and glorified Lord, he is a “new creation.” Yes, we begin perceiving Christ in a new way, with our old man, our old way of life being left behind, and assuming a new abiding and enduring way of life in Christ.

It’s as Jesus said to Nicodemus the Jewish leader that came to Him by night seeking the truth. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3) And in response to Nicodemus’ question re ‘being born again,’  Jesus said. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirt. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.’ (John 3:5-7)

So my people, to come to Christ, we must be born again; that’s receive His Holy Spirit and begin living like that new person, we’re meant to be. And from thence we walk after the law of the Spirit, not the law of man. That’s why Bruh Paul could write thus to the Romans. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin (on account of sin) condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness (righteous requirement) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ (Rom. 8:1-4)

Ah mih bredrin, the law of the flesh could not help us deal with our sin problems, so God in His inordinate wisdom, sent His Son to earth in the flesh to deal with it; be crucified on the cross of Calvary bearing all the sins of the world, and give us the option of being reunited with God. As Bruh Paul further says: ‘And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor. 5:18) And He did that by laying all the burden of sin on Jesus’ shoulders to free us from the law of sin. As the scriptures say: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21)

And considering all the work that’s needed to keep us on the straight and narrow path, we must do our best to help the Lord in His difficult task. For, as Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) And just like God won’t ever give up on us, neither should we ever give up on ourselves or on God! For remember we’re now new, free creations, walking in the Spirit and not the flesh. Consequently, let’s go home declaring and activating our Thursday Blessings, undeservedly bestowed on us, to do God’s 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 now, having activated those blessings, it behooves us to go out and share them with 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!

…to be in Christ…one must change one’s lifestyle to suit Christ…

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