The Absolute Necessity for Christians to Keep Growing in Spiritual Maturity!

25 Oct 2025 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 3:16b.        to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

It’s our lazy-day Saturday friends! Where we lie around and do as little as we want, even to the point of doing nothing! (smile) And isn’t it a good feeling? It surely is! I even enjoyed some lazy-day sleep in, but that’s mainly because I went to bed at a rather late hour, so that might not count. (smile) Anyway, let’s get the ball rolling right away, for time is of the essence. And we’ll begin by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

So, as one strong and sincere 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 as always, if we’re sincere, we’ll soon feel an extra special calm and peace filling our souls, because our wonderful God just LOVES to offer them to those who come desiring greater intimacy with Him. It’s one request He’ll NEVER turn away, if our hearts are truly sincere. And remember, He checks out our hearts before He answers our prayers to see if we have right and sincere motives, so it doesn’t make sense going to Him unless we fulfill those two scenarios.  

That brings us to this interesting prayer Bruh Paul prayed for the Ephesians in his letter to them. He writes: ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ , which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:14-20) 

Wow! What an interesting prayer. Please note that Bruh Paul did not pray for earthly stuff but more for their spiritual awareness to be awakened and enlightened. And what does it all mean? The scholars offer these explanations. As per vs. 14, they explain: ‘For this cause. This expression resumes the apostle’s prayer begun in verse 1 but delayed by the discussion of verses 2-13.’ And that first verse simply says: ‘For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,’ It is just an introduction to what he says in verse 14 onward, but got diverted before he could get into the prayer. 

And as per verse 15: ‘Is named means “is derived.” The whole Christian family, including those saints now departed and in heaven, and those saints still living on earth – all of them derive their spiritual life from God.’ Then in verses 16-19, ‘Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his Spirit (vs. 16), that is, they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. 

(2) That the readers be able to comprehend … the LOVE of Christ, that is, to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’  Yuh see friends, it’s all about understanding the enormity of God’s LOVE for us and wanting us to be truly a reflection of the image of Christ. 

Then the scholars further break down verse 17, by saying: ‘This verse expresses the result of vs. 16: Christ will dwell in the lives of those who are recipients of the Holy Spirit. Jesus already lives in them and in all Christians. The Greek word translated “dwell” means to settle down and be at home, to be at ease. When they are divinely strengthened (vs. 16), they will then live the kind of lives God desires. When they thus please God, Christ will then be “at home” or “at ease” in their lives. As a permanent guest, He will enjoy living with them.’ 

Now the big question here is whether Christ is at home, or at ease in us, does He enjoy residing with us? And until we can answer that question with a strong affirmative, we have work to do. Well … we will always have work to do, but the point is, are we growing in spiritual maturity? And remember, even if we aren’t working on us, the Lord is. Bruh Paul states it quite plainly to the Philippians. ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (continue) it until the day of Jesus.’ (Phil. 1:6) That means we will be in God, the Potter’s hands from the moment we receive Christ as Lord and Saviour until He takes us home, or Christ returns, whichever happens first. 

And Bruh Paul finishes his prayer for the Ephesians in style. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21) 

And the scholars tell us there that ‘Paul, has not asked for too much. For he prays unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that he can ask or think.’ And we all know that’s the gospel truth! Our great God can do much more than we can ever ask or think. He created us, therefore He must be a much higher power then us, His  lowly creations. And He informs us of that most salient fact, very clearly through the prophet Isaiah. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) 

Yes friends, the Lord states it as it is, and I pray that on this lazy-day Saturday we will take to heart all that we’ve said, and also put it into practice, so that we can keep growing in spiritual maturity as our wonderful God desires of us. Much LOVE!

…until Christ feels at home in us…we need to keep growing…

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

The Importance of Christians Understanding that They will be Automatically Disliked because of Their Association with Christ!

03 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 10:22.         And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

And then it was Wednesday, the second wind day of our work week, another beautiful summer’s day!  And much to my surprise my key board is working properly and I haven’t done anything to it since yesterday, when it began acting up. Ah Lord eh!  Who knows about this modern technology eh? It’s all so fragile and finicky, and suspiciously fails and falls down when you truly need it. 

So, since God has spared our lives to see another day on Planet Earth, let’s keep our promise of yesterday, to continue looking at the tough times we can expect when we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. And as we said yesterday, God has an overall Master Plan for all Believer’s lives; that’s conforming or changing us into the image of Christ, so we can become more like Him with each passing day. As Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘But we all. With open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18) 

And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains it thus: ‘The statement “the Lord changes us into the image of Christ” is a core Christian belief found in the Bible, particularly in 2 Corinthians 3:18. It describes a supernatural process where the Holy Spirit transforms believers into the likeness of Jesus, fostering a progressive change in their character, values, and behavior as they behold God’s glory. This transformation is a lifelong journey, with the goal of reflecting Christ’s character in the world.’ 

