21 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 24 hour spans of time, a bad habit, a deep abiding joy, a great family, a spiritual strength, a very present help in trouble, an intimate relationship with Jesus, cast into the future, christianity, comes from a relationship with god, curse, despising the shame, divine protection, do what God has assigned for today, don't worry about tomorrow, empowers believers to face challenges, encourage their joyful walk with the Lord, endured the cross, faith, favour, find strength in difficult times, for the joy that was set before him, fulfilment, getting ahead of ourselves, God is our refuge and strength, God's grace is sufficient in our weakness, God's joy, God's supernatural wisdom, good freinds, handle the challenges of each day, holy spirit, is set down at the right hand of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus' selfless sacrifice, knowing God's love and provision, like jelly in his hands, looking unto Jesus, lose sight of what's happening today, LOVE, mercy, negative word, panting for Friday, planting worrisome thoughts in our minds, promotion, propser, rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, reliance on God's prmises, reluctant to endure sacrifice and pain, robbed us of our joy, robbed us of our strength, salvation, self-control, self-discipline, stolen our joy, succeed, success, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, supernatural strength, take one day at a time, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, the author and finisher of our faith, the BIBLE, the devil's plaything -worry, the Feast of the Tabernacles, the joy of the Lord is your strength, the morrow shall take thought for itself, the things of itself, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the mountains shake, though the waters roar and be troubled, truth, undeserved blessings, use our blessings to help others, we will not fear, wisdom, worry and fear take over
Nehemiah 8:10b. …for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
Then it was Thursday, our second to last day of the work week, and everyone’s panting for Friday and the weekend. However, before we get there, we need to navigate Thursday first, and enjoy the sunshine, with a touch of cloud cover, and the cool breezes it brings, while doing what God has assigned us for today. Yes, we do have a bad habit of getting ahead of ourselves, often to our detriment. (smile)
That’s why God broke up the time into 24 hour spans, with day to work and night to rest, because He knew we could not handle much more than that. Consequently, as the saying goes, we can only take one day at a time, and that’s today, that’s why it’s called the present, not the past or the future.
And Jesus fully understood this problem, that’s why He advised in His Sermon on the Mount: ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) And many of us, even believers, ought to take those words to heart and sincerely action them in our lives, because our minds are too often cast into the future, or tomorrow, and thus we lose sight of what’s happening around us today.
No wonder Jesus said we should not worry about tomorrow, for each day has its own challenges and problems, which we need to responsibly handle and not concern ourselves with what might or might not happen the following day. And I’m sure we’ve all concocted possible fearful and disastrous happenings that will come upon us on the morrow, and not even one problem, or one iota of what we’d imagined presented itself on the day. Now, that doesn’t mean we must not make plans for certain possible outcomes, but we’re not to worry about them, especially if, in our own strength we cannot do anything to curtail or prevent the problems.
That’s the thing about worry, the devil’s plaything. It causes you to use up your hard earned energy and joy on things that you have no control over. So why worry about them when you can’t do anything about them eh? But that’s what the devil takes immense pleasure in doing; planting worrisome thoughts in our minds, so that he can steal our joy, for once he has stolen our joy, we are like jelly in his hands. Remember what the Bible says about our joy? ‘…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That means once Satan has robbed us of our joy in the Lord, then he’s also robbed us of our strength, and that’s something we should strive to never allow to happen!
And I like how this commentary explains ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength.’ It says: ‘This verse (Neh. 8:10) emphasizes that God’s joy, experienced through a relationship with Him, empowers believers to face challenges and find strength in difficult times. It’s not a fleeting happiness, but a deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing God’s LOVE and provision.’
Yes friends, Nehemiah had been speaking to the Israelites after they had lost their joy through the destruction of Jerusalem. However, they had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in a miraculous fifty-two days through the astute, God-given leadership of Nehemiah, and were just getting to know the scriptures of the Lord through the public reading and explaining of them by the scribe Ezra and his associates, and were about to celebrate the Feast of the Tabernacles. Thus Nehemiah’s exhortation to encourage their joyful walk with the Lord.
And according to the commentary: ‘The joy of the Lord: is not simply a feeling, but a spiritual strength that comes from a relationship with God and reliance on His promises.’ Therefore, if we desire to have that spiritual strength, then we need to build a strong and intimate relationship with Jesus on an ongoing basis.
And there are several other scriptures that talk about the joy of the Lord as a source of strength. For instance these words of the Sons of Korah from Psalm 46 – Our Refuge and Strength. They confidently declare: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available hep) in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3)
Now that definitely shows strong faith and joy in the Lord! That although things are turned topsy-turvy, we will not fear, and keep our joy knowing that the Lord’s faithful in His promises, and will not allow anything untoward to happen to us. Meanwhile, this other scripture from Hebrews 12, tells us about ‘Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher (the originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.’ (Heb. 12:2)
Yes my people, for the joy that was to come from His selfless sacrifice, Jesus endured the shame and disgrace and pain of the cross. So why are we so reluctant to endure a little sacrifice and pain for the joy that will eventually be ours eh? And to help us endure the problems we will obviously face in this ungodly and evil world, as well as to do His earthly work, the Lord has generously bestowed on us numerous undeserved blessings, that we call our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh!
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 awesome declaration, (chuhhh!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…even if we lose our strength in the Lord’s joy…there’s no need to worry…for we will then find…His sufficient grace in our weakness…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all these things shall be added unto you, as the heavens are higher than the earth, be ready to suffer the consequences, boggles our imagination, call ye upon him while he is near, christianity, Dr Charles Stanley, endure to the end with Christ, eternity, faith, forgiving, free will, getting you into trouble with God, God created humans for good, gospel truth, gracious, halfway home, hands on the plough, have it more abundantly, he Sermon on the Mount, he will abundantly pardon, he will have mercy upon him, hold our heads and bawl, holy spirit, humans are more enamoured with evil than good, I am come that they might have life, if only I'd thought before doing it, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the best, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, let the wicked forsake his way, LOVE, merciful, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, my ways higher than your ways, negative consequences, not looking back at the past, obey God and leave all the consequences to him, our finite minds, our poor decisions end up hurting innocent people, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, return unto the Lord, risk of flooding, salvation, Satan is all about deceit and greed, Satan's machinations, satisfying the thirsty earth, second wind day, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, seek ye the Lord while he may be found, so glad to be alive, some we cannot even comprehend, thank God, the atoning lamb of God, the awesome help of Jesus, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the cross at Calvary, the embodiment of all we can ask for or imagine, the good life, the King of Kings, the Lily of the Valley, the Lion of Judah, the Lord is Sovereign over the earth, the Lord of lords, the material things of the world, the rains fell, the resurrection and the life, the Son of God, the thief comes only to steal kill and destroy, the unrighteous man his thoughts, the Way Maker, the way the truth and the life, thieves break through and steal, thieves do not break through and steal, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unwise decisions, we can handle whatever comes against us, Wednesday Wail, where moth and rust doth corrupt, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where your treasure is there will be your heart also, wisdom, wisdom to the nth degree
Isaiah 55:6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
And the rains fell; from early evening through the night, until the morning hours, finally satisfying the parched and thirsty earth! Thankfully though, it was not an onslaught of powerful showers but mostly a constant drizzle, which greatly reduced the risk of flooding. Understandably then, Wednesday, our second wind day has opened damp, cloudy and cool, and we possibly ought to brace ourselves for more rain because that warning just showed up on the computer. But let’s remember that whatever comes against us, we can certainly handle it with Jesus’ awesome help! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful: ‘Thank You Jesus! You’re the Best!’
