18 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a standing O, asaph, at the front lines, aura of love, calamitous, Caleb, compassion, confidence, conquerors, covenant, Creator of the universe, disobedience, enthusiasm, evil, evil minions, facade, faith, flatter with their mouth, forgat his works, forgiveness, from whence comes our help, glamorous, glitzy, glorious kingdom, God was their rock, God's children, God's goodness, good life, grace, his wonders that he had showed them, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, iniquity, into the breach, invincible, Israelites, Jesus Christ, jobs, Joshua, joy, lip service, LOVE, Lucifer, lusting, manna, meat, meet the enemy in battle, mercies, miracles, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, Moses, on which side his bread was buttered, pageantry, pomp, Praise the Lord, prosperity, Psalm 78, Redeemer, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, rest, salvation, soldiers, sought God, spiritual armour, spreading God's Word, steadfast faith, surrender, taunts, the early bird catches the worm, the high god their redeemer, the Love Revolution, the Promised Land, the things of the world, the wilderness, turned away his anger, ungodly world, victorious army of Christ, we can't fool God, wiles, wrath, you will reap what you sow
Psalm 78:11. And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.
Once more friends, once more into the breach on this cold, frosty Monday morning in mid-January! As good soldiers in the victorious army of Christ let’s get a move on! Remember the early bird catches the worm. (smile) The LOVE Revolution calls! And like any good leader, our Field Marshall, Jesus Christ is already at the front lines reconnoitring the enemy’s positions.
So let’s not be found wanting in these crucial times nuh, let’s get on with the task bequeathed to us; that of spreading God’s Word, His faithful, unconditional LOVE, His tender mercies, His everlasting grace and His endless forgiveness!
And all of God’s children declared a loud and proud: ‘Praise the Lord!’
And with that bit of energizing, let’s take it one step further by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with even greater pomp and pageantry. (smile)
As one 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!’
Beautiful friends! That was beautiful! Jesus was in His essence as He conducted us. Heaven even gave us a standing O and called for an encore! Mama Mia! What a morning it’s turning out to be!
Ah mih breddren, we serve such a wonderful God that I don’t know how people can turn away from Him. But sadly they are doing it, and recently in droves too, lured by the glitzy and glamorous come on by Lucifer and his evil minions.
Unfortunately though, it’s only after they are caught in that evil web that they realize it’s all a façade, a trap from which it is very difficult to break free. They can’t do so without the help of Jesus, and it’s our job to win them back, as well as those who never believed, by the way we walk and talk and glorify His holy name.
That means we obviously can’t be like the Israelites of old, who turned away from God ‘And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.’
Now that is so mind boggling, I can’t even imagine it! Hn! In spite of all the miracles he did on their behalf, from down in Egypt to the provision of manna and meat in the wilderness, they still turned away from him. They must have been a really hard-headed and stubborn people – just like so many of us nowadays. So God, in His anger, slew some of them and made the lives of the remainder futile and calamitous. (Ps.78:33)
Now let’s listen in as Asaph continues his story in Psalm 78. ‘When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early (sought diligently) after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.’ (Ps.78:34-35)
Ah friends, at last they smartened up and learned on which side their bread was buttered. I ‘ve been hoping and praying that the same thing can happen in our society today; that we can wake up and realize from whence comes our help, our prosperity and good life. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be happening.
However, we cannot give up hope, for there’s no giving up in Jesus, we just have to continue talking our talk and walking our walk as we have been instructed to do, and the Lord will do the rest.
And Asaph writes on: ‘Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right (steadfast) with him, neither were they steadfast (faithful) in his covenant.’ (Ps.78:36-37)
Yes friends, the repentance wasn’t really true, it was just lip service. And I suspect that a lot of that is happening today. Many of us are merely paying lip service to God, while our hearts are truly lusting after the things of the world. Oh precious people, we can’t fool God, because He looks at the state of our hearts, rather than just listen to the words of our lying lips.
However, He’s such a wonderful Deity that Asaph tells us: ‘But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke (rebel against) him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.’ (Ps.78:28-41)
What a slap in the face eh! In spite of all God’s goodness, His chosen people rebelled against Him several times on the journey through the wilderness. But in His compassion and wisdom, He did not fully destroy them, just made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until all those who had come out of Egypt died. Not even Moses entered into the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb were the only two of the original lot who did so.
So my fellow believers in Christ, let’s remember that though the Lord might not destroy us for our constant disobedience, He will find other ways to make us pay. Much LOVE!
…whatever you sow…is exactly what you will reap…so you can’t sow disobedience and expect to reap salvation…
17 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a gem from Anselm, about trees in winter, angel food, asaph, at letting things go, baggage, church bells ringing, complaining, craving, disasters, disbelief, dwellings, experts, fallible, feathered fowls, food, forgat his works, forgetfulness, futility, go naked in the world, going our own way, going to hell in a hand-basket, habitations, hard-headed, he who doesn't hear will feel, his wonders that he had showed them, human, invitation, keep God first place, like the sand of the sea, lustful, lusts of our flesh, manna, murmuring, politically correct, progress, quails, race of life, reminisce, satiation, selfish, skylarking, smote, stay alive, staying alive, stubborn, Sunday, survival, the better days of old, the corn of heaven, The Israelites, the wrath of God, there's something incredibly honest, they sinned still, time for church, to fight another day, to gather at the Lord's house, unfaithfulness, ungrateful, vanity, water in the wilderness
Psalm 78:11. And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.
Oh friends, as I listen to the church bells peal in my mind this frosty Sunday morning, I am reminded of my youth, when the church bells actually did peal on a Sunday morning with a glorious invitation to gather at the Lord’s house to praise and worship Him, to give thanks for the past week, and pray for a safe and secure journey in the upcoming one.
