26 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, ambassadors for Christ, and again I say rejoice, be careful for nothing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, cannot stop our drive to victory, christianity, Christians, deepen my breath, divide and conquer, doing what we want when we want, don't walk the walk, drop our petty differences, faith, fight the good fight for Jesus, filled with the peace of God, galvanize us into action, get serious about living for Christ, glorify your father in heaven, good for nothing, heading straight to hell, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, if the salt has lost it s flavour, in everything by prayer and supplication, in the back of our minds, in the name of Jesus, in the proverbial handbasket, in word and deed, increase my awareness of you today, intimacy with god, it gives light to all in the house, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lead miserable and lacking lives, Let your light so shine before men, let your moderation be known unto all men, let your requests be made known unto God, light blazing, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, make a substantial difference, mercy, neither do men light a candle, peace that passes all human understanding, put it under a bushel, put our faith to work in our daily lives, quiet my soul, Rejoice in the Lord always, relax my muscles, saltiness overflowing, salvation, see your good works, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, slow my thoughts, start our day with prayer, talk the talk, tasteless like the world, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the current chaotic state of our world, the enemy, the forefront of our minds, the gutter of hell, the Lord is at hand, the murky abyss of hell, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the terrible consequences of inaction, to be cast out, trodden under foot of men, truth, wisdom, with all sincerity and truth, Ye are the light of the world, ye are the salt of the earth, you are here with me, you can't be contained, your love surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Matthew 5:13a & 16a. Ye are the salt of the earth: Let your light so shine before men,
And finally our lazy-day Saturday is on board! It’s somewhat cloudy and windy and not as warm as we might like, but it’s nonetheless our lazy-day Saturday, where we can do what we want, when we want, and how we want! (smile) Now isn’t that a joy, after having to do the wishes of others all the live long week? It certainly is! And as always, it’s best to start our day with prayer; that’s salutations, greetings and thanks to our wonderful God for allowing us to see another day on this great though confused and chaotic earth.
So let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth. As one 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 without a doubt, if our prayer was truly heartfelt, our bodies and souls will soon be filled with the calm and peace of God, that passes all human understanding. Because there’s nothing that our God likes more than His people wanting greater intimacy with Him, for that’s one of the major reasons He created us. And that’s why, when talking about the God of Peace, Bruh Paul could write these marvellous words to the Philippians.
‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (graciousness, reasonableness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all human understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:4-7)
Oh friends, what wonderful advice! The trouble however, is that though we know the advice, too many of us keep it somewhere in the back of our minds, instead of in the forefront, and consequently not enough of us put it into practice. No wonder so many of us have somewhat miserable and lacking lives, when with simply following Bruh Paul’s advice we could be doing so much better.
That brings us to the realization that too many of us talk the talk but don’t actually walk it. We all talk about faith and all the things it can do, but how many of us truly put our faith to work in our daily lives eh? Certainly not enough of us, otherwise our world would not be in its current chaotic, ungodly state. That means we’re not doing as Jesus desires. Remember these poignant words of His? ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ (Matt. 5:13)
Sadly my people, it seems like way too many of us have lost our salty flavour and now are tasteless just like the rest of the world, which could never be a good thing and work in Jesus’ favour. Remember, we are His ambassadors here on earth and are supposed to be telling others, both in word and deed about His wonderful kingdom, and causing them to want to join us. But unfortunately we’re not doing it well enough. And how can we be good representatives of Jesus when we don’t adhere to these words of His either eh?
‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp) and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14-16)
And right there my fellow believers is one of our biggest problems and why our world is in such an ungodly mess. God’s people are not shining their lights as brightly as they ought to! Too many of our lights have either been dimmed or simply gone out, for us to be able to make a substantial difference in our evil world that’s sadly heading straight to hell in the proverbial handbasket!
But my brethren it’s not too late for us to stop the slimy slide down to the gutter of hell. No! If we would only get serious about living for Christ, then drop all our petty Christian differences and get together as ONE, and boldly and confidently restore our salty flavour and turn up the level of our lights, so that the world can see what true Christianity is all about, then we can retake most of the world for Christ, and stop that slimy and sorry slide to hell fire and damnation.
But unfortunately it first depends on us being willing to individually stand up and fight against the evil around us, then, more importantly for us to get together and fight as ONE! For we cannot defeat the enemy in our present divided and distrustful state. That’s why the enemy has concentrated on keeping us apart, using the old but wise theory of divide and conquer. And once he keeps us divided, his evil plans will meet with much success, as they are now doing so very blatantly.
So it’s up to us to decide if we’re going to fight the good fight for Jesus, or just let our world slide down into the dark and murky abyss of hell. I’d suggest we all take a few moments today and consider the question and the sure, terrible consequences of our inaction, and let them galvanize us into powerful action, in the strong and mighty name of Jesus! Much LOVE!
…with saltiness overflowing…and light blazing…the enemy cannot stop our drive to victory…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, a new flock of believers, anointed with fresh oil, behaving too much like the world, blessed is the people that know the joyful sound, bring forth fruit in old age, crying out for your help, discontent, disobey God's will, dissatisfaction, divine aid, embrace your love and compassion, established it upon the floods, faith, fellow saints, flourish in the courts of God, Friday chant, grow like a cedar in Lebanon, he hath founded it upon the seas, he is my rock, high is thy right hand, holy spirit, in thy name shall they rejoice all the day, in thy righteousness, Jesus Christ, justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne, like the horn of a unicorn, LOVE, loving-kindness and truth shall go be fore thy face, make a joyful noise to the Lord, mercy, mouthing the platitude, my horn shalt thou exalt, no unrighteousness in God, not doing our best to represent God, not pulling our weight, our sinful world, planted in the house of the Lord, problems are escalating, return backsliders to your fold, righteousness and justice, salvation, shall they be exalted., simmering unrest, smell it sweet and strong, stand strong, strong is thy hand, suffer the consequences, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thankful for another day in God's universe, the Creator and Controller of the universe, the earth also is thine, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the error of their ways, the example we faithful believers set, the foundation of thy throne, the heavens are thine, the Lord is my defence, the Lord is upright, the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, the throne of God, the unexpected storms, the workers of iniquity, the world and they that dwell therein, truth, wake up and smell the coffee, walk in the light of God's countenance, wisdom, wise guidance, work for Christ
1 Corinthians 10:26. For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.
So it’s Friday, and we’re all overjoyed at the prospect of the weekend hovering right around the corner; time to rest and /or party. And many of sent up the cry of ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ whether sincerely thanking God, or just mouthing the platitude, only you alone know. But hopefully, many will be truly thankful to see another day in God’s great universe, because that’s the right and wise way to be.