And that’s the awesome truth! For there’s none like Jesus! He’s the Son of God, and is thus godly, gracious, forgiving, merciful, the atoning lamb of God, the Way Maker, the Lion of Judah, the Way, the Life and the Truth, the Light of the World, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lily of the Valley, the Resurrection and the Life, and a host of other names which it would take the whole day to list. (smile) But seriously though, Jesus is the embodiment of all that we can ever ask for or imagine…and even then some that we cannot even comprehend with our finite minds.
As the prophet Isaiah writes: ‘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 than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) That’s why we cannot understand a lot of what the Lord does, or is doing, both in our own lives and in the world. We know that He still sits as Sovereign of the world, but some of the stuff that He allows to happen when He can either prevent them or stop them just boggles our imagination.
However, the Lord has His own plans for the world He created and still rules, while giving us free will to make independent choices. He did not make robots, but human beings with minds that they could use to do what’s right or wrong, but must be prepared to suffer the consequences of each decision. And that’s exactly where we’re falling down. We rush to live like the world, like Satan desires, but when the negative consequences of those unwise decisions come rushing up against us, we hold our heads and bawl, saying, ‘if only, if only I’d thought about it before doing it.’
But then it’s usually too late my people, and unfortunately our decisions end up hurting not only ourselves but a lot of others around us. And that’s the really sad part about us making unwise decisions; it never hurts us alone, but other innocent ones in our proximity. That’s why Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) always admonished us to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. For when we do as God desires, the consequences are usually good, and if not, then he will certainly help us to handle them.
But Satan doesn’t help us to handle the bad consequences we suffer when we follow him. Not at all. He just sits back and laughs at us and considers us stupid to be following him, when all that ever comes from his machinations are negative consequences. And that’s why the prophet Isaiah, when informing Israel of God’s abundant pardons, declared: ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’ (Is. 55:6-7)
Yes friends, that’s an international call to all people, to both Jews and Gentiles, to come to the Lord for salvation, for forgiveness and the good life throughout eternity. And He certainly made it all possible by the unselfish but heartbreaking offering of His only begotten Son Jesus as a sacrifice, the Lamb of God, on the cross at Calvary. I don’t know why we keep forgetting that God is generous and merciful, forgiving and compassionate, while Satan is all about deceit, greed, and taking whatever you have and getting you into trouble with God.
It’s as Jesus so eloquently and truthfully puts it: ‘The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) And I don’t understand why we cannot believe that and make it a part of our lives because it’s the absolute truth. All Satan wants to do is to destroy, to break down, to bring people down to damnation and hellfire with him, while Jesus wants to build, to give life, eternal life to all who are wise enough to embrace Him and what He stands for.
So, again, I don’t know why we’re so adamant at following Satan, killing ourselves to get the material things of the world, and then we don’t even have time to enjoy them. Remember the same material things Satan tempts us with, are the same material things we can get from God if we do as Jesus says: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) And believe me, if you get these things from God, rather than through Satan’s evil machinations, you will enjoy them more and they will last longer.
But it’s all about wisdom and where your hearts truly lie. For as Jesus wisely say in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matt. 6:19-21) And that’s the gospel truth friends! So please, let’s stop concentrating on storing up earthly treasures and wisely decide to store up heavenly ones instead nuh! For that’s wisdom to the nth degree!
Now let’s go home declaring 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!’
Now there’s an addendum to that declaration which states, whoever endures to the very end with Jesus will enjoy an even more glorious future than we can ever comprehend or imagine. So let’s plan to meet at the very end and enjoy that more than glorious future together nuh! Much LOVE!
…why is the human being more enamoured with evil…than with good…when he was created by God…for good…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a little of something good is better than none at all, believe in thine heart, believeth on him that sent me, by grace are ye saved through faith, Christ died on the cross to provide salvation, Christ rose for our justification, christianity, confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, cramping my style, endure to the end with Christ, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, faith in Christ, God made a way where there was no way, God raised him from the dead, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn it, God's divine sovereignty, halfway home, hands on the plough, hath everlasting life, he hath not believed, he that believeth not is condemned already, he that believeth on him is not condemned, he that heareth my word, holy spirit, human responsibility, in the name of the only begotten Son of God, in thy mouth and in thy heart, is passed from death into life, it is the gift of God, Jesus Christ, lest any man should boast, LOVE, mercy, no difference between the Jew and the Greek, not of works, not of yourselves, not turning back, prideful person, salvation, salvation by grace through faith, second wind day, shall not come into condemnation, so glad to be alive, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Lord died for our sins, the parched earth, the same Lord is rich, the scripture says, the word is nigh thee, the word of faith, the world through him might be saved, thou shalt be saved, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unto all that call upon Him, Wednesday Wail, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, wisdom, with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
Romans 10:13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Well hello there Wednesday, you glorious summer’s day! Thanks for showing up and allowing us to catch our second wind in this hot and frustrating work week. And for once the forecasters were right; we did get about ten minutes of rain yesterday afternoon and a lot of noise from Thor on his drums. But unfortunately it made little difference to the parched earth or the temperature, for later in the evening I went outside, intending to sit on my porch and watch the populace go by with their many dogs and few children, but had to come right back inside because it was still too hot to sit out there.
