21 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a liar, a positive attitude, a sacrifice of praise, almighty god, as the world turns, aura of love, believe his prophets, believe in the Lord your God, blessings, confidence, conquerors, deceiver, enthusiasm, friends, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God made him to prosper, he sought God, he will be found of you, he will forsake you, Hezekiah, holy spirit, humble servants, if ye seek him, if you forsake him, invincible, Jehoshaphat, Jesus Christ, jobs, lies, LOVE, Lucifer, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, negativity, refuse to seek God, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, right in the sight of the Lord, rocket science, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, steal our joy, taunts, the Lord is with you, the wisdom of a fool, truth, under our own steam, understanding in the visions of God, ungodly world, Uzziah, we reap what we sow, weary souls, wiles, wisdom
2 Chronicles 26:5. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions (fear) of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
Well Friends, as the world turns, the universe is unfolding as it should. (smile) Yes, the Lord in His wisdom has set it that with every rotation of the earth on its axis, a new day is born, and it just so happens that today is the birth of a wonderful day called Monday. Glory Hallelujah!
It’s the first day of our workweek, so let’s be up and at ‘em nuh, for our very livelihoods depend on it. And when we bring a pleasant and positive attitude to it, it works to our benefit. If we keep on muttering and complaining, it just sours us and builds a whole lot of negativity in our spirits.
In other words, Lucifer wins the first battle of the day. And that’s not right or wise my people, for then, most likely he’ll continue winning most of our daily battles, because we reap what we sow, and by our less than stellar beginning, the first thing we sowed was negativity.
Anyhow, away with Lucifer! He is just a liar and a deceiver, primed to steal our joy and peace. So let’s counteract his evil ways with our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, which puts us in the safe, productive and confident zone that’s ruled by Jesus. As one harmonious and enthusiastic choir, let’s raise our voices to heaven in a sacrifice of praise.
‘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!’
Good going friends! Our choirmaster, Jesus, though not thrilled, was not displeased with our effort. So let’s get out there and do our thing in His glorious name!
Now it’s time for our Bit. ‘And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions (fear) of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.’
Oh Friends, I don’t know how often we’ve made that point nuh; we prosper when we seek the Lord. But still too many of us refuse to believe it and plod on unsuccessfully under our own steam. That’s the wisdom of a fool my brethren!
And today’s Bit is talking about the sixteen year old Uzziah (Azariah in 2 Kings) who reigned in Judah after the death of his father Amaziah. And the Good Book declares: ‘And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.’ (2 Chr.26:4)
Oh, before we go any further, according the scholars, the Zechariah named above, is not the same one who wrote the prophetic book of Zechariah. So let’s get that straight.
Now let’s look at a couple scriptures that teach the same thing as our Bit, beginning with Jehoshaphat when Moab invaded Israel. The multitude of Moab’s army was more than Israel could handle, so what did Jehoshaphat do? ‘And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Israel.’ (2 Chr.20:3)
And what was the Lord’s response? He sent a message by one Jahaziel, telling them: ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s’ (2 Chr.20:15b)
And then the next day, as they were preparing to go out to battle, ‘Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.’ (2 Chr.20:20)
And to make a long story short, they went out to war singing praises to their God, and by the time they reached the battle ground all they found were the dead bodies of their enemies, and they had a field day in collecting their possessions. Yes Friends, they won a war without even fighting their enemy, because they believed in the Lord their God.
Now the same thing happened when Hezekiah became king of Judah and cleaned up the idolatry, and set proper systems in place. The Good Book tells us: ‘And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.’ (2 Chr.31:20-21)
King Asa also prospered when he made godly reforms in Judah, after a warning from the prophet Azariah. ‘And he (Azariah) went out to meet (before) Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.’ (2 Chr.15:2)
Now my people, that is as plain and straightforward as it can get. There’s no rocket science involved there, so if we refuse to seek God, both as individuals and as a collective society and then don’t prosper, we have nobody but ourselves to blame.
So today Friends, let’s use the wisdom that God has granted us nuh and seek His holy face, so that our children and us can prosper. Much LOVE!
…follow God and prosper…follow Lucifer and suffer…that’s it in a nutshell…
20 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: almighty god, blasphemed, burned incense, celebrate our faith, Christ's Church, Christian faith, correct the in measure, fools are afflicted, gather for worship, give thanks, god moves in mysterious ways, God's narrow path, hearing of God's Word, I have sinned against him, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, increases our faith, iniquities, Israel's rebellion, LOVE, mature in Christ, negative consequences, ONE body in Christ, recompense, rejoices our souls, renews our strength, repentance, soul-stirring event, the foolishness of man, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Lord's children, the One True God, the punishment of sins, the universal law, the wound of an enemy, thy sins were increased, transgressions, whatever you sow you'll reap
Psalm 107: 17. Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Oh my people, the church bells are ringing, loudly and sweetly, calling the Lord’s children to gather for worship in His sanctuary this Sunday morning! Will you be amongst the faithful gathered there today? I do hope so, because it’s such a vital part of our Christian faith and heritage.
Yes Friends, gathering together on a Sunday – well in fact any day really – to praise and worship and give thanks to Almighty God is a wonderful, not to be missed or forgotten experience! Just raising our voices as one body – Christ’s church – to heaven in prayer and song and thanksgiving rejoices our souls, renews our strength and raises the level of our faith!
Now how could anyone who considers him or herself a child of God, not want to take part in such a soul-stirring, enlightening and uplifting event eh? It’s unthinkable! (smile)
All I can do though is encourage us to participate in worship services at least once a week, so that our spirits will be renewed through the hearing of God’s Word and all the other rituals and sacraments that take place within the services. It’s obviously each individual’s choice or decision to participate or not.