And it is indeed a lifelong journey friends, as the Lord is constantly at His potter’s wheel forming and shaping us into the image of His Son, bit by bit, reminiscent of Bruh Paul’s words to the Philippians on the subject. ‘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) Yes mih bredrin, the Lord will continually work to transform us into the image of Christ until He returns, or He takes us home. 

And believe me the Christian life is not an easy journey, for in the first place others will dislike us just because we’re Christians. As Jesus warned the disciples: ‘And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ (Matt. 10:22) 

Then there are the normal ups and downs of life, with tough circumstances falling on all of us at some time or the other, plus the tests that God Himself will take us through or allow to happen, so He can test the genuineness of our faith, as well as grow us in spiritual maturity. And I like how the above commentary breaks down the Process of Transformation: 

‘By the Holy Spirit: The transformation into Christ’s image is a work of the Holy Spirit. From Beholding to Becoming: By continuously “beholding the glory of the Lord” (through God’s word and worship), believers are changed. Progressive Change: The process is not instant but occurs from “one degree of glory to another,” indicating a continuous, ongoing metamorphosis. Renewing the Mind: This spiritual change involves a renewal of the mind, freeing believers from the patterns of the world and conforming them to God’s will.’ 

And we do go through a metamorphosis like the butterfly changing from a caterpillar to the beautiful creature with gossamer wings. Now, there’s lot’s more to be said, but it would only make the Bit too long and somewhat confusing; just too much to take in at one sitting. (smile) So, again, if the Lord spares our lives, we’ll continue looking at this very important topic of transformation by the Holy Spirit into the image of Christ. 

And with that final word, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world 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!’ 

And to encapsulate all of that (smile) there’s an unwritten promise that all who endure to the very end with Jesus, will enjoy an even more glorious future than they can ever imagine or comprehend. So lets’ be wise and endure to the end, so we can enjoy that most glorious future together nuh! Much LOVE!

…it’s unwise to accept Jesus…and not continue with Him to the very end…

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

The Importance of Christians Understanding the Powerful Work that Jesus is still doing for Them in Heaven!

11 Aug 2025 Leave a comment

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

1 John 2:1b.        And if any man sin, we have an advocate (intercessor) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Well, it’s a new work week, another hot, hazy, humid summertime Monday! And though these summer days can be rather hot, irritating and uninviting, we’ll take them anytime over the cold, frosty winter days that are not too far in the offing. However, for all the irritation, frustration and uncertainty the weather brings, we know that we can handle it all through the amazing strength and grace of Jesus, through whom we can do anything that’s necessary. (Phil. 4:13)

That’s why every time we open our eyes to a new day, we can also say: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) Yes friends, every new day we see is a cause for rejoicing, despite the many problems we might end up facing, for we know that Jesus is there with us in each step we take, He is looking after us from His heavenly perch, making sure that we don’t go astray, or get led astray by the enemy, who has many goodlooking wiles and believable lies in his arsenal.

It certainly ought to reminds us that Jesus is also seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven being our advocate and intercessor. And what does that mean? This commentary explains it thus: ‘This means that Jesus pleads our case before God, acting as our intercessor and defense attorney. He secures our salvation and ensures our relationship with God continues.’ So although Jesus’ work on earth is completed, not so in heaven, because He still has to plead our cases before the Father up there.

John tells it this is way in his first epistle. ‘My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not (may not sin). And if any man sin, we have an advocate (intercessor) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’ (1 John 2:1-2) And although we have Jesus, whose advocacy is powerful, based on the sufficiency of His blood to cleanse all sin, both past and present, the imperative of the situation is that we ought not to sin. 

No! For although, through faith in Jesus, believers are freed from the eternal consequences of sin (death and separation from God), that freedom is not an excuse to indulge in sinful desires. But it’s a call to live a life that reflects God’s character and aligns with His will. It’s like Bruh Paul says in Romans 6, where he anticipates the objection that that the amazing and free grace of God encourages sin. He writes: ‘What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. (Certainly not!) How shall we that are dead to sin (who died to sin), live any longer therein?’ (Rom. 6:1-2)

No friends, once we’ve put on the new man in Christ, we cannot go back to our old sinful way of life. And yes, we will still be tempted, possibly more because we’ve become children of God. Oh, it’s a lifelong aspect of our Christian walk, but thankfully we have the power and authority of the Holy Spirit to help us refute the deadly arrows of the enemy. To help us live in the Spirit and to reject the sinful nature of the flesh.