Remember the Lord created the universe and everything within it as Bruh David says 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) Meanwhile Bruh Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians reminds them thus: ‘For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.’ (1 Cor. 10:26) And Ethan the Ezrahite puts it this way in Psalm 89. ‘The heavens are thine, the earth is also thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them.’ (Ps. 89:11)
Yes friends, not only did God establish the universe and all therein, but He still controls it and rules sovereignly over it! For as Ethan the Ezrahite continues in Psalm 89: ‘Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgement (righteousness and justice) are the habitation (foundation) of thy throne: LOVING-KINDNESS and truth shall go before thy face.’ (Ps. 89:13-14) So the Lord our God is also strong and mighty, and only deals in truth, justice and righteousness.
And because of that, Ethan could further say: ‘Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound (make a joyful noise to the Lord): they shall walk, O Lord in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn (strength) shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.’ (Ps. 89:15-18) And that’s the living truth my brethren! The Lord God Jehovah is our shield, our defence our strong arm in the time of battle.
Listen as the psalmist tells it. ‘When the wicked spring (sprout) as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn (my strength) shalt thou exalt like the horn (strength) of a unicorn (wild ox): I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.’ (Ps. 92:7-11)
That tells it like it is my people! The Lord will destroy the wicked, the workers of iniquity in His own time and strengthen those who sincerely trust in Him. And on top of all that, the psalmist furthermore proclaims: ‘The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (tall and strong). Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing (plump and green); To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.’ (Ps. 92:12-15)
Now friends, who wouldn’t want to be a part of all that eh? Strong, exalted, flourishing, bringing forth good fruit even in your old age, with the Lord being your rock and strength and defence! It doesn’t get any better than that my people! And yes it’s hard to withstand all the temptations of the wicked enemy, but fortunately the Lord has given us all the tools to do it, with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to lead and guide us. And if all that fails, then we even have the option of going to the throne of grace directly to ask for divine aid. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Ah my fellow saints, unfortunately it’s not only the sinful world that needs to wake up and smell the coffee, no, many of us supposed believers also need to do that too, because we’re not pulling our weight, we are not doing our best to represent God in this ungodly world, we’re behaving too much like the world, and that will never do. It will never help us to turn things around. So please, let’s wake up and do what we know we’re supposed to do nuh; that’s stand strong and work for Christ! Much LOVE!
…regardless of what you believe…God IS the Creator and Controller of the universe…and those who disobey His will…will suffer the consequences…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deep desire for personal righteousness, a hungry animal, a message of hope, a mighty rushing wind, a new heart will I also give you, a new spirit will I put within you, a renewed relationship with God, a sound from heaven, a spiritual transformation, a strong will, a thirsting soul, as generously as the Lord shared them with us, as the hart panteth after the water brooks, began to speak with other tongues, believers, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, broken right now in the name of Jesus, broken the gates of brass, cause you to walk in my statutes, christianity, cloven tongues like fire, complete satisfaction, curse, cut the bars of iron asunder, divine protection, early will I seek thee, everything originates from God, faith, favour, filled with the Holy Ghost, for his goodness, fulfilment, give you an heart of flesh, good health, he filleth the hungry soul with goodness, he satisfieth the longing soul, his wonderful works to the children of men, holy spirit, I will bless thee while I live, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, Jesus Christ, keep my judgements and do them, lift up my hands in thy name, LOVE, mercy, my flesh longs for you, my lips shall praise thee, my soul longeth for thee, my soul thirsteth for god, negative word, O God thou art my God, obedience to God's law, oh that men would praise the Lord, Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in the New Testament, other languages, outpouring of righteousness, panting for food or water, promostion, proof of their spiritual rebirth, propser, put my spirit within you, salvation, self-control, self-discipline, share our blessings with others, so panteth my soul after thee O God, spiritual poverty, spiritual rebirth, spiritual renewal, succeed, supernatural wisdom, take away the stony heart out of your flesh, the Beatitudes, the BIBLE, The Day of Pentecost, the Holy spirit indwelling believers, the indisputable truth, the living God, the penultimate day of our work week, the prophecy of Ezekiel, the sons of Korah, they shall be filled, thy loving-kindness is better than life, to see thy power and thy glory, truth, underserved blessings, When shall I come and appear before God, wisdom, yearning for perishable things, yearning for spiritual things
Psalm 107:15. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-KINDNESS), and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
So we’ve come to Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, a warm and sunshiny day, and we’re just panting for Friday, like a hungry or thirsty animal panting for food or water. Oh, how I wish we could be like the sons of Korah say in Psalm 42: ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’ (Ps. 42:1-2)
And Bruh David corroborates it in Psalm 63, ‘A Thirsting Soul’ while in the wilderness, running from his arch enemy King Saul. He writes: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul longeth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;’ (Ps. 63:1)
Yes friends, it’s the living God we should be panting and thirsting for; not the day when we get a break from work! For who do you think allows you to have that break eh? In the long run, it’s the living God! In fact everything that you have or get, initially flows from Almighty God! It might come through other people, but it all originates from the grace, mercy and LOVE of our heavenly Father! As Bruh David spells out in the next couple of verses. ‘To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee (looked for thee) in the sanctuary. Because thy LOVING-KINDNESS is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.’ (Ps. 63:2-4)
Now that’s how we supposed believers ought to be behaving, not looking forward to the material, perishable things of the world, as so many of us are currently doing. It’s like Jesus says in the Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6)
And the scholars offer this interesting explanation of that verse. ‘These future possessors of the earth are its presently installed rightful heirs, and even now they hunger and thirst for righteousness. They experience a deep desire for personal righteousness, which in itself is a proof of their spiritual rebirth. Those who are poor and empty in their own spiritual poverty recognize the depth of their need, and they hunger and thirst for that which ONLY God can give them. They shall be filled refers to a complete satisfaction. The psalmist proclaimed: “He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Ps. 107:9)
And that’s the indisputable truth my fellow believers! When we sincerely hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God, He fills us up, because that is His very nature, which He cannot deny. And we find one of the best examples of that in the Book of Acts, on the Day of Pentecost when the church members were sitting together in a room, ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave then utterance.’ (Acts. 2:2-4)
Oh my brethren, that was certainly an unusual outpouring of righteousness all at once, but it marked the beginning of the Holy Spirt indwelling believers and not operating outside on certain occasions. It’s what God promised the Israelites in the prophesy of Ezekiel. ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.’ (Ezek. 36:26-27)
And this commentary offers an explanation of those verses. ‘They promise a spiritual transformation, where God will replace the Israelites’ “heart of stone” (stubbornness, resistance) with a “heart of flesh” (responsiveness, obedience), and infuse them with a “new spirit,” symbolizing a renewed relationship with God and obedience to His laws. This promise is a type of the New Covenant, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, offering spiritual renewal to all believers.
