22 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abide in me and I in you, active love, actively caring for others, assure our hearts before God, believe on the name of the Son of God, Bible, brings forth much fruit, by the spirit He's given us, Christians, consistent obedience, do pleasing things in God's sight, effective prayer, faith, feeble attempts to honour God, for your unceasing nearness, God can't be contained, God is greater than our heart, God is greater than our self-awareness, God knows all things, God looks at our motives, God made everything beautiful, God's calming presence, God's love surrounds and fills me, he hears us, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, I may know you all the more, I praise you god, if our heart condemns us, if our hearts condemns us not, if we ask anything according to His will, if we know that God hears us, in line with, increase my awareness of you, internal assurance, Jesus Christ, know that you have eternal life, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let us not love in word neither in tongue, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, love God your neighbour and yourself, love in deed and truth, love one another as I have loved you, mercy, our outward actions, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, right living, salvation, sincere prayer, slow my thoughts, successful prayer life, thank you for this tenderness, the assurance of salvation, the external testimony of true faith, the great commandments, the standard of christian living, this is the confidence that we have in Him, to corroborate, truth, we are of the truth, we have confidence toward God, we know that God abides in us, we know we have the petitions we desire, we receive, whatsoever we ask, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing, your peace and love are present
1 John 5:14. And this is the confidence we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And what a beautiful wintry, Lazy-day Saturday it is my people. It’s windy and cold, with lots of snow from our two recent snowfalls piled up on the banks, but being beautifully displayed by the light of the sparkling sun. It’s winter at it most beautiful. Remember, everything God’s made, is beautiful in its own way. (smile) And having said that, 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 our prayer was sincere, then we can expect to feel the Lord’s warming, peaceful and calming presence soon overtaking our souls, bodies, minds and spirits. For, as John so rightly tells us in his first epistle: ‘These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired (asked) of him.’ (1 John 5:13-15)
And believe me, asking God to come into our hearts, and bring His awesome presence of peace and LOVE, so that we can know Him more, is probably His greatest desire, and therefore He can never turn away such a request. That brings us to this earlier passage from John’s epistle, where he puts it in a fuller and more practical context. He writes: ‘My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure (persuade) our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and LOVE one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us.’ (1 John 3:18-24)
Yes friends, that’s as brief and good an explanation you can get about our relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Father, our Triune God! So, let’s break it down some. Right at the beginning John stresses one of the most important tenets of our faith; not to LOVE only through vain and insincere words, but with sincere hearts and good actual deeds. And as to the interaction between vs.18 &19, re believers are of the truth: The scholars opine: ‘John seems to be saying that assurance of salvation comes in part as one reaches out actively in caring for others.’ And that’s something we are definitely called on to do!
Then as per vs. 20, the scholars explain: ‘In light of John’s strict teaching above, he may have felt that some readers might begin to despair. He assures them that, although our feeble attempts to honour God may leave us feeling defeated inside, God is greater than our self-awareness (cf. 1 Cor. 4:4) and can justify us even when we would condemn ourselves. He sees not only our actions, which at times are thwarted or misguided, but also the motives and intentions behind them.’ That’s why it’s oh so important to have right motives in all we do, because it’s those the Lord looks at, not merely our outward actions.
And as per verses 21 & 22, the scholars declare: ‘We have confidence toward God if our lives are in in line with the standard of Christian living set forth above. John is not saying that whether a person is right or wrong is simply a matter of how he subjectively feels about himself. That is why John has given so many indicators and commands for Christians to take note of and assess themselves by. And one of the great results of a life lived in purity before God is a life where there is effective prayer. Right living is an important part of successful praying.’ And that’s the indisputable truth friends! You cannot have a successful prayer life if you’re not living right, and vice versa.
Then as per vs. 23, the scholars say: ‘John has already set forth the importance of true faith in Christ and true LOVE for others. Now he combines the two.’ And we know very well what that means, for Jesus told us about the two great commandments in Matt. 22:37-40. That’s LOVING God, your neighbour and yourself. Then later on in the gospel of John, several times He reiterates: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.’ (John 15:12)
And that last verse (24) vividly reminds us of Jesus words in John 15, where He says: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5) And for good measure, the scholars tell us: ‘The Sprit gives internal assurance to corroborate the external testimony of true faith, active LOVE, and consistent obedience.’