How sad that church bells no longer ring out on a Sunday morning eh? But I guess in our foolish, politically correct society that would disturb and encroach upon the rights of others. Ah Lord eh! And we wonder why our society is going to hell in a hand basket?
But I’ll dwell, reminisce on the better days of old, when the church bells were a staple in our society and people were glad to hear them ring because it woke them up and reminded them that it was time for church. (smile)
Now at one stage I lived fairly close to the church, so like most young people, I never hustled until I heard the last bell ringing, because it only took me a couple minutes to get there. And I’d get there just in time for the proceedings to begin. No waiting around, sitting on the hard pew benches, fidgeting and talking with your friends, only to be told to shut up by your elders.
Hn! You couldn’t try that with the young people nowadays, instead they’d tell you to shut up. Steups! But I guess that’s what we call progress nuh.
Anyway, on a brighter note, here is a gem from our friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us. ‘I realize there’s something incredibly honest about trees in winter, how they’re experts at letting things go.’
And isn’t that a fact my people! The trees know that winter is coming and they don’t stand a chance of staying alive in the cold, mucky season if they want to keep all their greenery. So it’s all a matter of simple survival. Shed your leaves and go naked in the world for a few months if you want to stay alive, to fight another day.
The same thing goes for us my brethren. If we want to run our race of life as smoothly as possible, then we have to give up, get rid of the baggage that’s dragging us down; be it friends, family, business associates or some activity, and keep God first place in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.
We definitely cannot afford to do like the Israelites in our Bit did. ‘And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.’
But before we get into our Bit, I wonder how many of you noticed the mighty and wonderful work I did yesterday eh? In the middle of the Bit, I took the Israelites out of Israel instead of out of Egypt. Hn, Hn! What a mighty work! And I read the Bit at least three times before publishing it yes. Just goes to show that the ole fella is human after all and thus fallible.
Anyway, let’s get to the story of the Israelites, their forgetfulness and unfaithfulness. Now yesterday we ended with them wondering if God, who had provided water for them in the wilderness could also provide food. (Ps.78:20)
What a bunch of selfish, lustful, ungrateful people! ‘Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth (furious): so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn (bread) of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full (food to satiation). He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: And he let it fall in the midst of the camp, round about their habitations (dwellings). So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire.’ (Ps.78:21-29)
Oh my people, our God is truly something else yes! Remember how the Israelites were murmuring and complaining in the wilderness about food, and the Lord sent them manna. But that didn’t satisfy them, they wanted meat, flesh. So the Lord rained down a torrent of quails upon them, so they ate until they were satiated. (Ex.16)
I guess it’s like we do with our children sometimes: when they want some kind of food so badly, we give it to them until they are stuffed and uncomfortable and possibly get sick. That usually cures them of the greed and lust for that particular food. But the manna and quails did not satisfy the Israelites.
For as Asaph continues: ‘They were not estranged from (deprived of) their lust (craving): but while their meat was yet in their mouths, The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest (stoutest) of them, and smote down the chosen (choice) men of Israel.’ (Ps.78: 30-31)
Yeh friends, our God is not a skylarking God, but a serious deity. Yuh see before they could even finish eating the flesh of the quail, He struck down some of the mightiest men, because of their disbelief and unfaithfulness. (Num.11:33)
But in spite of all that, Asaph declares: ‘For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity (futility), and their years in trouble.’ (Ps.78:32-33)
Oh what a foolish, stubborn and hard-headed people! But please don’t laugh and try to put them down, because we are doing the very same thing now. God is trying to talk to us, but we’re not listening. We’re just interested in going our own way. He’s showing us signs and wonders, natural and man-made disasters, warning us of things to come if we deviate from His path. But we’re not paying any attention, because we’re too wrapped up in the lusts of our flesh.
Oh friends, if God’s chosen people paid a most serious price for their disobedience, why do you think we won’t for ours eh? And I’ll leave us to ponder on that most vital question today. Much LOVE!
…he who doesn’t hear…will certainly feel…rest assured of that…
16 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: asaph, Christians, covenant, Egypt, faith, forgat his works, forget what the Lord did for us in the past, furnish a table, future generations, his wonders that he had showed them, in the sight of their fathers, in the wilderness, in times of trouble, interesting, kept not the covenant of God, led by the Spirit, LOVE, loving kindness, marching as to war, marvellous things, meat for their lust, mercy, Onward Christian soldiers, Pharaoh, plagues, prince of darkness, problems, provide flesh for his people, provoking the Most High, refused to walk in his law, Saturday morning, slavery, smote the rock, stranglehold, stupidity, Thank the Lord, the depths of winter, the godless path, the Holy Spirit, The Israelites, the Lord's goodness, the Red Sea, the waters gushed out, they sinned yet more, they spake against God, they tempted God, versed in the Word, Western Societies, wine and roses, wisdom, with the cross of jesus going on before
Psalm 78:11. And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.
Well my fellow believers, it’s Saturday morning in the depths of winter, though it’s been raining instead of snowing, (thank the Lord!) and the ole fella doesn’t have a clue as to what to write about. (smile)
But I’m not worried, because I know the Good Lord in His tender mercy and LOVING-kindness will eventually look down on me and bless me with whatever subject(s) He desires me to write on today.
This is the ninth year that He’s been doing it, so why should He stop now eh? Brother, I really can’t believe that I’ve been writing the Bit for so long. It seems like just yesterday (2007) that the Lord broached the idea, and like Sara, I laughed and declared I couldn’t do it because I wasn’t sufficiently versed in His Word and my lifestyle, though not terrible, did not suit such undertaking.
Hn, hn! But little did I know that Lord very seldom, if ever, takes no for an answer. And tenaciously, He kept coming back with the same idea, until I finally gave in. And what a ride, what a journey it has been my people! It hasn’t been all wine and roses, but it has certainly been very interesting!