In essence, Ezekiel 36:26 is a powerful message of hope and spiritual renewal, promising a restoration of the Israelites’ relationship with God through a transformation of their hearts and minds. This transformation is also seen as a foreshadowing of the New Covenant, where God’s spirit dwells within believers, enabling them to live in obedience and righteousness.’
Now that ought to help us believe God’s Word even more, as those prophecies in the Old Testament keep being fulfilled in the New Testament. Consequently, our behaviour ought to be like the psalmist says in Psalm 107: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-KINDNESS), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass (bronze), and cut the bars of iron in sunder.’ (Ps. 107:15-16)
Yes, friends, the Lord has broken all our chains and released us from the prison of sin and being hell bound through the auspices of Christ’s work on the cross of Calvary. That means we should be thankful, grateful and show it through our obedience and LOVE, especially since He’s further showered us with our Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings to do His earthly work. So let’s declare and 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 (yeah!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share those blessings with 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!
…instead of yearning for perishable earthly things…we ought to ye yearning for imperishable spiritual or heavenly things…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a biblical way of life, a bunch of ingrates, a meaningful prayer, a peace that trancedns all human understanding, a peace that's totally different from the world's, a strong faith, a way of relating to God, according to his riches in glory, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, anger, ascendance in earthly power, be moved to compassion, be of good cheer, breathtaking spectacle, calm in the midst of the storm, change the world, Christ's miraculous resurrection, Christian faith, christianity, Christians, come unto me, compassion for the less fortunate, defeating Satan hell death and the grave, dicison, division, does not burn people out, Easter celebrations, encompasses everything, endure to the end, evil and ungodly world, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, filled with your peace, find rest unto your souls, flowing through me, gentle and humble, give I unto you, God's peace, hands on the plough, headline increase panic, healing words, help us, help us breathe and turn to you, help us not to forget anyone, help us remain calm, holy spirit, I am meek and lowly in heart, i have overcome the world, I will give you rest, ignore people on the margins, in Jesus' name, in the world ye shall have tribulation, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, Jesus is all we ever need, Jesus is the way the truth and the life, justified, lay siege, learn from me, leave us anxious, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, mercy, miraculous action, more effective than efficient, more faithful than fashionable, more fulfilling than frustrating, more practical than pragmatic, move peacefully through the day, my God shall supply all your needs, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world gives, not as the world giveth, not turning back, our conversations, our times get rough, panic, Peace i leave with you, peole are rushing, personal circumstances, put our total trust in Jesus, reconciled, redeemed, repentance, rest for both body and soul, rose from the grave, rushing, salvation, sanctified, second wind day, speak gentle healing words, step out in faith, strength and endurance for the course, surrender our lives to Jesus, take my yoke upon you, tempted to, thank God, the annals of man, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the less fortunate, to a glorious future with Jesus, to conquer our Christian walk, tough times, truth, unsettled state of our world, Wednesday Wail, whosoever will may come, wisdom
John 14:27a. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Oh Friends, I can’t believe that it’s already Wednesday, our second wind day of the work week! But I guess when you’re caught up in the joy of the Easter Celebrations, the days pass by so quickly that you hardly notice them. And to tell the truth, any reason for catching a second wind today won’t be from work, but from the intensity and excitement of the celebrations. I’m sure most of us who were off on Monday didn’t do much work yesterday, so what second wind is there to catch eh? (smile) None but that from the revelry and breathtaking spectacle of Christ’s miraculous resurrection, which ultimately provided salvation and eternal life to a bunch of ingrates like we human beings!
There could not be a bigger and better moment in the annals of man! For in that miraculous action, Jesus redeemed, reconciled, justified and sanctified us. Wow! In those four words lie the basis of our Christian faith, therefore we do have a duty to uphold what they mean by allowing them to show forth in our lives. And sometimes we need help to do so, because it’s not always easy living in this evil and ungodly world, especially like right now, when Satan and his cronies have the ascendance in earthly power. But we know that won’t last forever, however to help us get through these tough times let’s offer up this prayer from the In Touch April Devotional.
Please pray with me. ‘Lord, when people around us are rushing, help us move peacefully through the day. When anger and division lay siege to our conversations, help us speak gentle, healing words. When headlines increase the panic in others’ hearts, help us remain calm and be moved to compassion. When we’re tempted to ignore people on the margins, help us not to forget anyone. When our personal circumstances leave us anxious, help us breathe and turn to you. May we be filled with Your peace, and may it change the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s what you’d call a very meaningful prayer, for it encompasses all the things and times we need to conquer in our daily Christian walk and help turn our world around. Negative things like rushing, anger, division, panic, ignoring the less fortunate, and self-pity when our own circumstances become negative. And we need to conquer them with God’s peace, gentle, healing words, calm in the midst of the storms of life, compassion for the less fortunate, and a strong faith when our own times get rough.
And that’s exactly what Jesus offers. Listen as He opens up His very heart and soul to us when He makes the following statements. The first says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes, my faithful brethren, Jesus gives us a peace that is totally different from what the world offers. And Bruh Paul explains that as the peace that surpasses or transcends all human understanding. (Phil. 4:7) Now with that kind of peace in our hearts, we can react positively to any and everything.
And if that doesn’t convince you, then listen to Jesus’ other offer of peace, where He solemnly and faithfully declares (yesss!!!): ‘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 He did do that when He arose majestically from the grave on Easter Sunday, thus defeating Satan, hell, death and the grave! So there’s no need to be worried, or be afraid, because we have all that we need to overcome the world in our own small way.
And if you still have doubts, then listen as Jesus offers what we call His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) And there’s absolutely no doubt that many of us today are fretfully labouring and heavy laden with the panicked and unsettled state of our world. That means we definitely need Jesus, because He’s the ONLY ONE who can calm our fears and relieve our circumstances…that is, if we surrender our lives to Him and put our total trust in Him.
For, hear the wonderful things He offers; rest for both our bodies and souls, a kind and gentle personality, an easy yoke and a light load. And this commentary explains that’s ‘a biblical way of life that is more fulfilling than frustrating, more effective than efficient, more practical than pragmatic, and more faithful than fashionable. This is a way of relating to God that does not burn people out but instead gives them strength and endurance for the course.’
