21 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, accept it from me now, all things are become new, create something beautiful, curse, divine protection, even make a way in the wilderness, except a man be born again, faith, from a shapeless chaotic mass, Glory to god in the highest, gloss over the tin and tarnish, goodbye spring, he cannot see the kingdom of God, he is a new creature, holy spirit, I will do a new thing, if any man be in Christ, it is marvellous in our eyes, it is the Lord's doing, Jesus Christ, LOVE, make me over, negative word, no condemnation to them which are in Christ, now it shall spring forth, old things are passed away, on earth peace good will to men, One Year Book of Bible promises, rivers in the desert, self-control, such a simple thing, supernatural strength, the headstone of the corner, the stone which the builders refused, Thursday Blessings, to divide light from darkness, to reconstruct me, welcome winter
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Oh brother, I don’t know what to believe anymore nuh; the computer tells me it’s minus 2 Celsius and mostly cloudy, but in my area, it’s sunshiny as ever and somewhat windy. I will take that over the cloudiness any day. (smile) But worse yet, they are predicting 3 centimetres of snow for Friday! Goodbye spring…welcome again winter! But like the world, we won’t believe it until we see it! (smile) And to help us remember that we serve a good and great God Jehovah, let’s check out this interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled ‘NOW.’ Obviously I don’t know whether I’ve shared it before or not, but as always, these poems are always worth sharing again. (smile)
So please read with me: ‘Lord I don’t ask You to renovate me Nor do I ask You to reconstruct me Or make me over. I don’t even ask You to patch me up Or pare out the bruised spots Or gloss over the tin and tarnish. Rather, dear Lord, I ask You To make a new species – Something that never before existed. Impart to me Your very own Life. After all, Lord It is such a simple thing for You To create something beautiful From a shapeless, chaotic mass. It is such a simple thing for You To divide light from darkness. Please do it for me – now. (And the Lord replied) ‘Child of My Infinite Plan Two thousand years ago All you have asked I did. Please accept it from Me – NOW.’
And that’s the gospel truth friends! Two thousand years ago, with the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus, the Lord recreated, reformed and refashioned man one more time, with Jesus as the foundation of the new process. As the psalmist so truthfully prophesied in Psalm 118, long before Christ’s coming: ‘The stone which the builder refused (rejected) is become the head stone of the corner (chief corner stone). It is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.’ (Ps. 118:22-23)
The Lord was always one jump ahead of us my people. He knew the plans He had in mind for us, plans and thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give us an expected end.’ (Jer. 29:11) That’s a future and a hope, so we could live with complete faith and trust in His magnanimity. Therefore, once Jesus came, all the old, unused, thrashy stuff was thrown away. As the Lord’s Word so rightly says in our Bible Promise for today’s poem: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17)
And there we have exactly what the Lord was speaking about in His answer to our pleas for recreation! It’s simple; if you want to be a new man, then all you have to do is believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and the work of recreation will immediately begin. As the scholars explain: ‘When a man comes into vital union with the risen and glorified Lord, he is a “new creation” (cf. John 3:3; 15:5; Rom. 8:1, 9; Gal. 6:14-15) and perceives Christ in a new way. And, Old things are passed away indicates a decisive break with the old life at the moment of salvation. Behold, all things are become new stresses the abiding results of the Christian’s union with Christ (cf. Is. 43:18-19; 65:17; Eph. 4:24: Rev. 21:4-5).’
Ah my people, those are all important and very valid scriptures, but we don’t have time to quote them all, so we thoughtfully suggest (smile) that you take a few moments to look them up yourselves. However, since we like to spoon feed you, (smile) we will quote a few of them, beginning with this total gem from Jesus when the Jewish leader Nicodemus came to him by night to ask about His ministry. ‘Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.’ (John 3:3)
Right there friends, Jesus shows the overwhelming importance of change, of new life, of new behaviour, if one desires to follow Him. And Bruh Paul opens that magnificent chapter of hope, chapter 8 of Romans, with these most convincing words. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ (Rom. 8:1) What a marvellous situation that is! When we become new creations in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and we cease walking after our carnal, fleshly lusts, but instead walk with the leading and guidance of God’s Spirit.
And as the prophet Isaiah prophesied to the Israelites, and also to us, long before Jesus came: ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:18-19) And He did it physically for the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness, and for us spiritually with the coming of Jesus. And all God’s people gave a grateful shout of: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will to men on the earth!’
Now that should be our earthly motto, but, unfortunately, Satan rules the earth with his evil doings, and hate and strife currently overwhelm our flailing world. But there is hope my fellow saints. Yes, once there is life, there is hope, in Almighty God! And the hope we have right now rests in what we call our Thursday Blessings. Undeserved blessings generously bestowed by God for us to do His earthly work, and turn this evil planet around. However, to activate them, we must vocally declare (chuh!!!) them. So let’s do that right now nuh.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) we are now compelled to go out and use those blessing in a generous manner to help others find Christ and come to LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…becoming a new creation in Jesus…is more important…and much easier…than buying a suit of new clothes…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
20 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a light unto my path, be good examples of love and light, be not afraid, be strong and of a good courage, Bible, birds singing, by them is thy servant warned, christianity, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, God's narrow path, groundhogs, hands on the plough, have good success, how I love your law, how sweet are thy words unto my taste, I am come that they might have life, I believe in the freedom you promise, I hate every evil way, in keeping of them is great reward, In Touch Devotional, it is my meditation all the day, Jesus, Jesus Christ, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, may your word be sweeter than honey to me, more to be desired than gold, neither be thou dismayed, not turning back, O how I love thy law, our guidebook for earthly living, psalms, reshape my misguided desires, shout with David, spring, sweeter than honey to my mouth, thank God, the abundant life, the breath of life, the judgements of the Lord are true, the Lord thy God with thee whithersoever thou goest, the power to get wealth, the sun's shining, the thief comes only to steal rob and kill, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, thou shalt meditate therein day and night, through thy precepts I get understanding, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, wisdom
Psalm 119:97. O how I LOVE thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
And it’s like we’re not talking about spring, with the birds singing their joyful tunes, and the trees putting out some early buds, for it flurried all day yesterday, and some last night or early this morning, but not enough to make any worthwhile difference. And though the sun’s shining, and it’s not too chilly out there, the computer is advising a weather alert, with more snow in the forecast. Brother! That’s what we get for listening to those fake groundhogs and their shadows. What early spring did they see eh! Chuh! This is the kind of contrary weather that get’s people sick; mentally expecting one type of weather and dressing for it, only to experience the unpleasant reality of a different kind.
