16 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bribe, a great family, a lack of passion, a spirit of power love and a sound mind, a time of dictatorship, abhor justice, baptizing them, bloodshed, both shall fall into the ditch, bounden duty, broken in the name of Jesus, buildwith bllod up Zion, cause calamity, Christ has led us out of darkness into the light, christianity, Christians, Christians have the tools and the numbers to make changes, Christians need to throw off their differences, christians willing to walk the christian talk, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, confused and conflicted, continue in this godless race of evil doing, courage, curse, destruction is sure if we keep being ungodly, disturbed the tne natural elements of the weather, divine protection, even unto the end of the world, faith, fallen out of its natural rhythm, favour, fear holds us back, find destruction at the hands of an angry God, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, go ye therefore and teach all nations, good freinds, good health, greedy power hungry inept evil doing leaders, heaps of ruins, holy spirit, I am with you always, if the blind lead the blind, in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost, is not the Lord among us, it behooves Christians to rise up and hange the story, it's not too late to turn things around, Jesus Christ, led of them that are destroyed, living in fear of total destruction, LOVE, make disciples of all nations, mercy, negative word, no evil can come upon us, no sense of God in the hearts of our leaders, no sense of true purpose, pervert all equity, promotion, prosper and succeed, resolve power into their own hands, riddim and rhyme, roiling around in uncahrted waters, salvation, self-control, self-disicipline, supernatural wisdom, take the bull by the horns, teaching them to observe all things, the BIBLE, the Great Commission, the heads thereof judge for a reward, the leaders of this people cause them to err, the priests teach for hire, the prohets divine thereof for money, the same quandary our world is in, the strength of heart, they be blind leaders of the blind, through our own foolish and evil desires, total corruption, truth, uncharted waters, wake up, wandering around lost and unguuided, wisdom
Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
And then it was Thursday; our penultimate day of the work week, but yet another rainy and foggy morning, which eventually turned into a cloud covered somewhat sunshiny day. (smile) Ah mih people, the weather these days is like us, confused and conflicted, don’t know whether it’s coming or going. Why? Because we have played with and disturbed the natural elements so much that God’s set weather pattern has been thrown completely out of whack. Consequently, it has fallen out of its natural rhythm and is just roiling around in uncharted waters, with no sense of true purpose, no sense of riddim or rime, just like so may of us human beings today are wandering around lost and unguided.
It’s like the prophet Isaiah declared so long ago about the nation of Israel: ‘For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they are led of them that are destroyed.’ (Is. 9:16) And it’s the same sort of quandary our world is in today, with some of the most inept, greedy, power hungry, evil doing leaders that that world has seen in a long while. It seems like we are returning to a time of dictatorship, as so many current leaders are trying to resolve power into their own hands, so they can do as they please.
And it hearkens back to the cry of the prophet Micah on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes (rulers) of the house of Israel, that abhor judgement (justice), and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood (bloodshed), and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward (a bribe), and the priests thereof teach for hire (pay), and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say (saying), Is not the Lord among us? none evil (no harm) can come upon us.’ (Mic. 3:9-11)
Yes my fellow believers, that’s exactly the kind of world we’re faced with today; one of total corruption, greed, evil doing and no sense of God in the hearts of our leaders. It’s like Jesus said of the Pharisees: ‘Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ (Matt. 15:14) But friends, we’re not supposed to be blind because Jesus has come and led us out of darkness into the light, and if we have blind, godless leaders then we have to get up and do something about it.
For if we continue in this godless race of devilry, of evil doing, we will most likely end up just like the prophet Micah promised the Israelites, either by the hands of an angry and fed up God, or through our own foolish and evil desires. Listen up to Micah’s promise: ‘Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps (heaps of ruins), and the mountains of the house (the temple) as the high places (bare hills) of the forest.’ (Mic. 3:12)
Oh my people, if we keep on in the ungodly and evil way in which we’re going, destruction, in one way or another is certain to come upon us at some stage of the game. Now, is that what we truly desire for ourselves and our descendants? I doubt it very much. Therefore it behooves us Christians to rise up and change the story as much as we can, because none of the evil doers are going to do it. And it’s not like we don’t have the tools to do it, for we do, and we also have the numbers to do it too.
But what seems to be holding us back are things like fear, a lack of the necessary passion, and the strength of heart to even broach such a project, because we’re fearful that it will probably cause us much calamity. However, it will probably cause us even more calamity if we don’t get up and fight the good fight. And we cannot deny that’s already happening in this war torn, strife filled, selfish and greedy world of ours. But please, let’s remember these most important words of Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)
So the only answer to the problem is for believers in Christ Jesus to first get together, throw off our differences and divisions, then stand up strong and do what Jesus desires of us; spread His gospel of peace and LOVE, of forgiveness and salvation, to all parts of the world, like He says in the Great Commission. ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:18-20)
That’s our purpose right there my fellow believers. It’s loud and clear, nothing to misunderstand. However, because of our refusal to do like we were expected, our world has fallen even further in to the quicksand of godlessness and evil doing. And you cannot deny that if more of us supposed Christians had only risen up and lived like true Christians, our world would not be in the disastrous and chaotic state it’s currently in. But it’s not too late to turn things around. So please, for Christ’s sake, as well as our children’s, let’s wake up and take the bull by the horns and turn things around nuh! Aren’t you tired of living in fear of total destruction with the ungodly, evil, power hungry leaders we now have?
