20 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: actions, admonishing, alive and kicking, anger, as God, be thankful, be ye kind to one another, believe that ye receive them, bitterness, brothers and sisters in christ, caring, charity, Christ's birth, christianity, Christians, Christmas, clamour, compassion, desire, early mornings, evil speaking, faith, flexible, for Christ's sake, forbearing, forgive, forgiveness, forgiving one another, foundational truths, giving thanks to god, grace, hath forgiven you, hymns, impatience, in honour of christ's birth, in the name of the Lord Jesus, intolerant attitude, judging others, late nights, learn from past mistakes, LOVE, loving, loving kindness, malice, need to grow, negative attitudes, oil, One Body, One Year Book of Bible promises, our shortcomings, patience, pleasure, power, pray, psalms, put away from you, quarrel, refuse to forgive, rule in your hearts, Ruth Harms Calkin, sense of purpose, share jesus' love, singing with grace, Slow Growth, slow progress, spiritual songs, teaching, tenderhearted, the beloved of God, the bond of perfectness, the Colossians, the Ephesians, the imprint, the new life in Christ, the peace of God, trap, trespasses, truths, Tuesday Mantra, understanding, water, wisdom, withering of the fig tree, wonderful world, words, wrath, your Father in heaven
Ephesians 4:32. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Aye friends, we all know that like oil and water, late nights and early mornings don’t mix. So please tell me why I insist on trying to make them mix eh? I guess you’ll realize by now that I had one of those extremely late nights, and the ole body refused to get up too early to write the Bit. (smile)
But that’s life mih breddren. At least I’m alive and kicking, though somewhat late. And enough with the excuses, let’s get to a rather appropriate poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled ‘Slow Growth.’
And it says: ‘In my fretful impatience I am so often inclined to ask “Why can’t she change?” “Why is she always so slow?” “Will they ever learn from past mistakes?” And then You begin to impress me With my own slow progress upward.
I see Your stretched-out patience. I remember how long You’ve waited for me. And I grieve that my attitude Is so often intolerant. O God, keep fresh the imprint Of my own need to grow And make me more flexible More understanding And always more LOVING.’
Ah mih people, how many of us fall into that trap eh? We complain about the slowness and negative attitudes of others, only to later on find out that our progress is just as slow and negative, if not slower and more negative.
We just seem to take immense pleasure in judging others, without paying any, or sufficient attention to our own shortcomings. Now that’s definitely not right my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead we should have the attitude as declared by the Bible Promise for that poem, which is also our Bit for today.
However, let’s begin with the verse before it, so that we can have a better idea of the context. Bruh Paul was here explaining to the Ephesians the new life in Christ that Christians ought to live after they are saved.
And having given them a long list of do’s and don’ts, he finally ends up thus: ‘Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:31-32)
Yeh friends, if there are two things we always need to remember in our dealings with our fellow man are the forgiveness and LOVING-kindness that the Lord God Almighty has shown us in our own lives, and show the same to those we come into contact with.
Remember what Jesus said to His disciples after the withering of the fig tree. ‘Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught (anything) against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.’ (Mark 11:24-26)
Oh precious people of Christ, I don’t see how Jesus could have made the utmost importance of forgiveness any clearer nuh! But yet we still refuse to forgive others, while seeking forgiveness from heaven.
It’s NEVER going to work my brethren! Only as we forgive, will we be forgiven. Forgiveness begins with us! Let’s try and remember that nuh, especially in this Christmas season, one of LOVE, caring and compassion in honour of Christ’s birth.
And in regards to tenderheartedness, let’s check out this sermon on the Christian virtues, as outlined by Bruh Paul in his letter to the Colossians. ‘Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies (tender mercies), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;
Forbearing (bearing with) one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ (Col.3:12-17)
Oh my people, my people, what a wise and powerful prescription for earthly living! Can you imagine if Christians even put half of that stuff into their everyday lives, what a wonderful world we’d have?
But as usual, we like to merely talk the talk and not walk the walk. But let me remind us friends that Christianity is an action movement, not simply a talk show. Jesus came and died for us, putting His words into actions. Now it’s up to us to do the same.
And to help us do that, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra with power and faith, and a strong sense of purpose.
As one now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And as we believe those foundational truths my brethren, let’s put them into action nuh, otherwise it’s all a big waste of time. Much LOVE!
…only as we are tenderhearted and forgiving…will we receive the same…
06 Oct 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook, abundance, all things must pass, almighty god, anger, at nights, blessings, breathless, broken, cast our care, clear direction, conviction, courage, creativity, curse, deliverance from death, divine protection, eclipses, endure for a night, enthusiasm, exhaustion, faith, favour, fear, fiery trial, fulfillment, give thanks, God's goodness, good friends, good health, great family, healed me, His anger endures but a moment, hold on to God's promises, hope, I cried unto thee, I will extol thee, in His own time, in Jesus' name, in the daytime, in the morning, intimate details, joy comes in the morning, kept me alive, lay our burdens down, life, lifted me up, loving kindness, my foes, my soul, neck of the woods, negative word, one truth from the Bible, One Year Book of Bible promises, positive action, prayer, promotion, prosper, resolute assurance, Ruth Harms Calkin, saints, self-control, self-discipline, Sheol, sincerity, sing unto the Lord, spoken, stomping pain, strong will, struggle, succeed, success, supernatual wisdom, supernatural strength, talent, thanksgiving, the grave, the last vestiges of hope, the precursor to Friday, the remembrance of His holiness, Thursday Blessings, to rejoice, tomorrow, tough times, triumphantly, trust, twisting pain, unalterably true, utterly spent, weeping, wisdom, work out for our good, worth more than all man's wisdom
Psalm 30:5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.
Thursday, oh Thursday! How beautiful you are in your own right! But sadly, you are simply considered the day before, the precursor to Friday, and thus your importance and natural beauty is denied. But don’t worry, because some of us do appreciate you for what you are – Thursday, and not merely the day before Friday.
Ah friends, it’s a beautiful Thursday morning in my neck of the woods, and we do appreciate Thursday for what it is. Now please check out this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is simply titled, ‘In the Morning.’
