03 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Christian soldier's last words, a disadvantage, a friend of the world, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a spiritual fight to the death, after you have suffered a while, as a roaring lion, assurance of God's grace and mercy, be sober, be vigilant, Bible, called us into his eternal glory, casting all your care upon him, cause the enemy to gain footholds in our lives, Christ has defeated hell death and the grave, Christ the royal Master, Christ's Resurrection, christianity, Christians, cleanse your hands ye sinners, disobeyed your word, divine aid, draw nigh to God, ease the pain, experienced by your brethren, faith, forward into battle, gets his hooks in you, giving us the victory, handled with aplomb, he may exalt you in due time, he shall lift you up, he will flee from you, hear and answer our prayers, Hell's foundations, hold on to the victory won by Christ, holy spirit, humble servants, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, humility, I have finished my course, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, leads against the foe, like a roaring lion hungry for food, LOVE, marching as to war, mass confusion in our world, mercy, never give up, Onward Christian soldiers, perfect confirm, pray, promised to prosper us, purify your hearts ye doubleminded, quiver at the shout of praise, resist steadfast in the faith, resist the devil, resist the onslaughts of the enemy, resisting the enemy is no laughing matter, salvation, see his banner go, sincere prayer, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerely seek your face, spiritual lives, step up to the plate, strengthen and settle you, submit yourselves to God, suffering from negative situations, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, the enemy is difficult to dislodge, the enemy of God, the father of lies, the friendship of the world is enmity with God, the God of all grace, the God who heals, the power of the Holy spirit, the power to solve our problems, the same afflictions, the throne of grace, to alleviate our problems, to him be the glory and dominion for ever, truth, turn from our evil ways, use the spiritual weapons of God, walketh about, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, we have all sinned, wisdom, wise guidance, with the cross of jesus going on before, work week frustrations, your adversary the devil
James 4:7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
And the new work week frustrations begin again with another Monday on board. But like all those Mondays in the past that we’ve handled with such aplomb, we will handle this one with the same poise and assurance of God’s awesome grace and mercy flowing through us, giving us the victory! Believing anything less is only putting ourselves at a major disadvantage that will cause the enemy to gain unwanted footholds in our lives. And we all know the havoc that the father of lies and deceit can create once he gets access to our minds, bodies and hearts.
And since he’s so difficult to dislodge once he begins his evil work, it’s best not to let him get any footholds at all in our spiritual lives. Consequently, James, Jesus’ brother, warns us: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is (makes himself) the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth (yearns jealously) to envy?
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 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 double minded…Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:4-8, 10)
Yes friends, please note that we can resist the devil, but only if we first humble ourselves and draw near to God. For if the power of God’s Holy Spirit isn’t working powerfully in you, then you will not be able to resist the numerous onslaughts of the enemy. And if you did not believe James, then listen to Peter’s wonderful advice along the same lines, from his first epistle.
‘Humble your selves 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. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-11)
Yuh see again mih bredrin, that you have to humble yourselves, submit to God, before you can have any chance of turning away the devil. That’s because it’s not our strength, but the grace, the power of God that gives us the ability to do so. And believe me, resisting the enemy is no laughing, but a very serious matter, for once he gets his hooks in you, he’s going to tear you up as Peter says, like a roaring lion hungry for food.
Remember this is no joke war we’re engaged in, but a spiritual fight to the death, and if we don’t use the spiritual weapons granted to us by Almighty God, (Eph. 6) then we won’t be able to hold on to the victory already won by Christ on our behalf. Yes, the victory is already ours, because Christ has defeated hell, death and the grave, through His own death and awesome resurrection, we only need to keep it won now.
But the enemy will not give up. Neither should we. That’s why Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure harness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) So should we all who call ourselves believers in Christ Jesus, stand up strong and steadfast in His name, and fight the good fight of faith.
As the old anthem calls us to do: ‘Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle, see his banner go! At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!’
Oh my people, that is exactly how we have to behave this Monday morning, the first of February 2025; get out onto the battlefield behind the banner of Jesus and give the enemy what for! That’s the only way we will ever win the spiritual battle for our souls. And to help us bravely step up to the plate, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine aid in these most crucial and critical times.
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 divine aid calls for humility, sincere prayer, and turning from our evil ways. Much LOVE!
…a Christian soldier’s last words ought to be…I have fought a good fight…I have finished my course (race)…I have kept the faith… (2 Tim. 4:7)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Almithy god is a total God, Bible, bless the LOrd o my soul, bless the righteous, calm, christianity, Christians, contentment, deepen my breath, doing the Lord's work, dreary winter days, even the youths shall faint and be weary, faith, for his wonderful works to the children of men, forget not all his benefits, give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, gives power to the faint, God's act of saving from a perilous situation, he delivered them from their distresses, he increases strength, his mercy endures for ever, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, let those who love thy name rejoice in thee, LOVE, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, neither is he weary, O Give thanks unto the Lord, peace, quiet my soul, reconciliation with God, redeems thy life from destruction, redemption, relax my muscles, renew our faith and physical energy, run and not be weary, sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, salvation, satisfies thy mouth with good things, saved from sin and its consequences, shall renew their strength, sincerity, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, the bondage of sin, the Father of mercies, the God of All Comfort, the Lord fainteth not, there's no searching of his understanding, they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, they that wait upon the Lord, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, truth, unceasing nearness, walk and not faint, wisdom, with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield, young men shall fall, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Psalm 103:2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Awright friends, it’s our lazy-day Saturday, and a bright and sunshiny though pretty cold one; something like minus 13. Nevertheless, it’s so good to see some sunshine after such a long period of damp, cloudy and dreary winter days. The sun almost blinded me when I opened the blinds a short while ago, and I said to myself, that can’t be true, sunshine after all this time? But it is true, and we thank the Lord, for His goodness to us undeserving children of men! (smile) Anyway, enough prattle, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and offer it up with all sincerity and truth.
As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Oh my people, that prayer is so sweet and compelling that if our voices came from a sincere heart with right motives, the Lord cannot help but answer it with a rush of peace, calm and contentment to our needy souls. Did you feel it? I certainly did. I felt that calm and peaceful feeling just washing over me, helping me to let go of any anxieties and fears that I hitherto had. Hope the same thing happened to you, for our God is a God of comfort and peace. As Bruh Paul calls Him: ‘the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.’ (2 Cor. 1:3) And so He is!