But enough of the weather and it’s eccentricities, let’s turn to this prayer from the ‘Let Us Pray’ section of this month’s In Touch Devotional. As one voice: ‘God, I admit – I don’t always want to follow You. Some days, Your way seems narrow and lifeless. Yet I believe in the freedom You promise. Show me, Father, the abundant life found in keeping Your wisdom. I want to shout with David, “How I LOVE Your law!” But my heart is not there yet – I need Your help. Reshape my misguided desires, Lord. May Your Word truly be sweeter than honey to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.’
Yes friends, we all have those times, when we don’t feel so into God and His narrow path, but nonetheless we know that He is the right way to go, if we sincerely want to find the abundant life that Jesus died for us to have. And Jesus made it quite clear that’s what He was about, when he said. ‘The thief cometh not but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have life more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) What a magnificent statement my people! Jesus came that we might have a decent life down here as well as eternal life with Him in the other world! What can be better than that eh? Nothing!
But to enjoy that abundant life, we have to sincerely seek the Lord and His righteousness, and do His holy will. It doesn’t just fall into our laps automatically, even when we believe. Jesus has already done His part; sacrificed His sinless life for ours, and risen from the dead, so that we could also rise in due time, we now have to do our part, follow His lead and be good examples of LOVE, light, salt and righteousness in this evil and ungodly world. And keeping God’s law ought to be our number one priority. For as the psalmist says in Psalm 119: ‘O how I LOVE thy law! it is my meditation all the day.’
And that’s exactly what the Lord commanded Joshua to do with the Israelites, as they were about to cross the Jordan river and enter the Promised Land. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) Ah mih people, that is the very genesis of success; meditating on God’s law and then following it, putting it into action in our own lives. That’s the ONLY way we will ever have success in this world and the one to come!
And I just LOVE this next verse, where the Lord pounds it into Joshua’s head, and hopefully ours today too. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) Now those same words still apply to us today, my fellow saints, and until we sincerely believe them and act accordingly upon them, we’ll never have the success that the Lord intends for us to have. For remember who gives us the power to get wealth? The Lord God Jehovah! And the major way to do that is by concentrating on the Lord’s Word.
Then, further down in that section of Psalm 119 that speaks of the LOVE of God’s law, the psalmist further proclaims: ‘How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every evil way.’ (Ps. 119:103-104) Oh, how I wish that we could all say those words with utter sincerity! For then we would be able to truthfully say the next verse: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) Now that’s exactly what the Lord desires His Word to be for us, a light and lamp to guide our feet and show us the right path to tread.
And Bruh David said it thus of the Lord’s word in Psalm 19: ‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear (reverence) of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb (the drippings of the honeycomb). Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’ (Ps. 19:8-11)
Now that last verse says it all friends. The Lord’s Word serves as a warning for us, and when we follow it, we are well rewarded, both down here on earth and in heaven above. And that’s the indisputable truth. So, having those words of godly wisdom written indelibly in our hearts, lets’ go home now, declaring (steupsss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful and most marvellous position in Christ Jesus.
Altogether 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!’
And there’s a rather important proviso to that proclamation: If we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s be wise and plan to meet at the very end with Christ nuh! Much LOVE!
…the Word of God…is our Guidebook for earthly living…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
19 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a choice to choose the right way, a tumbling tumbleweed, belong unto us and to our children for ever, beloved of God, Bible, bounden duty, climate cahnge, deadly amn-made pollutants, devilish desires, disobedience, economic deprivation, economic recessions, faith, foolsih pride, free will, god, heaven's white precipitate, hurry worry, inhumanity, Jesus Christ, learn from the mistakes of others, LOVE, obedience, our Triune God, prideful belief, remember the Lord thy god, share His love with my neighbours, the beginning of the last days, the Lord giveth thee power to get wealth, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, the Promised Land, the secret things belong unto the Lord, those things which are revealed, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, we may do all the words of this law, wisdom, wise and invincible, without God we're nothing, ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God
Deuteronomy 29:29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Climate change, oh climate change! What are we going to do about you eh? And that’s certainly a winning question this chilly, Tuesday morning in mid-March, with a sprinkling of heaven’s white precipitate (snow) on the rooves and on the lawns. (smile) We behave as though spring’s here, having had spring-like conditions for a few days, but then, uncharacteristically, we revert to the chilly, snowy times. Back and forth we go, round and round, like a tumbling tumbleweed blowing around aimlessly, which ever way the strong desert winds blow it.
And if we’re suffering now from inconsistent weather conditions, it’s all out fault, for having upset God’s perfect timing of His wonderful universe with our deadly, man-made pollutants. The problem is that we don’t know when to leave well alone, but always figure we know best, better than the Lord God Jehovah, who made the universe and all therein, which includes us. That’s why we always get ourselves into a dreadful mess, and then we philosophically wonder why. (smile) But it all stems from foolish pride and disobedience.
Because God made us the supposedly most intelligent being on the planet, and gave us free will, we seem to think that we know all there is to know and can handle anything that comes against us. And the sad part is that although down through the ages we have much proof that says otherwise, we still cling to the false, prideful belief that we are wise and invincible. How many foolish wars, plagues, economic recessions, and all the other negative things that stem from our sinful and proud selves, will it take for us to wake up and smell the coffee eh? What will it take for us to become seriously aware that we’re not all we think we are, but simply a creation of a greater being than us, namely Jehovah God, and that without Him, we’re nothing at all?
And for whatever reason, it seems like we are also unable to learn from the mistakes of others. And what better people to learn from than the Israelites, God’s supposed people, who after four hundred years of bondage in Egypt were set free by the Lord their God. In so doing, they saw numerous miracles, both big and small, like the parting of the Red Sea so they could walk over on dry land, the pillars of cloud and fire which led them by day and night, the heavenly manna which they received for food, that rained down every day except on the sabbath.