And that’s a very good statement to ponder on this lazy-day winter Saturday my people: How much internal assurance do we possess because of those three characteristics in our lives? And whatever the answer, let’s turn to God and ask for His help to improve, because we all need improvement! Much LOVE!
…one cannot please God…unless you are obeying His commandments…from a sincere heart…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a special relationship with God, a thing of beauty, abstain from fleshly lusts, all God's creations, an holy nation, be led of the Spirit, Bible, bought with a price, bright sunshine on white snow, by your good works, called us out of darkness into His light, Christ's shed blood at Calvary, Christ's special people, Christians, come to know and love Christ, contrary to one another, do our bounden duty, faith, false believers, glorify God, glorify God in your body and spirit, God's Word, having honourable conduct, having your conversation honest, him shall God destroy, holy spirit, hurry, if any man defiles the temple of God, in god's eyes, in the day of visitation, Jesus Christ, keeping the old man at bay, know ye not, LOVE, mercy, moral life governed by the Spirit, not under the law, obtained mercy, pilgrims, proclaim the praises of Christ, renewing our minds, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the Love and friendship of Christ, speak against you as evildoers, strangers, the believer's moral life, the beloved of God, the enemy of God, the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, the friendship of the world is enmity with God, the people of god, The Spirit of God dwells in you, the temple of God is holy, the unsaved masquerading as saved, the whole wide world, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, untouched by man, walk in the Spirit, which ye have of God, wisdom, worry, ye are not your own, ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, your body is the temple of the holy Ghost
1 Corinthians 6:19. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
And then it was Tuesday, working time for all again. Thankfully, most of the serious clean-up has been completed after this weekend’s severe snowstorm. And it’s turned out to be another bright, sunshiny day in my neighbourhood, with the dazzling light of the sun reflecting so beautifully off of the white snow. It’s truly a thing of beauty, like all God’s creations, when untouched by man! (smile)
Now, yesterday we dealt with a somewhat touchy subject to some people, but a rather important one to God. So today, let’s clarify and expand on it nuh. It says: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (destroys) the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which ye are.’ (1 Cor. 3:16-17)
According to scholars those verses refer primarily to the people of the local church and not so much to the individual believer. They say that ‘Paul seems to have in mind unsaved people who may or may not be in the assembly, but who are in fact false believers. The prospect for such a one is fearful.’ Now if the penalty for the unsaved masquerading as saved is fearful, what can be said about the price that the saved will pay if they defile their bodies, which is also the Holy Temple of God?
Bruh Paul lays it out quite clearly later in 1 Corinthians, when He again asked, but on an individual basis this time: ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) So as the scholars say: ‘Not only is the local church a temple of the Holy Spirit, but the individual believer’s body itself is also a temple of the Holy Spirit.’
Yes friends, we are not our own, we do not belong to us, but to Jesus Christ who bought us with the enormous price of His shed blood on the cross of Calvary. That means we ought to keep our bought and paid for bodies as clean and wholesome as possible. And per being bought with a price, the scholars offer this interesting explanation. ‘The blessed fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit has two sides: one, that He is ours; the other, that we are His. The believer was purchased on Golgotha’s hill. The price paid was the blood of God’s only Son. (Acts 20:28). This has profound significance for the believer (cf.1 Tim. 4:10; 1 Pet. 2:9).’
Now, I’ll leave you to look up the first two references, and we’ll look at that from Peter, where he’s talking about believers being of a Holy Priesthood. He writes: ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (Christ’s special people); that ye should shew forth (proclaim) the praises of him who hath called us out of a darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation (conduct) honest (honourable) among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.’ (1 Pet. 2:9-12)
Oh my people, you know what all that says? Per the scholars: ‘The priesthood of the believer and his unique relationship to God are described by the terms a chosen generation … a royal priesthood … an holy nation. Thus, the New Testament church stands in a unique relationship to God as did Old Testament Israel.’ Now, isn’t that marvellous…we have a special relationship with God! But you know what that also means…we cannot defile our bodies which belong to God with too much sinful and carnal stuff. We’ll never be perfect like Jesus, but our job is to work as close to perfection as possible.