Now, yesterday we began looking at some of the many benefits to be had in God’s kingdom, taking our cue from Bruh David’s words in Psalm 103: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.’ (Ps. 103:2) But unfortunately, we ran out of time after talking about two of the biggest benefits, forgiveness of sins, and healing of our diseases. So, let’s continue now with the list of benefits that Bruh David identifies. ‘Who redeemeth thy life from destruction…’
Now what does that mean? Well, basically “Redeeming” signifies God’s act of rescuing or saving someone from a perilous situation, in this case, from destruction. And we see it all throughout the Bible where God rescues His people from destruction. It’s a sacred promise found in Psalm 5: ‘But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest (protects, covers) them: let them also that LOVE thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass (surround) him as with a shield.’ (Ps. 5:11-12)
And nowhere do we see that better than in Psalm 107, titled ‘God’s Redemptive Power.’ It reads: ‘O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS) endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary (desolate) way, they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-KINDNESS), and for his wonderful works to the children of men!’ (Ps. 107:1-8)
Oh friends, in times of distress, when we cry out to God for help, He hears and answers. Meanwhile, ‘In the New Testament, “redemption” refers to the act of being saved from sin and its consequences through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, essentially “buying back” humanity from the bondage of sin by paying the price through his blood on the cross, allowing reconciliation with God and the possibility of eternal life; this is considered the central act of salvation in Christianity.’ And Bruh Paul puts it thus to the church at Ephesus: ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:7)
And when we come to the next benefit; ‘who crowneth thee with (LOVING-KINDESS) and tender mercies;’ (Ps. 103:4b) it all dovetails very nicely, because when the Lord redeems us from our distresses, be they sins or physical disasters, He also crowns us with His awesome grace, favour and mercy. One is a natural part of the other. He won’t simply redeem us then leave us to our own designs. No way! Our God does everything in totality. And this next benefit tells it exactly like it is: ‘Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:5)
The Lord gives us good food to eat, when we’re hungry, like He gave the Israelites manna in the wilderness for forty years, and also puts good words in our mouths, from His Word. The two of them combine to renew both our physical and spiritual selves. As Isaiah says in these well-known verses: ‘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)
Oh my fellow saints, on this lazy-day Saturday, the first day of February 2025, let’s take time to ponder all that we’ve said and allow it to renew both our faith and our physical energy, so that we can mount up with wings as eagles, and not grow weary in doing the Lord’s work! Much LOVE!
…Almighty God is a total God…in Him… EVERYTHING can be found for living life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: as sheep going astray, bare our sins in his own body, be made the righteousness of God in Him, become better witnesses for Christ, being dead to sins, Bible, binds up their wounds, bitter waters, bless the LOrd o my soul, brought upon the Egyptians, by the stripes of Jesus, Christ also suffered for us, christianity, Christians, close communion with God, committed himself, crowns thee with loving-kindness, crying out for your help, diligently hearken to voice of the Lord, disobedience, divine favour, do that which is right in his sight, faith, forget not all his benefits, forgives all thine iniquities, Friday chant, give ear to his commandments, God's sinless Son, he heals the broken in heart, he threatened not, heals all thy diseases, holy spirit, in its death throes, intimacy with god, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep all his statutes, leaving us an example, live unto righteousness, LOVE, made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, Marah, mend our evil ways, neither was guile found in his mouth, now returned unto, obedient to God's will, on the tree, our sinful world, placed on Jesus' shoulders, problems escalating, put none of these diseases on thee, redeems thy life from destruction, relaxation, rest, return backsliders to your fold, reviled not again, salvation, satisfies thy mouth with good things, set free from Satan's evil bondage, tender mercies, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the burden of the world's sin, the error of their ways, the example we faithful believers set, the Great healer, the Lord forgives all of our sins, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, the throne of grace, the workweek, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, to follow in his steps, to him that judges righteously, truth, unexpected storms, wake up and smell the coffee, when he suffered, when he was reviled, who did no sin, wisdom, wise guidance, without god we are nothing, without me ye can do nothing, worldly frivolity
Psalm 103:2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
And then it was that much lauded day called Friday! Yes, the workweek is in its death throes and we’re ever so happy that we can even declare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ But let’s not forget that the weekend is not to be simply wasted away in partying and other worldly frivolity, but must also include rest, relaxation and a fair amount of intimacy with God. On the weekend, we need to make up the time we could not spend with God during our busy work week.
And remember it’s all for our benefit, not His. He has everything we want, and we can only get it by going to Him in reverential awe and humble communion. That brings to mind these most beneficial words of Bruh David from Psalm 103: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVINGKINDNESS and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103: 1-5)
Wow mih bredrin! Yuh see how many benefits we get from being in close association with Almighty God? We ought never to forget them, or Him, for without Him, we are absolutely nothing. Jesus said it in no uncertain terms: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5b) And if you don’t believe Him, then try living this devilish earthly life without Him, and see how far you get. So, let’s check out some of these benefits in a li’l more detail nuh. And the greatest of them all is that he forgiveth all our iniquities. That means the Lord forgives all of our sins. And how does He do that?
Through the sacrifice of His sinless Son’s life on the cross of Calgary. He placed all the burden of the world’s sin on Jesus’ shoulders, so that we could be set free from Satan’s evil bondage and see the bright light of Christ’s resurrected glory. As Bruh Paul writes to the church at Corinth: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21) Now, how much more do we want eh? Oh, in our lazy, entitled fashion, we expect it all to happen automatically, but unfortunately it doesn’t. We have to do our part, work at it, by receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour and living the life He desires of us.
Then there is the phrase ‘who healeth all thy diseases.’ What another powerful blessing my people! The Lord not only forgives us of our sins, but He also heals our sicknesses. Who else can do that for us eh? Nobody! Because Jehovah Rapha is the Great Healer. And again, as Isaiah says, it’s by the stripes of Jesus, that we are healed. (Is. 53:5) And if you don’t believe Isaiah because He’s an Old Testament prophet, or the psalmist who declares: ‘He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds (sorrows).’ (Ps. 147:3) then listen to Peter, who actually walked with Christ on the earth.
He writes in his second epistle: ‘For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps; Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again (in return); when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes (wounds) ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop (Overseer) of your souls.’ (1 Pet. 2:21-25) Wise and true words indeed!
But before all of that happened, the Israelites were warned about disobedience, for when they came out of Egypt into the wilderness and could find no water, they began complaining against Moses, and at a place called Marah, Bitter Waters, the Lord allowed Moses to cast a tree into the water and it became sweet and they drank their fill. Then Moses delivered this message. ‘If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.’ (Ex. 15:26)
And we all know the ten plagues that the Lord wrought on the Egyptians, ending with the death of the firstborn and the instituting of the Passover. (Ex. Chapters 7-12) Anyway, time has run out on us, so we’ll continue studying the awesome benefits we derive from close communion with God tomorrow. Right now, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in these turbulent and fearful 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!’
Now, let’s remember that we’re not doing such a great job for Christ on the earth right now, that’s why it’s such a mess, but if we would only mend our evil ways and become better witnesses, the Lord will surely look down on us with divine favour. Much LOVE!