Chuh man! This extremely hot weather is cramping my style. I can’t get to indulge in one of my summer pastimes of sitting on my porch in the evenings and enjoying whatever scene unfurls before me. (smile) I also believe we might have had a little rain sometime during the night, because the streets were wet when I looked outside.at dawn. That didn’t do much to ease the drought either, but we’re surely thankful for what little we got, since the great minds say, a little of something good, is better than none at all. And who am I to challenge them eh? (smile)
Anyway, we’re also very thankful for the breath of life that’s still flowing through us today, so let’s keep our promise of yesterday and continue looking at Bruh Paul’s writing to the Romans on the word of faith, after skillfully using Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 9:4, and 30:10-14, to amplify his own conviction. The last thing we saw yesterday is where he writes: ‘But what saith it? The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach.’ (Rom. 10:8)
So, the word of faith, faith in Christ is what Bruh Paul is preaching. Thus he continues: ‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (put to shame). For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Rom. 10: 10-13)
Now that fact was first prophesied by the prophet Joel, in Joel 2:32. And was later corroborated by Jesus in His talk with Nicodemus. He said to him: ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:17-18) So you see friends, condemnation is a must, a certainty, if you don’t believe.
And later on Jesus told the Jews, who were desperately looking for something negative to prosecute Him with. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.’ (John 5:24) So why would we be foolish and choose not to believe eh, when all the good things are in believing? Only a foolish, arrogant and very prideful person would do that! And thankfully, we’re none of those things. (smile)
But getting back to that last passage from Romans, the scholars offer some explanations on some of the things said therein. As per Confession is made unto salvation: They say: ‘One is not saved by his mouth’s confession, but rather, the mouth testifies readily of the grace of God in Christ which has been received by faith.’ Remember what Bruh Paul says in Ephesians? ‘For by grace are ye saved (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.’ (Eph. 2:8-9)
So all of the grace and saving is not from our strength or power, but as this excerpt from a commentary tells us: ‘By grace, we receive the faith that enables us to believe that He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and provide the salvation … The Lord died for our sins and rose for our justification, and He forgives, freely and fully, those who accept His gift of grace in Christ—and that acceptance comes through faith. This is the meaning of salvation by grace through faith.’
And how do we get this faith that’s oh so necessary to believe? As Bruh Paul says later in Romans 10: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:17) So we must be introduced to the Word of God to be able to get faith in Him. And the scholars note that ‘it’s not faith in what is heard, but faith that comes about by what is heard.’ So you can hear the word and not have faith, like so many of us today, but when the word touches us, that’s when faith rises up.
And as per verse 13, the scholars explain about ‘Whosoever: As chapter 9 stressed divine sovereignty in salvation, this passage stresses human responsibility. Scripture does not view these two principles as paradoxical or contradictory, but as mutually compatible truths.’ In other words, the Lord’s job was to make salvation possible, but then it’s our responsibility to accept it. And as the scripture says, that salvation is available to ANYONE who shall call upon the Lord’s name, be ye Jew or heathen! What a wonderful God we serve my brethren, making salvation open to ALL of His human creation!
And since we’ve said enough to give us sufficient food for thought, (smile) let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) 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!’
But that’s not all friends, for there’s the promise that all who endure to the end with Jesus will enjoy a future that’s much more glorious than we can ever think or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and endure right to the very end with Jesus nuh, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…God so badly wanted us to spend eternity with Him…that He made a way…where there seemed to be no way…that’s what He also does…in the individual lives of those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stiffnecked people, a zeal for God, be renewed and revitalized, children of the Most High God Jehovah, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, establish their own righteousness, faith, generous grace and mercy, god moves in mysterious ways, God's greatest creation, God's initiative in grace, God's omnipotent power, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God, hearken unto the word of the Lord, heat advisory, holy spirit, hurry, if God spares life, ignorant of God's righteousness, in god's eyes, in thy mouth and in thy heart, Israel mistook the purpose of the law, Israel's foolish rejection of Christ, Jesus Christ, lift our heads and hearts to heaven, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, man's humble obedience to God's grace, mercy, mistook the scope of the law, not according to knowledge, others can come to know and love Christ like we do, pinned their hopes on their own religious achievement, promises of rain, righteousness is universally available, righteousness only attainable by belief in Christ, salvation, say not in thine heart, seeking redemption in God's mercy, share His love with my neighbours, substituted works for faith, Thank You Lord, thanks to God's goodness and mercy, the awesome truth, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the law points to, the purpose of the law, the word is nigh thee, the word of faith, to all who respond to God's revelation of Himself, to every one that believes, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesuss, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn from their rebellious ways, we can do anything within God's will, we praise and glorify your holy name, who shall ascend into heaven, who shall descend into the deep, wisdom, worry, your undying love
Romans 10:8. The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach;
And then it was Tuesday, with Monday being consigned to the confines of history. But unfortunately only the name has changed, for it’s still a very hot and humid summer’s day, with an ongoing heat advisory, although there are some vague promises of rain in the offing…but I wouldn’t count on that, because I’ve heard that story before. (smile) Anyway, however it turns out, let’s remember that we are children of the Most High God Jehovah, and can do anything we need to, within His will, and with His omnipotent power.
And all God’s children cried out in thanksgiving: ‘Thank You Lord for your undying LOVE, and generous grace and mercy, without which we would certainly be in an even bigger muddle than we currently are in! We praise and glorify Your Holy Name! Amen!’ And isn’t that the awesome truth! For without our hope, faith and trust in Almighty God, we’d be in really bad shape. But thanks to His goodness and mercy, we can lift up our heads and hearts, hands and eyes to heaven and be renewed and revitalized.
Now, I’m chuckling here, because our God is indeed a great God, and does move in mysterious ways, for a few minutes ago, I opened the Good Library in front of me, but never paid attention to where it opened. But just now I looked at it and saw it opened unto the epistle of Bruh Paul to the Romans, and right there was the stuff that we were just talking about. Bruh Paul, in writing to Israel about their foolish rejection of Christ, tells them:
‘Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record (witness) that they have a zeal of (for) God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth (writes about) the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.’ (Rom. 10:1-5)
And what does all of that mean? The scholars explain it thus: ‘Christ is the end of the law: Israel mistook the purpose of the law. The law pointed to the righteousness that is attainable only by belief in Christ. Israel also mistook the scope of the law. The righteousness to which it pointed was universally available to all who responded to God’s revelation of Himself through the law. But by Paul’s time many had substituted works for faith. Rather than seeking redemption in God’s mercy, they pinned their hopes on their own religious achievement.’
And Bruh Paul continues: ‘But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, who shall descend into the deep (abyss)? (that is, to bring Christ up again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach;’ (Rom. 10:5-8)
Now that certainly sounds like a mouthful, but as the scholars explain: ‘Paul skillfully weaves together quotations from Deuteronomy 9:4, and 30:10-14, which speak of God’s initiative in grace and man’s humble obedience to it. He then applies this truth to the gospel of Christ.’ And briefly, in the passage from Deuteronomy 9, Moses is castigating the people, letting them know that the Lord is not offering them the Promised Land because of their righteousness or uprightness of their heart, but because of the wickedness of the nations who then inhabited it. For Israel were a stiffnecked, or rebellious and stubborn people.