And our God is so good and generous that besides all the other stuff, He’s further bestowed on us undeserved blessings to help do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh! As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use those blessings, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, to help others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!
…only as Christians are willing to walk the Christian talk…will our world ever improve…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guiding principle, a proactive forward looking attitude, actively discard the negative past, as a man thinks in his heart so is he, be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, be enthusiastice about the success of others, be not conformed to this world, be so strong, be strong in the Lord, be too large for worry, be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, Bible, change your behaviour by changing your mindset, Christian D Larson, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, don't look back at your sinful experience with Satan, draw spiritual strength from God's boundless power, duty bound, evil schemes of Satan, external circumstances, faith, focus on faith prayer and daily devotion, focus on future goals and spiritual growth, for the prize of the high calling of God, forget the mistakes of the past, forgetting past mistakes, forgetting those things which are behind, give everyone you meet a smile, God's mysterious movements, holy spirit, hurry, I count not myself to have apprehended, in god's eyes, in the power of his might, Jesus Christ, laid hold of Christ, leave all negative baggage behind, look at the sunny side of everything, looking forward to a glorious future with Christ, looking towards the future, LOVE, maintaining integrity over mere outward appearances, make all your friends feel there is something in them, make your optimism come true, mercy, move forward to the wonderful stuff Jesus offers, not that which goeth into the mouth that defiles a man, nothing can disturb your peace of mind, one's internal mental and emotional state ultimately manifests outwardly, personal willpower, press on to future achievements, press toward the mark, pressing on toward a higher purpose, promise yourself, prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God, put on the whole armour of God, reaching forth unto those things that are before, reignite a passion in our hearts for Christ, rely on god for inner empowerment, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, spiritually impure, talk health happiness and prosperity to everyone, the beloved of God, the importance of managing thoughts, the indisputable truth, this one thing I do, to withstand trials and fight spiritual battles, too happy to permit the presence of trouble, too many of us still live in the past, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, urging individuals to release past mistakes regrets or achievements, we become what we think, what comes out of a man defiles him, wisdom, worry
Philippians 3:14. I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.
And after a rainy start, this Tuesday morning has become somewhat sunshiny, although a bit of cloud cover still remains at midday. It should be another fairly warm day like yesterday, with temps in the high teens or low twenties, but again somewhat windy. And we cannot complain about a li’l wind and rain when we have such high temps. (smile)
Anyhow, today I want to share an interesting article, written a long time ago by someone called Christian D Larson. And it’s both amazing and amusing how I came across it again. Last night while putting some stuff in one of the drawers of my file cabinet, I espied this small newspaper clipping taped to the top drawer, and it must have been there for ages, because the paper is now yellowed. Obviously I didn’t know what it was about, since I had not perused it in a long while, and was I surprised when I read the title ‘Promise Yourself,’ and the information that followed.
Now, I wonder if anyone else is like me; has a lot of stuff posted all around their office with supposedly good advice and information, but never sees them, just comes into the office every day, does whatever, then leaves again without paying any attention to those pictures and bits of paper decorating the office walls and elsewhere. I seem to do it all the time, and last night I smiled as I read the article, because deep down I just knew that it was one of God’s mysterious movements to have me renew it in my own mind, as well as share it today.
So please read with me: ‘Promise Yourself: To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.’
Wow! Now doesn’t that sound as though the author was referring to Christianity, for we are supposed to do all those things mentioned in the article? Like being so strong that nothing can disturb our peace of mind. Well there’s only one way to accomplish that, and it’s as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians. ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:10-11)
And I like how this overview explains it: ‘Be strong in the Lord, is a call to draw spiritual strength from God’s boundless power rather than personal willpower. It requires relying on Him for inner empowerment to withstand trials and fight spiritual battles by putting on the “armor of God,” focusing on faith, prayer, and daily devotion.’ And that’s the indisputable truth.
Then, there’s this other interesting promise about forgetting our past mistakes and looking towards the future that bring to mind these powerful and wise words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘Brethren, I count not myself not to have apprehended (laid hold of Christ); But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth (forward) unto those things which are before (ahead), I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:13-14)
And that’s exactly how we ought to be my fellow believers; looking toward a glorious future with Christ, and not back at a miserable sinful existence with Beelzebub. The problem though is that too many of us still live in the past; we allow our past mistakes, and disappointments to control the way we now live, instead of leaving all that negative baggage behind and moving forward with all the wonderful stuff that Jesus offers.