And though it’s not easy to resist the mind boggling and captivating  things of the flesh, if we put our hearts, souls, minds and bodies to it, we will get better with each passing day. It’s also true that we will never achieve perfection, because only Christ is perfect, but  if we keep striving towards that goal, we will have much success. For remember what Bruh Paul wrote the Philippians? ‘Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begin a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6)

In other words, the Father is continually working on us, like clay in the potter’s hands to bring us into the full image of Christ, and once He’s begun the work, He will not stop until it’s complete. And all of that is such a great package my brethren! Jesus atones for our sins by His death on the cross of Calvary, and is now in heaven advocating for us, meanwhile the Holy Spirit dwells within us to lead, guide and comfort us, and the Father is quietly moulding and shaping us into the amazing image of His Son!

Wow! What more can we ask for eh my people? Nothing whatsoever! And because of all those wonderful things happening in our lives as Christians, we therefore should do our best to forsake the sinful nature of our flesh and walk as new persons in Christ, LOVING the Lord with all of our hearts, bodies, souls and minds, and our neighbours as ourselves, for those are the two great commandments. (Matt. 22:37-39)

Now, it’s time to put our heads and hearts together and through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, go to the throne of grace seeking divine aid for our numerous earthly problems, as we have been so wisely advised to do. (Heb. 4:16) Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

But the truth of the matter friends, is that unless we do what the Lord advises, that’s humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek His face, we won’t be receiving any divine aid. So let’s wake up and accept our shortcomings and improve on them nuh! It’s all for our benefit! Much LOVE!

…sincerely living for Christ is…the ONLY WAY TO GO…

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

The Remarkable Benefits Believers have Received from the Death and Resurrection of Jesus! Part 2.

26 Jun 2025 Leave a comment

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

John 11:25.         I am the resurrection, and the life he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live:

Ah friends, it’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, and it looks like we’ve gotten through the recent heat wave without too much damage! Thank the Lord! And with a li’l rain falling in the early morning hours, and some falling outside right now, it’s helped to give us a cool, but somewhat cloudy day. And as we promised yesterday if God spared our lives, we would continue looking at some of the numerous benefits that His death and resurrection brought us.

Remember, yesterday we read this commentary that gave us a brief insight into some of those things: ‘‘Christ’s death and resurrection offer believers forgiveness of sins, new life, and the hope of eternal life, among other benefits. His sacrifice on the cross atones for our sins, while his resurrection conquers death, granting believers new life and the promise of eternal life.’ And we went through some of the relevant benefits and scriptures.

Today, as time and space permit, we’ll do a few more starting with one we touched on briefly yesterday. That’s reconciliation, or reconnection to God. That’s a major benefit, because our sins had separated us from our heavenly Father, and Christ’s dying and taking them, brought us back into communion with Him. And this passage of scripture touches on several of the things Christ’s sacrifice did for us. And one thing we should note is that it all happened because of God’s great LOVE for us.

Bruh Paul writes: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now (having been) justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, being (having been) reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (reconciliation).’ (Rom. 5:8-11)

Yes friends, in that passage we see God reaching out to us, although we were enemies, to provide reconciliation, salvation and justification through the death and the shed blood of His son. And what is salvation? Salvation is the saving grace of God, as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians. ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.’  (Eph. 2:8-10)

And the gist of all that is simply that we are saved by the grace or undeserved divine favour of God, it is a gift of God, and we cannot earn it, no matter how hard we try. The fact is, we do good works because we’re expected to once we’re saved. We don’t do good works to be saved. And that’s something we all ought to understand, because many of us still believe doing good works will get us into heaven! Unfortunately it will not. Only faith, or belief in Christ Jesus will do so.

As Jesus said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, before He raised him from the dead. ‘I am the resurrection, and the life he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26) Now that’s a very crucial question! For belief and faith in Christ is the only way we will ever experience eternal life. His death paid the atoning price for our sins. ‘For he (God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ.’ (1 Cor. 5:21)

And ‘the righteousness of God’ is another benefit we received from Christ’s death and resurrection. Earlier on we talked about being ‘justified by his blood” that’s another benefit. So what’s justification, and what’s the righteousness of God? They are both intertwined, as this commentary explains: ‘Justification is God’s declaration that a person is righteous, not because they are inherently righteous, but because Christ’s righteousness is imputed to them through faith.’ Yes friends, all that we are, all that we have is because of Christ and applied to us because of Him. We have been made righteous, justified, reconciled and sanctified because of His work on the cross.

