Only with Total Faith and Trust In Jehovah God, can a Human Being Live in Fearless Safety!

Psalm 3:5.        I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

And I guess after many sunny and dry days, it’s only natural to expect some cloudy and damp ones, thus we’re not surprised that Thursday is as cloudy and damp as Wednesday was. Now, what’s interesting is that yesterday, the dreary, scary looking dark clouds threatened rain all day, but it’s only in the evening hours that some actually fell, and not a whole lot either. But who really knows what the weather will be like in these uncertain days of climate change eh? I’m sorry for the weather forecasting people, who now have a different set of norms to deal with, if one can call the vagaries of climate change norms. (smile) 

However, be that as it may, today we’ll focus on the prayer from the September Edition of the In Touch Devotional. So please pray with me: ‘Lord, You know me – my limits, struggles, and weaknesses – and when I’ve come to the end of myself. In those moments, Father, revive me. Show me Your tender care by day; let me lie down in peace at night and wake again to Your mercy, which is always waiting for me. You know my soul, and you alone strengthen it. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Yes friends, because of our human frailties and imperfections, we all come to the end of ourselves at some time or another. I guess the Lord made us that way, so that we would need to depend on Him in those rough times, to revive our souls and spirits through prayer and thanksgiving. And there are all kinds of scriptures that promise the stuff we’re asking for. So let’s look at a few of them nuh. Like these scriptures from Psalms 3and 4. 

In Psalm 3, when Bruh David fled from his son Absalom, who was seeking to overthrow him, he writes: ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of (the one who lifts up) mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill (mountain). Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps. 3:2-6) 

Yes my people, when we place our trust, our total surrender in the Lord God Jehovah, then He works continually on our behalf. It’s like Bruh David declares in Psalm 4: ‘Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn (grain) and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” (Ps. 4:7-8) 

Oh my faithful brethren, it’s only when our hearts and souls are truly immersed in Almighty God, can we say and do those things. And Bruh David proved it when king Saul sought to kill him for so many years, but was unable to, because he was the Lord’s anointed, and was kept safe by His grace and mercy. And we can’t have scriptures on subjects like these and not hear from Cousin Sol, the wisest man ever. Of course not! For he has something to say on almost every topic under the sun. (smile) 

Thus, he reminds us that: ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths (deeps) are broken up, and the clouds drop down dew. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of (trouble from) the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov. 3:19-29) 

Oh my fellow believers, what encouraging words those are from Cousin Sol. Words that he himself experienced when he sought the Lord, and consequently, in his old age, when he allowed his numerous pagan wives to turn him away from the God of his father David, he paid a huge price for his foolish transgression. So like Bruh David, he knows what he’s talking about from hard experience, not merely hearsay. Thus, we ought to listen to them both and follow their advice. 

And as the old people would often tell us: do as I say, not as I do. But the young people today simply don’t understand that wisdom. They believe that they ought to do as we do, even if our behaviour doesn’t follow our words. But there’s wisdom in listening to wiser souls, which many of us forego, and thus often suffer irreparable damage for that unwillingness to listen. 

And please remember that the Bible was written to give us wisdom and understanding, to give us examples of how to and how not to live, if we want to be righteous and successful in this earthly life. For as Bruh Paul so wisely wrote to Timothy. ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ (2 Tim. 3:16-17) 

And with all of that wisdom now under our belts (smile) let’s get to declaring our undeserved Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us, so that we can do His 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 having made that declaration (yesss!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help 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!…

earthly life consists of problems…but in Jesus…we can do all things through Him…who strengthens us…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 February 2024 Psalm 121:2.

Psalm 121:2.       My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

And as the glorious sunshine floods the land, the shouts of joy rise up to heaven! ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes friends, the weekend is here at long last. And there’s not only beautiful sunshine to enjoy it with, but also spring-like temperatures. Yes, temps in double-digits. Imagine that nuh. Having springlike temps and it’s not even the middle of February! Wow! Strange things do happen in this life oui!  And believe me, we’re not complaining. I guess you’ll see people out and about without winter coats and such like because of the fairly warm temperatures, but we have to be very careful, for it’s in this kind of weather that we tend to get sick, believing it’s so warm and not dressing properly, then getting caught in a sudden cold front. So please don’t be fooled by the non-winter temp and dress appropriately. Sermon done! (smile) 

And on this glorious spring-like Friday my people, we’ll look at the very popular and very relevant Psalm 121, titled ‘God Neither Slumbers Nor Sleeps.’ It’s one of those Songs of Degrees or Accents that the pilgrims sang on their way up to Jerusalem to participate in the big feasts. And the psalm begins in a very interesting manner. So please read with me: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills (mountains), from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’ (Ps. 121:1-2) 

Now isn’t that interesting? It certainly is! The psalmist declares (yesss!!!) that he will lift up his eyes to the mountains, while wandering where his help is going to come from. The last part of that first verse should probably be in question form, and that’s why so many of us believe that the writer is looking to the hills and mountains for his divine help. But not so. He sees them more as harmful or threatening. And in the second verse he answers that question very clearly. ‘My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.’ (Ps. 121:2) And that’s exactly what we believers ought to believe and expect; that the Lord God Jehovah was, is and will always be our help, both in the good and the bad times! 

