The Importance of Doing Everything to God and not as to Man!

02 Jun 2025 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:23.       And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Good ole Monday is here again friends! The day we all LOVE to hate, but cannot get away from, no matter how hard we try. (smile) That’s because Monday is an integral part of our lives; the first day of our work week, when we’re supposed to set the tempo for the remainder of the week. But unfortunately, on most Mondays, we set a grumpy, lazy, and tired tempo because we didn’t rest enough on the weekend, neither were we properly prepared to tackle Monday, as we ought to. 

We need to understand that once we break the work cycle for a couple of days, it’s hard to get restarted unless we plan and actually get ready for it. A couple of generations ago, that was much easier to do since there weren’t as many activities to engage our free time as we now have. And if we don’t actively plan for a return to work, we’ll most likely end up frustrated, and annoyed, especially when we get out to face the early morning rush hour traffic. That’s a good harbinger of road rage, of anger spilling over into violence and foolish, regrettable actions. 

What makes our society even less desirable and competent is the lack of a work ethic among the younger generation, who sadly feel that they are entitled to much more than they are. Back in the day, although we might not like our job, we tried to do it to the best of our ability, because we were getting paid for it and were not allowed to slack off and fool around like we do nowadays. Granted, back then it was somewhat draconian, yes, the supervision and expectation might have been a tad excessive, unlike today where it’s excessively lenient and workers can get away with murder. 

The problem is that we no longer have a sense of responsibility like we once had. Irresponsibility is today’s motto. Just look at how the young generation behaves; no respect, so consideration for others, just selfishly concerned about their own welfare. They have no godly pride in themselves and the work they do. Although that truly stems from the declining responsibility and work ethic of our overall society, meaning the fault of lawless, irresponsible and ungodly leaders and parents. 

Remember the wise words of Cousin Sol? ‘Where there is no vision (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov, 29:18) And that’s the indisputable truth! Where there is no divine revelation of God’s will, the people will just do as they selfishly and ungodly please. Without the moral will of God running through the very veins of a society, it will soon become lawless and disintegrate, just like our society is currently doing. 

And this commentary explains the verse thus: ‘It highlights the importance of having a clear purpose, direction, and understanding of God’s will for a society or individual. When there is no such vision, people lose their sense of purpose, become unrestrained, and ultimately suffer. The verse also mentions that those who keep God’s law are blessed, highlighting the importance of obedience and adhering to God’s principles.’ 

And we’ve seen the truth in that right down through the ages. Every society that invoked the will of God became prosperous. However, when they got prosperous, they got proud and arrogant and unwisely figured that it was on their own strength. Obviously they then lost that godly vision, so the society began to decay and finally crumbled into oblivion. 

But there’s a basic motto to which we could all adhere that will solve most of our current work and relational problems. It’s this wisdom from Bruh Paul to the Colossians. ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.’ (Col. 3:23-25) 

Yes my brethren, it’s as simple as that! If we do everything as unto God and not as unto man, we will do a much better job. There’ll be less laziness and shirking or dodging of our responsibilities, more togetherness and God will prosper our society. For remember if you do God’s will, He rewards you, but if you don’t, you’ll feel the sting of His disfavour. 

Meanwhile, Cousin Sol says it this way as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.’ (Eccl. 9:10) That’s more indisputable truth friends! In the grave there’s nothing but death, so we need to reserve our place with God while we’re alive, and that means doing our best with His will in mind. So, in these rather rough and uncertain times, lets’ go to the throne of grace, 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!’ 

And, from our prayer we can all see what’s necessary to receive that divine aid; humbling ourselves, praying, sincerely seeking God’s face with true repentance in our hearts. So, if we truly want God’s omnipotent help, then let’s seriously begin turning back to Him nuh. That’s godly wisdom at its best! Much LOVE!

…for our world to avoid hellfire and damnation…we must turn back to God…RIGHT NOW…it’s that simple…

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

God has a Purpose for Allowing Everything that Happens in His Universe!

30 May 2025 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 3:1.        To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Oh friends, it’s another Friday in the life  – a warm but somewhat cloudy one. And thankfully, with each passing day the summer season grows closer, and so do thoughts of vacation time. That means, each weekend the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ are also louder. Those fortunate people living in year round sunshine and warmth cannot fathom the great desire that those of us who live in the northern climes have for summer weather. But that’s when we’re let loose like leggo-beasts; freed from all the clothing and indoor living that we are forced to wear and do for several months of the year. 