…God’s awesome benefits are available…to all who sincerely LOVE the Lord…and are obedient to His will…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chaotic mess, a just man falls seven times, addresses the problem, anchored to you, anxious, be a weatherer, bends but doesn't break, Bible, by my side, christianity, Christians, come to know and love him like we do, controlled by circumstances, controlled by Satan, diligence, endures peacefully, evil and ungodly times, excellence, experience every day, explores uncertainty with gentleness, faint in the day of adversity, faith, fear of man, fear of negative circumstances, fearful, God is in the middle of our every battle, good or bad, Guide, he delights in his way, he shall not be utterly cast down, holy spirit, hurry, I can't take it anymore, in a timely and efficient manner, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in the face of overwhelming odds, in the swing of things, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, know who we are in Christ, laughs easily, learn from our mistakes, learn the word, like an ocean wave, lock stock and barrel, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, make mistakes, many are the afflictions of the righteous, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, mourns losses wholeheartedly, negativity, no resilience in us, none of his bones are broken, one who celebrates victories liberally, overwhelming odds, pilot, rewards are worth the sacrifice, rise fall and carry on, rises up again, run and not be weary, salvation, shall renew their strength, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, storms of life, stumble into calamity, successfully navigate the storms, surfing, surrender our all to Christ, teach me to ride each circumstance, the beloved of God, the Lord delivers him out of them all, the Lord upholds him with his hand, the poisonous atmosphere of the world, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the wicked shall fall into mischief, the world is troubled, they that wait upon he Lord, though he fall, thy strength is small, to determine the shape of my life, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk and not faint, wisdom, worry
Proverbs 24:16. For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).
And after Monday comes Tuesday; a day we don’t dislike half as much as Monday. (smile) That’s because by the time Tuesday rolls around, we’ve sort of gotten back into the swing of things. You’ll be surprised at how anxious or even fearful one can become on returning to work after a mere two days off, because anything untoward could have happened in the break, especially in these ungodly and evil times. And this prayer from the January In Touch Devotional addresses the problem in a most timely and efficient manner.
So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, the world is so troubled. Sometimes I can’t take it anymore. But I don’t want negativity to determine the shape of my life. God, don’t let me be controlled by circumstances. Instead, teach me to ride each one, good or bad, like an ocean wave – to rise, fall, and carry on. Let me be a weatherer: one who bends but doesn’t break, no matter what comes my way – a person who celebrates victories liberally, mourns losses wholeheartedly, explores uncertainty with gentleness, laughs easily, and endures peacefully. May I be anchored to You through it all, knowing You experience every day by my side. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s a good prayer, and if many more believers could follow that behaviour, our world would definitely not be in the chaotic mess that it’s currently in. But too many of us cannot weather the storms of life, we bend and do break. There’s no resilience in us. Who knows why? Perhaps through fear of man, and fear of our very negative, heartbreaking and painful circumstances. We lack encouragement to stand strong in the face of overwhelming odds. And that will most certainly be the case if we don’t have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, our Guide and Pilot though the many storms that life throws at us.
That’s why the prayer pleads to be anchored to God through all our ups and downs, for He is right there in the middle of them all with us. Not by the side, or somewhere off in the distant, but right in the middle of every battle that we’re called on to fight. Therefore, accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour is the number One priority in any human’s life, because it’s only with His help, though His Holy Spirit Living in us, that we can ever successfully navigate the stormy, evil and poisonous atmosphere of this world, currently controlled by Satan and his dangerous cronies.
And I like how the prayer asks for the ability to ride out each circumstance, be it good or bad. It brings to mind the sport of surfing, where adventurous people attempt to ride the high and ofttimes rough waves as they crash toward the shore. Now, like everything else we desire to be good at, that takes much practice. You have to fall off, get enveloped in the waves, and on occasion even feel like you’re drowning, but with each unsuccessful attempt, it’s ever so necessary to get back up and try again, until you can perform the feat successfully.
And life is just like learning to surf my fellow believers. You’re going to make mistakes, but each time you have to get back up and learn from it. That’s why Cousin Sol offers this lifesaving advice. ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) Yes friends, falling is a natural aspect of life, but getting up is where the boys are separated from the men. And you can only do that on a consistent basis if you have the Lord God Jehovah, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as your God.
That’s what Jesus enables us to do; get back up and move forward with vim and vigour. And this verse from the prophet Isaiah exemplifies it like no other. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) Now, isn’t that a most excellent reason to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life? Of course it is! Because we are all struggling for health, wealth and strength in this difficult and disastrous world, and ONLY Jesus promises to help us achieve our goals.
However, what we must realize from the very outset is, although we’re in league with Jesus, we will still face problems; many of them, and big ones too. Jesus is not there to always take away our problems, but mostly to help us through them. As Bruh David says in Psalm 34: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ (Ps. 34:19-20) And in Psalm 37, Bruh David again tells of God’s delight in a good man. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps. 37:23-24)
Yes friends, that’s how it is when we obey the Lord’s will and stay in His good graces. But the onus is on us to get close to God, and stay close to Him. And that can only be done if we seek God sincerely, through His Son Jesus Christ. That requires surrendering our all to Him, asking Him to come into our lives and lead and guide us from henceforth. Then we have to learn His Word, the Bible, so that we can know who we are in Christ. For we are nothing without Him! Then live the new life He desires of us with diligence and excellence. It’s not easy, but the rewards are certainly worth it. And you’ll never know about it until you try it.
So, if you’ve never tried Jesus, please do so today nuh. It’s the best decision you’ll ever make in this mortal life. Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 into the world 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!
…if thou faint in the day of adversity…thy strength is small… (Prov. 24:10)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a grain of mustard seed, a hard row to hoe, a true relationship with Jesus, afraid, always striving to conquer our mountains, an opportunity to grow, because of your unbelief, belief, Bible, build a stronger sense of self-awareness, christianity, Christians, come up to scratch, cultivate new beliefs, divine aid, Dr. Robert H Schuller, earnest desire, faith, faith in christ Jesus, faithless, fasting, find a pass through, fruitful in every good work, giving thanks, God's will for our lives, have faith, holy spirit, humble servants, I will not quit, impregnable, in a better space, increasing in the knowledge of God, inroads into the enemy's territory, it shall move, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, joy, keep striving, lack of faith, living in joy and peace, look to heaven, LOVE, mass confusion, mercy, nonsense, not quitting, nothing shall be impossible to you, O ye of little faith, pateince, peace, perseverance, Peter walking n water, pray, prosper us, pryaer, rebuked the winds and the sea, refreshed, remove hence, repentance in our hearts, rested, salvation, simply stay, sincerely seek your face, spiritual lives, spiritual understanding, strengthened with all might, strong faith in Christ, take a toll on your resilience, tenacity, thank you for life, the God who heals, The Possibility Thinker's Creed, the power to solve our many problems, the throne of grace, to alleviate our problems, trials, tribulations, truth, tunnel underneath, turn from our evil ways, turn the mountain into a goldmine, underlying foundation of faith, until I climb over, walk worthy of God, when faced with a mountain, wherefore didst thou doubt, why are ye fearful, wisdom, wise guidance, with God's help, work week
Matthew 8:26a. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
So we’ve come around to Monday once more, and the ole work week nonsense begins again. (smile) But let’s hope and pray that we’re all in a better space than when we left work last week. That means we’ve rested and been refreshed in soul, body, minds and hearts, and strengthened with all might in the Lord, knowing His will for our lives with all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we might walk worthy of him, being fruitful in every good work, while continually increasing in the knowledge of God, exerting patience and perseverance in any trials and tribulations, nonetheless, giving thanks for all He’s done for us and thus living in joy and peace.