Now what more can we ask for eh my faithful brethren? Absolutely nothing! For Jesus encompasses ALL we can ever want or need! And Bruh Paul corroborates that with this marvellous promise from his letter to the Philippians. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Oh my people, all the promises are there for us, but they will not fall on us automatically, no, we have to step out in faith and receive them. That’s the way we show our trust in and surrender to Jesus. He says, that ALL His promises are for whosoever comes to Him in repentance. It doesn’t matter your race, creed, physical, emotional or mental state, whether you’re rich or poor, for we all need salvation, and He’s the ONLY ONE who can provide that!
And once you’re received salvation, then you’ll joyfully declare our Wednesday Wail in loud voice and strong conviction. ‘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 if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, there’s the promise of seeing an even more glorious future than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s be wise and endure to the end nuh, so that we can enjoy that most glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the way, the truth and the life…He created us…He can destroy us…but most importantly…He can also save us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a celebration of life, a childhood friend, accept it change it or leave it, actively rejecting ideas, affirmations, against the knowledge of God, altogether vanity, any good that i can do, any kindness I can show to any human being, apply our hearts unto wisdom, as an handbreadth, as he thinks in his heart, based on fear or doubt, Battlefield of the Mind, bringing into captivity every thought, Casting down imaginations, come to know and love him like we do, contradict the principles of faith, depart this life quickly, Easter Tuesday, Etienne de Grellet, every high thing, every man at his best state, faith, false arguments, gain a heart of wisdom, Goat races in Tobago, his heart is not with thee, holy spirit, hurry, I may know how frail I am, I shall not pass this way again, I shall pass this way but once, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, let me do it now, let me not defer or neglect it, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made up my days, make hay while the sun shines, make me to know mine end, mercy, mighty through God, mine age is nothing before thee, positive affirmations, prayer, pulling down of strongholds, rest in peace, salvation, share His love with my neighbour, share the amazing Love of Christ, spiritual practices, spiritual warfare, sso is he, take root in the mind, teach us to number our days, that exalteth itself, the beloved of God, the goal is, the gospel truth, the measure of my days, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they become actions, they become character, they become habits, though we walk in the flesh, thoughts that do do not align with God's truth, three solutions to every problem, to replace the harmful thoughts with God's truth, to the obedience of Christ, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, watch your actions, watch your habits, watch your thoughts they become words, watch your words, we do not war after the flesh, went our separate ways, WentWorth Eccles, wisdom, worry
Psalm 90:12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom).
And then it was Easter Tuesday! However, instead of getting ready to go down to Buccoo village in Tobago to check out the Goat Race Celebrations, (smile) I was here in Canada watching the Celebration of Life for a childhood friend, Wentworth Eccles. And that’s why the Bit is so late. Ah Wenty, mih brother, we did have some good times during our long years of friendship, beginning as children, when I would come from Tobago to holiday with you, your mother and sister in San Fernando in Trinidad. But as we grew older, we went our separate ways.
However, we reconnected when I came to Canada and began attending the Labour Day celebrations in Brooklyn, New York, where I would sometimes stay with your mother. And boy, did we ever do some good partying during those early years. And though life, family and work separated us, every so often you’d write and tell me about your job and travels. Recently though, you began sending me a daily message titled ‘Today’s Quote,’ with interesting useful quotes. The last one I got on Friday April 11was this: ‘Three (3) solutions to every problem: Accept it, Change it or leave it. In other words, Lead, follow or get out of the way. Have a GREAT day, every DAY!!!!’
So, can you imagine my consternation when I received an e-mail a few days later informing me about a Celebration of Life, the new speak for a funeral service, for Wentworth. I don’t know exactly what happened, but it seems like it was a sudden occurrence. As the priest who conducted the service reminisced; he’d spoken to him at church on the Sunday, then on the Monday he was no more! Yes friends, that’s how quickly, without any notice whatsoever, that we can depart this earthly life!
That’s why we should all pray like Moses did in Psalm 90: ‘So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom).’ (Ps. 90:12) That’s also why this quote attributed to Etienne de Grellet (1772-1855), a French-American Quaker Missionary ought to ring true in all our lives. It says: ‘I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. I shall pass through this world but once.’
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! We only pass this way once, and we don’t know for how long either, so it’s best that we do the good that we’ve been created to do, as soon as possible, and as much as possible. Let’s stop procrastinating and making excuses, for we don’t know when our light will dim, or even go out unexpectedly on us. That’s why Bruh David could write in Psalm 39: ‘Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made up my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity (vapour). Selah.’ (Ps. 39:4-5)
Yes my fellow believers; man’s life is certainly one of innate frailty; today you’re here, then gone tomorrow, like a breath of vapour. Therefore, it’s absolutely necessary to be on our p’s and q’s all the time. Like this quote from Wentworth’s missive always had at the bottom. ‘Watch Your Thoughts: They become words. Watch your words: They become actions. Watch your actions: They become habits. Watch your habits: They become character.’ And that’s more gospel truth my people! For everything begins in and with the mind and filters down to every other part of our lives.
As Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs. ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.’ (Prov. 23:7) And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains it thus: This verse is interpreted as a warning about the importance of inner thoughts and motivations, as they are reflected in outward actions. It suggests that internal mental states shape external behaviors and ultimately determine who a person becomes.’
Consequently, ‘If someone believes they are capable, successful, and worthy, they are more likely to act in ways that align with those beliefs. Conversely, if someone is plagued by negative self-talk, doubt, and fear, their actions and outcomes will likely reflect that mindset, potentially limiting their potential and opportunities.’ That’s why we talk about the battlefield of the mind, for it’s right there that all the conflicting stuff, between good and evil begins, where the devil tries to infiltrate our defenses, and then, whatever wins that battle, filters down to our words, actions and character.
Now, we cannot stop thoughts from occurring in our minds, but we can certainly get rid of them if we don’t want or need them. It’s all a part of our spiritual warfare. It’s like Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after (according to) the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (fleshly), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations (thoughts, false arguments), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;’ (2 Cor. 10:3;5)
And this commentary explains; ‘”Casting down imaginations” refers to the act of actively rejecting and subduing thoughts, ideas, or visions that are not in alignment with God’s truth or that are harmful. It’s a spiritual practice where individuals combat negative or false thoughts, refusing to allow them to take root and influence their thinking and actions. This involves recognizing thoughts that contradict the principles of faith, are based on fear or doubt, or are simply not beneficial. Once these thoughts are identified, they are actively rejected and not allowed to take root in the mind. This can be done through prayer, affirmations, or other spiritual practices. The goal is to replace the harmful or false thoughts with God’s truth and positive affirmations.’