And I guess that’s why we take so many liberties, bask in the freedom of it all, and consequently have so many accidents during the summer. Therefore, Cousin Sol, in his great God-given wisdom, could write as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes: ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born (to bear), and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get (gain), and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend (tear apart), and a time to sew (sew together); a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to LOVE, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.’ (Eccl. 3:1-8) 

Yes my people, there’s a time for everything in God’s great universe, but unfortunately right now seems to be the time for most of the negative happenings: like a time for many to die, one for many things to be plucked up that were planted, a time to kill and break down the beautiful things we’ve built over the years, a time to weep and mourn, as so many are doing in these disastrous times, a time to cast away stones and to refrain from embracing, a time for many to lose what they have and cast off relationships, a time to tear up and a time to speak blasphemy and lies, a time to hate and a time of war. 

Oh my fellow believers these times of strife and hardship, of lack and greed, of envy and distrust seem to be all a part of God’s great plan for His universe. And the scholars put it thus: ‘As Solomon reflects on all of life, he expresses in a beautiful poem of 14 pairs of opposite events that God has a sovereign design behind all events. (cf. Rom. 8:28).’ Of that we can be very sure, for our God does not move in a vikey-vie, careless or unplanned manner. No sir! All His moves are planned out from the beginning and are so intertwined as to produce His purpose. 

That’s why, as believers in Almighty God we have to hold on tightly to this foundational scripture: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) That’s because the Lord’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, (Is. 55:8-9) and He doesn’t always move in straight line, or in ways that our puny and finite minds can understand. Therefore we need to hold on tightly to His promises in tough times, especially that one, where He’s going to eventually work everything out for our good. 

Yes, it’s all about faith, about trust, about surrender to Almighty God, the Creator and Controller of this great universe! And what does the author of Hebrews tell us about faith? ‘Now faith is the substance (realization, assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction, sense of proof) of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) However, even more importantly, the author of Hebrews informs us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) 

So it’s all wrapped up in our belief and faith friends. Once we give our hearts, souls, bodies and minds to Christ, then we have to stay strong and operate under the laws of His kingdom, though some of them might seem strange and are definitely not in sync with those of the world system. But then, Christ is not of this world, neither are we. So, for help in these dire times of need, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant. 

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, our own prayer indicates that our Christian witness is not up to scratch, otherwise our world would not be in such a vile, disgusting and strife-filled state. So please, let’s get together as ONE in Christ and improve our witness, so that the world can see our salt and light, our good works, and joyfully turn back to God and glorify Him. Much LOVE!

…God causes or allows ALL things to happen…and Christians must show absolute trust in His goodness and mercy…towards those who sincerely LOVE Him….

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 August 2020 Hebrews 11:6.

14 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 11:6.     ​But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
 

A good Friday morning to you my brethren! Hope the LOVE of God, His tender mercies, compassions and forgiveness have all been bestowed on you this wonderful day, and that you are already in the process of disseminating them to the hordes of those who are not so blessed. Yes my people, that’s our raison d’etre, our reason for being; to spread God’s goodness to those who don’t know Him…and even to those who know Him, but have not wholeheartedly surrendered their lives and placed their eternal trust in Him. 

We need to remember the words of the Good Book: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Note the important words there; ‘must believe,’ and diligently seek.’ That means we need to give our whole heart, body and soul to God if we truly want to have good and serious communion with Him, not just a part of us, whenever our whim and fancy chooses. And that brings today’s sermon to an end! (smile) 

Now let’s hear what the ordinary workingman has to say for himself. And he cries out in a much louder voice than he has for the last several months: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! Mama Yo, the weekend is here, and it don’t look like we done any setta foolishness with this stage three opening of the Covid-l9 lockdown! All praise to God yes! At least we seem to be taking the virus situation a li’l more seriously than them foolish people down in the U.S. Brother! Is what wrong with them though? They don’t have no common sense? If yuh see the thing causing so much deaths and so many problems, yuh not going to pay it serious attention? Steups! 

But I guess they believing the foolish leaders and them who saying that the virus is a hoax, and even if it isn’t, that it going to go away by itself. But even chupid me know that no virus doh go away just so by itself! Ah Lord eh! What is wrong with we in this supposed modern world with so much supposed learning and wisdom eh? 