And sanctified simply means been set apart to do God’s work for a sacred purpose. It’s the process of being made more like Jesus Christ in character and conduct. And it’s a lifelong journey, not a one time event. It calls to mind this verse: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus.’ (Phil.1:6) Meaning that once God begins changing you into the image of Christ, He will not stop until Christ returns, or He takes you home.

Ah mih people I know it’s difficult to take in and understand all that Christ has done for us, but as the Lord changes us into His image, and we work with Him to do so, we will grow in spiritual maturity and understand more and more, as He raises us from glory to glory. So there’s no need to worry, once we keep God first place and follow the guidance of His Holy Spirit.  And to show His goodness and mercy, God has bestowed on us what we call our Thursday Blessings. Undeserved blessings  to do His earthly work. So, let’s declare and thus activate them right now!

As one strong and sincere 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, it’s now our bounden duty to use those blessings to help others, just as generously as God shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…unless we have Christ…we have nothing at all…

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

God’s Desire that Believers should be Transformed into the Image of Jesus

18 Jun 2025 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:29.        For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

It’s Wednesday friends, the middle day of our work week, when we’re supposed to catch our second wind and finish strong on Friday for Jesus! And it’s a beautiful summer’s day in my neighbourhood, with temps in the mid-twenties, and possibly going higher as the day progresses, although they are calling for some afternoon rain. But however it plays out, let’s remember that we always have Jesus by our side, and His Holy Spirit within us to help us with whatever comes against us!

And in keeping with that thought that Jesus is always with us, let’s consider this interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is simply titled ‘Resemblance.’ Don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but it’s still worthwhile sharing, especially in these times of fear and uncertainty.

So please read with me. ‘Lord, somewhere I read That when two people LOVE deeply When they live together Sharing Caring Giving Forgiving Eventually they begin to resemble each other. Lord, how long will it be Before I look like You?’ Now isn’t that an interesting question? It certainly is. And there’s proof to show that when two people live together for a long time in good circumstances they do begin to resemble each other. So the assumption here is that as believers in God, we live with Him for a long time, and thus at some stage we will become like Him.

And yuh better believe that’s been the Lord’s plan from day one; that we will all become like Jesus, as our Bible Promise for the poem reflects the words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth. ‘But we all with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18)

Now what does all of that mean eh? The scholars explain. ‘Beholding as in a glass: The term beholding can have the sense of “reflecting.” The believer himself “reflects” the glory of the Lord just as the face of Moses reflected the glory of the Lord. For Moses the glory eventually faded away, but under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of the Spirit of God.’

In other words we are gradually changed to become like Jesus.  As Bruh Paul said to the Roman church: ‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29) Yes friends, those the Lord predestined to believe in His Son, were to be changed into His image, so that there would be a big family of like children, with Jesus being the firstborn. And the Lord has been working steadily on it. Remember what Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians? ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begin a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6)

Ah mih people, once the Lord begins His transforming work on us, He will not stop until Jesus returns, or He takes us home; whichever one comes first. (smile) And I guess you can compare our transformation to what Bruh Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians. ‘When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass (mirror) darkly (dimly); but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.’ (1 Cor. 13:11-12)

Now that brings a sense of how we ought to behave as believers. In the early days we would know a little like children do, and behave like them., merely seeing like shadows of the real thing. However, as we grow in spiritual maturity, we need to put away the childish things, know more of the Word and put it into greater action, and eventually we shall know it all when we come face to face with Christ.

We ought not to be like Bruh Paul told the Corinthians earlier on. ‘And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat (solid food): for hitherto (until now) ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions (dissensions), are ye not carnal, (fleshly), and walk as men (according to man and not to God).’ (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

And sadly, that can be said about too many of us supposed Christians. We’re still involved in the many evil and ungodly ways of the world, with envying, strife, dissensions and disunity causing many rifts in the church of Christ, which ought to be One body, not the many bodies it is today.  So, unfortunately, because of our carnality, too many of us are still a long way away from resembling the Lord, as our poem enquired. Now, that’s not a very good thing, because our carnality can leave us in the lurch, far away from God, even eternally separated from Him. And that’s the worst thing that can happen to a human soul.

So, let’s wake up and get with programme nuh man. We’re playing with our eternal destiny, the most important aspect of our lives, and it’s not wise to do that. And, for those of us who’re indeed trying to do better, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ.

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!’ 

And for those who endure with Jesus right down to the very end, it’s been promised that they will enjoy a future even more glorious than their minds can imagine. Therefore, I hope and pray that we will all endure to the very end, and enjoy that more than glorious future with Jesus! Much LOVE!