But in all that, they were still hardhearted and disobedient, and the Lord punished them several times during the forty years they spent wandering in the desert. But they never learned. Thus, except Joshua and Caleb, none of those who came out of Egypt, not even Moses, ever set foot in the Promised Land, only those born in the wilderness ever entered therein. And even when they entered the Promised Land, conquered it and became prosperous, they forgot the Lord their God and believed that it was their own prowess that brought them such prosperity.
They conveniently forgot the warning words of Moses. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.’ (Deut. 8:18-20)
And so said, so was it done! For the Lord does not make empty promises. The Israelites rebelled against God several times and each time paid a hefty price for their disobedience, which is exactly what’s happening to us today, many ages later. We are paying a mighty price of strife, inhumanity, sickness and economic deprivation for our greed, disobedience, and pride. Sadly, even with Christ’s coming and showing us the true and better way, nothing much seems to have changed. The devil and his evil worldly schemes are still deeply engrained in too many of our hearts and souls, and we need to uproot those devilish desires, if we intend to see God’s smiling face.
Recently I read this interesting scripture at the end of Deuteronomy 29, where Moses is warning the Israelites of the many dangers that lie in turning away from God. He says: ‘The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of the law.’ (Deut. 29:29). Yes friends, the prophets came and revealed a whole lot to us, then Jesus came and revealed everything to us, meaning that the ball is now in our court. We can’t claim that we didn’t know anything since it’s been all revealed to us. And if we don’t keep the Lord’s law, then we will pay the price for disobedience.
And like the Israelites who suffered famine and drought, captivity and destruction of their land for their disobedience, we’re now enduring the same things on a world wide basis for our foolish pride and disobedience to God’s holy will and law. And still, we insist on ignoring our Triune God despite the widespread strife, natural disasters like hurricanes tornadoes, volcanoes, earthquakes, famine and drought, that have recently engulfed our world like at no time before.
Many of us chalk that up to being the signs of the beginning of the last days, and they might just be right, but the fact of the matter still remains that unless we lessen the greed, jealousy, strife, hatred and anger of our world, and return to a time of greater peace and LOVE as our God desires, we will continue the suffer irreparable damage to ourselves and our planet. Is that what we truly want? I don’t think so. And it’s surely not what the Lord our God desires for us. But He will not intrude on our free will. Thus it’s left completely up to us what will come to pass.
And for those of us who desire better, and are doing our best to make it happen, lets’ go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. As one 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!’
Now friends, it’s our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do, and make our world a much better place to live! Much LOVE!
…free will is a choice…a choice…to choose the wise way…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
18 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man lay down his life for his friends, a merciful forgiving gracious God, climate change, eternal life, eternal separation from God, faith, go astray, God commendeth his love for us, God so loved the world, Good Friday, greater love hath no man than this, he gave his only begotten son, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life, hellfire and damnation, humble ourselves, Jesus Christ, lose hope, LOVE, mass confusion in our world, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, on easy street, rain and wet snow, salvation, sincerely seek your face, something good is going to happen through me, something good is going to happen to me, strong faith in Christ, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the cross, the road to heaven, the world through him might be saved, this is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, wisdom
Romans 5:8. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Then it was Monday, and who knows what kind of day it will turn out to be, weather wise or personal circumstances wise. But let’s hope that the weather is somewhat like yesterday afternoon, with the bright sunshine just pouring forth, after a touch of rain and some wet snow in the morning. Yes, the sunshine won the weather battle yesterday, in this contrary month of March 2024, where thanks to climate change, you don’t know from one moment to the next whether it’s going to be hot or cold, dry or wet. (smile)
And, as per personal circumstances, regardless of what happens, we’ve all made the pronouncement: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! (Ps. 118:24) And along with that positive statement, we’ve also declared (yesss!!!): ‘Something good is going to happen to me today. Something good is going to happen through me today!’ Wow! And with Jesus behind the wicket, or behind the baseball mound, guiding our trajectory, NOTHING can cause us to go astray or lose hope and faith in our wonderful Lord and Saviour!
Give Him much sincere praise and thanks my faithful believers, for He certainly deserves it, after all that He’s done on our behalf, especially the ‘sufferation’ of the cross on Good Friday, and the awesome resurrection three days later on Easter Sunday, momentous calendar occasions of our faith that are just two weeks away! And are those two splendiferous occasions, along with Christ’s immaculate conception and virgin birth at Christmas, ever important! That’s for certain sure, for without them we’d have no Christian faith, nothing on which to base all our hopes and dreams of salvation and eternal life. We’d be automatically doomed for hellfire and damnation.
But because of God’s great LOVE for His amazing creation, He sent His only Son, to die on our behalf and thus pay our sin debt in full. What a great LOVE the Father must have had for us, and still has, to give up His One Son, for a bunch of ungrateful sinners. And I just adore this scripture from Bruh Paul to the Roman church, which soundly endorses that amazing LOVE! He writes: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)
Mama oh Mama! What a scripture! It just exposes the big heart of our majestic and sovereign God Jehovah! And that’s not all. Listen to how Bruh Paul further describes the amazing strength of that LOVE in his missive to the Romans. ‘For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nr depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus.’ (Rom. 8:38-39)
Now, that certainly deserves another, ‘Mama oh Mama!’ (smile) Yes friends, for Bruh Paul is saying that NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, can ever separate us from the AWESOME LOVE of our heavenly Father! And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul, then listen to the sacrificial Son, Jesus Christ, as He explains it. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17) More amazing scripture proving God’s great LOVE friends!
And later on, Jesus bookended those statements with this one. ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:30) And that’s exactly what He went out and did on Good Friday; lay down His sinless life for us! Yes my brethren, the Lord desired to save His creation from hellfire and damnation, so He gave up His most valuable possession, His Son to do it! But please note there is one very important proviso in the whole thing: To be saved, one needs to believe in the Son! And that’s about the only requirement the Lord set out in His heart-breaking sacrifice for us to be saved: we must believe in His Son!