The problem might be we have too much learning and wisdom, because it seems like the more we learn, the more chupid we get. But what I know eh? I’m just a poor working-class man, slaving for massa, trying mih best to provide for mih family and have a li’l good time mihself. I can’t afford to get tied up in them high class matters nuh. I just going to go about mih own business and keep on thanking God for Fridays and the weekends yes!’ 

Ah friends, the ordinary working man does have that innate sense of wisdom, common sense, with which God blessed all His creation. The problem is that too few, not enough of us choose to use it. We bow to the foolishness of the world, instead of the common sense of God. and once we turn away from God, we get in trouble! 

And I can’t help making the comparison with the Israelites of old. Remember how many times they turned away from the God of their forefathers and ended up in so much hot water they didn’t know their A from their E? And what did they do when the fire got too hot for them to handle eh? They turned back to the God of their fathers in sincere repentance, and He took them back and forgave them like the wonderful, forgiving Father that He is. 

So why we can’t take a page from their book eh? We’ve been trying to force God out of our society, and it obviously not working, (smile) so why not try the opposite approach eh, invite Him wholeheartedly back in, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic and the strife and racial protests and all the other stuff we can’t handle, killing we? Now that to me sounds like common sense; if one way doh work, try the other. So come with me nuh, leh we go to the Lord in prayer and ask for His help…we doh have nothing to lose, and so much to gain. 

In humble, but confident voice, let us chant our Friday Chant then nuh. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. It’s been pretty rough…some of it from work, as many of us are now back to work in varied ways, but most of our anxiety still comes from all the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus still causing. We not accustomed to that Lord, and it really telling on us. And now, on top of all that, we have racial riots and protests to put up with. 

Oh Lord, yuh know we can’t handle it on our own and desperately need Your help. Yes, heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the sure and wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, the corollary to what we say, is to go out and put it into action. So let’s go out now and behave like the faithful believers we claim to be nuh! Much LOVE!

…if we truly behave like true believers…then the rest of the world will follow… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 October 2017 Matthew 4:19.

23 Oct 2017 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 4:19.    And he saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Spananananana! Awake oh friends, the bugle calls reveille; time to be up and at them on this glorious Monday morn. (smile) True soldiers can’t afford to sleep in when the battle awaits. So let’s be up and about Jesus’ business! Let’s get in line as He arrays His troops in battle formation, so He can then go before us to reconitre the situation and lay the groundwork for today’s battle. 

What a wily General we follow my fellow believers. There’s NEVER been one like Him; neither will there EVER be another in His class. He is in a class all by Himself. That’s why we follow Him. And for those of us finding it difficult to get ourselves together, here is something to raise our spirits and help us find the energy we need to face the world. 

So in strong voice, let’s proclaim our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. ‘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!’ 

Now we’re cooking friends! I can see us finally coming alive, as a strong sense of purpose rises up in our souls and spirits. That conversation with Jesus has miraculously put us over the top. Now we’re ready to go out and do battle against our evil foes, with Jesus fighting right beside us. 

Glory be, my brethren! What a leader we have! One who doesn’t just send us out to fight His battles, while He remains back at HQ, safe and comfortable, but a leader who fights right alongside of us, in the thick of the fray, all the day and all the way! 

Wow! No wonder we LOVE and admire and exalt Him so much! He is the kind of Leader who brings out the very best in us; truly inspires us to aspire to greater things, when we receive His magnanimous offer, His free gift of salvation and eternal life. What a giant is our Jesus! And a gentle and LOVING one at that too! That means we have everything we need in Him! We need No One or Nothing beside Him! Glory Hallelujah! 

Just look at the unnatural reaction those early disciples had to our Bit. ‘And he saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen and were casting their net into the sea when Jesus passed by and made that offer. And it’s truly interesting to see what happened immediately thereafter. The Good Book tells us: ‘And they straightway left their nets and followed him.’ (Matt.4:20) 

Now why would they just give up their livelihood to follow this, poor, itinerant Rabbi eh? Most of us would not have done something so drastic when there seemed to be no good reason for it. But that’s not the best part of the story. The Good Book continues: ‘And going on from thence, he (Jesus) saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.’ (Matt.4:21-22) 

And what would entice four grown men, of apparently sane and sound mind to just give up their successful fishing business to follow a man whom they knew nothing about eh? Who knows, they must have heard something in His voice, or saw something in His demeanour, His heavenly aura might even have overcome their spirits. Or, as the scholars say: ‘The statement in verse 22 that they immediately responded to His call gives us the perfect picture of true obedience to the lordship of Christ.’ 

