27 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aplomb, blessed are the merciful, blessed is he that considers the poor, blessed of my Father, blessed upon the earth, blessings, Christ-like, clothed me, come up high, confidence, cow foot soup, cursed, dasheen bush soup, depart from me, do our best, does good to his own soul, drink.a stranger, dutch pots, everlasting fire, evil, focus, food, fooling ourselves, foolish, friends, funding, goats, God's assistance, God's reality, God's work, grace, grin and bear it, gungo peas, he that is cruel, heavenly truth, helpless, home for abused children, hungry, ignorant, improvement, in prison, in time of trouble, inherit the kingdom, Jesus Christ, keep alive, kind, languishing, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, naked, on his right hand, one of the least, parable of the talents, Paradise, penchant, perplexed, personal appearance, pigeon peas soup, powerless, preserve, problem youths, psyche, reward, saltwater, sheep., sick, sickbed, snowbound vistas, sunshine, talk a good talk, talk Jesus, tardiness, the body's balance, the devil, the foundation of the world, the Lord will deliver him, the merciful man, the will of his enemies, they shall obtain mercy, thirsty, took me in, troubles his own flesh, untidy, visited me, walk the devil's walk, we reap what we sow, well-educated, wisdom
Proverbs 11:17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Oh friends the time is a drawing near for the ole fella to leave paradise! I only have another week left! How am I going to handle it eh? Obviously with grace and aplomb centred in the Lord’s mercy and LOVING-kindness.
No doubt it’s going to be somewhat rough. Chuh! Merely thinking about leaving such wonderful rejuvenating saltwater and sunshine to go to back to cold and dreary snowbound vistas upsets the body’s balance and psyche. (smile) But what to do eh? Nothing but grin and bear it.
I always knew it would have to end, but we all know the human penchant for fooling ourselves. Anyway, as with all things, with God’s assistance, we shall handle it in a manner befitting one of His children. Amen!
Now let me apologize for going away for a few hours to visit a home for abused children. A friend of mine has been trying to get me to see the place for a couple of weeks now.
I’d heard about it and wanted to see if there was any way I could help, and she showed up while I was in the middle of the Bit, saying that was the only time we could get to visit. So I had to leave.
Anyway, I was disappointed in what I saw and heard. The lady who runs the home has a prosthetic leg, and uses crutches to get along more quickly. That obviously doesn’t preclude her from running the home, but her personal appearance didn’t convey any confidence either.
Neither did the glimpse I got of the interior of the house impress me; it looked rather untidy. And though she seems well educated and can talk a good talk, by the end of the conversation I still didn’t know how the place was run.
It doesn’t seem as though there is any concrete funding, and handouts and the generosity of others seems to play too big a part. She also seemed to belong to too many organizations and doing too many other things to be able to properly focus on the problem youths under her care.
But that’s just my humble opinion, and I know she says that she is doing God’s work, however, I believe that God’s work could surely do with some improvement there. For we know that Jesus wants us to do our best, to come up as high as possible. I just don’t know if she is coming up as high as she can.
Then on the way back we stopped for some Tobago pigeon (gungo) peas soup, by my friend’s brother-in-law. Mama yo! It’s the three largest iron (dutch) pots I ever saw! Big like a baby’s bath tub! (smile) I told the duchess I had to take her there next week to check them out.
One held the pigeon peas soup, the other some dasheen bush soup and the last some cow foot soup. And yuh better believe he was doing a brisk trade. It had people sitting down right there eating, while every minute another vehicle pulled up to get their Saturday morning repast.
Then of course when I got home, I had to eat mine too. And did it ever go down well! Just like a good pigeon peas soup ought to. (smile) And after that I needed a nap. So that accounts for my tardiness.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, taken once more from the wisdom of Cousin Sol. ‘The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.’
Oh my fellow believers, we all know that as heavenly truth! And why? Because our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ spelled it out in spades in His wonderful and most memorable Sermon on the Mount. ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.’ (Matt,5:7)
Plus in God’s divine reality, what we sow is what we reap. It’s His guiding dictum. (smile) So if we’re merciful, then we will receive mercy. But if we’re cruel and do not show mercy to our fellow humans, then cruelty and ‘unmercifulness’ is what we’ll receive at the hands of others. It’s as simple as that my brethren.
Listen to how Bruh David puts it in Psalm 41 – Abuse and assurance. ‘Blessed is he that considereth the poor (helpless or powerless): the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing (sickbed): thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness (restore him in his sickbed).’ (Ps.41:1-3)
Oh friends, that’s how the Lord looks after those that show mercy! Now how can a believer not show mercy to others eh… unless he is downright ignorant and foolish. And if you don’t believe any of that, then listen as Jesus spells it out in black and white in the telling of the parable of the talents.
‘And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered (hungry) and you gave me meat (food):
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’ (Matt.25:33-36)
Then all those sheep, perplexed, will ask when they did all of that? ‘And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt.25:40)
Yes my people, that’s the reward for showing mercy, for being sheep and for helping the poor and needy!
But to the proud and cruel goats: ‘Then shall he say also unto them on his left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’ (Matt.25:41)
Oh my brethren, all I can say in conclusion is that we all try our best to be merciful and kind and Christ-like in this earthly life, so that when the time comes, and come it will, we shall be on Jesus’ right hand. Much LOVE!
…you can’t talk Jesus talk…but walk the devil’s walk…and expect to end up in heaven…
26 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fool uttereth all his mind, a fool's wrath, a helping hand, a prudent man, a talebearer, a wise man keeps it till afterward, accept responsibility, barrier, bounden duty, Christian faith, defers anger, discretion, Eva Rose York, faithful spirit, fellowship, forgiveness, Friday chant, friends, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, giving, gospel truth, gossipmongers, heartache, heavy load, help others, holy spirit, I shall not pass this way again, ill-will, Jesus Christ, lash out, lime, looking down our noses, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, material possessions, mercy, motives of our hearts, needy, negative images, opposition, party, prideful, receiving, relaxation, relieve pain, renewed and refreshed, rest, run off at the mouth, secular world, selfish nature, slow to anger, strife, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the weekend, transgression, trouble, understanding, vents all his feelings, wearing our emotions on our sleeves, week of work, wisdom, worldly pleasures
Proverbs 29:11. A fool uttereth all his mind (vents all his feelings): but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward (holds it back).
And then it was Friday…
And the working people joyfully declared: ‘Oh Friday, glorious Friday! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend! Imagine nuh, for two whole days, no massa and his economic slavery! We can do whatever we want. Party and lime as much as we want. No wonder we shout, TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’
Oh friends, what can I say, it’s the basic truth. But then doing whatever we want, whenever we want, and as much as we want has never brought us anything but heartache and trouble. And continual partying and liming is definitely not the proper way to spend our weekends, though many of us seem to think so and thus perpetrate all sorts of misery on ourselves by wasting it in idle worldly pleasures.
