13 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: allegiance, beauty of God, can't serve two masters, commandments, constantly seek God, do not please men, don't give up, don't worry about tomorrow, eternal life, eternal separation, food in abundance, generous mercy, glory, God will never leave us, good foundation, good works, grace, hate, haughty, idols, lilies of the field, LOVE, low ebb, loyalty, lust of the flesh, material possessions, material things, perseverance, please God, pride, righteousness., salvation, seek the kingdom of God, serve God, serve mammon, splendour, trust, uncertain riches, woe is me
Matthew 6:24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s struggling this morning, and I just don’t know why. Nothing’s particularly wrong in my life, but for some strange, unknown reason my spirit’s been at a low ebb. I obviously asked the Lord to bring me unto myself and unto Him, but it took a while to happen. My search for a Bit lasted over half an hour. That’s much longer than it usually takes. The important thing though is I didn’t give up and go, ‘woe is me.’ I kept persevering because deep down I knew that that too would pass, the Lord would eventually pull me up out of whatever mire in which I was wallowing. That’s the beauty of our God, my brethren! Though He may allow us to wallow for a while, to suit His own mysterious, superior purposes, He will NEVER leave us to do so forever, once we sincerely seek Him. And I guess that’s why Jesus kept telling His listeners to stop worrying about what they should eat and drink and wear, using examples of the birds and flowers, which don’t sow or toil, but due to the Lord’s generous mercy and grace have food in abundance, and turn out to be very beautiful. Even Cousin Sol in all his splendour and glory wasn’t as beautiful as the lilies of the field. (Matt.6:25-29) In other words, we shouldn’t be overly concerned or anxious about material things, especially those of us who don’t have a lot. Don’t stop seeking God in order to acquire material possessions. Instead, Jesus offers this advice. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:33-34) Yes my people, when we seek the Lord sincerely and conscientiously, all our material needs will be met. The scholars have this to say: ‘This portion of the Sermon on the Mount is summarized by the statement seek ye first the kingdom of God. The disciples who have pledged their allegiance to the King must continue seeking the kingdom and its righteousness. The present imperative form of the verb (Gr. Zeteo) indicates a continual or constant seeking. The contrast between the spiritual and the material is again emphasized. The believer is to seek first the righteousness that is characteristic of God’s kingdom, and then all these things (material things) shall be added to him. When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides. We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’ And it’s rather interesting to see that all of that came about because of our Bit. ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ That’s so logical that even a blind man can see the truth in it! (smile) I like how the scholars explain it. ‘This kind of spiritual double vision causes one to believe he can serve two masters. Totally loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty to one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. Kurios) is a lord or an owner. That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage. Therefore, Jesus rightly proclaimed, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The term mammon is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions of wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’ And that my people is the unfortunate bane of our existence in today’s society! We worship wealth and material possessions, treasure them and in of themselves, not as mere tools, not simply as what they can do for us. Right there we’re contravening the first commandment: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ (Ex.20:3) And that’s not very wise my brethren, because earthly possessions are just that; they rot, are stolen and eaten away by insects, and when you die, they stay right here on earth. You don’t take a single thing with you. So why give them such prominence in our lives eh? Granted, they are important, but seeking and worshipping Almighty God is even more important, because in the first place, it’s He who causes us to get earthly wealth, and secondly also provides us with the two most important things, salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, when we give up this earthly body. Now let’s look at a few scriptures that support our Bit. Bruh Paul told the Galatians in no uncertain terms: ‘For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.’ (Gal.1:10) You can’t please men and please Christ too. Then he tells Timothy: ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share); Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19) So Friends, being rich is not a problem, it’s what we do with our riches. The scholars correctly explain that ‘Salvation is not purchased by the giving of money, but generosity demonstrates the reality of one’s faith. Since the believer trusts God and not money, he gives. This giving shows where his heart is and that he views his wealth in light of eternity.’ Meanwhile James adamantly declares: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy (makes himself the enemy) of God.’ (James 4:4) And finally from John: ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) Oh Friends, truer words were never spoken! It’s now up to us as individuals to believe or disbelieve those facts and act accordingly. I would definitely advise us to play it safe and believe, for disbelief will doom your soul to eternal separation from Jehovah God, the worse fate that can befall a man. Much LOVE!…anything that keeps or takes us away from God…is an idol…and thus sinful…
12 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a merry heart, a word in season, anxious, be of good cheer, broken spirit, eternal life, fearful, fellowship, freezing rain, Friday chant, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, godly guidance, holy spirit, ice storm, joy, kind words, laughter, LOVE, medicinal properties, medicine, mirror image of Jesus, pity party, positive difference, relaxation, rest, revitalizing powers, salvation, sorrow of the heart, strengthen our spirits, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, tired, walk in wisdom, weary, wintry weather