That means treating our bodies with holy respect as they now belong to God. And that’s why this warning from James is also very important. He writes: ‘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.’ (James 4:4)
It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. If we choose to associate with the world, and live by its tenets instead of God’s, then we automatically become enemies of God, and that’s the worst thing that can ever happen to us, because in the long run we’ll be destroyed with all His other enemies, separated eternally from His LOVE, mercy and grace.
And here’s the last scripture passage for today on the subject of keeping our bodies, the temple of God holy and clean. Bruh Paul writes thus to the Galatians: ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so ye cannot do that things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.’ (Gal. 5:16-18)
And that’s a fact; if we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, then we’re not going to continually participate in all the things this sinful world considers right and good. As the scholars explain: ‘The Spirit-led person is not under the law. The Christian does not need the restraints of the law because his moral life is governed by the spirit.’ And all God’s people said a loud and grateful, ‘Amen!’
Now 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 made that pledge, it now becomes our bounden duty to go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…keeping our bodily temples clean…means constantly renewing our minds with God’s Word…while keeping our old man at bay…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day to spend with families, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, act accordingly, awesome grace, be not deceived, Bible, Christians, deluge of snow, divine aid, do mind the things of the flesh, earthly problems, ease the pain, faith, faithfully promised to hear our prayers, Family Day Holiday, God is good, God is not mocked, God looks at our hearts not our outward appearances, God shall destroy him, Good Book, Good Library, he that sows to his flesh, he that sows to the Spirit, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, if a man defile the temple of God, if ye have not the Spirit of Christ, in accordance with God's will, in the Spirit, Jesus Christ, keep your promise to prosper us, know ye not, LOVE, make changes in our lives, mass confusion, mercy, mind the things of the Spirit, negative situations, not subject to the law of God, of the flesh reap corruption, of the many suffering from negative situations, our cordial relationship with God, pray, righteousness, salvation, shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life, show this evil world, sincerely seek your face, sinned and disobeyed your Word, strong faith in Christ, thank you for life, the body is dead because of sin, the busyness of society, the carnal mind is enmity against God, the God who heals, the many distractions we encounter, the Spirit is life because of righteousness, The Spirit of God dwells in you, the Spirit of God dwells within you, the temple of God is holy, the third Monday in February, the throne of grace, they that after the Spirit, they that are after the flesh, they that are in the flesh cannot please God, to be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace, truth, turn from our evil ways, undeserving mercy, what a man sows he reaps, wisdom, You are Jehovah Rapha, you are not Christ's, you are not in the flesh, you are the temple of God
1 Corinthians 3:16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
And the great deluge of snow has finally stopped. It did so sometime during the evening hours…and now it’s clean up time! And to enable us to do that in a somewhat easy manner, the Lord has seen fit to gift us with a bright and sunshiny Family Day Provincial Holiday Monday! Isn’t He a good God? For sure He is! Remember too that after the last snowstorm on Thursday, we also had a bright and sunshiny Friday to clean up. (smile) The problem today though is that there’s a strong wind that’s causing some havoc, blowing the snow all about the place, so that as soon as you’ve finished cleaning one spot, it’s very likely for the wind to blow more snow back there. But it’s a matter of simply pressing forward, until you’ve done all you can.
By the way, here’s another reason that our God is good: He chose the Family Day long weekend to aggravate our souls bodies and minds. Can you imagine if this was a regular Monday and everybody needed to go to work. There would be even more chaos than we already have. But the Lord in His LOVING-KINDNESS chose a day when most of us would be at home celebrating Family Day, which is a public holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February, that gives people a day off to spend with their families. It was introduced in 2008 to give provincially regulated workers a long weekend in February and most provincially regulated employees receive the day off with pay.
