27 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: calamity, defiled, disaster, divide and conquer, idols, invincible, Monday Battle Hymn, Monday blues, Monday Monday, sure conquerors, unfaithful
Psalm 106:36. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
Greetings my people! I come bearing good news. That day which we’re all growing to LOVE, namely Monday, well it’s here, it’s finally arrived! Yuh know the old Mamas and Papas song should have said: ‘Monday Monday! Oh how I LOVE that day!’ Okay, okay, I got the message, you don’t have to kill the messenger. I’m going to stop while the going’s good, because I’m hearing too much moaning and groaning, along with spectacular language not fit for a family Blog. (smile) So Friends, we free paper burn now, why do we have to let it get us down every week eh? We know that every Monday we have to go to work, and have every opportunity to plan and prepare ourselves for it. But like clockwork, come Monday morning, a whole lot of us still end up singing the blues. Fortunately though, I’m here to help us get over that lazy, bluesy feeling, and instead turn it into a diligent, enthusiastic driving force for Jesus! So let’s get that adrenalin up and running nuh, by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with plenty vim and vigour, such that the angels won’t be able to laud it over us with their much practiced choir, but will open their mouths wide in wonder, and turn to Jesus and ask in amazement. ‘Is that really your people down there on earth singing so loudly and sweetly?’ And Jesus, with a big, proud, pleased grin will enthusiastically reply; ‘You bet!’ Now altogether Friends, let’s sing, let’s give the angels a run for their money. ‘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!’ And now that we’ve put the angels to shame, let’s take a look at our Bit: ‘And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.’ Oh my brethren, that verse of scripture also fits us today like a hand and glove! The Israelites did not destroy all the nations the Lord commanded them to destroy when they conquered the Promised Land. Thus the verse before our Bit tells us: ‘But they were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.’ (Ps.106:35) What else can be expected then? As the old people would say; if you play with the pups, you’ll get bitten by the fleas. Gospel truth Friends! Consequently the Israelites adopted the ways and works of the people they lived amongst. ‘Yea, they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils (demons). And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with (made unclean by) their own works, and went a whoring (played the harlot, were unfaithful) with their own inventions (by their own deeds). Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.’ (Ps.106:37-42) Now doesn’t that sound exactly like what’s happening to us today Friends? We’ve blatantly disobeyed God. Instead of worshipping Him in faith and truth, we’ve tried our best, and are still trying, to kick Him out of our society by banning Him from our schools and public places. We’ve certainly bowed to the idols of the world, making things like cars, houses, the amassing of earthly possessions, an insatiable greed for power, celebrity status, fleshly lusts and pleasures, and all that’s evil our focus, our priority, while relegating Almighty God, our Creator and Provider to the back benches, the nether regions of our society. So what else can we expect, but the wrath of the Lord eh, which we’re experiencing more and more every day? Not a day goes by without a new disaster or new theatre of strife occurring. Our enemies are taking us over, not necessarily by might or physical force, but by financial strength and subtly, stealthily having us fighting amongst each other over petty, unimportant things. Just look at the state of our politics nowadays. It surely is a disgrace, with loads of money been spent on mostly negative personal jabs and certainly not enough time or money on the true problems of our society. It’s all about power! What’s the age old strategy? Divide and conquer! We’re foolishly allowing that to happen with no concern for the overall health of our nations. And last but not least, though we haven’t physically sacrificed our children to the idols of the world, we surely have done it psychologically and emotionally. We haven’t given them proper guidance or discipline, haven’t thought them the Word as we’re supposed to. Consequently they have gone astray even more than we did, and are ever more debasing and destroying themselves at the altar of Lucifer and his worldly idols. Oh Friends, we have to stop this bowing down to Lucifer before it’s too late. And only we believers are going to do it, with Christ’s help of course. So for the sake of our children and their offspring, let’s get a grip and do something serious about retaking our world nuh, otherwise our descendants will lead truly abominable, abhorrent lives. And I’m sure none of us want to se it come to that. Much LOVE!…when the Lord speaks…His people ought to obey…for disobedience brings calamity…
26 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: blessed, blessings, burdens, common sense, conversing with Jesus, follow Jesus, fruit of thy labour, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, refreshed spirit, renewed faith, riches, seek God first, wealth, wrong decisions
Psalm 112:1. Praise ye the Lord (Hallelujah). I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
Oh Friends, I was just sitting here asking the Lord to give me a good intro for today’s Bit, because I couldn’t come up with anything on my own, when suddenly this question popped into my mind. I’m going to ask it of all of us believers. When last have we sat down, leaned up or stood up or even laid down somewhere quiet with Jesus and really talked to Him, truly unburdened our hearts to Him, right down to the smallest detail, and have Him just listening, nodding and occasionally asking a leading question or giving us some insight into our problems? I’m not sure when last I did that, and I sure hope you all are better than me in that respect. I know I did it a lot last summer. Maybe that’s because my prostate cancer surgery had me more or less housebound for a couple of months. But I remember many a night I’d sit out on my front porch, mostly in the late hours, and Jesus would sit on the step below me, never above, and focus His full attention on whatever I was saying to Him, whether it was about my pain, my family, my finances, or the troubles of our ungodly world. But one thing, He was always attentive to my words and my feelings. And yuh know Friends, after those little tete a tetes, (sorry, couldn’t get the accents properly) I remember my spirit always being refreshed, my faith renewed and