Wow! Now that’s a hard row to hoe, but it’s basically what Bruh Paul prayed for in the opening chapter of Colossians. (Col. 1:9-12) That was his earnest desire for them. He’s certainly asking a lot of and for them. And you’ll notice that in his prayers he doesn’t pray for the believers’ problems to go away or be easily solved, but for them to get the might and understanding to handle them.
Today though, we all want our problems to go away with no effort or suffering whatsoever, but the Lord in His awesome wisdom doesn’t do it very often, for He expects believers to come up to scratch, to get stronger and face each new problem with greater tenacity and faith. So, this Monday morning, let’s look to heaven and offer up that kind of prayer for ourselves and all our fellow saints, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s territory and cause the heathen to want to come to Christ for rescue, earnestly seeking salvation and eternal life.
That brings us to this little poem by Dr. Robert H Schuller called ‘The Possibility Thinker’s Creed.’ It’s short and simple, but bold and strong. So please read with me. ‘When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath, or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine – with God’s help.’
Yes friends, when our mountains rear up before us, we are not supposed to give up or run from them in fear, because they seem so large and impregnable. One way or another we’re expected to make good use of those mountains…obviously with God’s help. The important thing is not quitting but always striving to conquer our mountains.
Remember what Jesus said to the disciples on the subject of mountains, when they could not cast out a demon spirit from a young child? ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.’ (Matt. 17:20-21)
Oh my fellow believers, nothing happens in God’s kingdom without faith! Some things need little faith, while others need big faith, some even need prayer and fasting, but nothing happens in our spiritual lives without the underlying foundation of faith in Christ Jesus. And until we fully understand that, our lives will feel empty and lost, without a true relationship with Jesus. As one commentary says, losing or lack of faith can ‘take a toll on your resilience and undermine your sense of belongingness. But it can also be an opportunity to grow, build a stronger sense of self-awareness, and cultivate new beliefs that are more closely aligned with your current values, goals, and needs.’
And Jesus also admonished the disciples for their lack of faith while they were crossing the Sea of Galilee and a storm arose that looked like it would bring about their demise, but Jesus was unconcerned asleep in the back of the boat. And they awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.’ (Matt. 8:25-26)
Then there was also the incident with Peter walking on the water with Jesus, but when he saw the strong winds, he became afraid, although he was in Jesus’ presence, and cried out for Jesus to save him. ‘And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Matt. 14:31) Oh friends, it was Peter’s faith that allowed him to walk on the water in the first place, and when he became afraid and faithless, then he was obviously going to lose that power.
Likewise, with us, when our faith is weak, we can’t do a whole lot, but when we keep our faith strong, we can do ever so many more things in the name of Jesus. We’re much more powerful and productive! So, for help to raise our faith, to get strong in Christ, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
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 God’s requirement for giving divine aid; praying, humbling ourselves, sincerely seeking His face, and turning from our evil ways! So let’s get to doing them nuh! Much LOVE!
…it’s all about belief and faith…belief and faith in Christ Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a shout of joy comes in the morning, a silver lining, abject misery, Abraham, anchor, barren deserts, be strong, behind each dark cloud, being fully persuaded, believe on him that raised Jesus, better must come one day, Bible, bread of life, christianity, Christians, clouds were all over the land, dark and uncertain times, delivered for our offences, don't give up now, faith, falling down on God's job, fear thou not for I with thee, for our justification, fully convinced, George Banfon, giving glory to God, go tell your freind, God could perform His promise, God is not a man that he should lie, God will do whatever He says, he wavered not at the promise of God, held on, His anger endures but a moment, Hold On Better must come, hold on till the end, holy spirit, I am thy God, I thanked the Lord for another day, I will help you, I will strengthen you, I woke up this morning, I've been there, I've been weak, imputed to him for righteousness, in each life a little rain must fall, in his favour is life, Jesus Christ, Jesus is our answer for everything, joy cometh in the morning, like the clouds give way to the sun, like we're doing today, living water, long and short of the story, looking through the window, LOVE, mercy, neither the son of man that he should repent, on safari in South Africa, pilot, praising and worshipping God, raised again, remember to hold on, salvation, share it with every man woman boy and girl, stood strong, storms of life, strong in faith, tell your brother and sister, telling me to hold on, the better must come one day, the core of our beings, the darkest night is just before the dawn, the Father of righteousness, the gospel truth, the Lord promised it in His word, the Lord's Day, the only sure thing is Jesus, the soul of our forefathers, the sun will shine again, the sweetest gospel music is West Indian gospel, their faith was strong, there was sunshine everywhere, they acknowledged him faithful who promised, they toiled in the burning sun, through unbelief, trouble doesn't last for always, truth, unexpected things happen unexpectedly, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, weeping may endure for a night, West Indian Gospel Music, when I opened my eyes, when you're down and out, wisdom, with no one around, wo seems to have forgotten them, woke up with sunshine on my mind, work for Jesus, written as an example for us
Psalm 30:5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.
Ah mih people, this life isn’t easy nuh, and what makes it even harder is when unexpected things happen unexpectedly. That happened to me yesterday. The hospital called and said they needed to see me for more tests. So there I was at ten in the morning, unable to enjoy my lazy-day Saturday, waiting for a test that could have been done on Thursday when I was there. But nobody thought to do it then. Now that first test didn’t take too long, but then I had to wait for the results, and there were other tests to follow up on those results.
The long and short of the story is that I didn’t get out of the hospital until four o’clock in the afternoon, only an hour earlier than the first day. And by the time I got home I was in no fit shape to write a sensible bit. (smile) That makes one more time I must apologize for missing a day. But yuh know what, before this, I believe I’ve only missed about four days in the eighteen years I’ve been doing it. And two of those days were when I was in South Africa some years ago on safari (smile) and the internet went down. Even when I’ve had surgeries or was laid up in the hospital for one reason or the other, I’ve always managed to put out something.
Let’s hope this is the end of missing days, because we can’t keep on falling down on the Lord’s job; we have to keep on keeping on. And with that in mind, this Sunday morning, as we gather in the Lord’s sanctuary to celebrate His day, we’ll open our celebration with this wonderful piece of West Indian Soul Music, performed by Jamaican Canadian Gospel Artist, George Banton from his 2002 Album, ‘Jesus Will Fix It’, a song most appropriately titled ‘Hold On, Hold On (Better Must Come One Day.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth? It certainly is, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ.