And it says: ‘Today, Lord I have an unshakeable conviction A positive resolute assurance That what You have spoken is unalterably true. But today, Lord My sick body feels stronger And the stomping pain quietly subsides.
Tomorrow… And then tomorrow If I must struggle again With aching exhaustion With twisting pain Until I am breathless Until I am utterly spent Until fear eclipses the last vestige of hope
Then, Lord Then grant me the enabling grace To believe without feeling To know without seeing To clasp Your invisible hand And wait with invincible trust For the morning.’
Ah mih people, how often do we prayer that kind of prayer eh, especially at nights, when fear seems to overtake us much more easily than in the daytime? We’re sick or troubled, and everything just seems so difficult from one day to the next.
But at least, as believers we know exactly where to go and lay our burdens down, where to cast our care, whom we can trust with the most intimate details of our lives – Almighty God, the One who made us and still cares for us. In tough times our faith must lead us to Him and nobody else.
And quite appropriately, the Bible verse for that poem is also our Bit, which comes from Psalm 30 – Bruh David’s thanksgiving for deliverance from death.
But before we get into our Bit, I think it’s important to hear the verses before it, how Bruh David began this wonderful psalm. He begins it obviously with thanksgiving, remembering God’s goodness.
‘I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave (Sheol – the place of the dead): thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (grave).
Sing unto the Lord, O Ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (holy name).For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.’ (Ps.30:1-5)
Yes my brethren, life does seem to hold much more sorrow in the nighttime, when it feels that our God has forsaken us. But as Bruh David says, the Lord’s anger doesn’t last very long, He always eschews life instead of death, and thus when the morning comes everything seems brighter.
Something about the daylight raises our faith to a higher level than at nights. I guess in the darkness it’s much harder to see, and thus more difficult to grasp the hand of God. But friends, we need to remember that all things must pass.
They might not pass as quickly or as smoothly as we desire, but if we hold on to that unbreakable faith and trust in our omnipotent God, then at some stage of the game, He will work it all out for our good.
Oh, I know that waiting on God’s timing under such difficult and painful circumstances is not easy, but what else are we going to do eh? No other supposed God has a better plan for our lives, so in wisdom, please, let’s hold on to the promises of our Creator, knowing that at the right time He will indeed come through for us.
Now let’s look at a couple of scripture verses from Isaiah, which reinforces the words of Bruh David. They deal with the Lord’s everlasting LOVE for Israel.
‘For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting (LOVING) kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.’ (Is.54:7-8)
Oh friends, though our God may occasionally get angry with us, His anger will not last forever, because He is basically a God of mercy and LOVING-kindness.
So please don’t be upset and give up, if it seems that He’s taking too long to come to your rescue. Just believe that He is walking by your side through the fiery trial, and in His own time, He will bring you safely through it. That’s what faith is all about.
Now let’s go home triumphantly declaring our Thursday Blessings…And who says Thursday is not important eh? It’s full of blessings. (smile)
And remember too that a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over some one. So as one now, with plenty enthusiasm and sincerity, faith and trust in Almighty God, let’s bless ourselves.
‘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 everyday! Amen!’
Now let’s go and put all those blessings into positive action, as Jesus desires of us, displaying heavenly wisdom. Much LOVE!
…one truth from the Bible…is worth more than all the wisdom of man…
14 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive direction, anger, asthma, awesome God, be able to stand before thee, be strong and of a good courage, bless your Holy Name, boomerang, buckler, comforts us, courage, difficult times, enthusiasm, ever-faithful, exceeding abundantly, fail, faithful, fight the enemy, followers of Jesus, forskae, frail fragile bodies, get back what we give out, girds me with strength, glorious feeling, glory, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God of his forefathers, God's children, gospel, gospel truth, halfway home, hands are on the plough, holding hands, horn, I will love thee, I will trust, incontestable, indisputable, irrefutable, Jesus Christ, looking straight ahead, my fortress, negative options, not looking back, obedient, omni-present, omnipotent, omniscient, our best days are still ahead of us, our Lord and Saviour, P.S. I Love You, passion, people on our planet, positive vibrations, praise, promises, salvation, single file, standing in a circle, strength, strife, strong, Thank you Jesus, thanks, the breath of life, The Lord is my rock, the Most High, time of sickness, to a glorious future with Jesus, to the death, trust, truth, turbulent, undeniable, unequivocal, uplifting words, walk of faith, Wednesday Wail, who is God
Joshua 1:6a. Be strong and of a good courage…
Oh friends, ‘I’m getting better! I’m getting better!’ All thanks and praise and glory be to our most awesome and wonderful God!
Yeh mih people, the cough and cold and consequent asthma that’s been bothering me for the past week is easing up…Glory to God! I can now breathe a lot easier… All thanks and praise be to the Most High who heals and comforts us in our time of sickness!
Now here is something interesting and uplifting from my P.S. I LOVE YOU Poster, which I’ve probably shared before, but it’s so nice, we just had to do it twice. (smile) .
It tells us that ‘The people on our planet are not standing in a line single file. Look closely. Everyone is really standing in a circle, holding hands. Whatever you give to the person standing next to you, it eventually comes back to you.’
And it would certainly be wonderful if we were all really in a circle holding hands, then there wouldn’t be as much anger, strife and all the other negative options that are currently flooding our world. But the last part is gospel truth though my friends; whatever we give out, is what we’ll get back, like a boomerang…and more than we gave out too.
So if we sow negative stuff, we will reap more negative stuff than we sowed. However if we sow positive vibrations, then our reaping will be more positive vibrations…exceeding abundantly. So please, let’s concentrate on sowing positive vibes as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ desires of us nuh, not the many negative ones that we’re currently sowing.
And to show the positivity, the passion and enthusiasm that we have for life this Wednesday morning, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail passionately and exuberantly, with hungry hope and expectant faith.
Wailing: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home.
My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Oh that’s such a glorious feeling my people; feeling God’s astounding breath of life flowing through our frail and fragile bodies, making us strong and able to fight the enemy to the death!