Yes my fellow believers, our response to Jesus should be immediate. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say: ‘Obedience is doing what Christ says, when He says and how He says.’ Anything else is disobedience, which will have negative consequences. However friends, in these godless and evil days, the majority of mankind doesn’t seem at all interested in being obedient or obeisant to their Creator. 

That’s obviously not a good sign, for as we said above, disobedience brings negative consequences. And I truly believe that the disasters, natural as well as man-made, that are currently besieging our world is God’s response to our bold-face disobedience. You might not believe me, but the only way to find out is for the majority of us to cease our evil and godless ways, repent, turn back to God and receive His wonderful offer of salvation and eternal life. Now that is wisdom to the nth degree! Much LOVE!

…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…  (Uncle Charles)

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 September 2017 Luke 12:32.

21 Sep 2017 Leave a comment

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

Luke 12:32.   Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Ah friends, though the disasters and their devastating effects continue to haunt us, we must ALWAYS remember to give thanks for what we still have, most importantly life, and not mourn too much over what we have lost. 

It’s not easy going forward after the calamitous results of hurricanes and earthquakes, I can testify to that personally after experiencing hurricane Flora in 1963 in Tobago. But we have to move forward; that’s the only way that’s open to us. 

And we can ONLY truly move forward my people by truly surrendering to Almighty God, our Creator and Controller, by putting our sincere faith and trust in Him, and being obedient to His word. Who knows if that is the message He’s trying to relay to us through all these disasters eh? 

The wise thing to do would be to repent and turn back to Him, since we have strayed away from His fold and embraced pagan gods and man-made idols. And remember, from the very beginning, He commanded us in no uncertain manner: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ (Ex.20:3) 

So although there have been numerous arguments as to what the words ‘before me,’ actually mean, the long and short of the story is simply as the scholars put it: ‘Thus the first commandment teaches that no deity, real or imagined, is to rival the one true God, who is the only One who matters. It demands an exclusive covenant relationship with Yahweh (cf.Ps.81:9-10). 

And we all know that we have not kept that covenant relationship, and the Good Book further tells us that ‘the wages of sin is death.’ (Rom.6:23) So that means all kinds of consequences are possible, up to and including both physical and spiritual death, for our blatant disobedience and intense desire to remove Him from all aspects of our society. 

Now the good thing about being in true covenant with Almighty God is that in times of trouble and disaster we need not be afraid. Oh we must be concerned, but bone-chilling fear is not necessary since the Lord has made several faithful promises to believers, including that He will eventually work everything out for our good. 

So, tough times and calamity are to be expected, but with the word of Jesus securely planted in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, we can stand strong and overcome whatever comes against us. 

Listen to Jesus’ words in our Bit, as He talks to His audience about care and anxiety. He tells them to first seek God’s kingdom and not the things of the world, because when they do, God will give them all that they need. Then He reassures them: ‘Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ 

Now would Jesus lie to us? Certainly not! But we have to first believe in Him, and obey His commandments, and that is exactly what we are not doing in this ungodly society. Fear is no part of the Christian’s armour or ammunition. Our weapon is FAITH! 

Listen to Bruh Paul to his protégé Timothy. ‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7) So once Jesus lives in us, we should not be overwhelmed by fear. 

And all of us know and often claim this famous verse of Bruh David’s words from Psalm 23: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps.23:4) 

So why are we so quick to whimper and complain and fall apart when troubles befall us eh? Is it that we don’t truly believe? Who knows? 

But here are a few more comforting words, this time from Cousin Sol. ‘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.3:25-26) 

The problem is friends, that we have to learn to deal with disappointments without being discouraged, without thinking we’re failures, but to have faith and hope and get up and start all over again. 

And why shouldn’t we be able to do that when our magnanimous God has been so beneficent towards us in our Thursday Blessings. Let’s declare them now, so that our spirits can be uplifted and we can magnify and glorify our great and wonderful God. 

As one now: ‘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 everyday! Amen!’ 

Now let’s continue by generously sharing these blessings with others, as Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!