Then he goes on to tell us all about how God will look after us. ‘He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper (protector): the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve (keep) thee from all evil. He shall preserve (keep) thy soul. The Lord shall preserve (keep) thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and ever for evermore.’ (Ps. 121:3-8) Ah my fellow believers, that’s the promise of our great God! And if by chance we don’t believe it, then let’s bring up some other scriptures that assure us of God’s help in our lives, if we put our sincere trust in Him. 

Listen to how Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs, when he asserts that the wisdom of God, His knowledge and understanding are oh so precious. ‘My son, let them not (knowledge and understanding) depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of (trouble from) the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov. 3:21-26) There you have it again, my fellow saints; the confidence that the Lord our God will keep us safe if we worship and obey Him. 

Now hear Bruh David in this contemplation, Psalm 16, titled ‘God Preserves His People.’ He writes with the utmost confidence: ‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest (uphold) my lot. The lines (my circumstances) are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage (inheritance). I will bless the Lord , who hath given me council: my reins (heart) also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh shall also rest (dwell securely) in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps. 16:5-11) 

Oh my people, what wonderful words of confident assurance of God’s goodness and mercy to those who sincerely believe in and trust Him! Yes, and as the scholars remind us: ‘David’s confidence in his ultimate destiny is valid for him (and for all believers) only because Christ has travelled down that path and paved the way for all who believe in Him.’ Glory Hallelujah! And you can check the reference in Acts 2:25-28, where Peter, in his big Pentecost sermon, quotes the words of Bruh David from Ps. 16:8-11. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace with confident humility, asking for divine help in these times of worldwide distress and anxiety. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh 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. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the 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!’ 

Now friends, if we really desire divine help, then it’s time to show our trusting faith and be good Christian examples, so that others can see what we have and want it too. Much LOVE!

…if you truly believe…then there’s no need to worry…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 April 2023 Mark 5:36.

Mark 5:36.      Be not afraid, only believe.

Get to it friends, it’s Monday, the first day of the work week, and hopefully the spiritual renewal and confidence you received yesterday from participating in praise and worship with fellow believers is still running high as you step out to do the Lord’s bidding today, and all this week. (smile) Yes, renewing our trust and confidence in our Creator and refilling our spiritual reservoir are two of the major benefits we receive from going to church. 

However, if you did not get to church yesterday, or you did, but today you’re not feeling up to scratch, your saltiness and light are not at the level you desire, then let’s delve into a few of the many verses of scripture that will put some pep in your step, rebuild your confidence, renew your enthusiasm for Christ and refill your spiritual reservoir. 

And we’ll begin with this favourite verse for the beginning of each day that we enjoy God’s breath of life. ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) Now that’s the number one verse or intention with which we should greet each new day, because the Lord not only desires us to do His will, to worship and praise Him, but most importantly to enjoy doing it. Remember Christ said that He came for us to have life more abundantly, (John 10:10) and what’s the purpose of having an abundant life and not enjoying it eh? No reason whatsoever! 

Now, this next simple but most powerful verse, one of our favourites, should always be close to our lips. It’s these marvellous words of encouragement from Bruh Paul to the church at Philippi. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’  (Phil. 4:13) Wow mih bredrin! What a mighty scripture that is! Let’s not forget it and always keep it ready to awaken our confidence and courage, for we can indeed do ALL things that Christ desires us to do through the strength that He infuses us with! Remember, He never asks us to do something, then not give us the wherewithal, the anointing and the tools to do it. 

Then we have these powerful words of encouragement and truth to the children of Israel, that Moses enshrined in their memory, as well as ours. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go before thee: he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ (Deut. 31:6) Now that should be one of our foundation scriptures my people, one that our trust and faith in Almighty God should be based upon and bring us confidence and courage whenever we think of it. 

Just imagine nuh, that the Lord God Jehovah, the Creator and Controller of this amazing universe thinks so much of us that He goes before us to lead the way, to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths.(Ps. 119:105) There couldn’t be a greater sense of LOVE and compassion than that! And you can’t have words of encouragement and confidence and not include the wisdom of Cousin Sol. Listen to him as he encourages us to keep the Lord’s commandments, in particular wisdom and knowledge. 

