The Overwhelming Importance of Attributes like Endurance in a Believer’s Life Part 2!

16 May 2025 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 9:25.       And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things.

And finally it’s Friday, a good looking day too, after some early morning rain, with highs in the upper twenties. So the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have obviously risen to heaven, especially as we also celebrate the Victoria Day long weekend, the first long weekend of the summer. Now, Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25, in honour of the late Queen Victoria. This year it’s been celebrated on Monday May 19, the upcoming Monday, so you can imagine all the stuff that’s going to be happening, especially up in cottage country, as the homes are opened once again for a joyful summer. 

And there’s nothing wrong with celebrating, but we’ve got to be sensible and exercise a modicum of circumspection, because so many accidents and other unwanted things happen when we’re not careful. So, with that warning for circumspection, (smile) let’s turn to the topic of endurance that we promised to continue today, if God spared life. And it’s obvious He did! So thank You Lord!  

And to get us back into the topic, let’s reiterate the commentary of yesterday that described endurance. ‘Endurance, in general, refers to the ability to withstand hardship, adversity, or stress, particularly the ability to sustain a prolonged effort or activity. In a physical context, it refers to the body’s ability to perform an exercise or activity for a long duration, encompassing both cardiovascular and muscular endurance.’ So it’s basically being able to stand strong, despite problems and finish any task we’ve undertaken. And we know that Jesus was the best example of that, as we saw from the scriptures yesterday in Hebrews 12:1-3. 

Now, Bruh Paul was also big on the point of endurance or sticking to the task at hand, which we see  from many of his writings.  And one of the most popular is this one to the Corinthians. ‘Know ye not they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things. 

Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown; but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.’ (1 Cor. 9:24-27) 

And that’s the essence of perseverance my brethren! One has to practice it, train like a runner or a fighter, keep your bodies, souls and minds under self-control, so that you don’t falter when the times get real tough. And believe me, they will at some stage or stages in our earthly lives. 

And the scholars offer an interesting explanation of that last line: ‘Lest that by any means … I myself should be a castaway.’ Literally meaning “So that … I myself will not be disqualified.” Paul was not afraid of losing his salvation: his subject is still Christian liberty. The point is that the believer must discipline himself to avert both being disqualified from Christian ministry, and forfeiting the rewards for such service.’ 

It’s obvious therefore, that although we might have freedom to do as we please, self-control and self-discipline are still very important in our Christian ministry. And sadly, that’s not something that our current world is famous for, or even tries to implement. Instead we live in a free-for-all society, where selfishness, greed and arrogance are the order of the day. That means it’s left up to the induvial believers and churches to instill self-discipline and self-control, which is not such an easy task, when all around you is indiscipline and lack of self-control. However, with God’s help, if we’re serious, we can do it. 

But getting back to the subject of endurance, we also have these marvellous words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, when he believes his life is on the line. ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:6-8) 

Now, those are the kinds of statements we as true believers, as Christ’s representatives here on earth, ought to be able to make when we’re about to be taken home. But we cannot do that unless we’ve had self-control and endurance and leaned heavily on the examples of Bruh Paul and Jesus, two of the best at enduring hardships without complaints. And for divine help to do that, 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!’ 

And my fellow believers, praying for aid is good, but at the same time, we too have to increase our Christian witness. We just cannot sit back and wait on the Lord to do it all. A lot depends on us. So please, let’s take the bull by the horns, and get a move on nuh! Much LOVE!

…to grow spiritually…one must be able to control one’s body and mind…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 May 2021 Matthew 19:26.

22 May 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 19:26.     With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

So we into the Saturday of this Victoria Day long weekend, what’s up people? Barbecues, planting, cottage openings, beach parties and other summer stuff is the usual action, but for certain, with this pandemic lockdown, some of that stuff will surely be curtailed. The predicted rainy weather for today might even add to that curtailment. But knowing the human’s penchant for fun and excitement, the weekend will not be a lost cause. And believe it or not, the friendly discussions between the duchess and I over the level of the a/c have already begun! (smile) And today is only the first day… looking forward to many more as the weather gets really hot. Some things never change eh! 