And today we’re going to get real soulful, allowing the words and the music to rise up from the very bottom of our hearts, from the very core of our beings, with the soul that our forefathers felt when they were toiling in the boiling sun, but praising and worshipping a God who seemed to have forgotten them in their abject misery. But their faith was strong, they acknowledged Him faithful who had promised, and so they stood strong and held on, just like we’re doing today, because we know that better must come. The Lord promised it, and He doesn’t lie. So, let’s sing, show them why West Indian Gospel is the sweetest gospel music ever! And there’s no bias in that, because it’s the indisputable truth. (smile)
So, singing: ‘You know in each life, a little rain must fall, and sometimes the darkest night is just before dawn. I’m here to tell you, hold on, hold on, better must come one day. Oh let me tell you children, hold on, hold on, better must come one day. I woke up this morning, with sunshine on my mind, but as I looked through my window, there were clouds all over the land. Then I thanked the Lord for giving me another day. And when I opened my eyes, there was sunshine everywhere, telling me to hold on, hold on, better must come some day.
The clouds were all rolled away, yes they did, And I’m here to tell you, Oh I just can’t keep it to myself now, (I’ve gotta tell somebody else, to hold on, hold on, better must come one day. Hold on till the end, and don’t give up now,) I know your change is going to come, like the clouds give way to the sun. Whenever you’re down and out, and you have no one around, remember this song, telling you to be strong. Let me tell you children, hold on, hold on, better must come one day. The sun will shine, yes it will! So, go tell your friend, go tell your mama, tell your sister about it, tell your daddy, to hold on, hold on, better must come one day.
And sometimes when you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and happiness is nowhere in sight. But I’m here to tell you that trouble don’t last always, behind each dark cloud there’s a silver lining. Yeh, let me tell you children, hold on, hold on, better must come one day, better will come, I know, Oh I know it will, Hey, hey, you’d better hold on, hold on, for better must come one day. I’d like to share this with every man, every woman, with every boy and every girl.
Let me tell you, you’d better hold on. I don’t know about you nuh, but sometimes I get a little weak, yes, I’ve been there, and know that the sun will shine again, so I’m holding on, and you’d better hold on too, hold on, for better must come one day, Yes hold on, hold on, for better must come one day…better must come one day…’
The Lord promised it, and He doesn’t lie. As renegade prophet Balaam said to the Moab Prince Balak on the Lord’s behalf: ‘God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23: 19) So anything God says, we can believe. And He’s solemnly and faithfully promised that all things will work together for good to those who LOVE Him, to those who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Now that means that everything will not be always hunky dory, and there will be problems, but in the end the Lord will make it alright. As Bruh David so rightly says in Psalm 30: ‘For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.’ (Ps. 30: 5) As the song tells us: ‘trouble don’t last always; behind each dark cloud there’s a silver lining.’ And you need to believe that if you want to work for Jesus.
And the Lord’s promised His grace and favour and faithfulness all through His Word like this example from Isaiah, when He declares (chuh man!!!): ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) Now that’s why Abraham is called the Father of righteousness; because he fully believed God without knowing Him, or anything about Him. Especially when the Lord promised him a son, and it took twenty-five years to happen; when he was a hundred years old, and his wife Sara was ninety.
The Bible tells it thus: ‘He staggered (wavered) not at the promises of God through unbelief; but was strong (strengthened) in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded (convinced) that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who was delivered for (because of ) our offences, and was raised again for our justification.’ (Rom. 4:20-25)
Yes friends, it’s all been put there as an example for us. If we sincerely believe in Jesus and are obedient to His will like Abraham believed God and was obedient to His will, then we also will be called righteous. And we all know that life is filled with numerous ups and down, many rainy days, dark nights, and unknown paths to tread, but if we do like the song says, and hold on, hold on tightly to Jesus, our Lord and Saviour in the this world of sin, our Anchor and Pilot in the storms of life, our bread of life and source of living water in the barren deserts, then we will come through it alright in the end, because that’s His awesome and faithful promise, and He does not lie.
So please, whatever we’re going through right now, let’s hold on tightly to our Answer for Everything – JESUS! And yuh better believe that’s exactly what I’m doing in these dark and uncertain times…holding on…holding for dear life to Jesus! Much LOVE!
…the only sure thing in this crazy world…is JESUS…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bad influence, a bed of pain, a broken world, a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, a valuable experience, all things are possible, an open door, an unworthy friend, bad attitudes, beside still waters, Bible, build a new life, bury the hatchet, calamity, chaotic world, christianity, Christians, cleans up collected clutter, comforting us, concentrate on today's troubles, courage to discard, desires trouble, discover new skills, do all things, Dr. Robert H Schuller, drying our tears, duty bound, embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour, faith, friendship of Christ, frustrates you, future troubles, gospel truth, green pastures, hardships, hidden talents, hiding your real talents, holy spirit, Hour of Power Devotional, hurry, in god's eyes, interesting possibilities, Jesus Christ, leads you down a new road, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, lurks furtively in your path, lying undetected, makes a cold heart warm, makes a greedy man generous, makes a hard man compassionate, makes a person forget himself, makes you furious enough, mercy, no courage to leave, opportunities in disguise, paths of righteousness, problems, protects you from an unknown hazard, quit a job, renew, renewing our joy, restoring our souls, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, shelters you from a sin, slams a door in your face, start thinking of others, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, tears out of your life, the amazing love of Christ, the beloved of God, the dustbin of history, the good shepherd, the throes of trouble, through Christ who strengthens me, to fight for a good cause, to our advantage, too arrogant to believe, too blind to see, too busy to serve, too highly valued, too stubborn to accept, trouble, trouble teaches you valuable lessons, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unable to help, under cabbage fields, uplift, veins of gold, waiting to tempt you, When trouble is not trouble, wisdom, work week frustrations, worry
Matthew 6:33b. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble, calamity) thereof.
And then it was Tuesday! Yes friends, I know it’s somewhat surprising the speed with which Monday disappeared. No sooner had it shown up with its new work week frustrations, then it was gone! That’s the way the days seem to work nowadays. Remember what Jesus said: ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble, calamity) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:33b). That means we have to concentrate on the troubles of the reigning day. However, by the time you can get a handle on the problems of a sunny and very cold Tuesday, that too will be thrown into the dustbin of History, never to be remembered, and you’ll be dealing with the calamities of Wednesday!
Ah Lord eh! It just seems to be another set of troubles day after day, especially in this currently chaotic and disastrous world Before you can finish with one, another one pops up. That’s why it’s so wonderful to have Jesus in our lives, because with His Holy Spirit indwelling us, and the tools and promises to be found in His Word, we are guaranteed a way to handle even the most worrying and troubling of troubles! (smile)
And talking about trouble, I want to share an interesting expose on the subject from Dr. Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power Book of Daily Meditation and Inspiration. This meditation is titled: ‘When is Trouble not Trouble?’ So please read with me. ‘When is trouble not trouble, you ask? When it protects you from an unknown hazard on the road ahead, or shelters you from a sin that, unknown to you, lurks furtively in your path waiting to tempt and trip you, then trouble is not trouble!
