18 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a successful Christian life, according to his divine power, according to his riches in glory, add to your faith virtue, agape, all these things shall be added unto you, barren, Bible, blind, bondage, brotherly kindness, brotherly LOVE, called us to glory and virtue, calmness that flows from God, christianity, Christians, cleansed from old sins, deepen my breath, divine power, eating from the devil's hand, endurance, enjoy being lazy, fall from salvation, forgotten, frustrations of the work week, give them their in due season food, given to us all things, given to us through knowing God, giving all diligence, God gives us everything to make our lives complete, God takes care of our physical needs, God-likeness, godliness, good advice, grace and peace be multiplied unto you, great and precious promises, grow in our spiritual walk, having escaped the corruption in the world through lust, holy spirit, increase my awareness of you, information, know you all the more, knowledge, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, living a godly life, living the godly life, look expectantly to you, LOVE, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, openest thine hand, opportunities, partakers of the divine nature, pateince, peace, perseverance, purged from old sins, quiet my soul, relationships, relax my muscles, right motives, salvation, satisfies the desire, satisfieth the desire of every living thing, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, self-control, shortsighted, sincerity, slow my thoughts, spiritual maturity, spiritual truth, temperance, tenderness, thank you for this tenderness, that pertain to life and godliness, the attributes of godliness, the knowledge of god, the Unsearchable greatness of God, to knowledge temperance, to virtue knowledge, troubled souls, truth, unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, useless, virtue, volitional love, what a wonderful God we serve, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present, your unceasing nearness
2 Peter 1:3a. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
And our lazy-day Saturday has opened damp and cloudy, the worst way to begin a day. (smile) For a change though, we have temps above freezing, causing the snow to melt and give off that damp, get into your bones kind of weather. The computer is even promising light rain and snow later. But if you don’t have to go out that won’t trouble you in the least, you can simply stay inside and enjoy being lazy. Oh what a wonderful feeling, after all the rushing around and numerous frustrations of the work week! (smile)
Now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth! As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And if the Lord saw the right motives in our hearts, then we’ll soon be experiencing that warm, glowing peace and calmness emanating from Him into our troubled souls, through His Holy Spirit that indwells us. Ah friends, what a wonderful God we serve! One who gives us everything to make our lives complete. We just need to work it out in our individual lives.
The apostle Peter puts it thus in his second epistle: ‘Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to (by) glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ (2 Pet. 1:2-4)
Now that’s indeed a mouthful, but what does it mean? These commentaries explain: ‘By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.’ And the second says: ‘This Scripture reveals that all we need for our life, God has already given us. We are prepared for anything. All the opportunities, information, relationships have already been given to us through knowing Him.’
And breaking it down even further: ‘He takes care of our physical needs. God promises to provide what we need (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:31-32). He created the universe and gives food to every living thing — including you and me. The same God who provides food for the animals will not allow us to go without (Psalm 145:15-16, Luke 12:24-26).’
Now that just shows what an excellent, LOVING and compassionate God we serve! He’s given us everything to live a godly life and has also promised to provide for all our physical needs, if we put Him first in our lives. Jesus said it loud and clear: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Meanwhile in his epistle to the Philippians, Bruh Paul also stated quite categorically: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
So it’s simple; if we faithfully obey God, then He will provide for our physical needs, though not necessarily our wants, which are oftentimes very different to our needs. As Bruh David writes in Psalm 145 – The Unsearchable Greatness of God. ‘The eyes of all wait upon thee (look expectantly to you); and thou givest them their meat (food) in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.’ (Ps. 145:15-16) And that’s the way it ought to be with an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God who LOVES all of His wonderful creations!
Then turning back to Peter, He continues by giving us some good advice on living the godly life. He says: ‘And beside this (but also for this very reason), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience (perseverance); and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (LOVE).’ (2 Pet. 1: 5-7)
Oh my people, that’s not an easy row to hoe, but hoe it we must if we are to attain spiritual growth and meet a level of maturity where we can handle the devil and all his evil doings with a confident nature. That’s the basic purpose for giving us all those things after we are born again and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We desperately need to grow in our overall faith, in particular areas like virtue or moral excellence, knowledge or spiritual truth, self-control, patience or endurance, godliness or God-likeness, brotherly kindness or brotherly LOVE, and agape or volitional LOVE, that’s doing it of our own accord.
And if we don’t try to grow in our spiritual walk, then the devil will still have us eating from his hand in dark bondage, for we can only withstand him with the powers of God that have been planted in us. So like with all seeds, we need to water and nurture those attributes so that godliness grows in us.
As Peter says: ‘For if these things be in you (are yours), and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off (is shortsighted), and hath forgotten that he was purged (cleansed) from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (stumble).’ (2 Pet. 1:8-10)
Yes friends, although we will not fall from salvation if we don’t do those things, we most certainly will not live a successful Christian life. And all I can do is plead with us to seriously ponder on all the good advice we’ve received this lazy-day Saturday, and then try to implement what we need into our lives. And the damp, cloudy weather provides a most excellent time to do so! (smile) Much LOVE!