‘My son, let not them depart from thine eyes, keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of (trouble from) the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov. 3:21-26) 

Those are indeed marvellous words of encouragement my fellow believers, but for them to work, we have to do our part. Yes, all those encouraging and confidence building verses call for true trust, surrender and belief on our part…or they will not work in our lives. It’s of the utmost importance that we write them indelibly in our hearts, then believe them and put them to work when our spirits plummet or fear strikes us. The Lord has provided us with all sorts of good stuff, none greater than salvation and eternal life through Christ Jesus. 

But please, let’s remember the incident when Jesus was on His way to heal the synagogue leader, Jairus’ daughter, when He got waylaid by the woman with the issues of blood, who believed that she would be healed if she could just touch His garments, and thus she pushed through the crowd around Him, and it happened just like she believed. That ought to reassure us that belief is a rather important aspect of our faith. But while Jesus was dealing with the lady, there, He heard someone come up to Jairus and say that his daughter was dead. Jesus though quickly turned to Jairus and said: ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ (Mark 5:36) 

Yes friends, those are the two most important aspects of our Christian faith; courage and belief. And I have left the best for last. Although there are many more encouraging and confidence building scriptures in the Good Library, these are two of my ‘favouritest’, (smile) because they came straight from the horse’s mouth and brooked no arguments. It’s the Lord God Almighty talking to Joshua when he made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. 

‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (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. 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 whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9) 

And my fellow saints, that is exactly what the Lord our God is saying to each one of us today and every day that we draw breath. That’s our blueprint for success right there, from the Master Architect Himself! But just like it is in constructing a building, if the builder doesn’t follow the architect’s plans, then the building won’t turn out the way He designed it. Likewise, if we don’t follow God’s plans for our lives, we won’t achieve the destiny He planned for us. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace with confidence, and through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, ask for divine assistance to fix our world. As one voice: ‘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. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that 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. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land 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 as always, to receive positive answers from heaven, we need to keep our promises! Much LOVE!

…one must know the word…then follow it…before one can be prosperous and successful… 

P.S. Yes friends, the Bit might seem late and long, but please remember that God and His word are always inspiring… and on time! (smile) Much LOVE!  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 December 2015 Proverbs 4:12

 

Proverbs 4:12.   When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.  

Well Friends, Monday has rolled around again…Glory to God! 

Oh lighten up nuh mih people, put a smile on your faces and remove the ungodly frowns I’m seeing there, simply because it’s Monday and you have to go out and earn a living. Nobody ever said that life was easy or fair, but we know for sure that our God is good! In fact He’s not just good, but He’s most wonderful! Glory Hallelujah! 

So if you are one of His children, just rise and shine, and get on with the programme without complaining. And to help us do that, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in perfect harmony, with much enthusiasm and exuberance, so that we can bring a smile to Jesus’ face and have the whole of heaven singing along with us. 

Here goes: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Ah mih people, that was excellent! Jesus was pleased and all of heaven sang along with us. Oh glory to our great God!  

Now here’s an interesting thought I had yesterday morning as I found myself singing the hymn: ‘Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the sky looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and LOVE me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.’ 

Ah my precious people, what a simple but heartfelt prayer! Anyway, as I was singing that, I suddenly wondered what kind of baby Jesus was. Was He the fractious, colicky, miserable, always crying type, needing to be constantly held? Or was He as sweet and serene as the hymn says? 

Most newborns would certainly cry up a storm if they had animals around bleating and lowing. But not our Lord and Saviour Jesus.  Awakened by the lowing of the cattle in His birthplace, the manger, He just lies there quietly, not crying, but just gurgling softly as Mary and Joseph look upon Him with wonder and tears of joy spilling from their eyes and hearts. 

Personally, I believe it was the latter scenario, a foreshadowing of the peaceful and LOVING adult that He was to become. Just a delicious thought for us to ponder on at this Christmas time Friends, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. (smile) 

And at last it’s time for our Bit. ‘When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.’ 

And all we’re going to do today is check out some more scriptures that reaffirm the truth of our Bit. Listen to the psalmist as he confidently declares in Psalm 91 – God is a refuge and a fortress. ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra): the young lion and the dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.’ (Ps.91:9-14) 

Oh my fellow believers in Christ, what a powerful and faithful promise from our great God and Creator! No one else can truthfully make it, because they don’t have the power! 

Now let’s end with these marvellous words of wisdom from Cousin Sol. ‘My son, let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. 

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of (trouble from) the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov.3:21-26)  

Oh my brethren, doesn’t it just warm the cockles of your heart and reignite the fire in your spirit when you read those wonderful promises of scripture? Well it surely does mine! 

And for all of your sakes, I sincerely hope that it does awaken your interest in Jesus as you go out to meet the infidel in battle this morning, for it is the wisdom on which our great faith is based. Much LOVE!

…promises, promises, promises…ALL God’s promises will be fulfilled…in His perfect timing…