However, I do strongly advise us to get involved with worship services if you truly want to mature and grow in Christ. You cannot do it isolation, by yourself; you need the strength and encouragement of other faithful believers to assist you in that regard.
That’s why Bruh Paul likened the Church to the human body. Though the body is made up of many different parts, all with their individual functions, yet they all work together in harmony to form ONE body. The same goes for the Christian community my brethren. Though we all have different gifts and functions, we are expected to work harmoniously as ONE body in Christ. (Rom.12:4-5; 1 Cor.12:12-26)
And we simply can’t do that if we don’t congregate every so often and celebrate our faith. So with all that godly wisdom percolating through our souls, let’s get up and get out to church now nuh. I can assure us, we won’t regret it…if we go with the right attitude; a prayerful and humble one.
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.’ And doesn’t that seem somewhat appropriate in regards to what we were just talking about? Oh how our God does move in mysterious ways! (smile) It was never my intention to weave them together. I didn’t even know what I was going to write about when I got started. But our omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God obviously has a message He wants to convey.
Anyhow, getting back to our Bit, it’s just the basic premise and promise on which the Lord has set up His universe: whatever you sow, that shall you reap. That’s the universal law friends!
And that’s why, when we sow transgressions and iniquities, we are afflicted. We can’t sow sin and evil and expect to reap goodness and LOVE. It just doesn’t work like that. Therefore, if we don’t want to be afflicted, then we have to stop being foolish and stop sowing the things that will make us suffer serious negative consequences. It’s as simple as that my people.
And there are several scriptures that point out the lack of wisdom thereof. Cousin Sol says it thus: ‘The foolishness of man perverteth (twists) his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.’ (Prov.19:3) Yes precious people, man’s proud and sinful nature causes him to step out of God’s narrow path, and subsequently causes him grief.
Meanwhile, Isaiah, detailing how the rebellious will be punished, alluding to Israel’s rebellion against God, declares His word. ‘Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense even recompense into their bosom. Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.’ (Is.65:6-7)
Yea friends, though the Lord will not completely obliterate His chosen people, Israel, they will pay a hefty price for their unfaithfulness, as Jeremiah tells us. ‘For I am with thee saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure (justice), and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.’ (Jer. 30:11-15)
The same thing holds true for us today my people. Our sinfulness has reached extraordinary proportions, so at some stage, if it has not already begun, we will be required to pay a substantial price for ignoring God and going our own way, wallowing in the foolishness of the prince of darkness.
And we’ll end with these interesting words from the Lamentations of Jeremiah. ‘Wherefore doth (how can) a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try (examine) our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.’ (Lam.3:39-42)
Ah mih brethren, the only thing that can save us now from our foolish rebellion is sincere repentance and a complete turnaround, back to sincerely and faithfully worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the ONE TRUE GOD. That is truly the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
…I will bear the indignation of the Lord…because I have sinned against him… (Mic.7:8a)
19 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a discerner, a footnote in the pages of history, a holiday season of shopping, breaking down the walls of our faith, buying presents, christian heritage, christmas day, confidence, dividing asunder of soul and spirit, evil cronies, feasting, full complment of power, glory hallelujah, God's love for us, Happy Holidays, harness the power of God's word, hope, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, joints and marrow, like true soldiers, LOVE, Lucifer, made me a polished shaft, made my mouth like a sharp sword, Merry Christmas, optimism, politically correct, sharper than any twoedged sword, stand up strong, the Birth of Christ, the faith that leads to achievement, the helmet of salvation, the Love Revolution of Jesus, the Messiah, the power of God's word, the reason for the season, the sword of the Spirit, the thoughts and intents of the heart, the Word of God is quick, wimpy Christians, winning souls to God, worldly excitement
Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.
Six days Friends, six days to the celebration of the greatest birth that ever was – that of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on what is now known as Christmas Day! Glory Hallelujah!
That was just the initial showing of God’s great LOVE for us; just the beginning of His miraculous plan to bring us back into fellowship with Him if we so desired! And to think that so many of us still don’t have the proper reverence for that remarkable day eh. Chuh!
It has just turned into a holiday season of shopping, buying presents, feasting, exchanging gifts and generally worldly excitement and consideration. The real sense and purpose behind the season is lost. So much so that the common greeting nowadays is ‘Happy Holidays,’ not ‘Merry Christmas’ as it ought to be. Steups!
That’s because it’s no longer politically correct and doesn’t sit well with those of other faiths. So what? But it’s okay to say ‘Happy Hanukkah and such like things. But tell me people what’s the blooming holiday about eh? It’s about Christmas; the birth of Jesus! If you took away Christmas and Jesus, there’d be no bloody holidays to talk about. But the bloody ole hypocrites are willing to use it as an excuse for business purposes and general debauchery.
And the sad part is that we wimpy Christians are allowing them to get away with it. We shouldn’t be supporting any business or organization that cannot or refuses to admit that the reason for the season is the birth of Christ and use the greeting Merry Christmas, instead of Happy Holidays.
Ah friends, every day we are losing more and more of our Christian heritage to Lucifer and his evil cronies. Bit by bit, they are breaking down the walls of our faith. We cannot allow this to happen, or else we’ll soon be a mere footnote in the pages of history, instead of the giants we were created to be.
It is high time that we stand up strong like true soldiers of Christ and fight back with all the weapons at our disposal, otherwise our grandchildren will be nonentities in this once proud and faithful Christian society.