But let’s get down to our Saturday business nuh, that of checking out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘I have accepted fear as part of life — specifically the fear of change… I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.’ What can we say to that powerful statement eh? First off, it’s good to recognize that fear is a part of our lives, it will always be there, and it will only be conquered by faith! 

And furthermore, when we become believers in Christ Jesus, then fear becomes one of our lesser worries, even the fear of change, which many of us tremble to even think of. That’s because faith in Jesus overcomes the fear of everything else in our lives. Look at how many times He said to His disciples, ‘Fear not!’ And He also derided them often with the words ‘O ye of little faith!’ And as He gave them the Great Commission, He made them this powerful promise: ‘For I am with you always…even to the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20) 

But to get that faith, one must first know about Jesus, believe that what He says is true, then surrender your life to Him. And when you fulfill those requirements, the pounding of fear in your heart, re change, or anything at all, is quietened by the peace, LOVE, faith, strength and trust in Jesus! Wow! What a remarkable life one can live by trusting in Jesus! 

And that brings us to this next quote: ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’ Now, I don’t think that one’s survival as a species is totally dependent on one’s response to change, although it is a part of the story. Please remember that all change is not necessarily for the better, and many a species have become extinct by accepting changes that did not suit or help them. 

Species survival, and we talking about mankind here, is more dependent on the species being wise enough to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of its life! Just look at the current fiasco that’s our world and human life nuh! If more of us had sincerely accepted Jesus as the answer to our problems, instead of trying to get rid of Him, our world, and consequently our lives would never be in such turmoil. 

So, we come to the following quote: ‘Always believe that the impossible is always possible.’ Now what are you basing that belief on eh? You can only truly believe that if you are a follower of Jesus! Remember after Jesus told the disciples about it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, and they were amazed, wondering who then could be saved? Jesus then informed them: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) 

That’s reference to God’s omnipotence! And Christ makes the same statement when He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion. ‘And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt (will).’ (Mark 14:36) Christ knew that if the Father wanted to stop His crucifixion He could, but that was the only just and righteous way for mankind to be saved. So, to believe that all things are truly possibly you must have some solid, foundational basis for believing it, and the only true basis for that is trust in Almighty God! 

And as we move on, this interesting quote surfaces: ‘Everyone has a choice. You can choose your own path in life.’ Now that’s the awesome truth! But the first problem here is to determine the possible paths available to you. Then to decide which one best suits you! And I beg to offer that there are only two possible paths in this life; that set forth by the world under the auspices of Satan, and that set forth by Jesus Christ! And I further beg to offer that the one set forth by Jesus Christ is the best one! 

Now it might not seem so in the short term, but most certainly in the long run, it is the best path to choose. Granted it’s a narrow and difficult path, but in the end, the rewards of salvation and eternal life with Christ in heaven will definitely outweigh the suffering, the darkness and fires of hell and eternal damnation and separation from God that the broad and easy path provides. Yes friends, it’s your choice, but please remember that the fun and frolic that Satan’s deceitful world offers now, doesn’t last forever, and it eventually turns into a sad minefield of broken dreams, shattered hopes and ruined lives. So please choose wisely. 

That brings us to our last quote. ‘You should LOVE and take care of yourself because after all, it’s your own life.’ You can’t dispute that, but in reality some of us overindulge ourselves, even to the point of narcissism, as the world dictates. And then some of us go to the other extreme, and for whatever reason(s) treat ourselves terribly. What we need is a reasonable and sensible middle ground. And that can only be found if we listen to and follow Jesus’ directive. 

Remember the second part of His answer to the question of the Great Commandment? ‘And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Matt. 22:39) That means we need to have a healthy respect for ourselves, because it’s only then are we able to LOVE anyone else properly. If we are narcissistic, we won’t be preoccupied with anyone but ourselves, and if we treat ourselves shabbily, most likely that’s the way we will treat others. 