It’s like this commentary tells us: “Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead” is a guiding principle from Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV), urging individuals to release past mistakes, regrets, or achievements to focus entirely on future goals and spiritual growth. It highlights a proactive, forward-looking attitude, often described as “pressing on” toward a higher purpose.’
But to accomplish that goal, we have to actively discard the negative past, not just talk about doing it. And how do we do that? Bruh Paul offers this advice to the church at Rome. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Yes friends, the only way to change our behaviour is by first changing our mindsets, for as Cousin Sol in his great wisdom explains in Proverbs. ‘For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he:’ (Prov. 23:7a)
In other words, you become what you think, for our thoughts control our behaviour. Or as this overview declares: “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he” means a person’s true character, actions, and destiny are shaped by their innermost thoughts, beliefs, and desires. It emphasizes that one’s internal mental and emotional state ultimately manifests outwardly, highlighting the importance of managing thoughts and maintaining inner integrity over mere outward appearances.’
It’s like Jesus says: ‘Not that which goeth into the mouth that defileth a man: but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.’ (Matt. 15:11) Again, it’s our words and actions that stem from our thoughts that cause us to be spiritually impure, rather than external circumstances like not washing our hands before eating.
Ah friends, I do hope that these promises to ourselves reignite a passion in our hearts and souls for Christ, because they are all Bible based. 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!’
That now makes us 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!
…only true believers can be…too large for worry…too noble for anger…too strong for fear…and too happy to permit the presence of trouble…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundance, accosted by the devil, all destinies lead to God, as a roaring lion, avenge not yourselves, be not overcome of evil, be sober be vigilant, be ye angry and sin not, bless them that curse you, cease from anger, christianity, Christians, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, commune seriously with God, curse, determine what's right for us, divine protection, do good to them that hate you, don't change for change sake, don't go overboard when you're angry, don't go to bed angry, duty bound, etenal life, face the battle mano a mano, favour, forsake wrath, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, generously share our blessings, get left behind, heap coals of fire on his head, heed its warning, holy spirit, I shall repay, if he thirst give him drink, if it's not broken don't fix it, if thine enemy hunger feed him, it only causes harm, Jesus Christ, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, looking for an opportunity to disrupt our lives, lots of bark but no bite, LOVE, Love your enemies, make you immune from eivl, mercy, negative word, neither give place to the devil, not all walk the same path to get to God, overcome evil with good, pray for them which spitefully use you, promotion, prosper and succeed, salvation, self-control, self-didcipline, shaming our enemy with good treatement, success, supernatural wisdom, talent, the BIBLE, the Bible is our everyday guide to life, the devil is powerless if we stand strong in the Lord, the devil's a toothless lion, the indisputable truth, the joy of the Lord is our strength, time's moving forward very quickly, truth, undeserved blessings, vengeance is mine saith the Lord, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, wisdom, with God's help, your adversary the devil
Romans 12:21. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Oh brother! It couldn’t be Thursday already, the second to last day of our work week? But it surely is! That just goes to show how time is moving forward very quickly, and if we don’t heed its warning, we will get left behind, which is not a good feeling. But that doesn’t mean we have to change for the sake of change. The old cliché that if it isn’t broken don’t fix it, still stands as a reminder that a lot of things that are happening now are not really necessary and some of them can be bypassed. The difficult question though, is which ones should we bypass and which shouldn’t we?
I only wish I knew the answer. And unless you’re clairvoyant, the only way to find out is by each one of us facing the battle, mano a mano, and determining for ourselves, with God’s help, what is right for us. For although our destinies lead us all to the same place; salvation and eternal life with Jesus, not all of us walk the same path to get there. That’s why the Lord made us as individuals, with no two of us fully resembling each other in all aspects. He has a different path for each one of us to walk to get to Him, and only as we commune seriously with Him, will we find out the path He desires us to tread.
Consequently, that’s why He gave us His Word in the Bible as a guidebook for living this earthly life. And that’s why the psalmist so wisely declares: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And Cousin Sol elaborates on that in Proverbs by warning: ‘My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’ (Prov. 6:20-23)
Yes my brethren, God’s Word is there to guide us and keep us safe, but we have to read and study it, then put it into action before it can do that. Just becoming a Christian doesn’t make you immune from the evil and ungodliness of this world. In fact, that will make the enemy try even harder to tempt you and make you miserable, because he doesn’t want you to enjoy the strength of the Lord which is our joy. (Neh. 8:10) Yuh see, even Jesus was tempted, and it was the Holy Spirit that led Him into the wilderness to be thus accosted by the devil. That means we will also have the wily snake hanging around us all the time, looking for an opportunity to disrupt our lives.