That brings us quite appropriately to this quote from our friend Anselm, doing his best to inspire us to a better tomorrow. And Anselm says: ‘Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.’
And that’s the living truth my people! If we’re not optimistic about any project or matter, generally speaking we will be disappointed because we have not put in the required mental effort to make it successful. And as ALL Christians ought to know, hope and confidence are essential ingredients in all we set out to do, especially if it’s for Jesus.
So in terms of our faith, it is indeed necessary that we get optimistic about it, and thus be brimming over with hope and confidence that the LOVE Revolution of Jesus will overcome the evil empire of Lucifer! Unfortunately, that is possibly one of the reasons for our steady demise; we just aren’t hopeful, optimistic and confident enough! And that shouldn’t be so my brethren when we have the awesome power of God’s Word at our beck and call, as exemplified in our Bit.
‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’
Ah my fellow believers, as I said some time recently, until we understand that the power of God’s Word is available to us, and we start using it consistently and effectively, we will never be able to achieve our objective of winning all the world’s souls to God. Sadly, we might even lose many more than we win if we don’t start seriously standing up for what we believe in and using all the tools at our disposal. And that’s today’s sermon! (smile)
Now it’s time for scripture to prove the truth of our Bit. Hear Isaiah as he talks about Israel the Lord’s servant. ‘Listen, O ye isles (coastlands), unto me, and hearken, ye people from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels (inward parts) of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ (Is.49:1-3)
Yes Friends, that servant with the mouth like a sharp sword who will glorify the Lord is none other than the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! His Word will also have the power to give life, to comfort, to heal and to destroy.
Meanwhile, Hosea, in Israel’s reply to God’s admonishment, declares God’s contention. ‘O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness (faithfulness) is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Therefore have I hewed (hewn them to pieces) by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgements (the judgements on you) are as the light that goeth forth.’ (Hos.6:4-5)
And we’ll conclude this series of messages with a scripture that we all know and acclaim, from the words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians regarding the armour of God. ‘And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:’ (Eph.6:17)
Oh my people, the Word of the Lord is the most powerful tool and/or weapon in the universe! He uses it for everything; in other words, it’s an all-purpose instrument. And the beauty of the situation friends, is that we too can use the power of the Word to uplift ourselves, to defeat our enemies, as well as to successfully spread our wonderful faith around the world as Jesus desires.
Let’s think on those things today nuh, for they will be of great benefit to us. Much LOVE!
…until Christians learn to harness the power of God’s Word…we will never achieve…never attain… our full complement of power…
18 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a discerner, a two-part being, believers in Jesus Christ, Christians, compassion, dirt poor, dividing asunder of soul and spirit, doing God's work, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, functions, furthering God's glorious kingdom, getting me through another week, glory hallelujah, God's LOVE, godly power, human bone structure, in soul body and mind, integrity, John's vision, judging by what we have, like a hammer, LOVE, material possessions, my word is like a fire, our most important activity, overstanding, P.S. I Love You, partying soon start, preserved blameless, relaxation, renewed and refreshed, rest, sharper than any twoedged sword, speaking God's Word, the branch of Jesse, the joints and marrow, the right perspective, the rod of his mouth, the Son of man, the thoughts and intents of the heart, the Word of God is quick, the workweek finish, there is power in the Word, till the coming of Christ, True wealth is what you are, wisdom, with righteousness, with the breath of his lips, with your generous help
Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.
And then, at last it was Friday…
And the whole town singing, ’Friday, Friday Friday, we LOVE you! Even though today yuh dark and dreary, we still glad that yuh here, because it means the workweek finish and the weekend finally here. Partying soon start! Thank God for Fridays yes! Thank Him for everyday, but especially Friday!’
Ah mih people, try as we can, we can’t break the party attitude that is first and foremost on our minds come Friday eh. As I keep saying though, nothing’s wrong with partying, just that it shouldn’t be the major thought in our minds come the weekend. Some rest and relaxation, plus serious time with our heavenly Father are also important to our weekend activities.
And to help us get in the right perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant like we really mean it nuh. All together now: ‘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 Friends, we need to remember that doing God’s work is our most important activity down here on earth, so it is necessary to make some special preparations that we can do it positively and effectively.
Now here’s a li’l brain teaser from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ poster. And it says: ‘True wealth is what you are, not what you have.’
And that’s the truth in spades my fellow believers in Jesus Christ! Who we are as people, is much more important that what we have. Unfortunately though, the world, including too many Christians behave the opposite way, judging others and ourselves by what we have.
Our material possessions are too often used to describe us as successful or not. But the truth is my people, we could be dirt poor in economic terms, but wealthy as ever internally, with integrity, compassion, wisdom, overstanding and God’s LOVE! Glory Hallelujah!
Now there’s nothing wrong with possessing economic wealth, but it must not take priority over those other things we just mentioned. So please, let’s get our priorities straight this Friday morning nuh, because the whole ebb and flow of our lives depends on it.
And that segues very nicely into our Bit. ‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’
Ah Friends, there is indeed immense power in the Word of our mighty and wonderful God! All glory and majesty be to Him!
And the scholars have this interesting info on our Bit, which they have titled: ‘Immaterial Part of Man. 4:12. The writer here draws an interesting parallel between the joints and the marrow, which have different functions, yet both are a part of a human’s bone structure.
Thoughts and intents are also two distinctive activities, yet both activities of the mind. And while the soul and spirit are distinct in function, both have an immaterial character. When considering the nature of humanity, we must realize a person is a two-part being, that is, with body and soul. But in activity or function the body, soul, and spirit of a person each has a different function.