…you can’t be a true believer in Christ…unless you’re in a state of transformation…

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

A Day of Reckoning…when the Sheep will be separated from the Goats!

16 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 25:33.       And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Aye friends, it’s Wednesday of Holy Week, the second wind day of our workweek! A day that helps us get up the gumption and courage to keep on keeping on for the next couple days. This week though, we only have one more day to go, as Friday, Good Friday, is a holiday for most of us. But despite the holiday, we will have a lot of sadness and sorrow because it’s the day that our Saviour Jesus Christ was abused, tortured and crucified to pay for our abominable sins. 

And if we’re true believers, that ought to give us pause and make us consider if our current way of life will satisfy Jesus, and make Him consider the hefty price He paid for our spiritual freedom worthwhile. Now that’s a million dollar question, and I don’t know how many of us will answer it truthfully, but we need to. And if our lives are  not up to scratch, then we need to raise them up, as it may one day cause us to be separated from the sheep and placed with the goats. That means to distinguish between good and bad individuals or those of superior and inferior ability. 

It’s based on Jesus story in the gospel of Matthew, when He comes again in all His glory. ‘And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred (hungry), and ye gave me meat (food): I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’ (Matt. 25:32-36) 

And when the righteous asks Jesus when they’d done all those things to Him? He answers: ‘Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt. 25:40) Yes my fellow believers, that’s how we are expected to function; helping the sick and needy, the downtrodden and helpless with good hearts, and not expecting anything from them in return, knowing that any future rewards will come from the Father in His own time. 

Now here’s the other side of the equation: ‘Then shall he (king Jesus) say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  For I was an hungred (hungry), and ye gave me no meat (food): I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.’ (Matt. 25:41-43) 

And when they ask as to what time  they saw Him in need and not minister on to Him? ‘Then he shall answer them, saying, Verily, verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. and these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.’ (Matt. 25:45-46) 

Ah friends, that’s the kind of scenario we might have to face. And since we don’t know how much time we have left, it’s best we begin to improve our lives as soon as possible, in fact right now. Oh, we all know where we are weak and failing, and if we don’t know, then we can ask the Lord and He will gladly show us. (smile) 

The truth is that though we will never be perfect, we can all improve, we can all get better at doing the things Jesus desires of us. And this verse from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians, ought to encourage us to do so. He writes; ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begin a good work in you will perform (complete, finish) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) 

Yes my fellow believers, when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the Father began a good work in us, which He will undoubtedly continue until Jesus comes back. So there’s no need to worry we’ll be left out of the loop. No way! For that verse speaks to our eternal security, since God’s plan has always been to make all His children conform to the example of His first born, and that will never change.  So, with such great assurance under our belt, let’s faithfully use this Easter season to improve ourselves; physically, spiritually and emotionally. 

And we can begin right now by declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail with strong conviction. As one 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!’ 

And it’s been promised that if we endure with Jesus to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s plan to meet at the very end and enjoy that future together nuh! Much LOVE!

…in Jesus kingdom…it’s better to be a sheep than a goat…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Calling on God in EVERY Circumstance!

01 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 33:3.       Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty (inaccessible) things, which thou knowest not.

And the month of March has opened like the lion it purports to be; cold, windy and with bright sunshine! And truthfully, it’s always been the winter month that I’ve least liked because of the cold, biting, icy winds that it stirs up; winds that get into your clothing, no matter how much you have on, and still chill you to the bones. 

It’s like Jesus says of the wind in the gospel of John while talking to the Jewish leader Nicodemus, when He uses it as an analogy for the Holy Spirit. ‘The wind bloweth where it listeth (wishes), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.’ (John 3:8) 

Now, that basically means, as this commentary explains: ‘You can’t see the wind directly. But you can see it move tree tops and hear it when it rustles through the leaves. It’s similar to the Spirit. You can’t see it directly either, but you can see through the way it changes people when it’s there.’ And once you’re born again, the Holy Spirit is always with you, working to bring you to the place that the Lord desires, that’s as close as possible to Jesus in both behaviour and outlook. (smile) 

That reminds us of this interesting scripture, where Bruh Paul writes 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) Yes friends, in other words, we’re a work that’s always in progress, until whenever Jesus comes back. 

The scholars say that ‘Paul is convinced that the work of grace that God began in the Philippians at conversion will be divinely continued until the day of Jesus Christ. That is, the Lord will keep working in these believers until Jesus returns to earth, at which point He will finish His work, bringing it to completion. This speaks of the Christian’s eternal security. For God had a purpose in view when He began His saving work in the Philippians, and that purpose will neither be abandoned nor unrealized.’ 