Meanwhile in Deuteronomy 30, Moses is telling Israel they can get away from their cursed life, if they turn from their rebellious ways and hearken unto the word of the Lord, and keep His commandments with all their hearts and souls. ‘For this commandment which I command thee this day, is not hidden from thee (is not too mysterious for thee), neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh (near) unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.’ (Deut. 30:11-14)
Ah friends, Bruh Paul had to know his scriptures to so skillfully weave those points from Moses into his own teaching. In other words, God’s commandments and Word is not far from us, that we have to depend on someone to get them for us. No! They have already been offered to us, and consequently are right with us; in our hearts, mouths, souls and bodies. Therefore it’s up to us to follow them. And I think we’ll stop there for today, because the Bit will get too long and heavy, if we continue with the rest of the stuff we want to talk about. So tomorrow, if God spares life, we’ll continue talking about Bruh Paul’s take, on the word of faith.
Now, for those of us who are doing our best to live the way we ought to, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…we don’t deserve anything from God…but because of His great LOVE and compassion for us…His greatest creation…He generously offers us all that He is and has…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversity, apocalyptic judgement, behold I make all things new, blameless, catch our second wind, children of God, christianity, cleansed from all effects of sin, come like a thief in the night, divine origin, divine purpose, endure to the end with Christ, enjoy eternity with the Father Son and Holy Spirit, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, filled with the strength of Christ, God himself shall be their God, God himself shall be with them, God's promises are true, growing in spiritual maturity, halfway home, hands on the plough, he is faithful to His word, he that sat upon the throne said, holy conversation and godliness, holy spirit, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, increasing our witness for Christ, indisputable truth, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the only one we need, joy, look for new heavens and a new earth, LOVE, mercy, neither sorrow nor crying, no more death, no more pain, no more sea, not turning back, nuclear holocaust, patience, peace, perseverance, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, salvation, shall be burned up, so glad to be alive, thank God, Thank you Jesus, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the complete fellowship of God with His redeemed people, the day of the Lord, the earth and the works therein, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the end will be even better than the beginning, the eternal habitation of the saved, the final judgement, the former things are passed away, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the holy city, the Millenium, the new Jerusalem, the tabernacle of god is with men, the thousand year reign, they shall be his people, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, warning to live in righteousness, Wednesday Wail, wherein dwelleth righteousness, wipe away all tears, wisdom, without spot, write for these words are true and faithful, you're the Best
Revelation 21:5a. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
And then it was Wednesday…and many of us need to catch our second wind…if we ever caught our first, (smile) what with all the festivities of the past weekend. But the good thing is that being children of God, we have the capacity to handle a lot of work and adversity, because we’re filled with the strength, joy, LOVE, peace, patience and perseverance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And all of God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Jesus! You’re the best! The Only One we need, and will ever need!’
And that’s an indisputable truth! All this world needs is Jesus: Jesus in live and living colour! But the powers of the world seem to think otherwise, that’s why our world is going through so much disaster and chaos. Anyway, the good thing is that we know in His good time, Jesus will return to this God-forsaken earth and make it brand new. Remember what Peter says? ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 3:10)
Now that’s when Christ comes back in judgement, not the Rapture, for that day results in the final apocalyptic judgement. By the way, the heavens that shall pass away with a great noise, is merely the atmospheric heavens above the earth, not where the throne of God resides. (smile) And the noise and heat and burning up that Peter refers to, could even be a nuclear holocaust, which we’re not very far from right now, with all the nuclear posturing that’s currently taking place among the nations of this groaning earth!
And because of that possible apocalyptic situation, Peter therefore warns us to live in righteousness. ‘Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness. Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.’ (2 Pet. 3:11-14)
Yes friends, since all that stuff is going to happen, and since the Lord has promised on numerous occasions to destroy the wicked from off the earth, that means we have to live to a high standard of peace, LOVE, righteousness and joy, in other words, show true faith in Christ, so that we won’t be cast into hell fire with the wicked. Now that’s the tough side of the equation, but then, there’s also this glorious situation of a new earth and a new heaven, as John explains in the Book of Revelation, where he enthusiastically declares:
‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great shout out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21:1-5)
Yes my faithful brethren, that’s what we have to look forward to! As the scholars tell us, that’s ‘the eternal state, following the Millenium (thousand year reign) and the final judgement, centering in the new Jerusalem as the eternal habitation of the saved (cf. Heb. 11:10). The first heaven and the first earth are replaced by a new heaven and a new earth, predicted by Isaiah (cf. Is. 65:17; 66:22). The present universe will thus be cleansed from all the effects of sin (cf. 2 Pet. 3:7, 1013). Since there will be no more sea, the increased land space will be fully capable of handling large numbers of redeemed people from all ages.
The New Jerusalem is fully described in Rev. 21:10-22:5. It is a holy city, totally separate from sin. It is being prepared as the habitation of the bride of Christ (cf. vs. 9) . From God shows its divine purpose and out of heaven its divine origin. And, as per the Tabernacle of God: The presence of God will be with His people, and He will forever dwell with them. A primary purpose of redemption will be accomplished: the complete fellowship of God with His redeemed people. In the eternal state, there will be no tears, death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Everything will become new. God’s promises are true, and He is faithful to His Word. (cf. 19:11).’
What more can I say eh my fellow believers? It’s been explained as fully and simply as possible. And please look up those references, you will find them very pertinent to the scriptures they reference. I obviously don’t have the time or space to spoon feed us with them, as I am won’t to do. (smile) But seriously though, having gotten all that information as to what will happen in the end times, it is therefore very important to ensure that we’re amongst those who will enjoy eternity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
That means, concentrating on increasing our witness for Christ, while growing in spiritual maturity, doing our best to bring souls to Him, and becoming as much like Him as possible. And to show that we are endeavouring to do just that, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most 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 by the way, it’s been further promised, that those who endure to the end with Christ will enjoy an even more glorious future than our finite minds can even imagine or comprehend. So let’s be wise and stand strong in faith for Christ right to the very end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…the end …will be even better…than the beginning…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adopt the righteousness of God right now, air quality advisory, all the horns of the wicked will I cut off, all the wicked of the earth, all these things shall be added unto you, before it's too late, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, but the dregs thereof, caribana festivities, christianity, come to know and love him like we do, cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord, duty bound, early destroy all the wicked of the land, exalt the righteous, faith, give thanks for God's deliverance, God is the judge, God's justice will prevail, God's righteous judgement, God's role as the ultimate judge, God's Sovereignty, God's wrath, he poureth out of the same, he shall serve me, he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight, he that walketh in a perfect way, he that worketh deceit, holy spirit, humble the wicked, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I will declare for ever, in god's eyes, in the hnad of the Lord is a cup, it is full of mixture, it is fully mixed, Jesus Christ, leggo-beast kind of partying, LOVE, mercy, mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, no one can take that from me, not be aligned with the wicked of the earth, not what I do, not what I have, on the late bus, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, shall not dwell within my house, shall wring them out and drink them, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sing praises to the God of jacob, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the horns of the righteous shall be exalted, the righteous judge, the ultimate faith of the wicked is in God's hands, the wicked may seem to prosper, the wine is red, they shall be filled, to go to bed late is to rise up late, trust in god's righteousness, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, Walk with a Perfect Heart, wisdom, workers of iniquity, worry
Psalm 75:9. But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
Oh friends, forgive me, but we’re on the late bus this Tuesday morning. And it’s not because I was partying, I’m too old to get into that leggo-beast kind of partying, but I was up late doing some other stuff, and thus went to bed late, and consequently the old adage applies; to go to bed late is to rise up late. (smile) Anyway, the long weekend holiday celebrations are now over; as they say; deh done like dinner! Now we’ll have to wait another year to get back into the Caribana festivities and what ever activities take place at this time of year.