And that’s a good place to end this Easter Tuesday as we mourn the loss of our dear, departed friend Wentworth Eccles. May your soul rest in peace with the Lord my brother. Now, for all of us left behind, who are trying to cast down those ‘imaginations’ and do the good we can, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
That now behooves us 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!
…we don’t know the number of our days…that’s why it’s ever so important…to make hay while the sun shines…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great cloud of witnesses, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a true disciple of Christ, a warning, absolutely necessary, an incorruptible crown, be disqualified, bring it under subjection, business, Christian celebrations, compassed about, competes for the prize, corruptible crown, denying the spirituality of the situation, despising the shame, disicpline our bodies, disobeyed your word, disqualified from Christian ministry, divine aid, earthly spiritual journey, ease the pain, Easter celebrations, Easter Monday, encouraged by the enemy, endured the cross, eternal life, every man that striveth for mastery, faith, fall by the wayside, finished my course, flails helplessly, food, for the joy that was set before him, forfeiting rewards, fought a good fight, frustrations, gifts, grace, greed of the world, have a part to play, he that abideth in me, heavenly help, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am the vine, I in him, I keep under my body, I myself should be a castaway, I therefore so run, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus' miraculous resurrection, Jesus' sacrificial death, keep Jesus uppermost in our minds, kept the faith, know ye not, lay aside every weight, lest that by any means, looking unto Jesus, lose sight of the essential facts, LOVE, mass confusion, material selfishness, mercy, not as one that beateth the air, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, one receives the prize, our sufficiency is of God, parties, peace and calm, personal sacrifice, practical advice, pray, run not as uncertainly, run with patience, salvation, self-control, selfless sacrifice of Jesus, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, share a partnership with Christ, sin, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, so fight I, so run that ye may obtain, spiritual strength, spirituality, steal our joy In Jesus Christ, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ta perishable crown, temperate, temperate in all things, Thank you Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the giver of life, the God who heals, the joy of the Lord is your strength, the material world, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the sin which doth so easily beset us, they which run in a race run all, throne of grace, to think anything of ourselves, traffic jams, trainig for a marathon, truth, turn from our evil ways, we have all sinned, when I have preached to others, wisdom, wise guidance, without me ye can do nothing, work diligently, ye are the branches
1 Corinthians 9:24b. So run, that ye may obtain.
And the Easter celebrations continue unabated on this somewhat cloudy Easter Monday! And why not eh, when we were given the greatest presents ever; salvation and eternal life through Jesus’ sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection! And the other good thing about today is that many of us don’t have to face the traffic jams and all the other frustrations involved in going out to work. And all God’s children said, a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Jesus!’
However, there’s always a warning needed in these Christian celebrations, a warning to not let the material selfishness and greed of the world to make us lose sight of what the celebration is truly about; the LOVE and selfless sacrifice of Jesus! For if we allow them, the material world, staunchly encouraged by the enemy, would just make it all about business, gifts, food, and parties, while denying the spirituality of the situation. So, as we celebrate, let’s keep Jesus uppermost in our minds today and every day, for He is the giver of life, health, wealth, LOVE, mercy, grace…in fact of everything that we enjoy!
Now, to always keep Jesus first place is no easy task, especially when the enemy’s main goal is to steal our joy in Christ, since, as the Bible says: ‘for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That means if we lose our joy in Christ then we’ll lose our spiritual strength and won’t be able to make the wise decisions we ought to, or have the peace and calm we desire.
And how do we do that? We have to work sincerely and diligently at it. But obviously not by ourselves, for as Bruh Paul writes: ‘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 Jesus corroborates that when he declares (yesss!!!) that well known statement: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5)
But unlike what some might think, that does not stop us from working towards the goal of spiritual maturity, for we share a partnership with Christ, meaning we both have a part to play. If we do our part, He will do His. But if we don’t do our part, neither will He do His, and we’d be left in the lurch. And what’s our part in all this eh? Here’s one practical bit of advice from Bruh Paul. He writes thus in his first missive to the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor. 9:24)
Yes friends, Bruh Paul is likening our earthly spiritual journey to a race, and in his last communication with Timothy, he uses that same imagery. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:7) Likewise, the author of Hebrews views our earthly journey as a race, when he writes: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:1-2)
So Jesus is our example for living this earthly life. But yuh know what, if we want to obtain anything positive and/or substantial from this race of life, we have to put out something. Therefore, Bruh Paul continues to the Corinthians. ‘And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown, but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air (flails helplessly): but I keep under my body (discipline my body), and bring it under subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’ (1 Cor. 9:25-27)
Ah mih people, like a runner training for a marathon, we too have to discipline our bodies and exert ourselves so that we will do well in the race of life. If not, we’ll fall by the wayside and lose the promised imperishable crown that Christ has laid aside for us. As the scholars explain: ‘The point is that the believer must discipline himself to avert being disqualified from Christian ministry, and forfeiting the rewards for such service.’ So we see that running this earthly race is not easy, but with the help of our wonderful God, we can do it, if we put out the necessary effort. And to help us do so, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, pleading for divine assistance.
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 from our prayer, we see that there are some necessary steps we must take before divine aid is granted; humble ourselves, pray, sincerely seek God’s face with sincere repentance. So please, let’s get to them right now nuh, so that we’ll get heavenly help asap! Much LOVE!
…as a true disciple of Christ…personal sacrifice is absolutely necessary…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Alleluia, an ongoing event, and earth reply, as others which have no hope, be ever with the Lord, believe that Jesus died and rose again, caught up together with them in the clouds, Charles Wesley, Christ is Risen today, Christ our Saviour is risen, Christ's Resurrection, Christians, church anthem for Easter, comfort one another with these words, comforting words, descend from heaven with a shout, Easter Sunday, eternal life, ever present effects, everlasting life, faith, fellowship, follow our risen Lord, forming habits, Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, hail the resurrection, Happy Easter, He is risen, he that believeth in me, holy spirit, Hosanna, Hosanna Save us now!, how to be in a relationship with God, I am the resurrection and the life, in newness of life, instill in us, Jesus Christ, king of glory, Lazarus, Lift up the name of Jesus, LOVE, marthat, mercy, miraculous occasion, my hope, raise your joys and triumphs high, remain unto the coming of the Lord, salvation, sing ye heavens, soul of bliss, teach us, the best feeling ever, the Lord himselff, the rapture of the church, the understanding that God still works today, thee we greet triumphant now, them which are asleep, though he were dead, thus to love, thy power to prove, to be ignorant, to ever lift our alleluias in praise, to meet the Lord in the air, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, wisdom, witnesses of the resurection, worship, ye sorrow not, yet shall he live
1 Corinthians 15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
HAPPY EASTER!