I remember the first Bits in early 2007 being simply a verse or two from the Bible. But as time went on, and I got more confident and knowledgeable, and felt the leading of the Holy Spirit more, I began to add some words and explanations of my own. Until now, many of you think I write too much. (smile) But I simply write what and how much I believe I’m led by the Spirit to write.
Now look at that eh! A few minutes ago I didn’t know what to write, but through the Lord’s mysterious workings, I’ve written something, and an idea is forming in my mind.
All of that leads me to point out one of the major problems many of us Christians have today; in times of trouble, we simply forget, or choose not to remember what the Lord did for us in the past. Now that doesn’t make any sense friends. If the Lord helped us out before, especially when our faith wasn’t as strong as it is now, why would He not continue helping us eh?
And the best example of that is the Israelites, when the Lord brought them out of Egypt. Back in Egypt, when Pharaoh refused to let them go, the Lord brought several plagues upon the Egyptians. (Ex. Chaps.7-10) Finally Pharaoh agreed to let them go and they left with much wealth. (Ex. 11-12) Then He parted the Red Sea so they could walk over dry land, and afterwards consumed the Egyptian army by drowning them.
Let’s listen though to the voice of Asaph the psalmist as he describes their foolhardiness in Psalm 78 – A reminder of God’s goodness to Israel. ‘The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.’ (Ps.78:9-11)
Oh friends, our Bit says it all. I believe that many of us behave like those Israelites; we forget all the good things that the Lord has done for us in the past, and consequently our faith suffers, it doesn’t grow as it should. When times get hard and problems abound, the first thing we need to do is remember how the Lord helped us in the past.
Hear the sad story as Asaph continues: ‘Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as a heap. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
He clave (split) the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.’ (Ps.78:12-16)
Now after 400 hundred years of slavery and hard labour in Egypt, one would think that any sensible people would recognize the Lord’s goodness and power and thus obey His commands. But unfortunately, not so the Israelites.
‘And they sinned yet more against him by provoking (rebelling against) the Most High in the wilderness. And they tempted (tested) God in their heart by asking meat for their lust (for food according to their desires). Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish (prepare) a table in the wilderness? Behold he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people?’ (Ps.78:17-20)
Can you believe it my brethren? After all the Lord had done for them, they still doubted His power and His LOVING-kindness to them. Chuh!
But we shouldn’t cry down the Israelites too much, because we are not very faithful either. Most of our Western Societies were built on the Christian belief and faith, and the Lord caused them to prosper. But look at us now nuh, we’re in the stranglehold of the prince of darkness because we have forgotten who brought us to the dance.
We definitely didn’t come by ourselves. It was the Lord God Almighty who caused us to prosper and to gain wealth because we were walking in His will. But once that prosperity set in, we conveniently ‘forgat his works and his wonders,’ just like the Israelites. And now we’re trying our best to remove Him completely from our society.
Oh my people, that is certainly not wisdom, that is stupidity in the highest! Do we want future generations to look upon us askance and shake their heads in pity, as we now do the Israelites? I doubt it very much, but if we continue the way we’re going, they will certainly have cause to do so.
More on this tomorrow, God willing. Till then, please let’s consider our society and the godless path it is following, and try to turn it around nuh. Now that is wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!
…onward Christian soldiers…marching as to war…with the cross of Jesus…going on before…
15 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: ., a believer in Jesus Christ, a great cloud of witnesses, a marathon, a watershed year, addle our brains, backbone, backbreaking, belly, bondage, carousing, chase away all our cares and fears, Christians, crapaud smoke we pipe, crucified, encompassed about, endurance, every foe is vanquished, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, frolicking, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, have your wits about you, he that endures, heavenly abode, impedes, lay aside every weight, life threatening stuff, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, mountains to climb, never gave up, one receives the prize, patience, perseverance, progress, reconciliation, refreshed, rejoicing in hope, relaxation, renewed, repelling the enemy, respite from labour, rest, rivers to cross, run, run with patience, sacrificed, salvation, seeking prey, sensible approach, sin, slothful, soul body and mind, stand strong and steadfast, stand up for Jesus, steadfast in prayer, swift of foot, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that ye may obtain, the author, the brown girl in the bottle, the crown of life, the finisher, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the roaring lion, the sin which besets us, the straight and narrow path, the weekend, time to party, tribulation, valleys to descend, week of work, witnesses
Hebrews 12:1. Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.
Aye Friends, can you believe that it’s already the middle of January. These days surely seem to be rushing by quickly yes. But don’t worry, it’s Friday, which you already know, because long before I came around the corner, I heard you all enthusiastically mouthing: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!
Mama yo! The work was backbreaking this week yes! But now is time to party; to chase away all our cares and fears with some drinks and some frolicking! Thank God that today is Friday oui! I don’t know if I could have handled another day under that slave driver, Massa nuh! Thank God for Fridays!’
Ah mih people, I know we – well some of us (smile) – work hard during the week and do deserve some respite from our labour, but drinking and carousing is not the way to overcome it.
And you certainly can’t trust the brown girl in the bottle, because she just doesn’t play fair. She’ll just addle your brains and have you doing all sorts of wrong things, even life threatening stuff.
And you need to have your wits about you all the time, otherwise our enemy, that roaring lion, seeking frail and feeble prey, will invade your soul and cause you to stray from the straight and narrow path.
Instead, let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a better perspective on how to spend our weekends. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my precious people, that’s the more sensible approach to the weekend, especially in light of our Bit. ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.’
Oh friends, the race of life that we’ve been given to run is much more important than just partying and having a rollicking good time, especially if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ.
It’s not an easy race to run, because it’s a marathon, fraught with all kinds of dangers and problems, like high mountains to climb, swollen rivers to cross, deep and dark valleys to descend and a host of other everyday stuff, many of which come upon us without any warning.