The gift of salvation itself is totally free; we need to do nothing else but BELIEVE! And Jesus highlights that ever so clearly in the next verse. ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:18) Oh my people, it could not be any easier or clearer than that! All we need to do is sincerely believe in Jesus, and we’re on easy street – well not quite easy street, because belief brings a lot of testing, but we are indeed heaven bound. However, if we hear about Him and don’t believe, then it’s cleaners for us, eternal separation from God with Satan in the depths of hell.
And that fact is something that Jesus kept repeating at every instance. Listen to a few of them nuh. In talking about His submissiveness to the Father, He says: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.’ (John 5:24) Then after saying that He was the bread of life, (John 6:35) Jesus made this other statement re belief. ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me… And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:38, 40)
And when the Jews murmured about Him claiming to be the bread of life, Jesus told them again, in no uncertain terms. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.’ (John 6:47) Oh my fellow saints, how many times does Jesus have to stress the overriding need for belief in Him, before we actually do it eh? But it’s all up to individual choice, the free will that the Lord gave each of us. All I can do is try to pound it into our hard hearts and stubborn minds! End of sermon! (smile)
Now let’s go to the Father in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, asking for His divine help to fix our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And it will stand us in very good stead, if we remember these important words of our prayer: ‘if we turn from our evil ways.’ For then, and only then will divine help be forthcoming! Much LOVE!
…belief is all it takes to get on the road to heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great high priest, a song of life, access with confidence by the faith of him, Bible, by the blood of Jesus, Christ is faithful, come boldly to the throne of grace, draw near with a true heart, faith, faith doesn't make it easy, faith keeps us anchored to Jesus, faith makes it possible, find grace, freedom of speech before God, god, grace, hard heartedness, he is that faithful that promised, hold fast our profession, I am the way the truth and the life, in full assurance of faith, in whom we have boldness, Jehovah is the sinners freind, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus fills the throne, LOVE, makes the blind to see, mercy, obtain mercy, our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, set the prisoner free, the Lord will take you in, to help in time of need, truth, was in all points tempted like as we are, wisdom, ye wretched sinners come
Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
And the sun was also a strong warrior yesterday friends, holding off the dark clouds and their precipitation until the early evening hours. Hopefully it will be able to do the same thing on this the Lord’s day, as we make our way to His sanctuary to sing, praise and worship Him, and in return get bountiful shares of His everlasting LOVE, grace and mercy! And all of God’s people said, ‘Praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy to we the underserving children of men!’
And today we’ll open with this marvellous song titled ‘Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace, with lyrics penned by Daniel Herbert in 1838 and music written by Clint Wells and Brian T. Murphy in 2004. It’s basically a song about life, a sinner’s life, who, through faith, can find relief at God’s throne of Grace. And as somebody so wisely said: ‘Faith doesn’t make it easy; faith make it possible.’ And that’s the indisputable truth, because without strong and courageous faith in Christ Jesus, getting to the throne of grace would be impossible, since it’s ONLY through Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, can one get close to Almighty God.
So, having ascertained that only through faith in Christ is it possible to approach the throne of grace, let’s sing a nice, soulful, heartfelt, mid-tempo version of the song, letting all and sundry know the amazing power of knowing Christ. Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk.
Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free. Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in’
Oh friends, there is everlasting truth in those words! Once you come to the Lord in all sincerity, He will take you in. You can never get too low, lost, sinful or ungodly that He will refuse your sincere advances. That’s because His LOVE was so great for us, and it pained Him to see us going to hell in a handbasket, (smile) so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth to be crucified and pay for our abominable sins. And from whence comes this amazing promise? Right from God’s unadulterated and ever-true Word, the Bible.
Listen to the author of Hebrews. ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:14-15) Oh my faithful brethren, that’s the beauty of living for Jesus; He knows exactly what we go through on this vile and ungodly earth, because He also experienced the same vile temptations and evil, but never succumbed to it because of His inherent godliness.
So when we go to Him with all our worries, pains and problems, He knows just how much we’re hurting, and has the remedy for our ailing souls and bodies. That’s why the author of Hebrews continues thus: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) Now, those are what you call uplifting words, words that encourage and uplift both our souls and our faith, knowing that there’s a place we can safely go to find help in our times of need.
And one of the most important privileges we have by being followers of Christ is that we don’t have to go begging for help, but boldly, confidently but humbly. And Bruh Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, while talking about the unsearchable riches of Christ, tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph. 3:12) And the scholars explain that most important scripture thus: ‘This verse affirms that Christians have boldness (freedom of speech before God) and access (the right of entering His presence) with confidence (assurance of being heard by God) by the faith of him (through relying on Christ to gain God’s ear).’
Furthermore, the author of Hebrews in telling us about the house of Christ, writes: ‘For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after (afterward); But Christ as a son over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.’ (Heb. 3:4-6) Now another translation of that last verse puts it a little plainer. ‘But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.’
Oh my brethren, that serves as a serious warning to not doubt God’s promise. And if you read the rest of that section (vs. 7-15) you’ll find that the writer of Hebrews uses the disbelief and hard heartedness of Israel as examples of doubt, and not listening to God’s warnings, even under the godly leadership of Moses and Joshua. Then there’s this last scripture from the Book of Hebrews warning us to hold fast our faith.
‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness (confidence) to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus (the room in the temple separated by a veil or curtain, where only the high priest could go once a year to make atonement for the people’s sins), By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering (for he is faithful that promised.’ (Heb. 10:19-23)
There’s nothing left to say friends, except, let’s take it all to heart and be totally encouraged and uplifted by all the wonderful scriptures we’ve heard this Sunday morning, and go home and put them into action in this upcoming week! Much LOVE!
…faith is the anchor that keeps us anchored to Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
16 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a person of prayer, a shining example of how to live for God, as John also taught his disciples, Bible, closer to God, communicating sincerely with God, disciple, faith, fellowship, give us this day our daily bread, god, increase my awareness of you today, intimate interaction with God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, Lord teach us to pray, LOVE, mar the day, mercy, peace, pray without ceasing, prayer, relationship with Christ, sincerely seeking God, slow my thoughts, supernatural help, the discipline of prayer, the Lord's prayer, the power and the glory, thine is the kingdom, true discipleship, wisdom
Luke 11:1b. Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
Hurrah for the sun my people! Yesterday it battled the dark clouds mano-a-mano and won! Now, it wasn’t at it’s brightest, but it certainly provided enough light to prove it was daytime, and did not allow the dark clouds or their precipitation to mar the day. (smile) Let’s hope it can do the same on this lazy-day Saturday cloudy morning. So, having made clear our desire for good weather, let’s now turn to God and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, seeking His wonderful presence and closeness.