And as Peter warns: ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ (1 Pet. 5:8) But he’s a toothless lion, lots of bark, but no bite. However, if we allow him, he can wreak much havoc in our lives. That’s why Bruh Paul wrote these words to the Ephesians. ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph. 4:26:-27)
Yes, when we get angry, we’re liable do foolish and ungodly stuff, that just gives the devil and opportunity to get into our lives. So, we must be careful when we get angry not to go overboard and react foolishly. Neither should we go to bed angry, because that just disturbs our sleep, and most likely we’ll wake up angry also, which is not a nice or sensible way to start our day.
Bruh David also warned about anger in Psalm 37, when he writes: ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm).’ (Ps. 37:8) And that’s the indisputable truth! For evil does nothing good for mankind, only brings pain, suffering, death and sorrow. And Bruh Paul said it thus to the Romans. ‘Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:19-21)
Yes friends, we can become angry, but must be careful what we do in those times, don’t repay evil for evil, neither seek revenge, for that right belongs to the Lord. We’re suppose to treat our enemy with graciousness, feed and give him drink if necessary, thereby sought of shaming him. (smile) It’s as Jesus declared: ‘But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully (spitefully) use you, and persecute you.’ (Matt. 5:44)
Now, although that command is often difficult to put into action, we must do our best to follow our Saviour’s directives, and our God is such a wonderful God that in His goodness and wisdom He’s bestowed several undeserved blessings on us to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection!
I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, we are now duty bound to go out and generously use those blessings to help others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the devil is powerless…if we stand strong in the Lord…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a long and arduous process, amidst much pain and sorrow, arise and go down to the potter's house, as the clay is in the potter's hand, as the heavens are higher than the earth, being confident of this very thing, cast our minds forward to the end product, christianity, Christians are tough people, come to know and love christ like we do, cry out for help, don't like God's timing, Easter Tuesday, encouragement to stand the pain, enjoy the tough times, every tough step is wothwhile, everyday we're in the potter's hands, faith, faith grows stronger with each misfortune, faith only grows in tough times, feel god's presence hovering over me, from sinner to saint, Goat races in Tobago, God is always just in time, God is faithful, God is never late, god moves in mysterious ways, God will change us into the image of Christ, God will not suffer you to be tempted more than you can bear, God will provide a way for us to endure the negative situation, God's imminent rescue, God's incomparable goodness and mercy, God's main purpose, growing our faith, he which hath begun a good work in you, holy spirit, how much aggravation our faith can stand, hurry, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, lacks spontaneity, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make a way of escape, mercy, more flabbergasted than normal, my thoughts than your thoughts, no Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, O house of Israel, personal experience, salvation, see the Lord's hand guiding and protecting, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, so are my ways higher than your ways, so are ye in mine hand, such as is common to man, testing our faith, the beautiful replica of Christ, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the eventual rewards are incomparable, the potter made a different vessel from the same clay, the potter wrought a work on the wheels, the right time for intervention, the vessel of clay was ruined in the potter's hand, there hath no temptation taken you, to have His children resemble Jesus, tough like Jesus, tough times, tough times don't last but tough people do, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, will perform it until the day of Jesus, wisdom, wit with bated breath, with the temptation, worry, ye may be able to bear it
Jeremiah 18:6b. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
And not because it’s Easter Tuesday and we gone back out to work means that the Easter celebrations over …Not by a long shot! For they are continuing in full swing at the Goat Races down in the seaside town of Buccoo in sweet Tobago! And oh, do I ever have some fond memories of Goat Race Tuesday‘s in Buccoo, but that was before it got so big that they built a stadium to house it.
Back then it was held in a field between some houses, and in several of those houses loud parties would be happening, while the goats and crabs ran. Yes, crabs did run in those days too! (smile) Back then it was a more inclusive and personal occasion, as opposed to the new situation of paying customers sitting down watching an event. It’s still a great time, though it lacks the spontaneity and vivacity of the earlier, less controlled era.
Ah friends, the ole fella’s lived a fairly long life, and though it’s been pretty tough many times along the way, when I look back at those tough times, I can definitely see the Lord’s hand guiding and protecting me through them. And believe me, there are still tough times today, but now I look to the Lord and cry out for help, when they come around. And He might not help me exactly when I need it, or in the way I desire, but I can always feel His presence hovering over me, waiting for the right time for His intervention.
And although I don’t like His timing, (smile) He’s never really late, but always just in time. Just before you go over the cliff, He reaches down and rescues you. Now, that’s not always easy to endure, but once you experience it a few times, your faith grows stronger with each occurrence, and you wait with bated breath amidst much pain and sorrow for His imminent rescue. (smile) And we wonder why it sometimes takes so long for Him to rescue us, when He has the power to do it right away.
But He’s the Creator and Controller and has His own reasons for His varied actions, many of which we can’t and don’t want to understand, for we will be even more flabbergasted than normal. And, as He long ago said through the prophet Isaiah: ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8) Now, that’s putting it in a very mannerly and decent way. (smile) But with our small and finite minds we can never hope to understand the reasons for Him doing what He does.
However, in His incomparable goodness and mercy, He does promise, as Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) Now that doesn’t mean He will always recuse us, but if He doesn’t, then He will provide a way for us to endure the negative situation.