…oh…how blessed are believers in Christ…especially when they generously share their blessings…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 May 2015 2 Chronicles 7:14‏

19 May 2015 Leave a comment

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

2 Chronicles 7:14.   If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn away from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Aye Friends, please blame the lateness of this Tuesday morning Bit at the feet of Queen Victoria, as I was up till late last night, early this morning, celebrating her day. (smile) But not to worry, it was celebration of the good kind.
 
And then, before I went to bed, I obviously had to spend some time sitting out on my front porch enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning, communing with nature and my most wonderful God.
 
Oh my people, you wouldn’t understand how peaceful and quiet it is in my neck of the woods at that time! I sit out there and just let the gentle breezes blow over me, as they rustle the leaves of the trees, and the night insects sing their songs of praise to their Creator, with the sounds of the highway acting as background noise in the distance.
 
Such a feeling of peace washes over me, that this morning I had to force myself to get up and go to bed, the atmosphere was so amenable to sitting out there for much longer. (smile)
 
Ah Friends, what’s the point of God giving us these natural amenities for rejuvenating our spirits, if we don’t make use of them eh? None whatsoever!
 
Anyway, here’s an interesting piece of advice from my Friend Anselm, as he attempts to inspire us for a better tomorrow. He says: ‘Open your mouth only if what you are going to say is more beautiful than silence.’
 
What a wonderful bit of advice that is my brethren! It brings to mind the saying that ‘silence is golden.’ And it surely is, especially when what we’re planning to say is just going to provoke strife and negativity.
 
Oh, the many negative actions we can avoid if we’ll only think before we talk! But that seems to be one of our big downfalls, especially in this age of quick communication and social media.
 
Instead of cutting back on our talking, we seem to be talking even more than usual, and consequently talking more nonsense than usual too. The amount of confusion this social media is causing it’s not funny, yet we still insist on using it irresponsibly.
 
Ah mih people, until we put the words of our Bit into serious action, we’ll never become a responsible society. ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn away from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’ 
 
As we said yesterday, there are four areas we need to deal with if we are called by God’s name, and we are, as Christians. The first is to humble ourselves before Almighty God, then pray to Him, sincerely seeking His face, while turning away from our evil ways.
 
Oh Friends, it’s right there in black and white! And it’s not rocket science either. But the evil is so ingrained in our nature, and the lust of the flesh and our LOVE for the things of the world are so great that we don’t seem to want to turn back to God, or we find it difficult to do so.
 
But Friends, please be assured of one thing; if we truly want to seek God, we’ll find Him, because the Lord will certainly enable us to do it. The problem is that when He scans our hearts, He discovers that our motives and desires are wrong, they do not mesh with His will and desire, so He ignores our insincere pleas.
 
Now I had planned to share some scriptures that deal with the four areas in which we need to come up higher, so that God can hear us and heal our individual hurts, as well as our ungodly society. But before we can do that, we need to refresh our memories that we are indeed God’s people, called by His name.
 
Yesterday we saw one example of that through Moses laying out the blessings of obedience to the Israelites. Now listen to Isaiah’s declaration to the children of Israel, as he details to them the gospel truth that God is the only redeemer of mankind.
 
‘But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel. Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
 
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon (scorch) thee.
 
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Sheba for thee (in thy place). Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable (honoured), and I have LOVED thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.’ (Is.43:1-4)
 
Yes my brethren, the bunch of modern day people called Christians, belong to the Lord! We are called by His name, He has saved and redeemed us through the sacrificing of His Son Jesus Christ!
 
That means we have a responsibility, a serious duty to behave and act according to His desires and commands. But obviously we’re not doing that on a wide or strong enough scale, which results in our even more sinful nature and the disastrous state of our world.
 
Ah Friends, we are God’s chosen people, let’s behave like it nuh, and not like Lucifer’s evil cohorts. Our bounden duty is to behave godly, and spread Christ’s gospel, so that the heathen, the unbeliever, will have a chance to turn to God, to accept His free gift of grace that leads to salvation and eternal life.
 
Now, if we, God’s people, called by His name, don’t do it, then please tell me who will eh?
 
And we’ll end with that trillion dollar question. Friends, please, let’s seriously and sincerely ponder it today nuh, and with God’s help, come to the right conclusion. Much LOVE!
 