Many of the other Provinces have the same holiday, but not all call it Family Day. For example in Manitoba it’s Louis Riel Day, named after a Métis (Indigenous) leader who fought to protect French and aboriginal rights. Meanwhile, in the Province of Nova Scotia, it’s called Heritage Day. Unfortunately, Family Day is not a federally mandated holiday, so federal workers, such as post office employees and public servants, work on Family Day. So please don’t say our God is not good, for even in the midst of chaos and disaster, He still eases our path with His awesome grace and undeserving mercy.
And having said all of that, what shall we talk about scripturally today eh? (smile) Soon come. Let me check the Good Library…. And we’re back, a minute later. The Good Book opened to 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, where we find these interesting and rather appropriate words for these decadent and sinful times. Bruh Paul writes: ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (destroys) the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’ (1 Cor. 3:16-17)
And truthfully, many of us know that we are supposed to be God’s temple, because His Holy Spirit dwells within us, therefore we ought to keep our bodies as holy and clean from sin and it’s associates. However, with the busyness of our society and the many distractions steadily hurled at us, it becomes somewhat difficult to do, even if we remember it. But remember it we must my faithful brethren, for it affects our very lives, our cordial relationship with Almighty God.
Now, Bruh Paul also wrote something similar to the Roman church, where he proclaims: ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:5-8)
And that’s the gospel truth my people! If we’re living carnally, for and in our flesh, then we certainly cannot please God. However, here’s the good news as Bruh Paul continues: ‘But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit if life because of righteousness.’ (Rom. 8:9-10) Yes friends, let’s praise the Lord that the Spirit of His Son Jesus Christ does dwell in us, and we are going to do our best to live by it’s guidance.
But here’s one more interesting scripture we ought to pay attention to today, that’s this one from Bruh Paul to the Galatians: ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ (Gal. 6:7-8) Now that’s a scripture we should always keep front and centre in our lives: God sees it all because He looks at our hearts and not our outward doings, therefore we cannot fool Him, by saying one thing while doing another, as so many of us still foolishly try to do.
So, let’s go now to the throne of grace in confident humility, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid to help us with our many earthly 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 it’s all well and good to pray, but if we do not make changes in our lives in accordance with God’s will, then no divine aid will be forthcoming. Let’s remember that and act accordingly. Much LOVE!
…the Spirit of God lives in His temple…our bodies…therefore we need to keep them as clean and holy as possible…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, anxiety, as long as there's life there's always hope in God, as the hart panteth after the water brooks, Bible, Chistianaity, Christians, confusion, deep longing for God, divine aid, every morning is a fresh beginning, faith, for the help of his countenance, for the hope I have today, Friday chant, give me new direction, goals vanish, God's greatest attribute, guide my steps, holy spirit, hope, hope thou in God, I know you never fail, I shall yet praise him, I take your hand in this place, In you I always have hope, Jesus Christ, longing, LOVE, mercy, my soul thirsteth for god, my tears have been my meat, obedience, omnipotent help, our sinful world, perplexity, prayer on Hope, regret, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, shrouded in darkness, simmering unrest, sing a song of praise, so panteth my soul for thee, sure confidence in God, tempted to fear all is lost, Thank You God, the error of their ways, the living God, the sons of Korah, the throne of grace, the trail ahead, this day of love, trust, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storms, ungodly times, Valentine's day, wake up and smell the coffee, when plans evaporate, where is thy God, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with hope anything is possible, without hope there's no real life, witness for Christ, You know the way, you're my light, your great faithfulness
Psalm 42:5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).
And the shouts went up in loud unison this Valentine’s Day morning: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here!’ That said, a Happy Valentine’s Day to all you my Scrip-Bit friends and families! Let’s hope that this day of LOVE will indeed be one that brings God’s greatest attribute sincerely to our hearts, and stay there after the day is done. Because we talk a lot about LOVE, but many of us don’t know what it really means, or don’t show it enough in our relationships with others.