… like children grow in to more knowledgeable adults…so must believers grow in spiritual maturity and godliness…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, a future and a hope, a great high priest, a proud heart, according to his riches in glory, acknowledge God's sovereignty, an aura of peace, an high look, as little faith as a mustard seed, ask in faith, ask of God, Bible, calamity, call upon me, chaos, Christ's birth, christianity, Christmas week, come boldly unto the throne of grace, comfort, deepen my breath, double minded, driven with the wind, extricated from, faith, find grace to help, gives to all men liberally, go and pray to me, God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, God will meet all your needs, God will work everything out for our own good, He gives liberally and without reproach, he that wavers, heightened sense of peace, hold fast our profession, holy spirit, humility, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I will hearken unto you, if any of you lack wisdom, in time of need, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, like a wave of the sea, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, man-made strife, mercy, natural disasters, New Year's celebrations, no respite, not doubting, nothing wavering, obtain mercy, on God's great earth, one of the most powerful forces, our godly responsibility, prayer, prayer can move mountains, praying for others, pride is an abomination to God, puts the icing on the cake, quiet my soul, relax, relax my muscles, salvation, sincere and heartfelt prayer, slow my thoughts, sympathize with our weaknesses, take a moment to remember, thank you for this tenderness, the amazing power of prayer, the joyful time, the plowing of the wicked is sin, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end, touched wit the feeling of our infirmities, truth, untenable situations, when ye search for me, wind down, wisdom, wishy-washy, with all your heart, without faith it is impossible to please God, without reproach, ye shall seek me and find me, you can't be contained, your love surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart.
So, at long last, through all the carryings ons of Christmas week, we’ve finally come to our lazy-day Saturday, where we can take a break, relax and catch our breath, wind down, until it’s time to wind back up for the New Year’s celebrations next week. Wow! What a crazy time the Christmas and New Year seasons are, with little or no respite from the joyful celebrations.
But please, let’s take a moment to remember that a great portion of our world is either surrounded by man-made strife and chaos, or they have recently been inflicted by natural disaster, so they are in no position to engage in the celebrations that we take for granted. It’s so sad, when so much of the earth’s population are not able to enjoy the joyful time that Christ’s birth brings.
And it’s unfortunate that most of us cannot do more than pray for them to be soon extricated from their untenable situations. But let’s not forget that prayer is one of the most powerful forces on God’s great earth, and therefore can move mountains if we truly believe, have even as little faith as a mustard seed. That means we cannot stop praying for those who are not as fortunate as us. It’s our godly responsibility.
Now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And friends, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly after saying that prayer, something like a veil… or aura of peace comes down and settles in my soul. Not that I didn’t have peace before, but now it’s somewhat heightened, and my soul and spirit seem much lighter than before. And if your prayer was sincere, then I know that you also feel that heightened sense of peace and comfort.
Why? Because that’s the amazing power of sincere and heartfelt prayer! It just speaks to the great communication we can have with our wonderful God Jehovah, if we are obedient to His will and regularly seek His face. What did He say to the people of Israel through the prophet Jeremiah, when they were in captivity in Babylon?
After promising to return them to Jerusalem seventy years later, Jeremiah announced: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13)
Oh my people, right there is one of the most provocative and thought provoking promises of the Bible! If we seek the Lord with all of our heart, we will certainly find Him! It could not be any simpler than that. So why are so many of us still wishy-washy, uncertain, vague, unsure in seeking God eh? That’s obviously not in our best interest, because God doesn’t like double- minded or doubtful people.
As James tells us in his epistle: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
Yes my brethren, when we become the sons and daughters of God, we ought not to have too many doubts about Him, or our circumstances, for He’s promised to meet all of our needs to according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) And also that He will work everything out for our good eventually. (Rom. 8:28) That means acknowledging and believing His faithfulness in His promises.
What does Hebrews tell us on the subject of faith? ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) There again we have the premise of diligently seeking God. And I believe Hebrews also puts the icing on the cake of doubt, wisdom, believe and faith with these marvellous words, regarding our great High Priest, Jesus.
‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16)
Oh my fellow saints, nothing can be better than that! We have an high priest, an advocate, one seeking our best interests before the throne of God, and the best part is that He understands and appreciates our weaknesses and frailties because He too was buffeted by sin while on earth, but He remained sinless. And there’s no one better to go to for help than one who’s already experienced your misfortune and thus can personally understand what you’re going through.
However, before we close, there’s one proviso to all of our conversation, that is, though we can go boldly or confidently to the throne of grace, we cannot go arrogantly or haughtily, for if there’s anything the Lord dislikes it’s pride. As Cousin Sol says so rightly in Proverbs, a proud look is an abomination to Him. (Prov. 6:16-17) And furthermore: ‘An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing (lamp) of the wicked, is sin.’ (Prov. 21:4)
So in all our doings with the Lord, we must ensure that our humility is in place, and we respect His sovereignty. Now that doesn’t mean we have to cower and be afraid. No, it just means that we must know our place. (smile) And we if we do, while seeking Him diligently and confidently, then our lives will be filled with the abundance that Christ died for us to have! Much LOVE!
…if you truly desire to have God in your life…then you need to…diligently search for Him…with all of your heart…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Oct 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a source of strength, a spiritual rebirth, according to his riches in glory, all things are become new, an intimate union between the believer and Christ, any man be in Christ, born again, created in Christ, discouragement, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fill me with your peace., glad to be alive, God's handiwork, good pleasure of His will, halfway home, hands on the plough, he is a new creation, help me to see myself as you do, human frailty, I am the vine ye are the branches, I live by faith in the Son of God, I long for est, In Touch Devotional, insecurity, Jesus Christ, LOVE, my God shall supply all your needs, not looking back, old things are passed away, our identity in Christ, question descions I've made, reconciled to himself by Jesus Christ, relieve me of self doubt, replay conversations in my head, salvation, teach me to be confident, thank God, the adoption od children, the breath of life, the life which I now live in the flesh, the longing to reach out and touch, the transformative power of faith, to a glorious future with Jesus, to acknowledge weaknesses without judgement, to do good works., to know who I am in you, true security, truth, we're nothing without Jesus, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing
Galatians 2:20b. …and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of (in) the Son of God, who LOVED me, and gave himself for me.
