The Great Necessity and Urgency for Christians to Truly Behave Like Christians and Light Up the Darkness of this Evil world!

28 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 8:12.        I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Sunday’s here again friends, the Lord’s Day, and those church bells are ringing, calling us to worship in His sanctuary with those of the same faith. Giving thanks with hymns and psalms and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts to the Lord. (Eph. 5:19) And when we do that, the Lord in turn revives and renews us so that next week we can go out into the world and walk worthy of Him, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col. 1:10) 

Yes friends, that’s how it works. So, let’s get to singing a spiritual song, this one aptly titled, ‘Go Light Your World.’ It’s a song written by one Christopher Rice, around 2004, which basically reflects the theme of Christians being light in the darkness of this evil world. And today we’ll offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, truly heartfelt version of the song, a la Kathy Troccoli. 

Singing: ‘There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle and makes His home. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world.) Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame 

(Chorus:…Carry your candle…) ‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world… Repeat… Take your candle, and go light your world…Take your candle, and go light your world.’ 

Oh my people, that is exactly what so many of us supposed believers ought to be doing in these dark and evil times where Satan is effectively ruling the roost! And the song tells the truth; there is a candle in every soul, in every believer, and when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us, He is supposed to light that candle, so we can go out and shine it in joy and thanksgiving to the rest of the world, ‘the helpless, confused and torn,’ and bring them to the knowledge of Christ. 

And are there ever many frustrated brothers out there who have tried to light their candle some other way besides Jesus and obviously were very disappointed. Likewise, many sisters who’ve been abused and lied to and who still hold an unlit candle. That’s not right! And it’s our job to run to these helpless and unfortunate people, holding up our candles high so that they can shine in the darkness of their lives. Oh friends, it’s ever so necessary for us to get up right now and shine, just shine in the tremendous darkness of our ungodly world. 

And there are numerous scriptures to confirm what we’ve said, beginning with this one from Jesus Himself, when He curtly informed the Pharisees: ‘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) And that seals the deal right there my brethren! For Jesus is indeed the light and life of the world. 

Listen to John in the opening verses of his gospel. ‘All things were made by him (Jesus); and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (understood) it not.’ (John 1:3-5) And that’s the gospel truth, for when light suddenly shines in darkness it blinds the eyes until one gets accustomed to it. Unfortunately though, many people prefer to stay in the darkness rather than come into the light. 

And John says it quite plainly. ‘And this is the condemnation, that (the) light has come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:19-21) And we all know that, for when we’ve down wrong, we try to hide it in the dark, but when we’ve done right, we’re proud to expose it to the light. 

Now some of us ask, how is Jesus the light of our life? This commentary explains: “Jesus is the light of life and the life of light. He embodies all that we know spiritual light is and does.” As we’ve seen from the above scriptures, Jesus is the light of life (John 8:12) and the life of light (John 1:4). And to put it in its most basic context, according to this commentary, Jesus is called the light of the world ‘because He is the source of the light that quickens our understanding, because His teachings and His example illuminate our path, and because His power persuades us to do good.’ 

And that’s an indisputable fact! When we have Jesus in our lives, and truly desire to live for Him, all we ever want to do is good! But there’s one more important matter we must note. While Jesus was here on earth, He was the light of the world, but once He went back to heaven, we became that light, as He says in the Sermon on the Mount. 

‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14-16) 

And that’s what we’re called to do as true believers in Jesus, but what we’re not doing to the best of our ability. The church is woefully divided, and individual believers either like the comfortable life or are afraid to stand up for Jesus, so how can we ever shine the way we’re supposed to eh? Oh my fellow believers in Christ, don’t you think it’s high time we stepped up to the plate and do what’s required of us, if not, then stop calling ourselves Christians! Then the unbelievers will also stop calling us hypocrites! Much LOVE!