Anyway, it’s been a bright, sunshiny, though somewhat windy day in my area, but at least the streets are clean and the snow has been mostly removed. I heard the snow crew working diligently all night, until around four this morning to get it done. However, after the 25-30 cm. of snow we recently received, it’s forecasted to have another big downpour this weekend. Let’s hope that there’s enough money in the Snow Removal Budget to clean that up also, and we don’t end up like we’ve done in some past years, with not enough money to facilitate a quick and thorough clean up. (smile)
But you know the most important word in that sentence is the li’l word HOPE! It’s small but ever so powerful, so that without it, one is without true life, but with it, all things are possible. Especially if we have Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. And we’ll dedicate this Valentine’s Day Friday to not only LOVE, but also to HOPE, because, if we have those two things in abundance, we are truly blessed. And we’ll begin with this most appropriate prayer on HOPE, from the recently published Prayer Series of Cards by the In Touch Ministries.
So please pray with me: ‘Thank You, God, for the Hope I have today. The trail ahead is shrouded in darkness, but You’re my light. Though I’m tempted to fear all is lost, I know You never fail. Guide my steps, because You know the way. When plans evaporate and goals vanish, give me new direction. Every morning is a fresh beginning in Your great faithfulness. So I take Your hand in this place and sing a song of praise. In You I always have hope.’ And all God’s people said a loud and sincerely grateful ‘Amen!’
Yes friends, In Christ our Saviour there’s ALWAYS HOPE! Let’s never forget that. And there are no better words from the scriptures to describe our great hope in God than these awesome words from Psalm 42, penned by the Sons of Korah. Please read with me: ‘As the hart panteth after (deer longs for) the water brooks, so panteth (longs) my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat (food) day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday (a pilgrim feast). Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).’ (Ps. 42:1-5) And that’s the best advice we can ever take or give anyone else; continue hoping in God and His amazing presence!
Now we don’t have time for all of the psalm, but these words of explanation from the scholars bring it’s truth home to us. In the first place, they claim that Psalms 42 and 43 could be read as one, and in fact are joined together in some Hebrew texts. So here, they are talking about both psalms together.
‘Using the refrain Hope thou in God as a marker, the poem yields three stanzas. First, the psalmist expresses his deep longing for God (42:1-5); second, his sad lament and dejection before God (42: 6-11); finally, his sure confidence in God (43:1-5). The three stanzas reveal the changing moods of the psalmist: from longing and regret to perplexity, then to trust and assurance. If only every downcast soul could end up in that third stanza!’
Yes friends, if only. However, we can, because we have the true and real hope in God, for when our souls are cast down and disquieted, we can go confidently, but ever so humbly, to the throne of grace, seeking divine aid to help with our earthly problems. So let’s do that right now nuh, go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant for aid in these dire 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!’
But please remember, divine aid all depends on our level of obedience, trust and the quality of witness we give for Christ. Much LOVE!
…as long as there’s life…there’s ALWAYS HOPE in Almighty God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a dazzling effect, a desire for eternity, a positive outlook on life, abundance, as the heavens are higher than the earth, be a part of both worlds, Bible, bounden duty, bringeth forth much fruit, cannot serve God and mammon, christianity, Christians, clear direction for my life, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, entice to eat the forbidden fruit, enveloped by the bright rays of the sun, eternal separation from Almighty God, eternity, everlasting, faith, favour, from the beginning to the end, frustrated by his finite limitations, generous manner, God has made everything beautiful in his time, God's supernatural wisdom, greater love hath no man, he hath set the world in their heart, his ways past finding out, holy spirit, how unsearchable are his judgements, I am the vine ye are the branches, Jesus Christ, LOVE, major snowstorm, mercy, 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 word, no man can find out, no pain sorrow tears or death, o the depth of the riches, of the wisdom and knowledge of God, on the same wavelength as God, our basic DNA, perpetuity, promotion, ride the fence, salvation, self-discipline, stick to Christ like white on rice, success, sunshine reflecting off the pure snow, talent, temporal mans quest for the eternal, the hope of salvation, the work that God does, truth, unsullied by human hands, we can do all things though Christ who strengthens us, what God has for his human creation, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing, you shall be as God, your eyes shall be opened
Ecclesiastes 3:11a. He (God) hath made everything beautiful in his time:
And then it was Thursday; the day of the big cleanup, after the evening of Wednesday’s big snowstorm. It’s definitely the biggest we’ve had so far and thoroughly disrupted the evening commute with people and traffic snarled for hours in the Greater Toronto Area. But yuh know what, it’s still not as big as some other parts of the country have received. And we need to be thankful for the dry day and the beautiful sunshine that’s reflecting off of the pure, driven snow, unsullied by human hands.