But since the Lord has granted us the breath of life to see another day, although we have another bad air quality advisory, (smile) let’s keep our promise of yesterday to continue looking at the marvellous words of Asaph in Psalm 75, titled ‘The Righteous Judge.’ Yesterday we saw where he offers up thanks for God’s presence and amazing works (vs.1), then tells of the promise of God’s righteous judgement in His own time (vs. 2-5), then he explains, gives us some idea of what that judgment will be like, (vs. 6-8).
However, yesterday we only progressed to verse 7, meaning we did not get all that Asaph said about the judgement. And after Asaph tells us in verse 7 that ‘God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up (exalts) another,’ he paints a tough picture of that judgement in verse 8. So let’s begin there today, as Asaph writes: ‘For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture (fully mixed, foaming); and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them (drain it) out, and drink them.’ (Ps. 75:8)
Now that’s surely an interesting way for the wicked to be destroyed. And I like the overview this commentary offers. ‘Psalm 75 is a psalm of thanksgiving that focuses on God’s righteous judgment and sovereignty. It highlights God’s role as the ultimate judge, who will exalt the righteous and humble the wicked. The psalm uses imagery of a “cup” to represent God’s wrath, which the wicked will be forced to drink. It also emphasizes God’s power to both exalt and humble individuals, regardless of their earthly status.’
Hopefully friends, we will acknowledge that coming judgement and do our best not to have to drink of the dregs of that deadly cup of wine. Meaning, we will not be aligned with the wicked of the earth, but with the righteous, to whom the kingdom of God is promised. As Jesus says in the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount; ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6) And later on He admonishes us thus: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Yes my brethren, the Lord urges us to seek righteousness above all else, for when we do, everything else will fall into place. That’s the Lord’s promise, and He never makes idle promises, or reneges on them. And having said all of that, (smile) let’s turn back to Psalm 75, the last two verses, where Asaph shows his confidence in God’s judgement, as he writes: ‘But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns (strength) of the wicked also will I cut off (destroy); but the horns (strength) of the righteous shall be exalted.’ (Ps. 75:9-10)
Oh my fellow believers, that’s what’s in store for us all; if we’re wicked, we’ll be destroyed forever, but if we’re righteous, we’ll be exalted, lifted up, by Almighty God! So which scenario looks the best eh? Obviously the one that promotes righteousness! And there are numerous promises in the Bible that the wicked will eventually destroyed, so it couldn’t be a joke. Promises like this one written by Bruh David in Psalm 101, titled ‘Walk with a Perfect Heart.’
Speaking on God’s behalf, he ends the psalm thus: ‘Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect (blameless) way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry (continue) in my sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers (workers of iniquity) from the city of the Lord.’ (Ps. 101: 6-8)
There we have it my brethren, more ammunition that the Lord will eventually destroy the wicked from the face of the earth and give it to the righteous. So what are we waiting for to turn to righteousness and grab hold of it with all of our souls, bodies, hearts and minds eh? For that’s where the answer to everything lies!
And I believe it’s fitting for us to end today’s chat the same way the above commentary does. It concludes: ‘The psalm can be interpreted as a reminder that God’s justice will prevail, and that while the wicked may seem to prosper for a time, their ultimate fate is in God’s hands. It also encourages believers to trust in God’s righteousness and to give thanks for His deliverance.’
Oh my fellow saints, I could not have said it any better! But I can certainly encourage us to do what the commentary says: ‘trust in God’s righteousness and give thanks for His deliverance,’ for that’s where our salvation and eternal life comes from. And for those of us who are trying to live righteously, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And with that declaration (awright!!!), we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him the way we do! Much LOVE!
…let’s adopt the righteousness of God…RIGHT NOW…for soon it might be too late…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a modicum of circumspection, a word to the wise is sufficient, air advisory warning, asaph, bear up the pillars of it, brings down to the grave and brings up, broken to pieces, by strength shall no man prevail, by the might of my power, Caribana cultural activities, choose the appointed time, Christian witness, christianity, deal not foolishly, disobeyed your word, divine aid, drive thee from men, eat grass like oxen, exalt the horn of his anointed, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, for the honour of my majesty, full steam ahead, give strength unto his king, gives it to whomsoever he will, God is the judge, God raises up the poor out of the dust, God will keep the feet of his saints, God's awesome works, Hannah's song of praise, he brings low and lifts up, he puts down one and sets up another, his hairs were grown like eagles feathers, his ways justice, holy spirit, humble ourselves and pray, humble servants, humility, hung over, I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the king of heaven, I said unto the fools, indisputable truth, inherit the throne of glory, insolent pride, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, judge uprightly, lift not up your horn on high, lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, LOVE, makes poor, makes rich, mass confusion, meekness, mercy, nails like birds claws, Nebuchadnezzar's boast, non-existent in our society, out of heaven shall he thunder upon them, party heartily, party wisely, physically sick, praise and thanksgiving for God's presence, pray, promotion comes neither from the east, reject God's authority, salvation, Selah, set the world upon them, seven times shall pass over thee, sincerely seek your face, speak not with a stiff neck, strong faith in Christ, suffer the consequences, suffer wrath beyond their imagination, the adversaries of the Lord, the arrogant, the BIBLE, the boastful, the earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved, the God who heals, the Lord killeth and maketh alive, the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, the most High rules in the kingdom of men, the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, the power to solve our many problems, the proud and boastful are falling, the righteous judge, the same hour was the thing fulfilled, the throne of grace, the wicked shall be silent in darkness, those that walk in pride He is able to abase, those who oppose the Lord, thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare, to set them among princes, to the wicked, truth, turn from our evil ways, until thou know, unto thee O God do we give thanks, we have all sinned, wet with the dew of heaven, when I shall receive the congregation, whose works are truth, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 75:7. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up (exalts) another.