And it looks like another nice day in my neck of the woods. Possibly not as warm, but still beautiful for this time of year. So let’s say thanks, and enjoy it, for this might just be the last of its kind this year. (smile) Now, let’s delve into the prayer from the In Touch Devotional for October.
Please pray with me: ‘God, some days I feel unsure. I replay conversations in my head and question decisions I’ve made. I long for rest – for true security – and can’t find it. Help me to see myself as You do, to look in the mirror and see a precious creation made by a good Father. Teach me to be confident in my strengths and to acknowledge weaknesses without judgement. I pray for confidence, to know who I am in You. Relieve me of self-doubt, Lord, and fill me instead with Your Peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
And yuh know what friends, that prayer is very applicable to all of us at some time or other in our Christian walk, because we all face times of self-doubt, discouragement and insecurity, although deep down we know that we’re LOVED, protected and belong to a wonderful family, with a marvellous Father at its head. That’s just the human frailty in us. The uncontrollable longing to reach out and touch, touch something or someone more secure than ourselves. And we can only rebound from those insecurities by turning to God and His Word to remind us of all the good things we have though Jesus Christ.
And that’s the most important thing to realize; that we’re nothing without Jesus, and everything with Him. As He says so definitively in the gospel of John. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And the very basis of Christianity is found in our identity in Christ. Yes friends, this Christian life is all about who we are in Christ, for it’s only through Christ’s deeds and powers that we can become the children of God.
The scriptures tell us that when we receive Christ as Lord and Saviour, we become new people. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor. 5:17-18) That means we become new people, born again, undergoing a spiritual rebirth. And that it was God’s deepest desire to reconcile us back to Himself through Christ Jesus, which ought to give us the confidence of LOVE and security we need.
When we accept Christ, and become spiritually born again, we are also adopted into God’s family. As the Bible says: ‘Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children (as sons) by Jesus Christ himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.’ (Eph. 1:5) Yes, from beforehand the Lord hath appointed those who would believe in Christ to become His sons, and that not through any thing we have done, but purely through His goodness and grace.
And this commentary from the biblestudytools.com website gives an interesting insight into the whole matter. ‘The concept of being “in Christ” is a recurring theme, suggesting an intimate union between the believer and Jesus. This union is often portrayed as a source of strength, security, and purpose. Christians are called to find their identity in Christ, recognizing that their worth and significance come from their relationship with Him rather than worldly standards.
Ephesians 2:10 for example, states that believers are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This implies a divine purpose and a sense of belonging that shapes the Christian identity. Overall, the traditional Christian understanding of identity in Christ is rooted in the transformative power of faith, emphasizing a new and purposeful life found through a personal relationship with Jesus.’
Meanwhile Galatians reinforces that all we are is through Christ. ‘For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of (in) the Son of God, who LOVED me, and gave himself for me.’ (Gal. 2:19-20)
And the scholars offer this explanation on those verses. ‘To be crucified with Christ means the believer has been freed from the law (vs. 19), and from the ruling power of sin that was aroused by the law. Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me is interpreted, “And I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Since the believer has been freed from the law and sin, the old sinful life no longer asserts itself as formerly.
Instead, “Christ liveth in me;” that is, Jesus cultivates within the believer (Paul) His own desires, virtues, character, and power, thus morally transforming him and working through him in others. Paul lives his current life by the faith of (in) the Son of God , that is by depending on Him for strength and all necessities.’
Likewise my fellow believers, we ought to live our current lives though faith in Christ, and depend on Him for all that we need. As these two well-known scriptures remind us This first one from Bruh Paul. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Philp. 4:19) And this one from Jesus Himself. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) So, we need to realize that this Christian life is all about Jesus; nothing else! And we can get all we need from that miraculous relationship!
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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!’
But here’s another promise; if we endure to the end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, let’s plan to meet up at the very end and enjoy it together nuh! Much LOVE!
…the Christian life is all about Christ…and without Him…you cannot live it successfully…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, according to his riches in glory, as one whom his mother comforteth, backsliders, be able to comfort them which are in trouble, be known to his servants, Bible, blessed be God, boasting on your behalf, boldness of speech, but for a season, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, christianity, comforted us by the coming of Titus, comforteth us in our tribulation, crying out for your help, error of their ways, exceeding joyful, faith, filled with comfort, Friday 13th, Friday chant, god, God that comforteth, grace be to you, great is thy faithfulness, his compassions fail not, his indignation to his enemies, holy spirit, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I even I am he that comforteth you, in all our tribulation, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, LOVE, made you sorry with a letter, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, omnipotent help, our sinful world, peace from God our Father, picture of comfort, so will I comfort you, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the example we faithful believers set, the Father of all mercies, the God of All Comfort, the hand of the Lord, the Son of man, this is the day the Lord has made, those that are cast down, thou shouldst be afraid of a mortal man, truth, wake up and smell the coffee, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom
Isaiah 66:13a. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you:
And it’s finally Friday! Friday the 13th to boot! But that doesn’t matter in the least, for we children of Almighty God don’t believe in the old wives tales like not walking under a ladder on a Friday the 13th, or allowing a black cat to cross our paths! No we’re staunch believers in Christ Jesus who protects and guides us through His Word and His Holy Spirit. Thus we can say with all certainty and comfort: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is upon us at last!
Then we joyfully follow that up with: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) And a couple other acclamations won’t hurt either. (smile) Like: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Yes, that one strengthens us, but what about this other marvellous and reassuring acclamation about satisfying our needs. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Now that takes care of our strength and our needs, but then we have this awesome reassurance from Jeremiah in His Lamentations regarding mercy and compassion. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23)
Oh my people, what a great God we serve! But that’s not all the assurances we have, no way! Here’s the one I really want to bring home to us this beautiful, sunshiny morning of Friday the 13th of September 2024. Let’s read then these heartfelt and reassuring words on comfort from Bruh Paul in his second missive to the church at Corinth.