In total opposition to that way of thinking though is our Friday Chant, so let’s chant it with sincerity and godly understanding nuh. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my fellow believers in Christ, that puts the weekend into a much better and wiser perspective!
And today I want to share a few lines of a poem by one of Canada’s early female writers, Eva Rose York. The poem’s titled, ‘I shall not pass this way again.’
And the particular lines tell us. ‘I shall not pass this way again; Then let me now relieve some pain, Remove some barrier from the road, Or lighten someone’s heavy load, A helping hand to this one lend, Then turn to some other to befriend.’
Oh friends, what a telling description of our Christian faith! For that’s exactly what we are supposed to do as believers in Christ Jesus; HELP OTHERS!
And it doesn’t matter whether we’re rich or poor, black or white, or of any particular creed, we all need help at some time or other, and it is our bounden duty to help the needy who come across our paths.
And my One More Day Devotional for People with Chronic Illness, describes that help thus. ‘LOVING help is not prompted by pity or superiority, but by empathy and shared humanness.’
That’s the kind of help Jesus wants us to show and share my brethren, not the kind prompted by looking down our noses at others in worse situations than us. Unfortunately though, too may of us who are fairly well-off, tend to behave in the latter manner.
But friends, I’m here to tell us that the Lord doesn’t welcome or accept that kind of prideful help, and He knows it, because He looks at the motives of our hearts, not our words or outward actions.
So please, let’s stop allowing our pride, our material possessions, our place and power in the secular world from dominating the way we think, and therefore the reason and manner for the help we give to others and also accept, because help doesn’t mean only giving, but also receiving, and receiving in the right manner too.
And that’s my sermon for today! (smile) I know it won’t resonate well with some, but them’s the breaks.
Now let’s turn to our Bit: ‘A fool uttereth all his mind (vents all his feelings): but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward (holds it back).’
Ah mih people, we all know that to be gospel truth, but nonetheless we too often run off at the mouth and/or show our emotions without first thinking about the reactions that they will cause. And sadly it’s a phenomenon that causes a lot of the strife in our world.
It’s ever so important that we, especially Christians, learn to listen and think seriously before we respond since our reactions can impact either negatively or positively for Christ. And remember, whatever we do is all about Jesus, so we definitely don’t need to create any negative images or reactions about Him and his great salvation.
We need to speak words, do things and have reactions that will boost His LOVE Revolution, rather than stuff that will negate it. We already have too much negative stuff re our faith, we certainly don’t need anymore.
And sadly too, in this dangerous and disgusting world, we tend to lash out at others more easily and quickly than we’ve hitherto done. I don’t know if it’s the more selfish nature that now pervades our society that causes it, but it has become a serious problem.
Look at things like road rage, how at the drop of a hat, with very little provocation, someone is ready to pull and use a gun or a knife, plus the amount of verbal, physical and emotional abuse that’s been heaped on others daily. A lot of it stems from selfish behaviour and our refusal to accept responsibility for our actions.
Now let’s check out some more scriptures on the subject from Cousin Sol, who deals with it a lot. Listen up: ‘A fool’s wrath is presently known (known at once): but a prudent man covereth shame.’ (Prov.12:16) Yes friends, wearing our emotions on our sleeves has its proper time and place.
Hear Cousin Sol again: ‘A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.’ (Prov.11:13) Christians ought never to be gossipmongers or congregate too often with them!
It’s all Cousin Sol today friends. ‘Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.’ (Prov.14:33)
And we’ll end with this gem from the wisest man ever. ‘The discretion of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov.19:11)
So my fellow brethren in Christ, in conclusion, let’s be wise and go out today being slow to anger and overlook transgressions nuh, just as our God has so often done, and continues to do, in each of our lives. Much LOVE!
…Christians ought to be steeped in LOVE…and LOVE bears no ill-will to another…
25 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day of rest, a faithful saying, a hammer, a jumble of thoughts, a lamp that guides, a mirror, a sword, abides, abominable iniquity, aches, affirm constantly, asaph, asthma, bends before it, Bibly Study, blessings, born again, bounden duty, breathed life, children of God, Christian, citicenship, contentious, cooperate with God, corrupt, cough, deceit, defeats Satan, disobedient, divers lusts, divine workman, donkey's years, empathy, enticed, envious, envy, ethics, evil, faith, fellowship, flu, foolish, friends, funeral, gentle, glory hallelujah, glory to God, god moves in mysterious ways, God's will, good works, gospel of Christ, grace, hating, holy spirit, human nature, illnesses, imbibed, Jesus Christ, joy, judges sin, kindness, living for Christ, LOVE, LOVE of God, loving kindness, Lucifer, make sense of, malice, material possessions, meekness, mercy, Mt. St. George, new life, newborn, Nicodemus, none that doeth good, pains, Paradise, pay the cost, potholes, powers, principalities, profitable, prosperity, regeneration, resist the wave, reveals sin, righteousness., salvation, sell our soul, stand strong and steadfast, stumbled, surrogate daughters, swept away, talk is cheap, temptation, tentacles, the BIBLE, the fool say in his heart, the likeness of Christ, the wicked, the work of god, there is no god, Titus, treachery, trust, truth, West Indian, winding road., wisdom
Psalm 53:1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
Oh friends, there is so much I want to say this beautiful Thursday morning, but I simply can’t say anything! Chuh!
Has that ever happened to you? My mind is a jumble of thoughts and whatever else that I can’t seem to make sense of, but I’m not worried because I know that our great and magnanimous God will eventually look down on me with empathy and guide me to what He wants me to say.
I guess that part of my problem is that I have a touch of the flu and cough that’s causing my asthma to act up a bit. And there’s nothing that drives me bonkers like coughing.
Anyway, I went to the funeral of an old schoolmate yesterday afternoon in Mt. St. George – and now I realize why it’s so named, for we had to drive up a steep, winding road littered with potholes to reach the church, then come another steep winding one to get back to the main road.
It’s a good thing the duchess wasn’t my co-pilot, because I don’t know if we would have made it back safely. (smile)
The funeral was well attended, and I saw people whom I hadn’t seen in donkey’s years (smile). The deceased lived in the U.S but was brought back home to her village for burial, exactly what I want to happen to me.
And to show how our God moves in mysterious ways, he took one home but also breathed life in to a newborn son of one of my surrogate daughters down here. Glory to God!
Now a buddy and I was supposed to go touring today, but it seems that he imbibed a tad too much last night, so he is also under the weather, which means that tour will have to be put off indefinitely.