…Christians are supposed to be reflections of Christ…therefore they ought to be shining like beacons in the night…lighting up the darkness of this world…not hiding in its darkness… 

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Importance of Believers understanding and appreciating God’s Breath of Life, and the Power of the Holy Spirit

06 Jul 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Job 33:4.       The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Now, after a scorching Saturday, with a big shower of rain in the evening that cooled the place down some, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, has opened bright and sunshiny with another scorcher in the offing. And if it’s the Lord’s Day, then we should be saying like Bruh David says in the opening verse of Psalm 122: ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ (Ps. 122:1)

And I like how this commentary explains the verse. It says: ‘It was not a burden, not a duty, alone to worship the Lord. It was a joy because that’s where God was in His mercy and His grace to His people.’ Now that’s how we also ought to feel when we go to church, or wherever two or three of us are gathered in Christ’s name. It’s not a duty or a burden to gather to worship Christ. No, sir! It ought to be a joy and a pleasure because we know we’re going where God’s LOVE, mercy and grace are found!

And as we gather today, I want us to sing this marvellous Christian hymn, ‘Breathe on Me , Breath of God,’ authored by Edwin Hatch in 1878. Hatch was a Church of England vicar and the Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. It’s a short and simple but oh so powerful hymn.

One commentary describes it thus: “The simplicity of this profound hymn belies the education and knowledge of its author.” But isn’t that the way it often is, although we have a great education, we can write very simple but powerful stuff. So enough talk. Let’s get to offering up our sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful, scintillating and heartfelt version.

Singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh breathe on me!’

And isn’t it wonderful when we feel the Lord’s presence upon us, like He’s breathing on us? It certainly is! And when we sing ‘Breathe on me,’ this commentary tells us we’re relating ‘directly to the biblical imagery of God breathing life into Adam in Genesis 2:7 and Jesus breathing on the apostles in John 20:22. Both passages emphasize God’s active role in imparting life and the Holy Spirit.’

So, here are those two passages. ‘The first says: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Yes friends, man only came to life when God breathed His breath of life into Him. And the next passage deals with when Jesus first appears to the disciples, after His resurrection. Jesus greets them thus: ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.’ (John 20:22)

That describes Jesus breathing on the apostles, anointing them with a temporary dose of the Holy Spirit, working on the outside, like it was given in the Old Testament for special ministries or tasks. But we see the marvellous moving of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, when it finally came to dwell on the inside of Believers on that fateful Pentecost Day.

The Bible recounts that the early believers were  all in one place, when ‘suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire , and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance (enabled them).’ (Acts 2:2-4)

And that’s a very special moment in the church’s life, for it highlights the gift of God’s Spirit, His Breath of Life or ‘Ruach’ the Hebrew name for the Holy Spirit, to empower believers. Now, I guess these words of the hymn, ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine.,’ refers to the miraculous fire of cloven tongues that fell on the believers on that Pentecost Day.

Meanwhile, this commentary tells us that the words ‘Breathe on Me, breath of God, expresses the hymn’s desire for the Holy Spirit to fill and transform the individual, bringing new life, purity, and a deeper relationship with God.’ And friends, do we all ever need that new life, purity and deeper relationship with Almighty God in these disastrous and ungodly times. We need the Holy Spirit to breathe on us, to set us free from all the sin and ungodliness that’s currently wreaking havoc in our world.

We need that Ruach, that Breath of God, so that we can be transformed, with obedience and surrender, and never die, but live with him eternally. It’s like Job’s friend Elihu says; ‘The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.’ (Job 33:4)

Oh my people, no matter how godly and religious we might feel, or be, let’s not fool ourselves, we all need to pray for the renewal and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. So let’s seriously contemplate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives  today, and then make the necessary changes so that our lives can be uplifted in Jesus’ name, and we can make a real difference here on earth. That’s my prayer for us this Sunday morning! Much LOVE!

…mankind cannot survive…without the infusion of God’s Breath of Life…so why are we so disobedient and ungodly…taking advantage of His LOVE…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Counting Their Blessings and not Their Troubles!