Proverbs 17:22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! However, the shouts of ‘TGIF!’ and ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ won’t be plentiful in the Greater Toronto Area this morning because there was supposed to be freezing rain and an ice storm happening last night. It was bad from yesterday evening when I went out and almost tripped on my back step from the ice that had deceptively accumulated there. And that’s the scary part, where everything looks normal, but you only find out it’s not when you step on it. Right now it’s raining in my neck of the woods, and every so often I can hear the wind kicking up outside in a mad frenzy, causing the still naked trees to do it’s deathly dance. So Friends, please be careful on the roads this morning as the wintry weather seems to be lasting longer than expected. And to help calm, quiet and strengthen our spirits with some godly guidance, let’s chant our Friday Chant with a whole lotta oompah nuh. As one voice 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.’ That brings us to our Bit: ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ Oh my brethren, there’s so much truth and wisdom in those few words, that if more of mankind heard and heeded them, our world would not be quite the sad and sorrowful place it is. Too many of us walk around with long, drawn, sour faces and countenances as though our best friend had just died. But Friends, it’s gospel truth that a cheerful heart has medicinal properties. I’m sure you’ve heard about the revitalizing powers of laughter; it’s the cheapest and most easily administered remedy for whatever ails us. If you don’t believe me, try it our some time soon, preferably today. Just notice the positive difference that some laughter and merriment brings to your spirit. That’s because a cheerful heart makes its own song and gives your spirit a fresh outlook on whatever ails you. Cousin Sol says it in so many ways and places. In Proverbs 12, he declares: ‘Heaviness (anxiety) in the heart of man maketh it stoop (causes depression): but a good word maketh it glad.’ (Prov.12:25) And according to the scholars: ‘A good word is a kind word that cheers the heart.’ Then in chapter 15, he unequivocally states: ‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance (face): but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.’ (Prov.15:13) And isn’t that the undeniable truth my people? It sure is! Just look at how we feel when our hearts are heavy with sadness and sorrow. We feel lost, uninspired, unable to get much of anything done, our spirits plummet to the depths of despair. Most of the time we just want to wallow in our sorrow and pity party. But let something or someone come along and put a little cheer in our hearts and a smile on our faces, and the tenor of our spirit immediately changes. We begin to feel bright and bubbly again, willing and able to get on with life, even though our basic circumstances haven’t changed, just our outlook. Cousin Sol continues in chapter 15 to declare that: ‘All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.’ (Prov.15:15) Wow! I like that! When our hearts are joyful, it’s like we’re continually feasting. And I sure do like my victuals! (smile) Now listen to Isaiah’s take on the subject, as he talks of the suffering of the Lord’s servant – Jesus. ‘The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.’ (Is.50:4) Oh my people, our God does the same with us every morning; gives us a good word to speak to someone who’s weary and tired, so that we might lift their sagging spirits! Are we using that power? I sure hope so, because our world is so broken and sad these days, that there are too many of us wandering around with low spirits that tend to dry up our bones, both literally and figuratively. And that’s not only true among the heathen, but also amongst believers, who should be the most joyous people on God’s earth, since we have Jesus and all the good, no great and wonderful stuff He’s provided for us. Salvation and eternal life are the greatest things to happen to mankind since the discovery of sliced bread! (smile) That means we ought to be joyful and full of beans. But for some unknown reason, some believers think that laughter is not fit and proper in a Christian setting. How wrong they are my brethren! Jesus didn’t sacrifice His holy, sinless life so that His followers could go around looking sad and sorrowful. Remember His most encouraging words: ‘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) Oh fellow believers, that means though life will be sometimes pretty difficult, with numerous challenges, we can overcome them all with God’s help, through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Jesus has already paid all our sin-debts, so there’s no reason to worry or be fearful and anxious, continually sad and miserable over our earthly circumstances. Remember the wonderful home that’s waiting in heaven for us, so just be happy! As the old people would say, ‘learn to grin and bear it.’ Therefore Friends, please let’s make a serious and conscious decision today, to cut out most of the blues in our spirits, in our lives, because Jesus has commanded us to do so, and it will also liven up our lives, make us feel much better; physically, mentally and emotionally. And like Isaiah says, let’s also seriously consider adding a word of cheer to the weary, tired and downtrodden who cross our paths today and everyday nuh. It’s all a part of our Christian walk. So let’s walk in wisdom today with cheerful hearts, spreading joy and LOVE wherever we go. Then we’ll truly be the mirror images of Jesus that our God wants us to be. Much LOVE!…a sad countenance doesn’t change or improve our circumstances…but a merry heart certainly can…
11 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abomination, be still, Bless His Holy Name, courage, divine help, esteem, exalted, faith, glory hallelujah, glory of God's majesty, God of Abraham, gospel truth, heathen, hope, I am God, I am the vine, mysterious machinations, new blessings, new mercies, one and only true God, our refuge and strength, pilgrim's life, planet earth, Praise the Lord, promises fulfilled, psalm 46, rejoice and be glad in it, reverence, strength, the day the Lord has made, the haughty brought low, the proud humbled, undeniable truth, we will not fear, works of the Lord, write indelibly
Psalm 46:12. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Oh Friends, another day is dawning beautifully in many parts of God’s wonderful universe, and many new blessings and mercies are being made ready for distribution to God’s people down here on planet Earth! Wow! And just the thought of all that wonderful, divine, heavenly help drives God’s children to boldly declare: ‘Thank You Lord, thank You! You are so LOVING and generous to the undeserving children of men. We praise You and bless Your Holy Name, and promise to serve and worship You forever. Amen.’ Yes my people, this is indeed the day that our Lord God has made for us to enjoy, therefore let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad in it, for there’s no deity like the one we bow down to! That’s why the psalmist could confidently proclaim in our Bit: ‘Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.’ And that’s no lie Friends! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whom we worship, is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD IN ALL THE UNIVERSE! As the first few verses of the psalm declare: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present (abundantly available) help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps,46:1-3) Oh my fellow believers in Christ, those are very strong, reassuring words, based on God’s actual help to the Israelites, not simply the unrealized hopes and dreams of a troubled, enslaved people. Therefore, they are words that we should also hold on to, write indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls to give us the strength, faith and courage to live this difficult, but oh so interesting pilgrim’s life down here on Mother Earth. And even more importantly, through the Lord’s mysterious machinations, His Holy Name will eventually be exalted amongst the unbelievers. We obviously have a major part to play in that exaltation, but without God’s help we’re basically powerless to do much of anything. For as Jesus said: ‘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) Words of undeniable truth my Friends! And though the heathen seems to be in control of the earth right now, there’s no doubt that in the Lord’s time, that evil and unworthy scenario will change. Listen as the psalmist continues: ‘There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles (dwelling places) of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved (shaken): God shall help her, and that right early (at the break of dawn). The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.’ (Ps.46:4-7) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! And it encouraged all God’s people to declare a loud and grateful; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Oh Friends, it’s so sad that so many of God’s human creation don’t know and don’t worship Him, for He is truly a most magnificent Deity! And the psalmist continues raving about his God: ‘Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in fire.’ (Ps.46:8-9) Yes my people, all of that is indeed possible with our God! And in His time, it will surely come to pass. As Isaiah prophesied, re the day of the Lord: ‘The lofty (proud) looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.’ (Is.2:11-12) So please don’t join the ranks of the heathen, the unbeliever, the evil enemy, for as Isaiah continues: ‘And the loftiness (pride) of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear (from the terror) of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth (to make the earth tremble).’ (Is.2:17-19) Oh my brethren, on that fateful day, when the Lord decides to pronounce judgement on the sinful earth, there will be no escape for the heathen! And the scholars provide an interesting note. ‘The unshakeable confidence with which the psalm leaves the believer prompted Martin Luther, (the Protestant leader) to pen one of the great hymns of all time, ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.’ Ah mih breddren, that bit of info should just boost our strength, faith, hope, trust, esteem, reverence and LOVE for our most worthy God! If the psalm was powerful enough to move the fiery Martin Luther a few centuries ago, when things were much rougher than now, then it certainly ought to move us too. And we’ll end with some wise words of Cousin Sol on the subject. ‘The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil (doom). Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged (atonement is provided for iniquity): and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.’ (Prov.16:4-6) Oh Friends, those verses cover it all; from the beginning to the end, so please take serious note of them, so that in that fateful day, you will not be numbered amongst the proud, haughty, evil heathen. That’s the ultimate in wisdom! Much LOVE!…it starts with a promise from Jehovah God…that leads to hope, faith, trust and surrender…then ends in the promise being fulfilled…becoming reality…for the Lord God is faithful…
10 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sound mind, action, ardent supplications, atonement for sin, Christian persecution, divine wisdom, dreadful oppression, early rain, fear, fearful times, fearful worship, founding fathers, free world, good night's sleep, Holy Name of Jesus, Jerusalem, Lord forgive, Lord hear, LOVE, power, pray for the suffering, prosperity, protective umbrella, religious strife, repression, retribution, selfless sacrifice, spirit of fear, unity of Christians, worship God, worship openly
Daniel 9:19. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s up bright and early this wet, Wednesday spring morning! That’s because I went to bed early last night and caught up on some of the rest I’d been missing. There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to rejuvenate both body the body and mind. And like we’re finally getting the early rain to prepare the ground for planting, as the past two evenings the rain has fallen mightily in my area. It’s about time too, we’ve seen enough of that white stuff. And talking about that, the snow this year has been rather resilient, for though we’ve had several warm days in the last little while, yesterday morning there was still a few mounds of the stuff lurking around. But thank the Lord that threat is now over for a few months, though the rain reminds me of the leak in my laundry room. And to make matters worse, I understand that my maintenance person is now frolicking in the warm, sunny, colourful, twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. But not to worry, the Lord will look after me, as He’s been doing all along. That brings us to our Bit: ‘O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do (listen and act); defer (delay) not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.’ Oh Friends, that was a part of Daniel’s prayer for his people Israel, when they were in captivity in Babylon. God’s city of Jerusalem was a mess, destroyed by Israel’s enemies. Unfortunately today it’s still a mess, this time though with mostly religious strife. It’s a prayer that all Christians should still be praying in these evil, troubled and fearful times, because Christians all over the world are still being horribly persecuted and subjected to dreadful oppression; physically, mentally and emotionally. In many places they can’t worship openly, can’t even say the Holy Name of Jesus out loud, but in very soft whispers, for fear of terrible retribution by the ruling enemy. That is just so sad my brethren, and even if we can’t do anything about their physical circumstances, we can always, should and must pray for those who are suffering simply because they believe in Jesus Christ. Now that kind of persecution is indeed terrible, but to some extent our behaviour in the supposed free world, where we can worship openly, is even worse, because we are steadily allowing the evil powers to erode all the gains that Jesus and His church have made in our society over the last few hundred years. The founding fathers must be turning over in their graves, completely horrified at the sad state of the church today, and the overall evil, immoral, greedy, selfish society in which we now live. It’s basically the same thing they ran away from in old Europe; the harsh repression of the powers that be, and the inability to worship their God in peace and dignity. Unfortunately Friends, we are going right back to that kind of society, and unless we believers get up and actively stop it, the pendulum will eventually swing right back to those harsh times of fearful worship and repression. Oh my fellow believers in Christ, we simply CANNOT allow that to happen! Jesus sacrificed His holy, sinless life so that we could be free, free to worship Him in peace and LOVE. So please let’s step up to the plate nuh, let’s stand strong in His awesome might and power and reject, reverse the evil, ungodly trend that’s threatening to take over the world and cause the downfall and eventual demise of Christ’s church. That must NEVER happen my brethren! Please remember the powerful, reassuring words of Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7) That means there’s no need to be afraid of the enemy. They can’t do us anything for worshipping Christ. We have to take the bull by the horns and take back what’s rightfully ours through Christ Jesus. Oh my brethren, if we don’t unite soon and quickly move as one to secure Christ’s church, it will eventually be lost in the dust of history. Now that would definitely be a waste of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice. Do we want to have that sin on our conscience my people? Absolutely not! Well then, let’s get up off our fat, lazy, comfortable rear ends and fight for our rights to worship in peace and have our society back under the protective and prosperous umbrella of Jehovah God! It doesn’t take great wisdom to see that the downhill slope we’re quickly sliding down and the numerous disasters we’re currently experiencing are all a part of our turning away from our Creator. And it’s all well and good to make ardent supplications like Daniel in our Bit and Asaph in the following scripture. ‘Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, purge away (make atonement for) our sins, for thy name’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, where is their God? Let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging (avenging) of the blood of thy servants which is shed.’ (Ps.79:9-10) Oh Friends, the Lord’s already made atonement for our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus’ life, and He was also much better known to the heathen even fifty years ago, than He is now. So whose fault is it that our society is going to the dogs, without the support of Almighty God eh? Certainly not His, but ours! Oh Friends, the long and short of the story is that we’re in a partnership with God, and if we do our part, He will do His. He’s faithfully promised never to leave or forsake us, but by the same token we’ve got to seek Him. He’s not going to come looking for us. So let’s rise up do our thing nuh, fight the enemy tooth and nail, so we can bring the many lost souls out there to Christ, and thus ensure the resounding victory and success of Jesus’ LOVE Revolution. That my Friends, is one of our major purposes here on God’s great earth. So if we truly desire to make Jesus’ church a success here on earth, then please, let’s all get serious and diligently do our parts nuh. That’s divine wisdom for an earthly life! Much LOVE!…all the talk in the world…won’t get Christians anywhere…much more action is badly needed…
09 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man after God's heart, abundant favour, awesome truths, benefit of the doubt, bless the Lord, bless the righteous, burn the candle at both ends, disobedient, divine assurance, do unto others, faith, God's Holy Will, henry wadsworth longfellow, holy spirit, judge others, judgement, LOVE, mount up with eagles wings, outward behaviour, peace, rebel against God, rejoice, rest, run and not be weary, secret sorrow, shout for joy, steadfast, strong and true, surround with a shield, trust, walk and not faint, wisdom, wonderful creator
Psalm 5:12. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Oh Friends, this is one of those mornings when the ole fella found it hard to rise and shine. That’s because I did some running around yesterday and didn’t get proper rest, so the ole body rebelled on me this morning. Hn, hn! That sort of reminds me of how we rebel against our wonderful Creator. I guess that ought to give me some inclination of how He feels when I’m disobedient. Don’t know when I’ll realize that I’m no longer a spring chicken nuh, that I’m not young, resilient and sprightly as I used to be, and can’t burn the proverbial candle at both ends, without eventually paying a price. (smile) Anyway, we’re up now, and with God’s help, ready to blast off for places unknown. And we’ll begin the lift-off with this quote from the famous American poet and educator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). ‘Believe me, every man has his secret sorrow, which the world knows not, and oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad.’ And that’s truth in spades, my people! We use outward behaviour to quickly judge others, and in many cases our judgements are completely wrong. The quandary though, is that most times the outward behaviour is all we have to go on. We either can’t, or don’t want to get to know the other person on a deeper level. The solution to that problem then is not to judge as much or as harshly as we like to do. Let’s give the other person the benefit of the doubt, just like we’d want them to do with us. As the basic principle of our faith decrees; do unto others as we’d like done unto us. Let’s try and follow that principle as closely as possible today nuh Friends, it’ll make life so much easier and much more pleasant for all concerned. And to help us do that, let’s also take this advice from Bruh David’s prayer for protection. It’s the verse before our Bit. ‘But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest (protect) them: let them also that LOVE thy name be joyful in thee.’ (Ps.5:11) Why should we do that, you ask? Our Bit gives us the answer. ‘For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass (surround) him as with a shield.’ And that my people, is one of the most awesome truths in this world! So much so, that all God’s children rose up with one accord and with a mighty shout, gratefully declared: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, for He is indeed mighty, and will look down with abundant favour on those who put their sincere trust and faith in Him!’ That’s for certain sure my brethren! And please remember that those words of our Bit didn’t come from any hearsay nuh, but from the personal experience of Bruh David, who was so tight with God, that he was called a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam.13:14) Oh fellow followers of Christ, to me that is the greatest commendation a human can receive. And I think it’s what all believers should endeavour to be called. It’s not an easy task, but as with every other good thing, with the Lord’s help and our own diligence, we can certainly reach that level of excellence. Now let’s look at some scriptures that support our Bit. In Psalm 29, the voice of the Lord in the storm, Bruh David solemnly ends with this great statement of faith. ‘The Lord sitteth (sits enthroned) upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth (sits) for ever. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.’ (Ps.29:10-11) More awesome truth Friends! And in Psalm 68, Bruh David again ends with another declaration of utmost faith. ‘O God, thou art terrible (awesome) out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.’ (Ps.68:35) Oh my fellow believers, it’s all these scriptures of divine assurance, faith and trust that we need to write deeply and indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls, so that we too can stand steadfast, strong and true in this evil world, empowered by them, through God’s Holy Spirit, to do His Holy Will! And we’ll end with one of the most famous passages of scripture, one that we all know, but as usual, don’t put enough trust and faith in, otherwise we wouldn’t be as anxious and fearful as so many of us are. That great man of God, the prophet Isaiah, assures us of the protection and strength of our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40:28-31) And all God’s children sent up a mighty shout to heaven. ‘Thank You Lord! You are most worthy to be praised! We truly LOVE You and bless Your Holy Name! Amen!’ Yes Friends, let’s go about the Lord’s business today with those powerful words of truth and assurance reverberating in our souls, so that we can stand strong and diligently pursue His Will in a most excellent manner. That’s certainly wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!…though God’s promises are tried and true…believers should never take them for granted…but always maintain a sense of awe…at the majesty and generosity of our great God…