So it’s a bright and sunshiny Monday, the last day of this August long weekend that features the Caribana cultural activities. And even with an air advisory warning from the numerous forest fires, the celebrations are moving full steam ahead. (smile) But please, let’s remember tomorrow is work, and if you don’t show a modicum of circumspection in your celebrating today, tomorrow you’ll suffer the consequences; being physically sick, hung over, dead tired, or whatever negative situation crops up, and it might even endanger your job. So let’s be wise and party heartily, but above all, party wisely! End of Sermon. (smile)
And today we’ll look at the interesting Psalm 75, titled The Righteous Judge, who obviously is Almighty God. This psalm comes from the pen of Asaph, another great song writer that worked with Bruh David. The psalm opens thus: ‘Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.’ (Ps. 75:1) And as in so many other psalms, we see the writer opens with praise and thanksgiving for God’s presence and His awesome works.
Then he continues: ‘When I shall receive the congregation (choose the appointed or proper time) I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolved: I bear up (firmly set up) the pillars of it. Selah. I said unto the fools (boastful, arrogant), Deal not foolishly (boastfully or arrogantly): and to the wicked, lift not up the horn (don’t raise your head proudly like a horned animal): Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck (in insolent pride).’ (Ps. 75:2-5)
And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains it thus: ‘The psalm begins by thanking the Lord for His many incredible actions. It then speaks from the Lord’s perspective as He states that judgment will occur only on His timing. The psalmist compares the boastful people to a wild ox that lifts up its horn against heaven and stretches its neck out in arrogance. And those tempted to reject God’s authority, are met with serious warnings. Those who oppose the Lord will suffer wrath beyond their imagination.’
Then Asaph gets to the meat and potatoes of the psalm, explaining God’s judgement. ‘For promotion (exaltation) cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up (exalts) another.’ (Ps. 75:6-7) And is that ever the indisputable truth! For we see examples of it, as well as hear the same words all through the scriptures. But we still refuse to believe it. And these words from the song of Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother, in thanksgiving for the Lord’s answer to her prayer for a son, tell it like it is:
‘The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he has set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn (strength) of his anointed.’ (1 Sam. 2:6-10)
Yes friends, Hannah says it all in that marvellous song of thanksgiving for the Lord’s curing of her barren state. And one of the best examples of that lowering and exalting is found in the Book of Daniel, where the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, having troublesome dreams, appeals to Daniel for help, and is given the revelation that because of his arrogance and foolish pride, he will go mad for seven years. And we see it when He get’s proud and boastful about his building of the great empire of Babylon, ‘by the might of my power, and the honour of my majesty.’
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass like oxen, and seven times (years) shall pass over thee, until thou know the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.’ (Dan. 4:30-33)
You see my people, the Lord’s Word is not a joke, so we had better believe whatever it says. And I like how after seven years of madness, the kingdom is restored to Nebuchadnezzar, and he testifies thus: ‘Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and his ways judgement (justice): and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (humble).’ (Dan. 4:37) Now if a pagan king could make such a mighty testimony about the Lord’s power, why aren’t we believing it eh? For today, we are walking in so much pride and arrogance, that humility and meekness are almost non-existent. No wonder so many of the proud and boastful are falling.
Ah friends, unfortunately, we got away from the psalm, but that’s okay for the scriptures we looked at gave us a better understanding of it. (smile) And if the Lord spares life tomorrow, we will continue looking at the remainder of Psalm 75. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine help for our numerous problems.
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!’
And we all know what it will take to get divine aid…better Christian witness from us. So please, in our best interest, let’s cut out all the foolish talking and useless pride, and simply do it nuh. Much LOVE!
…a word to the wise is sufficient…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, a life of joy and peace, abolish the slave trade, Adam's sin brought death, Adam's transgression brought death to mankind, Amazing grace, as long as life endures, ascend up to heaven, been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, but now I'm found, by grace are you saved through faith, Caribana celebrations, celelbrate the Lord's day, christianity, created in christ Jesus unto good works, give God the praise, God ordained we should walk in, God who called me here below, God's free gift of grace, going to the Lord's house, grace alone brings salvation, grace my fears relieved, grace only comes to those who accept Christ, grace will lead me home, he will my shield and portion be, His word my hope secures, holy spirit, how precious did that grace appear, how sweet the sound, I have already come, I once was lost, in the sanctuaries of God, it is the gift of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus's sacrifice brings life, John Newton, lest any man should boast, LOVE, mercy, mortal life shall cease, no less days to sing god's praise, not of works, not of yourselves, one prayer away from Jesus' saving grace, one thing I know, possess within the veil, renewed confidence, salvation, salvation comes only through grace, sin causes all to die, slave trading, spiritual turmoil, spiritual up lifting, spiritually blind, spiritually refreshing Sunday, that saved a wretch like me, the awesome truth, the BIBLE, the dehumanizing slave trade, the earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the gift of grace, the hour I first believed, the Lord has promised good to me, the moral of the story, the sun forbear to shine, the transformative power of God's grace, the voices of prayer and worship, the work of Christ, then when we'd first begun, thoughts of Christ, through many dangers toils and snares, through the offence of one, tis grace hath brought me safe so far me, truth, twas grace that taught my heart to fear, until the end of time, was blind but now I see, we are his workmanship, when this flesh and heart shall fail, whereas i was blind now I see, will be forever mine, wisdom
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
So after a lazy-day Saturday, we come to a spiritually refreshing Sunday, where in the sanctuaries of God, the voices of prayer and worship ascend up to heaven and return with renewed confidence, faith and spiritual uplifting. And this long August weekend, with the Caribana celebrations on tap, is no different, although we might be doing a bit more celebrating than usual. (smile) But please, let’s not allow the secular celebrating to stop us from going to the Lord’s house and celebrate His day as we are accustomed to doing every Sunday.
And today’s song of worship is one of the most popular Christian hymns ever, aptly titled ‘Amazing Grace.’ And why do we say it’s aptly titled? Because, as this commentary tells us, it is not a song of theology, but its author, John Newton’s own heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, who helped him turn from his profane and wicked life of slave trading and eventually fight against the ills he once practiced.