25 May 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 Thessalonians 5:18.       In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

And another of God’s Day, the Sabbath, has rolled around, with fellowship, praise and thanksgiving the order of the day as God long ago ordained it in the Ten Commandments. ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh is the sabbath of the Lord thy God.: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, not thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.’ (Ex. 20:8-11) 

So you see that the Sabbath Day is important to God, and should also be important to us. But what exactly is the Sabbath Day? This commentary explains it thus: ‘The Sabbath is a weekly day of rest, observed by many religious groups, including Judaism and certain Christian denominations. It is traditionally observed on the seventh day of the week, from sundown Friday to nightfall Saturday in the Jewish calendar. For many Christians, Sunday is the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. The Sabbath is a time to cease work, reflect, and engage in religious practices.’  

And that’s exactly why we’re gathering in God’s sanctuary this Sunday morning; to reflect and engage in religious practices like prayer and worship. So let’s begin our worship with this wonderful and oh so appropriate song, especially for these trying and troubled times, we’re now experiencing. It’s simply titled, ‘Count Your Blessings!’ It was written by American born Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856-1922), a businessman as well as an ordained local preacher. He’s reputedly written over three thousand hymns, and no gospel song book is considered as being complete unless it contains some of his hymns. That ought to be true if he’s written so many. 

But before we get to singing the song, let’s take a moment to explain what’s meant by counting our blessings. It’s basically being grateful, being thankful for the good things in our lives, and when we do that, it often stops us from becoming too unhappy about the bad things. Now let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise to Almighty God in an up-tempo, scintillating, truly heartfelt version of the song, leaving no doubt that we’re indeed most thankful for our many blessings, so many of them undeserved. 

Singing: When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. (Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.) Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain] 

When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain] So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. [Refrain] 2.’ 

And that was an awesome rendition of the song encompassing ever so true sentiments and words my people! There could be no doubt whatsoever about out thankfulness for the many blessings our wonderful God has bestowed on us down through the years, and will continue doing, if we stay faithful and true to Him. And we cannot find a better verse in the Bible that describes this song than these words of Bruh David from Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance. He writes: ‘Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up (recounted) in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.’ (Ps. 40:5) 

Now that’s the gospel truth my brethren! We can never count the numerous blessings that our generous God has bestowed on us. But we do need to keep as many of them as possible in mind so that we can remember His faithfulness, especially in hard times. And I like what this commentary from the Godtube website says on the subject. ‘God truly gives us so many blessings each and every single day. Some may even be so small that we might overlook them. The classic hymn ‘Count Your Blessings’ truly reminds us to stop and give thanks for all God has done in our lives. This is definitely a pause we all need to take. Amen.’ 

And that we surely need to do every so often friends! For it’s in keeping with Bruh Paul’s wise advice to the Thessalonians: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-18) And there can be no better advice than that, because Christians ought to be the most joyful people on the planet, seeing that we have Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, the giver of salvation and eternal life, the most important things in the universe! 

However, too many of us supposed believers go around like we’re constantly sucking a sour lemon, like if we have all the troubles of the world on our shoulders, but Jesus has already taken care of that. He bore ALL of our sins on the cross of Calvary, so there’s nothing left for us to worry about, but to live in joy and peace for and with Him. And as this commentary so wisely advises us: ‘If you always find yourself numbering your troubles, you will never find time for counting your blessings. There is no use becoming frustrated in your difficulties while you have all opportunities hiding in them for a turnover.’ 

And yuh know the sad part that situation my people, is if we truly sit down and count our blessings, we’ll find that they outweigh our troubles…and by plenty too. So let’s stop being grumpy and miserable when troubles come against us nuh. The Lord’s promised to eventually work everything out for our good. (Rom. 8:28) And if truly believe that, then we can sincerely live like Bruh Paul says to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) 

And that’s a marvellous scripture to go home to today, my fellow believers! Much LOVE!

…our world is overflowing with disaster…but in Jesus…believers have the wherewithal to handle it…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien