The Basic Foundations Believer’s Need to Live a Successful Christian Life!

17 Jun 2025 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:5.        Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.

So then it’s Tuesday; a bright and sunshiny day. That means we’ve successfully navigated the stormy waters of Monday and are now on our way to a hale and hearty week of work, under the wonderful guidance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Wow! And all God’s children gave a grateful and joyful shout of ‘Thank You Jesus!’ Now what can be better than that eh? Absolutely nothing! For Jesus is the be all and end all of everything, and once we have Him and His Holy Spirit guiding our lives we won’t want for anything.  

As Bruh David so confidently declares in Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) And Jesus says, not to worry about things like food and clothing, because our heavenly Father knows our needs. We just have to seek Him and His righteous kingdom first, and all we need will be furnished. (Matt. 6:25-33) Then Bruh Paul further assures us in his letter to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)  

Therefore, it’s obvious that if we put the Lord God Almighty in first place in our lives, then we will not lack for any of the necessities of life. But unfortunately that’s where we keep falling down; we don’t always keep God first place in our lives, but are very much influenced by the world’s system, so we’re suffering more than is necessary. That brings to mind these amazing verses of wisdom from Cousin Sol in Proverbs chapter three. We talk about them all the time but don’t practice them sufficiently, otherwise our lives would not be as rough and meaningless, as they currently are.

So let’s consider them one more time, and hopefully this time we’ll put them into action, the way we ought to. (smile) Cousin Sol strongly advises; ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.’ (Prov. 3:5) And that’s the first hurdle we must jump. Putting all out trust in God and not in our puny and finite understanding. And if we don’t do that, nothing else will work. It’s all about trust and faith in Almighty God. The Bible tells us: ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight:’ (2 Cor. 5:7) And what does that mean?

This commentary explains it thus: ‘The phrase “we live by faith and not by sight” means that believers should trust in God’s promises and guidance, even when they don’t see immediate evidence or understanding, relying on belief and inner conviction rather than solely on what is physically observable. It emphasizes a life guided by faith, trust, and God’s word, rather than being solely dictated by what is visible or easily understood.’ And that’s why Hebrews tells us that ‘Faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) It’s the solid hope and trust we place in God for things we have not seen.

 That then leads to this other very important scripture verse: ‘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 about trust and faith when you accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, nothing else will do, or get you anywhere in His righteous kingdom. Cousin Sol then follows up that verse of complete trust in God with this one: ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:6)

Yes friends, according to the scholars, that means ‘having fellowship and intimacy with God in all of life. The result of such devotion is that God will make the paths straight before you.’ Then this next verse is indeed wisdom personified. ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.’ (Prov. 3:7) And why should we be humble in our own estimate and have a reverential awe of God, while staying away from evil? Cousin Sol gives a very simple, true and straightforward answer: ‘It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength, refreshment) to thy bones.’ (Prov. 3:7)

Then there’s this other admonition: ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.’ Why? ‘So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) overflow with new wine.’ (Prov. 3:9-10) That means, at the least tithing thy income and also  being generous to kingdom work and those who are sadly in need. What we need to recognize here my people is that we don’t do those things simply for the sake of doing them, but substantial rewards accrue from doing them. We worship and fellowship with God first place in our lives, and He rewards us for our trust and faithfulness.

And now this last admonition: ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:11-12) Ah mih people, that admonition is one we certainly don’t like, because none of us like to be chastened or corrected, even when we know we’re wrong. I guess that stems from our high level of foolish pride. But just like our earthly fathers correct and chasten us because they LOVE us, that’s the same reason God does it to us.

And as Hebrews remind us: ‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons of God), My, son, despise not the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth, and scourged every son whom he receive.’ (Heb. 12:5-6)

So what does all of that mean? This commentary explains in simple form: ‘In religious contexts, “the chastening of God” refers to God’s discipline and correction of believers, often through trials and difficulties, motivated by LOVE and intended for spiritual growth. It is not meant as punishment, but rather as a way to shape believers into the likeness of Christ and help them run the race of faith with endurance.’

There we have it friends, some of the best scripture verses in all the Bible! Ones that if we truly put them into our lives, and keep them there, we will live an amazing life of trust and faith in Almighty God, and be well rewarded for our efforts. And for those of us who are already trying to do just that, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.

 As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’

And having said that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…like our earthly parents have rules…so does God…and just like our earthly parents…He disciplines us when we disobey them…

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

The Wisdom in Living a Simple, God-directed Life!

19 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:5.       Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

And then it was Friday… but the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! were not as loud or as plentiful as they usually are because many people are still in disaster mode and don’t have the enthusiasm, energy or faith to raise their voices in praise. But raising out voices in praise is exactly what we ought to do in dire situations because acknowledging God raises our levels of energy, enthusiasm and faith, despite our negative circumstances. 

And to make matters worse, this morning there’s been a technological breakdown with a computing firm called Cloudstrike, which has paralyzed systems and events all over the world. It’s not a hacking or invasion of the system but a technological problem and hopefully by day’s end it will be corrected. But in the meantime many institutions, both large and small cannot carry on their business as usual. Consequently, a large portion of the population has also had their activities curtailed by the outage. 

It just shows the tremendous reliance we’ve placed on technology and the worldwide difficulties it causes when something goes awry. But that’s the way of our current world, Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are now ruling the roost. And we’re now experiencing what can happen when we place all our eggs in one fragile basket, for though technology is wonderful when it works properly, but the smallest wrinkle can cause monstrous problems. 