Ah mih people, my time in sweet Tobago is swiftly drawing to a close, and as the duchess said recently, the problem is not how we’re going to face the cold up in the Northern climes, but how we’re going to leave this paradise? It will definitely be hard, although every day we complain how the sun is so hot.
So I guess today will just be a day of rest and later this evening I’ll go to the Bible Study class up the road. I heard they missed me last week when I was in Trinidad. I missed them too, because it was a spirited gathering, West Indian style. And call me biased, but nothing beats anything, West Indian style! (smile)
Now that’s the end of my news, but before we get to our Bit, I want to share these words of wisdom from one Leviticus, whom I assume was an olden Greek philosopher. And he is reputed to have said that: ‘He who attempts to resist the wave is swept away, but he who bends before it abides.’
And I rediscovered that in reality recently on the beach. I tried to fight off a big wave and it sent me crashing into the sand. But another one, instead of trying to fight it, I rode it successfully into the shore.
The same way it is with life my friends, especially when we are getting up in age and can’t fight all the unusual stuff that’s coming against us; all the aches and pains and illnesses. We have to learn to bend with the tide, if we hope to continue living a full and enjoyable life.
That also means we cannot emulate the people in our Bit. ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.’
Now, though we know better, the prosperity of the wicked can sometimes drive us to want what they have. Listen to the psalmist Asaph, as he discourses in Psalm 73 on the Mystery of Prosperous wickedness.
‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I had almost stumbled); my steps had well-nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps.73:1-3)
Yes friends, although Asaph knew better, the sinful human nature still enticed him to be envious of the wicked in their earthly prosperity. And unfortunately it still does the same thing to us in these very trying and difficult times.
But we need to see the treachery and deceit of material possession and earthly prosperity for what it really is; ofttimes a temptation of the enemy, and don’t allow it to get us caught up in its wicked tentacles. Because once we sell our soul for those things, it’s not very easy to get out of Lucifer’s contract.
Now hear Bruh Paul to Titus on Christian citizenship and the basis of the Christian ethic. ‘Put them in mind to be subject to principalities (rulers) and powers (authorities), to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers (not contentious), but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
For we ourselves also were sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and LOVE of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed (poured out) on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. That being justified (declared righteous) by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’ (Titus 3:1-7)
Yes my fellow believers in Christ, it’s only through God’s grace and mercy and LOVING-kindness, poured out on us through Christ that we are able to withstand the wiles and lies of the evil one. That means we have to stand strong and steadfast in faith if we want to resist the enemy.
Now here is some info from the scholars on the term ‘regeneration.’‘3:5. Regeneration refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation experience that produces new life in the believer. To express this concept, Jesus used the expression “born again” in His conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:3-7).
Regeneration is the work of God, through the Holy Spirit, of placing in one who has faith a new nature, capable of doing God’s will. The Holy Spirit is the agent or divine workman of this regeneration. His instrument is the Bible, which is likened to a hammer that judges sin (Jer.23:29), a mirror that reveals sin (James 1:23), a sword that defeats Satan (Heb.4:12), and a lamp that guides the believers (Ps.119:105).
Illustration: People are instantaneously “born again “the moment they trust Christ as Saviour. (1 Pet.1:23). Application: Christians should be careful to cooperate with God in growing as children of God after they are regenerated, or given new life. (First Ref. John 3:3), Primary Ref. Titus 3:5. cf. Eph.1:15.).’
Oh friends, only by cooperating with God and growing in the likeness of Christ, can we ever hope to stave off the foolishness and deceit of the enemy! And it will benefit us all, if we looked up the references the scholars provided. (smile)
Now let’s end with some more words of Bruh Paul to Titus. ‘This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.’ (Titus 3:8)
There’s nothing left to say my brethren, except that we should all go out, each and every day, being careful to do works that enhance the gospel of Christ, so that the heathen can see the true beauty in living for Christ and want to come to Him. It’s our bounden duty. Much LOVE!
…talk is cheap…but good works cost something…Christians should be prepared to pay that cost…
P.S. I know it’s long, but God’s word is worth it. (smile) Much LOVE!
24 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abominable iniquity, big bang, ceased being wise, Christ is Lord indeed, Christian principles, corrupt, covetousness, deceitful, defeat the enemy, despises not evil, earthly sojourn, every foe is vanquished, evil, faith, fellowship, forgiveness, friends, give thanks, glory hallelujah, greed, he flatters himself, holy spirit, I am halfway home, I'm so glad to be alive, indisputable truth, infiltrated, Jesus Christ, Jesus returns, Jesus' desires, keep up the fight, lies, logistics, LOVE, Lucifer, lusts, lusts of the flesh, mano a mano, material possessions, mercies, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, new every morning, none that doeth good, paramount, power, Praise the Lord, pride, promises, seek after God, soldiers of Christ, stand strong, stand up for Jesus, steadfast love of God, the beauty of nature, the breath of life, the fool has said in his heart, the foolish, the four seasons, the heathen, the obits, there is no god, to a glorious future with Jesus, trust, ungrateful children, way of the world, wicked, wisdom, words of his mouth
Psalm 53:1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
So what’s up this glorious Wednesday morning my people? I do hope that the LOVE of God is flowing through all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, as it ought to, because without it, we’re nothing.
And along with that wonderful blessing I do hope that we have given Him thanks for bringing us safely through another dark and fearful night, into the brilliant light of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
And all God’s people said a loud and grateful; ‘Praise the Lord! Amen.’
Yes friends, above all else we do need to be thankful for God’s mercies that are new every day, for that’s what keeps us going successfully on this our earthly sojourn. Thanks and praise are an essential part of the believer’s life.
So since today is Wednesday, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail with much gusto and sincerity nuh. Remember though that the Lord isn’t just listening to our words, but monitoring our hearts, so though our words might sound sincere, if our hearts aren’t right, He won’t pay any attention to our prayer.
Anyway, wailing now as one: ‘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 that’s how it ought to be my brethren! We are supposed to be thankful for the breath of life we possess; our names are not in the obits this morning. (smile)
We are also to be holding tightly to that plough, looking straight ahead, so that we can plough straight furrows, and glory in the majestic future that Jesus has planned for us. Oh glory to God, for the way He looks after us, His ungrateful children!
And since I don’t have any adventures to share, the past couple of days have been rather mundane and uneventful, let’s get right into our Bit. ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.’
Ah mih people, it is ever so sad that our world is populated and run by the corrupt and sinful! But friends, just from a logistics point of view, how could there be no God eh?
So who set up the universe and all the things that run by themselves in it; the four seasons, day and night, man’s birth, life and death, the fishes in the sea, the birds in the air, the beauty of nature, all those who don’t have no sense but are well taken care of?
