The Overwhelming Importance of Christians Obeying God and not Satan for a fulfilled Life!

23 Mar 2026 Leave a comment

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

Romans 12. 2.        ‘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.’

One more Monday, one more time to face the foe, dressed in all of God’s spiritual armour and beaming with confidence in the upcoming clash! For Jesus guarantees us victory if we follow His battle plan. And we only fail when we don’t carry out His perceptive and enemy defeating strategy, inserting in its place, a plan from our own finite, inferior and diminutive mind. In other words, depending on our own strength. I don’t know when we’re going to learn that we cannot defeat the enemy in our own strength. That’s why Jesus gave us the tools we have; His Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer and strong faith in His faithful promises.

But again, because our mind is puny and inferior, some of us cannot fully comprehend the true ramifications of the situation. The enemy might be powerless, like a roaring, toothless lion, but he’s not stupid when it comes to temptations, wiles and lies, in an effort to turn us away from the teachings and values of Christ. And all he seeks is a small toe or fingerhold in our minds, then he can go to work more fully on us. That’s why Bruh Paul warned the Ephesians with some practical guidelines: ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph. 4:26-27) 

Therefore friends, it is imperative that we don’t give the enemy any opportunity to get that fingerhold or toehold in our affairs so he can play games with our minds, and when we get angry it’s very easy to lose our composure and give into his desires. And believe me, the devil is a master at mind games. You just have to check out in the Book of Genesis Chapter 3, how he confused and then convinced our first mother Eve, with seemingly logical arguments, so that she disobeyed God’s directive to not eat from the Julie Mango tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden, even to the point of getting Adam to have a bite himself.

And I know the temptation was strong, because the Julie Mango is the best fruit the Lord’s made. (smile) But still, both she and Adam should have been careful not to fall for the devil’s wiles. And when the Lord asked Eve if she recognized the seriousness of her situation, her answer was, ‘The serpent beguiled me.’ (Gen. 3:13) And she was quite right, because that’s what serpents do. And why is the mind so important you ask? Because that’s where the battle for our souls is waged. 

No wonder Bruh Paul wrote thus to the church at Rome: ‘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) Yes friends our mind is the battlefield where both the enemy and Jesus seek supremacy to control our lives. The devil tries to get us to behave like the world with all its ungodliness and evil, while Christ tries to bring us to salvation and eternal life through belief and faith in His selfless sacrifices on our behalf.

Consequently, Bruh Paul also warned the Ephesians. ‘This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind. Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from God through (because of) the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness (hardening) of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness (licentiousness), to work all uncleanness with greediness. 

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.’ (Eph. 4:17-25)

That basically means, if you have received Christ as Lord and Saviour, you have to stop living like you did before that occurrence took place: put off the old man, or old conduct with all the ungodliness, lawlessness and licentiousness of the world. And instead, be renewed in your mind, that’s constantly being changed, as you gain greater understanding of God’s viewpoint, putting on the new man, the new nature and conduct as desired by Christ. And none of that is very easy to do, for it takes plenty patience, perseverance, faith and much belly and backbone to live for Christ. But that’s why God invited us to come to the throne of grace when we need help in troubled times. And are our times ever troubled right now. So, let’s go there, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid. 

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!’  

Now that prayer assumes that our hearts are sincere with right motives, and if the Lord discovers otherwise when He inspects our hearts, then divine aid will not be forthcoming. That’s just the way it is! Much LOVE!

…therefore…if any man be in Christ…he is a new creation…old things are passed away…behold…all things are become new… (2 Cor. 5:17) 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 January 2024 Genesis 3:13b.

22 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 3:13b.       And the woman said, The serpent beguiled (deceived) me, and I did eat.

Aye mih people, our nemesis, Monday is on tap! Yes, the day we all LOVE to hate has come around again, as it does after every Sunday! (smile) And if we can’t beat it, then we need to join it, use it to promote our interests, which means not complaining about it, but being ready for it when it shows up and putting our best foot forward. And we very well know that if Sunday happens, then Monday also will happen. So it’s time to stop giving Monday the bad rap it has accumulated down through the ages, simply because we are not properly prepared for it. 

We know the weekend will end, and that work will commence on Monday, but we’re always trying to push the envelope on the weekend, burn the candle at both ends, then when Monday shows up and work calls, we’re tired and miserable from too much partying and/or not enough rest, and unfairly lay the blame at Monday’s feet. But what else is new eh? That’s one of the things we do best in our modern society; that’s blame others for our problems, even when they are caused by our own irresponsibility. 

Yes, taking responsibility for our actions is not a strongpoint of today’s world. It’s so much easier to blame others than ourselves. And I guess one of the earliest examples of the blame game happened right at the beginning, when in the Garden of Eden, the devil tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Then, when the Lord came looking for Adam and Eve, they hid from Him. And when the Lord asked why they were hiding, Adam said: ‘I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and hid myself. 

And he (the Lord) said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man (Adam) said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord said unto the woman (Eve), What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled (deceived) me, and I did eat.’ (Gen. 3:10-13) So, I guess we can blame our very first forefathers for starting the blame game. (smile) 

Now, the scholars have some rather interesting comments on those verses. As per verse 10, they say: ‘Adam heard the ‘sound’ of the Lord God and was afraid (as most men are afraid of God today), and began the age long process of “hiding himself” from his Maker. And re verse 12, they write: ‘Adam blamed the woman and God, since God was the one who brought her to Adam in Gen 2:22.’ Then, per verse 13, they agree: ‘Eve was beguiled as 1 Timothy 2:24 confirms (cf. 2 Cor. 11:3). But she did not take responsibility for eating either. Blame shifting is another evasive tactic employed by fallen man.’ 

That we all know is gospel truth! And just to stir up the pot some, (smile) I’ll quote the verse from 2 Timothy. Bruh Paul writes: ‘And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.’ (2 Tim. 2:14) Now, I’m not going to touch that one with a ten-foot pole. (smile) Instead, we’ll turn to some wise words of Jesus on the subject of judging and being judged, which come from the Sermon on the Mount. He taught them: ‘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 (the same measurement will be used against you). 

And why beholdest thou the mote (speck) that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam (plank) that is in thine own eye? Or how will thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote (speck) out of thine eye, and behold a beam (plank) is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam (plank) out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote (speck) out of thy brother’s eye.’ (Matt. 7:1-5) Jesus wasn’t mincing words there at all! 

But nonetheless, we do that all the time in this society! It’s a very hypocritical world we live in Dr. Jack! We know everybody else’s mistakes and foibles, but refuse to look at our own, which are ofttimes greater or more damning than those of the people we criticize. And with the dubious help of social media, everybody nowadays is a critic, and can spread our unfair, unjust criticism worldwide without much fear of retribution. But sadly, that’s the kind of world we live in nowadays! 

Now, we have time and space for one more exhorting and admonishing set of scriptures, and that from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, where he emphasizes: ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 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. 4:29-32) 

Yes friends, that’s the basic antidote to all the hypocrisy, complaining, deception and irresponsibility that’s currently engulfing our world. And being agents and ambassadors of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that’s how we are supposed to live! So please let’s get our act together and start doing it nuh. In the meanwhile, we need to go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine help for our many problems. 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 if we truly desire to see divine help, then we’d better humble ourselves, pray and sincerely seek God’s face! Much LOVE!

…it’s so much easier to cast blame…than to accept it… 

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