…Christians are meant to be Christ-like…the salt of the earth…and the light of the world…a beacon to guide others to a wonderful relationship with Christ…
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 May 2015 Psalm 16:11‏

06 May 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 16:11    Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Aye Friends, can you believe that it’s already Wednesday, the middle of the workweek? Brother! The days they are moving along like greased lightning. Truly though, the days aren’t really any faster than normal nuh, it’s just our perception. We live in such a busy and fast paced society that everything just seems speeded up.

And our God doesn’t want us being so busy with the cares of the world that we don’t have sufficient time to spend with Him. However that’s exactly what happens to many of us; we lead such busy lives, or rather believe we lead such busy lives that we can’t seem to find time to give God His two seconds worth, because that’s just how much time we dedicate to most things.

That attitude is wrong though my people. We need to slow down and enjoy the beauty of God’s world around us, and also spend a fair amount of time in His presence, studying His Word and communicating one on one with Him, for remember the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh.8:10) Only as we are filled with His strength can we be truly joyful. Or put the other way; only as we are filled with His joy can we be strong.

Ah mih people, everyday we’re bombarded with some new device that’s faster, and can do more stuff, but do we really need that? I don’t think so. What are we going to do when we reach the point that we can’t go any faster eh? It’s ironic, but the only place that many people slow down is in their daily commute to and from work, in the massive traffic jams that occur every day of the workweek, and even on Saturdays and Sundays nowadays.

The other day I got caught on the highway during the afternoon rush hour and was I ever surprised to see the number of vehicles parked up in the 12 to 16 lanes of highway, going nowhere fast. I don’t know what’s the answer nuh Friends, all I know is that it’s a pox on our society. We lose so much time and money sitting in traffic every day that it’s not funny.

Isn’t it laughable though, that with all our brilliance in other areas of life, we still can’t find a better, more productive and positive way for the basic function of getting to and from the jobs that provide our livelihood. That’s why we’re so stressed out and keep running aimlessly, like chickens with our heads cut off.

There’s no need to worry though Friends, for we have the perfect antidote to all those problems; seek God sincerely and continually and He will give you the necessary parts to handle our crazy society. It’s as simple as that. But for many of us in these modern times that’s just too simple and easy. Unless a solution is complicated, we find it difficult to accept.

But Friends, just listen to the words of our Bit and then tell me why I’d refuse to do what it says eh? ‘Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ That’s sounds so wonderful to me, so why would I want to bother with anything else eh?

Oh my people, please, let’s wake up and appreciate the goodness and LOVING-kindness of our magnificent and magnanimous God nuh! Instead of trying to rid our society of Him, let’s bring Him back with a great outpouring of His Word and His marvellous LOVE!

That’s the answer to most of our problems in the world today; reinstating Jehovah God as our guide and overseer.

Sadly though, too many of us are caught up in the frenzied lifestyle of the rich and famous, seeking to copy it in our own lives, or wasting our time by paying too much attention to their follies and sinful, ungodly lifestyles. That’s why all the gossip media is flourishing in these troubled times.

Anyway, enough of my venting, (smile) let’s see what the scriptures have to say about the subject. Listen to Bruh David’s call on God from Psalm 25 – A prayer for guidance and protection. ‘’Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.’ (Ps.25:4-5)

Oh Friends, are we crying out to God for His guidance and direction, and waiting patiently for Him to answer our prayers? I surely hope so, otherwise we’re losing out big time on His goodness and mercy. For He is the only one who can successfully lead and guide us through this mish-mash society and ungodly world.

Listen to Bruh David again, this time from Psalm 31. ‘In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust (do I take refuge); let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock (rock of refuge), for a house of defense (fortress) to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.’ (Ps.31:1-3)

Yeh Friends, it’s all about our God; about working in tandem with Him! That’s the only way we’ll ever be able to successfully navigate this madhouse that our world’s become.

Now more Bruh David, (smile) this time from Psalm 143: ‘Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.’ (Ps.143:10)

Oh my people, I don’t how else to put it nuh, but that Bruh David knew on which side his bread was buttered. And since this seems to be a Bruh David day, (smile) let’s end with some more of his fine words from Psalm 139- The everlasting presence and power of God.

He tearfully declares: ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts (anxious thoughts): And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps.139:23-24)

Oh Friends, oh Friends, that ought to be the soulful, heartfelt cry of every believer this morning!