Paul desired of his converts “whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess.5:23). (First Reference, Gen.2:7; Primary Reference, 1 Thess.5:23; cf. Prov.4:23.).’
Now that’s what is so wonderful about a human being; we’re made of so many different parts that function separately, as well as together, to make up the whole that we are in God! And please take a moment to read those references, because they are oh so good and true!
And today we’ll continue looking at some scriptures that corroborate the truth of our Bit, beginning with words from Isaiah, as he talks about the righteous reign of the branch of Jesse.
‘But with righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity (decide with uprightness) for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite (strike) the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.’ (Is.11:4)
Yes people, the Lord’s servant will do it all through the power of His mouth. Meanwhile, when talking about false prophets, Jeremiah describes it thus: ‘Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?’ (Jer.23:29)
And finally, in John’s vision of the Son of Man, he declares: ‘And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.’ (Rev.1:16)
Oh friends, I do hope that all of this is having some significant impact on us, teaching us about how mighty and powerful the Word of out God truly is. Why you ask?
Because until we understand that, we will be severely limiting ourselves of the power that we have, through speaking God’s Word. And life is hard enough as it is, we don’t need to make it any harder by limiting the godly power that’s available to us. Much LOVE!
…there is power in the Word…power in the Word…power in the Word…
17 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, all are naked and opened, as thou hast believed, belief, bridges the gap between God and man, dr robert h schuller, draw nourishment from, embryonic ideas, faith, glory to God, He sent His word and healed them, I am not worthy, I have not found so great a faith, Jesus, nothing is hiddedn from God's sight, our heavenly Father, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, prayer, prayer is the power, pulls everything together successfully, Roman Centurion, sharper than any twoedged sword, so be it done unto thee, speak the word only, surrender, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the liaison, the light of the Son, the link, the LOVE of Jesus, the motives of our hearts, the umbilical cord, the wind blowing away smoke and chaff, the Word of God is quick, trust, you can run but you can't hide
Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.
Oh friends, oh friends, welcome to another terrific Thursday in the life! All glory be to God for bringing us safely through another dark night of the spirit into the bright light of the sun…
Oh, it might just be shrouded in certain places by dark clouds, but like the Son, it is always shining brightly, except that the light of the Son fires through the dark clouds like the wind blowing away smoke and chaff. Glory be my people!
Now here are some wise and powerful words on the all-important subject of prayer by Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional. Please pay close attention.
‘Prayer is the umbilical cord that allows you – with your embryonic ideas – to draw nourishment from a source that you, like an unborn infant, can neither see nor fully know or comprehend – God our heavenly Father! Prayer is the power that pulls everything together successfully.’
Yes my people, that’s why prayer is of such great importance in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ! It is the liaison, the link that bridges the gap between our Creator and us.
So if we want to enjoy good and serious communication with Almighty God, then we have to pray consistently…and pray sincerely too, since the Lord doesn’t merely listen to our words, but even more importantly, considers the motives our hearts.
So without further ado, here are the awesome words of our Bit and the verse after it. ‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in (hidden from) his sight: but all are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account).’ (Heb.4:12-13)
Yes friends, NOTHING is hidden from the sight of our omnipotent and omniscient God! He sees all and knows all. So as the old saying goes, you can run, but you can’t hide. (smile)
Now here is some info from the scholars on those two verses. ‘4:12-13. For the word of God. The reason given for one’s careful scrutiny of his life involves the reality that God is intently scrutinizing it. His word is quick (living). This word is first in the Greek and is the emphasis.
God’s Word is not old or archaic; it is alive. It is not inept or inactive; it is powerful (active). It reaches into the inner secrets of man’s mind to discern even his thoughts and intents. Likewise, God’s eye sees man as though he were naked, unable to hide behind excuse or pretense.’
There you go my brethren, good reason for many of us to stop trying to hide from our Maker as we so foolishly try to do.
Now let’s check out a few scriptures that prove the truth of our Bit; the awesome power found in the Word of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, beginning with words from Psalm 107 – God’s wonderful works to the children of men.
‘Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.
Oh that men would praise (give thanks to) the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing (joyful singing).’ (Ps.107:19-22)
Ah mih people, yuh see how our mighty God healed those that cried out to Him? ‘He sent his word, and healed them.’ That just goes to show how powerful the Word of God is, and that we ought to be very thankful for it by offering the sacrifice of praise.
And hear this from Psalm 147 – Great is our God and of great power. ‘He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of wheat. He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth swiftly. He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoar frost like ashes.
He casteth forth like morsels (fragments of food): who can stand before his cold? He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters to flow. He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes unto Israel.’ (Ps.147:14-19)
Yes Friends, God’s Word works powerfully in ALL aspects of our lives!
And finally this situation with Jesus and the Roman centurion, who meets Him as He enters Capernaum, and asks for healing for his sick servant at home.
‘And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.’ (Matt.8:7-8)
This admission by the heathen centurion surprised Jesus so much that He declared: ‘Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.’ (Matt.8:10)
Yes my brethren, it had to be surprising that a Roman officer had so much faith in the power of Jesus’ Words.
Finally, ‘Jesus said unto the centurion, go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.’ (Matt.8:13)
Ah Friends, it all has to do with faith, with belief, with surrender, with trust and with the LOVE of Jesus. We cannot exist successfully without those elements in our daily lives. Much LOVE!
…be it unto us…as our faith dictates…
16 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a discernerof the thoughts and intents of the heart, a package of ethics, Advent, crash head-on with a living Person, crooked places become straight, darkness becomes light, festivity, glory hallelujah, God said let there be light, God's infallible Word to man, God's wisdom, gospel truth, I am halfway home, I'm not focusing on the past, I'm not turning back, I'm so glad to be alive, jesus birth, Jesus is the reason for the season, keep Christ in Christmas, LOVE, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, One Year Book of Bible promises, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, Ruth Harms Calkin, season of joy, serious shortcomings, sharper than any twoedged sword, the BIBLE, the Bible is God's word to us, the Book of All Books, the breath of life, the God of all goodness, the living Word, the One who makes all things new, the real spirit of Christmas, the Word of God is quick, there is power in the Word, to a glorious future with Jesus, true insights into God, Wednesday Wail
Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.
Oh friends and neighbours, it’s only nine more days to that marvellous and miraculous day of Jesus’ birth! Wow! Isn’t it wonderful how we all come together to celebrate Christmas!
Oh how I wish that we could be so together all year round. But I suppose that’s just an idle wish of a naive old man. Hn, hn!
However, what I want to point out here is that though Christmas Day is important, what’s also important is our journey to it, the way we approach it; with joy and gladness and singing and pleasant fellowship and good cheer.
That’s what this season of Advent, or preparation for the arrival of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is all about. So let’s get in the spirit nuh, the real spirit of Christmas, not the worldly aspect of it, where the buying of gifts and busyness and rushing and pushing and frustration and household preparations are paramount.
Let’s remember to keep Christ in Christmas, for He is the reason for the season!
Now listen to these words of wisdom from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. I just couldn’t pass up the chance to share this one. It’s titled ‘Book of All Books.’
And it says: ‘Lord, I am overwhelmed As I read Your living Word. What power, what pungency I find within its pages. It stirs me, burns with me It challenges me, invigorates me And often disturbs me. When I obey its commands The results are what you claim: Darkness becomes light Crooked places become straight
The more I seek, the more I find. Within its pages, God I see beyond mere philosophy I see beyond a neat package of ethics. I crash head-on with a living Person The One who makes all things new. No other book can claim as much.’
And isn’t that the gospel truth my people! No other Book in all of man’s existence can make all those truthful claims but the Bible; God’s infallible Word to man! Glory Hallelujah!
Now the next thing is when we read it, does it elicit in us the emotions the writer points out? I surely do hope so, because that is what it was meant to do. That’s why it is ever so important for us to continually read and study the Bible, for it’s the only way we will get true insights into our great God and His most wonderful persona!
And since it’s Wednesday, that means it’s wailing time, so let’s declare our Wednesday Wail with much enthusiasm and sincerity. As one now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Oh glory to God my precious people! Isn’t it wonderful to be alive, especially in this Christmas season of joy and festivity! And looking forward to all that Jesus has promised to those who follow Him is certainly intoxicating, for no one else has, or can make the promises that He has done? Give Him thanks and honour my brethren!
And the promise for that poem above is also our Bit for today. ‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’
More indisputable truth my fellow believers! The Word of God is indeed powerful! Remember how He created the universe and all therein? With His Word, by word of mouth! ‘And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.’ (Gen.1:3)
And you can go through that first chapter of Genesis and see where our mighty God spoke everything, except man, into existence. Man, He made LOVINGLY with His own two hands, in His own image, and gave us His breath of life. That’s why we’re so special to Him.
But friends, if the Word of God is that powerful, and we are made in His image, with His breath of life flowing through us, then that means we also have power through the Word. Consequently, we need to continually speak God’s Word over our lives and the lives of those around us. For as the song says: ‘There is power in the Word!’ Glory Hallelujah!
And one of our serious shortcomings is not speaking the Word more often in our daily walk with Jesus. And you’ll notice that during Jesus’ sojourn here on earth, He was always quoting the Word. So if he could quote the Word, why should we be any different eh friends? No reason whatsoever!
Anyway, enough stuff for us to ponder today. (smile) Tomorrow, God in favour, we’ll continue this most important teaching. Till then my fellow believers, may the God of all goodness and LOVE, walk beside us and keep us safe, for that’s what He has promised to do for all those who believe in Him and His Son Jesus Christ. Much LOVE!
…the Bible is God’s Word to us…still fresh through all the ages…and if we read it…we will find God’s wisdom on its pages…
15 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be a friend of Jesus, Christ is the way, come to ruin, compassion, depart from evil, do good, eternal life, eternal separation from God, few there be that find it, give me Jesus, glory hallelujah, glory to God, his seed begging bread, how Christ functions in our lives, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I have not seen the righteous forsaken, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, LOVE, loving kindness, narrow is the way that leads to life, no one comes to the Father but through Jesus, Praise is the song of a soul set free, precious, privileged, put Jesus at the forefront of our lives, reignites the fire of Jesus, share His love with the world, show by example, spend our day wisely, the babbling fool, the heart of wisdom, the Life, the Lord upholdeth him, the love and compassion of Christ, the one and only true living God, the steps of a good man, the Truth, the wise in heart, thenk the Lord, thou shalt not stumble, thy steps shall not be hindered, Tuesday Mantra, we can do all thing through Jesus, we have Jesus with us, what a joy to be loved by God, what's done in darkness will come to light, when thou goest, when thou runnest, wide is the gate that leads to destruction
Proverbs 4:12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Well Friends, another day has dawned, bright and beautiful, and we’re alive to see and experience it! Glory to God!
Oh, I know that where you are, it might not be beautiful in the physical weather scene, but for sure in our hearts and souls it is marvellous, especially when we consider that we have Jesus to walk along with us to help us spend our day wisely.
And all God’s children gave out a loud and proud shout of: ‘Thank the Lord! Give me Jesus any and everyday!’