And why is that you ask? Well, it could be for several reasons, like growing our faith, for our faith doesn’t grow in good, easy times, but in rough, tough ones. And also for testing said faith; seeing how strong it is, how much aggravation it can bear up under. (smile) For remember God’s main purpose is to have us become strong and faithful like His Son Jesus Christ, which means breaking us and building us like a potter does a piece of clay.
It’s like how the Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah: ‘Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potters house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels (the Potter’s wheel). And the vessel he made (was making) of clay was marred (ruined) in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.’ (Jer. 18:2-6)
Yes my fellow believers, we are like clay in the Lord’s hands. He created us and He can recreate us into any shape or image He desires. Although His preferred image to turn us into is that of His wonderful Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) Meaning that once we come to God seeking salvation and eternal life, He will begin to change us into the image of Christ, and will do so, everyday we’re alive, or until Christ returns to earth.
So, as believers, we cannot get away from the potter’s work of God’s hands. And it’s not easy being formed or marred on the potter’s wheel, or being placed in the oven to harden, but in going though it all, we have to cast our minds forward to the end product; the beautiful, glowing replica of Christ that we will all eventually become, using it as encouragement and reassurance to stand the pain of becoming like Jesus.
And mih bredrin, I know of which I speak, not from hearsay, but from personal experience, for sometimes when I write certain stuff here, before it can even reach you, the Lord is already working it out in me. And when I eventually realize that fact, despite the painful situation I might be in, I just have to chuckle at how our great God moves in very mysterious ways.
So, as we keep saying, living for Jesus is by no means a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, but by the same token, we can still enjoy the tough times we go through living for Him, as the eventual rewards are marvellous and incomparable. It’s as Dr. Schuller says: ‘Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’ And we are indeed tough people, tough like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
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!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…from sinner to saint…the process can be long and arduous…but every tough step is worthwhile…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a charlatan, an impostor, an interesting heartfelt prayer, christianity, cling to the one who can give us peace of mind, come to know and love christ like we do, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, detonation of ammunition, don't know who I'll be, done like dinner, Dr. Charles Stanley, faith, feel free and unburdened, feel naked without our problems, fill the spaces left behind with warmth and light, find rest unto your souls, find true rest from our earthly cares, forgotten, freedom and relief from earthly pressures, gentle and humble, go out like a lion, he that believeth on me shall never thirst, he that comes to me will never hunger, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, help me each day, him that cometh to me, holy spirit, hurry, I am the bread of life, I am the way the truth and the life, I will give you rest, I will in no wise cast out, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, Jesus is there to alleviate all our fears, labour not for the meat which perisheth, learn of me, lightening flashed brilliantly, Lord I'm tired, LOVE, March In touch Devotional, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, my burden is light, my yoke is easy, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, no room no need to take them up again, obey God and leave all the consequences to him, pay the high price that disobedience demands, reach the point, reassurance, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, speed, stand your bounce, suffer the consequences of disobedience, take my yoke upon you, that comes only from knowing you, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the great invitation, the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, the overflowing joy, the Son of man shall give unto you, the thunderous roar of a mighty lion, the truth is, the whole wide world, this is the work of God, thunderous thunder, tired of the burdens I carry, to let one fear one problem fall into the dust, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, without their familiar weight on my shoulders, words of encouragement, worry, ye believe on him whom he hath sent, ye did eat of the loaves and were filled, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Ah friends, like March was determined to go out like a lion this year…and he certainly did with the thunderous roar of a mighty lion and the amazing brilliance of light that he unleashed during the night time hours. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard such thunderous thunder, (smile) like it wanted to destroy the place, the same way a big detonation of ammunition does. And the brilliance of the lightening was extraordinary. It was so strong that the Duchess had to cover a glass scale in our bathroom with a cloth because the lightening was throwing dangerous reflections off of it.
At one point, while sitting on the side of my bed, the thunder roared and the lightning flashed so brilliantly that it came clear through the aluminum blinds and curtains at the window. Anyone looking directly at it would surely have been blinded. But thankfully all of that is over now, and for the last day of March, we have just a damp, somewhat cloudy day. Yes, believe it or not, March is now done like dinner, and like the other months, it has passed by rather quckly. But isn’t that what our society is all about…speed?
And today we’re going to offer up an interesting heartfelt prayer from the March In Touch Devotional, that I’m sure will resonate with some of us. So please pray with me. ‘Lord, I’m tired – tired of the burdens I carry, both those given to me and the ones I picked up myself. The truth is, I’m afraid to release them to You. I don’t know who I’ll be without their familiar weight on my shoulders. Father, help me each day to let one fear, one problem fall into the dust, forgotten. Fill the spaces left behind with warmth and light – the overflowing joy that comes only from knowing You until there is no room, no need, to take them up again. In Jesus name, amen.’