Yes my brethren, we definitely can’t afford to look back at all the stuff that’s already happened in our lives, because our best days are still ahead of us, through that amazing future which Jesus has planned for His people.
And all God’s children declared a loud and grateful, ‘Thank you Jesus! We praise and bless your Holy Name and give You sincere thanks for all that’s You’ve done, are doing right now, and has promised to do for us later on! Amen!’
That brings us to our Bit: ‘Be strong and of a good courage…’
And I LOVE how it’s so short, but yet so powerful… ‘Be strong and of a good courage…’ When you declare it, it just seems to lift you up and move you in a positive direction. And do we ever need much strength and courage in these turbulent and difficult times!
Now let’s look at some scripture that enables us to stand strong and be of good courage. The verse right before our Bit says it all. God says to Joshua: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh.1:5)
What a wonderful promise that is friends! And the great thing about that promise is that it’s also meant for us in these desperate times. We don’t need to fear or fret because our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God has promised never to leave nor forsake us, and we know that He’s ever faithful to ALL of His promises.
Now hear Bruh David tell it like it is from Psalm 18 – Thanksgiving for deliverance. ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps.18:1-3)
Ah friends, what hope, faith and trust Bruh David showed in the God of his forefathers! And we all know it was not misplaced, because the Lord indeed saved him from his enemies and supplied all his wants and needs. In the same manner my fellow followers of Jesus, the Lord wants to bless and keep us, but we need to be obedient and faithful to Him and his word.
And we’ll end with some more powerful and uplifting words from Psalm 18. ‘As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all those that trust in him. For who is God save (except) the Lord? Or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.’ (Ps.18:30-32)
Indisputable, incontestable, irrefutable, undeniable, unequivocal, gospel truth my brethren! So let’s write it indelibly in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies nuh, so that we can be strong and courageous in our walk of faith! Much LOVE!
…the Lord gives strength and courage…to those who seek Him sincerely…
25 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a comapssionate heart, a death trheat, a merciful God, a positive outlook, a warning, abundance, an air of foreboding, an ultimatum, anger, be obedient, before it's too late, bless, blessed, bottomless abyss, broken right now, Canadian National Exhibition, CNE, conviction, courage, creativity, curse, dangerous times, destroy thee, divine protection, energy, everything I put my hands to, evil times, falling apart, favour, forget the covenant, forget who brought them to the dance, forsake thee, fulfillment, God's punishment, God's supernatural wisdom, godless, good friends, good health, graven images, great family, greed, hate, help of the Lord, idolatry, imbroglio, in the name of Jesus, Jay Douglas, jealousy, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, Luciano, mire, my dancing partner, my trusty cane, negative options, negative word, No night in Zion, no time for God, obey, peace, physically challenged, pray, promotion, prosper, prosperity, receive clear direction, reggae artists, repent, repentance, resentment, rid our society of God, seek God with all thy heart, seek the Lord thy God, self-control, self-discipline, strong self-will, success, supernatural strength, talent, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, The Israelites, the occult, the Promised Land, the sword of Damocles, thou shalt find him, Thursday Blessings, tribulation, turn to the Lord thy God, under the weather, vim and vigour, with all thy soul, worshipping idols
Deuteronomy 4:29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Oh friends, you’ve got to bear with the ole fella this Thursday morning yes, because he’s somewhat under the weather. (smile) Not through illness, but physical tiredness. I was running around doing stuff in the hot sun yesterday, then in the evening I went down to the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition), the big country fair we have every year down on the Lakeshore in Toronto.
Now I didn’t go to see the fair itself, but local reggae artist Jay Douglas and internationally acclaimed reggae singer Luciano. And the walk from the train stop down to the Bandshell where the concert was held is a good one, especially for physically challenged people like my self. But with the obvious help of the Good Lord and my trusty cane, I made it both ways without too many problems.
And my cane, my dancing partner, and I partied heartily throughout the concert. (smile) Jay Douglas was excellent as usual, although he didn’t sing any of his original material, but ole time reggae songs. But for some reason when Luciano came on the mix of the music just didn’t sound right. The bottom end was just too loud and had the music sounding dead and dirty and muffled. But the crowd enjoyed it nonetheless, and so did I really.
If it’s one thing Luciano has is energy. Brother! From the time he came on stage, around 8.50, dressed in his beigeish suit, till the time he ended some 75 minutes later, he was prancing and dancing around the stage. Never even took of the suit jacket. He even did a flip during one of the songs.
I was somewhat disappointed though that my favourite Luciano songs, except the opening one – No night in Zion – didn’t sound as they ought to. All like the one we sang the other day – As long as He is my friend… Chuh! They just spoiled it. Anyway, he ended nicely with an encore medley of old songs – Old Time Religion, When the Saints go marching in, Amen, Hallelujah etc.
The important thing is that the large crowd appreciated him very much, and all in all it was a good evening outing. I didn’t get home until midnight, and by the time I did my own thing, you know it was pretty late. But nevertheless, here we are this bright and sunny Thursday morning, not necessarily full of vim and vigour, but still holding the world by its tail. (smile)
So let’s increase the level of our faith and fortune by declaring our Thursday Blessings nuh. With all sincerity and truth now: ‘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 everyday! Amen!’
Oh what a wonderful God we serve and worship my people, where our words are so powerful that we can even bless ourselves! But please remember that a blessing is not a blessing until it is declared over someone. So today and every day let’s consistently bless our family, friends and ourselves that we may have God’s blessing constantly in our lives.
And I’m chuckling here friends, because we don’t seem to have much time for our Bit. ‘But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.’ Words of ultimate and absolute truth my people! In fact we should take it as an ultimatum for our current society!
Moses was here reminding the Israelites about falling into idolatry after they came into the Promised Land and had enjoyed its prosperity for a while and forgot about who brought them there, who brought them to the dance, engineered their prosperity in the first place.
He continues: ‘When thou art in tribulation, and all these things (God’s punishment) are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God:) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.’ (Deut.4:30-31)
Oh my people that passage resoundingly resonates with a warning for us in these godless and evil times. Our current society fits all the particulars of the old Israelite society. We’re worshipping idols and graven images, the occult is very prominent, while we have little or no time for God, in fact are trying to rid our society of Him completely.