When trouble cleans up collected clutter that you valued too highly and did not have the courage to discard or destroy, or when it tears out of your life an unworthy friend whom you were unable to help and who was not a good influence on your life, then trouble is not trouble! When trouble makes you furious enough to fight for a good cause you were too busy to serve, or frustrates you so that you quit a job that was too long hiding your real talents and forces you to discover new skills and hidden talents that were lying undetected like veins of gold under cabbage fields, then trouble is not trouble!
When trouble cause two parties, long unspeaking, to bury the hatchet; when it makes a person forget himself and start thinking of others; when it makes a greedy man generous, a hard man compassionate, a cold heart warm, a thoughtless man considerate – then trouble is not without its reward! When trouble teaches you valuable lessons that you would have been too blind to see, too arrogant to believe, or too stubborn to accept any other way than by this bed of pain; when it slams a door in your face to force you out of a rut that you would never have had the courage to leave and leads you down a new road through an open door, then trouble may be a most valuable experience!’
And isn’t that gospel truth my people! What we consider trouble often unexpectedly opens up our hearts, minds, souls and bodies to better things, more interesting possibilities and exposes bad attitudes that we might be holding on to too tightly. Granted, none of us desires to have troubles, but since we’re living in a broken, troubled world, we’re all going to experience trouble at some time or the other. And when we do, it will be to our great advantage to try and learn something from it, for as they say, problems are merely opportunities in disguise, meaning that though they may show up as hardships, they are actually means to help us live a fuller and better life.
However, we have to look at those problems in a more thoughtful way to divine the hidden opportunities they may present. And I know that all of us have had experiences with several, or even all of those trouble not being trouble scenarios that Dr. Schuller has pointed out. Hopefully, we have been wise enough to have seen the hidden opportunities that they presented. And if not, knowing what we now know, then in the future, we will endeavour to seek out those hidden opportunities, so that we can uplift, renew or even build a new life around.
And please don’t open your eyes in surprise about future troubles,, because it’s certain that while we’re living in this troubled world, we will always have troubles, be they piddling or mind-boggling. (smile) The important thing to understand is that with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, all things are possible, and therefore we can do all things through the strength He provides us. (Phil. 4:13)
And if He is our Guiding Light, then we will understand that His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths. (Ps. 119:105) That means He will be our Good Shepherd, leading us down the paths of righteousness to green pastures, beside still waters, restoring our souls, renewing our joy, and drying our tears; in other words, comforting us whenever we are engulfed in the throes of trouble. (Ps. 23)
And now, with all of this trouble stuff fully understood, (smile) let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 having said all of that, 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 like we do! Much LOVE!
…trouble is only trouble…when you think it’s trouble…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a constant attitude of prayer, alleviate our problems, anxiety, anxious, be careful for nothing, be of good cheer, be prayerful about everything, Bible, by prayer and supplication, catch your fancy, christianity, Christians, concerning you, death, divine aid, divinely bestowed peace, ease the pain, faith, faith in Christ, give thanks to god, he who has ears to hear let him hear, hear our requests, hell, holy spirit, humble servants, i have overcome the world, in every event or circumstance, in every thing give thanks, in me ye shall have peace, in the face of adversity, irresposibility, Jehovah Rapha, legitimate concern, let not your heart be troubled, let your moderation be known unto all men, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, maintain gratitude, mass confusion in our world, mercy, moderation, my peace I give unto you, my thoughts are higher than your thoughts, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are higher than your ways, my ways are not your ways, negative situations, neither let it be afraid, not as the world gives, obedience, passes all understanding, Peace i leave with you, pray without ceasing, propser us, protection, repentance, sacrifice, salvation, seeking God's face, the God who heals, the grave, the heavens are higher than the earth, the Lord is at hand, the peace of God, the promises of Christ, the tools of Christ, the will of God, this is the will of God in Christ, throne of grace, time of need, tranquility of mind, tribulation, truth, turn from our evil ways, wisdom, wise guidance, with thanksgiving
1 Thessalonians 5:18. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Come on down Monday, we’re ready and waiting for you! Hit us with your best shot! But it won’t work, for we have all the tools and promises of Jesus, at the ready, waiting to shoot you down. Therefore, we have taken this scripture from the pen of Bruh Paul to heart. ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:18)
Ah friends, that’s a tough scripture, but one we definitely need to know and totally embrace. And what does it mean? The scholars say that ‘In every event or circumstance (thing) the Christian is to give thanks to God for the good He can bring out of the event, even should the event be unpleasant. The constant attitude of prayer, mentioned in verse 17 – ‘Pray without ceasing,’ will help the believer to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.’
And if that scripture doesn’t catch your fancy, (smile) then try this one from Bruh Paul’s missive to the Philippians. ‘Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:5-7)
And I must admit that one seems a tad easier than the first one, although they both basically mean the same thing. Instead of worrying about anything, we are to take every situation, be it pleasant or unpleasant and present it to God through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving.
The scholars advise: ‘The Lord’s nearness (vs. 5b) leads Paul to forbid his readers from worrying. This is no summons to irresponsibility or an invitation to dismiss legitimate concern. The solution to undue anxiety is prayer in every thing, “in any matter of life.” The way to be free of anxiety is to be prayerful about everything. While God is eager to hear our requests, they are to be accompanied by thanksgiving.’
Now, that seems easier said than done, but like all things we need to get good at, it requires continuous practice until it becomes a habit. And what’s the benefit of that exercise, you ask? ‘The peace of God which passes all understanding.’ Wow! Isn’t that important enough to make the effort worthwhile? It surely is!
Because as the scholars tell us, ‘The peace of God is that tranquility of mind freeing the believer from fear and worry. “Peace” which passeth all understanding means (1) peace divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it; (2) God’s peace far surpasses one’s own understanding of the problem, and his ability to cope with and solve it.’
That brings to mind this most important scripture from the prophet Isaiah, where he speaks on God’s behalf. ‘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) That says it all my people. And so it should be, if He is God!
Therefore, when we take our problems to Him in prayer, with thanksgiving, He gives us His unsurpassable peace that guards our hearts and minds from the enemies attempts to cause us worry and anxiety. And that dovetails very nicely with Jesus words on the subject to the disciples, and consequently to us. ‘Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Oh my people, what a marvellous gift is the peace of Jesus! It’s unlike any other that the world knows, and surpasses any other kind. It’s the amazing kind of peace that causes us not to worry or be afraid. Where else can you find that kind of peace eh? Only in and from Jesus! Then later on, He tells us again about the kind of peace we can have if we accept Him as Lord and Saviour. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Wow! What can we say to that most expressive statement eh? Not much really, but accept it for what it is: Jesus’ faithful promise! There’s no doubt whatsoever that in the world we will have trials and tribulations, but since Jesus has already overcome the world, that’s hell, death and the grave, if we stay entwined with Jesus, then we will have His awesome protection against the world and it’s ungodly masses. You can’t ask for anything more than that friends.