Let’s seriously and sincerely turn back to God nuh my people, for that’s where all the good answers lie! Let’s wise up and acknowledge His superiority, His supremacy, and the fact that we can do very little without Him. That is indeed wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!

…following the world…is like the blind leading the blind…but following Jesus…oh bless my soul…that is like the Good Shepherd leading his sheep…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 February 2014 Isaiah 9:16

07 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 9:16.   For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
 
‘Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!’ Oh Friends, the snow and cold gave me a very warm welcome back last night. Wow! But in spite of the rude awakening, it’s good to be back, because there’s just no place like home!
 
And like I’ve fallen right back into the early morning routine. Chuh! How nice it was the past three weeks not to have a set routine and just go with the flow of life. But that was the virtual reality, the frivolity of the situation, this is the real reality, and the two are definitely much different. 
 
So as most workers rejoice with shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Payday and time to party!’ let’s get the right perspective on the situation right away, with a soulful, heartfelt rendition of our Friday Chant.
 
As one chanter now. (smile) ‘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.
 
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
 
Yes my people, the wise and sensible thing to do on the weekend is to make sure you get enough rest, relaxation and fellowship with other believers, so that come Monday you’ll get out there bright, spunky and full of the joy of the Lord! That’s the only way we can successfully handle this rat race we so nicely term life.
 
That my Friends, brings us to today’s Bit; a very interesting and rather appropriate verse of scripture, which has enormous ramifications for our present society and way of life. ‘For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.’
 
And that’s gospel truth my people! This is the prophet Isaiah declaring the Lord’s anger against the Northern kingdom of Israel, for their overwhelming disobedience and turning away from Him to worship other supposed gods and man-made idols. But my fellow believers, we know that there is ONLY ONE TRUE GOD IN EXISTENCE, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 
 
And you don’t have to look very far or dig very deep to see the gross ineptitude, corruption, greed, poor choices and decision making of today’s leaders.
 
But listen to what Isaiah says before our Bit. ‘For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth (strikes) them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.’ (Is.9:13)
 
That my Friends is so relevant to our current society, that it’s heart rending. A substantial part of our society has turned away from the ONE TRUE GOD, and refuses to repent and turn back to Him, despite the many warnings found in His Word, and the many unusual and severe disasters that are happening on a more frequent basis than that to which we are accustomed.
 
So what do you think will the consequences of this disobedience eh? ‘Isaiah details it: ‘Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch (palm branch) and rush (bulrush), in one day.’ (Is.9:14)
 
And if you don’t believe Isaiah, then listen to what Revelation says about the eventual fall of Babylon, the evil, ungodly society in which we’re presently living. ‘Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord who judgeth her.’ (Rev.18:8)
 
And we’ve seen all Gods’ prophecies come true, so why not that one eh? Yes my brethren, the Lord will eventually destroy our society, like He’s done to so many others before us, who proudly and foolishly refused to accept His warnings.
 
Then Isaiah further explains: ‘The ancient and honourable (elder) he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail.’ (Is.9:15)
 
For as the prophet Malachi said way back when, and still applies today: ‘For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
 
Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial (shown partiality) in the law.’ (Mal.2:7-9)
 
Again Friends and fellow believers, that is gospel truth, for the priesthood nowadays is definitely not up to the level or standard of righteousness and holiness that it ought to be, people no longer look up to them as they used to, and unfortunately they are leading a lot of people astray!
 
Ah Lord eh! Some of the things I see and hear about, regarding our leaders and priests, it just makes me want to hold my head and bawl! 
 
Oh my brethren, it truly amazes me, that with so many societies, shown by history to have bitten the dust because of blatant disobedience to God’s holy law, we, supposedly the wisest and most knowledgeable of all humans, are still pursuing, unabashed and unashamed, in fact with total disregard and gay abandon, to flout the natural laws of justice, peace, LOVE and equal rights!
 
Now that’s a Bruh Paulian sentence! (smile) But it’s irrefutable truth!
 
Oh Friends, we desperately need a change of mind and heart, one filled with crucial but true understanding of God’s principles, so that we can turn back to Him, repent and diffuse His holy and just anger against us. And unless you are really foolish, you’ll realize that God is indeed very angry with us for our evil, hedonistic, material and pleasure driven lifestyle.
 