As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And it never ceases to amaze me, how with that simple prayer, I feel quiet and peaceful and somewhat closer to God. But then, I remember that’s exactly what I asked for, and if we ask for anything within God’s will, He will provide it. And seeking His LOVE, His closeness and presence are certainly within the boundaries of His will, so He will definitely provide them if we sincerely seek them.
And that desire to draw near to God reminds me of the instance in Luke Chapter 11, where the Bible states: ‘And it came to pass, that, as he (Jesus) was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (the evil one).’ (Luke 11:1-5)
Now that’s a slightly truncated version from the prayer Jesus gives in His Sermon on the Mount, where He ends it: ‘For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.’ (Matt. 6:13) However, it’s all Jesus teaching us to pray, what we now call ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’ And I like this commentary on the matter: ‘When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn’t put on a seminar or give them techniques. He taught them by praying.’
Yes friends, that’s the beauty of our Lord and Saviour; He doesn’t always give us lectures on our demands or desires, but oftentimes jumps right into what we ask and does it without hesitation, shows us by personal example. In fact, that’s what His whole personal experience on earth was; a shining example of how to live for Almighty God, as He only did what the Father instructed Him to do. And yes, we don’t have all the supernatural powers that Jesus had, but we do have enough to help us to live right in His name, if we would only step up to the plate.
Now, if we’re wondering what motivated the disciples to ask Jesus to teach them to pray, this other commentary explains it rather nicely. ‘The disciples recognized that prayer like Jesus did it was humanly impossible. They needed supernatural help. They had found someone who could do for them what they were unable to do for themselves. “Teach.” The word “teach” means “disciple,” and it describes the very essence of the disciples’ relationship with Christ.’ Likewise it’s the same relationship that we have today with Christ, where we desire Him to teach us the way to truth and righteousness in this sinful and evil world.
And as this other commentary so rightly says: ‘For the follower of Jesus, our motivation is first and always to LOVE and serve, with graciousness and compassion – no matter what. Jesus’ invitation to follow him as a disciple demands involvement, engagement in the mission of LOVE. We are not supposed to be simply consumers of Christ’s redeeming LOVE.’ But, unfortunately that is exactly what too many of us do; live on Christ’s redeeming LOVE, without lifting a finger in true discipleship. Too many of us are too involved with out own selves and circumstances, and not enough with the fight that Jesus has set up for us to undertake.
But let’s not get away from the very important subject of prayer, which is currently so lacking in our society. Remember the words of Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians? ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) Now that is something we ought to take to heart. As the scholars tell us, ‘the believer ought to remain in the attitude of prayer though not always praying audibly.’ That simply means that prayer should be a constant in our lives.
And we’ll end with these most valuable words and ideas on prayer, from the article on the subject found on the navigators.org website. They say: ‘The disciples didn’t ask for instructions on sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom. They didn’t request to be taught how to heal. They didn’t ask Jesus to teach them how to study the Scriptures. They asked Him to teach them to pray. They knew it was important. The Scriptures, after all, are full of exhortations to pray. And yet, those who follow Jesus repeatedly confess that the spiritual discipline they struggle with most is prayer. This form of communion with God holds the promise of intimate interaction with our heavenly Father. And that intimate relationship is the foundation for everything else we do as followers of Jesus.
A number of years ago, when veteran Navigator Ed Reis spoke to a group of pastors about the importance of prayer, he told them, “We already know enough about prayer. We just need to pray.” That’s probably true for most of us today. We don’t need more information about prayer—we need a new perspective on it, and we need to do it. That’s how we learn. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn’t put on a prayer seminar or discuss the various types of prayer or the biblical basis for why prayer was important. He didn’t give them techniques. He taught them by praying.
Our hope is that as you read the articles and stories on the following pages, that you’ll be motivated—not to learn new prayer techniques, or to “master” the discipline of prayer—but to spend time talking and listening to God. Becoming a person of prayer isn’t about learning to do it right—it’s about learning to engage God in conversation and about getting to know Him more intimately. It may not come naturally to us. It didn’t come naturally to the early disciples, either. But as we do it, we can ask—as they did—“Lord, teach us to pray!”
Oh friends, I certainly couldn’t put it any better than that! So please, please, let’s take it all to heart and sincerely make the effort to improve our prayer lives, which we all know need improving. (smile) Much LOVE!
…prayer is simply communicating sincerely with God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
15 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, agitate a complaining spirit, Bible, blameless and harmless, bless your Holy Name, climate change, compassion, complaining, crying our for help, do all things without murmurings and disputings, do not allow discontentment to fester, faith, Friday chant, give you thanks, god, grace, great is thy faithfulness, handle the unexpected storms, his compassions fail not, I may prove them, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lack of meat, LOVE, mercy, omnipotent help, problems escalating, rain bread from heaven, rain from the skies, restoring faith in you, return backsliders to your fold, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the example we faithful believers set, the right attitude, the simmering unrest, the sin of complaining, the sons of God, they are new every morning, wake up and smell the coffee, walk in my law, wisdom, wise guidance, without me ye can do nothing, without rebuke, ye shine as lights in the world
Philippians 2:14. Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings:
Well, we were disappointed in the sun yesterday because it never won the battle with the dark clouds, and instead of blinding sunshine, those dark clouds poured down rain from late afternoon to late night. Now, today, when everyone’s shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ it appears to be another cloudy day, with li’l hope of the sun’s appearance. But as the ole people would say, ‘be thankful for small mercies,’ since it could have been snow and not rain pouring down from the heavenly skies. In fact, without the startling effects of climate change, at this time of the year, it ought to be snow and not rain.
And we’re not really complaining nuh, (smile) we’re saying, ‘Thank You Lord for life and LOVE this Friday morning, be it cloudy, sunshiny, rainy or snowy! As always, we give You Thanks and bless your holy name! Amen’ Now, that’s the proper attitude to display, regardless of our circumstances, although it’s much easier said than done, and we do need the Lord’s help to do it. As Jesus so rightly said, ‘For without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) At least nothing worthwhile or substantial. And as Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5)
And isn’t that the gospel truth my people! It surely is, for without the mercy and grace of God we cannot do anything, and without His awesome breath of life, we won’t even be alive! That just goes to show how much we owe to our wonderful God Jehovah! As Jeremiah so wisely said in his Lamentations: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) Yes friends, every day we get a new batch of grace, mercy and compassion! It’s like how Jesus taught us to pray: ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ (Matt. 6:11)
And that’s how the Lord dishes out His largesse, just enough for every day. It’s like when the Israelites were complaining about food in the wilderness and the Lord, angered by their complaining, said unto Moses: ‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day (only eneough for one day), that I may prove (test) them, whether they will walk in my law. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.’ (Ex. 16:4-5)
In other words, every day, they would collect just enough for that day, except on the day before the sabbath, when they would collect twice as much, so they wouldn’t have to go and gather any on the sabbath. And for forty long years the Lord provided the Israelites with manna which they abhorred. But although it might not have tasted or looked as good as the food they had back in their bondage in Egypt, that manna kept them going strong and healthy in the wilderness, because it was food from Almighty God. And sadly, it’s the same way so many of us complain today about what we don’t have, forgetting all that we do have.
We could have ninety nine good things, but we’d rather complain about the hundredth thing that we’re lacking, instead of enjoying the ninety and nine that we already have. But I guess that’s the nature of the beast, especially in these selfish and greedy times, where it’s all about ‘Me, Myself, and I.’ And one of Israel’s greatest sins was complaining. Remember what we spoke of yesterday when they complained about the lack of meat, being tired of the tasteless manna. The Lord rained down so much quail flesh on them, that they got sick of it, then He smote them with a great plague. (Num. 11:18-33)
Oh friends, the Lord knows that sometimes things are difficult, and what we’d like, we don’t have, or are not getting, but He expects us to always have a good attitude and not complain as though life were so tough and He wasn’t looking after us. And it’s not that He doesn’t want us to come to Him with our problems, real or perceived, but it’s how we come to Him; not in anger and defiance, casting blame, where it doesn’t belong. Technically speaking, it’s not wrong to complain, but it’s how we do it, and if there’s really something to complain about.
Nowadays, most of what we complain about are either petty or nonsensical. As this commentary so wisely advises: ‘The sin of complaining is a sin that God deals with swiftly and severely. The example recorded for us in Numbers 11 reminds us of the awful, wicked sin of complaining in our own lives. Don’t minimize what God has provided for you, and do not allow discontentment to fester and agitate a complaining spirit.’
No my people. That is one of the worst things we can ever do. Instead, let’s remember this memorable advice from Bruh Paul to the Philippians: ‘Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’ (Phil. 2:14-15) Yes my fellow saints, if we heed that wise advice, we will never go wrong…at least where complaining is concerned. (smile)
Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant with confidence and humility, to ask for the divine help we so badly need to handle 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 right there in our prayer, we have the beginning of the answer to it; ‘by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’
Yes friends, we need to set a good example for the unbelievers to see, if we expect God to help us. Much LOVE!
…be careful how you complain…and what you complain about…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
14 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven, a strong will, according to the time of life, at the appointed time, Bible, Bible Study, clear direction for my life, curse, faith, favour, fighting a valiant battle, for with God nothing shall be impossible, god, good freinds, good health, I know that thou canst do every thing, indelibly written in our hearts, is any thing too hard for the Lord, is the Lord's hand waxed short, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, Jesus, Jesus Christ, LOVE, negative word, salvation, Sarah shall have a son, self-control, the Eye of the Needle Gate, the Lord created the universe and all therein, the Lord smote the people with a great plague, the Lord's hand is not shortened, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, Thursday Blessings, until it come out at your nostrils, wherefore did Sarah laugh, with God all things are possible, with men this is impossible
Matthew 19:26. With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Oh friends, it’s Thursday, but unfortunately there’s no bright sunshine, only cloudy skies. However, the sun hasn’t given up, you can see it fighting a valiant battle against the dark clouds, and we might yet see it shining in all its glory later on in the day. For anything is possible when we have our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father running things! (smile) So don’t give up hope, don’t ever give up hope if Jesus is in your heart, for with Him in the lead, ALL things are indeed possible!
And not surprisingly, all through the Bible there are scriptures pertaining to that fact, with one of the best examples occurring after Jesus told the rich young man who wanted to be a disciple, to go and sell all his possessions and come back and follow Him. The young man went away sad for he was very wealthy. That led Jesus to say to the disciples: ‘Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly (it is hard for a rich man) to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’ (Matt. 19:23-24)
On hearing that, the disciples were amazed, and wondered who then could get into heaven, for at that time it was commonly understood that the rich were blessed and had a place reserved for them in heaven. But Jesus was obviously trying to correct that misunderstanding, by saying that it was extremely difficult, but not completely hopeless for a rich man to enter heaven. And as per the saying that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven; the scholars explain. ‘That has been interpreted as a camel-hair rope going through a needle; or an actual camel squeezing through a small gate, “The Eye of the Needle,” next to the main gate of Jerusalem; or the absolute impossibility of a literal camel actually going through a tiny needle’s eye. This last usage is most likely.’
Consequently, the disciples in total amazement, asked, ‘Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:25-26) Now, as true believers in Christ, we ought to have those memorable words indelibly written in our hearts and souls never to be removed; but always there to give us confidence in our great God, even in the most dire of situations. And since we said that there several other places in the Bible where God’s omnipotence was either questioned or proclaimed, let’s look at a few of those instances nuh.