One big bang could not have caused all that stuff to be so precise and continuous. Oh, and I heard one preacher say recently, that if the world was formed by the big bang, then it was God who pushed the button to cause it. Now that does make more sense. (smile)
Ah my precious people, regardless of what you call Him, there IS a greater power than mankind out there, too many unexplainable things happen in our lives and on the earth to preclude that. But the heathen and the foolish think it not so.
Hear how Bruh David puts it in Psalm 10 – A prayer for the overthrow of the wicked. ‘The wicked in his pride doth persecute (hotly pursues) the poor: let them be taken in the devices (plots) that they have imagined (devised).
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous (greedy), whom the Lord abhorreth (renounces the Lord) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts (all his thoughts are, There is no God).’(Ps.10:2-4)
And unfortunately that is exactly how a majority of our world now thinks, and consequently behaves! Covetousness, greed, lust for power and material possessions, plus other lusts of the flesh are paramount in our societies these days. Those obviously leave no room for God and His things.
And though Bruh Paul tells the Roman church: ‘For all have sinned and come (fallen) short of the glory of God;’ (Rom.3:28) And that’s indisputable truth!
However, through God’s wonderful LOVE, grace and mercy, we have been justified, sanctified, set apart and cleansed from sin through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross at Calvary, where His death atoned for ALL sin.
And all God’s children shouted loudly and gratefully: ‘Thank You Jesus!’
And what truly amazes me, is that most of Western Society and Civilization were founded on Christian principles, and prospered under those principles, so how can we foolishly move away from them eh, and expect to continue prospering?
Lucifer has clearly infiltrated our souls, hearts, bodies and minds with his deceitful promises and ungrounded lies.
Listen to Bruh David in Psalm 36 – The steadfast LOVE of God, where he again describes the ways of the wicked. ‘The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
The words of his mouth are iniquity (wickedness) and deceit: he had left off to be wise (ceased being wise), and to do good. He deviseth mischief (plots wickedness) upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth (despises) not evil.’ (Ps.36:1-4)
Yes friends, that’s the way of today’s world! Wicked men and their evil thoughts and deeds have invaded the halls of power and are controlling our lives under the auspices of Beelzebub instead of those of God.
But friends, please remember that the battle is not over, will not be over until Jesus returns, and we can still defeat the enemy and his evil intentions and deeds by truly hunkering down with Jesus and fighting them mano a mano like true soldiers of Christ!
Now let’s encourage each other to stand strong and keep up the fight for that is what Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!
…stand up, stand up for Jesus…ye soldiers of the cross…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
23 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a child of God, abominable iniquity, as far as the east is from the west, Christian walk, clean hands, controlling principle, corrupt, country bookies, customer service, despise wisdom, evil, explanations, faithful believers, ferry, fools, forgiveness, friends, glory hallelujah, grow in likeness to Christ, guidance, healthy fear, herd mentality, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, instruction, Jesus Christ, LOVE, none that does good, on a clean page, opportunities, Port of Spain, problems, public relations, pure hearts, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, revealation, rumours, share His love with the world, sins, submission, the fear of the Lord, the fool says in his heart, there is no god, Tobago, travesty, Trinidad, trust, truths, Tuesday Mantra, under the weather, updates, wisdom
Psalm 53:1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
And then it was Tuesday… Yes my people, another brand new day on God’s great earth with all His numerous blessings and mercies brand new, just as the day! Glory Hallelujah!
Isn’t it wonderful to begin each new day from scratch? It surely is! All yesterday’s sins and problems will be washed away and forgiven… as far as the east is from the west, they have been thrown away. So let’s begin on a clean page today nuh; no anxieties, fears, concerns or whatever from yesterday.
Let’s get up and greet our God with pure hearts and clean hands; confessing all our known sins and weaknesses and prayerfully asking for forgiveness and wise guidance to handle the day’s problems and opportunities.
And to help us do that, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with sincerity and strong belief. All together now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen.’
Oh friends, I just LOVE that Mantra! Why? Because it reminds me of who I truly am; a child of God and a friend of Jesus! Glory to God! It doesn’t get any better than that my people.
So please, if we remember nothing else, let’s remember those two fundamental and foundational truths; as faithful believers, we are all children of God, redeemed by Jesus’ blood shed on the cross, and thus His friend and brother. You can’t beat that my brethren!
And what do I have to share with you today eh? Not much nuh. I’m a tad under the weather and thus not functioning on all cylinders. (smile)
Oh yes, I now know what I have to share; my interesting and frustrating activities from last Saturday. We checked out of the hotel in Trinidad shortly after 2 p.m., took a taxi to the ferry docks – definitely no more walking in the hot sun with all that luggage. (smile)
On that point of interest, when we mentioned our walk down Wrightson Road with our luggage to our friend from south, she unceremoniously declared: ‘They must have thought that you all were two country bookies come to town – walking down the street with so much luggage!’
And some very well might have thought so, but that’s neither here nor there now, we’ll just chalk it up to ignorance and experience. (smile)
So we’re sitting in the waiting area about three o’clock waiting for the ferry’s four o’clock departure. At that time there was some excitement out on the docks, which turned out to be the arrival of the 7 a.m. ferry from Tobago.
Apparently it had broken down in the middle of the ocean and two tug boats had been sent to tow it into port. Now can you imagine the concern, the anxiety, frustration and anger of those people trapped on it from 7 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon.
Now for the next problem; that was the same ferry that was supposed to take us to Tobago at 4 o’clock. So we all sat there patiently waiting, just hearing rumours of what was going to happen. Four o’clock came and went… and we still heard nothing from the Port Authority people.
At about 4.45, and announcement was made that they were fixing the problem and hopefully it wouldn’t be too long before we left.
Time continued on its own sweet way, and we heard nothing else until at approximately six thirty a couple of workers came and said we’d be boarding shortly, Hn!
And though they said that we’d be boarding by sections, if yuh see how everybody just got up and rushed for the exit door. Ah Lord eh! The herd mentality was surely in evidence there. The policeman amongst the workers had to make a big speech and get everybody to sit back down, then move us section by section.
The whole problem with the situation was that the authorities provided us with no explanations or updates whatsoever. Some people left and went back home, others had paid for hotels in Tobago and their time was burning up for reasons they couldn’t understand. I was looking at having to pay for another night’s stay at the hotel.
It just was very terrible customer relations! But I understand that’s how they do it, and apparently the boats break down fairly often. Ah Lord eh, only in T&T you say.
One more interesting point. The talk had been circulating that if they couldn’t fix the ferry, they would send us back on the one that was due in from Tobago. Now shortly before we boarded, that one appeared on the horizon, but wonder of wonders, it had to stop out in midstream because there was only one dock for the ferries. Apparently both of them could not be in the same port at the same time.