However, Jesus has already done His work, it’s now our turn to live up to our promise when we accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. That’s take up our cross daily and follow Him, even if it calls for personal sacrifice. And sometimes that’s difficult to do, but through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we can do it. So let’s go to the throne of grace right now, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid to help us in this our great time of need.
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!’
In closing though, please remember that divine aid is not doled out willy-nilly, but for obedience, repentance, sincerely seeking God’s face and a change in our evil ways. Much LOVE!
…He who has ears to hear…let Him hear…otherwise…He will feel…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a lifelong relationship, Ah cyar leave Him, ah cyar live life without him, an unbreakable seal, being justified by his blood, Bible, chocked full of truth, Christ died for the ungodly, christianity, Christians, come from the darkness, Denyse Plummer, divine ownership, eternal separation from God, faith, fellowship, for God I go dead, For God man I living, from revelry to righteousness, from sin to salvation, full of life but so empty, gather in the Lord's house, gave my life to Jesus, getting to know Jesus, glee, go tell my enemies, God commendeth his own love toward us, gospel lyrics, He came to earth and died on the cross, he is my shelter, heard the word of truth, heat up the place, holy spirit, hot hot hot, I am under the rock, I found the truth, I recommend you try him, I saw the light, in due time, in his arms you'll find me there, in times of storm, in whomw I will trust, Jahovah, Jahovah hides me, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the best upgrade, Jesus is the cause, Jesus offered up his sinless life, Jesus shed blood on the cross, journey down south, justification, kept forever by the power of God, King of Kings, land of carnival and calypso, LOVE, mercy, more than gold, more than silver, my deliverer, my fortress, my god, my high tower, my strength, Na Leaving, never condemn or forsaken me, no remission of sins, on my way to a fiery end, our great high priest, reconciled to God, reverence, reworked song, righteousness, rose up just like a boss, salvation, sanctification, saved by his life, saved from wrath, sealed until the day of redemption, sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, someone told me about a Saviour, surrender our all to Jesus, the amazing transformation Jesus brings, the Christian walk, the darkness of sin, the death of his son, the gospel of salvation, the greatest decision, the horn of my salvation, the identification mark of a believer, The Lord is my rock, the reason I'm still living, the rock is higher than I, the soca hit, the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago, to save us from eternal death, tribute, truth, wallowing deep in a pig pen, when we were yet without strength, when you see me smiling, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, why are ye so fearful, why don't you have faith, wisdom, without the shedding of blood, Yahweh, Yeshua
Romans 5:6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly.
Another Sunday! Another occasion to gather in the Lord’s house and fellowship with other believers. But since it’s somewhat cold and cloudy, we’ve decided to take a much-deserved break from those dreary weather conditions and for today’s worship session journey down south to the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago, the land of calypso and carnival. And we’re going to warm up, no heat up the place, hot, hot, hot, with this beautiful meshing of African and East Indian riddims that we call chutney soca. It’s a reworked song with gospel lyrics based on the soca hit ‘Na Leaving’ by the late calypso songbird Denyse Plummer.
And just as ‘Na Leaving,’ was a big hit as it celebrated all the good things of T&T, that those who were leaving would miss, likewise the renamed song ‘Ah Cyar Leave Him!’ referring to Jesus was, still is, and will always be a mighty gospel hit! So let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise with a sincere and heartfelt, scintillating rendition of this gospel song ‘Ah Cyar Leave Him,’ one so chocked full with everlasting truth!
And as the sweet, easy rocking chutney soca music starts, we hear a couple bars, then we shout out ‘Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah! From revelry to righteousness…Cyar leave Him. From hell-bound to holiness…Cyar leave Him. From sin to salvation…Cyar leave him. A kingdom destination…Cyar leave Him. There I was, in my glee, wallowing deep in a pig pen, full of life, but so empty, on my way to a fiery end. But someone told me about a Saviour, who said He LOVES me and He cares. In times of storm He is my shelter, so in His arms you’ll find me there.
Yuh see ah cyar live life without Him, He is my King of Kings, He’s the reason I’m still living. Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. Never condemn or forsaken me dread…Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. For God man I living, For God I go dead. There are so few, who made it through, and come from the darkness of this world. But I saw the light, I found the truth. I have more than silver, more than gold. I gave my life over to Jesus, the greatest decision I’ve made. Boy I recommend you try Him, Jesus is the best upgrade. He came to earth and died on the cross, rose up just like a boss, when yuh see me smiling, He’s the cause.
Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. Never condemn or forsaken me dread…Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. For God man I living, For God I go dead. I am under the rock. The rock is higher than I. Jahovah hides me. I am under the rock. Go tell my enemies, that I am under the rock. Jahovah hides me, I am under the rock. I am under the rock. The rock is higher than I. Jahovah hides me. I am under the rock. Go tell my enemies, that I am under the rock. Jahovah hides me, I am under the rock.
From revelry to righteousness…Cyar leave Him. From hell-bound to holiness…Cyar leave Him. From sin to salvation…Cyar leave him. A kingdom destination…Cyar leave Him. Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah! (And we shout again) Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah!’
Wow mih bredrin, that sure was wonderful! And yuh better believe that all of heaven, even the Father, was rocking along and singing with us as we gave much deserved praise to our great High Priest, our Lord and Saviour, our King of Kings, the One and Only Jesus Christ! And though Jesus seemed to be a li’l embarrassed by all the praise, nonetheless, He too was tapping His feet and clapping His hands as the sweet soca chutney melody permeated heaven and raised the level of joy normally found there!
Now that’s certainly saying something, for heaven usually has a very high level of joy. But the fact is that all the song says is true, and heaven acknowledged it with us. And yuh better believe that is the kind of difference, the amazing transformation Jesus performs in our lives when we surrender our all to Him! He does bring us from ‘revelry to righteousness, hell-bound to holiness and from sin to salvation.’ For remember that the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.’ (Rom. 6:23)
Yes friends, through His shed blood on the cross of Calvary, Jesus saved us from hellfire and damnation and brought us holiness and salvation instead. And when we were joyfully wallowing in our pig pens, clothed in the darkness of sin, but truly empty of God and heading straight for hellfire, we’d better thank the Lord that someone told us about Jesus who LOVES and cares for us, so much so that He freely offered up His sinless life to save us from our sins and eternal death, meaning eternal separation from the Father.
