14 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, all the days of your life, anxiety, as I was with Moses, backsliders, be not dismayed, be of good cheer I have overcome the world, be strong and of good courage, Bible, bring down trouble on me, cast thy burden upon the Lord, cause them to inheit it, christianity, confusion, crying out for help, dire need, discontent, dissatisfaction, divine aid, do not give up, experience builds our faith, faith, fear thou not, for I am with thee, Friday chant, get on the good foot, give ear to my prayer, he shall sustain thee, he will not fail thee, holy spirit, I am thy God, i have overcome the world, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee, I will strengthen you, I will trust in thee, I will uphold you, improve our witness for Christ, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus Christ, lawless times, learning God's word, LOVE, meditating on god's word, mercy, moan noisly, neither forsake thee, never permit the righteous to be moved, no man, omnipotent help, problems escalating, prosperity, putting God's word into action, reassuring scripture, salvation, simmering unrest, so will I be with thee, stand strong in the Lord, strong trust in God, success, surrender, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the error of their ways, the example we faithful believers set, the Lord doth go before thee, the Lord thy God, the Lord thy God with thee whithersoever thou goest, the oppression of the wicked, the plea of the fearful, the right hand of my righteousness, the throne of grace, the troubles of life, the voice of the enemy, the weekend, these things I have spoken unto you, they cast iniquity upon me, times of trouble, trust in God, trusting faith, truth, uncertain times, unexpected storms, ungodly times, wisdom
John 16:33. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’
So, at long last it’s Friday, and we can all shout, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And it’s another beautiful, sunshiny one to start the weekend, with reasonable temperatures too. And, as Cousin James, James Brown, would enthusiastically shout: ‘Let’s get on the good foot!’ Yes friends, we need to begin taking our faith and our duties to it more seriously, especially in these lawless and chaotic times, for it’s only our surrender to and strong trust in Jehovah God that will get us through them.
These are very scary and uncertain times that not many of us have ever faced, but because we’ve had some experience with God in previous times of trouble, we do know that He will see us through, if we abide by His will and put our fate in His wonderful, helping and strengthening hands. And the Bible gives us a whole lot of those reassuring scriptures, verses like this one from Isaiah: ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10)
What a beautiful and reassuring verse of scripture my people! And even before that, Moses’ words when he turned over the leadership of Israel to Joshua is an inspiring scripture: “Moses said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:7-8)
And we know how the Lord Himself later on reiterated and pounded Moses’ words into Joshua’s ears after Moses died and he actually took over. First though, He promised Joshua: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5)
Now that’s a wonderful reassurance, but it also came with great responsibility, like we see in verses 7-9. Being strong and courageous and constantly meditating on God’s Word and putting it into practice was essential, because that is what would bring prosperity. And I just LOVE verse 9. ‘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)
Oh my people, it couldn’t get any better than that! God Himself is still promising to be with us wherever we go if we put Him first place in our lives. And Bruh David also knew this, that’s why in Psalm 55, The Plea of the Fearful, he cries out: ‘Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn (wander) in my complaint, and make a noise (moan noisily); because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity (bring down trouble) upon me, and in wrath they hate me.’ (Ps. 55:1-3)
And I know that many of us are feeling the same fearful way in these fearful times, and are calling out to God for help, and might not be receiving any. But I beg of you not to give up, for our God is faithful and if He promised it, He will do it. Instead, let’s do like Bruh David; after crying out his complaints to God, he says at the end of the psalm. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken). But thou, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody (bloodthirsty) and deceitful men shall not live out half their days: but I will trust in thee.’ (Ps. 55:22-23)
And that last phrase there my brethren ‘but I will trust in thee,’ is probably the most important of all the psalm and of all the scriptures, for without total trust in Almighty God, nothing is going to work for us. Trust is the most important aspect of our walk with Him, because that’s what causes our faith and strength to rise up in times of trouble and uncertainty. We trust Him to look after us. So it’s obvious, that above all else, we need to build our trust in God if we hope to endure the trials and tribulations that will come against us.
However, that trust only comes from learning His Word and putting it in action, standing strong on it when the troubles of life hit, so we can gain the necessary experience that builds our faith. And there are many scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments that encourage us to stand strong in the Lord, but time will only permit us this last one. And it’s this marvellous one from Jesus Himself. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Now, that’s something all of us should be working towards, having peace in Jesus despite the chaos around us. And to help us do it, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in these times of dire need. 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 having said all of that, it now behooves us to improve our witness for Christ because it’s definitely not as good as it ought to be, and no divine aid will be forthcoming until we do better. Much LOVE!
…true prosperity and success can only be attained…by knowing God’s Word…and then actioning it in our lives…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guarantee of salvation, a new creation, a positive outlook on life, a significant undertaking, accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, after you believed, all things are become new, avoiding wrongdoing, baptism, born spiritually, christianity, clear direction for my life, conflict of rules, courage, creativity, curse, down payment on our inheritance, enter in at the strait gate, eternal life, except a man be born again, faith, favour, forgiveness of sins, fulfillment, giving up our old way of life, God's Word, he cannot see the kingdom of God, holy spirit, if any man be Christ he is a new creation, Jesus Christ, lead and guide us, LOVE, mercy, negative word, Nicodemus, old things are passed away, perceives Christ in a new way, repentance, salvation, Satan, Satan bombards us with temptations, sealed for all eternity, sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, self-control, self-disciplime, supernatural wisdom, take it all in stride, the BIBLE, the earnest of our inheritance, the gospel of your salvation, the importance of staying on the right path, the new life that Christ has planned for us, the paths of righteousness, the way God planned it, the wide gate that leads to hell, the word of truth, truth, underserved blessings, until redemption of the purchased possession, vital union with Christ, wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, wisdom
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.
And then it was Thursday, our penultimate day of the work week. But can you imagine that the week is almost finished? It seems like it was only yesterday I wrote about it beginning. (smile) But that’s the way God planned it, so we just have to take it all in stride. And we can do that because He’s given us the tools to do so, if we sincerely pay heed to His Word and Holy Spirit that dwells within us to lead and guide us in the paths of righteousness.
Now, let’s look at this interesting verse from 2 Corinthians that describes in basic terms what happens when we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. Bruh Paul writes: ‘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) Now that’s something we all ought to know, accept and make happen. As the scholars explain: ‘When a man comes into vital union with the risen and glorified Lord, he is a “new creation” and perceives Christ in a new way.’