Oh my people, I don’t know what else to say to get us to understand the critical position we’re currently in nuh. We’re behaving just like Israel did long ago, not heeding God’s warnings. And they paid a horrific price for their disobedience. And the same will eventually happen to us, if we keep going down the evil path we’re being led down by Lucifer and his evil cohorts, many of them our elders, teachers and prophets.
 
And we’ll end with some interesting, but oh so true words of Jesus on the topic. ‘And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?’ (Luke 6:39)
 
Oh Friends, please, let’s ponder, seriously think on and consider those very insightful words of our Lord, Saviour and Leader, Jesus Christ. Then with God’s help, let’s try to make any necessary corrections in our own lives. Now that’s undoubtedly heavenly wisdom! Much LOVE!
 
…disobedience to God’s holy law…will always bring painful retribution…and that’s a proven fact throughout history…  
 
P.S. Please excuse the lateness Friends, for although I got up fairly early, I had lot of other important stuff to first rectify, and then a sudden bout of tiredness hit me and slowed me down. But it’s still an excellent Bit. (smile) Much LOVE!
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2012 Exodus 20:3

09 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Exodus 20:3.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 
Oh Friends, please, please beware of Lucifer, for he’s one very evil trickster! All he wants to do is steal your joy. And I tell you this from personal experience. Now yesterday somebody said something to me, re my behaviour, and because I thought there was some truth to it, I began seriously pondering it. I asked the Lord for guidance, discernment and everything possible, but unfortunately for a few hours there my mind sank into a state of depression and self-doubt. And the sad part is that I don’t usually respect or value this person’s opinion, but because I was already thinking along those lines, I sort of accepted it. But thankfully I’m mature enough now in Christ Jesus, that I just kept focusing on Him and my mind eventually came back around to the truth. The truth that though all the thoughts my mind processed might have been important and necessary, it was also essential not to beat myself up for anything I might do or allow to happen. Oh my people, we all do things or allow things to happen that we possibly shouldn’t, but please, I implore us, please let’s not beat ourselves up over them, because then we’re only playing the game by Lucifer’s rules, and he wins when we do so. He wins when we lose our joy in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We obviously need to contend with whatever the problem might be, but we cannot afford to let doubts cloud our spiritual path. We just have to keep our minds and thoughts focused on God, His Word and His ever faithful promises, so that we can remain on the straight and narrow path, and not let the deceitful Lucifer lead us astray on to the wide and winding road that only leads to death and destruction. And that’s my testimony for today! I was much surprised by it, but who knows if the Lord simply needed a testimony from me to show the true effects of what Lucifer can do. So please take note Friends, and be very wary of the enemy, for he can turn up in the most unexpected places, at the most unexpected time. And the only way to conquer the ole crook is by first being obedient to our Bit: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ Yes my brethren, we must always strive to put Almighty God first in EVERYTHING we do! That’s the first rule of a successful Christian life! And if we don’t, we’ll only cause more problems than necessary to ourselves, our friends, families and all those we come into contact with. And when a whole society or nation abandons God, then there’s only one outcome; death and destruction! Now listen to this scripture from Jeremiah, re the obedience of the Rechabites: ‘The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment; notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not (didn’t listen) unto me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return, (turn) ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods and serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.’ (Jer.35:14-15) Yuh see Friends, when children listen to their fathers, both earthly and heavenly, they will be blessed, as the Lord later pronounced. ‘Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil (doom) that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered. And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want (lack) a man to stand before me for ever.’ (Jer.35:17-19) And I hate to keep saying it Friends, but it’s the truth; that’s the same thing that’s happening to us right now. We have not obeyed the Lord God Almighty in at least the last generation, but instead have kept moving further and further away from Him, that’s why we’re now suffering calamity after calamity, disaster after disaster. And it’s becoming so bad, that before we can fix or recover from one, another one strikes us. Oh Friends, are we that stubborn and stupid, prideful and arrogant that we can’t see what’s happening? We’ve tried all the man made solutions and none of them are working. The only thing left to try is God’s way. And I really don’t know how to get us to do that. I talk the talk and try to walk the walk, but obviously it’s not sufficient. Plenty more of us in the known world will also have to so, before we can get back on the right track. I sincerely hope and pray, and ask you all to do so too, that the LOVE Revolution we so badly need will soon gain serious momentum, so that we can make a positive difference in this fallen, negative world. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. And all God’s people said a loud and penitent ‘Amen!’ Much LOVE!…to every thing there is a season…turn…turn…turn…