Yes my brethren, all of us have some fears or problems that’s been with us for so long that if we let them go, we won’t know what to do with ourselves, we’ll feel strange, possibly naked. But thankfully that’s what Jesus is there for; to alleviate all our fears, to take them to Himself and free us from them. That’s why He offers the Great Invitation to all who are troubled, fearful and weary.
Listen to these wonderful words of encouragement and reassurance. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Oh my people, have you ever heard anyone else offer such freedom and relief from our earthly burdens and heartaches? Obviously not! And if anyone tries to do that, then you’ll know that they’re just a charlatan, an impostor, a fake, a fraud, for it’s only our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that has the power to take away our burdens and replace them with His light yoke. Listen to Him again from the gospel of John, where He invites us to come to Him so we can experience the good life.
A multitude of people had followed Jesus over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee after He did the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, but as He told them. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles (signs), but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for the meat (food) which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then they said unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he had sent.’ (John 6:26:-29)
Yes sir, it’s that simple! All the Lord expects of us is to believe on the One whom He sent to earth to save us. And after the people desired of Him, the bread that came down from heaven, ‘Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise (certainly not) cast out.’ (John 6:35-37)
Obviously Jesus was talking there about the spiritual and eternal life, which one can only acquire through Him. As He says later on: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) That’s why so many of us are tired and worn out, because we don’t truly and fully believe in Jesus. We say it, and think we believe it, but it doesn’t show up sufficiently in our everyday lives, thus we never reach the point where we feel free and unburdened.
And furthermore, some of us are like those spoken of in this passage from Jeremiah. ‘Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.’ (Jer. 6:16) So then you stand your bounce and suffer the consequences of disobedience. No wonder Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) always said ‘Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.’
Yes friends, if we obey God, we won’t have to worry about the consequences. But if we don’t then we’ll surely pay the high price disobedience demands. And with the world in this awful state, it only makes sense to cling to the One who can give us peace of mind. That’s Jesus Christ!
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 said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…ONLY in Jesus…can we find true rest from our earthly cares and concerns…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a by product of our addiction to speed, abundance, addiction to speed, be of good courage, blessed are all they that wait for him, both hope and wait quietly, christianity, Christians, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, courage, creativity, curse, delight thyself also in the Lord, divine protection, duty bound, even the youths shall faint and be weary, excessive reliance on speed, eyes blazing, faith, favour, focus on today's tasks, fulfillment, give thee the desires of thine heart, good friends, good health, He giveth power to the faint, he may be gracious unto you, he may have mercy on you, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, I had fainted, I wait for the Lord, in his word do I hope, in the Lord's kingdom timing is everything, it is good that a man, it's hard to wait on the Lord's timing, Jesus Christ, let Israel hope in the Lord, LOVE, mercy, more than they that watch for the morning, mount up with wings as eagles, mouths salivating, my soul doth wait, my soul waiteth for the Lord, negative word, offering their morning sacrifices of praise, personal experience, promotion, prosper and succeed, run and not be weary, salvation, self-control, serenade the one who provides for them, talent, the BIBLE, the Lord has me in waiting mode, the Lord is a God of justice, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, the young men shall utterly fall, therefore will he be exalted, therefore will the Lord wait, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, thou shalt see it, times of total impatience, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, to the soul that seeketh him, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, truth, undeserved blessings, unless I had believed, uplifting to hear them, use those blessings to help others, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on the Lord and keep his way, waiting on God and His timing, wake up to the sweet singing of birds, walk and not faint, when the time is right things will happen, when the wicked are cut off, wisdom, with him is plenteous redemption, with the Lord there is mercy
Psalm 37:34. ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’
Oh friends, how wonderful it is to awaken to the sweet singing of the birds on a spring Thursday morning, or any morning for that matter! It’s certainly uplifting to hear them offering their morning sacrifices of praise to their Maker and Provider, in such a natural manner. They can’t think like we do, but they know that they must serenade the one who provides for them. Only wish that more of us would do like them.
And on this fairly warm but cloudy and drizzly penultimate day of our work week, instead of wishing that tomorrow and the weekend would hurry up and come, let’s focus instead on the many tasks we need to perform today, for some of us might not even be around to see tomorrow. That’s why I believe the Lord guided me to these scriptures for today on waiting on Him and His timing.
Listen to these wise words of Jeremiah from his Lamentations. ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:25-26) Yes my people, waiting on our God is most important, but sometimes extremely difficult to do especially in these times of total impatience and the excessive reliance on speed.
And waiting on God is so important that there are many scriptures that call for it. So let’s look at a few of them, so that we can renew our minds and spirits on the subject. (smile) Hear, as the prophet Isaiah, talks about God’s graciousness and mercy. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait. That he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18)
And we all know this next popular scripture from Isaiah. ‘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. 40:29-31)
Now all of us want to ‘mount up with wings as eagles,’ but we don’t want to do the waiting on the Lord. And not wanting to wait is a sad byproduct of this society’s addiction to speed, to have everything move faster and done more quickly. We’re regularly offered new devices, and in many cases they’re not really much better than the last one, but they are always faster, and that gets our eyes blazing and our mouths salivating for them.