That’s why Jesus told Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who came to Him by night to find out who He really was: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (spiritually, from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3) That tells us right away that coming into union with Jesus is a significant undertaking. It’s easy to begin; simply asking God to forgive your sins and sincerely promising to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. But then the road gets somewhat difficult, because Jesus has His own rules and regulations, which very often conflict with those of the world.
No wonder Bruh Paul declares that when you’re born again, old things are passed away and everything then becomes new, for that’s how Jesus wants them to be, and He helps us make them so. The scholars tell us, ‘that indicates a decisive break with the old life at the moment of salvation.’ Yes friends, we have to let go a lot of our old life, the things we did, the places we went, and the people we hung out with, because those things prevent us from getting into the new life that Christ has planned for us.
And giving up our old way of life is not always easy to do, especially when Satan keeps bombarding us with temptations to revert to that old way. But if we are serious, and strong, we can resist the devil’s wiles through the power of the Holy Spirit that immediately comes to dwell in us at salvation, and by learning God’s Word from the Bible and putting it into practice. For this relationship with Jesus is a very binding and lasting one, as described by Bruh Paul in his letter to the Ephesians.
‘That we should be to the praise of his glory, (glorify God), who first trusted in Christ (Jews). In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise, Which is the earnest (down payment, deposit) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.’ (Eph. 1:12-14)
So, Bruh Paul is pointing out that the Jews first believed in Christ, then the Gentiles, but there’s no difference between the two groups, because they are both under the umbrella of Jesus who’s sealed them as His for all eternity. Or, as this commentary informs us: ‘being “sealed by the Holy Spirit” signifies that God has marked believers as belonging to Him, and it’s a guarantee of their salvation and future inheritance.’
Now it’s important to note that we won’t lose our salvation if we revert to some of our old ways, but it’s oh so necessary to adopt the new ways that Jesus desires of us, so that we can walk hand in hand with Him. Remember how Jesus puts it in the gospel of Matthew? ‘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 is the gate (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)
And what does that mean? This commentary states: ‘The straight and narrow path” is an idiom that refers to a course of behavior that is honest, moral, and correct, emphasizing the importance of staying on the right path and avoiding wrongdoing.’ And this other commentary explains: ‘the gate that opens on the path to eternal life is “strait”—that is, narrow—since repentance and baptism in the name of Christ is the only gate. The narrow gate is contrasted with the wide gate that leads to hell.’
So, basically, the world says we can do about almost everything, that gives us much leeway, or a broad path. However, in Jesus’ kingdom, there are a lot of things that believers are not expected to do, which makes our path somewhat restricted, and the sinful nature of man draws many more of us to the wide and broad path that leads to destruction than to the narrow one that leads to eternal life. But as we said earlier on, God gives us tools to handle our every situation, and some of those tools we call our Thursday Blessings. So, let’s declare them right now nuh, so that we can activate them and keep on rolling even stronger in Christ.
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 now that we’ve been strengthened with God’s undeserved blessings, it’s time for us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…If you’re born again…and don’t act somewhat differently than before… then something’s wrong, somewhere…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according to his riches in glory, after all these things do the Gentiles seek, and all these things shall be added unto you, and the body than raiment, are you not much better than they, behold the fowls of the air, birds chirping, can add one cubit unto his stature, cast into the oven tomorrow, challenges, clothes, consider the lilies of the field, do not worry about your life, endure to the end, even Solomon in all his glory, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, giving thanks for life and love, God created male and female humans, God made man in his own image, God will take care of the material, halfway home, hands on the plough, here today gone tomorrow, holy spirit, hypothetical problems, if God so clothes the grass, in joyful unison, in the image of God, is not life more than meat, Jesus Christ, let them have dominion, LOVE, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, neither do they spin, nor gather into barns, not turning back, O ye of little faith, over all the earth, problems, raiment, return God's love, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, so glad to be alive, spring's in the air, stick with Jesus to the end, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take no thought for your life, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the gospel truth, the morrow shall take thought for itself, they sow not neither do they reap, they toil not, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, was not arrayed like one of these, Wednesday Wail, what you shall drink, what you shall eat, what you shall put on, when our priority is spiritual, where God guides He provides, which of you by taking thought, why worry about clothing, wisdom, worry improves nothing, yet your heavenly Father feeds them, your heavenly Father knows you need all these things
Matthew 6:27. Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)?
Who says our God isn’t good eh? Well for the third day in a row, my area is bright and sunshiny and fairly warm, and the computer says that temps are going to rise. Wow! It seems that spring is just around the corner, because birds are also chirping in joyful unison, giving thanks to their Creator for life and love!
And as Jesus so rightly admonishes and encourages: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they.’ (Matt. 6:25-26)
That’s for sure, because we are the ONLY creation made in God’s own image. The Bible tells us that in the Creation story: ‘And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing. So God made man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female created he them.’ (Gen. 1:26-27)
Yuh see friends, God created us in His own image, that’s a spiritual image, because God is a Spirit, without a body, and Jesus only took on a human body when He came to earth to reveal the Father more fully to us. And please note, that God not only made us in His own image, but also gave us dominion over all the earth. That means we’re supposed to rule the earth in His name. So we can see what Jesus is saying in the scriptures at the beginning is absolutely true; we’re worth much more than the birds of the air.
Then He continues with His teachings on worry, by saying: ‘Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for raiment (why do you worry about clothing)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe(s) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith.’ (Matt. 6:27-30)
And yuh know what friends, we really can’t find anything wrong with Jesus’ argument. For if the Lord looks after the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, dressing them even more beautifully than Cousin Sol, the richest and wisest man ever, it’s logical that He will look after us, His greatest creation in even better manner. But we’ve got to believe it, before we see it come to pass.
So Jesus continues: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.’ (Matt. 6:31-32) Yes, my fellow believers, our heavenly Father knows we need food and clothing just like His other living creations, but we don’t need to kill ourselves worrying about them.
Why? Jesus gives us the answer in spades: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That’s the marvellous answer right there my people! If you put God first place in your life, then He will provide for all your needs. And Bruh Paul reiterated Jesus’ words to the Philippians when he wrote: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) So, if the Son of God and His most learned and zealous apostle say it’s so, then it’s obviously so. (smile)
Consequently, Jesus ends this message of seeking God first, then depending on Him for all of our needs, with these wise and reassuring words. ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) Ah mih people, it’s all of what our Lord and Saviour said, so it must be true, because He has no cause to lie.