‘He is Risen! He is risen! Yes, Christ our Saviour has risen indeed! Alleluia!’ That’s the cry being heard all over the world today, as millions of Christians celebrate Easter Sunday, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, thus allowing all those who believe in Him to also be resurrected at the time enshrined by the Father. As Jesus said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, before He raised him from the dead: ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
And millions of Christians believe that on this Easter Sunday morning, as Christ shows His awesome power to give eternal life to all who sincerely believe in Him. And to celebrate this marvellous, miraculous occasion, today we’ll sing a song that’s rather appropriate, one titled ‘Christ Is Risen Today!’ It was mostly penned in 1739 by one of our great hymn writers, Charles Wesley, and is considered by many Christians as being the most definitive church anthem for Easter, as each verse is focused on stuff in Christ’s resurrection.
But before we get into the song, listen to this most interesting commentary. ‘In every worship service, the words we say and the actions we participate in are somehow shaping us. Perhaps without even being aware of it, worship is doing something to us – it’s forming habits and language inside of us to both teach us why we are in relationship with God, and how to be in relationship with God. One practice that many liturgists and hymn authors have brought into worship is describing an event that happened in the past (usually a moment from the Gospel story) as if it were happening today, in order to instill in us the understanding that, just as God worked in the lives of people two thousand years ago, He is still working today.
And The hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” is a perfect example of this. Right in the title is an indicator of the present tense: the word “is.” As we sing this song, we are first brought back two millennia as “witnesses” of the resurrection, and then we are also made aware that though the actual event of the resurrection happened once, it is in a sense an on-going event with ever-present effects. We are called today to live out of the resurrection, to follow our risen Lord in newness of life, and to ever lift our “alleluias” in praise.
Now, let’s turn to our song of praise, but first this most appropriate Intro from the Simple Series Musical ‘Merry Tree,’ featured on the album inspired by the message and mission of Billy Graham, ‘My Hope.’ Please declare with me: ‘We have gathered today to lift up the name of Jesus. We rejoice in His victory over sin and the cross. Our cries of ‘Hosanna! Save us now!’ have been answered. Our Redeemer has conquered death! And because we are certain of that, we have reason to celebrate!’
So finally, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise to heaven in a scintillating, up-tempo version, imagining ourselves as we sing, back there in the garden, like Mary Magdalene, two thousand years ago, the first to see and talk to Jesus after His resurrection. (smile)
Singing: ‘Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! LOVE’S redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia! Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia! Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia! Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia! King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia! Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! Thee to know, Thy pow’r to prove, Alleluia! Thus to sing, and thus to LOVE, Alleluia!’
Yes friends, wasn’t it wonderful seeing Jesus alive and kicking once again on that resurrection morn? It most certainly was! It was the best feeling ever, because then we knew for sure that if He rose from the grave, so would we also! As Bruh Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians: ‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (have fallen asleep, died). For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ (1 Cor. 15:20-22)
Oh my faithful brethren, sweeter words were never spoken, for that means in due course, in the Lord’s time, we will also rise from the dead to live with Christ. And this passage from Bruh Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians gives us a better understanding of the process. ‘But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (have died), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep (dead). For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (trumpet) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever (always) be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Yes my fellow believers, those are very comforting words. It’s oh so good to know that we will meet our LOVED ones who have gone before us in the Rapture of the Church, so that we can live with Christ forevermore. Please, let’s spend some time today, take a moment away from the celebrations and truly try to comprehend what that means for us all! And in closing, I wish us all a very Happy Easter my Scrip-Bit friends and family! Much LOVE!
…ONLY in Christ…can salvation and eternal life be found…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: anxious, be of good courage, blessed is the man that trusts in God, crucifixion of christ, desperately wicked, Easter Saturday, empty words, ensure our hearts are right and sincere, faith, go and pray unto me, good advice, greater intimacy with God, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I test the most secret parts, I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, I will hearken unto you, impatient, increase my awareness of you today, incurably sick, Jesus Christ, Joseph of Arimathea, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, like a tree planted by the rivers of water, look not on his countenance, LOVE, make a positive difference, man looks on the outward appearance, mercy, on the height of his stature, outward doings, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, rise in victory, salvation, seek God with all thy heart, sincere prayer, slow my thoughts, strengthen thine heart, thank you for this tenderness, the death knell of Satan, the fatal blow, the heart is deceitful above all things, the imminent demise of Satan, the joyful expectation, the Lord looks on the heart, the Lord sees not as man sees, the waiting kills us, these things understood not the disciples, to give every man according to his ways, to the fruit of his doings, truth, wait I say on the Lord, wait on the Lord, who can know it, wisdom, ye shall call upon me, ye shall seek me and find me, you search for me with all your heart, your love surrounds and fills me
1 Samuel 16:7b. for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
Oh my people, it’s Easter Saturday and the waiting ensues. Christ was crucified and buried yesterday, so today we wait with bated breath for the upcoming miraculous transformation. Like a butterfly waits for its chrysalis (hard outer shell) to crack and allow it to spread its beautiful wings and fly, so too, we wait for Jesus to arise majestically and victoriously from the grave. While alive, He sounded the imminent demise, the death knell of Satan, hell, death and the grave, and He finally applies the fatal blow in His death! And all of God’s people shouted a loud and grateful, ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ in glorious expectation.
Yes friends, it’s ofttimes the waiting that kills us; we know that something good is coming, or about to happen, but we get so anxious and impatient that we lose the joyful expectation of what’s to happen. That’s why Bruh David so wisely advises us in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (expectantly, in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (expectantly, with faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) And that’s good advice my brethren this Holy, lazy-day Saturday (smile) that’s fairly warm, but looks rather cloudy and dreary.
But re the waiting, yuh know what? We’re in a much better position than those early believers who watched Jesus crucified on the cross, then buried in the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Why? Because we know that on the third day, He will rise again in victory! But the early Christians did not pay a lot of attention, or even understand when He mentioned that amazing situation as His time wound down. And at the actual crucifixion they were too afraid and terrified to remember such a seemingly inconspicuous incident.
The gospel of Mark tells that Jesus, after casting out a dumb and deaf spirit from a child, ‘And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it (didn’t want anybody to know). For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is (being) delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise again the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.’ (Mark 9:30-32) So it was no surprise that they were terrified at Christ’s death wondering what would happen to them.