strengthened, regardless of the problems, because Jesus reasoned them out so simply and straightforwardly to me. But somehow, this year I don’t remember enjoying any of those small but serious chats with Jesus. I guess, since I’m more or less healthy now, I just got too busy with the affairs of the world, or simply figured I didn’t need Him that much again. What a sad mistake my brethren! And obviously my great loss too! Oh my people, please, I implore us not to ever get too busy or important to engage in that kind of heartening, enlightening conversation with Jesus. When we forgo genuine conversations with Jesus, we lose big time. And I’m not talking about prayer here, but just conversing with Him as a Friend, which is indeed one of the many portfolios He holds in our lives. And that’s another great thing about walking this earthly life with Jesus; He’s at once our Lord, Saviour, Advocate, Sibling and Friend! And I have to laugh yes, because from not knowing what to write, that one little seed, that grain of thought flowered into all that talk. (smile) However, let’s turn our attention now to our Bit: ‘Praise ye the Lord (Hallelujah). I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.’ Now that Friends, is wisdom of the highest order! And why so many of us neglect to follow it sincerely is a mystery to me. Hear what following our Bit leads to: ‘His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth (stands) for ever.’ (Ps.112:2-3) Now how many of us don’t want that for our friends, families and ourselves eh? We all want it, but apparently expect to get it without doing what it takes, not only to get it, but also to keep it; reverencing the Lord God Jehovah, plus delighting in, and doing His will. Instead we follow the rules of the world and try to kill ourselves working to amass whatever it is we desire, when there is indeed a better way; that prescribed by Jesus. Remember His promise that if we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, have that as our main priority, all the earthly things will be given to us, because our heavenly Father knows we need them. (Matt.6:33) And Friends those sentiments are found throughout the Good Book, even before Jesus declared them. Listen to just a couple instances. The longest chapter in the Bible begins with this declaration: ‘Blessed are the undefiled (blameless) in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.’ (Ps.119:1-3) Now why wouldn’t we follow those directives eh, especially when Psalm 128, the rewards of faithfulness, proclaims these great rewards? ‘Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands (fruit of thy labour): happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides (in the heart) of thine house: thy children like olive plants (luscious and plentiful) round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.’ (Ps.128:1-6) Oh my people, that isn’t rocket science, just basic common sense with a little wisdom thrown in for good measure! If our omnipotent Creator promises to bless us so greatly when we walk according to His will, why aren’t many many more of us doing it? Oh, I forgot, common sense doesn’t rule, or even exist anymore in these unrighteous times. But the foolish wisdom, as we saw yesterday, is now in ascendance, the same one that’s leading us down the broad highway to death, destruction, eternal separation from God, and eternity in Hades with Lucifer. Hn! The sad part Friends is that we all have to make individual decisions as to whom we’ll follow, and too many people are making the wrong one, opting to follow the sinful, unreliable, unpredictable world, rather than the true and seasoned plans of Jesus. I urge us all to get wise, get smart, get some common sense, whatever it takes and try to sincerely follow Jesus, for He is truly, the Way, the Light, the Life and the Truth of this dark, sorrowful world. Much LOVE!…that trite, age old adage…he who doesn’t hear will eventually feel…still holds true even today…
25 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: blessings, criticising, death & destruction, demons, ego, eternal life, good conduct, good works, humility, jealousy, judging, knowledge, mature faith, peace, practicality, preacher, resentment, righteousness., salvation, selfish desires, selfishness, strife, teacher, the Word, true wisdom, understanding, wrong path
James 3:13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
All hail Friends! The morning sun is rising to bring its light to a dark and evil world, just like the Son rose from the grave in everlasting brilliance to bring us salvation and eternal life! Please give Him some thanks and praise for that, and let’s show our eternal gratitude for His LOVE and selfless behaviour by endeavouring to live earthly lives that truly reflect His character and His desires, for that’s what true followers do. Now that’s a sentence worthy of Bruh Paul’s stylistic manoeuvrings! (smile) And one of the very important things we have to safeguard in this life as believers, is the distinction between true and false wisdom. There is a lot of the latter going around these days, and it’s leading many people down the wrong path – that which leads to death and destruction. So how do we figure out right from wrong wisdom eh? James, in our Bit today gives us a clue: ‘Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge (has understanding) among you? let him show out of a good conversation (conduct) his works (that his works are done) with meekness of wisdom.’ That means my brethren, that whoever is blessed with knowledge and understanding ought to conduct his or herself suitably, ensuring that their works are done in humility. In other words, the wise person must have godly wisdom and then exhibit that wisdom in a practical, humble manner, with truth as their watchword. The scholars claim that ‘One cannot teach what one does not live.’ James then continues: ‘But if ye have bitter envying and strife (self-seeking) in your hearts, glory not (do not boast), and lie not against the truth.’ (James 3:14) And right there is the crux of many our problems my people. We have too much strife; anger, resentment, selfishness, jealousy and greed in our souls, which obviously causes us to be short-sighted, short circuited and thus distort the truth. So we obviously won’t be able to impart the truth in true humility as we ought to. As James informs us: ‘This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish (demonic). For where envying and strife is (self-seeking exists), there is confusion and every evil work.’ (James 3:15-16) And isn’t that the living truth Friends? It sure is, as can easily be seen by the confused, evil state of our world. That’s why in these turbulent times my people, where information, both true and false, is so readily available and can be easily manipulated to suit anyone’s purpose, we have to be very careful to whom we listen, as well as what we listen to, because we can be so unwittingly led astray by sweet-talking lying lips and guileful, snake-charming tongues. ‘But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated (willing to yield), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is shown in peace of them that make peace.’ (James 3:17-18) Yes Friends, those are some of the attributes we have to seek in a teacher, preacher or anyone who claims to have wisdom, and/or wants to spread the Word. I guess that includes me. (smile) Now I’m certainly not perfect, not at the top of the class either, but I do believe I have most of those attributes in sufficient quantity to do what I do reasonably well. And all praise to God, I’m growing and hopefully getting better with each passing day! As Sister Joyce, Joyce Meyer likes to say, I’m not where I want to be as yet, but I’ve surely come a long way from where I began. And that’s the gospel truth Friends, as some of you who have been with me from the early days can attest to. And that’s one of the things we believers have to recognize so we don’t get too frustrated; we don’t all begin at the same point in our walk of faith, neither do we all mature at the same rate. And we cannot mature unless we read and hear the Word, study it, and fellowship with other believers. No believer can exist in a vacuum all by themselves. That’s why Christ planted His Church, so that we can get together and help each other. Ah Friends, I didn’t mean to go off on that tangent, but it just seemed appropriate. Now getting back to our theme, let’s get some explanation from the scholars. They declare that: ‘Two wisdoms are expounded by teachers. The one from God is pure and promotes peace, ending in righteousness (vv 17-18). But the other is natural and demonic; visible in the teacher as jealousy and ambition (strife, Gr. eritheia). The result of such teaching is evil living and confusion.’ Now thank the Lord that I don’t have a jealous bone in my body! (smile) Oh, I might want what you have, but I won’t begrudge you it, or wish you ill because I don’t have it. And neither is my ambition that excessive that I will manipulate the Word to suit my own purposes. So Friends, you can rest assured that whatever I say, is what I believe to be the truth. Now we’ll end with some words of Bruh Paul to the Galatians, re our topic: ‘For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove (examine) his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.’ (Gal.6:3-5) Yes Friends, when we think ourselves above moral reproach, with no sympathy for the faults of others, then we begin to get swell-headed. As the scholars conclude; ‘Joy comes not from comparing one’s moral strengths with the weaknesses of others, but in realizing that one measures up to God’s standard by God’s help.’ Let us therefore stop judging and criticising others, as we are wont to do, and instead, help them to come up higher, as Jesus desires. Till tomorrow then, if we find favour with God, may we all go in the peace and harmony that comes from Him, and liberally blesses all who seek to serve and worship Him. Much LOVE!…please check your ego at the door…before entering the halls of God…
24 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: earthly things, fellowship, free from sin, Friday Morning Chant, fun, habits, heavenly things, heretical phiosophies, legalistic practices, relaxation, rest, risen in Christ, the right hand of God, vices, ways
Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! And I hear all the tired and weary sighs of ‘Thank God.’ Yes my people, a beautiful weekend is in store for us. But before we get to that, I’m a little worried about all these beautiful sunny summer days we’ve been getting recently, sans rain. I sure hope we’re not going back to the drought situation we had a short while back. My grass though is green and beautiful, as it should be, with the constant watering it’s been getting. Almost every morning at 4.a.m. I hear this swishing noise, and it takes me a few seconds to realize that it’s the grass been watered. It’s out there swishing now. Since we’ve put in this automatic, in-ground watering system, we’ve used approximately a quarter more litres than we’ve ever used. And the Water Bill certainly wasn’t wallet friendly! (smile) But wonder of wonders, I never got angry and made a fuss about it. I just mentioned that it was unacceptable. Wow! I must be getting old, or more mature in the faith! Let’s hope it’s the latter yes. (smile) Anyway let’s hope and pray that we don’t regress to that drought like situation we had earlier, cause it took a serious toll on everything; from grass to flowers to fruits to the negative emotions of many. And to help assuage all our doubts and fears this Friday morning, let’s chant our Friday Morning Chant with glowing enthusiasm and sincerity. 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.’ And now that we’ve set the right pattern for the weekend, let’s turn to our Bit: ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.’ My Friends, that’s just a simple, logical, though powerful truth. If we have a new life with Christ, then shouldn’t we be concerned with the things of Christ? And if Christ is sitting at the right hand of God in heaven, then that means the things of Christ are in heaven, therefore those are the things we should be mostly concerned with, not the disposable things of the earth. And Bruh Paul clearly states that to them in the next verse. ‘Set your affections (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.’ (Col.3:2) Now let’s get some deeper insight into our Bit from the scholars. ‘If ye then be risen (or, therefore since you were raised): The word therefore infers a corollary truth from 2:20 (“you died with Christ”) – not only have the Colossian believers been freed from sin, they have also turned to a new life, leaving behind old ways, habits, values, vices, interest and sins. Seek those things which are above: These “things” include deeper knowledge of Christ, closer fellowship with Him, experience of His resurrection power, victory over sin (vv.5-11); the development of godly virtues (vv.12-17); the fulfillment of domestic and social responsibilities (3:18-4:1); an effective prayer life (4:2); fruitfulness in witnessing (4:3-6) – in a word, the attainment of Christian maturity, and all the spiritual benefits God has for His people during their days on earth. To have been raised with Christ and not to seek these blessings would be a contradiction.’ A great contradiction indeed Friends, like the way we still say one thing and do another. Oh my people, I implore us to turn to Colossians, preferably right now, while reading this, so that you can follow along with the scholar’s statements, and thus get a fuller understanding of those things above that we’re supposed to pay close attention to. And I’m chuckling here because I’m going to end with some more info from the scholars, which some of us are definitely not going to like. This time they are detailing some of the things of the earth from verse 2, with which we should not be overly concerned. ‘Set your affection on things above: The Greek word literally says, “Set your mind on things above.” The readers are not to be preoccupied with things on the earth, such as current heretical philosophies (2:8), legalistic practices (2:16, 21-23), and vices (v5); nor are they to dwell on things that are not wrong in themselves (houses, jobs, careers, ambitions, etc.), but can be wrong should they become priorities above Christ.’ That least part is of vital importance my brethren, since many of us place those earthly things before Christ. We turn the acquisition of these material things, like cars, houses, jobs etc. into idols because we make them the be all and end all of our lives. We chase them with such a burning desire and passion, that if we only used a small portion of that drive we have for earthly things, in pursuit of Christ, we’d be so much further ahead. Remember Christ’s admonition on this topic: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) True Words of Wisdom! Anyway Friends, that’s enough for us to think about today. And please, let’s seriously think on them nuh, and check the verses the scholars quoted against those in your Bible. That’s the only way we’ll ever improve our Biblical knowledge and mature our faith walk. Much LOVE!…wherever your heart and mind are…there shall your treasure be…
23 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: blessings, conquer, day of life, eternal separation from God, eternity, faith, forgiveness, glory hallelujah, grateful, heartfelt, hope, hypocrites, LOVE, LOVE is of God, LOVE Revolution, mercy, miracle, more than conquerors, praise, selflessness, the second coming, True LOVE
1 John 4:16. And we have known and believed the LOVE that God hath to us. God is LOVE; and he that dwelleth in LOVE, dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Oh Friends, another beautiful summer’s day is in the offing, and I didn’t see any of our names in the obits! Wow! That must mean we’ve found favour with our Creator and thus blessed with another awesome day on planet earth! And all God’s people shouted a grateful and heartfelt; ‘Glory Hallelujah! Thank You Father for another day of life, and the many other blessings You have prepared for us! We LOVE You and praise Your Holy Name!’ Ah Friends, you wouldn’t believe the ruckus that short but sincere prayer caused in heaven. (smile) Now that we have gratefully acknowledged our Creator and given thanks for our wonderful lives, the angels are busy getting ready to shower down upon us all the mercy and forgiveness that was planned to bless us with today. Mama Mia! And what’s the ONE word that encompasses all that? And all God’s children joyfully shout it out: ‘LOVE!’ Yes Friends, all that God’s ever done, is currently doing and has promised to do in the future stems from that magical, mysterious, miraculous, mystifying word, LOVE. Can you believe that those four lowly letters put together, can make such a powerful word, a word so omnipotent, that it makes the world go round? LOVE,properly spoken and practiced can overcome the greatest hate, anger and resentment. But strangely enough, it doesn’t work the other way. For hate, anger and resentment can NEVER CONQUER TRUE LOVE! And that’s the gospel truth Friends! I dare any of you to show me anywhere that TRUE LOVE ever existed, and then the negative emotions conquered it. If it ever happened, then TRUE LOVE NEVER existed there in the first place, cause if it did, it would surely have been victorious. That’s because, as our Bit so rightly declares, LOVE IS OF GOD! ‘And we have known and believed the LOVE that God hath to us. God is LOVE; and he that dwelleth (abides) in LOVE, dwelleth in God, and God in him.’ That’s an indisputable fact Friends! TRUE LOVE is so strong my brethren, that Bruh Paul raved thus about it. ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom.8:35-39) Oh my brethren, what a powerful speech, one filled with gospel truth, on the strongest tie in God’s great universe – LOVE! And though nothing can separate us from God’s LOVE, there seems to be a problem with our LOVE,betwixt and between each other. We all know, if we’re truthful to ourselves, that the spirit of LOVE, togetherness and selflessness is nowhere near as prevalent and forthcoming as it should be either in Christ’s Church, or in the world at large. So how can we truly claim to be believers if we don’t have the spirit of oneness with each other, as part of Christ’s body? And if we don’t have that feeling of selflessness towards and care for others, how then can we truly LOVE our God, SPREAD His Word and LIVE our Faith as we’re supposed to do eh? It’s a very serious problem in Christ’s body, my people. That’s why so many unbelievers blatantly disregard and mock us, and call us hypocrites of the highest order. And oftimes they are right, because oftimes what we say and what we do, don’t coincide with each other or with God’s Word. Oh Friends, I’m tired saying it, but I guess I’ll have to continue saying it until it’s no longer true, or the breath of life goes out in me, which ever comes first, (smile) but the only way we’re going to improve relationships in this turbulent world of ours is by LOVE; talking LOVE, and even more importantly showing and practicing LOVE! Oh my brethren, the LOVE REVOLUTION which we believers are currently spearheading desperately needs to pick up steam, and quickly too, as it seems that Jesus’ second coming is imminent, and whoever is not aboard the LOVE TRAIN bound for glory, will be lost forever! Now the Father’s LOVE is so strong for His human creations, that He doesn’t even want to lose one single soul to Lucifer. And by the way, eternal separation from the Father, meaning eternity with Lucifer, is the worst thing that can ever happen to a human being! So please Friends, let’s get moving nuh, let’s get up off our comfortable derrières and seriously and sincerely begin preaching and practicing LOVE! As John so patiently and genuinely implores: ‘My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.’ (1 John 3:18) Friends, let’s meditate on that scripture today and see how we can improve our LOVE WALK. Notice how God gave us two of almost all our appendages, that’s so we could help each other; the heart of Jesus’ teaching; the essence of LOVE! Much LOVE my brethren!…and now abideth, Faith, Hope, LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor.13:13) ABSOLUTELY!