Again, only in T&T you say! So we never left Port of Spain until around seven p.m., only to be told that the trip would take three and a half hours instead of the usual two and a half, because we were only motoring along on three engines. That meant we didn’t dock in Tobago until minutes to eleven, and I didn’t get home until minutes to twelve, tired and miserable.
What a travesty of public relations! So that’s how I spent my Saturday afternoon and evening.
Now finally, let’s see how much we can say about our Bit. ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.’
And as we noted yesterday, there are certainly many fools in our time too, too many really! That’s why our world is in such a terrible state.
As Cousin Sol warns in Proverbs: ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7) And isn’t that the awful truth!
Again, it’s why our societies are so corrupt and inefficient! Our leaders figure they know how to run the universe better than the One who created it. Steups!
Now hear the scholars’ explanation of that verse. ‘1:7. The fear of the Lord means submission to the Lord and His revelation. When one is afraid of something, he either runs from it or submits to it. The latter idea is in view here. It is a healthy fear, like the fear of electricity or the fear of one’s parents, which causes one to act in an appropriate manner.
The beginning does not mean that “the fear of the Lord” is left behind in the course of acquiring wisdom, but that it is the controlling principle of wisdom.’
And on that solid note of wisdom we’ll end today. And as usual, please let’s ponder all that we’ve said, and with God’s help try to improve our Christian walk. Much LOVE!
…each day…with God’s help…we ought to grow in our likeness to Christ…
22 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abominable iniquity, abominable sins, affirmation, aura of love, belittles., bring us to our knees, calamity, climate change, confidence, conquerors, corrupt, Creator of the universe, deceitful, decision making, demeans, depressing, disobey God, disturbing, economic decline, Elohim, evil, faith, fallible, fear, filthy, foolish, foreshadow good things, forgives, frail, further your glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God's protection, gospel truth, history repeats itself, holy spirit, human nature, humble servants, inroads, invincible, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, jobs, keeping lives and families together, knowledge, lead and guide, lies, logical, LOVE, Lucifer, meet the enemy in battle, mercy, mind games, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, natural disasters, poverty, rejuvenation of spirit, remove God, renewed vitality, righteousness., ruminate, saviour jesus christ, scot free, seek God, serve a useful purpose, silly, sinfulness, slave for Massa, spiritual armour, stand strong and steadfast, steadfast faith, strife, strife-filled world, stupid, surrender, taunts, the children of men, the fool say in his heart, there is no god, troublesome times, truth, understand, understanding, ungodliness, ungodly world, weary souls, week of work, wiles, wisdom, wonder of wonders, workers of iniquity, Yahweh
Psalm 53:1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
Alas friends and neighbours, it’s Monday; the day which begins the work week…
And I hear God’s people loudly declare ‘Glory Hallelujah that it’s Monday!’
And I have to shake my head to see if I’m dreaming… God’s people happy to see Monday roll around…? Wow!
A few moments later though, I realized that Lucifer was only playing mind games on me. Chuh!
What the people had actually shouted was: ‘Oh Lord, yuh mean is Monday already! Yuh mean ah got to go back and slave for massa again! When this every week work thing going to finish eh? Steups!’
And that’s a very good question friends. The answer to which is when you retire, get fired, quit the job, or die!
Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn without further ado to boost our spirits as we face another worrisome week of work.
As one harmonious choir now. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh my brethren, that wasn’t so great nuh. You could read the displeasure in our choirmaster, Jesus’ serious eyes and face. But being the wonderful Deity that He is, He forgives us, because He knows our frail and fallible human nature. Now let’s go out there with that adrenaline perking in us and do His will despite our shortcomings.
That brings us to our Bit: ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.’
Oh my people, how sad are those statements eh? How can any sensible person even think that eh? Notice it’s in their hearts, the very seat of their decision making that that thought lies, is being generated.
Now some might say it out loud, while others might just think it and then act on that premise, by perverting the truth that God does exist. Consequently, they become corrupt and do abominable sins.
And we only have to look around our strife-filled world to see that that’s ever so true. Abomination and corruption are running rampant throughout our entire world, and that my friends cannot foreshadow good things for us and our descendants.
Now Psalm 53 is a slightly revised version of Psalm 14. According to the scholars: ‘Two major differences are apparent: this psalm substitutes the generic word for God, Elohim, for the personal name of God used in Psalm 14, Yahweh. This was done evidently to give the psalm a wider appeal. Second, verse 5 has been rewritten and has become an encouraging affirmation of God’s protection.’
And are we ever in need of anything that affirms and encourages us re God’s protection in these very trying and troublesome times! But above all my brethren, we are not to fear, because that just demeans and belittles our faith; faith that we need to help us stand strong and steadfast against the enemy and his deceitful declarations.
Now here how Bruh David continues the psalm nuh. ‘God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.’ (Ps.53:2)
And wonder of wonders, what did He discover? ‘Every one of them is gone back (have turned aside): they are altogether become filthy (corrupt); there is none that doeth good, no, not one.’ (Ps.53:3)
Now how do you think God felt when He saw such sinfulness and ungodliness in the world back then eh? And how does He feel now, when He performs the same exercise and gets the same basic answer eh?
Obviously not very pleased or encouraged! No wonder He asks: ‘Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.’ (Ps.53:4)
But why would that surprise Him eh, when we’re still like Jeremiah said on His behalf so long ago. ‘For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish (stupid or silly) children, and they have none (no) understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.’ (Jer.4:22)
And isn’t it amazing, but depressing and disturbing that so many truths from the Old Testament are still true today. Steups! Obviously we have not learned that we cannot continually disobey God and get away with it scot free.
The calamity which befell so many other great societies who disobeyed and turned away from Jehovah God obviously doesn’t mean anything to us. But friends, the saying that history repeats itself is very true, and we are currently in great disobeying mode, and if we continue thus, we will feel the Lord’s hand upon us, and it won’t be very good. I can guarantee us that.
Who knows if we aren’t already feeling it, through the many unusual natural disasters, that are blamed on climate change, plus the economic decline and ever increasing poverty and strife that’s now battering our world.
Hn! I have to sadly chuckle here yes friends, because in all reality the Lord doesn’t have to do anything to bring us to our knees nuh, we are already doing it to ourselves, beginning with our insistence to remove God from the very bowels of our society.
And we’ll stop there for today, because I don’t want to give us too much to ruminate upon. (smile) But please friends, do ruminate on what we have spoken about today, and let each of us see, of course with God’s help, how we can better our lives, and thus our quickly deteriorating world. For that’s wisdom of immense proportions! Much LOVE!