He declares: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:2-4)
Wow mih bredrin! How wonderful is that eh! The Lord comforts us in all our trials and tribulations so that we can comfort others who are also going through hardships. And that’s how the Lord ofttimes works through us: helping us with or through something, which then enables us to help others in the same boat. And here are a couple of scriptures from Isaiah that corroborate Bruh Paul’s statement, re the comfort of God.
Isaiah writes: ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die (mortal man), and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?’ (Is. 51:12-13)
Yes my fellow believers, our God is our eternal comfort, and we do Him and ourselves a great injustice by not appreciating and gladly accepting His amazing comfort. For hear the prophet Isaiah again, as he talks about rejoicing with Jerusalem. ‘As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you: and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb (grass): and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward (to) his servants, and his indignation toward (to) his enemies.’ (Is. 66:13-14)
Oh, what a beautiful picture of comfort that is my people! But here’s the other side of the coin, the practical side, as Bruh Paul believes in delivering. This from his second letter to the Corinthians. ‘Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you (boasting on your behalf): I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without (outside) were fightings, within were fears.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation (comfort) wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me (your zeal for me); so that I rejoiced the more. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent (regret it), though I did repent (regret it): for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season (a short while).’ (2 Cor. 7:4-8)
Yes friends, not only was Bruh Paul comforted by the coming of his protégé Titus, but also by the news that although he had written a rather severe letter to the Corinthians re their Christian shortcomings, they had eventually agreed to his charges an repented of their shortcomings. Such is the mysterious workings and comforting of our great God my brethren! Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant seeking comfort and help in these very needy times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And may we remember that like the Corinthians in Bruh Paul’s time, our current Christian behaviour is not up to scratch, and until we improve it, we will not see any divine aid! Much LOVE!
…one of God’s many attributes…is His ability to provide…lasting and sincere comfort…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: a lively hope, according to his riches in glory, after all these things do the Gentiles seek, all these things shall be added unto you, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, Bible, blessing and cursing, born again, choose life, christianity, do not worry, dwhat you shall drink, eternal life, eternal separation from Almighty God, faith, god, have life more abundantly, hurry, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, in god's eyes, it's foolish to reject christ, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, set before you life and death, share His love with my neighbours, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take no thought, take no thought for the morrow, the beloved of God, the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep, the gospel of christ, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the morrow shall take thought for itself, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar, trial and tribulation, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, what you shall eat, what you shall wear, wisdom, worry, your heavenly Father knows you need all these things
Deuteronomy 30:19. I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
So it’s Tuesday, a new day, one filled with lots of new mercies and compassions from our wonderful God, but possibly also much trial and tribulation. However, as Jesus so rightly advised in the Sermon on the Mount re the subject of worry: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (therefore do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil trouble thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34)
Yes friends, it doesn’t make sense worrying about tomorrow, for who knows what tomorrow may bring…some of us might not even be alive on the morrow…possibly given up the ghost because we were so worried about what could happen. (smile) The fact is that each new day brings a new batch of problems that gives us enough cause for concern, no need to add what might happen in the day(s) to come. And anyway, as Jesus says, if we keep God first place in our lives, then all our basic needs will be taken care of.
And Bruh Paul also reiterates that promise to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) And He will, if you truly believe! And if you want more assurance of God’s faithful promise, then listen to this marvellously reassuring statement from Bruh David in Psalm 23, the most well known and beloved psalm. He simply states with heartfelt certainty: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) Or in other words, if I make the Lord my shepherd, I will not lack anything I truly need.
And what greater promise can one desire than that eh? For the natural nature of a shepherd is to provide for all the wants and needs of his sheep. And Jesus made it absolutely clear of His role, when He made these declarations: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:7-11, 14)
Oh my people, what more can we ask of Jesus eh? Nothing really! He came seeking His lost sheep, died for them on the cross of Calvary, so that they could have a better and more abundant life, starting right down here on earth, then morphing into eternal life with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! That’s the greatest thing that’s ever been done for mankind! And all we have to do to get that gift of salvation and eternal life is believe on Jesus; that He is the Son of God, and He died to repay our sin debt in full.
What’s so hard to believe in that, especially for the rewards that are held in store for us? As Peter puts it: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-5)
How magnificent is that eh? Through Jesus’s resurrection from the dead, we have new hope, are born again, receive salvation because of our faith in Christ, and are assured of incorruptible and undefiled treasure awaiting us in heaven! Oh my people, what does Satan promise for doing his evil deeds and engaging in some lustful short-lived pleasures eh? Nothing but death and damnation, eternal separation from Almighty God, the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul! And I keep harping on the eternal separation from God, because it is indeed the worst thing that can ever happen to us!
And if you still don’t believe me, then listen to this story as told by Jesus, of the rich man and the beggar. While alive here on earth, the rich man enjoyed the pleasures of the world on his wealth, while the poor man, a beggar called Lazarus, sat at his gate and begged for scraps from his table, while the dogs came and licked his sores. However, when the beggar died, he was carried by angels into the bosom of Abraham, or heaven, to enjoy the messianic feast. But when the rich man died, he descended into hell, where the fires continuously burned hot and tortuous.
And in his torment, he looked up to heaven and saw the beggar ensconced in Abraham’s bosom and begged Abraham to send the beggar to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. But Abraham reminded him that in life he received the good things while Lazarus received evil stuff. Now things were turned around, and Lazarus was receiving the good things while he was being tormented in hell. And besides, there was a great gulf, chasm between heaven and hell which no one could cross over.