And we all know deep down that worry improves nothing, only makes things worse. So, though we must make some basic plans for the future, we need to concentrate more on the individual day that’s in front of us, for everyday has its own problems and challenges, which we need to handle responsibly, without worrying about the hypothetical troubles that could arise in the future.
And having received God’s saving grace, then we must continue to seek it all of our lives, because the spiritual side of life is in the long run more important than the material side, for when the body dies, the spirit lives on. The problem though, is where will our spirit live on, in eternal life with Christ, or in eternal death with Satan? And as the scholars say: ‘When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides.’ And that’s the gospel truth!
So let’s go home now declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful 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!’
Now hear this: it’s also been promised that if we endure to the end with Jesus, then the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and stick with Jesus right to the very end nuh! Looking forward to seeing you there! Much LOVE!
…God created us in LOVE…and will provide for all of our needs…if we sincerely return His LOVE…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a boost to our collective spirits, a formula for achieving peace, a much needed break, a set of wusses, a solid foundation, as the light, be not envious against, Bible, birds chirping, blessed are the meek, bring forth thy righteousness, cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, cease from anger, commit thy way unto the Lord, confidently trust in the Lord, delight themselves, delight thyself also in the Lord, do not fear, don't be jealous, duty bound, easy living, entitled to the good life, evildoers shall be destroyed, faith, for ever and ever, for faith and hope, forsake wrath, fret not thyself because of evildoers, get up the gumption, give thee the desires of thine heart, God's intervening hand, God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, he shall bring it to pass, holy spirit, hurry, I am the Lord, I am the Lord I change not, in due time, in god's eyes, in the face of the wicked's prosperity, ineffectual people, Jesus Christ, justice, keep the devil at bay, keep the Lord in first place, like white on rice, LOVE, mercy, of the prosperous evildoer, power to resist the devil, prosperous times, resist the devil, Rest in the Lord, ruling the roost, salvation, shall inherit the earth, share His love with my neighbours, soon be cut down like grass, spring is near, the abundance of peace, the Beatitudes, the beloved of God, the man who brings wicked schemes to pass, the meek shall inherit the earth, the tools we need, the tough winter, the unchanging nature of God, the whole wide world, the workers of iniquity, those that wait upon the Lord, thy judgement as the noonday, tormented day and night, trust in the Lord and do good, trust my freind Jesus, truth, wait patiently for him, we'll all get our comeuppance, wisdom, with all of life's problems, wither as the green herb, without lifting a finger, worry, wrath only causes harm
Psalm 37:1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Oh friends, it’s another beautiful, sunshiny day in my area, with temperatures supposedly around plus 7 degrees. Wow! Now, yesterday it was also supposed to be around the same temperature, but it surely didn’t feel that warm. Thankfully though, most of the snow has now melted, and if this warm weather continues, then it shall soon be all gone.
And by the way, I heard some other good news this morning; some birds chirping outside my bedroom window. Was I ever surprised. Birds chirping in the second week of March? It’s either they didn’t go south for the winter, or they believe that spring is near, so they came back. And when I came downstairs just now and looked out the kitchen window, I saw a couple of them frolicking in their usual fashion out there. It would surely be a boost to our collective spirits if spring was right around the corner, giving us a much-needed break from the tough winter that we’ve now become unaccustomed to. (smile)
Yes, we’ve gotten so accustomed to the easy living of these modern and prosperous times that what in earlier times would have been a normal winter, has now become a winter of huge proportions. What a set of wusses, that’s weak, shallow, ineffectual people we’ve become! No wonder we feel so entitled to living the good life without even lifting a finger to make it happen. But do not fear, we will all get our comeuppance in due time. The Lord’s promised it, and we know that whatever He promises will come to pass…in His good time. (smile)
And what’s on tap for today, you ask? Well, I just opened the Good Library, and this most interesting and most relevant psalm jumped out at me. It’s Psalm 37, where Bruh David writes about Trust In the Lord. So let’s read it together nuh, and see what good and useful information we can glean from it. He begins: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps. 37:1-2)
And right there in the opening verses my people, we have some very important and reassuring words. Don’t be jealous and envious of those who do evil and seem to prosper, for their undeserved prosperity will eventually be diminished by God’s intervening hand. Now, those words of reassurance have never been needed more than in these very evil and ungodly times, where Satan’s rule is at it’s highest. And how do we counter Satan’s attempts to inveigle us into his evil doings.
Bruh David lays it our very plainly in these following verses of the psalm. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on God’s faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:3-6) Yes my brethren, those are the basic ways to keep the devil at bay and the Lord in first place in our lives, so that He can uplift and exalt us in due time.
And we all know that sticking to the Lord like white on rice is not easy in these very turbulent and chaotic times, but He’s given us all the tools we need to do it, we simply have to get up the gumption to use them, and not let the seemingly pleasurable things of the world get us off track, like Beelzebub is trying so hard to do. And if we do that to the best of our ability, here’s what Bruh David says will happen. ‘And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps. 37:6) For sure! The Lord will ensure your justice and righteousness, if you make Him number one in your life.
Then Bruh David adds a li’l langniappe, or extra for good measure, when he continues: ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who propsereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place (look diligently for it), and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Ps. 37:7-11)
Oh my fellow saints, the wicked are ruling the roost right now, but we know that eventually the Lord will cut them down like the grass withers at high noon, so we should encourage ourselves and each other not to give up, not to let the worthless baubles and bangles that the enemy flashes in front of our faces to lure us into his evil trap. The Lord’s promised, and He’s faithful. So let’s stand strong and wait on Him. He knows what He’s doing. Remember His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, that we cannot even begin to understand them. (Is. 55:8-9)
Remember too, that Satan is a created being just like us, and his power is nonexistent in our lives, unless we allow him to use it. And the Bible tells us that when the Lord’s ready, He will get rid of him forever. ‘And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.’ (Rev. 20:10) So friends, it’s certainly within our power to resist the devil, but we have to use the tools provided, if we wish to do it successfully.