Yes my brethren, with Jesus walking alongside us, we can handle all our problems, do all things in His mighty power. Glory to God!
I’m truly sorry for the unbeliever who cannot fathom, much less experience the LOVE and compassion of Christ, and the wonderful way He function in our lives.
That’s why we believers need to make every effort to show them by our example, how precious and privileged it would be to have Jesus working in their lives too.
Anyway, today is Tuesday, so let’s confess our Tuesday Mantra with sincerity and truth nuh. All together now: ‘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 the world. Amen.’
Ah mih people, every time I say that prayer, it just awakens something in me! It just seems to reignite the fire of Jesus in my soul! It’s simple, but very real and practical. Oh what a joy it is to be LOVED by God and be a Friend of Jesus! It couldn’t get much better than that my brethren!
So please, as sincere followers of Jesus, let’s give those things the prominence and priority in our lives that they truly deserve nuh, because it’s all for our benefit.
And today, for the last time, we’ll continue looking at scriptures that deal with this particular Bit. ‘When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.’
Yes Friends, more wonderful promises and great stuff to look forward to when we place Almighty God and His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at the forefront of our lives. Glory Hallelujah!
No other faith can truly declare those things, because it is ONLY, the ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING GOD, who can make such promises and faithfully keep them!
Give Him some much-deserved thanks and praise my people, for His awesome majesty and never-ending, unlimited LOVING-kindness to us, His undeserving children. For, as the Our Daily Bread Devotional said, yesterday: ‘Praise is the song of a soul set free!’ And it is indeed my people.
Now let’s see what the scriptures have to say about all of that nuh. (smile) And we’re going to begin with some wise words from the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol. ‘The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating (babbling) fool shall fall (come to ruin). He that walketh uprightly walketh (securely, safely): but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.’ (Prov.10:8-9)
Yes friends, all that’s done in darkness will eventually be brought to light, so please be careful of the deeds you do.
Then in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked – Bruh David unequivocally declares: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever (always) merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.’ (Ps.37:23-27)
Oh what wonderful words of living truth my people! Those who truly serve the Lord will never be left in a fallen state, and their descendants will always be blessed! Glory to God!
So why aren’t’ more of us being good and righteous eh, and thus filling our world with LOVE and peace, rather than the hate and strife it’s now so thoroughly embroiled in eh?
Good question that Friends, but one to which I can only surmise the answer: we don’t truly believe what the Good Book says; and/or, we are much too preoccupied with the things of the world instead of the things of God. We each have to decide individually, what is keeping us away from the good things of God.
And we’ll close this series of messages with the ultimate word on the subject, that from Jesus Himself. Now listen closely my people, because it involves the very essence of where you will spend eternity.
‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7:13-14)
Yes my people, those are the words of Jesus. We have two choices in this life; the strait and narrow way that leads to eternal life, or the wide and broad path that leads to eternal separation from God.
It’s up to us to choose. Hopefully we’ll all choose the more difficult, but much more rewarding first option, because it is the heart of wisdom itself. Much LOVE!
…Christ is indeed…the WAY…the TRUTH…and the LIFE…NO ONE… comes to the Father but by and through Him…
14 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, awaken interest in Jesus, away in a manger, Christmas time, confidence, conquerors, Cousin Sol, Creator of the universe, cry up a storm, dash thy foot against a stone, enthusiasm, evil, exuberance, faith, faithful promise, friends, generous help, get on with the programme, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God is good, God's perfect timing, he shall give his angels charge over thee, heartfelt prayer, holy spirit, humble servants, I will deliver him, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, Joseph, joy, keeping lives and families together, lies, life's not fair, Lord Jesus asleep in the hay, LOVE, Mary, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, no evil shall befall thee, peace, perfect harmony, prayer, put a smile on your faces, reignite the fire in our spirit, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, remove the frowns, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., rise and shine, serve a useful purpose, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, taunts, tears of joy, the birth of Jesus, the lowing of cattle, thou shalt not be afraid, thou shalt not stumble, thy sleep shall be sweet, thy steps shall not be hindered, truth, ungodly world, walk safely, warms the cockles of my heart, when thou goest out, when thou runnest, wiles, wisdom, words of wisdom
Proverbs 4:12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Well Friends, Monday has rolled around again…Glory to God!
Oh lighten up nuh mih people, put a smile on your faces and remove the ungodly frowns I’m seeing there, simply because it’s Monday and you have to go out and earn a living. Nobody ever said that life was easy or fair, but we know for sure that our God is good! In fact He’s not just good, but He’s most wonderful! Glory Hallelujah!
So if you are one of His children, just rise and shine, and get on with the programme without complaining. And to help us do that, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in perfect harmony, with much enthusiasm and exuberance, so that we can bring a smile to Jesus’ face and have the whole of heaven singing along with us.
Here goes: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah mih people, that was excellent! Jesus was pleased and all of heaven sang along with us. Oh glory to our great God!
Now here’s an interesting thought I had yesterday morning as I found myself singing the hymn: ‘Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the sky looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and LOVE me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.’
Ah my precious people, what a simple but heartfelt prayer! Anyway, as I was singing that, I suddenly wondered what kind of baby Jesus was. Was He the fractious, colicky, miserable, always crying type, needing to be constantly held? Or was He as sweet and serene as the hymn says?
Most newborns would certainly cry up a storm if they had animals around bleating and lowing. But not our Lord and Saviour Jesus. Awakened by the lowing of the cattle in His birthplace, the manger, He just lies there quietly, not crying, but just gurgling softly as Mary and Joseph look upon Him with wonder and tears of joy spilling from their eyes and hearts.
