The Overwhelming Importance Of Meditating On God’s Word To Ensure A Successful Earthly Life!

15 Feb 2025 Leave a comment

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

Joshua 1:8a.        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,

And the much forecasted snowstorm for this lazy-day Saturday in the middle of February is here! Yes friends, at midday, it’s already falling out there with a sense of determination. (smile) And like the denizens of the area totally believed that it would come, for the duchess went to the grocery earlier on this morning and complained she’d never seen such long lines everywhere in the store. Everyone seemed to be out, stocking up on stuff for the storm, which the computer says would be at least 10 cm strong. It’s a good thing I’m in recovery mode, so I don’t have to go out there. (smile) 

And it’s such a good time to have a lazy-day Saturday, although I just realized that it’s been ages since we last prayed our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, because a couple of the days we’ve missed have been Saturdays. So please, let’s rectify that now nuh, by sincerely offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

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 there’s something about that prayer I just LOVED from the first moment I read it! It’s simple, but contains a whole lot of emotion and longing for God. And as always, if our prayer was sincere, we’ll soon be feeling that welcome sense of peace and calm reinvigorating our souls, bodies and spirits, for the Lord cannot help but positively answer such heartfelt prayers from His people. 

That’s why it’s ever so necessary, in these times of chaos and disaster to stick with the Lord God Jehovah, the One who created us and still LOVES and controls us. But to do that successfully, we have to read, and meditate on His Word, accept His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and allow His Holy Spirit that indwells us to lead and guide our earthly lives. That’s the only way to successful earthly living. 

The Lord Himself spelt it out to Joshua in that first chapter when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses, and gave him the tough, unenviable task of leading His people into the Promised Land.  And I believe that right now, it would do us a whole lot of good if we read, remembered and reminisced on these most provocative and productive words of our great God. 

Please read with me. The Lord said to Joshua: ‘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 or act wisely) whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) Yuh see that friends, it’s of the utmost importance that we stay on the chosen path of God, and not turn either way from it, if we truly desire to be successful in this mortal life. 

But that’s not all. The Lord continues to whisper in Joshua’s ear (smile) ‘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 according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh 1:8) 

And our God is so good to us that He shows us how not to turn from His law; that’s by meditating on it day and night, constantly speaking, reading, and thinking on it. That way we will not stray from His chosen path and then have good success. It’s an eternal promise! And if we don’t achieve it, it’s because of our lack of understanding and following of His faithful principle: meditating on His Word and doing what it says. 

Remember what James said? ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ (James 2:17) That means you can have all the faith in the world, know the Word from cover to cover, but if you don’t put it to work, action it in your life, then it’s worthless. For good intentions are good, but they do not soothe or quiet or uplift the spirt, body or soul, only worthwhile actions do that! 

But I’m chuckling here, and I do so every time I read this scripture about Joshua and the Lord. Joshua might have thought the Lord was finished after giving him those two strong verses, but he was sadly mistaken, because the Lord further reinforced them with this most beautiful encouragement. ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) 

Oh my people, what a wonderful piece of scripture; one filled with such promise that even if we knew nothing else, that would be sufficient for us to have prosperity in and with our wonderful God! But for us to do our best, we need to get the whole picture and put it into worthwhile action; That’s meditating on God’s Word, not straying from His path and having strong faith in His awesome and most faithful promises to lead and guide us in the right way. 

And there’s no better time to begin doing that than right now on this lazy-day Saturday. As the snow falls in quiet peace on the land, let’s turn to God’s Word and allow it to bring that same kind of quiet peace and calm to our lives. It’s our heritage as believers in Christ Jesus! Much LOVE!

…only by knowing and putting the Lord’s Word into action…can a successful earthly life be accomplished…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 February 2022 Matthew 10:31.