Then the hell bound soul pleaded with Abraham to send Lazarus to his family still alive on earth to warn them of the torment in hell. But Abraham replied that his family had the words of Moses and the prophets to listen to, and if that could not persuade them to live right, then neither could one who rose from the dead.’ (Luke 16:19-31)
Ah mih people, it can indeed be a rough life, but if we come to belief in Christ and hold on tightly to Him through all the tough times, we will eventually be well rewarded, not necessarily here on earth, but most certainly in heaven. So what’s it to be eh? A life of worry and illicit pleasures that ends in eternal separation, or one of righteous living that ends in eternal life? The answer rests in the heart of each individual, and no one can answer it but you.
But as Moses said to the Israelites: ‘I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. So let’s go home now declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all the world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, 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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…once you have heard the gospel of Christ…you would be foolish to reject it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Aug 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according to his riches in glory, all the tools, all these things shall be added unto you, became obedient unto death, Bible, chaos, children of God, christianity, climate change, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, even the death of the cross, faith, favour, good health, handle whatever comes against us, have good success, human reasoning, humbled himself, in the form of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, know who we are in Christ, let this mind be in you, LOVE, made himself of no reputation, made in the likeness of men, make thy way prosperous, meditate therein day and night, meditation on the word of God, my God shall supply all your needs, negative word, no need to boast, obeying God's word, observe to do all that's written therein, one truth fron the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man, Praise the Lord, refuse to go to God, satanic reasoning of men, seek ye first the kingdom of God, shall not depart out of thy mouth, spiritual things are wiser than carnal ones, tempestuous world, the essence to success, the form of a servant, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the spiritual reasoning of God, this book of the law, true believers in Christ, truth, where the true answer lies, wisdom
Joshua 1:8a. This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
Where has all the hot weather gone, in this August month eh? You’d think it was September! Yes friends, this past week has been sunny but rather chilly in my neck of the woods, no use whatsoever for the A/C. It’s tough to even get the daytime temperature in to the early twenties, much less the thirty we expect in mid August. The windows are also closed at night, for fear of freezing. (smile) The scenario is not helped either by the ever constant, vibrant, cool wind that accompanies it. I guess this is one of the effects of climate change. Let’s hope then that in September and October, we’ll have the hot weather that we’re missing right now. (smile)
But thankfully, as true believers in Christ Jesus, we have all the tools to handle whatever comes against us. And all God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord!’ And yes, He does deserve much thanks and praise for all that He’s done, is doing and has promised to do on our behalf! He’s provided us with EVERYTHING we need to make a good go of it in this crazy and tempestuous world.
And the first and most important thing, is as the Lord told Joshua in no uncertain terms when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Oh my people, right there is the very essence to success! Meditation on the word of God, then putting what it says into practice! Not all the nonsense that the world writes about success. None of those books on so-called success and prosperity can even come close to what one can gain by reading, studying, and putting the Lord’s word into practice!
But we blatantly refuse to accept what the Creator of the world and the One who allows us to get wealth says, in foolish favour of what sinful and ignorant man writes! Please remember that ONE truth from God’s word is worth more than ALL the wisdom of man. As Bruh Paul puts it to the church at Corinth: ‘Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor, 1:25)
And what does that mean? Listen to this commentary. ‘When Paul speaks of the “foolishness of God,” he is not implying that God is foolish. Rather he is saying that since God’s way of reasoning is in accord with things of the spirit, it confounds the reasoning of this world. It is wiser than human reasoning, because spiritual things are wiser than carnal ones.’ And that’s exactly why our world is in such a disastrous and chaotic state! We have not been listening to the spiritual reasoning of God, but to the carnal, Satanic reasoning of men! And what else can you expect from a satanic soul eh, but total chaos and strife, because that’s the very nature of Satan!
Remember too that Jesus backed up that scripture in Joshua, when he told His listeners: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That’s God’s indisputable and faithful promise! If you seek the things of His kingdom, then all that you need will be given to you. And God has no need to lie, because with His omnipotence, He can do exactly what He says! And Bruh Paul also promised in his epistle to the Philippians, that our needs will be met when we sincerely seek the Lord and serve Him. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
What more do we want or expect eh my brethren? And it’s not like there aren’t oodles of believers who are living comfortably while obeying God’s word, but most of them don’t have to bray or boast about their possessions, because that’s not the attitude of true believers. We ought to go about our business without too much fuss, working for the Lord, being the salt of the earth and light of the world, enjoying whatever He blesses us with, and sharing it with others who are less blessed.
Jesus was the Son of God, could do miracles and anything else He so desired, but He didn’t go around boasting about it. In fact He took the opposite attitude, that of a servant, gave up all his privileges. As Bruh Paul writes to the Philippians. ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2:5-8)
Yes my fellow believers, Jesus was the greatest, but He never boasted about it, because He was sure of Himself. He knew who He was, and let it show in His works, rather than in His boasts. It ought to be the same way with us: when we know who we are in Christ, are sure that we’re the children of God, then we don’t need to boast about it, but just show it in how we live our daily lives. And we can never be sure that we’re children of God until and unless we read, meditate and put God’s Word into practice in our daily lives. It’s as simple as that my people!
And what amazes me about mankind in these turbulent times, is that we’re trying everything we know in man’s lexicon to make things better without any success, but for whatever reason, we simply refuse to go to God, where the answer truly lies. Sadly, such is the hold that Satan has on us. But for those of us who are trying to live right, lets’ go home declaring (chuh!!!) and thus activating our Thursday Blessings, generously bestowed by the Lord to do His earthly work.