Personally, I believe it was the latter scenario, a foreshadowing of the peaceful and LOVING adult that He was to become. Just a delicious thought for us to ponder on at this Christmas time Friends, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. (smile)
And at last it’s time for our Bit. ‘When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.’
And all we’re going to do today is check out some more scriptures that reaffirm the truth of our Bit. Listen to the psalmist as he confidently declares in Psalm 91 – God is a refuge and a fortress. ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra): the young lion and the dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.’ (Ps.91:9-14)
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, what a powerful and faithful promise from our great God and Creator! No one else can truthfully make it, because they don’t have the power!
Now let’s end with these marvellous words of wisdom from Cousin Sol. ‘My son, let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of (trouble from) the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov.3:21-26)
Oh my brethren, doesn’t it just warm the cockles of your heart and reignite the fire in your spirit when you read those wonderful promises of scripture? Well it surely does mine!
And for all of your sakes, I sincerely hope that it does awaken your interest in Jesus as you go out to meet the infidel in battle this morning, for it is the wisdom on which our great faith is based. Much LOVE!
…promises, promises, promises…ALL God’s promises will be fulfilled…in His perfect timing…
13 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: a menorah, accept the status quo, ban on Christianity, Bildad, cast into a net by his own feet, Christian persecution, Christian show, City of Toronto, enlarged my paths, fearful, fight back in Jesus' name, fight the good fight, free of intolerance, freedom of speech, ground rules, Hanukkah, heifer dust, his own counsel, hogwash, LOVE, marginalized, Muslim, my feet did not slip, Onward Christian soldiers, proselytizing, religious freedom, Room for different voices, sinful behaviour, songs about Jesus Christ, stand up for what we believe in, Syrian Refugees, take him by the heel, Thanksgiving for deliverance, the cross of Jesus, the light of the wicked, the plight of the wicked, the shield of thy salvation, the steps of strength shall be shortened, thou shalt not stumble, thy gentleness has made me great, thy right hand held me up, thy steps shall not be hindered, too complacent, Toronto Sun newspaper, truth, Voices of Nations, when thou goest, when thou runnest, wisdom of this world, Yonge-Dundas Square
Proverbs 4:12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Oh Friends, what is our world coming to eh…especially this supposed Christian country called Canada? Now listen to this story from an article published in the Toronto Sun newspaper a couple of days ago. It’s titled ‘ROOM FOR DIFFERENT VOICES,’ and subtitled ‘Christian group fighting to hold fest in Yonge-Dundas Square.’
Let’s set some parameters before we get into the meat of the article. Yonge-Dundas Square is a public square created in downtown Toronto around a decade or less ago, where shows and other events are put on.
Now to the best of my knowledge it was paid for with public tax funds, is owned by the City of Toronto, but is run by a Management Board, which recently had a meeting with a group called Voices of the Nations who have been running a summertime Christian show in the square for the past five years.
However, a permit to run the sixth show next year was denied because of ‘concerns over songs about Jesus Christ being too proselytizing, which is not allowed in the public square.’
What hogwash! What heifer dust! But nudity and crime and violence and songs about sex drugs and rock and roll are permitted. Ah Lord eh! And they boldfaced enough to want to talk about “explicit items of what is and is not appropriate behavior in the square,” and ground rules that “are free of intolerance and consistent with the values of a public institution.”
Steupssss! I guess the negative, sinful behavior is what’s appropriate, not singing or talking about Jesus! These blooming hypocrites eh! As the organizer’s wife reputedly called it: “a de facto ban on Christianity” in the square.
And as the writer of the article pointed out, religion IS a part of the square, because, “right now, in Yonge-Dundas Square a menorah is proudly and appropriately displayed – completely fitting and enthusiastically welcomed since we are right in the middle of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.”
That made him wonder if after Hanukkah is over, they will also appropriately put up a crèche featuring the Nativity Scene. Hn! I won’t hold my breath for that nuh. It surely seems as though everybody else but Christians have rights in this supposed land of freedom of religion and freedom of speech. We can’t complain about other religions, but others complain about us and get their way.
And our wonderful Prime Minister is hustling to bring in thousands of Syrian Refugees in to the country, most, if not all of them Muslim. Do you think they are going to come here and just accept the status quo? Obviously not! In fact they won’t have to because they already have more rights than Christians, and they have been taught to proselytize from young. At one stage Christians were taught that too, but I guess we don’t any longer.
Anyway, let me shut my mouth about all of that eh, before they charge me with inciting hate crimes, or whatever they call it. And that’s no joke friends, for in these times of all kinds of unlawful activities, high security and surveillance, anything is possible.
The long and short though of the story my brethren is that we have no one but ourselves to blame for whatever rights are being taken away from us. We are either too complacent or fearful to stand up for what we believe in. And until we do, we will see what little we still possess, being gradually taken away.
Just check out the amazing amount of Christian persecution that’s going on around the world right now nuh. It seems like the early days of the church once again. So my fellow believers, it’s up to us to stand up strong and fight back in Jesus’ name, otherwise we’ll soon be marginalized…if we haven’t been already! End of sermon!
Let’s turn to our Bit now. ‘When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.’
Yes my people, that is what happens when we avoid the wisdom of this world which is mostly wickedness, and instead turn to the Lord God Jehovah for His wisdom and understanding.