Now you might not like snow, but you cannot deny the dazzling effect it has when it’s enveloped by the bright rays of the sun. (smile) Remember, everything that God’s made is beautiful in its own way. And this is so eloquently and truthfully borne out by these words of Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘He (God) hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world (eternity) in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh (does) from the beginning to the end.’ (Eccl. 3:11)
And that’s a very interesting verse of scripture which says a whole lot to us. As the scholars explain. ‘The world is better translated “eternity.” God has given man a desire for eternity and perpetuity; therefore man cannot be satisfied with what is merely temporal. Man’s quest for the eternal, however is frustrated by his finite limitations.’
And Bruh Paul follows that up with this agreeing verse from Romans 11: ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!’ (Rom. 11:33) That’s for sure my people! We seek greater involvement and deeper understanding, because God’s put that in our basic DNA, but unfortunately our finite limitations indeed keep us from understanding the higher things and ways of God. God did that on purpose, to always keep us on our toes.
Remember what He says through the prophet Isaiah? ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) And for Him to be God, that’s how it ought to be, otherwise we’d be on exactly the same wavelength as Him, and therefore have no need of Him.
And that’s the deceitful trick the enemy played on Eve in the garden of Eden when he enticed her to eat of the forbidden fruit. ‘And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and shall be as gods (God), knowing good and evil.’ (Gen. 3:4-5) And it’s the same old trick he’s still plying with us today, deceiving us into thinking that if we do his bidding we’d be like God.
But friends, there’s nothing further from the truth. We can never be like God, in the sense that we’re a created being, and we simply don’t have the capacity to do much without His help. As Jesus so nicely tells us in the gospel of John. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5)
There again, truer words were never spoken my brethren! With Jesus we can do all things, because He strengthens us to do them, (Phil. 4:13) but without Him, we’re definitely not able to do a whole lot. That means we have to stay as close to Him as possible, like white on rice, (smile) if we ever hope to accomplish anything worthwhile in this world. And when we say worthwhile, we’re not speaking about what the evil and ungodly world considers worthwhile, but what Jesus considers worthwhile in His kingdom.
And yes, on a few occasions, they can be the same things, but oftentimes, they are not, because the things the world holds worthwhile, and the things Jesus considers worthwhile are usually the total opposite. That’s why you cannot serve God and mammon too. It’s either one or the other. Although many of us supposed believers foolishly try to ride the fence and be a part of both worlds, but in the long run you only find great disappointment in that tactic.
And it’s so much easier serving God than mammon. For the pleasures of the world are fleeting, and most of them only lead to hellfire and damnation, or eternal separation from Almighty God, while the hope of salvation and heaven are everlasting, and lead to eternity with God, where there’s no pain, sorrow, tears, death or any of those former things. And our God is so good to us that He’s even bestowed underserved benefits on us, so that we can do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings.
So, let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh, so we can get on with His business. 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!’