As one strong voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration (steups!!!) it now behooves us to go out and share the benefits of those blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…Success 101…read, meditate and put into practice…God’s Word…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
30 May 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundance, according to his riches in glory, all things work together for good, an house of defence, be about the Lord's business, be careful for nothing, be of good cheer, be thou my strong rock, Bible, bow down thine ear to me, commit our spirits into the Lord's hand, courage, curse, deliver me in thy righteousness, deliver me speedily, faith, god, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I commit my spirit, i have overcome the world, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in me ye might have peace, In thee O Lord do I put my trust, into thine hand, Jesus, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, let me never be ashamed, LOVE, my God shall supply all your needs, MY rock and My fortress, negative word, O Lord God of truth, one foot in both worlds, psalms, sacrifices, self-control, sit on the fence, take up your cross daily, talent, the peace of God which passeth all understading, thou hast redeemed me, Thursday Blessings, to them who love God, total trust in the Lord, tribulation, truth, who are called according to His purpose
Psalm 31:1. ‘In thee, O Lord do put my trust (take refuge); let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
And then it was Thursday…And yes, the ole fella is up somewhat early to be about the Lord’s business, that’s because I have a couple of medical appointments this afternoon and did not want to be rushing around later to accomplish my tasks. So strange things do happen in this world, today, instead of being late…we’re being early! (smile) Now what are we going to talk about this morning eh, this sunny but somewhat chilly penultimate day in May? Well the Good Library opened just now in the Book of Psalms, and my eyes alighted first on Psalm 31 – Bruh David talking about ‘My Rock and My Fortress.’ One of his many psalms of both lament and praise.
So please read with me: ‘In thee, O Lord do put my trust (take refuge); let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock (rock of refuge) for an house of defence (fortress) to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily (secretly) for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.’ (Ps. 31:1-5)
Oh friends, those are powerful words of commitment and trust! Bruh David was serious about them, and as we read them, the question arises, are we also serious in our commitment to Almighty God? Do we consider Him our strong rock and fortress of refuge, our strength and deliverer in these turbulent and topsy turvy times? Let’s hope so, for we surely do need someone bigger and stronger than us to help us get through the craziness that’s overtaken our world. And who better than the Lord God Almighty, the Creator, and Controller of the universe, the most powerful being in existence. If He cannot take care of us, then no one can.
But as Bruh David says, we have to commit our spirits into His hand if we want His protection. And that’s totally, not partially, as we like to do in most godly things. For some reason we don’t seem to trust the Lord completely, or we just want to always have some sort of control over our goings and comings. However friends, with the Lord it’s ALL or NOTHING at ALL! He doesn’t do partway stuff, so for those of us who like to sit on the fence and try to have a foot in both worlds, He will not pay any attention to your cries for help.
And we all know that, but yet we still always try to withhold something, not give all of ourselves, possibly because we don’t truly trust the Lord to take care of all of our needs as Bruh Paul assured the Philippians. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) Yes friends, we mouth it, but don’t sincerely believe it…well not all the way. But our God needs our sincere trust and surrender if He is to do much good for us. You’ll notice in Bruh David’s own life, although he was hounded by enemies on all sides, he gave his total trust to God, and the Father, in His time and way resolved them for him.
Note, his problems did not go away overnight, or that he never had any further problems, but he stood his ground with God throughout all his trials and that’s the way we need to be. Regardless of our circumstances, how threatening or fearful they might be, we need to stand strong in the Lord and His might and believe as the word says: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) The problem is that we expect God to fix all of our problems right away and allow us to live a life of wine, women and song, without any further encumbrances.
But that will never happen, for in this sinful and ungodly world, we will have troubles and problems until the day we die, because that’s just the kind of world we live in. As Jesus rightly said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, it’s not easy to have good cheer when your whole world seems to be crumbling down around you, but if you have put your sincere trust in Jesus, then you will indeed have a modicum of peace during your trials.
Your circumstances will not drive you crazy, or to drink and drugs, but you’ll fall on your knees and ask the Lord for help, while giving Him thanks and praise. As Bruh Paul wisely advises us: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) Now again, that isn’t always easy to do, but if we have sincerely trusted Jesus, and believe that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us, (Phil. 4:13) then we will be able to handle whatever comes against us.
Many of us erroneously believe that coming to Christ means a life of ease and comfort, but oftentimes it’s not. It might even mean more problems, tests and sacrifices, because living for Jesus desires us to take up our crosses daily and walk with him, forgetting ourselves, so we can do His work. The good news though friends is that living for Christ is all worth it, for in the long run the rewards greatly eclipse the sacrifices. But it takes strong and sincere faith and belief and a willingness to give up all for Christ.
And on the good side of things, we have a whole lot of undeserved blessings, that the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, but they have to be declared to be activated. So let’s do that right now nuh. As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having declared those blessings, we’re now duty bound to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us! Much LOVE!
…to receive all of God’s favour…we must trust Him…ALL THE WAY…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 May 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a future and a hope, a great family, a positive outlook on life, according to his riches in glory, Bible, but of power love and a sound mind, called according to His purpose, christianity, curse, divine protection, encouraging scriptures, even unto the end of the world, faith, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, fulfillment, god, God-given plans, good friends, good health, holy spirit, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I will hearken unto you, Jesus, Jesus Christ, laziness, lo I am with you always, LOVE, my God will supply all your needs, negative word, prayer, procrastination, read and study the Word, search for me with all your heart, set your heart and soul to seek the Lord, supplication, thanksgiving, thoughts of peace and not of evil, Thursday Blessings, to give you and expected end, to them that love God, we know that all things work together for good, wisdom, ye shall seek me and find me
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Well, it’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and tomorrow we get to celebrate the big day of Friday! I must say that this week has gone by awfully fast… and I’m yet to do any of the things I planned to do. Ah Lord eh! Between the devil and my own laziness and procrastination we’ve had a lazy and unfulfilling time. (smile) But dem’s the breaks! And I have no one else to blame but myself.