And the same goes for all those who put their trust in Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour. The Lord will keep working His saving grace in them through His Holy Spirit until Christ returns. So, we don’t have to worry about a thing, the Lord’s at work, just be obedient and faithful the best we can. (smile) And don’t think that I’ve forgotten our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. No,  not at all! It’s just that the other stuff got in the way. (smile) 

Then, let’s offer it up right now in all sincerity and truth nuh. ‘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 as always, that prayer just brings the presence of God ever nearer, with a heightened sense of peace, calm and grace, because the Lord just cannot deny us His amazing presence when we come to Him in such sincerity and truth. In fact, that’s how He would always like us to come to Him, with hearts and souls opened wide to receive His reinvigorating and regenerating presence. But that’s entirely up to us, because He’s always there waiting for our call. 

Remember the Lord’s promise to Jeremiah the second time, while he was locked up in prison. ‘Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord (Jehovah) is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty (inaccessible) things, which thou knowest not.’ (Jer. 33:2-3) Oh friends, we are to call upon God through prayer, in every time of trouble, in every circumstance – knowing He hears us and will be there. 

And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘One of the most profound promises in the Bible during times of crisis is Jeremiah 33:3. Some aptly refer to this verse as heaven’s 911—an emergency line to call when we are in distress. The Lord implores us to call to Him and reassures us of His favorable response when we do.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people, when we call from a sincere heart, the Lord will hear and respond. We just need to remember that most of the communication depends on us, because God is always hovering over us waiting for us to call, so that He can show us wonderful things that we don’t know. 

Meanwhile, this other commentary configures verse 33 thus. ‘Shows Us the Great and Hidden Things About God. You will tell us great and hidden things we’ve not known in your word and by your spirit. God, we want to know you. We want to see your glory. Lord, we want to see great things in you.’ 

And do we ever my faithful brethren! But as James so rightly says: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.  (James 4:7-8) And Peter admonishes: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) 

Now, my fellow saints, those are the elementary requirements for being in God’s calming and peaceful presence. So please, let’s spend a part of this cold and blustery lazy-day Saturday in March, doing just that nuh; seeking God and all the good things He has to offer and tell us about! Much LOVE!

…Jesus said it very simply…ask, and it shall be given you…seek, and ye shall find…knock, and it shall be opened unto you… (Matt. 7:7)

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

The Importance of Believers fervently seeking to attain Spiritual Maturity!

09 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 3:14.       I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And our nemesis, Monday, has shown up again, this time with a full work week. So, hope you had enough rest and relaxation to enable you to get through a full five days of back-breaking labour. (smile) Although it must be said that with all the amenities and helpful tools we currently have, not many of us do backbreaking work anymore. Sometimes we expend more energy getting to and from work, that doing the actual work itself. But that’s just how the cookie crumbles and we have to take it as it comes. 

And how do we do that? By standing strong and steadfast in our faith in Christ Jesus! Remember, He’s our Be All and End All, and we can do anything we need to through His awesome strength that flows through us. (Phil. 4:13) Then there’s also this awesome scripture from the prophet Isaiah on God’s great might. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 

He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Wow my fellow believers! What a mighty God we serve! But, unfortunately, that faith and strength don’t come to us automatically or overnight. No, it’s something we must work at. It entails, hard work, sacrifices, perseverance and a determination to truly know Jesus. And that we can learn from Bruh Paul’s sentiments to the Philippians. 

‘That I may know him, and power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained (it), either were already perfect: but I follow after (press on), if that I may apprehend (lay hold of) that for which I also am apprehended of Christ.’ (Phil. 3:10-12) 

Ah friends, you see how badly Bruh Paul wants to be like Christ; he’s eager to become more like Him in His suffering and death, so he could obtain His physical resurrection, as the scholars say, ‘thus experiencing God’s power in one of its greatest aspects.’ And although Bruh Paul was probably the most hardworking and zealous of the apostles, he still believed that he hadn’t done enough to get close to Jesus’ state. 

As he continues to the Philippians. ‘Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended (laid hold of it): but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth (forward) unto those things which are before (ahead), I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:13-14) 

And that my faithful brethren, is the attitude we, as true believers in Christ Jesus, ought to have! A strong desire to press forward to achieve and obtain all that Christ died for us to have! It’s only with that kind of determined attitude will we ever achieve or attain the mark of maturity in Christ, with good strength and faith, knowing who we are in Christ; the children of God, justified, sanctified, reconciled, made righteous, joint heirs with Him in all that the Lord has given to Him, sitting with Him in heavenly places. 