22 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: attributes, begotten Son, Calvary, characteristics, cross, death, disobedience, eternal separation, everlasting life, friends, god, gospel truth, holy spirit, Jesus, LOVE, lusts, pleasure, rebellion, sacrifice, salvation, selfishness, selflessness, talk, unworthy sinners, walk
1 John 4:16. And we have known and believed the LOVE that God hath to us. God is LOVE; and he that dwelleth in LOVE dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Oh Friends, the word for today is LOVE! It is the supreme attribute and characteristic of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore it should also be the supreme characteristic of those who claim to follow Him. And how do we know that LOVE is the major attribute of our God eh? Because His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ told us so. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) And Jesus later corroborates that feeling of LOVE by saying: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 15:13-14) And what did Jesus do shortly after that? He gave His sinless, holy life as a sacrifice on the cross at Calvary for His Friends, those who were doing as He instructed! Wow! What a champion my people! Just think about it nuh Friends, Jesus gave up His good life in heaven to come to earth and die for us, a bunch of unworthy sinners, so that we could be reconciled to The Father, and receive forgiveness of our sins, salvation and eternal life. Now if that isn’t the highest form of selflessness, which in this case denotes absolute LOVE, I don’t know what is. Jesus walked His talk! And so should we. But sadly Friends, our world is desperately lacking in that kind of selflessness. Instead everything begins and ends with ‘Me, My, I and Mine.’ In contrast to that, selflessness talks about ‘You and Yours,’ puts the other person’s welfare first. Can you imagine what our lives would be like if God, then Jesus, had said: ‘Chuh pool! They’re just a bunch of ignorant, disobedient, rebellious, lustful, fleshly, pleasure bound no goods. Leave them be, and let them fend for themselves. They think they know everything anyway. And if they want to follow that fool Lucifer, then let them. They’ll pay the price of death and eternal separation for their stupidity, just like he will.’ But no my brethren, the Lord God Jehovah made every one of us, and just like we LOVE even our most rebellious, disobedient children, He LOVES us the same way too! Please note when our children do wrong and end up in the courts, or prison, we still don’t give up on them, although they may justly deserve their punishment. No, we still pray for them, talk to them, and try to show them the error of their ways, notwithstanding that we’ve been preaching the same sermon to them from their youth. Friends, it’s the same way our great, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God felt, and still feels about us. As John says in our Bit: ‘And we have known and believed the LOVE that God hath to us. God is LOVE; and he that dwelleth (abides) in LOVE dwelleth in God, and God in him.’ Those are powerful words of truth my people! If God could do us such a great favour, we should also be able to do it to our fellow humans. And it doesn’t necessarily mean actually giving up one’s physical life, although in some cases it can, but it refers to more of a selfless attitude towards others, thinking about their well-being above ours, making sure they are well taken care of, helping them in any way we can. Oh my Friends, the basic premise of God’s LOVE is that we don’t only look out for ourselves, but also for others. As John asks earlier on: ‘But whoso hath this world’s good (goods), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion (heart) from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him?’ (1 John 3:17) It obviously doesn’t, my people! Now listen to Jesus, when Judas Iscariot asked how He would manifest Himself to the disciples and the world. ‘If a man LOVE me, he will keep my words; and my Father will LOVE him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode (home) with him.’ (John 14:23) It’s simple Friends, if we truly LOVE Jesus, we will keep His commandments. As the scholars say: ‘The divine indwelling (of the Holy Spirit) is conditional on LOVE, and obedience to Jesus’ words. The Word of the gospel is primarily (though not exclusively) in view here.’ And John tells it this way: ‘And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and LOVE one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.’ (1 John 3:23-24) Oh Friends, that’s the gospel truth! Please let’s ponder that scripture today and see how it works in our lives, so that we can better represent Jesus here on earth. More on this tomorrow, provided we’re still breathing. Till then, let’s all try and walk in as much LOVE as possible nuh. Much LOVE!…he who truly walks in LOVE…is a true reflection of Jesus…and truly pleases Him…
21 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: attributes of jesus, calm and collected, Creator, equality, give thanks, god, nurture, poor, praise, rejoice, rich, ungodly, womb, worthless
Proverbs 22:2. The rich and poor meet together (have this in common): the Lord is the maker of them all.
Oh Friends, I haven’t even begun writing and I’m already behind the eight ball on two counts: I’m starting late, (5.10 a.m) and then I don’t have any words of wisdom, or even any smart-aleck words to greet you all with today. (smile) So I’ll just have to resort to a tried and true intro. Let’s all stop for a moment, raise our heads, hearts, eyes and tightly clenched right fists heavenward, as we vocalize loud and true: ‘This is the day the Lord has made! Under ANY and ALL circumstances, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ Oh Friends, I sure hope that brought a chuckle and/or smile to your physical being, and also lightened your overall attitude to life. Far too many of us take life too seriously and end up worried, anxious and stressed out, when there’s no real reason to be thus. Notice how Jesus was always calm and collected, even though He was being rudely and unfairly treated by His own Jewish people, and knew that the terrible rite of crucifixion awaited Him. Now we can never reach Jesus’ level of calm, but my brethren we can certainly aspire to a higher state than we’re currently experiencing. So regardless of our circumstances, we can all stay on an even keel, if we truly concentrate on the attributes of Jesus, which we all have planted in us, but need to nurture so that they will grow strong and true. For as our Bit reminds us: ‘The rich and poor meet together (have this in common): the Lord is the maker of them all.’ And that’s the living truth my people, though at times it certainly doesn’t seem so. We need to remember that before God, ALL are equal; rich, poor, talent, not talented, etc. etc. Later on in Proverbs, Cousin Sol puts it this way: ‘The poor and the deceitful man (the oppressor) meet together (have this in common): the Lord lighteneth both their eyes (gives light to the eyes of both).’ (Prov.29:13) That’s an indisputable fact, since the Lord is the Creator of all mankind! And in Job 25, when Bildad was questioning how man could be justified with God, he makes this undeniable statement: ‘Dominion and fear are with him: he maketh peace in his high places. Is there any number of his armies (can his armies be counted)? And upon whom doth not his light arise?’ (Job 25:2-3) And the answer to both questions my brethren is an unequivocal NO! Meanwhile, Jesus, in talking about having LOVE for our enemies, makes this definitive statement on our topic: ‘But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully (spitefully) use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.’ (Matt.5:44-45) And Friends, if Jesus says it’s so, then obviously it must be so! ALL the creatures of God’s universe have at least one thing in common; He made them ALL! Though they may look, walk, talk and think differently, they have ALL been sculpted HIS deft, agile and creative hands. As Job declares when he talks of his integrity and doing what he believed pleased God: ‘If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with (complained against) me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, (punishes), what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?’ (Job 31:13-15) That’s gospel truth my people! Try as we may, we can’t get away from the fact that God made us all, in His own image to boot! That means we’re ALL special, whether we’re rich or poor, strong or weak, righteous or unrighteous, and why He LOVES us so unconditionally. Now listen to Elihu, one of Job’s other buddies, as he declares: ‘Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked (worthless)? and to princes, Ye are ungodly (wicked)? How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes (Yet he is not partial to princes), nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they are all the work of his hands.’ (Job 34:18-19) So Friends, let’s stop putting ourselves down because we might not meet the world’s ungodly standards. Remember that however we are, that’s how God made us, and He had a good reason for doing so, though we might not see or think it. Yes Friends, there was method to God’s madness (smile) despite our oftimes negative opinions. Therefore, we can end today’s Bit, in the same spirit and manner in which we began. All together now, with eyes, hearts, heads and hands raised heavenward: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. We WILL rejoice and be glad in it, come what may!’ Now let’s go forth my brethren, rejoicing, giving thanks and praise for who we are, and more importantly, whose we are: Almighty God’s! Much LOVE!…God’s talents are so awesome…that He can make anything or anyone…for any purpose…His heart desires…
20 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: advice, anger, awe, conquerors, dreams, enthusiasm, evil, eyes of faith, fear, humble servant, imagination, invincible, joy, pride, prosperity, righteous, sin, songs of praise, vitality, wisdom, wrath
Psalm 37:8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
It’s Monday morning Friends! And all God’s people jumped out of bed with abundant joy in their hearts, a sweet song of praise on their lips, and the sincere intention to go out into the new work week and diligently work in Jesus’ Holy Name! Wow! Now wouldn’t that be something mih people! The evil doers wouldn’t be able to stop us. They’d drop like flies in honey, and once we had their undivided attention, we could teach and show them all about our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Oh what marvellous gifts of dreams and imagination that our Creator built into us eh! And He gave them to us so that we could imagine sensational scenarios like the whole world coming to know and accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, and to dream those big, beautiful dreams of Him not losing even one single, human soul to Beelzebub. Now those are not impossible happenings Friends, since nothing is impossible if we work with Jesus. However, we believers have to first believe them, see them through our eyes of faith, then go out and diligently work towards them. However, until we all reach that high point of maturity, where we look forward to Mondays, (smile) we’ll just have to continue singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our faith and our adrenalin in motion. So all together now, in loud, enthusiastic, sincere voice, let’s sing: ‘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!’ Now didn’t that get the motor running? On a Monday morning, many of us are like a cold car engine on a winter’s morn, where the oil is heavy and unwieldy, and won’t flow smoothly until the engine runs for a few minutes and warms it up. Well consider ourselves warmed up now, with minds, bodies and hearts all beating in an even tempo, in tune with Christ’s song, and His orchestral direction. In other words my brethren, we’re ready to face the evil world, and fight to the death for Jesus! And our Bit provides some wisdom essential for us to do just that. ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm).’ Oh Friends, that’s some of the best advice we can ever get! It’s very appropriate for every aspect of our earthly journey; home, school, work, and even play. Bruh Paul rephrased our Bit thus to the Ephesians: ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph.4:26-27) Meanwhile, Bruh David, in Psalm 4; and evening prayer of trust in God, puts it this way. ‘Stand in awe (tremble), and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.’ (Ps.4:4) And the author of Psalm 119, had this to say on the subject. ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ (Ps.119:11) Oh Friends, those are all strong truths for believers to establish in their faith walk. Now here’s Cousin Sol’s advice on the topic. ‘Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end (a hereafter); and thine expectations (hope) shall not be cut off.’ (Prov.23:17-18) Oh my people, if we follow that wise advice, then we’ll surely cut down on our anger, and consequently give Lucifer less opportunity to invade our lives. And if you think that’s not so, then listen to the psalmist Asaph when he didn’t follow it in Psalm 73, 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…Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (Ps.73:1-3, 17) Yuh see mih breddren, Asaph didn’t understand the end of the wicked, until he got in serious touch with his godly side. So it’s very possible for even the most righteous to slip and fall if we’re not careful, for the enemy is always on the prowl, and he’s also very smart and versatile in his trickery. And there’s no better way to end than with the opening verse of Psalm 37, the true state of the wicked, from which our Bit is taken. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness).’ (Ps.37:1-3) Wise words indeed from Bruh David! Please Friends, let’s inwardly digest them, then put them into diligent action nuh, so that our earthly lives will be much improved. That’s wisdom for all the ages! Much LOVE!…abide in me…and I in you…as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself…except it abide in the vine…no more can ye…except ye abide in me… (John 15:4)
19 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: anger, controversy, downtrodden, eternal life, evil, evildoers, greed, humble, humility, Jesus, joy, Lake Ontario, LOVE, meek, needy, party, peace, poor, pride, resentment, salvation, selfishness, sick, Toronto, worry, wrath
Psalm 37:8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
Oh Friends, yesterday was one of the many perfect summer days we’ve recently experienced in the Greater Toronto Area; bright sunshine, a cool breeze and a multiplicity of (plenty, plenty) LOVE and JOY floating all around! (smile) And speaking of LOVE and JOY, I also discovered an amazing truth: nobody can party like Christians when they truly let their hair down and decide to party. In actual fact, logic dictates that by reason of our overwhelming LOVE for each other and the abundant JOY that dwells in our souls, both so freely granted by Christ, the Master of LOVE and JOY, we ought to be the heartiest partiers around, since partying is a direct derivative of those two outstanding emotions. ‘Elementary, my dear Watson!’ as the renowned British sleuth, Sherlock Holmes would say to his sidekick. (smile) And I proved it yesterday, when my local church had a boat cruise out on Lake Ontario. Oh Friends, a day cruise on a lovely summer’s day around Toronto’s harbour is a joy to experience. To the waterfront side, you have the daily increasing concrete jungle cluster of high-rise buildings lining it as far back as you can see, with the C.N. Tower, towering majestically above it all. Meanwhile, out on the water, the many sailboats and different kinds of watercraft dance all around on the beautiful but deceitful and treacherous waters of Lake Ontario, weaving in and around the outlying islands which all have their own activity. I even saw one lone, brave sailor paddling his little canoe over the swells, way outside. Better him than me yes! The only thing that possibly beats that sight is a night time cruise, which shows up the sparkling lights of the buildings and the outlying islands. And believe me, yesterday between 12 and 4 p.m. the St. Francis congregation, our friends and families, we mash up the T.O. harbour on the Riverboat Gambler, an old paddle wheel cruiser! Chuh mih people! I didn’t see any of the many other boats out there, big or small, with a party as hearty as ours! Even the broken and lame, like myself, were hopping and rocking! Ditto for several people who were in wheelchairs! To tell you how good it was, I sat next to a grandmother soon to be ninety seven years old. Yes Friends, 97 large ones, and she was as aware and sprightly as a young doe! (smile) Well just a little exaggeration really. She reminded me of my ole mother Mols, who’s partying somewhere up in heaven now. Anyway mih brethren, the food was good, the beverages wet and refreshing, and the music was most excellent! It was strictly ‘big people music,’ as Dr. Jay, a local D.J. calls it. None of the chupidness that the young people nowadays call music. Call it ole school, or whatever, but when the rockers, the soca and the funk cascaded across the deep, dark green waters of Lake Ontario there wasn’t a foot not tapping or a finger not drumming to the scintillating riddims! I never knew that some of those people who look so serious and sedate in church could step that well. And the best part is that it was all led by our partying leader, our very own Pastor Jeff. He definitely set the tone for the afternoon’s proceedings right from the very start. And it’s amusing that as we were leaving the boat, one of my faithful readers told me that he was sure to read about it in Today’s Bit. At the time though I wasn’t even thinking about the Bit, but concentrating on my aching knees and what the later hours would bring. But it seems like you were right Scottie. And James, you missed an excellent gathering of God’s people, dancing, singing and giving praise to their Creator. So yuh see Friends, that’s why people ought to come to know Jesus. Not so much for. the partying, which is surely interesting, but for the abundant LOVE and JOY He instils in the hearts, minds, bodies and spirits of His followers. And that’s exactly why Bruh David so strenuously and sincerely warns us about the true state of the wicked in our Bit: ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm).’ Now that’s undoubtedly gospel truth mih breddren! And here’s why: ‘For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider (look diligently for) his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Ps.37:9-11) Oh Friends what better life can you desire, and above all, also get on earth, than that which Jesus promises… no, not only promises, but also faithfully delivers to all those who wisely choose to put their belief, faith and trust in Him eh? NONE WHATSOEVER! So why are so many of us so reluctant to accept the abundance of LOVE, JOY and PEACE He offers here on earth, then SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE with Him when we depart this evil and troubled earth? It surely boggles my mind. Many even become angry and violent, at the very mention of His Name. There must be something awfully powerful about Jesus yes, if He could bring out such contrasts in humans. No other name in history has ever caused, or will ever cause so much controversy. Oh Friends, just reading the gospel stories about Jesus, His humility, His LOVE for mankind, especially the poor, the downtrodden, sick and needy, His constant willingness to help, the way He bore His burdens, including the physical cross and the sacrifice of His sinless life on it without a whimper, how can you not feel close to Him, not LOVE him eh? Only if your heart, mind and spirit are wrapped up in evil, false pride, selfishness and greed could you fail to understand and comprehend His great gift and selflessness to mankind. And as we like to do whenever possible, we’ll end with some definitive words on the subject from Jesus. ‘The thief cometh not but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:10-11) Nuff said my people! More on this tomorrow if God favours us with the breath of life. Till then, please let’s seriously consider the true state of our lives nuh, ensuring that we embrace Jesus, so that it will be well with us. That is certainly wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!…as for me and mine…we’ll most definitely follow Jesus…hope you and yours…come to the same wise conclusion too…
18 Aug 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: friends, glorify God, Jesus Christ, joy, praise, Praise the Lord, pride, the Comforter, the Great Commission, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of righteousness, the Word, vanity
Psalm 135:1. Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.