Now, it’s not that I haven’t done anything at all, but not the supposed important things I wanted to do. And that’s just how life and the enemy work together in concert to delay or trip up our best laid plans. That means we have to be strong and steadfast in the Lord and, if necessary, bully our way through the enemy’s lines and get our God-given plans fulfilled. And it’s not like we don’t have the wherewithal to do it. No! We most definitely do!
Starting with the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, plus all the wonderful and encouraging scriptures found in the God’s Word. Scriptures like: ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That’s Jesus’ faithful promise. Then Bruh Paul tells us, ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Then he says; ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
And what about this wonderful promise that Bruh Paul offers in his letter to the Philippians? ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) Then you have this awesome scripture of godly strength: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil 4:13) And what about this marvellous promise of God’s provision? ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Yes friends, that’s wonderful news! God will not stop working in us until Jesus returns. That means we don’t have to fear anything, but we do need to keep up our personal intimacy with Him, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, while fellowshipping with other believers, to encourage and build up each other so that we can do the good works that God desires of us. That’s why Jesus told the parable to the end that men ought always to pray and faint (lose heart). (Luke 18:1)
For prayer is the immediate method of communication between God and man, the method devised by the heavenly Father for us to share our thoughts and desires with Him. Therefore, when we are tempted to lose faith and give up, that’s the very time we have to be strong and steadfast in prayer! No wonder the Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (listen to you) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13)
Ah mih people, if there’s one thing Christians ought not to be lacking in is encouragement, for the Lord’s Word, the Bible, is filled with so many encouraging scriptures to keep us alive and kicking in Christ’s employ. The problem though is that we don’t read and study the scriptures enough, consequently we don’t have those warm and faithful words of encouragement stored in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. Remember, we cannot be encouraged unless encouragement and reassurance lies within us. And the only way to get it there is by putting it there through reading, studying and memorizing the useful scriptures, so when the time comes, they are right at hand to put them into action.
Now, if we do as we ought, then we don’t have to fear laziness and procrastination, for as the scriptures expound: ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you: that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:8) There you go my fellow saints, if we stand strong and steadfast to do the Lord’s will, we will never want for anything. His bountiful grace will supply all we need. And that’s why Bruh David could make this amazing but oh so true statement: ‘The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) That says it all friends. Now we only have to believe it and put it into action. (smile)
So, let’s get to declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which have been so generously bestowed on us, by the Father, to do His earthly work. And to activate them let’s declare them loud and strong. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having said that, we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings in the support of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!
…now set your heart and soul to seek the Lord… (1 Chr. 22:19a)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
04 May 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according to his riches in glory, after all these things do the Gentiles seek, all these things shall be added, Bible, birds neither sow nor reap, can add one cubit unto his stature, cast into the oven, do not worry, even Solomon in all his glory, faith, god, God so clothes the grass of the field, hit the nail on the head, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, increase my awareness of you today, is not life more that meat, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let my muscles relax, LOVE, my breath deepen, my God shall supply all your needs, neither toil nor spin, O ye of little faith, quiet my soul, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Sermon on the Mount, slow my thoughts, springtime, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take no thought, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, the body more than raiment, the lilies of the field, this is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, what shall we drink, what shall we eat, what shall we wear, where God guides He provides, wisdom, worry, worry is fear invoked by the devil, your peace and love are present
Matthew 6:31. Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
And what a beautiful springtime, lazy-day Saturday it is in my neighbourhood! The sun’s shining brightly, not a dark cloud in the sky, with temps in the high teens, with the birds singing their morning praise to their heavenly Father who looks after them with such tender, LOVING care that they want for nothing! Oh how I wish that we could be as grateful and give the plentiful amount of thanks that they give to the same heavenly Father who also takes of our every need! For He’s a Creator who LOVES, understands and looks after His creations.
How did Jesus put it in His Sermon on the Mount, in his teaching on worry? ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body more than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for (worry about? raiment (clothes)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?’ (Matt. 6:25-30)
Ah friends, in His usual forthright manner, Christ hit the proverbial nail right on the head! Our great God is not a wishy-washy, fly-by-night operator. No! He is a serious and concerned Creator, who looks after His creations like the wonderful Father He is. And if you dissect Jesus’ words, you’ll find that they are indeed the gospel truth. The birds neither sow nor reap, but they don’t ever go hungry, and they always seem to be happy, singing and dancing. Likewise the flora of the field all look beautiful in their time, more beautiful than Cousin Sol in all his finery, without either sowing or reaping.
And the lilies do look loverly, as I can attest to because a few have grown up in the duchess’ front garden without help from her or anyone else…and they are indeed loverly shades of red and yellow. So, if the lower rungs of creation can find food, raiment and satisfaction from God, why can’t we eh, His most important creation? Because as Jesus said, our faith is small.
Then I like how He puts the finishing touches to His argument. ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33)
Yes mih bredrin, Jesus tells it like it is! If you claim to believe in God, then your priority must be seeking Him and His will above all else in this world. It’s as simple as that. It’s just like being a member of any earthly organization: you can’t claim to be a true member unless you follow the rules, go to the meetings and do what the organization is set up to do. Likewise you can’t be a true member of Christ’s church and not follow it’s rules and regulations and do the work it was set up to do.