…if God made us and everything else that exists…how can we hope to survive without His help eh…that doesn’t sound logical at all…
20 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundance, acceptance, affirmation, ailments, alive and kicking, as the heaven is high above the earth, behave appropriately, benefits, bless the Lord, blessings, burden, chameleon, Creator of the universe, crowns, deity, destruction, diseases, dust, enjoy your life, ever-faithful God, ever-LOVING God, faith, flesh and blood, forget, frail, friends, give yourself to God, glory hallelujah, glory to God, goodness, gospel truth, human nature, incomprehensible God, iniquities, inner being, Jesus Christ, living God, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are higher than yours, One Year Book of Bible promises, pains, plans, pray, redeems, revere, Ruth Harms Calkin, satisfies, Saturday, serve, slow to anger, so great is his mecry, the east is from the west, the Exception, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, top of the line, toward them that fear him, transgressions, truth, turn away from God, wisdom, worship, your ways, youth is renewed like the eagle's
Psalm 103:11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-kindness) toward them that fear him.
Saturday, oh Saturday! What a great day thou art! And isn’t that the awesome truth friends? It surely is! But what’s even better than that, is that every day that God makes is a great one! Glory Hallelujah!
That’s because He has great plans for those who LOVE and sincerely seek Him and dispenses His blessings and mercies in abundance to them each and every new day! Glory to God!
Ah mih people, I can’t impress upon us enough the fact that we worship a most mighty, awesome, generous and ever-LOVING Deity! The ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING GOD, Creator of the Universe and all therein!
Yes Friends, all the other supposed Gods are dead, ours is the ONLY ONE who’s alive and kicking! So why worship something or someone that’s dead eh? No good reason at all my brethren.
And in response to the quote from our friend Anselm yesterday, here’s one similar to it that another friend sent me. Thanks Keith.
Listen up: “As you grow older, there are ailments and pains that beset you. Some will stay with you forever. But as you pray and give yourself to God, He gives you ways in which to deal with the aches, and in doing so, He makes them so much less a burden to you that you can still fully enjoy your life.”
And again I say: What an awesome God we serve and worship!
Now here’s some more indisputable truth, this time from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. Today’s writing is called ‘The Exception.’ Please pray with me, because we all need to come to this rather significant conclusion.
‘Lord, too often I demand From my family and friends More LOVE More affirmation More acceptance Than they are capable of giving. Today, dear God I ask You to burn this truth Into the depth of my inner being: Nobody in all the world Can ever LOVE me As much as I need to be LOVED – Except You!’
Ah mih breddren in Christ Jesus, I won’t even comment and say that that is the gospel truth! (smile) But we do expect a lot more from others than some of them are capable of giving.
Sometimes we need to remember that they are only flesh and blood, and though made in the image of God Almighty, yet are but frail and not as top of the line like Him. Thus we can only do so much and give so much, even though we may want to do and give more. Our human nature in other words is rather finite and at a very low level.
As the Lord has so rightly reminded us in His Word: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is.55:8-9)
Now that’s telling us friends! We can in no way truly comprehend the length and breadth of our incomprehensible God! But some of us still foolishly try.
Anyway the promise for today’s writing is also our Bit: ‘For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-kindness) toward them that fear him.’
More gospel and indisputable truth my people! The Lord’s goodness and mercy are unlimited towards those who serve and worship Him faithfully. And I can give testimony to that wonderful fact. Oh, all praise and glory be to our magnificent and magnanimous God!
Hear how Bruh David puts it in Psalm 103 – Thanksgiving for God’s mercy – from which our Bit is taken. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 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 LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps.103:1-5)
Oh friends, oh friends, how can I not serve and worship and LOVE and revere such a wonderful God eh! And the most important part of all that is ‘forget not all his benefits.’
And all God’s children gratefully shouted: ‘Oh praise and thank the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for His undeserved kindness to the children of men!’
And that we should truly do my brethren; much more than we actually do, because too many of us forget His benefits, especially when times get rough.
Now that is something I can’t understand; when times get rough, a lot of us forget or turn away from God. But the truth is, that’s when we most need the affection and caring of our heavenly Father, because ofttimes, He is the ONLY ONE who can set our matters right.
We tend to quickly forget what the Lord has done for us in the past. But friends, if He’s helped us in the past, why would He refuse to do the same in the present, if we’re still being obedient and faithful to Him eh? No reason whatsoever.
Remember that we also serve an ever-faithful God, who does not change, is not a chameleon; one moment this, another moment that, but is ever constant.
Listen to Bruh David again. ‘The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness). He will not always chide (strive): neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-kindness) toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear (revere) him. For he knoweth our frame (understands our constitution); he remebereth that we are dust.’ (Ps.103:8-14)
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, in ending, all I ask, is that we too remember that we are mere dust; nothing but dust, and behave appropriately. Much LOVE!
…all flesh shall perish together…and man shall turn again unto dust… (Job 34:15)
19 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: a better tomorrow, advice, anger, Anselm, broken, Clifton Hills Resort, corruption, decisions, don't give up, drink the sweet, dysfunctional, eat the fat, encouragement, Ezra, fellowship, focus, for the joy of the Lord is your strength, Friday chant, friends, fun, furthering God's kingdom, heal, hockey wilderness, hurt, Jesus Christ, joy, joyful, lack of joy, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, mirth, money, mourn not nor weep, Nehemiah, one of the least, pain, party time, Point Fortin, rejoicing, relaxation, renewed and refreshed, resentment, rest, San Fernando, send portions to the needy, temptation, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the Levites, the Pitch Lake, the weekend, the words of the law, this day is holy, trust, try your spirit, understand, Uriah Buzz Butler Highway, water taxi, week of work, wisdom, wounded, ye have done it unto me
Nehemiah 8:10c. For the joy of the Lord is your strength.
And then it was Friday…
And we all know what happens on Fridays – the people rejoice with shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! The weekend’s here at long last, and we can say to hell with work for two days! Party time mih breddren! Oh thank the Lord for Fridays yes!’
Ah mih people, I won’t even bother to say that that is not the best use for us to put the weekend to. (smile) I’ll just say let’s chant our Friday Chant so that we can get a better perspective on our two days off.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Now that makes a whole lot more sense than just partying away the two little days off we have, then going back out to work next week tired and miserable and complaining. I do hope that eventually most of us learn the right way, for until we do, our lives will keep on being dysfunctional, filled with complaints, resentment, anger and a sad lack of true joy, and that’s definitely no way to live.
And to further help us in living functional and joyous lives, here is a quote from our friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow.
Listen up: ‘You’re going to be okay. This pain you feel is going to pass. Maybe not this moment or today or tomorrow, but sometime soon. The hurt will fade. Don’t give up before things get better. You may be wounded, but you aren’t broken. You can and will heal.’
Oh friends, I don’t know about you all nuh, but the ole fella needs that message, that encouragement badly! Now deep down I do know that things will improve health wise, as I’ve already had an inkling of it, but still, when the aches and pains strike out of the blue, with no apparent provocation on your part, it does try your spirit.