Oh my wonderful Friends in Christ Jesus, we’re on the cusp of another beautiful day on God’s great earth! And all God’s people raised a mighty and grateful shout of joy heavenward: ‘Thank You Lord!’ Now why are we still here breathing the earth’s air; refreshing in some places, almost poisonous in others, and not up yonder enjoying the excellent life eh? Because there’s still work to be done down here; lots of it too. That work includes spreading the Word of God, and the right and true way of Jesus, as He asked us to do in what’s termed the Great Commission. (Matt.28:19-20) So let’s roll up our sleeves and seriously get going on that nuh my people. A very large percentage of the world has never heard about the wonderful God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, nor of His Redeeming Son Jesus, neither of the divine Helper and Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and it’s our job to introduce them to all of that, help them to believe, then seek the kingdom of righteousness thereafter, so that their souls can be saved from eternal death and separation from God in the last days, that might soon be upon us. And how do we do that? By educating them on the Word, by encouraging them in difficult situations, by practical and/or physical help, and very importantly by being worthy examples of all that we preach and teach. And last, but definitely not least, let us not forget another important aspect of our faith walk; the aspect of Praise! Yes Friends, Praise is of the utmost importance in a believer’s life, but sadly, I don’t think we do enough of it, that’s why I chose our Bit today from Psalm 135, re the greatness of the Lord, and the vanity of idols. ‘Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.’ And why should we do that? The psalmist continues by telling us: ‘Praise ye the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant… For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.’ (Ps.135:3,5) Without a doubt my brethren, our God is a great God and worthy of our praise! It says so numerous times in the Good Book, with good reason too. Let’s look at a few of those scriptures, beginning with Psalm 50; a Psalm of Asaph, superscripted, God is the judge. And Asaph loudly and truthfully proclaims: ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation (conduct) aright will I show the salvation of God.’ (Ps.50:23) Yes my people, one of the reasons our God created us was to glorify Him, and one way of doing that is by showering Him and His Holy Name with praise! Meanwhile, Psalm 33, titled Praise to the Lord for his creation, opens with this wonderful declaration: ‘Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.’ (Ps.33:1) Once again Friends, we’re advised that praise to the Most High God Jehovah is right and comely for all those who worship and believe in Him. And isn’t that the living truth! Then Psalm 111, Praise the Lord for His care, tells us: ‘Praise ye the Lord (sing Hallelujah)! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of (studied by) all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth forever.’ (Ps.111:1-3) And the Psalms are not the only place where praise is declared unto God, though it’s found there more than anywhere else in the Good Book. Now listen to Daniel, after the Lord showed him the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king’s dream. ‘Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the season: he removeth kings, and setteth (raises) up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired (asked) of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.’ (Dan.2:19-23) Oh my brethren, isn’t that just cause for great praise? It surely is! Now listen to Moses immortalize praise for God in his song of victory over Pharaoh’s army: ‘Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods (mighty ones)? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?’ (Ex.15:11) And the answer to ALL those questions Friends, is an unequivocal NOBODY! And in Deuteronomy, Moses again encourages the Israelites to praise the God of their fathers. ‘Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave (hold fast), and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done terrible (awesome) things which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.’ (Deut.10:20-22) Most excellent reasons to serve and praise the Lord my people! And not to disappoint you all, I will end with a few words from Bruh David, (smile) who praised the Lord more than most. This comes from Psalm 52, caution to the prideful wicked. ‘Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness (destruction). But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God (see Jer.11:16): I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.’ (Ps.52:7-9) And all God’s people uttered a loud and glorious ‘Praise the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised! Amen!’ Yes Friends, our God sure is worthy to be praised. So let’s go out and prise Him today and for ever more nuh. That’s wisdom at its highest! Much LOVE!…praise to our great God…is what He rightly deserves…
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