Peace and LOVE no longer exist as a righteously held standard, but have been sadly preempted by negative options like hate, anger, greed, jealousy and resentment. And then we wonder why our world.is falling apart so rapidly, descending into the mire, the bottomless abyss of fear and despair so quickly.
Oh friends, the ONLY thing that can save us is a return to the God of our forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! We have to sincerely, and as quickly as possible, embrace the LOVE Revolution of Jesus, if we want to have any hope of surviving this imbroglio, this confusion and negative situation that’s currently hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles.
Yes my brethren, there’s an air of foreboding, of a death threat, hovering our society. Please, let’s take it very seriously and also take some time to ponder it today, and pray, pray sincerely to Almighty God that He will hear the prayers of the few and cause the majority to come to conviction and repentance. That’s our ONLY Hope in these difficult and oh so dangerous times! Much LOVE!
…let’s seek God…repent and obey…before its’ too late…
23 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a prayer for solutions, an increase of faith, anger, assuring me, awesome power, bitter, bless God, blessed day, blessing, bounden duty, celebrate our life, Christians, command, commitment, control, curse man, curse people, cursing, death, decisions, defeated, domesticating animals, dominion, douse, everlasting life, exercise the faith, failing Jesus, faith, fig tree, forgive me, full of poison, give thanks, glory to God, gospel truth, hate, heaven, hell, Hour of Power, hurry, inflame, irresponsibility, Jesus Christ, joy, leadership of my life, life, like water on fire, likeness of God, loving others, maniac of Gadara, my destiny, my friend Jesus, negative things, never gets stale, olive berries, our Lord and Saviour, pay a hefty price, planet earth, possibilities, praise God, Praise the Lord, prayer, problems, resentment, responsibilities, right decisions, rights, Robert H Schuler, salt water, shall eat the fruit thereof, share His love, sharing Jesus' love, solutions, solve the problems, summer season, sweet water, tamed, thanksgiving, the beloved of God, the difiiculties, the fall of mankind, the grave, the plight of the tongue, the power of the tongue, the tongue can no man tame, they that love it, this is the day the Lord has made, trust, trying times, Tuesday Mantra, unruly evil, we will rejoice and be glad in it, welcomed in heaven, wisdom, worry
Proverbs 18:21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Ah mih people, on this ‘loverly’ Tuesday morn, as the summer season of 2016 winds down, it is only right and our bounden duty to give thanks to Almighty God for allowing us to see another blessed day on planet Earth!
So, as the psalmist did, let’s declare with enthusiasm and sincerity: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps.118:24) And that’s for certain sure my faithful, believing brethren! We’d be extremely foolish if we did not celebrate our life and rejoice in these trying times.
And we’re only able to do that because Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour has already defeated hell, death and the grave and given us heaven and everlasting life to look forward to!
And all God’s people said a loud and grateful, ‘Praise the Lord!’
Now let’s bombard heaven with even more prayer; this from Gramps Schuler’s (Dr. Robert H. Schuler) Hour of Power Devotional, titled ‘A Prayer for Solutions.’ Most likely I’ve shared it before, but that’s immaterial, since prayer never gets stale, is always fresh and welcomed in heaven.
So please pray with me. ‘Lord, thanks for assuring me that you’ll solve the problems if I’ll exercise the faith and make right decisions! Forgive me for waiting for all difficulties, real or fanciful, to be resolved before deciding to make my commitment.
I confess I have too often allowed problems instead of possibilities to take over leadership of my life – to make my decisions – and take command over my destiny. I know, now, what faith is, Lord! It’s making the right decisions before I see solutions to all the problems! Increase my faith! Amen.’
Yes friends, all of us could do with an increase of faith in these last days. And to help us do that, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with joy and thanksgiving.
‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Oh glory to God my precious people! There’s no better designation than being the beloved of God and the friend of Jesus! Wow! Right there we’ve captured the best of all worlds! However, let’s remember that those wonderful rights, also bear significant responsibilities, like LOVING others, like sharing Jesus’ LOVE with the entire world!
And unlike the current trend of irresponsibility in our present world, Christians are expected to be totally responsible in all aspects of their lives. So let’s not forget to do as we should, otherwise we’d be failing Jesus, and that’s one thing we surely don’t want to do.
And to help us do that (smile) let’s invoke the awesome words of our Bit. ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.’
Oh my brethren, when I consider the awesome power of the little tongue, I’m totally amazed. It can spread LOVE, as well as kill it. It can inflame negative things like hate, anger and resentment, and by the same token douse them like water on fire. How does James put it in his spiel on the tongue?
‘For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame: it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude (likeness) of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.’ (James 3:7-10)
And that’s gospel truth friends! We ought not to praise God and curse people with the same tongue. But unfortunately we do it, and eventually will pay a hefty price for so doing. Now hear some explanations from the scholars.
‘3:7. The word tamed (Gr. damazo) occurs in only one other New Testament passage (Mark 5:4), about the maniac of Gadara, which helps us to establish the proper meaning of the word in James. The “taming” has nothing to do with domesticating animals or training them to perform. The meaning is control or dominion. Mankind can control every lesser creature, but no one can control his own tongue.’
And is that ever so true! But unfortunately we do it, though to our detriment.
‘3:9. James explains that man is made in God’s image (cf. Gen.1:26-27; 5:1), so to curse people and yet bless God is inconsistent. Though the fall of mankind has marred that image or likeness, James teaches that it still exists (as do Gen. 9:6 and 1 Cor. 11:7).’ Please read those scriptures, my friends.
Now let’s end with further words of James on the plight of the tongue. ‘Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.’ (James 3:11-12)
And the scholars further explain. ‘3:12. The last clause of verse 12 differs from those that precede it: The former are questions that attempt to illustrate; this one is a statement to teach. As salt water cannot make sweet water, so the person who curses others cannot bless God. The cursing of people truly indicates what lies within a person.’