That’s why we need to keep our focus steadfastly on the Lord and His tender mercies and LOVING-kindness, so that we won’t give in to the always nagging temptation to give up! And that’s why our Bit is ever so important: ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
And did I ever have my joy renewed yesterday friends! We took the water taxi from Port of Spain to San Fernando, a cool hour’s ride along the coast of Trinidad. There, a couple of friends met us and drove us through Sando (San Fernando), then down to their home in Point Fortin.
Oh, is the southland ever busy! Brother, the cars are numerous, with all sorts of traffic jams, and then others just swooping by under less than safe circumstances. We saw the highway that was never completed, ostensibly due to lack of money, aided and abetted by serious corruption. Ah Lord eh!
We also saw the Pitch Lake; that mass of regenerating pitch, (asphalt) from which I understand we export, but don’t use ourselves. Anyway it was a very interesting tour, with all sorts of big and beautiful homes along the way, as well as older, not so big ones.
The people are crying that the times they are hard, and no doubt they are for some, but looking at some of what is going up, one would deduce that there is money, and plenty too, in certain echelons of the society.
Nonetheless, we had dinner at a wonderful new establishment called Clifton Hills Resort, situated next to the beach. A small hotel, not yet functional is also situated on the property. It’s well landscaped, the food was delicious and the service excellent.
Then our friends drove us all the way back to Port of Spain, at least an hour and a half drive. The new Uriah Buzz Butler Highway made it a little easier. And wonder of wonders, as I was going up to my room I saw a hockey game on in one of the little booths in the lobby, and I obviously shouted for joy, because I’ve been in a hockey wilderness for three weeks now.
I was just in time to see the third period. And although my team, the Detroit Red Wings lost against the Pittsburgh Penguins, I felt like a thirsty man does when given a drink of water. (smile)
Now let’s end with the rest of the story re our Bit. ‘And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha (Governor), and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
Then said he unto them, go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace (be still), for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth (rejoicing), because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.’ (Neh.8:9-12)
Oh friends, how I wish that we could be so joyful when we hear the word read to us because we understood it. So many of us don’t even pay attention, much less understand.
Then again, we can get all sorts of advice, but we all have to make our own decisions, let’s hope we make the right ones today, especially that of closely following our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for that is indeed the wisdom of all time. Much LOVE!
…in our times of merriment and joy…let’s not forget to share with the needy…for as Jesus said…in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren…ye have done it unto me… (Matt.25:40b)
18 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Amen, Aramaic, attentive, blessed the Lord, bowing their heads, compassions, daily devotions, earthly living, errors, explaining, Ezra, faith, familiarity breeds contempt, ferry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength, friends, glory to God, great is thy faithfulness, Guidebook of Life, guidelines for living, guilty, Hebrew, holy spirit, Hyatt Hotel, interpreting, Jesus Christ, levites, lies, LOVE, mercies, mercy, mistakes, new every morning, oral paraphrases, Port of Spain, Radisson Hotel, revolving restaurant, San Fernando, Targums, the book of the law, the Word, Tobago, Trinidad, water taxi, wiles, wisdom
Nehemiah 8:10c. For the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Hello there my faithful brethren, the ole fella’s in Trickidad (Trinidad); in the great metropolis of Port of Spain, the island’s capital! Glory to God!
I came down by the ferry yesterday afternoon, a smooth two and a half hours’ trip, to see some friends and family I haven’t seen in ages. The last two years I’ve been here, I never really visited, just changed planes at Piarco airport to Tobago, and changed planes on the way back to Canada.
I’m staying at a hotel right overlooking the water front, not far from the ferry dock. This foolishly led me to ask a chap there yesterday if I could walk to the hotel. ‘Oh yes!’ he declared. ‘It’s just a small walk to the Radisson,’ pointing out the building in the foreground.
And having walked from the hotel to the ferry docks when I was here the first time, some four years ago, I knew it wasn’t that long. But back then I didn’t have a heavy bag in one hand and a suitcase in the other, neither was the sun as hot.
So see me and the duchess walking down Wrightson Road in the busy four o’clock traffic, pulling our suitcases along a rough sidewalk, then having to cross over the busy road to get to the hotel. Hn! I just chalked it up to being my daily exercise. But never again! That’s all I have to say. (smile)
The hotel is comfortable, not as big or as expensive as the Hyatt across the street. One of its more endearing features is the revolving restaurant at the top. We had dinner up there last night. The food was good, and while dining we spun a whole 360 degrees, which allowed a wonderful view of Port of Spain and its environs brightly lit up in the clear night sky.
Today we’re thinking about taking a water taxi to San Fernando, the big city in the southern part of the island, but we’re not sure of that just yet. And as I look out my eleventh floor window in the early morning, I can see people already moving about, and that Wrightson Road is also fairly busy.
But on a more important note, how many of you noticed the nonsense I did yesterday eh? Ah Lord eh! Lucifer must have been really playing games with my mind, for in all three headings I had the Bit listed as ‘Nehemiah 10c.’ Now what is that eh? Only the Lord alone knows.
And in editing the Bit, I usually read it at least three times before sending it out. Steups! I don’t know what happened to me yesterday, if I was just rushing to get it done so I could get to the ferry on time or what. And sadly, it’s only this morning when I looked at it again, something clicked in my ole brain and I realized the mistake. Chuh! It just annoyed me, because I dislike making such fundamental mistakes.
Anyway, yesterday is history, today’s a brand new day, filled anew with our wonderful God’s brand new mercies and compassions. As the prophet Jeremiah wisely and truthfully says in his Lamentations: ‘They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam.3:23) Glory be! So I’ll forget about that mistake, and just hope I don’t make any more such glaring errors. (smile)
Now let’s continue with our Bit: ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ And indeed it is, for without His peace and grace and LOVE steadfastly in our hearts, we’ll not have any long lasting strength to withstand the numerous wiles and lies of the enemy.
So yesterday we saw where Ezra, the priest began reading the law of Moses to the people. ‘And he read therein before the street (plaza) that was before the water gate from the morning (it was light) until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.’ (Neh.8:3)
Oh my people, I just wish that statement could be made about us when we go to church or anywhere that the Lord’s Word is spoken. So often, so many of us are guilty of not paying attention to the reading of the Word, both aloud in church and in our own daily devotions.
But yuh know friends, when we don’t pay proper attention, we’re not doing God anything nuh, because He already knows the Word, for He wrote it. But we are doing ourselves a great injustice when we don’t concentrate and meditate on it, because it’s His guideline for our successful earthly living.
But moving on: ‘And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit (platform) of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah etc.… And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up; and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua etc… and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; so the people stood in their place.