Wow! Those are some of the things we need to know and believe deep in our hearts, if we want to be successful disciples of Christ. And we do that by doing as Bruh Paul earlier advised the Philippians. ‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of (according to) his good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:12-13) 

And what does that mean eh? Not to work for their salvation, for God has already granted that gift of salvation to them, but to work for the profit of others, by living a life that is worthwhile and pleasing to God, a life like Bruh Paul explains in practical terms in the following verses. 

‘Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth (fast to) the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.’ (Phil. 2:14-16) 

Yes my fellow saints, that’s what it means to work out your own salvation, to basically live a life for Christ, with the appropriate sacrifices in obedience to God, putting others before yourselves, like Christ did for us. Or as one commentary says: ‘The command to ”work out” salvation is a directive to let the new birth in Christ translate into actions. As a part of this, believers should serve God without griping or complaining.’ And friends, the day we do that…what a wonderful day it will be in God’s kingdom! (smile) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for divine help to work out our salvation. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, let’s remember, that until we turn from our evil ways and begin living a life well-pleasing to God, no divine aid will be forthcoming! Much LOVE!

…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…

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

Pressing Towards the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus: Encouragement from Philippians

20 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 3:14.        I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And the band of musicians and revellers came dancing down the street in the hot sun singing: ‘Heat wave, heat wave…Everywhere is heatwave…’ And that seems to be the gospel truth these days, for all about the world that familiar refrain is being heard. In my neighbourhood we’re now up to our fourth or fifth day of over thirty-degree temps… I’ve lost count. And even when we have a strong wind, the wind’s invariably hot. 

Ah Lord eh! Our chickens are coming home to roost. We getting a li’l taste of what hellfire’s going to be like, and most of us definitely don’t like it. (smile) And remember, you won’t be able to turn on no AC down there. So I’d strongly recommend that we turn to Jesus RIGHT NOW and accept Him as Lord and Saviour, so that we can avoid that inferno, where we’ll sashay down to at the end times, if He isn’t the Lord of our lives. 

Consequently, unless you have to go out, it’s best to stay inside in air conditioned comfort, if possible. And if you do have to go out, make sure you’re well protected with sun-block, leaving as little skin as possible exposed to the scorching elements. End of Sermon! (smile) 

And today, I’ve been led to a rather appropriate writing from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin titled, ‘It Takes a Lifetime.’ Not sure if I’ve shared it before, but it’s ever so apropos for these treacherous and ungodly times. 

Please read with me: ‘How I LOVE the words of the apostle Paul. “I don’t mean to say…that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” (Phil. 3:12-14 NLT) 

What tremendous encouragement! Paul, who knew Jesus Christ so intimately, whose consuming desire was to please him, who endured illness, imprisonment, shipwreck, beatings, mockery, and heartache all for the sake of Christ – this very same Paul confessed he hadn’t “arrived.” God was still growing him! I see again, while my conversion took but a moment, my growth takes an entire lifetime. In God’s great wisdom and knowledge He anticipates the finished product while He LOVINGLY takes me through the long, long process.’ End of story! 

And what a most enlightening and encouraging story it is my faithful believers. It clearly shows us that the tough and resilient Bruh Paul, who withstood numerous difficulties and dangers for the Lord’s sake, still didn’t think that he had reached the pinnacle that God had called him to attain. It’s the same with us. As the story says, it takes a moment to be converted, but a lifetime to reach our planned end. And all that time God is growing us, transforming, shaping us into the perfect image of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for that’s been His most ardent desire from the beginning of time. 

Yes friends, Ephesians 5 tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children: And walk in LOVE, as Christ also hath LOVED us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (aroma).’ (Eph. 5:1-2) That means we have to be like Jesus in both our thinking and behaviour. 

And this passage from Philippians puts it even better. ‘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 (emptied himself of all his privileges). 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) 

Oh my people, Jesus though deity, came to earth as a man, as a servant, and sacrificed himself for us on the cross of Calvary. So, if we’re to be like Jesus, then we ought to be prepared to sacrifice ourselves, both on His behalf and those of our fellow believers. Let’s remember that sacrifice is an integral part of discipleship. And though we might find it tough sledding sometimes, we need to remember what Jesus did for us, and that He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5) and to be with us always, even unto the end of the world. (Matt. 28:20) Those scriptures ought to keep us encouraged and constantly working on His behalf. 