08 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, body of Christ, church harmony, compassion, confidence, Creator of the universe, disunity of churches, enthusiasm, eternal truth, forgiveness, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God's children, holy spirit, humble servants, Jesus Christ, jobs, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, praise, raging sea, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, risen Lord, sacrifice, saviour jesus, steadfast faith, storms, temple of God, thanksgiving, the anchor holds, the things of Caesar, the things of God
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Oh Friends, hear this eternal truth nuh, on this second Monday morning of Easter, from one of my favourite songs which I heard yesterday. It says: ‘The anchor holds, though my ship is battered. The anchor holds, though my sails are torn. I’m down on my knees, although I face the raging sea. And yet the anchor holds, in spite of the storm.’ Oh my people, when Jesus is the anchor of our lives, though we are battered and torn, we can still stand strong, even down on our knees, because Jesus has us securely anchored in His LOVE, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and strength. And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All strength and power and majesty belong to our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus!’ So my brethren, even though you don’t feel like getting up and going to work this Monday morning, please remember that Jesus is still with you in that storm of tiredness, laziness, or just plain uninterested and unmotivated mood. And if we turn to Him in sincere faith, then He will indeed anchor us, keep us steadfast and strong while we go through those storms, and help us safely work our way back to shore. Now let’s use our motivational tool, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our motors running. As one loud, sweet, harmonious voice 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!’ Awright mih people! That was great! The Lord even gave Jesus a high-five for it, and the heavenly hosts cried out for an encore! Wow! We certainly look like we’re in a battling mood this Monday morning. So let’s get out there into the evil world and battle for Jesus, but also be careful to do what He advises in our Bit. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render (pay) therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ And today we’ll look at some scriptures dealing with the last part; ‘and give unto God the things that are God’s,’ focussing on the writings of Bruh Paul. We’ll begin with when the Corinthians were arguing amongst themselves as to whom they belonged; Bruh Paul, Apollos or Cephas, because they all had a hand in their teaching. Bruh Paul pulls them up, by telling them that Jesus is the only foundation. ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor.3:11) Then he gets more explicit. ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ (I Cor.3:16) The temple here does not mean the individual believers, but the local church. ‘Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come: all are yours. And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ (1 Cor.3:21-23) Hear the scholars: ‘For all things are yours: The one who belongs to Christ is a child of God, and his Father will do anything for him. The absurdity of their division over allegiances to any of these men is that God gave them “all” to the Corinthians.’ That means we belong to no one else but God. Unfortunately though, today there are still many who seem to hold allegiance to men in the church rather than to God, thus another reason for the disunity of the church. Meanwhile, in chapter 6, Bruh Paul berates them. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor.6:19-20) This time he’s telling them that their bodies are also temples of God, bought and paid for by the sacrificial blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and that fact should be of supreme importance to all men. Then in chapter 12, he puts it all together. ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’ (1 Cor.12:27) The scholars have this interesting explanation. ‘The church in the New Testament is called the “body of Christ,” and reflects the spiritual organism of the whole church on earth. When the local church is called the body of Christ, the spiritual aspect is emphasized. Illustration: As the church is considered to be the body, so individual members are seen as parts of the body. For any church to function properly, every member must do his or her part in a harmonious spirit of cooperation with the other members. Had the church at Corinth learned that lesson, many of their problems could have been solved. Application: When Christians disrupt the harmony of a church, they bring reproach on the body of Christ. (Matt.16:18; 1 Cor.12:27).’ Sadly Friends, all the negativity of the Corinthians back then, still applies to the modern church, thus making it very difficult for the body of Christ to move ahead and prosper. And finally, in pleading for separation from unbelievers, Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in his second missive. ‘And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ (2 Cor.6:16) Yes Friends, though everything technically belongs to God, His biggest concerns are His earthly temples; the body of the church, and the bodies of the individuals who make up that church. So please, let’s not defile either, but offer them up with praise, sacrifice and thanksgiving, as becomes true followers of Christ. That’s wisdom for the ages. Much LOVE!… honouring God…is more important than honouring men…
07 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: actively speaking out for God, anarchy, attention span, balancing acts, busy lives, christian music radio, Christians, church, divinely ordained institutions, drinking milk, eating solid foods, evil, foolish men, gems of wisdom, God is good, Good Book, gospel truth, government, grin and bear it, infinite wisdom, Jesus is enough, let go, let God, LOVE 101 F.M., obeying lays, paying taxes, pray for those in authority, punishment of evildoers, scripture, self-evident principles, social responsibility, standing up for God, state, tests, the things of Caesar, the things of God, wasting time, will of God
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Oh Friends, sometimes the Lord really tests our spirits yes! I was going along quite well about ten minutes ago, almost finished the Bit, but at one point, when I looked up at the screen, I only saw half a line there. And when I went to the supposedly saved draft, only that half line was saved. Ah Lord eh! So now I have to rewrite everything. And as luck would have it, today I didn’t do much of it as a rough draft first. Anyway, as I keep saying, them’s the breaks. I just have to grin and bear it. I had originally opened with some words I heard from three songs while listening earlier on to the Christian music radio station, LOVE 101, F.M. broadcasting out of Kingston, Jamaica. The words just resonated with my spirit and I felt compelled to share them. The first set was: ‘God is good. How can I let Him down when He’s so good to me?’ That’s an excellent question Friends! The answer to which is, we should try very hard not to, since He’s indeed been so good to us, what with giving us Jesus and all the other benefits we derive as believers. The next set was: ‘I have Jesus, and that’s enough.’ Oh my brethren, that’s certainly the gospel truth! Once we have Jesus living within us, then we need nothing else, for He is our EVERYTHING! And the last set is: ‘Let go, and let God control your mind, cause if you try to make it on your own, you’ll be wasting your time.’ Words of infinite wisdom and truth my Friends! Now let’s ponder those truths for a moment and see how our lives match up with them nuh. Selah. (smile) And having done that, it’s time for our Bit. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ Certainly more important words to live by! And here are some explanations from the scholars on them. ‘In distinguishing obedience to God from obedience to Caesar, Jesus identified the underlying principle of two different kingdoms: church and state. Both are divinely ordained institutions, but ought to remain separate, since they have two distinct purposes. When church and state are united, the integrity of each institution is often called into question. This separation does not prohibit the involvement of Christians in areas of social responsibility. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people is an anarchy unless governed by eternal, self-evident principles, which are reflected in Scripture. Illustration: Jesus taught us not only to “render unto God” but also to “render unto Caesar.” Christians are therefore responsible for obeying laws, paying taxes, praying for those in authority, and actively speaking out and standing for God and His laws in government. Application: The example of Christians involved in the political system demonstrates how God uses them to be both salt and light to the world. (Matt.5:13-14). (First Ref, Dan.6:2; Primary Ref. Matt.22:21; cf. Eph.5:32).’ And you all think this Christian life easy eh. Not one bit! As followers of Jesus, we’re oftimes called to do some delicate balancing acts, some stuff that goes against man’s nature, against his natural grain. But remember my people, the Word of the Lord MUST ALWAYS PREVAIL. (Acts 5:29) And today we’ll continue looking at scriptures that support our Bit. Listen to Peter’s take on it: ‘Submit yourselves to every ordinance (institution) of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness (evil), but as the servants of God. Honour all men. LOVE the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.’ (1 Pet.2:13-17) Oh my people, we certainly can’t go wrong if we heed that wise advice! But since we have so much to contemplate today, we’ll end here. Tomorrow though, God in favour, we’ll finish up with this Bit. And I hear a loud sigh of relief emanating from those of you who like a new Bit everyday. But please remember Friends, that this is not a fly by night project, offering quick fixes and feel good answers to life’s many problems. It’s a serious study of the Word of our God, how it ought to affect our lives, and thus, not every topic can be dealt with in one sitting, especially with the low standard of our attention span and busy lives. We’re maturing now, time for us to stop drinking milk and start eating solid foods. (smile) But sadly, our current culture is built on the quick fix, which unfortunately never lasts, and that’s why so many of us are running around lost, desperately looking for answers. Oh my brethren, please realize, and/or remember, that the answer or answers to ALL our problems can be found in ONE place, the Good Book, the Word of God, which has been especially written as the guidebook for our earthly pilgrimage. However, it must be constantly studied in a serious manner to ensure we glean all the gems of wisdom it contains. So stand strong and put on a big smile. Jesus is in your heart. That means you don’t need anything else. Much LOVE!…believers must give to everyone…their rightful due…
06 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: appointed by God, avenger, chief cook and bottle washer, christianity, compliance, do good, earthly authority, God's will, God's Word, Jesus Christ, level of awareness, Lord, minister of God, obey the government, religion, righteous kingdom, saviour, taxes, the things of Caesar, the things of God, theology, wrath
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Oh Friends, do you realize it’s already April 6? The month of March, like its name implies, has just marched on by. And remember we promised to check our response to our New Year’s resolution monthly, rather than waiting till year’s end, when no time’s left to do anything about it. This way we can more accurately gauge our compliance, or lack thereof. So how are we doing with that ONE resolution we agreed that was the most important eh? And for those of you who don’t remember, we vowed to raise our level of awareness in Jesus, to seek His righteous kingdom more than that of man, to mature in our Christian faith. So today, please, let’s all look at the progress we’ve made thus far. And if it’s fairly decent, then give the Lord thanks for all His help, cause we couldn’t have done it without Him, and keep pressing on with our part towards the goal. Now, if we’ve sort of fallen by the wayside, please don’t lose hope or give up, but instead go to Jesus and ask for His help in making us more diligent, in bringing us back to the path that He wants us to tread. Yuh see Friends, one way or the other, whether we’re doing good or poorly, we always have to come right back to Jesus, because He’s our Provider, Helper, Comforter, Advocate, our Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, our EVERYTHING! Yes my people, our entire life revolves around the Lord and Saviour of mankind. Now turning to our Bit. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ And that’s the way it ought to be, because that’s the way the Lord set it up. Yesterday we looked at how the situation described in our Bit came about. Today, let’s check out some examples in the scriptures relating to that principle. First of all, here’s the perfect example of Jesus practicing what He preaches, re the principle of tribute money or taxes, in Matthew 17, after His transfiguration. The Good Book says: ‘And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money (the temple tax) came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute (the temple tax)? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented (anticipated) him, saying, What thinkest thou Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute (taxes)? of their own children (people), or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children (their own people) free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money (the exact temple tax for two): that take, and give unto them for me and thee.’ (Matt.17:24-27) Yeh Friends, though Jesus, being God owned it all, He still paid taxes to the earthly powers because it was thus stipulated. Now here’s some info on that scripture from the scholars. ‘Jesus, the glorified Son of God, is greater than demons and also the temple itself. The two incidents following the Transfiguration (healing an epileptic child, when His disciples could not, and the miracle of the tribute money in the fish) clearly reassert His supremacy. Tribute money (lit. “two drachmae”) is a technical term for the tax of half a shekel which every Jew over 20 was expected to contribute to the upkeep of the temple. Of strangers: The subject races were taxed first and most heavily. The children, the kings own race, were free. Jesus Christ was the Lord and owner of the temple, and therefore it was not for Him to pay the tax. However, our Lord would not give offence by seeming to be a lawbreaker. A piece of money (Gr. stater), the silver tetra-drachma, was the equivalent to the shekel and therefore the exact amount of the tax for two persons.’ That should give us a better understanding of how it was back then. Now listen to Bruh Paul as he preaches on honouring authority in his missive to the Roman church. ‘Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers (governing authorities). For there is no power (authority) but of God: the powers (authorities) that be are ordained of (appointed by) God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power (authority), resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation (judgement). For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid (do you want to be unafraid) of the power (authority)? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger (an avenger) to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for (because of) wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute (taxes) also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render (pay) therefore to all their dues: tribute (tax) to whom tribute (tax) is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.’ (Rom.13:1-7) Ah mih breddren, you can certainly count on Bruh Paul to spell it all out for you in spades! And the scholars provide this info that I think will be beneficial to us all. ‘Let every soul be subject: Subjection to the government is the obligation of all mankind, not just Christians. It is not optional, but an absolute necessity. The higher powers are established by God. See Titus 3:1; Peter 2:13;. But see also Acts 5:29. Damnation (Gr. krima, “judgement”): This is not a reference to eternal judgement, but is still a judgement by God, because God has delegated authority to human government. The minister of God to thee for good: The purpose of human government is to uphold the good and punish the evil. Right and wrong is determined by the state. The Christian citizen is to fear and obey the government, as long as the government does not demand citizens to violate God’s Word. Government officials hold office by virtue of God’s appointment and are primarily servants of God in their offices. The political leader is to actively uphold the good. The sword is a symbol representing the authority given to government to protect its citizens by punishing those who do what it has determined is wrong. It is important for Christians to be actively involved in government so that the government’s values are consistent with the Word of God.’ Hallelujah my people! Please note that last line; believers are to get very involved in government so that their values remain based on God’s Word. Unfortunately though not enough of us are seriously doing that, that’s why the evil leaders we now have can get away with removing prayer and other godly stuff from our everyday lives and passing laws that violate God’s Word. Anyway Friends, I’m chuckling here as I just noticed the appropriateness of this message, seeing that it’s Tax Return time, when we’re all supposed to live up to our responsibilities tax-wise. So instead of having the worldly view of paying as little or no tax at all, let’s espouse the heavenly view of paying what we legally owe. For remember, if we don’t pay them, we’re going against God’s will, against Jesus’ command. More on this tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, let’s concentrate on truly LOVING our God, genuinely LIVING our Faith and faithfully SPREADING His word. Much LOVE!…there are only two unavoidable things in this life…death …and taxes…
05 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abominable sins, blind, Christian faith, cleanse our souls, Cross of Calvary, egotistical, Friday chant, glorious kingdom, Herodians, human-rights, hypocrites, incriminating questions, insincerity, jesus name, LOVE, loving god, miserable, Pharisees, proper perspective, religion, right perspective, spiritual failure, steeped in tradition, tempt, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the things of Caesar, the things of God, theology, undeniable truth, unfulfilled lives, weekend
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
And then it was Friday! That recognition was greeted with joyous shouts in work places all over the world: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes Friends, the weekend’s upon us once again, granting us a short respite from our labours. And I know how we all look forward to it, but as everything else, there’s a right and wrong way to spend it. So let’s chant our Friday Chant that helps us to put the weekend into proper perspective. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Now that should hold and guide us for the next couple days. (smile) So let’s turn to our Bit, another interesting one – sorry, all of them are interesting since they come from the Good Book – (smile). This one features a serious principle espoused by our Lord, Saviour and Leader, Jesus Christ. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render (pay) therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ Oh Friends, I chose, or rather the Lord guided me to this Bit today, because it’s related to the tithing situation we’ve been discussing over the last few days. It was even our footnote, thought for the day, yesterday. Now here’s some background on the scene as it was played out. As usual, the Pharisees were trying to entrap Jesus, so that they could have solid grounds to persecute Him. ‘And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful (permitted) to give tribute (pay taxes) unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived (knew) their wickedness, and said, Why tempt (test) ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute (tax) money. And they brought unto him a penny (Gr. denarius). And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription (inscription)?’ (Matt.22:16-20) Then Jesus delivered the coup de grace, which is our Bit. And the Good Book continues: ‘When they had heard these words, they marvelled (were amazed), and left him, and went their way.’ (Matt.22:22) Oh Friends, as the saying goes; there’s none so blind, as they who refuse to see. That applies to many of us in these current times, as well as the Pharisees and other groups who tried to get Jesus to incriminate Himself during the three years of His earthly ministry. They were too dimwitted, egotistical and steeped in the traditions of men to see that every time they posed an incriminating question, His answer was always astute and impeccable. Unfortunately, many of us today behave the same way; we allow the traditions of men, rather than the true principles of God to run our lives. That’s why so many of us lead such miserable and unfulfilled lives, and sadly don’t understand why. Anyway, here’s some historical background and further explanations from the scholars’. ‘The Herodians were a party that favoured the dynasty of Herod and stood for the Roman connection. They cared little or nothing for religion and normally were bitterly opposed to the Pharisees. The statements recorded in verse 16 are insincere and intended as hypocritical flattery. Their question was intended to place the Lord in a dilemma. If he says yes, He can be held up to the people as a traitor. If He says no, He can be denounced to the Roman authorities. Caesar was the Roman Emperor and head of the Roman state. Caesar was the family name of Julius Caesar, the first man who aspired to autocracy (absolute government, controlling influence). The name was taken over from him by his adopted son Octavian, afterward titled the Emperor Augustus. Render therefore unto Caesar: The Lord means that we are to give the civil magistrates all that is due to them, as long as it does not interfere with the honour due to God. Jesus had broken the Herodians dilemma by making light of the ultimate significance of Caesar’s claim. The idea is: “If the penny is his, let him have it.” Jesus’ response, render unto God the things that are God’s, exposed the spiritual failure of the Herodians. In essence, Jesus made light of Caesar’s temporal claim in favour of God’s greater claim over men’s lives.’ And that’s the undeniable truth my Friends! Therefore all of us should also embrace that same distinction, for it’s God who created us, in His own image to boot, not sinful, fallible, short-lived man. And we’ll stop there for today. It’s enough for us to contemplate, what with our short attention spans and busy schedules. (smile) Tomorrow though, God willing, we’ll continue with giving to man what belongs to him, and to God what’s His. It’s a major principle in our Christian faith, and there are lots more scriptures concerning it, to be looked at. Till then, please, let’s all try and walk worthy of our most awesome and LOVING God. And may He bless and keep us safely as we do our earthly pilgrimage, allowing His shining countenance to light on us, and give us His wonderful peace that passes all human understanding. We pray this in Jesus’ Holy Name, and His sacrificial blood that was spilled on the cross at Calvary to pay for our abominable sins and cleanse our unworthy souls. Amen. Much LOVE my fellow followers of Christ!…though everything belongs to God…He’s ordained that some things will be looked on as belonging to earthly rulers… and true believers should acknowledge them as such…
04 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: absolute power, abundance, Advocate, blessed is the Lamb that was slain, Brotherhood, deliverer, eternal life, faithful words and actions, glory hallelujah, God's Sovereignty, good conscience, gospel truth, heaps, heathen, jump-started, king Hezekiah, living truth, local church, lord of hosts, LOVE, loving kindness, magnitude of blessings, mercy, Most Wonderful Being, obedience, pour out a blessing, praise, prince of peace, salvation, saviour jesus, spunkiness, storehouse, storehouse tithing, strength and guidance, thanks, tithes, true believers, windows of heaven
Malachi 3:10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, the ole fella’s up and about with surprising spunkiness this Resurrection Thursday morning! Yes my people, please remember that it’s only been a few days since our Lord and Saviour Jesus defeated that ole cowardly crook Lucifer, and triumphantly rose from the grave, which had no power to hold Him captive for long. And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful, ‘Glory Hallelujah! Blessed is the Lamb that was slain but rose again with absolute power and might, to whom all knees shall bow and every tongue confess that He is God!’ (Rom.14:11) Yes mih Friends, our Advocate, Deliverer, Leader, Prince of Peace, etc. etc. is riding high in the world this week. Please let’s keep Him riding high all year long, because that’s what He expects, desires and most assuredly deserves. The heathen will try to put Him down, try to make Him of no account, but we, His true believers and followers know that He is indeed the Most Wonderful Being in ALL the universe! Let’s make sure that others know it, and by our faithful words and actions, draw them into His ever increasing and most worthy fold, so that they too will experience the LOVE, the Brotherhood, the Salvation and Eternal Life that we’ve been guaranteed. And all God’s children said a loud and hearty. ‘Amen!’ Yeh mih breddren, the ole fella’s chuckling here because he certainly seems to be on a roll this morning. The Good Lord didn’t even give me a chance to ask for strength and guidance, but just got me going, jump-started me right away. No wondering what to write at all. And all I can say is a hearty, ‘Thank You Lord! You are so wonderful to me, that I don’t know what I’d do without You in my life! And thankfully I’ll never have to find that out, since You’ve faithfully promised never to leave or forsake me, but be with me all the days of my life, even into eternity. Thank You again Lord!’ Awright Friends, enough of that now, or else I’ll just get carried away and continue with much deserved thanks and praise to our wonderful God. (smile) And today we’ll continue with our Bit that deals with tithes. ‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’ And that’s the living truth, my brethren! If we do as God declares, we’ll be so blessed that we won’t have room to store the great magnitude of blessings He’ll pour down on us. And remember, that’s not because of what or how much we give, but because of our obedience, which signifies that we hold the Lord in true sovereignty and reverence. Now let’s look at a true example of tithing bringing great blessing. It deals with King Hezekiah’s provision for priests and Levites in olden Israel. Having set the work assignments for both groups, he then made provision for them to concentrate on their numerous duties without having to worry about food and shelter too. ‘Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of (due to) the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in (devote themselves to) the law of the Lord. And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps. In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps (lay them in heaps), and finished them in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store (abundance).’ (1 Chr.31:4-10) Yes my people, the Lord is indeed faithful to all His promises! Now here’s some info from the scholars that I think is very important to us all. ‘Tithing is the practice of giving 10 percent of one’s income to the Lord. It is called “storehouse tithing” by some who require that the tithe be given to the Lord through the local church. Illustration: while some Christians disagree, the principle of “God’s place” for worship is the basis for storehouse tithing. (Deut.12) The temple in the Old Testament (1) was the central place characterized by God’s presence; (2) possessed the symbols of redemption; and (3) was where the man of God served. In the New Testament, these three attributes characterize the local church. Hence the principle of storehouse tithing continues into the church age. Application: Some people withhold their tithe from their local church because they disagree with its expenditure of funds. These Christians should join another church where they can wholeheartedly make their contributions in good conscience. Because our actual tithe belongs to the local church, giving to parachurch organizations should be in addition to the tithe. (First Ref, Gen.14:20; Primary Ref, Mal.3:10; cf. Matt.22:21) Ah Friends, I know that that will complicate some of our lives, including mine, but we’ll just have to step up to the plate as best we can. And please, let’s not beat ourselves to death if we’re guilty of not fully tithing. The Lord knows our circumstances and the state of our hearts, and once we do our best to repair the situation, He will still look down favourably on us. Remember His mercy and LOVING-kindness know no bounds. Now let’s allow Cousin Sol to take us home with some of his wise words on the topic. ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov.3:9-10) And that my Friends is the gospel, gospel truth! So let’s try and catch up as best we can nuh, starting NOW! Much LOVE!…give to Caesar…the things that belong to him…and to God…the things that belong to Him… (Matt.22:21)
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