You’ll notice in chapter 11, the writer of Hebrews, whom I sincerely believe is Bruh Paul, gives us all kinds of examples of those witnesses that have gone before us, who had it difficult but never gave up, but through, and by faith just kept concentrating on their heavenly abode.
‘But now they desire a better country, that is a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.’ (Heb.11:16)
And my fellow believers in Christ, our Creator has also prepared a city for us, so we can’t afford to be lackadaisical about this race of life. As Bruh Paul told the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor.9:24)
Yeh friends, we need to run hard and true, casting aside all and everything that impedes our progress, be it clothing or excessive body weight, as well as any sin(s) that hold(s) us in bondage. But most important of all my people, we must remember that this life race of faith is not a sprint, but for many of us a difficult marathon.
Therefore we need to run it with patience, with perseverance, with strong endurance. For as the saying goes, the race is not for the swift of foot, but for the one that endures…and just keeps enduring, right to the end and wins the prize, which in our case is the crown of life. (James 1:12)
Yes my precious brethren, that’s where so many of us fall by the wayside; sadly our endurance is not sufficient to keep us going. However as the author of Hebrews tells us, we have the best example of that endurance in our Lord and Saviour Jesus.
‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.’ (Heb.12:2)
Yeh folks, Jesus knew what was waiting for Him on the other side of the cross, an everlasting seat at the right hand of the Father, so He handled the shame of being crucified naked, mocked and ridiculed, injured and beaten, loaded down with our sins, so that we could enjoy reconciliation and salvation with the Most High. Don’t you think the least that we can do is be grateful for His sacrifice and show it by our faithful and true lifestyles?
Please friends, this year of 2016 will be a watershed year; our world will either get better or go up in flames, and Christians are the ONLY ones who can make the first option come true.
But we need to be strong and steadfast, standing up to wrongs, making them right, having plenty belly and backbone, staying on the straight and narrow, repelling the enemy on every front, otherwise crapaud going to certainly smoke we pipe!
Now let’s close with these awesome enlightening and inspiring words of Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE (agape); in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another;
Not slothful (lagging in diligence) in business; fervent in spirit (boiling over); serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope, patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfast) in prayer.’ (Rom.12:10-12)
Yes precious people of God, those ingredients are all essential and necessary for us to run and eventually win this race of life. Please, let’s stand up and be counted in these most troubled and uncertain times nuh. Much LOVE!
…stand up…stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
14 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new lifestyle, a new nature, anger, aspirations, Barbarian, behold I make all things new, blasphemy, bond, character, Christ is all, Christmas, Colossians, conduct, conversion, drawing closer to God, dreary middle, encompassed about, falsehood, filthy communication, forget God, free, friends of faith, glory to God, God's faithful help, Greek, Greek Olympics, heroes, humanity, I am the truth, impediments, January, Jew, John Hagee, lay aside every weight, lie not, LOVE, malice, mature knowledge of God, mentors, mid-January funk, New Year's hoopla, One Year Book of Bible promises, our best efforts, predicament, put off the old man, put on the new man, put sin to death, renewed in knowledge, renounced, resolutions, Run to win, run with patience, Ruth Harms Calkin, saints, salvation, salve, sinful acts, slump, so great a cloud of witnesses, social distinctions, springtime, the Lord moves in mysterious ways, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the sin which so easily ensnares us, trinkets, values, vices, victorious, words of wisdom, worldly thinking, wrath, year-end sales
Hebrews 12:1. Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.
Ah mih people, it’s another cold, bleak winter’s day! But we have to remember that that’s what winter is all about; cold and bleak, though it doesn’t seem so bad when the sun shines through in all its glory. (smile)
And since this is where we live, we just have to learn to live with it, knowing that through God’s faithful help we will be able to handle it, and eventually come out victorious in the glorious springtime. Oh glory to God friends for His unceasing help!
Now here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that probably hits the nail on the head with many of us. I couldn’t help but share it.
It’s simply titled ‘January,’ and reads thus: ‘It’s January, Lord – The drab, dreary middle – And my thoughts are as drab As the miserable month. Does everybody hit a January slump Or am I the only one?
The first week wasn’t too bad: There were Christmas thank-yous to write A few resolutions to store away The huddle of year-end sales. But thank-you notes bring no returns And resolutions are quickly broken And marked-down trinkets fast lose appeal.
When you said Behold, I make all things new Did You forget January, Lord? Or in January do I sometimes forget you?’
Oh friends, that poem certainly does resemble the mid January funk that many of us find ourselves in. The weather is the pits, the Christmas bills are starting to come in, and we don’t know where the money is going to come from to pay them, and added to that anxiety, we’re still physically and mentally tired from all the Christmas and New Year’s hoopla. It certainly is a familiar predicament.
But to answer the poets ending question, the response is a definite Yes! We do seem to forget God in these anxious times, when these are the times we should be drawing ever closer to Him. God doesn’t make mistakes or lie. If he says that everything is made new, then it IS made new!
That means the problem lies with us, which brings us to the promise for that poem, which is also our Bit. ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.’
Ah my fellow believers that is exactly the kind of advice we need this cold morning in mid-January. And the Lord moves in such mysterious ways, that it’s only last night I watched Uncle John (John Hagee) preach a sermon on that same verse. He titled it ‘Run To Win!’
And so it should be my fellow believers. Why else would we run a race if it were not to win eh? And the particular race we’re talking about here is the race of life!
Bruh Paul likened our earthly lives to a race, having in mind the ancient Greek Olympics, which we can compare to out own modern day Olympiads.
And the first thing he does is remind us of all the other saints, the heroes that have run this race before us, the ‘great cloud of witnesses,’ who are looking down on us as we run our race. So it’s not like we don’t have any examples or mentors to look back at.