Meanwhile in Psalm 130 – Hoping and Waiting for the Lord – the psalmist declares: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), And with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption.’ (Ps. 130: 5-7) Wow! What great reasons to wait on the Lord: abundant redemption and plenty mercy!
Then there are a couple of scriptures from Bruh David that we all know, but don’t necessarily action them. (smile) The first comes from Psalm 127 – My Heart Shall Not Fear. he writes: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13 -14) Bruh David could not have put it any clearer or stronger than that my faithful brethren. And we all know his story, where although he made some bad mistakes, he waited on the Lord for most of his life, and he was successful as a king, a warrior, a poet and a musician.
And yes, it is hard to wait on the Lord’s timing. I can tell you that from personal experience, because I’ve been through it earlier on in life. When I didn’t wait, my projects were unsuccessful, but when I waited, they bore good fruit. Right now, I have several projects waiting in the wings, but not doing anything about them, either because I’m too lazy to jump start them, (smile) or the Lord has me in waiting mode. I’d like to think it’s the latter, but who knows,?
Anyway, I’ve learned from hard experience that when the time is right, things will happen. Therefore I’m doing as Bruh David says in Psalm 37 – Trust in the Lord – ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:4) And do I ever have several desires of mine heart still left to be manifested, in the short time I have left! (smile)
And lastly, there’s this verse also from Psalm 37, where Bruh David advises us to: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34) Yes my people, if we want to see the goodness and mercy of God, then we have to wait on His timing. That’s the living truth. Now, let’s declare and thus activate our undeserved Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection!
I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…in the Lord’s kingdom…timing is everything…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bit of spiritual grit, a thought provoker, accompanying this ignorance was immorality, alive and living for Jesus, all things that are reproved, an outward connection, arise from the dead, as capable of standing firm, awake thou that sleepest, but rather reprove them, children of light, children of the day, Christ shall give thee light, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, discerning what is and is not acceptable to God, don't indulge in the sins of the unsaved, don't know exactly when ti happened, enter a relationship with God, expose the sins of the unsaved, faith, God invites the unbeliever to turn from his sin, godly wisdom, have no fellowship, hideous nature, holy spirit, house of Jacob, hurry, in all goodness righteousness and truth, in god's eyes, in the midst of affliction, it is a shame, it's necessary to have a connection to God, its resultant guilt and misery, Jesus Christ, knowledge of the truth, let us walk in the light of the Lord, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made manifest by the light, make our hearts and souls joyful, mercy, moral purity and happiness, no awareness of your love, no comfort or joy in your promises, no daylight in my heart, no deep conviction, nor as strong, nor even candlelight, not a deep spiritual involvement, not as brave as you think, not of the night nor of darkness, on your word without, One Year Book of Bible Promises our spiritual eyes, opted to throw my weight, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, rather than my feelings within, reached the conclusion, religiously informed, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, shameful to discuss their iniquties in decnt company, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sincerity and truth, spiritually unenlightened, terrible consequences of sin, that you are real, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the conclusion, the fruit of the spirit, the irony of the situation, the joy a new birth brings, the promise of spiritual enlightenment and help, the reawakening of life, to speak of those things done in secret, to whom we belong, tough and unpredictable times, trees are budding, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk as children of light, walk with you in the dark of night, walk without you in the light, whatever doth make manifest is light, whatever sin is made visible becomes light, wisdom, with sheer determination, with the unfruitful works of darkness, worry, ye are the light of the Lord, ye were sometimes darkness
Isaiah 2:5. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.
And so we come to Tuesday; a beautiful, sunny, but somewhat chilly spring day. Buds are coming out on the trees, so spring must certainly be in the air. (smile) Just sit a moment and contemplate all the lovely greenery that will soon become reality nuh; the reawakening of life once more, like the new birth of a baby that always brings such joy, and let’s make our hearts and souls joyful that although the times are tough and unpredictable, we’re alive and living fully and faithfully for Jesus! There’s absolutely nothing better than that friends!
And as I looked through our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin for a poem to share today, this one, so in line with what we just said above, struck me as being most appropriate. And, as usual, I don’t know if I’ve ever shared it before. (smile) It’s simply titled ‘The Conclusion.’ So please read with me: ‘Lord, Lord I am not as brave As You seem to think Nor as strong Nor as capable of standing firm In the midst of affliction. Lord, there is not a drop Of emotional response in me. No awareness of Your LOVE No comfort or joy in Your Promises.
I have no deep conviction That you are real. There is no daylight in my heart Nor even candlelight. Nevertheless, with sheer determination And perhaps a bit of spiritual grit I have opted to throw my weight On Your word without Rather than my feelings within. I don’t know exactly when it happened But I have reached the conclusion That I would rather walk with You In the dark of night Than walk without You In the light.’