And I like how the scholars explain it. ‘The psalm also contains a simple formula for achieving peace of mind in the face of the wicked’s prosperity: fret not…neither be thou envious (vs. 1), trust…do good (vs. 3), delight thyself also in the Lord (vs. 4), commit thy way…trust (vs. 5), rest…wait patiently…fret not (vs. 7), cease from anger…forsake wrath…fret not (vs.8). All of these exhortations urge the believer to confidently trust in the Lord with all of life’s problems. The psalm concludes appropriately with an undying affirmation of faith and trust in the unchanging character of God.’
Yes friends, our God is immutable, unchangeable! And we see the Lord saying that in Malachi: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) ‘That implies that God’s character and eternal purposes do not change, which gives a solid foundation for his people’s faith and hope.’ Amen!
Now let’s go home with boosted faith and spirits, declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (steups!!!) we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus reaffirmed Bruh David’s promise in the Beatitudes…blessed are the meek…for they shall inherit the earth… (Matt. 5:5)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a free will, a great voice out of heaven, accept all the promises in God's word, alleviate our problems, and he said unto me write, answer our prayers, anxious for people to love, be their God, behaving like, believe in Jesus Christ, conflagrations, daily grind and common task, dismay, disobeyed your word, divine aid, egotistic leaders, enjoy what at the end, even our faith, faith, God himself shall be with them, greedy, he that believes Jesus is the Son of God, he that sat upon the throne, hold your head and bawl, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, hungry, I make all things new, in all these things, inane populations, individual frustrations, inflammatory rhetoric, invest the time and energy, it's all madness, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep us going forward, keep your promise to prosper us, like a bride adorned for her husband, live the way Christ desires, LOVE, mass confusion, mental illness, mercy, more than conquerors, negative situations, neither sorrow, New Jerusalem, no more death, no more pain, nor crying, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, popular in our court system, power hungry, progressive times, put it into practice, salvation, seek your face, sensible term for it, shake your head, sheep being led to the slaughter, stranglehold, strong faith in Christ, thank you for life, the eventual outcome, the faithfulness of God, the former things are passed away, the God who heals, the power to solve our problems, the pristine state, the rigmarole, the rigours of this world, the tabernacle of god is with men, these words are faithful and true, they shall be his people, this evil world, this is the victory that overcometh the world, to learn God's word, traffic jams, truth, turn from our evil ways, upheavals, we have all sinned, whatsoever overcometh the world is born of God, who is he that overcomes the world, wipe away all tears, wisdom, wise guidance
1 John 5:5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.
One more Monday friends, one more week of work! One more week of the daily grind and common tasks, handling our individual frustrations, like taking children to school or the babysitter, then facing the horrific traffic jams morning and evening, getting to work tired, then getting home in even worse shape, only to have chores to do there before you can finally rest for the day, only to get up a few hours later and begin the whole trying rigmarole all over again. (smile)
Yes my people, life can be rather hectic in these modern, progressive times, and when we add the many conflagrations, upheavals and inflammatory rhetoric that currently has our world in a stranglehold, you can only shake your head in dismay, or even hold it and bawl, as you cry out to Almighty God for help. Who would have thought that our world could get any worse a few months ago eh? But it seems that it’s getting worse everyday with all the power hungry, greedy and egotistic leaders and inane populations behaving like sheep being led to the slaughter.
And the answer to it all is very simple; like one calypsonian so wisely said sometime ago, it’s all madness. Yes, it’s all madness friends. And truthfully, that can be the only sensible term to encompass it, because everyone’s gone so crazy these days, doing whatever they want, with no respect to the rights and privileges of others, putting mental illness high on our list of illnesses, as well as being very popular now in our court system, where no one is guilty of anything because they are suffering from mental illness.
Ah Lord eh! And I’m sure sometimes when the Lord sits on His throne and looks down at the awful mess we’ve made of His beautiful universe, He too must shake His head and sadly ask Himself, why He created mankind, and with a free will to boot? And it’s not like He didn’t know what was going to be the eventual outcome, but He was apparently hungry or anxious for people to LOVE, and to LOVE Him back. That’s why from the very beginning, He made plans to clean it all up in the end, and return His universe to its original pristine state, with LOVING and compassionate citizens living under His rule.
Thus, the hope of this scripture from Revelation, where John sees the new Jerusalem coming out of heaven, to earth, prepared like a bride for her husband: ‘And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are faithful and true.’ (Rev. 21:2-5)
Now, that’s the kind of life we have to look forward to my faithful brethren, when this old heaven and earth are passed away. And I know it doesn’t do us a whole lot of good right now, when earthly life looks so gloomy and hopeless, but it’s the very faithfulness of God that must keep us going forward despite the many negative situations we will face. We have to wholeheartedly and faithfully accept all the promises found in the Lord’s Word as truth and use them to help us overcome.
Remember how Bruh Paul describes us in Romans 8? ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us… and NOTHING shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:37, 39b) And if that doesn’t get your spirit rising and filled with faith, then try these similar words of John in his first epistle, where he proudly and truthfully proclaims: ‘For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.’ (1 John 5:4-5)
It could not be any more explicit than that my brethren. If you believe in Jesus Christ, then you have the power to overcome the world and all its evil and ungodly people and practices. But it doesn’t happen automatically. No! You have to invest the time and energy to learn and meditate on God’s Word, then put it into practice in your life. That’s the ONLY WAY you will ever overcome the world!
However, because we’re only human, we still need God’s help to handle worldly stuff that comes against us. So, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the throne of grace and ask for divine aid in these turbulent times. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And according to our prayer, we must do certain things, like humble ourselves before God, pray, sincerely seek His face etc. etc. Then and only then, will we receive the divine aid we desire! Much LOVE!
…if you want to survive the rigours of this world…and enjoy what’s at the end…then you must sincerely believe in Jesus Christ…and live the way He desires…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: about the tough rows I've hoed, according to his riches in glory, all at once, all things work together for good, and was dead, appreciate what we have, battle to the death, be in good health, be of good cheer, Bible, called according to His purpose, christianity, Christians are not pushovers, consider one another, courage, don't know our right hand from our left, don't worry about that much, Drinking from my Saucer, earthly sojourn, eternal second death, ever-faithful, exhorting one another, faith, fellowship, fight the enemy, giving up is never an option, go along life's journey, God never fails, God will provide for all of our needs, God's strength is made perfect in my weakness, gospel truth, have the keys of hell and death, He is faithful that promised, hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, holy spirit, I am alive for evermore, I am he that liveth, I encourage you today, i have overcome the world, I pronounce a blessing on your life, I shall not want, I thank God for all his blessings, I'm already blessed enough, I'm happy anyhow, I've got a friend in jesus, I've never made a fortune, I'll not ask for other blessings, if God gives me strength, in Jesus economy, in me ye might have peace, in the name of Jesus, Jabez, Jesus Christ, learn to be contented, like clockwork, living in LOVE, Lord help me not to grumble and complain, LOVE, mano a mano, may I never be too busy, mercy, my faith wore somewhat thin, never never give up, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, our cup is overflowing, our Triune God, reaping better than I sow, remain steadfast in faith, salvation, sometimes the going's rough, staying faithful, stop complaining, sweet sacrifices of praise, thanks be to God who gives us the victory, that makes me rich enough, the dark clouds broke, the last days, The Lord is my shepherd, the mercies he's bestowed, the sun peeped through again, times things went wrong, to go on living, to help others bear their loads, to provoke unto love and good works, to them that love God, too late now, trials and tribluations, truth, upon your family, We can do all things through Christ, when the way grows steep and rough, wisdom, you must prosper, you see the day approaching
Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Oh friends, if there’s one thing we know it’s that one day follows the next like clockwork, because that’s the way God made it. That means Sunday always follows Saturday, which further means that it’s time for true believers in Jesus Christ to gather in His sanctuary, or wherever possible, to engage in fellowship with Him and with each other. And we’ll open today’s fellowship with a true and sincere song by Jamaican Gospel Artiste Jabez, titled ‘Drinking From My Saucer, from his album God Never Fails!
And we all know that as gospel truth! So let’s offer up some sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid tempo, soulful rendition of this truth-laden song. But before we sing, we pray: ‘We Worship You Lord, we worship You with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds.’ Then, singing: ‘I’ve Never Made A Fortune, And It’s Probably Too Late Now, Oh, but I Don’t Worry About That Much, Cause I’m Happy Anyhow. And As I Go Along Life’s Journey, I’m Reaping Better Than I Sow. I’m Drinking From My Saucer, Because My Cup Has Overflowed.
I haven’t Got A Lot Of Riches, And Sometimes The Going’s Rough, But I’ve Got a friend in Jesus, And That Makes Me Rich Enough. I Thank God For all His Blessings on me, And The Mercies He’s Bestowed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed. I Remember Times When Things went Wrong, And my Faith Wore Somewhat Thin, But All At Once The Dark Clouds Broke, And the Sun Peeped Through Again,’
(Monologue:) ‘You know, right now you may be going through some rough times in your life, but I’m here to encourage you today, not to give up. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! I pronounce a blessing upon your life, upon your family. You must prosper and be in good health in the name of Jesus. I believe it with all my heart.’
(Singing:) ‘So Lord, Help Me Not To Grumble and complain About The Tough Rows That I’ve Hoed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed. And If God Gives Me Strength And Courage to go on living, When The Way Grows Steep And Rough I’ll Not Ask For Other Blessings Jesus, For I’m Already Blessed Enough, And May I Never Be Too Busy, To Help Others Bear Their Loads, Then I’ll Keep Drinking From My Saucer Lord, Because My Cup Has Overflowed! Yes, I’ll keep drinking from my saucer Lord, Cause my cup has overflowed, Oh my cup has overflowed…. Yes My cup has overflowed… Thank You Lord, that my cup has overflowed…’
Ah mih people, almost all of us believers can agree on the truth of those words, encompassing the many trials we’ve experienced, but also the many blessings that the Lord has bestowed on us during our lifetime, especially in those times when we didn’t know our right hand from our left, or what step to take next. And that’s the beauty of our Triune God, He saves us, just when we’re about to go under. And though we might never accumulate many riches, we will always be contented if we walk with the Lord, for as Bruh David says in Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ (Ps.23:1)
Now that should stop all worries, but He’s also promised that we can do all things through His strength, (Phil. 4:13) and will provide for all our needs, (Phil. 4:19), as well as His strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9) And we all know one of His many names is Ever-Faithful, so what’s there to be worried about eh?
Remember what the author of Hebrews also writes: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:23-25)
Yes friends, that’s what we ought to be doing: staying faithful, living in LOVE, gathering to celebrate our faith and encouraging each other to do good works. And that’s especially important in these evil and ungodly times, when it seems like the last days are upon us. Now, more than ever, we need to be strong and take on the enemy, mano a mano and let him know that we Christians are not pushovers, but mighty in Christ Jesus, willing to battle him to the death!
And although many of us are still finding the going tough, believe me, we’re living better than most of the world, so let’s stop complaining and appreciate all that we have, for compared to may others, our cup is truly overflowing, so that we must drink from our saucer. Let’s also remember, that in Jesus’ economy, giving up is never an option. Those words don’t occur in His vocabulary.
And we need to hold on to this awesome promise found in Romans: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) That assures us that although things might go wrong during our earthly sojourn, in the end, the Lord will make it all right. Remember how Cousin Sol said it in Ecclesiastes: ‘Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.’ (Eccl. 7:8)
In other words, ‘The end of a matter being better than the beginning highlights the importance of perseverance. We are encouraged to remain steadfast in our faith and actions.’ And that’s what following Jesus is all about; remaining steadfast and strong, true and faithful, despite the trials and tribulations we will undoubtedly face. And what better words to end with than these most reassuring one from Jesus, where He encourages the disciples thus: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
And we know that’s true because Bruh Paul says it in his first letter to the Corinthians: ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor, 15:57) Meaning that ‘Jesus broke the power of sin and its relationship to death. His death on the cross paid for our sins so that believers will not face the eternal second death. His resurrection from the dead conquered death.’ And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul, you might believe Jesus Himself when He says to John in Revelation: ‘I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades) and death.’ (Rev. 1:18)
Now, if you can’t believe Jesus, then something’s seriously wrong with your faith, and you’d better check it out immediately. Much LOVE!
…though trials will come…if we stand steadfast and true…the faithful promises of God…will help us triumph over them…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: added joy, all these things shall be added unto you, choose life, christianity, Christians, cleanse your hands ye sinners, communion with god, crowns thee with lovingkindness, deepen my breath, delight thyself in the Lord, draw nigh to God, enjoy the comforts of home, faith, for your unceasing nearness, forget not all his benefits, forgives thine iniquities, give thee the desires of thine heart, God so loved the world, God will abundantly pardon, he gave his only begotten son, heals your diseases, holy spirit, humble yourselves in the sight of God, I call heaven and earth, I may know you all the more, I praise you, I will hearken unto you, if from thence, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, mercy, my neck of the woods, out frolicking, pray unto me, purify your hearts, quiet my soul, receive our love in return, redeems thy life from destruction, relax my muscles, resist the devil, return unto the Lord, salvation, satisfies thy mouth with good things, search for me with all your heart, seek me and find me, seek the Lord thy God, seek the Lord while he may be found, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, set before you life and death, should not perish but have everlasting life, shower us with love, slow my thoughts, stay inside, submit yourselves to God, tender mercies, thank you for this tenderness, that you and your seed may live, the BIBLE, the breaks you get, the choices you make, the quality of life, then shall ye call upon me, thou shalt find him, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, to witness against you, trust in the Lord and do good, truth, under the mighty hand of god, whosoever believes in him, wisdom, with all sincerity and truth, you can't be contianed, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 March 2025 Deuteronomy 4:29.
Deuteronomy 4:29. ‘But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him, with all thy heart and with all thy soul.’
And it’s another sunshiny, clear, dry day in my neck of the woods, although some snow fell during the midnight hours. But that’s all gone now. So, we can be out and about frolicking on this lazy-day Saturday, or simply stay inside, and enjoy the comforts of home, with the added joy of knowing that it’s beautiful outside. (smile) And to ramp up our joy even further, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth.
As one strong 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 there’s nothing more pleasant or desirous than having God’s peace and presence increased in our souls! And it’s assured when we pray sincere prayers like those, because our God LOVES nothing more than to hear us asking Him to come deeper and more plentiful into our lives, spirits and souls. For that’s why He made us; to have good and strong communion with us; to shower His LOVE on us, and receive our LOVE in return.
Now that’s why there are so many scriptures in the Lord’s Word about seeking Him. So, let’s check out a few today nuh, starting with this one from Jeremiah that we all know. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) It could not be any clearer or more straightforward than that my fellow believers!
And, earlier on, Moses told the Israelites the very same thing when cautioning them about repentance of sin. ‘But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him, with all thy heart and with all thy soul.’ (Deut. 4:29) Then Isaiah, in his reminder that God abundantly pardons, tells his people: ‘Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’ (Is. 55: 6-7)
Oh my people, that is exactly what our evil and ungodly world desperately needs RIGHT NOW! A return to God and acceptance of all the good things He has to offer. As Bruh David so sincerely and truly puts it in Psalm 103: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVINGKINDNESS and tender mercies. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:2-5)
Wow mih bredrin! Who wouldn’t want all those wonderful benefits eh? Well, they are readily available by simply turning to the Lord God in repentance and becoming the new man that requires, with the awesome help of His Holy Spirit. And if you’re wanting more scripture about getting good things from God, listen to these two nuh. The first from Isaiah, from that scripture on God’s continual strength and unsearchable understanding: ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31)
We all know it, but do we practice it? Now that’s another quandary, or difficult position in which we find ourselves; there’s something that we want, but apparently are not willing to do what it takes to get it. The same goes for this scripture from Psalm 37, titled Trust in the Lord. Bruh David writes: ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:3-5)
And that’s only a few of the things we can do to get the desires of our heart from God! So who’s to blame if we don’t get them eh? No one else but us! But let’s get back to some more modern scriptures that blatantly tell us to seek the Lord. Here’s this one from James, where he admonishes us: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded….Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:7-8, 10)
And Peter echoes the same sentiments: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 6-7) And we spoke about that early on when we said that God created us to LOVE us, and be LOVED in return. That’s because He cares the whole world about us. Why else would He send His Son to earth to die for our sins eh? The basic reason was LOVE for his sinful, disobedient creation, as Jesus so eloquently puts 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.’ (John 3:16)
That’s as good as it gets my fellow saints, and why Jesus therefore strongly advised us; ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) The long and short of the story then is we have all the information and tools before us, it’s our choice how we choose to use them. But please, please hear this last admonition from the scriptures; where Moses tells the Israelites as they are preparing to enter the Promised Land. ‘I call heaven and earth to record (witness) this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19)
I offer this same admonition to us today my people. Why? ‘Because the quality of your life isn’t determined as much by the breaks that you get, as its determined by the choices that you make.’ Much LOVE!
…one can only find God….when one seeks Him diligently and sincerely…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all places of his dominion, all scripture is given by inspiration of God, all things work together for good, angels who excel in strength, anxiety and confusion, assurance, be responsible, Bible, bless the Lord, called according to His purpose, christianity, crying out for help, divine aid, do his commandments, do his pleasure, equipped with all good works, everlasting doors, faith, gathered together, gives it to whomsoever he will, God is on his throne, God is the king of all the earth, God reigns over the heathen, God's in total control, God's kingdom rules over all, God's kingship is universal, good news, grace, hearkening unto the voice of his word, holy spirit, instruction in righteousness, Jesus Christ, lift up your heads, LOVE, mercy, miracle working power, Nebuchadnezzar's dream, o ye gates, omnipotent, omnipotent help, problems escalating, profitable for doctrine reproof correction, salvation, servants of god, sets up over it the basest of men, sinful world, sing praise to God, sing praise unto our King, sovereign, stand strong and steadfast, stay safe, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the affairs of men, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the gospel truth, the King of glory shall come in, the living may know, the Lord of hosts, the man of God may be perfect, the most High rules in the kingdom of men, the people of the God of Abraham, the princes of the people, the real McCoy, the rhone of grace, the shields of the earth, the shields of the earth belong to God, the simmering unrest, the throne of his holiness, the unexpected storms, the verity of scripture, the world, the world and they that dwell therein, these ungodly times, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, time's whisking by, to those who love God, trusting faith, truth, understanding, wake up and smell the coffee, wannabe believers, who is the king of glory, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 103:19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Wow! It’s Friday already! The first week in March is finished. Time is simply whisking by, waiting for no one, so we had better pay close attention to it, if we don’t want to get left behind, inhaling its flying dust! (smile) But be that as it may, it’s a beautiful sunny day in my neighbourhood with temps a tad on the lower side, still above freezing, but not as cold as it’s been the last couple of days. And after all the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ we have an interesting weekend to look forward to with mostly sunshine promised by the weather people.