We just have to learn to handle those times when technology lets us down. And the first thing we should always do when unexpected situations arise is go to God in prayer for wisdom and strength to handle them. He is our guide and protector and will NEVER lead us down the wrong path. And we have God’s faithful promise of that from way back when Moses said it to the Israelites: ‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:8) 

Yes friends that’s the Lord’s ever-faithful promise! And since He does not change, as this commentary tells us: ‘Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.” When everything else shifts and changes, you and I are still standing on a solid, unchanging foundation.’ Wow! What assurance we have my brethren! 

And furthermore God doesn’t lie, as the Bible assures us: ‘God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19)  That means whatever He promises, or says He’ll do, it will be done! Matter fixed! And when it comes to seeking godly direction, these wise words from the wisest man who ever lived, Cousin Sol, should be our guiding light. 

‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy way acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastisement of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: for whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:5-12) 

Oh friends, those are verses to live by! Why? Because they encompass all of what God expects from us! Trusting in Him, and not in ourselves; having a reverential fear of Him and not engaging in evil; honouring Him by being generous in our relationships, first to him, and then to our fellow man; and not despising His correction when we do wrong. If we follow those basic desires of God, then our paths will be straight, our bodies will be strong and healthy, our lives will be prosperous; overall, the Lord will cause His face to shine upon us. 

But yuh know what? Our intelligence and information levels have risen so much in the last century, that we no longer focus on the simple things in life, everything now needs to be more sophisticated and complex, otherwise it’s not worthwhile. But friends, the simple things have always been, and will always be the best way to go. And we’ve said that to point out the simple commands that Cousin Sol lays down for the perfect Chrisitan life, but we try to make it much more complicated than it ought to be. And hopefully, this time around, those simple directives will stick in our minds and we’ll put them into action and thus simplify out much too complicated lives. (smile) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant to help with our earthly problems. 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 if we truly desire divine aid, then we’ve got to set a better example as believers in Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

…Jesus lived a simple life for a reason…it was the easiest and best life to live…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 January 2023 Matthew 4:4.

06 Jan 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 4:4.       It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

And then, finally and thankfully, it was Friday! And though the rain has stopped in my area, the day is still damp and cloudy, but it didn’t stop people from joyfully shouting: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Some are glad that they can rest their tired souls and bodies after the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, while others are just dying to continue those celebrations. (smile) However, let’s remember that although Jesus participated in several feasts as His Jewish faith required, when tempted by Satan, He still rebuked him thus: ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ (Matt. 4:4) 

And it will surely do us a wealth of good this year of 2023 if we practice living by God’s Word rather than the materialistic ways of this evil world. Now all Jesus did when He rebuked Satan was quote the word of God to Him. and that quote is actually written in Deuteronomy. Listen, as Moses triggered the Israelites memories of God’s care in the wilderness. 

‘And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the Lord doth man live. 

Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee (thy clothing did not wear out), neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart (know), that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.’ (Deut. 8:2-6) 

Now my brethren, there’s a lot we can learn from those scriptures. First of all, the Lord allowed His chosen people to suffer so He could test them. And that ought to remind us that since we declare that our God doesn’t change, He’s the same yesterday, and today, and forever, (Heb. 13:8; Mal. 3:6) that means He’s still testing those who call themselves His people. That’s us. And yuh know what? Like the Israelites, we’re not taking the testing too well. (smile) We’re complaining all the way to the Promised Land. 

That’s why some of us are having more difficult lives than others although we seem to live the same lifestyles. Complaining will kill us every time my people, especially if we claim to believe in God’s LOVE for us, and His faithful intent to work out all that happens for our eventual good. (Rom. 8:28) That’s why the Israelites wondered in the wilderness for forty long years: because of disobedience and distrust. Why would our lives today be any different eh? 

The next thing we should note is that although the Lord chastens His people, He never totally leaves them to suffer. Yes, although the Israelites had it rough in the wilderness, their clothes never wore out, their feet didn’t swell and they always had food, heavenly manna, which they didn’t know and didn’t like, but it kept them healthy. (smile) But it was all due to the Lord’s compassion. And it’s the very same way the Lord deals with us today. He chastens us, but does not set us adrift, or apart from Him. His continuing to bother with us proves that He LOVES us unconditionally, as He’s said from the very beginning. 

That brings us to these everlastingly important verses of scripture, especially in these turbulent and unprincipled times. The timely words of the author of Hebrews. ‘For consider him that endured such contradictions (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (discouraged) in your minds (souls). Ye have not resisted unto blood (bloodshed), striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons), 

My son, despise not thou the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked by him. For whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards (illegitimate), and not sons.’ (Heb. 12:3-8) 

It’s simple friends; just like our earthly fathers discipline us when we do wrong (vs. 9-10), likewise, if we disobey God’s word, He disciplines us. The problem though is that none of us like to be disciplined even when we’ve done wrong, and that’s very emphasized in our current society where the state of entitlement is so prevalent. Meaning that we desire to sin as we want and to not be chastened for it. But as the Bible further enlightens us: ‘Now no chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (trained) thereby.’ (Hebr. 12:11) 

Oh my people, it’s just a natural part of life; if you do wrong, then you have to pay the price. It’s like Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) likes to say: ‘You reap what you sow; more than you sow and later than you sow.’ And that’s the gospel truth, it’s a life principle we ought not to forget. And as we look around our strife-filled and sinful world today, let’s remember that our saving grace is to live by the Word of God, and be determined to do that, this year of 2023! 

Now let’s go to God, through our Friday Chant, for divine help to do it. As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so 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 the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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, it’s up to us live those promises so that God can answer us in a positive manner. Much LOVE!

…you can’t expect to live wrong and strong…all the time… 

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