And as John says after Jesus’ marvellous kingly entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. ‘These things understood not his disciples at first: but when Jesus was glorified (resurrected and ascended), then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.’ (John 12:16) But we know better because it happened long ago and was written down for our benefit. And to help us wait with faith, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.
As one 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 we know that if our prayer was sincere then our spirits will soon be much calmer and more peaceful that they were before. That’s because our God just LOVES it when we come to Him seeking greater intimacy, and simply cannot refuse our requests. That’s why we have these verses from Jeremiah to remind us of the fact. ‘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 shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13)
Yes friends, it says it right there in spades; when we seek God with all of our heart, we will find Him, and He will listen to our prayer. Now, that can mean sometimes our prayers are not heard, or not answered because we didn’t seek God with our whole heart. As Jesus said when lambasting the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. ‘Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias (Isaiah) prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.’ (Matt. 15:7-8) And Isaiah did prophecy that in Chapter 29:13-16)
However, with the world having become as material and carnal as it currently is, no doubt many of us fall into that same trap; turning to God, with only our lips and mouths, while our hearts are far from Him. That obviously won’t get us anywhere with Him, for it’s our hearts He looks at, not our outward show, or the insincere words we mouth. And we have at least two examples of the Lord saying this.
First, when He sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of Israel, Samuel saw Eliab, who looked physically great and thought that he must be the one. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7)
Then, when the prophet Jeremiah talks about blessed is the man that trusts in God, and he shall be like a fruitful tree planted by waters, etc. etc. (Jer. 17:7-8) he also says these very astute and mindful words. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (test the most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).’ (Jer. 17:9-10)
Yes my fellow believers, this lazy-day Holy Saturday, appears to be a very appropriate one to remember that the Lord looks at our hearts and not our outward doings or empty words, and therefore when we turn to Him, let’s ensure that our hearts are right and sincere. For that could make a whole lot of positive difference in our lives! Much LOVE!
…sincerity is one of the most valued of Christian attributes…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man of sorrows, a profound effect, a significant turning point, a turning point in our lives, a watershed day in our lives, abuse, afflicted, all we like sheep have gone astray, as sheep before her shearers is dumb, be set free from the bondage of sin, break our hearts, bruised for our iniquities, buried in a wealthy man's tomb, can't be an Easter Sunday without a Good Friday, Christ crucified between two thieves, cut off, death of a Good Friday, Easter Sunday, even unto death, every one has turned to their own way, faith, feeling the pressure, for the transgression of my people, give us his righteousness, glorious undertones, Good Friday, he had done no violence, he made his grave with the wicked, he opened not his mouth, he was oppressed, he was stricken, he was wounded for our transgressions, holy spirit, if it be possible, immense physical suffering of jesus, improve our sinful and disobedient ways, Jesus Christ, Jesus sacrificed himself for our salvation, Jesus was in such agony, Jesus' illegitimate trials, Joseph of Arimathea, led like a lamb to the slaughter, let this cup pass from me, LOVE, mercy, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, neither was any deceit found in his mouth, not as I will but as thou wilt, oppression, out of the land of the living, pierced through, potential life, resurrection from the dead, sacrificial death, salvation, severe pain, suffering of christ, take our sins, taken from prison, tarry ye here and watch with me, the chastisement of our peace, the cross of Calvary, the crown of thorns, the desperate condition of mankind, the Father's great love for us, the Garden of Gethsemane, the iniquity of us all, the javelin in his side, the Lord has laid on him, the only sinless one Jesus, the prophecy of Isaiah, the purpose for which He was born, the saddest day of the year, the scourging, the Servant of the Lord, the severity of Christ's suffering, the sweat from His brow resembled blood, to die in our place, to pay for our sins, torture, truth, who shall declare his generation, wisdom, with his stripes we are healed, with the rich in his death, without a shepherd to guide us
Isaiah 53:6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Then it was Friday…not our regular Friday, but Good Friday; the saddest day in the world, but one with glorious undertones. For Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary on Good Friday to pay for our sins, so that we could be set free from the bondage of sin, when He gloriously arose on Easter Sunday. So, as we’re wont to say, there can’t be an amazing resurrection on Easter Sunday without the pain and tears and death of a Good Friday!
And we all know about the actual torture, abuse and suffering that Christ went through on Good Friday from the Gospels, so we won’t go into that, instead, let’s contemplate the prophecy of Isaiah on the topic, several hundred years earlier, which tells it all so clearly but succinctly. Having called the Servant of the Lord (Jesus) a man of sorrows or severe pain, Isaiah goes on to say: ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised (pierced through) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.’ (Is. 53:5)
Now, that simple sentence encompasses a lot of what happened to Jesus on that long ago Good Friday. And the gospels do tell of the severity of Christ’s suffering; both emotionally and physically. We see the former in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before the crucifixion, where He shares His problem with the disciples. ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here (stay here), and watch with me.’ (Matt. 26:38)
And three times He went forward by Himself and prayed for the Father to remove the calamity, saying: ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt. 26:39) But three times, He received the same answer; silence. But deep down Jesus knew that this was the major purpose for which He was born, but His human side was feeling the pressure. And according to Luke, He was so agonized that the sweat falling from His brow, resembled drops of blood. Luke also says that during His prayer time, an angel came from heaven and strengthened Him. (Luke 22:43-44)
And we know of the immense physical suffering, from the scourging, the crown of thorns, the javelin in His side, the nails in His hands and feet…all of that just fulfills the words of Isaiah; ‘wounded for our transgressions (sins), bruised (pierced through) for our iniquities (moral evils), the chastisement (discipline) of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.’ Yes friends, Jesus paid the terribly high price for the absolution of our sins with the sacrifice of His sinless life, and by the very wounds that were inflicted on His sinless body, those are the very ones by which we are today spiritually healed and forgiven.
And why were the sins of the whole world placed on Jesus’ sinless shoulders? Isaiah tells us: ‘All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.’ (Is. 53:6) And if we are truthful, we will acknowledge the desperate condition of mankind back then, where we were so lost and suffering without a Sheperd to guide us. However, the Father, in His great LOVE for us, sent the Son, the only sinless one to die in our place, to take our sins on His shoulders and give us His righteousness.
But yuh know what? Today we’re even more lawless and sinful than ever! Satan and his evil cronies are ruling the roost, and it seems that Jesus is running a far second. That’s not right my people. Not after all that Jesus suffered for us. Hear Isaiah tell it nuh. ‘He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought (was led) like a lamb to the slaughter, and as sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.’ (Is. 53:7) And that is exactly how Jesus played the scene! He didn’t complain, nor get angry and fight back, just went willingly with very few words to His sacrificial death, which was His destiny.