And is that ever good news, because we need some sunshine and clear skies after enduring the damp and cloudy weather for a while. But here’s some even better news: the Lord God Jehovah is still on His throne, sovereign and omnipotent, in total control of the affairs of men. Thus, we can be assured of this most encouraging verse of scripture: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Now, if God is not in total control, then that verse is without any assurance whatsoever. However, since we know for a fact that our heavenly Father sits upon His throne on high and runs things to suit His plans and purposes, we can most definitely rely on the truthfulness and assurance of that mighty verse of scripture. And how do we know that the Lord is omnipotent and in control?
Listen to these words of that great prophet, Bruh David. He writes in Psalm 103: ‘The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers (servants) of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion.’ (Ps. 103:19-22)
Yes friends, as Bruh David says earlier on in Psalm 24: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers).’ (Ps. 24:1-2) More assurance that the Lord did establish the world and all therein and still controls it with the power of His mighty Spirit. Satan, or no other demon can ever take it from His hands, for they are all pretenders, but the Lord our God is the real thing, the real McCoy!
As Bruh David ends Psalm 24 with these awesome proclamations: ‘Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.’ (Ps. 24:7-10) Now that’s who is the mightiest in this universe!
And if perchance you don’t believe Bruh David, then listen to the Sons of Korah from Psalm 47 titled – Exalt the Lord Most High. They totally proclaim: ‘Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen (Gentiles): God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.’ (Ps. 47:6-9)
And the scholars inform us that the last verses of the Psalm, 7-9, reveal that God’s kingship is destined to be universal. And they speak prophetically of the time when the Lord Jesus will reign on earth. Now we all know that the Bible, especially the Book of Revelation promises that. So my fellow believers, how can we not accept the verity of the scriptures eh, when Bruh Paul loudly declares: ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto (equipped with) all good works.’ (1 Tim. 3:16-17)
Now, if you’re a true believer, you will know that’s the gospel truth! The Word of the Lord was given to us as a Guidebook for earthly living, and if we don’t follow it as closely as possible, then we will not live the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. And if you still don’t believe that our God reigns supreme over the universe He created, then listen to these two snippets from the Book of Daniel where he interprets the dream of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.
In the first verse Daniel tells him the dream is a doing of God; ‘that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest (lowest) of men.’ (Dan. 4:17b) And the next snippet from verse 25 tells Neb because of his disobedience and pride, he will go mad and behave like wild beasts for seven years, before he recovers, ‘till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.’ (Dan. 4:25b)
Oh my fellow saints, that should make us all think twice about our God’s sovereignty and power. And since, in these ungodly and evil times we need His help so badly, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking as much of that miracle working power as possible. 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 per our prayer, divine aid will come when we stop behaving like wannabe believers and truly become faithful believers. Much LOVE!
…If God is not omnipotent and in total control…then our faith is worthless…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cold and windy day, a compassionate heart, a living wage, a modicum of circumspection, a natural human emotion, a wrathful man stirs up strife, abundance, allow the devil to breach our spiritual armour, an albatross around one's neck, anger does not produce the righteousness of God, anger must be tempered, anger rests in the bosom of fools, be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, be ye angry and sin not, better is the end than the beginning, better than he that takes a city, better than the mighty, better than the proud in spirit, christianity, curse, divine protection, duty bound, faith, favour, fools are predominant in our world, God's supernatural wisdom, grin and bear it, he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly, he that is slow to anger appeases strife, he that is slow to wrath, he that refrains his lips is wise, he that rules his spirit, house ownership, in the multitude of words, Jesus Christ, leaking basements, let every man be swift to hear, let it all hang out, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, LOVE, mercy, negative aspects of house ownership, negative word, neither give place to the devil, of great understanding, promotion, salvation, slow to speak, slow to wrath, spiritual armour, success, talent, the BIBLE, the lead and guidance of Jesus, the patient in spirit, the wrath of man, there wanteth not sin, this fallen world, truth, wisdom, worketh not the righteousness of God
Ecclesiastes 7:9. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Well, this second day of Lent, Thursday, has opened cold and wind and somewhat cloudy. But that’s fine by me, because that means the rain’s stopped falling and the snow has stopped melting and consequently my basement has stopped leaking, for however long the dry and cold weather continues! Glory Be!
Ah friends, this owning a house racket is the biggest scam in our country. They tie you to a mortgage for umpteen years, at prices you can barely afford, and give you all the glowing accounts of house ownership, but never tell you a word about the many negative aspects, like the fast-risinginsurance premiums, ever increasing taxes and ever diminishing returns on those taxes, the untimely repairs and the numerous unforeseen things involved in owning a house. And sometimes I think it’s good that house prices have skyrocketed so that young people cannot afford them, and consequently don’t get shackled with a lifelong albatross around their necks.
But that’s just my take on the subject, having been an owner of several homes, both old and new over the years. And believe me, even the new ones have unforeseen problems that can be both expensive to fix and also frustrating, because when you buy something brand new, you don’t expect to have any more layouts of time and money for a while.
And it wouldn’t be so bad if most of us were making a living wage, meaning one that we can afford the necessities of life without too much hassle. But that’s not true for a majority of the population. However, that’s life in this fallen world my brethren, and we just have to grin and bear it as best we can, sincerely following the lead and guidance of Jesus’ Word and His Holy Spirit which indwells us.
Enough of my complaining though, let’s check out some interesting and very appropriate words from Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. He declares: ‘Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.’ (Eccl. 7:8-9)
Excellent words of wisdom my people! And how I wish our world would hear those words and take them to heart, because right now it’s filled with an overabundance of proud, egotistic, entitled, angry, dissatisfied and vengeful humans. And if you follow Cousin Sol’s logic, then fools and foolishness are indeed predominant, because anger now has such a deep-seated position in today’s society. And it’s sad that there are so many scriptures that reject and rebuke that kind of attitude and behaviour, yet we persist in making it so predominant in today’s world.
So to help us get a better perspective on the problem, and hopefully turn things around, let’s check out a few scriptures that detail the folly of anger and pride, beginning with this poignant one from James, where he talks about being hearers and doers of the word. ‘Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:19-20)
It could not be said any clearer and more straightforward than that my fellow believers. And we all know it, because whenever we get angry, we do and say things that don’t mix and mingle well with the Lord’s expectations. And that’s why we ought to not get angry too quickly, always try and instill a modicum of circumspection. (smile) But if we do get angry, let’s keep these words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians in mind. ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.’ (Eph. 4:26-27)
Yes friends, the scripture acknowledges that anger is a natural human emotion, but it must be controlled and not lead to sin. The scholars put it thus: ‘Sinful anger is to be replaced by (briefly held) righteous indignation, that the devil may not be given opportunity.’ Oh so true! But unfortunately, not enough of us, both believers and unbelievers, ever tend to follow that route. Instead, we let it all hang out, and thus give the devil lots of space to breach our spiritual armour.