As Bruh Paul writes in Romans. ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while 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.’ (Rom. 5:6-10)
Oh my people, all the good things that have happened to us, like salvation, justification, sanctification, reconciliation, righteousness, etc. etc. have all stemmed from Jesus’ shed blood on the cross, for without the shedding of blood there’s no remission of sin. (Heb. 9:22) And He not only saves us from sin, but also shelters us from the storms of life, because He can calm the seas and the winds as He did when crossing the Sea of Galilee with the disciples. And ended up saying to His terrified companions: Why are ye so fearful? How is that ye have no faith .’ (Mark 4:40)
And that word faith plays a rather big role in our walk with Jesus, for if we don’t believe, have strong faith in Him, then we will not have a successful Christian life. That’s the first step in our Christian walk, after we see the light and find the truth, which is worth so much more than silver or gold. And believe me friends, giving your life to Jesus is the best decision you can ever make, for as the song so rightly says, He is indeed ‘the best upgrade.’ (smile)
And the scriptures, especially the psalms tell us that Jehovah is indeed our rock, our shelter from the storm. Bruh David says it well in Psalm 18: ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower.’ (Ps. 18:2) We couldn’t get a better description than that friends!
And most importantly, once Jesus comes into your life, you cannot get away from Him, even if you want to, as the Bible tells us: ‘In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,’ (Eph. 1:13) In other words, ‘it is the mark of identification that the believer is truly God’s own and is kept forever by the power of God. It is an unbreakable seal of divine ownership and salvation.’
Wow! But yuh know what, my fellow saints, even without that seal unto the day of redemption, (Eph. 4:30) once we truly get to know Jesus, it’s simply impossible to leave Him, for such is the great LOVE and compassion He inspires in us! So please, let’s pay Him the awesome tribute and reverence that He deserves! Much LOVE!
…getting to know Jesus…is a beautiful lifelong relationship…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a successful Christian life, according to his divine power, according to his riches in glory, add to your faith virtue, agape, all these things shall be added unto you, barren, Bible, blind, bondage, brotherly kindness, brotherly LOVE, called us to glory and virtue, calmness that flows from God, christianity, Christians, cleansed from old sins, deepen my breath, divine power, eating from the devil's hand, endurance, enjoy being lazy, fall from salvation, forgotten, frustrations of the work week, give them their in due season food, given to us all things, given to us through knowing God, giving all diligence, God gives us everything to make our lives complete, God takes care of our physical needs, God-likeness, godliness, good advice, grace and peace be multiplied unto you, great and precious promises, grow in our spiritual walk, having escaped the corruption in the world through lust, holy spirit, increase my awareness of you, information, know you all the more, knowledge, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, living a godly life, living the godly life, look expectantly to you, LOVE, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, openest thine hand, opportunities, partakers of the divine nature, pateince, peace, perseverance, purged from old sins, quiet my soul, relationships, relax my muscles, right motives, salvation, satisfies the desire, satisfieth the desire of every living thing, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, self-control, shortsighted, sincerity, slow my thoughts, spiritual maturity, spiritual truth, temperance, tenderness, thank you for this tenderness, that pertain to life and godliness, the attributes of godliness, the knowledge of god, the Unsearchable greatness of God, to knowledge temperance, to virtue knowledge, troubled souls, truth, unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, useless, virtue, volitional love, what a wonderful God we serve, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present, your unceasing nearness
2 Peter 1:3a. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
And our lazy-day Saturday has opened damp and cloudy, the worst way to begin a day. (smile) For a change though, we have temps above freezing, causing the snow to melt and give off that damp, get into your bones kind of weather. The computer is even promising light rain and snow later. But if you don’t have to go out that won’t trouble you in the least, you can simply stay inside and enjoy being lazy. Oh what a wonderful feeling, after all the rushing around and numerous frustrations of the work week! (smile)
Now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth! As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And if the Lord saw the right motives in our hearts, then we’ll soon be experiencing that warm, glowing peace and calmness emanating from Him into our troubled souls, through His Holy Spirit that indwells us. Ah friends, what a wonderful God we serve! One who gives us everything to make our lives complete. We just need to work it out in our individual lives.
The apostle Peter puts it thus in his second epistle: ‘Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to (by) glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ (2 Pet. 1:2-4)
Now that’s indeed a mouthful, but what does it mean? These commentaries explain: ‘By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.’ And the second says: ‘This Scripture reveals that all we need for our life, God has already given us. We are prepared for anything. All the opportunities, information, relationships have already been given to us through knowing Him.’
And breaking it down even further: ‘He takes care of our physical needs. God promises to provide what we need (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:31-32). He created the universe and gives food to every living thing — including you and me. The same God who provides food for the animals will not allow us to go without (Psalm 145:15-16, Luke 12:24-26).’
Now that just shows what an excellent, LOVING and compassionate God we serve! He’s given us everything to live a godly life and has also promised to provide for all our physical needs, if we put Him first in our lives. Jesus said it loud and clear: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Meanwhile in his epistle to the Philippians, Bruh Paul also stated quite categorically: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
So it’s simple; if we faithfully obey God, then He will provide for our physical needs, though not necessarily our wants, which are oftentimes very different to our needs. As Bruh David writes in Psalm 145 – The Unsearchable Greatness of God. ‘The eyes of all wait upon thee (look expectantly to you); and thou givest them their meat (food) in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.’ (Ps. 145:15-16) And that’s the way it ought to be with an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God who LOVES all of His wonderful creations!
Then turning back to Peter, He continues by giving us some good advice on living the godly life. He says: ‘And beside this (but also for this very reason), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience (perseverance); and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (LOVE).’ (2 Pet. 1: 5-7)
Oh my people, that’s not an easy row to hoe, but hoe it we must if we are to attain spiritual growth and meet a level of maturity where we can handle the devil and all his evil doings with a confident nature. That’s the basic purpose for giving us all those things after we are born again and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We desperately need to grow in our overall faith, in particular areas like virtue or moral excellence, knowledge or spiritual truth, self-control, patience or endurance, godliness or God-likeness, brotherly kindness or brotherly LOVE, and agape or volitional LOVE, that’s doing it of our own accord.
And if we don’t try to grow in our spiritual walk, then the devil will still have us eating from his hand in dark bondage, for we can only withstand him with the powers of God that have been planted in us. So like with all seeds, we need to water and nurture those attributes so that godliness grows in us.
As Peter says: ‘For if these things be in you (are yours), and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off (is shortsighted), and hath forgotten that he was purged (cleansed) from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (stumble).’ (2 Pet. 1:8-10)
Yes friends, although we will not fall from salvation if we don’t do those things, we most certainly will not live a successful Christian life. And all I can do is plead with us to seriously ponder on all the good advice we’ve received this lazy-day Saturday, and then try to implement what we need into our lives. And the damp, cloudy weather provides a most excellent time to do so! (smile) Much LOVE!
… like children grow in to more knowledgeable adults…so must believers grow in spiritual maturity and godliness…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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