And Isaiah continues: ‘He was taken from prison (out of oppression) and from judgement (justice): and who shall declare his generation (consider it among His generation)? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit (guile) in his mouth.’ (Is. 53:8-9) Oh my people, you can find all that prophecy fulfilled in the New Testament, with the same words being used all through it.
And the scholars offer these explanations on those last two verses. ‘He was taken from prison and from judgement (justice) refers to the illegitimate trials to which Jesus was subjected. Who shall declare reads better “who has considered.” His generation refers to His potential life. The verb was cut off refers here to a violent death. The reference to the Servant making his grave with the wicked was certainly fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion between two thieves. (Matt. 27:38) The additional phrase and with the rich in his death refers to Jesus’ burial in the tomb of the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea. (Matt. 27:57).’
And my fellow saints, having read all of that, and possibly having joined others in worship earlier on, I do hope that today, this Good Friday of 2025, will be a watershed day in our lives; one that marks a significant turning point, where all the suffering of Jesus has this profound effect on us and causes us to improve our sinful and disobedient ways, for that’s the only way our currently evil and ungodly world will ever become more obedient and godly! Much LOVE!
…if Jesus’ suffering on our behalf…doesn’t break our hearts and incline us to His way of life…then we have no hearts…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a strong will, abundance, brake it and gave to the disciples, by whom the Son of man is betrayed, Christ's Last Supper, christianity, clear direction for my life, come to know and love Jesus, commemorating the memory of Jesus, consternation, courage, creativity, curse, drink it new with you, drink of the fruit of this vine, drink ye all of it, duty bound, enabled God to forgive sins, example of humility, exceeding sorrowful, faith, favour, for the remission of sins, goes as it is written of him, good for that man he had not been born, he that dippeth his hand with me, he took the cup and gave thanks, Holy Communion, holy spirit, Holy Thursday, humility- a lost attitude, in my Father's kingdom, in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus too bread and blessed it, Jesus' sacrificial death, Lord is it I, LOVE, Maundy Thursday, mercy, my time is at hand, negative word, one of you shall betray me, prosper, redemption from Egyptthe cup of blessing, salvation, self-disicpline, shed for many, success, supernatural wisdom, surprise announcement, take eat this is my body, talent, the BIBLE, the bread of affliction, the covenant was sealed with blood, the cup of blessing, the current attitude is to exalt oneself, the greatest among you shall be your servant, the intimate nature of the betrayal, the Passover, the redemption from sin, the same shall betray me, the Son of man, this is my blood of the new testament, truth, washing of feet, which our fathers ate in Egypt, whoever shall exalt himself shall be hubled, wisdom, woe unto the man
Matthew 26:28. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins.
At last it’s Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday, according to which religion or geographical area you belong to. Anyway, it’s the second saddest day of the year, after Good Friday. It’s the fifth day of Holy Week and is known for the Celebration of Christ’s Last Supper with His disciples, where He gave us the discipline of Holy Communion to remember Him by.
That night Jesus also gave the disciples a warning example of the humility He expected from them, and consequently from us by washing their feet. It was one of the lowliest jobs in existence and was usually done by slaves. However, Jesus doffed His clothes and donned a towel and washed their feet letting them see and experience the full meaning of the words He had spoken to them before: ‘But he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (lifted up)’ (Matt. 23:11-12)
But sadly that state of affairs doesn’t exist in today’s world nor enough in Christ’s church, for the current attitude is to exalt oneself above others; the higher, the better. Humility is a lost attitude in these proud and arrogant times, and when it’s found, it’s considered weakness and foolishness by the majority of our fellow men. But let’s not forget that Jesus’ kingdom is an upside down one, where you believe before you see, you humble yourself and not exalt it, and several other attitudes that the world considers nonsense.
Anyway, on that famous night of the Last Supper, Jesus skewed the usual Jewish Passover meal, when He sat with them in the room He had directed them to go and arrange. When they asked where they were to prepare the meal, He’d said: ‘Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master (teacher) saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples.’ (Matt. 26:18) And they did as instructed.
The Bible then tells us: ‘Now when the even (evening) was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?’ (Matt. 26:20-22) Can you imagine the consternation that surprise announcement must have made amongst the twelve, with each wondering if it would be them.
But Jesus answered and said, ‘He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: (Dan. 9:26) but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He (Jesus) said unto him, Thou hast said (said it).’ (Matt. 26:23-24) Now the Bible doesn’t tell us what happened directly after those statements. But the scholars tell us that He that dippeth reveals the personal and intimate nature of the betrayal, and Thou hast said means “yes.”
After those eye opening comments, the Bible continues: ‘And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, Drink ye all of it (drink from it all of you); For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.’ (Matt. 26:26-30)
Yes friends, that’s the advent of what we call Holy Communion, the commemorating or honouring the memory of Jesus, of His sacrificial body and blood when we celebrate it. Now, let’s hear some interesting explanations from the scholars on what we’ve just read. As per ‘Jesus took bread: The head of the Jewish household was accustomed to doing this during the Passover feast. Jesus gave a completely new significance to the action. This is my body: During the Passover feast, the Jewish householder took bread in hand and said, “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt,” meaning of course, that one represented the other.
By His words the Lord changed the whole significance and emphasis of the feast from looking back to the typical redemption from Egypt to faith in the redemption from sin accomplished by His death. The bread and wine were only outward symbols of our Lord’s death. Nothing in the Gospels indicates that these were to be viewed as a means of grace, sacraments, or that they were physically necessary for one’s salvation. Per The cup: Three cups were passed around by the Jewish householder during the Passover meal; the third, which is probably the one referred to here, being known as “the cup of blessing.”
Then My blood of the new testament taken from the Greek Septuagint version (the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) of Exodus 24:8, with allusions to Jeremiah 31:31 and Zechariah 9:11. The covenant in Exodus 24:8 was sealed with blood. The word testament can also mean a covenant. Shed for many for the remission of sins: Here is a clear statement that the death of Jesus was necessary to enable God to forgive sins. It, in fact made it right or morally justifiable for Him to do so. That day refers to the time when He comes again in glory.’
Now, I do hope that we all learned some new and interesting stuff from the scholars explanations. I did. But it’s time to for us to declare (oh no!!!) our Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings the Lord bestowed on us do His earthly work. So let’s do that as one loud and sincere voice nuh. ‘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!’
That means we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Holy Communion…serves to remind us…of the overall importance of Jesus…especially His sacrificial death…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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