Now here’s this other important scripture that shows God’s presence, purpose and plan for us. Bruh Paul writes 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) Of course my fellow believers! If God begins a good work in us, transforming us to the behaviour and beliefs of Jesus, He won’t stop until He takes us home or Jesus returns to earth! So there’s no need to fear being left out in the cold, like some unfinished work that someone just threw aside. Our God will NEVER do that! He LOVES us too much! We’re too valuable to Him; His greatest and most dear creation! 

But we have to be of the same mind as Jesus. That’s prepared to work though whatever comes against us, and do like Bruh Paul says: ‘I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:14) Please, my fellow saints, I plead with us to never lose sight of that high calling of God in Christ, for it’s our earthly goal. Now, let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, so that we can activate them. Blessings so generously given to us by our heavenly Father to do His earthly work. 

Altogether: ‘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 now activated those blessings, it’s our bounden duty to go out and use them for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…while here on earth…Christians should never lose sight of heaven…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   31 May 2024 Philippians 4:5a

31 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:5a.       Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. 

And the end of the month of May, could not fall on a better day…Friday! Thus all the glorious shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and another summer weekend is in the offing!’ We get all worked up about our weekends, especially the summer ones, because we can get out there and go where we want, and do whatever we want without the restrictions of the winter weather. We’re free and easy! But please, let’s not go wild and behave like leggo beasts, for that’s exactly how the enemy, his satanic majesty, wants us to behave; to forget God’s warnings, His rules and regulations and just fly without any reservations. 

And once in a while, it is good to fly without reservations, although there is usually a price to pay when we do that. (smile) In the meanwhile, let’s remember these most memorable and oh so important  words of Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Now the most important aspect of that statement in this case is the ‘sound or disciplined mind.’ Yes friends, that means we have self-control, which is also a fruit of the Spirit, wherefore we don’t go around flying off the handle or making hasty decisions, and going to the extremes. 

In other words, like Jeeves says, we need a modicum of circumspection or moderation in all things. Now, what does moderation in all things mean? And we have a couple of commentaries based on the meaning the world has of it. The first says: “Everything in moderation,” goes the old line, meaning don’t binge, and don’t abstain, but do take it easy on the bad stuff. Between the two poles of asceticism and indulgence, moderation is about never giving up or fully giving in.’ 

The second one gets more philosophical. (smile) ‘According to Craiutu, Aristotle considered moderation a moral virtue and Plato, in “The Republic”, described moderation as the harmony between reason, spirit, and desire. “It’s the disposition of the soul where reason, spirit, and desire are in agreement,” says Craiutu. “It’s more than just temperance.’ And strangely enough Bruh Paul wrote about it to the Philippians: ‘Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men.’ (Phil. 4:5a) Now what’s this moderation business in the Christian life you ask? Is it the same as in the world? Yes and no. 

Here are a couple more commentaries on the Christian explanation of ‘moderation.’ The first tells us: ‘Let your moderation be known unto all men. Let your gentleness be evident to all. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. In any case, Paul’s idea is that don’t be so strict and extreme about the letter of the law; be fair minded, reasonable, and gentle.’ And the second says: ‘This characteristic of the Christian (moderation) must be a conspicuous one; that is, Christians must be well-known for their gentle, kind, courteous and tolerant ways with others. Put another way, behave as Jesus would because this was one thing Jesus was known for.’ Amen! 

And that’s basically all that moderation means: behave like Jesus! And yes, you claim that’s not so easy to do, because He was the Son of God, deity, sinless and strong, but we have His power, His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, which gives us the ability to behave in a decent manner…remember the spirit of power, of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind.  No, we will never be perfect, but we don’t have to behave like the world behaves. And if we’re seriously intent on behaving like Christ, let’s not forget this scripture that Bruh Paul writes 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) 

Yes my brethren, once the Lord has begun a good work in us, meaning making us like Jesus, raising us from glory to glory, He won’t stop until He takes us home, or Jesus returns. So we don’t have to be overly worried about behaving like Jesus if we’re serious about living the Christian life…which in fact is not easy, but very worthwhile. The whole thing boils down to the true state of our hearts, and how much we truly LOVE Jesus and want to serve Him the best way we can. And I believe that if we remember and meditate on these words of His, our lives will become fuller and more satisfactory. 

And it’s all about discipleship. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Then there are these most telling words. ‘A new commandment I give unto you. That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) Oh my fellow saints, I do believe that if we ponder and think on those words of Jesus, we will come to a positive realization in and of our Christian walk. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking help to live up to our responsibilities in these trying and troubled 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 I’d be seriously amiss if I didn’t point out that one of the requirements for getting divine help is setting a good Christian example. Nuff said! Much LOVE!

…a word to the wise is sufficient…

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