So, going right back to the earliest times, we have the Lord’s angel saying to Abraham that a child will be born to him and Sarah in their old age. But Sarah laughed because it was considered impossible to have a child at her advanced age. ‘And the Lord said unto Abraham, wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ (Gen. 18:13-14) Yes friends, Sarah’s unbelief made the Lord testy. (smile) And I’m wondering here if it wasn’t because of Sarah’s laughter and unbelief, that the Lord actually waited so long to fulfill the promise, some twenty five years later, when Sarah was ninety and Abraham one hundred, just to show His awesome power. Who knows?
Then there’s this instance in Numbers 11, where the Lord promised that the Israelites who were clamouring for meat, would have so much meat: ‘That ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days: But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you, because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt.’ (Num. 11:19-20) And when Moses himself questioned the Lord’s ability to provide food for so many Israelites in the wilderness, (Num. 11:21-22) it obviously raised the Lord’s anger. ‘And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.’ (Num. 11:23)
And later, the Lord caused a wind to come forth which brought quails from the sea, and the Israelites had more than enough meat to eat; there were quails a day’s journey on either side of the camp, and piled two cubits high. And the greedy Israelites ploughed into the meat like there was no tomorrow. But while they were eating the meat, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote (struck down) the people with a great plague.’ (Num. 11:31-33) Oh my people, it doesn’t pay to doubt the Lord’s power, or be greedy when He is already looking after you.
Then when Job repents of his audacity to question the Lord, and the Lord takes him to task, he finally says to Him: ‘I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee (no purpose of yours can be withheld).’ (Job 42:2) And that’s the gospel truth friends! Nothing the Lord desires can be thwarted by mankind! Next we turn to the prophet Isaiah, who in berating the Israelites for turning away from the God of their forefathers, calmly informed them: ‘Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:’ (Is. 59:1)
Yes my fellow saints, the hand of our God is never beyond the reach of salvation! Wherever we are, in whatever situation we find ourselves, His saving hand can always reach out and pluck us from the mire. As the prophet Jeremiah so rightly and truthfully says: ‘Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard (difficult) for thee.’ (Jer. 32:17) And lastly, the occasion when the angel Gabriel came to tell Mary, Jesus’ mother, the awesome but difficult purpose God had in store for her. And as we all know, this young, innocent girl accepted God’s purpose without batting and eyelash, quietly accepting the angel’s departing words: ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’ (Luke 1:37) And so it was; Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, just like the angel said!
And in keeping with the Lord’s purposes, He’s bestowed on us undeserved blessings to further His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, but we need to declare them so they can be activated. So let’s do that right now nuh. As one sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having accepted those blessings, we’re now expected to go out into the world and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, Much LOVE!
…if the Lord created the universe and all therein…then obviously nothing is impossible to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stubborn streak of disbelief, believe it when I see it, Bible, cast him into prison, climate change, debtor's prison, do also unto you, downfall of our society, endure to the very end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, forgiveness, forgiveness breeds forgiveness, God's total forgiveness, hands on the plough, have had compassion on thy fellow servant, have patience with me, hold our heads and bawl, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, if ye from your hearts, Jesus, Jesus Christ, likewise shall my heavenly Father, LOVE, mercy, not looking back, our sin debts' been paid by Christ, set free for sin forever, spring has sprung, sunshine lollipops and roses, thank God, Thank You Jesus!, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the parable of the unforgiving servant, the principle of forgiveness, the sins of the individual sinner, to a glorious future with Jesus, unforgiveness, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, your heavenly Father will not forgive you your trespasses
Matthew 18:35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
‘Sunshine, lollipops and roses…!’ Well, we haven’t really reached the roses part as yet, but we’re certainly having sunshine and lollipops! Ah friends, they’re trying hard to make me believe that spring has actually sprung, and on this 13th day of March with temps already around 15 degrees Celsius, and bright sunshine splays it’s warmth and glorious light all over the neighbourhood, I am getting closer to believing. And yes, during the course of my many years in this climate, I’ve seen strange things happen at strange times, like snow in June, but I’m not quite ready to believe that spring has truly sprung at this early stage of the year.
In this case, I’m running with the world; I’ll believe it when I see it. (smile) And though I may be able to sit on my porch this afternoon for the first time this year, and watch people pass by, for the walkers will certainly be out today, a stubborn streak of disbelief keeps floating around in me. But I guess them’s the breaks. And I’ll just have to learn to handle it, all the while hoping that climate change proves me wrong (smile) In the meantime let’s see what the Bible has to offer this spring-like Wednesday morning. And it opened unto the parable of the unforgiving servant in the gospel of Matthew.
Now, unforgiveness is one of the biggest downfalls of our modern society. And in this parable Jesus expands on His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, after He taught them the Lord’s Prayer, which has this seminal statement smack dab in the middle of it. ‘And forgive us our debts (trespasses), as we forgive our debtors (those who trespass against us.’ (Matt. 6:12) Then Jesus follows that up with these memorable words. ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15)
Oh my people, that is so plain and without any subterfuge, that even a fool ought to be able to understand it! If we don’t forgive others their trespasses, the Lord will not forgive us our trespasses. That’s so straightforward, yet so many of us supposed believers still hold unforgiveness, and all that it entails, in our hearts against others, yet go to God and ask for forgiveness of our sins! How foolish and hypocritical is that eh! And in order to reinforce the power and importance of the principle of forgiveness Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant.
This servant, one who handled the Lord’s money, owed him some ten thousand talents, which amounts to millions of dollars in today’s money, and when the Lord called for payment, the servant was unable to pay, so the Lord ordered him and his family and all he had to be sold until payment was made. The Bible tells us then, that ‘The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him (prostrated himself), saying Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him (released him), and forgave him the debt.’ (Matt. 18:26-27)
Now that’s what you call forgiveness! Forgiving millions of dollars’! Wow! That sure was a big-hearted lord! However, the story continues thus: ‘But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence (approx.10 dollars): and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that (what) thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought (begged) him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.’ (Matt. 18:28-30)
Now that ought to make us hold our heads and bawl, although it’s exactly what happens in our selfish and unforgiving world today. But before we get further into the story, I want to raise one question of my own, one that has me shaking my head every time I hear about debtor’s prison. To my way of thinking, if you throw the debtor into prison until he pays the debt, how can he pay it locked up in jail, if he couldn’t pay it when he was outside? If you’re locked up you can’t work, there’s no way of making money, at least in the jails they had back then. Wouldn’t it be wiser to leave them out and allow them to work and so earn the money to repay the debt? But that’s just my crazy, eccentric way of thinking. (smile)
Anyway, when the other servants saw the unforgiving attitude of their fellowman, they went and told it to the Lord. Then the Lord called him and said: ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst (begged) me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth (angry), and delivered him to the tormentors (torturers), till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ (Matt. 18:32-35)
Oh friends, that’s what happens when we are forgiven, and don’t forgive! And the moral of the story? The One to whom the insurmountable debt is owed is our heavenly Father. The debts are the sins of the individual sinner, which none of us can ever repay. But instead of placing us in debtor’s prison, the Lord shows great compassion and forgives or cancels our debts, our sins. And per the scholars: ‘The picture illustrates God’s total forgiveness when dealing with our sins at the point of salvation. The debt has been paid by Christ and we are set free from it forever.’