Now, with that awesome declaration (awright!!!) it’s become our bounden duty to use those blessings to help others, in the same generous manner that the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…greater LOVE hath no man…than what God has for His human creation…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a light unto my path, a rough row to hoe, according to his glorious power, an accurate perception, at all times in life, atonement, be filled with the knowledge of his will, Bible, blood, christianity, Christians, darkness, delve deeper into God's Word, duty bound, ever coming to know the Lord better, faith, forbearing the faults of others, forgiveness of sins, forsake her not, fruitful in every good work, get understanding, get wisdom, giving thanks unto the Father, growing spiritually stronger in Christ, happiness, holy spirit, hurry, in all wisdom, in god's eyes, in the habit of giving thanks, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jesus Christ, light, longsuffering, LOVE, love her and she shall keep thee, mercy, morality, of the inheritance of the saints, of the true nature of things, patience, persevering through trials, practical situations, prayer for the Colossians, productive in Christian service, qualified us, redemption, redemption through Christ's blood, sacrifice, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, she shall preserve thee, sincerely expressing gratitude to god, spiritual maturity, spiritual understanding, strengthened with all might, take the bull by the horns, the atonement by Jesus' death, the beloved of God, the Christian life, the ehtical condition in which God's children live, the fruit of the spirit, the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life, the religious stae of unbelievers, the skillful application of wisdom, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to be partakers, trust my friend Jesuss, truth, Tuesday Mantra, ungodly times, unto all patience and longsuffering, walk worthy of the Lord, wisdom, wisdom is the principal thing, with all thy getting, with joyfulness, worry
Proverbs 4:7. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.
And then it was a nice, sunshiny but windy Tuesday, ideal to give us hope for a better day than Monday, which was cold, snowy, and dreary. However it turns out though, we just have to keep moving forward, becoming wiser, as we delve deeper into the study of God’s Word, and thus getting better in the performance of the tasks He desires of us. That certainly brings to mind the effusive and all-embracing prayer that Bruh Paul prayed for the Colossians.
‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14)
Oh friends, that’s a mighty big prayer to wish on anyone, so can you imagine how the Colossians must have felt when they received Bruh Paul’s missive, not knowing him, since they were evangelized by Epaphras, Bruh Paul’s fellow servant in Christ. But Epaphras had spoken highly of them, and Bruh Paul, as always, wanted to invigorate and motivate them to greater works and heights. Thus, it’s a prayer that we believers today also are expected to take seriously, because it also pertains to our spiritual state which leaves a lot to be desired in these evil and ungodly times.
And though the prayer seems tough and long-winded, it’s fairly simple when you break it down. What’s Bruh Paul actually praying for eh? That the Colossians, and consequently us, will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will for their lives in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. And the scholars explain wisdom as an ‘accurate perception into the true nature of things. And understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations.’
Therefore, with those two things we’re set on the right path of the Lord, or as the psalmist says: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And being on the right path, we ought to be able to walk worthy of the Lord, allowing the fruit of His Spirit to flourish in our lives, so that others can see it and desire to know Him. But then too, Bruh Paul expects that all believers ought to keep growing in the knowledge of God’s Word; in other words, moving along the path of spiritual maturity to a higher calling in Christ Jesus.
Or, as the scholars explain; ‘Verse 10 expresses the reason that in verse 9, Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge of God’s will. That they walk (live) properly and fully please God. And in Greek the four explanatory participles of verses 10b-12 spell out and precisely define what a worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences in his life.’
Now that’s indeed a rough row to hoe, but hoe it we must if we intend to be true believers in Christ Jesus. And remember that the Lord does not call us to do anything in which He does not give us the wherewithal to perform it. That’s the beauty of our ever-LOVING God! And the scholars continue to explain some of the terms found in the above passages of scripture. They say ‘Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Longsuffering is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’
Meanwhile, verse 12 might also be translated “thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share in the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.” Light is the ethical condition in which God’s children live, namely, that of spiritual understanding with its accompanying morality and happiness. Then in verse 13, Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance with its attending immorality and misery. And in verse 14 Blood reminds the Colossians, and us, of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure their redemption. Redemption, then is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus’ death.’
And that’s it in a nutshell friends. Let’s hope that what we’ve said and read today will help us raise our spirituality to new levels. But that will only happen if we take the bull by the horns and begin delving deeper in the Word and putting it into practical application in our lives. Remember Wisdom tells us the truth, and Understanding tells us best how to apply it.
That’s why Cousin Sol was so emphatic in Proverbs when he admonishes: ‘Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from (turn away) the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: LOVE her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.’ (Prov. 4:5-7)
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all the world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel! As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (awright!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the Christian life is ever about…spiritually growing stronger…in Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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
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