Ah mih breddren, I won’t touch that one (smile) except to say let’s take time to day to ponder how we’re doing individually on that particular problem of cursing people and blessing God. And then, ask God for His ever-available help on the situation, for that’s the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
…if God wanted us to be double mouthed…He would have given us two mouths…
22 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a false witness, a word to the wise, adrenaline, anger, angst, at our peril, aura of love, be about the Lord's business, by our words, Christians, condemned, confidence, conquerors, constructive purposes, curses, death and life, deceit, disgruntlement, enthusiasm, evil, excited to greet the new day, foibles, frailties, friends, frustration, glorious kingdom, going to work, humble servants, ignore them, in the power of the tongue, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, judgement day, justified, lies, listening to God, LOVE, mass communication, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, nasty weather, negative behaviour, negative reactions, negatives, patience, peaceful, piercings of a sword, raise our spirits, refreshed, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, relaxed, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., shall eat the fruit thereof, silence., slow to speak, slow to wrath, social media, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, swift to hear, talk inflames anger, technology, TGIM! Thank God it's Monday!, think before we talk, traffic jams, trials, truth, ungodly world, utilize the weekends, wake up devices, weary souls, wisdom
Proverbs 18:21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.
And then it was Monday…with all the wake up devices going off around the world, and millions of people rolling over, muttering curses, steups’, chuhs, etc. in disgruntlement and frustration at the signal to get up and get ready for work!
What a sad state of affairs it is for the majority of the world’s population on a Monday morning; thinking about how lousy they feel, the traffic jams they will undoubtedly encounter, the nasty weather out there, the bosses and co-workers they have to put up with for another week, etc. etc.
Meanwhile, a handful of smart, peaceful, relaxed and refreshed individuals roll over, are excited to greet the new day, and simply declare: ‘TGIM! Thank God it’s Monday! Time to return to work and do my thing! Thank God for Mondays!’
For whatever reason that group doesn’t allow the many negatives to disturb them. Oh, I would like to say that they are a bunch of Christians, but I know that’s taking it a bit too far. (smile) But friends, until and unless we change our work systems, or utilize the weekends properly, preparing wisely for Monday, there’ll always be a lot of angst, anger, frustration and other negative reactions to getting up and going to work.
And the strange part is that the rest of the week doesn’t bring about such a rash of anger and disgruntlement as does Monday. Anyway, we working on it, and will eventually bring it down to a minority, but until then, let’s continue to sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to raise our spirits and encourage us to be up and about the Lord’s business. So let’s belt it out with as much enthusiasm as we can muster, remembering that our choirmaster, Jesus, expects us to put on a good show.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah mih people, that wasn’t too bad, but just barely average. Jesus wasn’t thrilled, but neither was He terribly displeased, in His wonderful way of understanding our foibles and frailties. Now let’s keep that adrenaline fuelling our motors as we go out to meet the enemy in battle, paying close attention to the very important words of our Bit. ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that LOVE it shall eat the fruit thereof.’
Oh my brethren, my brethren, those are words of such importance in a Christian’s life that we ignore them at our very peril! Remember what Jesus said yesterday? That we will all have to account for our words come the judgement day, and that we’ll either be justified or condemned by them. (Matt.12:36-37)
So please, I implore us to be very careful with our words. Let’s stop and think before we speak. James puts it thus: ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:19-20) So true my friends.
And the scholars expand on those two verses. ‘1:19. This is a key verse because it expresses three topics that James develops later: hearing, verses 19-27; speaking, 3:1-12; and wrath, 4:1-12.’
‘1:20. Trials require silence and patience because talk inflames anger, and anger inflames talk. Anger also distracts from listening to God.’ And not listening to God is something we surely don’t want to be guilty of as believers!
Now let’s listen to Cousin Sol from his contrasts of the wise and the foolish. ‘He that speaketh truth showeth forth (declares) righteousness: but a false witness deceit. There is that (one who) speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is (promotes) health’ (Prov.12:17-18) More words of absolute truth friends!
And the scholars tell us. ‘12:18. Words have the power to penetrate where no sword can touch; for good or for evil. A wise man uses his tongue for constructive purposes.’
Now the first sentence of the scholars’ explanation is ever so true! Words can hurt and cut us to pieces more than any sword can. However, the last sentence is unfortunately not true of our current society, for nowadays we don’t use words constructively; we don’t care what we say or to whom we say them, we wield them more like a sword, intentionally out to hurt others.
We don’t seem to consider the feelings of others in this age of technology and mass communication. And I believe those supposed areas of progress bear a lot of the blame for that negative behaviour, since we didn’t talk as much or at such length before they allowed us to do so.
And we’ll end there for today. But please, please my people, let’s take time to stop and think before we talk, because the words we speak here on earth, will definitely play a big part come the judgement day in heaven. Much LOVE!
…a word to the wise is sufficient…and Christians are supposed to be wise…
01 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 1 August 1838, a roaring lion, a stepping stone, an excuse, anger, anxieties, aura of love, bask in God's sunshine, behave negatively, blanket of god's love, care, Caribbean people, celebrations, compassion, confidence, conquerors, doubts, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Emancipation Day, enslavement, enthusiasm, evil, faith, faithfulness of God, fatness, fears, forgiveness, fountain of life., friends, glorious kingdom, Glory be, glory hallelujah, grace, Granny's advice, holy spirit, humble servants, indentured labour, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, lies, light, light of jesus, LOVE, LOVE of God, loving kindness, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, negative emotions, peace, positive things, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., salvation, spiritual armour, spunk, steadfast faith, succour, the children of men, the infinite power, the Lord will not cast off, the shadow of thy wings, trust, truth, understanding, ungodly world, weary souls, whm he may devour, wisdom
Lamentations 3:31. For the Lord will not cast off for ever.
Oh friends, its Emancipation Day in the Caribbean! Mama Mia! Who would have thought it some years back eh? We’re celebrating that most wonderful, joyous and auspicious occasion of 178 years ago on August 1st 1838, when the slaves in the British Caribbean Colonies were finally set free! Glory Hallelujah!
It is certainly a red letter day in the History of Caribbean people, and it’s wonderful that we have finally come to celebrate it every year. However, please let’s not use the enslavement and indentured labour of our forefathers as an excuse to behave negatively. But rather let’s use it as a stepping stone to positive things. We must not ever forget it, but we must let go of the negative emotions it raises up, else we will never be free of enslavement, that of the mental kind.