Then we have to ‘lay aside every weight,’ that prevents us from running this race of life. Yes my brethren we have to get rid of all the impediments that weigh us down and prevent us from putting forth our best efforts.
And Bruh Paul refers to some of them in Colossians. ‘But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not to one another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond (slave) nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.’ (Col.3:8-11)
Oh my precious friends of faith, those are the kinds of things that prevent us from properly concentrating on running this magnificent race of life that’s set before us.
And here are some explanations from the scholars, which will help us to further understand those scriptures. ‘3:9. Seeing means “since.” The old man is all that a person was prior to salvation: his worldly thinking and sinful acts. Since all this was renounced at conversion, one should lie not. Falsehood ill becomes the person claiming to be a disciple of Him who said, “I am the…truth.”
‘3:10. The new man is the person one becomes after conversion: he possesses a new nature, values, aspirations, and a new life-style. This “new man” is constantly being renewed or developed until he attains a mature knowledge of the God who (re)created him. The more a believer knows and understands of God, the more he will be like God in character and conduct.’
‘3:11. Not only is the “new man” to put sin to death, he is also to put away man-made barriers that divide people and that nourish the vices of the old life. Among renewed humanity there are no national, ceremonial, cultural, or social distinctions. To the redeemed Christ is all: that is, He is everything and He is what matters most to them. And Christ is…in all; that is, He dwells in all believers.’
Yes Friends, we’ll end with those wonderful words of wisdom: Christ is everything to the believer, and He dwells in each and every one of us. Oh what a wonderful scenario!
Let’s remember that, and ponder on all that we’ve said to day, so that we can increase in the knowledge and maturity of Christ our Lord and Saviour. Much LOVE!
…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…
13 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: agape, anger, battlefield, believers in Christ, blessings, body of Christ, Christian maturity, Christians, come together, common cold, dire straits, glory hallelujah, glory to God, goodness, grin and bear it, growth, hatred, I am halfway home, I'm not looking back, I'm not turning back, I'm so glad to be alive, Israelites, keep looking to the future, lean on God's strength, LOVE, Love conquers all, LOVE Revolution, love thy neightbour as thyself, Moses, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, negative circumstances, plummeting down to the bottom, practice what I preach, progress, rising to the top, strife, teach us to love, thank God, the breath of life, the gospel truth, the great commandment, the straight and narrow path, thepower of your spirit, thou shalt love the Lord thy God, to a glorious future with Jesus, walk our walk, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, with all thy heart, with all thy might, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, yoke of Jesus
Matthew 22:37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Oh Friends, I’m getting better! Glory to God! Yeh mih people, on this cold, snowy, Wednesday, winter morn, the ole fella’s getting over this flu bug, but just not as quickly as I would like. (smile)
I managed to nip most of the sneezing, runny nose and coughing in the bud, but the ole cold instead took a toll on me in the form of bodily weariness and a constant desire to sleep.
It always amuses and annoys me that we can cure so many serious maladies, but not the simple, common cold. We just have to allow it to run it’s course. And in this case I have to practice what I preach, just grin and bear it.
I don’t understand God’s reason(s) for allowing it – we never want to get sick – but since our’s is not to question why, just do and hopefully not to die, I’ll put my best foot forward and lean on God’s strength and goodness. Glory Hallelujah!
Now let’s wail our Wednesday Wail as though we truly mean it. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Oh yes my brethren, that’s where our focus ought to lie; straight ahead, under the light and easy yoke of Jesus! It couldn’t get any better than that my people. Looking back at the past, as so many of us are wont to do, only stifles and retards our progress, growth and maturity in Christ. And that, we definitely don’t want to happen.
So please, let us just keep looking to the future, where God has wonderful plans for each of our lives, filled with blessings and goodness untold. And the best way I know to do that is by following Jesus’ command in our Bit. ‘Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’
Yes Friends, when we focus our thoughts and plans and everything else on God, then we are able to stay on the straight and narrow path. Now Jesus declared that statement after some smart-alec Pharisee lawyer tried to trap Him by asking: ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law?’ (Matt.22:36)
And we have the first part of Jesus’ reply above. But then He continued. ‘This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt.22:38-40)
And my fellow believers, Jesus was quite right! If we’d only focus and concentrate on those two things, our lives would be way better and our world would not be filled with so much hatred, anger and strife. But obviously we are not taking those commandments to heart.
And strangely enough, a prayer I read at the back of my mother’s Bible last night brought about this Bit. I know I’ve shared it before, but last night it just touched a concerned chord in my heart and made me want to bring it up again.
It says: ‘Father, we confess that we do not always respond to your LOVE as we should. By the power of your spirit living in us, teach us to LOVE you as we ought to LOVE. In Christ. Amen.’
And isn’t that first line the gospel truth friends? It surely is! LOVE, the ‘agape,’ brotherly, caring kind is almost non-existent in our world today! And that’s why we’re in such dire straits, plummeting down to the bottom, rather than rising to the top.
I heard someone say recently that at least 27 nations are at war in our world right now. Hn! How could that ever amount to LOVING and caring for God and each other as Jesus has directed us to eh? Under those negative circumstances it’s just impossible my people.
So what are we going to do about it eh? There’s only ONE right and sensible thing to do; that’s start LOVING God, ourselves and our neighbours more! That’s the only thing that will turn our negative, resentful, cantankerous world around!
Oh my people, what kind of world are we going to bequeath to our descendants eh? I do hope it’s not the one we’re currently living in. But that can only be avoided if all of us Christians, supposed believers in Christ, were to seriously come together, take up the banner of Christ’s LOVE Revolution and seriously and sincerely fight to make it come true!
Remember our Bit: it’s LOVE that conquers all! And not the lustful, romantic type either.
Oh Friends, I don’t know what else to say to get us worked up enough to truly fight the LOVE Revolution nuh, but in ending I want to point out one distinction that Jesus made in His declaration.
Moses told the Israelites: ‘And thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.’ (Deut.6:5)
However Jesus changed the last part to ‘with all thy mind.’ He recognized that it all begins in our minds with our thoughts and ulterior motives.
Yes my precious people, the major battlefield is right there in our minds, and until we start thinking right and LOVING thoughts, the enemy will continue to have a stranglehold on us.
So please, let’s wake up and smell whatever it is we need to smell nuh, so that we can come together as the ONE body that Christ desires and fight for the LOVE Revolution tooth and nail, to provide a better day and life for our offspring. That’s what true wisdom is all about. Much LOVE!
…and the supreme call is…for Christians to come together…right now…in Jesus’ name…and walk our walk…
P.S. Please excuse the Bit’s tardiness, but between the cold and my usual late night shenanigans, it does make getting up early a tad difficult. (smile) But as they say: better late than never. Much LOVE!
12 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fearful heart, a friend of my Lord and Saviour, a hope and a future, a witness, be strong, blankets of white, commute, darkness, dream on dreamer, enlightenend, faith, fear not, forgiveness of sins, glory to God, God doesn't change, God is a good god, good for the eyes, gracious God, guilt, happiness, his inheritance in the saints, humbles, I am Jesus, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, immorality, interested in the welfare of his people, Isaiah, King Agrippa, knowledge of truth, lifts me up, light, loved by my Creator, loving kindness, merciful, mid- January, misery, moral purity, open our hearts, open their eyes, Panorama, promises, prophecy, recompense, religiously informed, sanctified, share His love with the world, streams in the desert, stuffy nose, take for granted, the ears of the deaf, the eyes of the blind, the eyes of your understanding, the Gentiles, the goodness, the hope of his calling, the lame man leap as a hart, the light of Jesus, the lovely vista, the power of Satan, the riches of glory, the tongue of the dumb sing, to make thee a minister, touches a soft spot, Tuesday Mantra, turn them from darkness to light, vengeance, walk as children of light, warm confines, wheezing chest, who art thou Lord, why persecutest thou me, winter squall
Ephesians 1:18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Oh mih people, the ole fella’s neighbourhood is nothing but a beautiful panorama of white this Tuesday morning in mid January! (smile)
Between yesterday afternoon and last night a winter squall passed and deposited a few inches of snow in the area. All the housetops and trees are definitely looking wintry in their blankets of white.
It’s all very good for the eyes, but on the other hand it’s going to be a terrible commute this morning for those who have to brave the white stuff and try to get to work, school or home.
Chuh! If the snow would only fall on the banks and not on the roads eh… dream on dreamer. (smile) I guess too the fellow that I’ve been paying to clean my driveway will finally have some work to do. It’s one of those days if you don’t have to go out, just don’t. And the operative words there are ‘have to.’
I have been fighting a cold for the last few days and you’re certainly not going to catch me out there. I’m just going to stay in my warm confines with my stuffy nose and wheezing chest and admire the lovely vista out there.
And since today is Tuesday, then let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with sincerity and truth. As one now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Oh Friends, I can’t help but repeat my self, for every time we declare that Mantra, it just touches a soft spot in my heart and soul!
Just imagining myself being LOVED by my Creator, and also being a friend of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…. it humbles, as well as lifts me up to think that such wonderful Beings truly care about me. And not about me alone, but about all those who sincerely believe in them.
Oh glory to God my brethren! Let’s not forget, nor take for granted the goodness and LOVING-kindness of our most merciful and gracious God, who first gave us life, then provides for us down here on planet earth.
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.’
Yes Friends, we’ll continue looking at enlightening the eyes of our understanding by lauding scripture passages that deal with the subject. And we’ll start with promises, prophecy from Isaiah, re the restoration of Israel to Zion, a message of hope.
‘Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (deer), and the tongue of the dumb (mute) sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.’ (Is.35:4-6)
Oh glory to God for His goodness and mercy to the undeserving children of men! Yes my precious people, our God is a good God, one who’s interested in the welfare of His people. And since He doesn’t change, then it means that He’s still interested in our welfare today.
But we have to give Him the chance to work in our lives, to open our eyes of understanding and show us the good plan He has for us, to give us a hope and a future. It’s therefore essential then that we open our hearts, souls and minds to Almighty God and His Word, otherwise we won’t be able to claim the riches of His glory and His inheritance as saints.
Now hear this exciting scripture when Bruh Paul testified before King Agrippa, re his conversion on the road to Damascus. At midday, a bright light from heaven struck down him and his posse.
‘And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue (language), Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads, thing that torments). And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear (reveal) unto thee.
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in me.’ (Acts 26:14-18)
Oh friends, our God is very interested in opening our eyes and enlightening us as to who He is, but won’t do it without our permission. So please, let’s open our hearts today and let Him in nuh, so that He can fulfill His dream for us.
And we’ll end with this reminder from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ (Eph.5:8).
And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’
Oh my brethren, I sincerely hope and pray that we have all seen the light! Much LOVE!
…the only antidote for darkness…is the light of Jesus…
11 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crying shame, a voice crying in the wilderness, all fired-up, around the mulberry bush, aura of love, boring, common task, confidence, covenant, Creator of the universe, darkness, elbow grease, enlightened, enthusiasm, evil, facade-filled lives, faithful believers in Jesus, fictitious, glamour, glory to God, graven images, gusto, hanker after, his inheritance in the saints, holy spirit, humble servants, hunger, I am the light of the world, invincible, Isaiah, Jesus Christ, jet-set life, jobs, John the Baptist, let your light so shine, lies, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, Messiah, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, open the blind eyes, praise, prison, prisoners, quit complaining, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., rise and shine, salvation, sit in darkness, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, surrender, taunts, the children of men, the daily grind, the dayspring, the eyes of your understanding, the Gentiles, the hope of his calling, the light of life, the rich and famous, the riches of his glory, the shadow of death, truth, ungodly world, walk in darkness, wiles, worked their butts off, Zechariah
Ephesians 1:18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Well friends, here we go again; one more time around the mulberry bush. (smile) It’s Monday, that means getting into the daily grind and common task of work for another week. Obviously it’s no fun, but it needs to be done.