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense (expounded the meaning), and caused them to understand the reading.’ (Neh.8:4-8)
Now there were others there explaining and interpreting the Word to the people, most of whom were hearing the actual reading of the Word for the very first time in their lives.
And the scholars offer this footnote. ‘8:7-8. In verse 7 the men gave the sense of the law (caused the people to understand) and then in verse 8 translated or read…distinctly from the Hebrew into Aramaic, the only language some of the people may have understood (cf. 13:24; Ezra 4:18). This would be the first mention of what developed as the Targums, or oral paraphrases of the Law, which were later written down.’
Now isn’t that behaviour of the olden people, very contradictory to ours when we hear the Word being read? It surely is, possibly because we’ve heard it a thousand times before, so we don’t pay particular attention. We allow the worldly saying that familiarity breeds contempt to seep into our souls.
But that’s not right friends, we all should be as familiar and attentive to the Good Book as we possibly can, because that’s where our guidelines for living are ensconced.
Now today, let’s ponder our personal familiarity with, and attentiveness to God’s Word, and with His help, try to improve it nuh. For that is indeed the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
…if you don’t read and study the Guidebook of life…how will you know the guidelines for living…how to live life eh…
P.S. I fixed the Scrip-Bit Blog from yesterday, so it’s perfect now. (smile) Much LOVE!
17 Feb 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a relationship with Jesus, adversity, apostate, assurance, atonement, Babylon, breath of God, calamity, courage, crying, dark night of sin, day of life, doomed to destruction, downfall, enemy, evil, exile, expectations, Ezra, fades, faith, Feast of Trumpets, final destination, for the joy of the Lord is your strenght, friends, glorious sunshine of Jesus, glory hallelujah, God shall wipe away all tears, God's plan for our lives, going to hell in a hand-basket, happiness, happy, heaven, holy spirit, hope, Hours of Power Devotional, I am halfway home, I'm not looking back, I'm not turning back, indisputable fact, inner peace, Israelites, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Truth, joy, joyful, joyfulness, kind, LOVE, merciful, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, no more death, paganism, pain, peace, planet earth, pleasure, ponder, robert h schuller, self-esteem, sorrow, steadfastly, superstition, thanks and praise, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the clouds will clear, the former things are passed away, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the law of Moses, the Life, the Light, the promise of heaven, the sun will shine again, the Way, they have not known nor understood, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, understanding, vim and vigour, walking faithfully, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, world of darkness
Nehemiah 8:10c. For the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Oh welcome my brethren to another interesting and satisfying day of life on God’s great planet Earth!
And as we keep saying, there must be a reason for us to have awakened this morning. So, after giving God some thanks and praise for bringing us through the dark night of sin into the glorious sunshine of Jesus, let’s get with His plan for our lives right away nuh.
And since today is Wednesday, it means declaring our Wednesday Wail with much vim and vigour. (smile) As one wailer now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home.
My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Yes friends, life is all about looking forward to a glorious future with Jesus! As they say; our best days are still ahead. And I do believe that. And how can we not be ever-thankful for the beautiful breath of God’s Spirit that’s flowing through us to give us what we call life eh!
Now today I want to share something from Gramps Schuller’s (Robert H. Schuller) Hours of Power Devotional. Don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but if I have, it’s certainly worthy of another go round in this dark and dismal world.
He asks the question ‘Are You Happy?’ But I want to change it to ‘Are you Joyful?’ because happiness conveys a sense of now for now pleasure that soon fades, pleasure as the world sees it, not the long lasting joy that comes from a true relationship with Jesus. So in this passage, wherever we see ‘Happiness,’ let’s read it as ‘Joyfulness.’
So here goes: ‘Happiness – that deep inner strength that is made up of courage, faith, hope, and peace. Mix them together and you have happiness! Happiness – the courage to hang on in the face of severe adversity! Happiness – the faith that God will have the last word, and it will be good! Happiness – the hope that, even though you can only see the shadow, someday the clouds will clear away and the sun will shine again!
Happiness – the quiet sense of self-esteem that comes when you know you have done your best. Happiness – the assurance that you have been merciful and kind to enemy and friend alike. Happiness – the quiet assurance that God will be merciful and kind to you, too. Happiness – the beautiful belief that this life, no matter how difficult it may be, is not your final destination.’
Oh what beautiful, words, thoughts and emotions my people! Especially knowing that our final destination is heaven, to live with Jesus forever! ‘And God shall wipe away all 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.’ (Rev.21:4)
And all God’s people loudly and proudly declared: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Thank the Lord for the promise of heaven!’
And that’s all fine and dandy my friends, but the truth, the reality is that we can’t have all those things, all that happiness, all that joyfulness here on earth, unless we are walking faithfully and steadfastly with Almighty God!
And you ask why? Simply because, as our Bit says: ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
And that my people is an indisputable fact! We cannot be truly happy or joyful for any length of time, unless the Lord’s joy is running through us. The Lord’s joy comes from a sense of inner peace, of expectations edged with faith in God’s promises, and the practical LOVE He showed to us by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for the atonement of our sins!
No other faith can boast of those things! That’s why Jesus is the Truth, the Life, the Way and the Light that lights up this world of darkness!
Now some of us might not know where our Bit comes from, or how it is tied in to the scriptures, so let’s go back in time. The Israelites had recently returned from exile in Babylon, and having settled themselves in their homeland again, in the seventh month they came together to celebrate and thank the Lord.
‘And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street (plaza) that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the scribe brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the seventh month.’ (Neh.8:1-2)
Now friends, I think it’s very important that we listen to the scholars’ explanation here. ‘8:2. The time was the Feast of Trumpets (Lev.23:24) and was about September 27, 444 B.C. This was the most sacred of the new moons, and commenced the final month of the religious festivals (Lev.23:23-25; Num.29:1-6). The concept of understanding was important as Proverbs 1:2 indicates (cf. Ex.12:26-27; Deut.4:6; 6:6-9; 31:12-13).
Mindless superstition was the mark of paganism (“They have not known nor understood.” Is.44:18-20), and had been the downfall of apostate Israel (Hos.4:6: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”). Notice the stress on understanding in verses 2-3, 7-8,13.’
Oh friends, that is exactly what’s happening to our world today! We are suffering from a lack of knowledge and understanding of God, just like Israel was back then. Paganism is rearing its ugly head more and more, no wonder our world is going to hell in a hand-basket like happened to the apostate Israel!
What do you think happens when a society, a nation, a world turns away from Almighty God eh? Obvious calamity!
Oh my people, look at the number of places, cities and societies cited in the Bible who were destroyed because they had turned from worshipping and serving the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, including His chosen Israel several times.
What makes us thing that our turning away from Him now will end any differently eh? And I’ll leave us to ponder that question today. Much LOVE!
…apart from Almighty God…mankind is doomed to destruction…
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