On the Other hand, it’s also a Civic Holiday in most parts of Canada, which means a lot of people aren’t going to work today… and I hear shouts of ‘Glory Be!’ in the background. Now that’s good for us, but there are many not so blessed workers who have to get out and face the music this Monday morning, so let’s join with them and sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with as much spunk and enthusiasm as we can muster.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah mih people, that was loud but somewhat raucous and not very harmonious! Our choirmaster, Jesus could only shake His head and sigh, because He knows what’s happening. As usual, those with the day off were the loudest and most out of tune.
And before we go any further, let’s declare Granny’s advice which is so important for us believers in times of celebration. ‘Sonny boy, please, please, ah begging yuh, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business out there today!’
Yes friends, we do need to mind our business as we get into the celebrations since our enemy the devil, ‘as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ (1 Pet.5:8).
Oh, and by the way, the ole fella testified in church yesterday! It wasn’t anything spectacular, just about ten minutes sharing the wonderful faithfulness of our God, as it related to my writing the Bit over a period of nine years. Hn! I certainly could not have done it without His magnificent, constant and consistent help. And I ended with our Tuesday Mantra. Hopefully that will get a few of the congregation thinking in better terms of whom and whose they are.
That brings us to our Bit, which is rather appropriate: ‘For the Lord will not cast off for ever.’ And that’s the awesome truth my brethren. Regardless of our behaviour, our God will not cast us off for ever. Oh yes, He will chasten and discipline us, but NEVER will He boot us out of His ever-LOVING kingdom.
The psalmist Asaph, in Psalm 77 – Who is so great a God as our God – queried God’s faithfulness. ‘Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever (ceased completely)? Doth his promise fail for evermore (for all generations)? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.’ (Ps.77:7-9)
Yes friends, many believers in times of trouble and testing ask those questions since they can’t seem to find any help from God. But listen to Bruh David as he provides a positive answer in Psalm 36 – The steadfast LOVE of God.
‘Thy mercy (LOVING-kindness) O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgements are a great deep (ocean): O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness (fullness) of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.’ (Ps.37:5-9)
There we have it precious people of God! Our Creator will always look after us once we come to Him for succour. So please, let’s put away all doubts, fears and anxieties and instead wrap ourselves in the wonderful blanket of His LOVE, care, compassion, understanding, wisdom, grace, mercy, forgiveness and faithfulness!
Wow! Now tell me which other supposed God has all those attributes eh? None whatsoever! So let’s be wise and just bask in His sunshine nuh, for that’s wisdom to the infinite power! Much LOVE!
…when the bright and beautiful light of Jesus shines on us…there’s no option but to be engulfed in it…
24 Jun 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spring of water, a watered garden, Abraham, abyss, Always there, anger, believers in Christ, blessed be God, comfort, compassion, confusion of face, conviction, cry out, Daniel, deity, despair, dregs, drought, fellowship, fires of Hades, forgiveness, forgiving, Friday chant, fun, generous help, God is ever-faithful, God's glorious kingdom, Hades, helplessness, I call your name, impoverished, iniquity, Jacob, leggo beast, LOVE, loving kindness, mankind, massa, mercies, merciful, mercy, Micah, One Year Book of Bible promises, pardons, partying, perspective, promise, rebelled, rebellion, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repentance, rescue, rest, rock bottom, Ruth Harms Calkin, satisfy thy soul, self-sufficiency, shame, sinned, slain for our benefit, spotless Lamb, strengthen thy bones, taste the dregs, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the bottom of the abyss, the depths of despair, the depths of the sea, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, the redemptive work of Christ, the working class, transgression, trials, tribulations, truth, umbrella of love, vanish, work soon done
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.
And then it was Friday; that day the working class holds so dearly, because it heralds the upcoming weekend, the couple of days off from work when they can do their own thing.
That’s why they continually declare, ’TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and massa work soon done! The weekend is upon us, and the time will be fine, partying and carrying on like leggo beast! Thank God for Friday and the weekend!’
Ah friends, as we keep on saying, some partying on the weekend is fine, but the overdoing and leggo beast thing is definitely not. The weekend is made for a sensible mixture of rest and otherwise. So let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, so we that can get a better perspective on how to use the couple days off we have.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my people, that’s putting the weekend to much better use! The important thing there is that we’re healthy, rested and ready to undertake next week’s work in the proper manner befitting a child of God, so that our work, character and attitude will glorify Him. Anything less than that is not good enough!
Now here is an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, which many of us can no doubt attest to in our own lives. It’s simply titled ‘Always There.’
And it says, in all sincerity and truth: ‘So often, Lord I reach the bottom of the abyss. So often I taste the dregs Of my own helplessness. Yet it is there, exactly there That you come to my immediate rescue. When I feel totally impoverished Of all self-sufficiency When I want to vanish into nowhere From the depths of despair I call your name And you are always there for me.’
And isn’t that the awesome living truth my fellow believers in Christ? It surely is! For many of us don’t call to God until we reach rock bottom and the searing fires of Hades are burning all around us. But our God is such a wonderful Deity that whenever we do cry out, in sincere conviction and repentance, He will come to us and bring us safely through our trials and tribulations.
Oh, what a majestic, magnanimous and magnificent God we serve my brethren!
And the Bible promise attached to that poem comes from Isaiah. ‘And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought (dry places), and make fat (strengthen) thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.’ (Is.58:11)
Oh what a beautiful promise precious people of God! And we know that God is ever faithful, and will keep every promise that He’s made, so there’s absolutely no need to worry if we’re travelling under His umbrella of LOVE!
And that ties in ever so nicely with our Bit. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.’
Yes friends, our God is indeed a God of mercy and comfort! He showers us with mercy and comfort so that we can go out and share it with others who desperately need it. So through us, He accomplishes His holy desire.