20 Feb 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 10:31.      Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Oh my faithful saints of Christ, this Sunday morning, please, let’s do as the psalmist advised. Let’s ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord…Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Therefore enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps 100:1-5)) 

Yes friends, we could not begin our day of worship with a better introduction, because the earth is the Lord’s and all therein and we desperately need to give Him sincere thanks and praise for all the good things He’s done, is doing, and will continue to do on our behalf. And today we have a marvellous gospel song to sing written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel. It’s the favourite hymn titled ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow.’ 

Now before we sing it, let’s hear the inspiration for this amazing song. The author Civilla Martin says that in the spring of 1905, they were visiting a couple, the Doolittle’s in Elmira, New York. The wife had been bedridden for nearly twenty years, and the husband was a paraplegic who got around in a wheelchair. But despite their afflictions they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. 

On that particular day while visiting, Mr. Martin commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for their secret to such blessed faith. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: ‘His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.’ Wow! Wish we could all have such simple but extraordinary faith! And according to Mrs. Martin: ‘The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith, gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ was the outcome of that experience.’ Glory Hallelujah my faithful brethren! 

So, having learned or refreshed our memories about the inspiration for the song, let’s sing it now in a soulful, mid-tempo riddim, with joy in our hearts and sacrificial praise in our voices, as we come before our wonderful God with sincere thanksgiving. ‘Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, And long for heav’n and home; When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is he; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. 

(Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For his eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me.) “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on his goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path he leadeth, But one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. [Refrain] 

Whenever I am tempted, Whenever clouds arise; When songs give place to sighing, When hope within me dies, I draw the closer to him, From care he sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. So I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For his eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. Yes, I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For his eye is on the sparrow, And I know he watches me. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.’ 

Oh my people, that was marvellous! And why shouldn’t our faith be strong and confident, when our wonderful God watches over even the small and seemingly insignificant sparrow! Can you imagine then how He watches over us, His most precious and prized creation? We should have no reason whatsoever to doubt His awesome concern for us. But unfortunately too many of us do, that’s why our faith is weak, especially in these turbulent times, when it is supposed to be oh so strong. Please, let’s take a page out of that afflicted couple’s life and raise the level of our faith nuh. 

And it’s said that the words of the song are inspired by the words of Bruh David in the Psalms and Christ in the gospel of Matthew. So let’s take a look at those scriptures now. In Psalm 32 – The blessedness of forgiveness – Bruh David declares of the Lord. ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way in which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.’ (Ps. 32:8-9) 

That reminds me of this command and promise that the Lord gave to Joshua when he became the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘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, act wisely) withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) And that’s exactly what we need today friends, to stay under the commands of God and not turn from them to either side, because that’s the only way our lives and our world will improve. 

Now let’s look at the words of Christ which they say inspired the writing of today’s song. In the Sermon on the Mount, He is teaching about not worrying about clothes and food and asks: ‘Is not life more than meat (food), and the body more than raiment (clothes)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?’ (Matt. 6:25-26) We certainly are! 

And then later on, while instructing the disciples, he tells them: ‘And fear them not which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him, (God) which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ (Matt. 10:28-31) 

Yes my people, we are indeed of much more value to our heavenly Father than the birds of the air, but the problem is that we must believe it and act positively on it, otherwise the scripture is wasted on us. And it’s in tough and troubled times like what we’re currently experiencing that followers of Jesus need to come up exceedingly strong and fight the good fight in His name. But sadly too many of us are wilting like grass in the noonday sun. 

That’s not acceptable my brethren, because it means we are letting down Jesus, not taking up our cross and truly following Him. And I don’t doubt that He’s sitting in heaven right now contemplating our actions, shaking His head and wondering like He so often did down here on earth: ‘O ye of little faith! Where is your faith?’ 

So please, today, let’s all promise to raise the level of our faith by truly believing in Him, by reading and meditating on His word and staying on the straight and narrow path, not turning to the right nor to the left. That’s the only hope for our world and ourselves! Much LOVE!

…the wide and winding path leads to destruction…but the straight and narrow one leads to Christ…to life everlasting… 

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