Too many of us look for and covet the exciting life we seem to think that others have, but believe me, most of what passes for glamour today is boring and fictitious. So please let’s not hunger and hanker after the façade-filled lives of the supposed beautiful people, the rich and famous who tool around in fancy cars and live the jet-set life, for many of them are not what they seem to be.
Oh I know we tend to say it’s better to be rich and unfulfilled, than to be poor and fulfilled. And besides, many of the rich actually worked their butts off to get to that position, so it’s not like you can just daydream and get rich and powerful, you do have to put in some elbow grease, whatever kind it may be, to reach those heights.
So quit the complaining, let’s rise and shine and get ourselves together like the faithful believers in Jesus Christ that we are! And as always, we do have our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get us all fired-up. So let’s sing it with plenty gusto and enthusiasm.
‘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!’
Good job mih people, good job! It wasn’t spectacular, but it was certainly good enough to please our choirmaster, Jesus, to bring a smile to His handsome face.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, the same as yesterday. ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.’
And I do hope we pondered what we spoke about yesterday and the eyes of our understanding were enlightened, (smile) because today I want to look at some scriptures where the Lord promised to open our eyes to what He was about.
And we’ll begin with this promise from Isaiah, when the servant (Christ) comes to glorify the Lord. ‘I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of (to) the people, for a light of (to) the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring them out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.’ (Is.42:6-7)
Yes my fellow believers, from way back then, the good Lord promised to open our eyes and show us the light, which He did through the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Now listen to the prophecy of John the Baptist’s father Zechariah when he regained his speech, re John’s mission. ‘And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (dawn, Messiah) from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 2:76-79)
And that’s exactly what John the Baptist did! He was a voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the path for Christ. Oh friends, our God is and has been so wonderful to us, that it’s a crying shame the way we respond to His LOVING-kindness!
Those prophecies take us back to Isaiah, where He declares: ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.’ (Is.42:8-9)
Now that we cannot dispute, because all the Lord’s prophetic dispensations have come to pass!
And we’ll end with the words of Jesus on the subject. ‘Then spake Jesus again unto them (the scribes and Pharisees) saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)
Oh my brethren, Jesus was indeed the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy! And did He ever open our eyes and lead us out of the dark prison that we were languishing in! All praise and glory to the Most High God for His goodness to the children of men!
Now let’s go forth in that light this Monday morning in this leap year of 2016, and light up the world through the strength and wherewithal of Jesus, for that’s what we are called to do! Much LOVE!
…ye are the light of the world…let your light so shine…
10 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sovereign God, cease not to give thanks, celebrating, Christ-like maturity, church, church bells, condescending, conversion, daily living, divine strength, enlightened, Ephesians, everlasting love, exceeding greatness of God's power, faith in the Lord Jesus, faithful believers, feel smug, feverish activity, glorify the Lord, God's goodness, God's infinite wisdom, God's limitless power, Good News Gospel, growth in Christ, heavenly destiny, his inheritance in the saints, illuminated Christian, in heavenly places, in sincerity and truth, in the hands, inheritance in the saints, invitation to worship, Jesus Christ, knowledge of God, lift the name of Jesus, LOVE, majestic God, mercy, my times, my ultimate good, One Year Book of Bible promises, powerless, praise, prescription for earthly living, priceless treasure, purpose in our hearts, reserve, resolutions, Revelation, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, set him at his right hand, surprise, thanksgiving, the eyes of your understanding, the Father of glory, the hope of his calling, the Lord's sanctuary, the mind's understanding, the New Year, the riches of glory, the riches of his glory, the spirit of wisdom, Togetherness, trick. disillusion, uplifting scriptures, walk in step with Christ
Ephesians 1:18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Well a good Sunday morning to all, as the church bells peal a beautiful and blessed invitation to us to come to the Lord’s sanctuary and worship and glorify Him in sincerity and truth!
Yeh mih people, it’s a day of togetherness, of praise and thanksgiving amongst the faithful believers in Jesus Christ. So please honour it by darkening the door of your church and celebrating God’s goodness and mercy with others of the same ilk.
That’s the Lord’s wish for us this second Sunday in the New Year. And if, as we purpose in our hearts and resolutions to lift the name of Jesus and His Good News Gospel this year, we cannot afford to start backsliding so early in the month. (smile)
Now here is a rather appropriate excerpt from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled, ‘The New Year.’
And it says: ‘Mysterious New Year So wrapped in reserve and surprise You have no reason to feel smug Or even condescending. After all, the majestic God Has full knowledge of you Just as He has of me.
There is not an issue you can evade. Furthermore, you are powerless To do anything to me That God does not permit. All He allows in His infinite wisdom Is for my ultimate good And His greatest glory.
Consequently, New Year You cannot trick or disillusion me By your baffling unexplainables Or your feverish activity. My times are in the hands of my sovereign God Whose power is limitless And whose LOVE for me is everlasting.’
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Let’s never forget that God’s LOVE for each and every one of us, is everlasting!
And the scripture promise for that poem is also our Bit for today. ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.’
But before we get into our Bit, let’s hear what comes before it, so that we can understand in what context it was used. Bruh Paul is here praying for God’s knowledge and understanding for the Ephesians.
And he begins this section thus: ‘Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and LOVE unto all the saints. Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set (seated) him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.’ (Eph.1:15-20)
Oh friends, what powerful and uplifting scriptures!
Now here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘1:17. The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him means “a disposition consisting of wisdom and revelation in knowing Him.”
And we all still need that up to this day my brethren, despite our much better knowledge of God, in comparison to the Ephesians!
‘1:18-19. When the figurative terms are removed from the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, the clause means that “your mind’s understanding may be fully enlightened.” The clause further explains verse 17.
That ye may know signifies that the believer comes to know three things upon being enlightened: (1) what is the hope of his calling; that is, he realizes how sure and certain is his heavenly destiny;
(2) what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; that is, the illuminated Christian recognizes more and more both the priceless value of his salvation, and what a priceless treasure he is to God;
And (3) what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe: perceiving how God’s power has changed him since conversion, he experiences to a greater extent this divine strength in daily living.’
Oh friends, I do hope we understand all of that, because it is so important in our growth, our maturity in Christ. We do need it all; the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, so that we can better understand what He is all about, and are thus enlightened about the certainty and security of our heavenly destiny.
And my people, my people, that we may truly understand the richness, the ‘invaluableness’ of God’s salvation, and how important we are to Him. As well as understanding His awesome power and how it has changed us since we’ve become new creatures in Christ Jesus.
Yes my brethren all of that stuff we need to help us in living our daily lives, for without it we’d simply be lost and confused, even more than we are now. (smile)
Anyway, we’re going to end for today, because I need to go and get myself ready for church – the bells are pealing beautifully in my neighbourhood too – and there is also a lot for us to ponder in the Bit.
So until tomorrow, the Lord in favour, please, let’s all walk in step with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, securely dwelling under the wide wings of His everlasting LOVE, for that is indeed the wisdom of heaven!
Much LOVE!…walking daily with Christ…is the only true prescription for earthly living…
08 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a licence to sin, a penitent heart, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, Bathsheba, be not far from me, believers in Christ, burdens our hearts, celebrations, charles stanley, chasten me, confession, crying out for rest, displeasure, fellowship, forgiveness, forgives sin, forsake sin, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God's good graces, Holy God, I acknowledged my sin, I am bowed down, I made it through, I will confess my transgressions, in Jesus' name, iniquity, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, loving kindness, magnanimous, makes haste to help me, mine iniquity have I not hid, mourning, my wounds stink, negative consequences, O Lord of my salvation, obey God, our talk, our walk, penalties, play, psalm 38, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repentance, rest, Selah, sin, soul body and mind, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the devil's handiwork, the one and only true living God, the weekend, them's the breaks, thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, work, working enables us to play, your arrows pierce me deeply
Psalm 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Well Friends, I can just imagine how you all must be shouting it from the rooftops this morning eh: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God that the weekend is here at last! Wow! It certainly has been a tiring week! Thank God it’s Friday oui, and no more work for a couple days! The body certainly crying out for some rest!’
Ah mih people, I know that this first Friday of work in the new year has indeed been somewhat trying and tiring after all the season’s celebrations. But unfortunately, them’s the breaks. (smile) We can’t just play alone, sometime or other we need to work too.
And remember that it’s working which enables us to play. And I have to laugh how we crying out for rest, rather than the usual party scene. Hn, hn! Anyway, let’s all hang in there and chant our Friday Chant that will give us a better perspective on the weekend.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes friends, rest and worship are essential parts of our weekend, so that we can come back out strong on Monday and continue the cycle of building Christ’s LOVE Revolution. Remember that this is the year that the LOVE Revolution must sweep the world if we want to have any chance of turning things around.
It’s our job, as believers in Christ, to go out there and make believers of the unbelievers through both our talk and our walk. Nothing else is going to change them!
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.’
Ah mih people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! There’s no other supposed deity who forgives sin! Just the ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Yes my brethren, our God is indeed a truly magnanimous and forgiving Deity! But that doesn’t mean it gives us the right to keep on participating in sin, because on the other side of the coin, sin bears serious penalties from a holy God.
We saw yesterday, how God’s friend and man after His own heart, Bruh David paid an enormous price for his sin with Bathsheba, although he repented and was forgiven. But his sin had caused great occasion for God’s enemies to blaspheme His name, and that was definitely not acceptable.
So though we may sincerely repent and be forgiven, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be no negative consequences. So the best remedy is to sin as little as possible. (smile) Oh we all know that that is easier said than done, but we must always give it our best effort, with God’s help of course.
Now hear this gem on sin from Cousin Sol. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13)
Oh glory to God my people for His mercy and LOVING-kindness! But please note that Cousin Sol didn’t just say to confess our sins, but also to forsake them, stop committing them; especially the same ones over and over. That is also a necessary part of the whole scenario my brethren.
Remember, though confessions and repentance and forgiveness are ours, it doesn’t give us a licence to sin. But when we do sin, it is essential that we come to God in repentance and confession as soon as possible, because any sin that burdens our hearts, also keeps us out of God’s good graces, and we definitely don’t want to be excluded from that.
Now let’s look at some scripture on sin and its effects on the human body and psyche. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 38 – The prayer of a penitent heart.
‘O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me (pierce me deeply), and thy hand presseth me sore (down). There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest (health, peace) in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities have gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt (are foul and festering) because of my foolishness. I am troubled (bowed down) greatly; I go mourning all the day long.’ (Ps.38:1-6)
Yes friends, that’s how sin ought to make us feel, so that we can come running to God and sincerely declare: ‘For I am ready to halt (to fall), and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin…. Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.’ (Ps.38:17-18, 21-22)
Ah my fellow believers, sin is no joke, so please let’s not encourage it in our lives, because we’re liable to pay a hefty price of negative consequences if we do. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) so wisely declares: obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Now that is indeed the wisest way to live! Much LOVE!
…sin is the devil’s handiwork…and it can only be erased through…confession, repentance and God’s mercy…
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