Now let’s turn to some scriptures which complement our Bit. Listen first to the prophet Daniel. ‘O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face (shame), to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him.’ (Dan.9:8-9)
Yes my brethren, yuh see the vast difference between our God and us? We are rebellious, but He is merciful and forgiving, in spite of that rebellion! How can we ever want for a better Deity eh?
Now hear Micah, as he extols the wonders of our great and mighty God. ‘Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by (over) the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy (LOVING-kindness)?
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast their (our) sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform (give) the truth to Jacob, and the mercy (LOVING-kindness) to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.’ (Mic.7:18-20)
Now what can be more assuring and uplifting that that eh friends? Nothing really! So as we go about doing the Lord’s work today my brethren, let’s remember these promises, keep them throbbing in our hearts, so that we can be confident in all that we do and say.
And let us never forget, as the scholars tell us: ‘7-18. The forgiveness and pardon of a merciful and gracious God toward sinful mankind is declared by the Scriptures to be based on the redemptive work of the Saviour.’
And all Christ’s followers declared a loud, proud and hearty shout of ‘All praise, honour and glory be to the innocent, spotless Lamb that was slain for our benefit, for our forgiveness of sins. May He live and reign forever!’ Much LOVE my people!
…oh, what would we worthless sinners do….without a merciful, forgiving and compassionate God eh…
P.S. Just one of those days. (smile) Much LOVE!
21 Jun 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: actions, anger, attitude, backbiting, behaviour, character, Christendom, christianity, cooperation, Corinth, disharmony, disrupt harmony, diversity, division, earthly life, embrace Jesus, encourages, exciting, extraordinary, glory, good cheer, greed, harmonious spirit, harmony, hatred, human nature, hurry, hypocritical, I am the beloved of god, in Jesus' name, individually, inner presence, Jesus, let God be God, lifts us up, Love for Jesus, LOVE Jesus, members, mind-boggling, my friend Jesus, New Testament, peace, philosophy, planet earth, Praise the Lord, privately live, problems, publicly show, pull together, reflect Christ's character, religious teaching, reproach, resentment, running things, Scrip-Bit family, serve, share His love, sincerity, souls, spiritual organism, the body of Christ, the church, the Holy Spirit, the Light, the Lord's on His throne, throne, trust, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unity, warms the cockles of my heart, what people say about me, wisdom, wonder, worry, worship
1 Corinthians 12:27. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).
Aye mih friends and family – Scrip-Bit family included of course – welcome to another wonderful Tuesday on planet earth! The Lord’s on His heavenly throne running things, and Jesus is with us through the inner presence of the Holy Spirit! So what can be better than that eh? Absolutely nothing!
Ah mih people, Jesus is so beautiful, I don’t see how people can not LOVE Him, and want to serve and worship Him in all sincerity and truth!
Yeh friends, I truly don’t understand how people can dislike Jesus and abuse and blaspheme Him. He has the best religious teaching going, even the best philosophy for living this earthly life; one of peace and LOVE and good cheer! One couldn’t ask for more!
But such is the fallen and dark nature of our human souls that we refuse to see the light even when it’s shining all around us. But thankfully, we smart humans will embrace Jesus in all His glory and wonder and live to serve Him now and forever!
And all God’s children declared a loud and proud ‘Praise the Lord in Jesus’ name! Amen.’
And to support all of what we’ve just said, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with a strong sense of purpose and true belief. As one now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen.’
Oh friends, oh friends, that li’l mantra so warms the cockles of my heart when I declare it, that…that I don’t know what to say afterwards! Hn!
To know that I am indeed a beloved child of God and a friend of Jesus…and can simply live this life and share His awesome LOVE with the world…well that is just so mind boggling and extraordinary!
I do hope that you, my fellow believers feel the same way, because if you don’t you are missing out on the most exciting and transformational part of your lives, since true LOVE for Jesus just lifts us up and encourages us so much!
And we’ll continue with our theme from yesterday; members of the body of Christ, of His church, because it is very important for each believer to know and understand His place and role in that most august organization.
Our Bit tells us quite plainly: ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’
Yes my brethren, we are all a part of Christ’s great organization called the church, with all that’s needed to make it great, but it’s oh so necessary for the members of that organization to pull together to do that. Listen to the scholars’ input on that verse.
’12:27. In one succinct statement, the apostle expresses both the unity and the diversity of the body of Christ. The absence of the definite article in Greek (ho, “the”) before the expression ‘body of Christ’ emphasizes character: since they are Christ’s body, their actions and attitudes toward one another should reflect His character.’
Oh my fellow believers, that last line there says it all; since we belong to Christ’s organization, our attitude and character ought to reflect that of Jesus! But does it? That’s the million-dollar question.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe that it does, or at least not to the extent that it should. If we were truly reflecting the character and attitude of Jesus as an organization, there wouldn’t be so much division and disharmony within it, none of the greed, the backbiting, the resentment, and pure hatred that exists in some parts of it.
As we said earlier, Christ’s character is one of peace, LOVE and good cheer, and that in no way represents the present day church of Christ!
And before we go any further, listen to the scholars’ description re the Body of Christ. ‘12:27. The church in the New Testament is called the “body of Christ,” and reflects the spiritual organism of the whole church on earth. When the local church is called the body of Christ, the spiritual aspect is emphasized.
Illustration: As the church is considered to be the body, so individual members are seen as parts of the body. For any church to function properly, every member must do his or her part in a harmonious spirit of cooperation with the other members. Had the church at Corinth learned this lesson, many of their problems would have been solved.
Application: When Christians disrupt the harmony of a church, they bring reproach on the body of Christ. (First ref. Matt.16:18; Primary Ref. I Cor. 12:27).’
Oh friends, that’s the problem of today’s church right there! The spirit of harmonious cooperation is sadly lacking in many of the local churches and also in the entire body of Christendom!
No wonder we’re bringing such reproach on Christ and His body, and people are leaving His organization as well as crying it down and calling it totally hypocritical!
And there is a lot of truth there, since the heathen doesn’t see or perceive us as good and kindly and LOVING people from the attitude, behaviour and character we publicly display. We behave just as badly, and sometimes even worse than them! That obviously gives Jesus a bad name and turns off the unbelievers, thus making of no effect our trying to bring them to Him.