And today we’ll look at some scriptures that agree with our Bit, beginning with these awesome words from Bruh David from Psalm 18 – Thanksgiving for deliverance. He boldly declares of his God. ‘Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden (held) me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps (path) under me, that my feet did not slip (did not stumble).’ (Ps.18:35-36)
And if we know Bruh David’s life story, then we know that that is gospel truth! Now hear it from the opposite side of the coin, as Job’s buddy, Bildad, speaks of the plight of the wicked.
‘Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle (tent), and his candle (lamp) shall be put out with (beside) him. The steps of his strength shall be straitened (shortened), and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. The gin (net) shall take him by the heel, and the robber (a snare) shall prevail against him.’ (Job 18:5:9)
Yes Friends, you have it from both sides now; words of indisputable truth, per the wise righteous and the foolish wicked. And let’s not forget that today is Sunday; the day we gather in the Lord’s sanctuary to praise and worship Him and receive His mercies and blessings, also to have our faith strengthened and our souls encouraged so that we can fight the good fight for another week.
My fellow brethren in Christ, please don’t defer from gathering with other believers today, so that the Lord may be glorified and His children energized. Much LOVE!
…onward Christian soldiers…marching as to war…with the cross of Jesus…going on before…
12 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crown of glory, a never ending cycle, an ornament of grace, broken relationships, comparisions amongst each other, contaminate your souls, economic power, evil, fall by the wayside, followers of Jesus christ, forsaking wisdom, get understanding, harness wisdo, household chores, in right paths, jealousy, live balanced lives, material wealth, measuring themselves by themselves, persoanl excellence, play it smart., political power, receive my sayings, resntment anger, righteous lives, success driven, the crux of the matter, the desire to achieve, the desire to beat others, the desire to succeed, the keys that will unlock the door, the path of the just, the path of the wicked, the perfect day, the shining light, the urge to reach your full potential, the way of the wicked is as darkness, the way of wisdom, the will to win, the wisdom of God, thou shalt not stumble, thy steps shall not be hindered, unique indiviuals, when thou goest, when thou runnest, wisdom, wisdom is the principal thing
Proverbs 4:12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
And then it was Saturday; a day for sleeping in for some, but for others, a day for household chores and shopping, and the myriad of things that could not be done during the workweek. Ah chuh!
Yes friends, I know it’s a never ending cycle, but it’s important that we find time for ourselves, to rest and renew our spirits and physical energy during the weekend, otherwise we’ll drop down from the wear and tear, and all the stuff that seemed so important will still be there for someone else to do. So please play it smart, do your best, but please don’t kill yourself in the process.
Now here are some wise words from our Friend Anselm, who never misses an opportunity to inspire us towards a better tomorrow. It’s a two for one play. And the first play says: ‘The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.’
And all of that is quite true my brethren, but by the same token, like we said above, we can’t let those desires take over our lives to the detriment of other things. Regardless of what we do, we need to live balanced lives. So, seeking personal excellence doesn’t mean neglecting everything else but that driving force within you. And yes, it’s true that Christ desires excellence amongst His followers, but not at the expense of their health.
And note too, we have to keep that desire to win, and to succeed according to the world’s demands on a tight leash, otherwise we’ll just drive ourselves and those around us crazy, because the world today is success driven, at any and all costs. Achieving material wealth, economic prominence and political power are what the world determines success by. But thank God, as followers of Jesus Christ, we don’t have to kill ourselves proving to the world that we can be successful by its unwise and unhealthy standards.
That brings part two of Anselm’s wisdom into play. ‘A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.’ And therein lies the crux of the matter; not the desire to achieve, but the desire to beat others. Yes my brethren, when we introduce that aspect of competition and comparison, as the world likes to do, then we get ourselves in serious trouble.
For as Bruh Paul says to the Corinthians, re comparisons. ‘For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.’ (2 Cor.10:12)
The sad fact is that such comparisons lead to things like jealousy, resentment, anger and broken relationships, which effectively defeats the cause of excellence that you’re trying to achieve. So friends, please don’t compare yourselves to others, because it will just contaminate your souls.
The Lord didn’t make us to be comparisons, but to be unique individuals, standing in our own perfect space. Please remember that the next time you feel like comparing yourself to someone else.
And finally it’s time for our Bit. But to get some idea of the context, let’s go back a couple verses. In this section Cousin Sol is talking about avoiding wickedness. ‘Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hindered); and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast (firm) hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.’ (Prov.4:10-13)
Now that is undeniable truth my brethren! For when we harness wisdom – the wisdom of God that is – to our lives, then we can never go astray or fall by the wayside, for wisdom is the very essence of our godly and righteous lives. She is indeed our very life! That’s why we can’t afford to let her go or diverge from her paths.
And we see the folly of forsaking wisdom as Cousin Sol wisely continues. ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it (do not tread on it), turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except (unless) they have done mischief (evil); and their sleep is taken away (they are robbed of sleep), unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.’ (Prov.4:14-17)
Words of divine wisdom Friends! But unfortunately, in our current world we’re eating way too much ‘bread of wickedness’ and drinking excessive amounts of ‘wine of violence.’
Now that could never be a good thing for the followers of Jesus. For ‘The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.’ (Prov.10:19)
Ah my people, how are the wicked foolish and gone astray eh? ‘But the path of the just is as the shining (bright) light, that shineth more and more (ever brighter) unto the perfect day.’ (Prov.4:18) Now friends, that’s where followers of Jesus ought to be!
And we’ll close with these words of gospel truth from Cousin Sol. ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver thee.’ (Prov.4:7-9)
Now there’s nothing better than that for us to achieve in this world my brethren. So let’s go and get it nuh. Much LOVE!
…get Jesus…and you’ll find wisdom and understanding…
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