The song was written around 1772, by which time Newton had become and English clergyman and a poet, and thus was able to describe the transformative power of God’s grace, especially in his own life, after a period of spiritual turmoil and self-searching during the years of his life at sea, and his involvement in the lucrative but very evil and dehumanizing slave trade. And it’s rather amazing to hear the story of Newton’s life and subsequent transformation.
Apparently he went to sea from a young age, around 11, and though raised as a Christian by his mother, he rejected all her teachings, and was supposedly even more profane and debauched and coarse than what’s normally expected of sailors. But as our Lord is won’t to do, one night while steering his battered ship, the Greyhound through a particularly bad storm, he considered his ruined life, and thoughts of Christ began to fill his confused mind.
Obviously he considered himself beyond hope and saving, but sometime later he found a copy of the New Testament, and as he read Luke 11:13, ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ Now that is a very powerful scripture, claiming that God will save anyone who asks for it. And that apparently began Newton’s turn from evil to godliness.
To make a long story short, he gave up his slave trading occupation, became a minister, and even helped William Wilberforce who led the fight to abolish slave trading in the British Empire with the passing of the British Slave Trade Act in 1807. So now that we know the story behind the song, let’s lift up our voices in sweet sacrificial praise, offering up a soulful, scintillating, heartfelt version of Amazing Grace, because it’s God’s amazing free gift of grace that has saved all of us unworthy sinners.
Singing: ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures; He will my Shield and Portion be, As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun…. Yes, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth friends? Singing God’s praises is what we’ll be doing until the end of time!
Now, the song is about grace and salvation. And there are a couple of scriptures that illustrate that God’s gift of grace is our saving grace. (smile) Listen to this first one as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians: ‘For by grace are (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 ordained (prepared) that we should walk in.’ (Eph. 2:8-10)
And that’s the first thing we need to learn about grace; that’s it a gift of God, not of any works that we can do. We get saved by having faith in Christ and thus receiving God’s amazing grace. And that Grace alone, which brings salvation, means that God LOVES, forgives, and saves us not because of who we are or what we do, but because of the work of Christ. And that is further explained by Bruh Paul in his epistle to the Roman church when talking about Adam’s transgression causing death to all mankind.
He says: ‘But not as the offence, so also is the gift free (the free gift of salvation is not like the false step of Adam). For though the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many.’ (Rom. 5:15) In other words, Adam’s sin brought forth death, but Jesus’ sacrifice brings forth life. However, the important difference is that sin causes all to die, but grace only comes to those who accept Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Then there’s this interesting scripture from the gospel of John where Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath day by anointing his eyes with clay, then telling him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, which he did, and received his sight. (John 9:1-7) But as always, fast neighbours intervened and wondered if it was the same man. Then the Pharisees ever looking for a way to get something negative on Jesus, got hold of the situation and begun badgering the man and his parents about who healed him and how.
‘Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.’ (John 9:24-25) What a wonderful answer my brethren! That’s what the grace of God will do for you, make you see, when you’re spiritually blind, like it did for John Newton and so many of us.
And the moral of the story is that no matter how far gone you are, you are only one step, one sincere prayer, one cry away from Jesus’ saving grace and arms! That’s His promise to us. And let’s hope that we are all wise enough to take hold of that marvellous opportunity today. Much LOVE!
…God’s LOVE for mankind is so obvious…that only if we’re blind…we wont see it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Guidebook for earthly living, a most encouraging and reassuring promise, after one time is two, all things work together for good, be not afraid, be strong and of a good courage, Bible, brings us to a realization, called according to His purpose, Caribana Parade, christianity, Christians, daily taking up our cross, deepen my breath, denying ourselves, do according to all that's written therein, enter the pearly gates of heaven, faith, following Jesus, frustrations, God has the power to make everything right, God is in control, God will eventually make all things right, God will never leave nor forsake us, have good success, have not I commanded thee, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, if we read the Bible, if you can't control it don't worry about it, in all sincerity and truth, increase my awareness of you today, it's all for our benefit, its multitude of wisdom and riches, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, leave it all to God, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, mercy, neither be thou dismayed, omnipotent god, Pan Alive Steelband Competition, place our total faith and trust in God, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, slow my thoughts, still fresh through all the ages, thank you for this tenderness, the beauty of prayer, the Bible is God's word to us, the C.N.E grounds, the indisputable truth, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the low standard of the mas, the trials and tribulations of life, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, thou shalt meditate therein day and night, to spend eternity with Christ, to the ends of the earth, to them that love God, truth, we'll find God wisdom on its pages, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
And then it was our lazy-day Saturday for this our August long weekend, but for many of us, it certainly won’t be a lazy-day, for we’ll be somewhere down the Lakeshore around the C.N.E. grounds taking in the Caribana Parade. And yes, I know that’s not the official title, but to us old folks, it will always be CARIBANA, and will go down in the annals as such. (smile) Now, as the old people would say, after one time is two yes. And that’s the reality of the situation, for I never missed the Caribana Parade for thirty something years, but for the last fifteen or so I haven’t been. Sometimes I don’t even remember that it’s around. Why?
For several reasons. First of all, because the old bones can’t take the stress of the plenty walking and jumping any longer, plus I would go there and not see anyone I knew. That was just unfathomable, because in earlier times, as soon as I hit the Lakeshore I would see oodles of people I knew. And last, but possibly the most important reason is that the quality of the mas in the parade has gone down so low that it’s not worth going to see anymore. And that’s not only my opinion, but a lot of others too, who knew what real mas and mas costumes were about.
But the Caribana Celebrations is still a big thing in the city and I’m glad that they can make some tourist dollars off of it. And just to show how the standards have fallen, I went to the Pan Alive Steelband Competition last night, and there were only three bands out of the six that competed that should have been in the competition. Even one of the guest bands sounded better than the first three competitors. Steups! But who am I, a non mas and non pan person to say anything eh? (smile) And to stop my spirit from getting upset as I remember what was, and what is right now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.
As one strong 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!’
That did it friends! (smile) I’ve released whatever frustrations I had about the state of the current mas and pan situation, and have accepted that things change, and not always in a manner that I like, but since I cannot change them, I just have to leave them alone. And that’s the beauty of prayer; it brings us to a realization, that if we cannot control it, we should not worry about it, just leave it all up to God, because He has the power to make everything right, and has promised to do so, through this marvellous verse from Romans. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Yes my faithful brethren, if we LOVE the Lord and place our total faith and trust in Him, then eventually, when, in His wisdom, He knows the time is right, then He will work everything out for our good. So, although it can be very difficult when we’re going through the trials and tribulations of this earthly life, we need not worry, because we know that our omnipotent God is in control and He will eventually make all wrongs right! But we can only stand strong in faith when we know His Word, that’s why constant reading and meditating on it is absolutely necessary.