And if you so do, then your needs will be met by the heavenly Father. It’s a promise made by Christ and fleshed out by Bruh Paul, when he writes to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) And if we stand on that promise, then we can take Jesus’ next words with full belief. ‘Take therefore no thought for (do not worry about) the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the (trouble) evil thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34)
Yes friends all of what we’ve read simply means that the first thing we need to do is to seek the righteousness of God’s kingdom, and then continue seeking it. We can’t ever stop. And if we seek the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom, then He will provide the material aspects we need. As the scholars tell us: ‘When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides. We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’
Unfortunately though, especially in these uncertain and troubled times, too many of us still worry about what could happen tomorrow. And yes, we must make some provision and take some thought for the morrow, but not to the extent that so many of us do. And if you’ll think back through the years, I’m sure you’ll realize that many of the hypothetical problems that we’ve outlined for the morrow, either never happened, or not to the extent or degree that we supposed. And worst of all, when we worry about the past or the future, we end up not enjoying the present as we should.
Remember today only lasts for today! And it’s a gift that we ought to enjoy to the fullest. That’s why the psalmist wrote these most meaningful words: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And you cannot do that if you’re worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. So let’s wake up and smell the roses and do as Jesus says nuh; stop worrying, for worrying improves nothing. And no, I have not forgotten our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, it just seemed more appropriate for the end today. (smile)
So let’s offer it up in all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And if your words were heartfelt, then I know that you will enjoy a peaceful and relaxing lazy-day Saturday, for the Lord always answers prayers that seek Him and His righteousness! Much LOVE!
…God doesn’t cause worry…worry is fear invoked by the devil…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
18 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a grateful heart, A Prayer of thanks, according to his riches in glory, all my love and adoration, be gracious unto thee, being my guide, being my sustainer in life, Between Freinds newsletter, cast thy burden upon the Lord, christianity, curse, disobedience, divine protection, express my gratitude to you Lord, faith, forgiving my sins, give you his peace, god, God commendeth his own love toward us, God so loved the world, great is thy faithfulness, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he shall sustain thee, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, I bless your holy name, I give you glory, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lift up his countenance on you, LOVE, make his face shine upon thee, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, negative word, prayer, rebellion, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, self-control, thank you for being my provider, thank you for Loving me, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower, The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Spirit of truth, therefore I have hope, this I recall to mind, thou has lacked nothing, Thursday Blessings, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, wisdom, your kindness and grace
Philippians 4:19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Now there’s no rain on this Thursday morning, but the clouds are battling with the sun to see who will win the day. Let’s hope the latter will be triumphant as the Son was against the dark and evil Satan. And there’s no better way to begin today than with a prayer for all that our wonderful God has done for us. It comes from the Between Friends Newsletter published by the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower, and it’s simply entitled ‘A Prayer of Thanks.’ So please pray with me:
‘Gracious Lord, Thank You for this LOVELY day. I come before You with a grateful heart. Thank You for all of your blessings and goodness in my life. It is only because of your kindness and grace that I am able to get through each day. I give You glory. I give You all my LOVE and adoration. Thank You for LOVING me and forgiving my sins. I want to express my gratitude to You, Lord, for everything You have done in my life. Thank You for being my Provider, I appreciate your works in my life. Thank You for being my Guide and helping me make good decisions. Thank You for being my Sustainer in life. Even when things are difficult, I trust that You are working and that You will always see me through. Thank You, Lord, for all that You do in my life. I bless your holy name. Amen.’
Ah friends, like a good cup of tea hits the spot in our stomachs, so that prayer hits the prayer spot in our souls! It seems to cover all of the major elements of our God’s grace and mercy towards us. So, let’s see what scriptures we can find that exemplify some of the things that our God is to us. And I guess the first scripture we should state is the first blessing that the Lord instituted among the Israelites, where He said unto Moses.
‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put (invoke) my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.’ (Num. 6:22-27) And yuh know what friends, many thousands of years later we are still invoking the Lord’s name over us and receiving His blessings! Give him much thanks and praise!
And per God’s kindness and grace, I just adore this scripture from Jeremiah’s Lamentations. ‘Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:19-23) Oh my fellow believers, truer words were never spoken! It’s only because of God’s grace and LOVING-kindness that we haven’t been totally destroyed, for that’s what we deserve for our rebellion and disobedience.
But our God LOVED us so much that He broke His own heart and sent His one Son, Jesus Christ, a sinless lamb to die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven. As Bruh Paul writes to the Romans, one of my favourite scriptures: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now if that isn’t a true showing, or rather the greatest example of LOVE, then I don’t know what is. And Jesus Himself said it so well: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
And as for being our Provider, there are so many scriptures on the subject that we can only quote a few, like this one that Moses pointed out to the Israelites: ‘these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou has lacked nothing.’ (Deut. 2:7b) And that was the indisputable truth! They had food, clothing, health and every thing they needed. That’s why Bruh Paul could later on make this astounding but real proclamation: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19).
And Jesus could confidently announce: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) And you will discover that it’s the gospel truth, if you seek and keep God first place in your life.
There are also numerous scriptures about God being our guide. Let’s highlight a couple. This one from Isaiah is a popular one: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) And that voice we hear guiding us is the voice of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said: ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what’s mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you’ (John 16:13-14)) So both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our guides in these troubled times, therefore if we need wise guidance, then we must meditate on the Word and listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.
And as God being our Sustainer, we only have room for a few of the many scriptures that exist. Listen to Bruh David as he says in Psalm 55 – The Plea of the Fearful. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:22) That’s the indisputable truth my people! And Isaiah said it thus: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.’ (Is. 26:3) And Jesus wraps it all up when He solemnly declares: (yesss!!!) ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
That says it all my brethren! Now let’s turn to those underserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has given us to do His earthly work. Let’s declare them so that they can be activated. As one voice! ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having accepted those blessings, we must now go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…like the great planner He is…the Lord has made preparation for ALL of our needs…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries
SCRIP-BITS 