And all God’s people gave a loud and grateful shout of ‘Thank You Jesus! We LOVE and worship Your Holy Name!’ And if that’s really true, then let’s see us be more forgiving than we currently are nuh. Let’s be big of heart like our heavenly Father. For remember, if you don’t forgive, He won’t forgive you either. Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our marvelous position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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!’
Then there’s this proviso, the promise that if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s plan to be there at the very end nuh! Much LOVE!
…forgiveness breeds forgiveness…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
12 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be not faithless, believe it when you see it, Bible, blessed are they that have not seen yet believed, Christian walk, christianity, climate cahnge, confidence, faith, faith is the substance of things hoped for, fellowship, god, gospel truth, hoe is necessary to life, hope, hurry, in god's eyes, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, only believe, pay a heavy price, see it when you believe it, share His love with my neighbours, the air we breathe, the evidence of things not seen, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of the Blessed, the waremst winter, trust, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, worry
John 20:29b. blessed are they that have not seen, and have yet believed.
Then it was Tuesday, another sunny, spring-like day in my neighborhood. And recently we’ve been having so many of them, that I’m puzzled. But then, this morning, I beheld a few buds on one of the tress in my front yard and that almost made me believe that we’re really having spring in early March. Almost…but not quite… (smile) Ah Lord eh! This climate change situation is playing such havoc with God’s fine tuning of His universe. But we only have our foolish selves to blame. I don’t know why we unwisely thought that we could abuse the planet and it’s finely tuned eco-system for ever and not pay a heavy price.
And while we’re having spring in early March, this winter has also been the warmest one on record. A sad tale for the many businesses based on snow and cold weather. And since all the changes did not happen overnight, they will not be fixed overnight either. If we ever get around to seriously fixing them, what with so many of us believing that climate change is a fraudulent theory set up by conspiracy theorists. But if you have lived in these parts for at least twenty years, and have any common sense, you will notice that the weather patterns have indeed changed over the years. And if you’ve lived here for over fifty years, like I’ve done, then it’s a cinch for you to notice serious climate changes from the earlier times, unless you prefer not to see or admit them.
But it all goes right back to the simple theory that our parents taught us; if you don’t hear, you will feel. And that’s exactly what we’re doing right now; feeling the pain of climate change and all that it entails, because we were too proud and haughty to think that our marvellous machinery would ever cause us climate problems. But how long can you go on spewing all the smoke filled with the many different toxins in the atmosphere, and spilling the many toxic chemicals in the waterways without it coming back to bite us at some stage eh? We’re simply getting our just deserts.
And since so many in power don’t believe it’s really happening, or say they don’t, fixing the problems are not happening, or are not going to happen with the urgency it deserves. But yuh know what, all of that is secondary if we sincerely believe in the grace and goodness of Almighty God! And I just opened the Good Library to an interesting scripture from the gospel of Mark. It’s at Jesus’s trial before the high priest, where that august hypocrite, asked Jesus: ‘Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ (Mark 14:61-62)
Now, Christ’s reply incensed the high priest, made him tear off his clothes, and declared it the height of blasphemy, with the appropriate condemnation of death. However, for us believers, that answer was more than sufficient. It gives us confidence and keeps our faith strong in knowing that our Lord and Saviour is sitting at the God’s right hand and will eventually come back riding the clouds with His glorious army to take His people home at the Rapture of the church, then in the last days, after the Great Tribulation, His Millennial reign on earth!
That’s why HOPE and FAITH are so important in our Christian walk, for without them, we don’t have anything to hold on to. And what are those two things eh? Well, according to the 20th century Danish American Psychologist, Erik Erikson, ‘HOPE’ is necessary to life as the air we breathe. Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained, hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.’
And that’s the gospel truth friends! If there’s no hope, then you might as well be dead. And it’s also important to note that without HOPE, you cannot have FAITH; because HOPE is a prerequisite of FAITH. It’s the former that enables you to have and continually sustain the latter. And what’s FAITH? The Bible tells us that ‘FAITH is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) In simple language, faith is hoping and believing for something that you don’t see at the present time, but expecting to get it at some later date.
It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for (it)? But we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance, determination) (eagerly) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) Yes friends, it’s all about HOPE and FAITH! And how do you get them? By sincerely believing in Christ Jesus, then studying God’s Word and living it in close fellowship with other believers.
Oh my people, belief is extremely important, for in God’s kingdom you don’t see it until you believe it, while in the world’s economy you have to see it before you believe it. That’s why HOPE and FAITH are so vital to Christianity. None of us have ever seen Jesus in the flesh, but we believe that He walked here on earth some two thousand years ago, and was who He said He was, the Messiah, the Son of God, and did the things they say He did, and will do the things He promised to do.
That’s why when His disciple Thomas refused to belief that Jesus was resurrected from the dead unless he personally saw Him and could touch His nail scarred hands and put his hands in His side, Jesus appeared to him and told him thus. ‘Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have yet believed.’ (John 20:27-29)
And that’s us, my fellow saints, who haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh but yet, through hope and faith, believe that He is real and will continue to look after us to our dying day…and even beyond. Now, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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 made that declaration (yesss!!!) it’s now our duty to go out and 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!
…only believe…with the help of hope and faith…only believe…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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