Now, I’m sure you can see from all we’ve spoken above, that Jesus is the only true and real answer to all of our problems! And that’s the sermon for today! (smile) Oh friends, please have a blessed and pleasant day, as you walk with Christ in peace, LOVE and joy. Much LOVE!

…Jesus is the answer…oh yes…Jesus is the answer…                                                  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 May 2021 Psalm 139:23.

21 May 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 139:23.      Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts (anxious thoughts).

Well friends, it’s the weekend! A long and hot one too! Although if I heard right yesterday, the weather people were forecasting snow and cold times for some of the western parts of the country. Now, I sympathize with their plight, but my natural human selfishness is going to show forth, when I say better them than me yes! (smile) And the good weather in my area has already brought out all the summer stuff; topless cars, loud motorbikes and lawn-mowers, not to forget half-naked people, and this Victoria Day Holiday on Monday is going to bring out even more. 

I believe the authorities will have their hands full with all the illegal gatherings that are going to take place during the next few days. It’s one thing to keep the human animal cooped up during the winter, but it’s an entirely different story in the summertime. But let’s get to keeping our recent promise of continuing to look at the magnificent Psalm 139, where Bruh David gushes forth on the everlasting presence and power of our great God. And as we pick up where we left off, at verse 12, Bruh David writes some of his most momentous words on the making of man. 

He proclaims: ‘For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered (weaved) me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (very well). My substance (frame) was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously (skillfully) wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unformed); and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned (the days were fashioned for me), when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps. 139:13-18) 

Yeh mih people, what a mighty discourse on God’s creation of man, especially when, back then, they had no real idea of how it all worked in the specific. But even now, when we know most of the ins and outs of the process, it’s still a miraculous process. And the wonderful thing about it all is that our God was there each and every moment in our development; nothing escaped His omniscience back then, and it still doesn’t now. From before our birth, to long after our mortal death the Lord knows all about us, because we are His most wonderful creation! And for that we ought to give Him much thanks and praise. 

Then, having praised God for our wonderful creation, Bruh David turns to taking up His cause. ‘Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody (blood thirsty) men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieved (do I not loathe) those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect (complete) hatred: I count them mine enemies.’ (Ps. 139:19-22) 

Yeh friends, the wicked are still fighting against God, and it’s our duty to fight back. But despite all the wonderful words and sentiments of Bruh David in the earlier parts of the psalm, I believe these last two verses are the most important, because they are so practical and apply to all of us. Let’s pray them together nuh. ‘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) 

And it’s because of prayers, of requests like those that Bruh David was considered a friend of God and a man after His own heart. He never shied away from the difficult positions, but wisely took them all to God, and let Him, in His omnipotence and omniscience deal with the problem. And that’s how we also ought to be my fellow saints; not be afraid to take everything to our wonderful and faithful God. And as I keep reminding us, it’s not for God’s benefit nuh, but for ours! So, if we’re not interested in our own welfare, what does it say about us eh? I’ll leave that for us to each answer to ourselves. (smile) 

Now here are some scholarly explanations on the Comparative Attributes of God found in Psalm 139. ‘The comparative attributes of God contrast human abilities with the divine nature. Everyone has some knowledge, but only God has all knowledge (omniscience). Everyone has presence, but only God has presence at all times everywhere (omnipresence). Every person has some degree of power, but only God has unlimited power (omnipotence). 

Illustration: Psalm 139 lays the foundation for understanding the comparative attributes. The omniscience of God is seen in verses 1-6. The omnipresence of God is seen in verses 7-11. The omnipotence of God is seen in verses 12-16. Application: A Christian’s response to the comparative attributes of God should be to surrender to His leadership because He is wise, He is able to protect us, and He knows the true way to life with Himself. (first Ref. Gen. 3:8; Primary ref. Ps. 139:1; cf. Eph. 1:8).’ 