Ah mih people, there’s a simple solution to all of that yes, all the confusion and disharmony, the resentment, anger and hatred, backbiting and hypocrisy can be avoided if we’d just implement the words of the song: ‘Let God be God! Let God be God in your life!’
Yes friends, if we’d just allow the Lord to work in our lives as He desires, most of our problems would vanish, and we’d become much more like the harmonious body of Christ that we’re meant to be.
So, starting today, right now, let’s let go and allow God to truly work in us nuh, for that is indeed the highest level of wisdom! Much LOVE!
…for Christianity to be successful…Christians must privately live…and publicly show…the true character and attitude of Jesus Christ…
19 Jun 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a godly turnaround, a taste for, abuse of authority, admonition, anger, asaph, ban' our jaw, bring them up, child support, children, clothing, commandments, complexities of life, cruelty, difficult times, discipline, discouraged, divorced, education, Father's Day, financial support, food, formative years, fulfilling our mandate, guiding light, have a good time, he will not depart from it, hope, injustice, instruction, knowledge of Jesus, look after, loss of temper, LOVE, love for the Lord, mandate, moulding a child's life, necessities of life, nurture, parental training, parents, provide for, provider, provoke not your children, rebellion, responsibility, ridicule, sarcasm, see eye to eye, set their hope in god, shelter, shirk, single mothers, sole parent, spiritual education, spiritual head, sufferation, suffering, suppression, the biblical pattern, the chief teacher, the ideal setting, the palate, the things of God, titular head, train up a child, training, trials, tribulations, undue severity, unfortunate things, with the Lord's help, wrath
Ephesians 6:4. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture (training) and admonition of the Lord.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY !
Aye mih fellow fathers, welcome to another Father’s Day! I hope it is a pleasant and happy one for all of us, but knowing the complexities of life, undoubtedly some of us will not enjoy the day. For one reason or another, things will not go the way we want them to, but like so many other unfortunate things in this life, we will just have to ban’ our jaw and accept them.
Anyway fathers, a lot of what is happening in these sad, trying and difficult times is either directly or indirectly our fault. We have to do a much better job than we’re currently doing.
There are too many fine women and children out there bearing our genes, who are suffering real ‘sufferation’ because of our foolish, casual, doh care, irresponsible attitudes and behaviour. We are certainly not fulfilling our mandate to provide for and look after the many children we sire.
Tell me nuh, how do you think the women and children that we’ve used and abused will get the necessities of life eh – food, shelter, clothing and the knowledge of Jesus Christ, if we don’t help them to do so eh?
Now there are many good and excellent fathers in the world, but on the other hand, there are way too many bad ones, who are out to simply have a good time and consequently shirk their responsibility that proceeds from that good time. Remember friends that the father is the titular, the spiritual head of the household and as such he is responsible for setting godly parameters and living up to them by his example.
That’s why our Bit so staunchly declares: ‘And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture (training) and admonition of the Lord.’
Yes friends, the father is supposed to be the guiding light of the household! But if he isn’t around, or around and not doing his duty, then the rest of the family suffers. We have way too many single mothers, whether divorced or never married who are having to raise children by themselves, both as sole parent and provider when there is a father available to help.
Now listen to how the scholars break down our Bit. ‘6:4. Fathers can provoke their children to wrath by injustice, loss of temper, undue severity, cruelty, favouritism, suppression, sarcasm, ridicule, and misuse or abuse of authority. Nurture basically means “training,” here denoting spiritual education.
Admonition is instruction that points out one’s responsibilities and duties. Of the Lord is in Greek a subjective genitive. This indicates that behind the parents’ rearing and instruction of their children stands the Lord as the chief teacher in child education. Parents do not raise children alone.’
So you see my people, the great demands placed on a father. It’s not an easy job, but with the Lord’s help we can accomplish it. I haven’t been the best father at times, and haven’t always led by example, but my children never wanted for the basic necessities of life, and I tried to instill in them LOVE for the Lord and a sense of responsibility.
The problem though today, is that sense of responsibility is fading from the entire world, which includes fathers. Now I was raised by a single mother, who worked two jobs from the time I was old enough to know what was happening, so I know the trials and tribulations of those situations. However, although my father and I didn’t see eye to eye, he at least helped with some financial support.
Many fathers today who can afford it don’t even do that small part of their duty, and the poor women have to take them to court for child support, and even then they don’t pay it. But when the child or children happen to turn out good and successful, they are the first ones to talk and boast about ‘my children!’
Steups! When left to them alone, the children would be eating ‘wind pie and nothing chops.’ Friends, I’ve seen it happen too often, and it sickens me.
Now here is a li’l something from Cousin Sol re the situation. ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov.22:6)
And the scholars give us some good info here. ’22:6. Train up a child refers to the total process of moulding a child’s life. The word ‘train’ (chanak) comes from the root word meaning to “put into the mouth” and implies the idea of conditioning the palate. Thus parental training should help children develop a taste for the things of God. The biblical pattern of effective parental training emphasizes a balance of instruction and discipline (cf. Eph.6:1-4).
The ideal parent is to be neither overly authoritarian nor overly permissive. Rather, he must balance LOVE and discipline so as not to “provoke” his child to rebellion. When he is old means simply, “when he is grown up,” or a mature adult. It does not refer to his elderly years. The verse stresses the simple principle that education in the home forms the man throughout his lifetime.’
And isn’t that the living truth my people! The home is where our formative years are spent, and there is where we learn the things that make us who we basically are.
And we’ll close with these words from Psalm 78, where the psalmist Asaph is reminding Israel of God’s goodness. ‘For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.’ (Ps.78:5-7)
Unfortunately fathers, we have not done that very well, consequently our children are not setting their hope in God, but rather in the things of the world, and are totally lost where the commandments are concerned.
However, where there is life, there is always hope; hope in God. So today on this Sunday, the Lord’s Day, as well as Father’s Day, let’s try an improve the situation nuh, possibly by going to church with our children, that would be the ideal setting for the much needed godly turnaround. Much LOVE!
…fathers…provoke not your children to anger…lest they be discouraged… (Col.3:21)
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