The Importance of Understanding that God is Our Help and Refuge and Deserves Thanks and Praise for It!

23 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 October 2026   Psalm 34:8.

Psalm 34:8.       O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

And then it was Friday, the day we all look forward to, so we can send up our Friday Mantra to high heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Unfortunately though, today is not as bright and sunshiny as the last few days, because there are some dark clouds fighting the sunshine for supremacy, but we are not perturbed or concerned, because we all believe that the sunshine, like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will eventually reign supreme. (smile)

And all God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord God Almighty for His goodness to the children of men, so generously giving us His Only Son Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Saviour!’ And my faithful brethren, that’s the best thing that’s ever happened to mankind, because it’s only through the sacrifice, strength and grace of Christ that we can endure the trials and tribulations of this evil and ungodly world, and then with salvation, enter eternal life with Him. That means Jesus deserves all the praise, honour and glory we can ever bestow on Him, for He’s definitely earned it several times over!

And that’s why these verses from various psalms encourage us to turn to God in each and every situation. Like this one from Psalm 42, when sadness fills our hearts, and the Sons of Korah question: ‘Why art thou cast (bowed) down, O my soul? why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health (help, salvation) of my countenance, and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11) Turning to God in times of sorrow, certainly lifts our spirits.

Then listen to these verses from Psalm 62, as Bruh David confidently announces: ‘In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust him at all times; ye people, pour our your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62: 7-8) And isn’t that the glorious truth? It certainly is! Therefore, Bruh David could also say in Psalm 63, when he was in the wilderness of Judah, running from his enemies: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary (so have I looked for thee). Because thy LOVING-KINDNESS is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard (close) after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.’ (Ps. 63:1-8)

Oh my people, can we long for the Lord and sing His praises so confidently if we were hiding out in a dry and thirsty land? I doubt it. We can’t even do it when we have all the advantages of this easy life, so how will we when we don’t have them eh? Or is it because we have all these advantages that we believe there’s no need to long for God and praise Him, but when we are disadvantaged we will be quick to seek Him? Either way friends, we ought to long for God, to seek and praise Him! As Bruh David says in Psalm 65: ‘O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.’ (Ps; 65:2)

And that’s how it ought to be. As we see in Psalm 34,where Bruh David ardently declares: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened (radiant): and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.’ (Ps. 34: 1-8)

Now that’s the living truth my people! But the problem is you’ll never know it, unless you turn to the Lord in all sincerity and truth and discover the truth of those words for yourself. And to help us do just that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant for divine aid in these tough and turbulent times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. You know our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them.

Heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’

And before we get too self-righteous, let’s understand that we believers also need to wake up and smell the coffee, strong and sweet, because our witness for Christ so far has been rather unsatisfactory, and it’s one of the reasons why our world is in such an angry and strife-filled state. So it’s high time we wake up and do better! Much LOVE!

…the wise man continually seeks God…while the fool says in his heart…there is no God…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 June 2022 Psalm 63:1.

29 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 63:1.      O God thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 

And so, Wednesday opens somewhat cloudy, but no real signs of rain that the earth and the plants are now dying to receive. Yes friends, the absence of heavenly blessing is becoming crucial for Mother Nature to continue exhibiting her marvellous colours and eye-catching beauty. So, let’s hope and pray that some heavenly water will soon rain down on us and the parched land that is unfortunately afflicted with thirst. 

That brings to mind, Bruh David’s words in Psalm 63, subtitled – God satisfies the thirsting soul. And sadly, ever so many of our souls are thirsty for God! Some of us know that we thirst for God, but others don’t know it. They just know that’s something’s wrong, that something essential is missing from their lives, and they can’t be satisfied with life as they keep searching for that essential missing link. 

Here’s how Bruh David puts it in the psalm with eloquence and heart-felt emotion. ‘O God thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen (looked for) thee in the sanctuary. Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hand in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.’ (Ps. 63:1-6) 

Oh my people, how many of us actually taking refuge in a wilderness – a dry and thirsty land – would write such a glowing testimony to the Lord eh, especially after he had anointed you to be king, but had you running and hiding from the current king like a common criminal? Not many, I can assure you. But Bruh David did, because he felt the awesome power and call of God in his life and from his personal experience with God knew that as Bruh Paul said many eons later: ‘…all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

Yes friends, life is not a bed of roses, has never been since our forefathers Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden and sin became an inherent part of our nature, and will only become that way when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom. But until then, we need to truly believe in Jesus and stand strong and steadfast for Him in this evil and terribly ungodly world. That is our bounden duty as believers and ambassadors, and we must learn to take the good with the bad. As the Father of patience, Job, said so dramatically to his wife: ‘…What? Shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive (accept) evil (calamity)?’ (Job 2:10) 

Ah mih bredrin, at times life can surely be a rough and rocky road to tread, but with the amazing LOVE and sacrifices of Jesus working to our benefit, and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us and guiding us over the rough patches, we need not be afraid or worried. Yes, we must be concerned and responsible, but never worried or afraid, because our Lord and Saviour has faithfully promised to take care of us. 

And if you don’t believe me, just listen to these awesome promises of His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Now who else but our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has both the boldness and the power to make such an amazing offer eh? Nobody else! And that’s the underlying principle that Bruh David must have known and felt when he wrote Psalm 63. And I do like how the scholars explain the Psalm. 

They say: ‘The location of the writing of the psalm is described generally as in the wilderness of Judah. Unlike many of the psalms written in these dire situations, however, this psalm is overflowing with thanksgiving rather than lament and petition. David declares his longing for spiritual renewal (vs. 1-2), he expresses his thankful mood (vs. 3-6), he gives voice to his trust in God (vs. 7-8), and he announces his hope for the future (vs. 9-11). Enemies are mentioned only in passing (vs. 9-10) 

Mama Mia! What a strong and enduring faith and trust Bruh David had in the God of his forefathers. And what I believe the Lord LOVED so much about Bruh David is that despite his frail and fatal flaws as a man, and all the hardship he was forced to endure, much of it innocently, he never turned away from worshipping and seeking Him, that’s why He could call him His friend and a man after His own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14, Acts 13:22) 

Oh my fellow saints, these are times like Bruh David faced in the wilderness, the enemy is making desperate attempts to steal our joy and peace in the Lord by raining on our parade in so many ways, but like Bruh David, we need to seek our heavenly Father with a hunger and thirst that the enemy cannot ever kill! 

And like Bruh David, we should emphatically declare: ‘Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee (close behind thee): thy right hand upholdeth me. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion (a prey) for foxes (jackals). But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.’ (Ps. 63:7-11) 

Yes friends, Bruh David hit the nail right on the head there: those that believe in Christ shall rejoice, while those that blaspheme His holy name will end up in Hades, in hellfire! Now for those of us who truly believe and also behave like we believe, (smile) let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most excellent position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong, confident 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!’ 

Now, never forget that if we endure to the end, like Bruh David did, that promised future will be even greater than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s hang in there nuh for Jesus’ sake my faithful brethren! Much LOVE!

…truly living for Jesus…oh, it’s such a joy…a joy that no one or nothing can ever steal… 

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