The Lord even said it in no uncertain terms to Joshua, when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. And not once, but several times in a few verses of Joshua chapter one. Hear this direct command: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in your mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Straight from the Lord’s mouth my people! If we want to be prosperous and have success then we need to know His Word, because that’s the purpose for which it was created. That reminds me of the quote I got from some unremembered place: ‘The Bible is God’s Word to us, still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages.’ That’s gospel truth friends! The Bible was written as a Guidebook for Earthly Living, but we have to read and study it constantly if we want to discover its multitude of wisdom and riches.
And this last thing God said to Joshua is one of my favourite scripture verses. After telling him about constantly meditating on His Word, the Lord then expounded and admonished: ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) Oh my people, what a most encouraging and reassuring promise! And it’s the indisputable truth, for our faithful God is always with us, since He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us. (Heb. 13:5)
And if we want to have a successful and prosperous life here on earth, then enter the pearly gates to spend eternity with Jesus, then we have to take all those commands and promises seriously, live by them each and every day, being true disciples of Christ. That’s denying ourselves, taking up our cross every day and following Him to the ends of the earth! (Luke 9:23)
And today is a good day to ponder our situation; whether we’re following God’s directives, meditating on His word, denying ourselves, daily taking up our cross and following Him. Remember, it’s all for our benefit! Much LOVE!
…if you don’t know God’s Word…then you cannot live the way He desires…or have a prosperous and successful life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a buckler to them that walk uprightly, a modicum of circumspection, a nacklace of jewels, a new flock of believers, a practical application of common sense, a shield to them that walk uprightly, a shield to those who walk with integrity, a treasure of common sense to the honest, a valuable asset, all the tools to do it, be infants in evil, be mature in your thinking, be not children in understanding, be ye therefore wise as serpents, beneficial aspects of wisdom, celebrations, Christian walk, christianity, Civic holiday, common sense, disastrous earthly affairs, discernement, discretion shall preserve thee, divine intervention, error of their ways, everyday situations, faith, Friday chant, get up off our fannies, godly decisions, guidance and protection, harmless as doves, He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous, holy spirit, I send you forth as sheep, in malice be children, in the midst of the wolves, in understanding be men, innocent as doves, Jesus Christ, knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, LOVE, mercy, navigating life's challenges, omnipotent help, our witness for christ, problems are escalating, purity, requiring little reflection, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, self-evident, shrewdness, Simcoe day, sound practical knowledge, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the BIBLE, trusting faith, truth, understanding shall keep thee, wake up and and smell the coffee, wisdom, wisdom enters the heart, wise action is stronger than talk
Matthew 10:16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of the wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves.
Here it is friends, the first day of August, our last official month of summer. Let’s hope that it takes it time and doesn’t run away from us like the last two did. But remember, it’s also our responsibility to keep pace with it and not let it get away from us. And the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been long and loud, for this our August long weekend, our Civic Holiday, Simcoe Day or whatever day we choose to call it. But the first Monday in August is always a holiday. That means the celebrations will also be loud and long, but as always, there’s this warning to be careful and exercise a modicum of circumspection, so that no untoward disasters will occur.
Yes, let’s use some common sense as we celebrate, although I know that common sense is not very prevalent in our society right now, (smile) but it will certainly do us a lot of good if we try to bring it back, to re-instill it in our irresponsible societal ways. And since we’re on the topic of common sense that seems to be absent from our society, I guess now would be the right time to talk about it. And what exactly is common sense?
This commentary explains it thus: ‘Common sense is the basic level of sound practical knowledge and judgment that most people possess and rely on in everyday situations. It’s often described as the knowledge that is shared by nearly all people and is considered self-evident or requiring little reflection.’ And that seems right, it’s a basic sense of good judgement that we all ought to share in our daily doings.
And don’t think it’s only a secular concept, of course not, for the Bible has a lot to say about common sense, even if it does not call it that. This commentary further explains that ‘God grants common sense to the upright, leading to understanding, protection, and success. The verses encourage seeking wisdom and discernment, suggesting that godly common sense is a valuable asset for navigating life’s challenges.’ And so it is my people.
So let’s look at a few scriptures that highlight common sense. And since the Proverbs of Cousin Sol is a Book of wisdom, many of them are found there, like this one from Proverbs 2: ‘He layeth up (stores up) sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler (shield) to them that walk uprightly.’ (Prov. 2:7) Or as this translation puts it: “He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.” There we see, common sense being linked with integrity and honesty.
Then listen to this one: ‘When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul: Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.’ (Prov. 2:10-11) So, when you acquire wisdom and understanding, you will be better able to make good and godly decisions. Or, as one commentary says: ‘This passage highlights the protective and beneficial aspects of wisdom and understanding, which are closely related to common sense.’ And is it ever! For if the world had more godly wisdom and understanding, it would certainly not be in the disastrous and chaotic state it’s now in.
And what about these verses? ‘My son, let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.’ (Prov. 3:21-23) Yes friends, common sense and discernment, are indeed riches, like jewels around our necks. They also provide favour, godly goodness to our souls, and they keep us safe in our Christian walk. They emphasize the value of common sense for guidance and protection.
But Cousin Sol is not the only one who emphasized the use of common sense in their writings. Hear this verse from Bruh Paul to the Corinthians. ‘Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye children (babes), but in understanding be ye men (mature).’ (1 Cor. 14:20) There, he’s admonishing them for being small minded and evil. Or as this translation puts it: “Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” This verse encourages believers to develop mature and discerning thinking, which is a component of common sense.’
And our last scripture on common sense is one from Jesus, when he sends out the disciples to witness to the children of Israel. He says to them: ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of the wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves.’ (Matt. 10:16) Jesus is sending the disciples out in dangerous territory, but he expects them to use the wisdom and understanding, He’s taught them, to develop common sense. And I like how this commentary explains it: ‘This verse, while not directly using the term “common sense,” calls for a balance of shrewdness (wisdom) and innocence (purity), which is a practical application of common sense.’
So, my fellow believers, we see that the scriptures are filled with verses on common sense. And as the commentary further explains: ‘These scriptures suggest that common sense is not merely a secular concept but a divinely given quality that helps individuals make wise decisions, navigate life’s challenges, and experience God’s blessings.’ And our first step of common sense in any situation is always to pray. So let’s do that right now nuh, by going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant to ask for divine intervention in our disastrous earthly affairs.
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 manage 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 friends, though we pray all day, every day, unless we improve our witness for Christ, divine intervention will not be forthcoming. Jesus has done His part, we now have to do ours. And we have all the tools to do it. So, all that’s necessary, is for us to get up off of our fannies and do it! Much LOVE!…talk can be strong…but wise action is always stronger…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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