But getting back to the scriptures on anger and pride, Cousin Sol has several in Proverbs. Let’s check out a few of them. This first one says: ‘In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth (restrains) his lips is wise.’ (Prov. 10:19) In other words, when you talk too much you run a much higher risk of committing sin than when you keep your words few.
Then there’s this: ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive) exalteth folly.’ (Prov. 14:29) That’s self-explanatory. And what about this one? ‘A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife (contention).’ (Prov. 15:18) That’s also self-explanatory. (smile) And we’ll finish with this one: ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ (Prov. 16:32) Yuh see mih people, being slow to get angry is much better than being a mighty warrior. (smile)
And to help us do His earthly work properly, our good God has bestowed showers of undeserved blessings upon us. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them 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 (awright!!!!) we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…anger comes naturally…but like fire…it must be tempered…lest it cause serious and unnecessary damage…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a light unto my path, a one-way street, a two-way street, all these things shall be added unto you, Ash Wednesday, ask and it shall be given to you, choose to do right, dieting, doing our part, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fasting, giving up stuff, God-fearing life, halfway home, hands on the plough, help me love your every wish, His Part - My Part, holy spirit, I expect your help dear Lord, it is written, Jesus Christ, knock and it shall be opened, let not any iniquity have dominion over me, like white on rice, live by God's dictates, LOVE, make your word my guide, making music unto the Lord, mercy, more than we can ask or imagine, not turning back, obedience brings God's blessings, One Year Book of Bible promises, order my steps in thy word, reassure me, refresh and revive me, riotous living, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, seek and ye shall find, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, sinful excesses, stay steadfast, stop me wanting any plan but yours, thank God, that your promises are mine, the abundant life, the bacchanal finish, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Lenten season, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to a glorious future with Jesus, to depend upon you increasingly, to obey you, to revere and honour you, trust, trust you totally, truth, unmoved by any circumstance, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, work in me that steadfast trust, you're not going to start with me, your will to be my will
Psalm 119:133. Order (direct) my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity (sin) have dominion (rule over) over me.
And finally, all the bacchanal done now! After all the riotous living and excesses of Carnival, everybody suddenly get pious and godly this Ash Wednesday morning! (smile) Who not dieting and fasting, giving up something to make them feel good for the Lenten season. It’s a good thing that I don’t do much, so I don’t have anything to give up. If I give up anything, then I won’t be doing anything at all. I don’t need to fast either, because I do that every day with the hours I eat between meals.
And dieting…no way Jose! I need to put back on some pounds after the lot I recently lost from my illness. What I believe I need to do is to get back to doing some of the things I haven’t been doing, like writing something besides the Bit, and making some music unto the Lord. Anyway, we all have our own peculiarities and eccentricities in dealing with Lent, and who’s to say who’s right from wrong eh? Certainly not me! (smile)
Now today, we’re going to look at an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. As always, I’m not sure if I’ve ever shared this one, but since they are all so interesting and appropriate to our needs, they can all be shared several times. (smile) This poem is titled ‘His Part – My Part.’
So please read with me: ‘Lord You want me to trust You so totally That I am unmoved by any circumstance: Then work in me that steadfast trust. You want me to choose to do right: Then turn me from wanting any plan but Yours. You want me to revere and honour You: Then refresh and revive me. You want me to obey You uninterruptedly: Then make Your Word my guide. You want me to depend upon You increasingly: Then reassure me that Your promises are mine. You want Your will to be my will: Then help me to LOVE Your every wish. – – – – – I expect Your help dear Lord For You’ve never broken a single promise And you’re not going to start with me.’
Oh my people, we’ve got that ever so right! The Lord’s NEVER broken a single promise, and He’s not going to begin with us if we stick to Him steadfastly and closely like white on rice, and bring to His attention all the promises He’s made us. Let Him know, as Jesus said to Satan: ‘It is written.’ Written in His faithful Word. But please, let’s remember the title of the poem ‘His Part – My Part.’ The Lord is quite capable of doing His part, but are we capable of doing our part, and if so, are we willing to do it?
That’s the million-dollar question! We want the Lord to do all sorts of things for us, and we’re quite right, because Jesus also told us to: ‘Ask, and it shall be giving you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt. 7:7) So asking and seeking and knocking of God is not wrong, but we must also be manifesting, demonstrating some basic trust, faith, LOVE and obedience in His direction. Otherwise, it would just be a one-way street; coming from God alone, and not a two-way street like it ought to be.
Yes friends, we can ask for all that we need within God’s will, and He will meet those needs as Jesus promised. if we place Him first in our everyday lives. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) There we have it, another promise of God which we can make Him keep, if we seek Him and His kingdom above everything else.
And the Bible promise for our poem today comes from none other than the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. This verse says, quite appropriately: ‘Order (direct) my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity (sin) have dominion (rule over) over me.’ (Ps. 119: 133) Now that’s a nice, overall, all containing request. It gets right to the heart of the matter; being guided by the Lord’s Word, so that no sin can overcome us.
And how do we do that? By allowing this other verse from Psalm 119 to be uppermost in our lives. ‘Thy word is a light unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) Yes my faithful brethren, the Lord’s Word was given to us to be our Guidebook for earthly living, and if we sincerely study it and put it into action in our lives, we will live the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. Not that we won’t have problems, but we’ll be able to handle those problems in a calm and peaceful manner, just like Jesus did when He lived here on earth.
And that’s the beauty of making Jesus our Lord and Saviour; He enables us to live a good, strong and solid, God-fearing life despite the trials and tribulations we will face. No One else, or no other organization, even if they promise it, can truly do it! Only Jesus Christ! And having said that, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Jesus Christ.
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!’
Now, there’s one more promise that you might not know of; it’s said that if you endure with Jesus right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Wow! So please, let’s stay steadfast with the programme nuh, so that we can meet and enjoy that more than glorious future at the very end! Much LOVE!
…if we truly want to be God’s people…then we truly have to live by His dictates…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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