Yes my fellow saints, though we have some power, presence and knowledge, combined with free will, we still are subject to the sovereignty of the Lord our Creator, who has ALL knowledge, power and presence. So it’s wise to bow to Him in most, sorry, in ALL aspects of our lives if we want to live successfully. And we need to put that theory to the test right now, by going to Him through our Friday Chant and asking for His eternal wisdom, presence and knowledge to help solve our many problems. 

As one sincere voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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 the obvious corollary to that is for us to go out now and be faithful believers. That’s what the Lord is going to look for before He answers our prayer. Much LOVE!

…the created…can NEVER be greater…than the Creator…it’s time for the created to learn that…                                    

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 May 2020 Psalm 37:4.

16 May 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 37:4.    ​Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
 
And at long last it does look and feel like spring! Wow! It’s such a beautiful, sun shiny day out there, clean and bright, with most of the trees now dressed in their greenery of spring, instead of the bare, dead-like branches they’ve had for way too long! And since it’s the beginning of the long Victoria Day weekend, you know that despite the pandemic and restrictions and what not, many of us are going to be gearing up for weekend celebrations. But friends, I implore us to be careful. 

In the first place, please remember Granny’s warning: ‘Sonny Boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business!’ Haven’t heard that for a long time eh? (smile) And the next thing is to remember that this Covid-19 sickness doesn’t take a holiday; it’s always on the lookout for somebody to infect. It’s like the devil, always on the prowl looking for someone to tempt and lead into deadly sin. So have some fun, more than we’ve probably had in a few months, but please, please, be careful, follow all the golden rules of this pandemic so that we can stay alive and enjoy the good and abundant life that Christ died for us to have! 

And since today is Saturday, we’ll mosey along and see what goodies our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. Aw shucks! He sent us only one quote all week! Wonder what’s up with him? I hope he’s not sick, haven’t caught this virus business. And we pray that whatever the reason, the Lord will rectify it, and that he’ll be back in business this coming week. But even the one quote he sent us is an interesting one: ‘LOVE yourself enough to work harder.’ 

I don’t know about you all nuh, but I could certainly take that as my motto right now in these lazy, dreary, dispassionate days I’m now experiencing. Ah friends, what better motive can we get to work harder and better than a sincere desire to improve ourselves eh? Ofttimes we tend to work harder to please others rather than to please ourselves, but it’s ever so important for us to work towards the dreams and desires the Lord’s placed in our hearts. Otherwise what’s our purpose on planet earth eh? What good are those God-given desires if we don’t fulfill them eh? 

Bruh David puts it thus: ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:3-4) Yeh friends, to truly achieve the desires of our hearts, we must first delight ourselves in the Lord our God, for He is the One who makes those desires come true! And as Bruh David said earlier from Psalm 21 – Praise for victory. ‘The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not witholden (withheld) the request of his lips.   Selah. 

For thou preventest (meeteth) him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad (joyful) with thy countenance (presence). For the king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 21:1-7) 

Yuh see friends, the Lord planted desires in our hearts when He made us, and consequently only He can grant those desires, make them come true. And we turn once more to Bruh David’s writings (smile). ‘The eyes of all wait upon thee (look expectantly to you); and thou givest them their meat (food) in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy (gracious) in all his works. 

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that LOVE him: but all the wicked will he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.’ (Ps. 145:15-21) 

Ah precious people, everything in this world boils right down to LOVE: to achieve our desires and do God’s will, there must be true LOVE in our hearts for God, for ourselves and our fellow man. Remember Jesus’ words when asked which was the greatest commandment. ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) 

Therefore my fellow believers, in these tremulous and rather turbulent times, it is of the utmost importance that we understand that LOVE must be the NUMBER ONE THING, the overwhelming factor in our lives, if we’re to successfully navigate and circumvent the calamity and exceedingly tough times that lay ahead of us. We can’t simply talk it, we need to show it in spades, for LOVE is an action word! 

And we’ll end today with these most fitting words of John from his first epistle. ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God.’ (1 John 4:7) It can’t be put any plainer and clearer than that friends! Much LOVE!

…true LOVE can only inflame our hearts and souls…if God is truly ensconced therein…