Wow! What godly wisdom friends! It has to be, for what else would make you enter a relationship with God, although it’s not a deep spiritual involvement but simply an outward connection? It shows that God is working, working in a way that is most appropriate for that person. And believe me, our God will take anyone who comes to Him with sincerity and truth, although not ready for deep involvement. Yes my people, regardless of how our hearts feel inside, it’s ever so important that we at least walk with Almighty God on the outside, for it’s necessary to have some sort of connection with Him to live this life.
And once we begin walking with Him, even if it’s just on the outside, He will eventually make us see the light, and our feelings will become what they ought to be on the inside. It’s just a matter of time! And I just LOVE those two last lines: ‘That I would rather walk with You In the dark of night Than walk without You In the light.’ What a beautiful emotional juxtaposition, highlighting the irony of the situation! It’s preferable to walk with God in the dark, than walk without Him in the light. It sounds good, and is indeed a thought provoker. And you can spend several minutes, like I just did, trying to figure it out. (smile)
But the important thing is that one ought always to walk with God, be it day or night! And the Bible Promise for that poem comes from Isaiah, in talking about the mountain of God, he advises his people: ‘Come people of Israel, let us walk in the light of the Lord.’ (Is. 2:5) That’s the NLT or New Living Translation. Meanwhile the KJV or King James Version which we use, puts it thus: ‘O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.’ (Is. 2:5)
And as we just said, it is ever so important to walk in the light of the Lord in this dark and despicable world. As Bruh Paul explains to the Ephesians. ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ (Eph. 5:8-14)
Now here are some explanations from the scholars re those verses. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness. 5:10. Because of the constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.
5:11. Reprove is better translated “exposed.” The believer’s duty is expressed here in two ways. Negatively, he is not to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that is, not to indulge in the sins of the unsaved. Positively, he is to “expose” (reprove) these sins, that is, bring them to light and show them for what they really are, so that the unbeliever may see their hideous nature and their terrible consequences. 5:12. For tells why the Christian must expose the sins of the lost. If it is shameful even to discuss their iniquities in decent company (cf. vs. 3), how much the worse is the committing of these sins. Hence the need to bring them to light.
5:13. This verse may be paraphrased: “All sins that are exposed are made visible by the gospel, for whatever sin is made visible becomes light.” 5:14. Since exposing sin is beneficial, God invites the unbeliever (thou that sleepest) to turn from his sin (arise from the dead), with the promise that he will be granted spiritual enlightenment and help needed (Christ shall give thee light).’ Hopefully those explanations give us a better understanding of how we are to walk as children of light.
Now, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As on 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!’
That now makes us 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!
…believers are all children of light…and children of the day…they are not of the night…nor of darkness… (1 Thess. 5:5)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a good attitude, a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, a tough nut to crack, abundance, adversity, as generously as the Lord shared them with us, ascend up into heaven, at thy right hand, become intimate with God, behold thou art there, broken right now in the name of Jesus, Christian maturity, christianity, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, commit thy way unto the Lord, constantly be on the lookout, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, duty bound, dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, experience with adversity, faith, favour, feed on his faithfulness, foundational truth, good health, he shall bring it to pass, he shall direct thy paths, holy spirit, I will give thee rest, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in thy presence is fullness of joy, Jane Williams, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, like a thief in the night, LOVE, make my bed in hell, Mellitus College, mercy, my presence shall go with thee, negative words, never escape the presence of God, omni-present, poverty wages, Prayer Through The, promotion, salvation, self-control, shew me the paths of life, so shall thou dwell in the land, take heed, take the wings of the morning, talent, teach me to wait with patience, the BIBLE, the penultimate day of our work week, the problem of trust, the unknown future, there are pleasures for ever more, thou art there, thou shalt be fed, thy right hand shall hold me, to go out and share those blessings, to know your presence, to prepare a place for me, to trust that you are with me, trust also in him, trust comes with experience, trust in the Lord and do good, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, truth, waiting with faith, walking by faith and not by sight, watch and pray, watch with alertness, we need to feel God's presence, whither shall I flee from thy presence, whither shall I go from thy spirit, wisdom
Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
And then we come to Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week. Wow! The week’s almost over! But please remember what Jesus said, don’t look forward too much to tomorrow, Friday, for Friday will present its own problems, (Matt. 6:34) let’s concentrate mostly on handling today’s challenges. (smile) Now, since God so generously spared our lives to see another day on His wonderful though currently chaotic planet earth, let’s keep our promise to continue looking at the prayer credited to Jane Williams, a professor at St. Mellitus College in London, England, founded in 2007, whose mission is to provide innovative theological education and training for those called to serve Christ in the church and the world.
The prayer is found in the 2025 publication of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, titled ‘Prayers Through The Ages.’ And it’s short and sweet enough for us to pray it again. (smile) So please pray with me: ‘Christ, you have gone before me to prepare a place for me, that where you are there I may be also. Teach me to wait with patience, to watch with alertness, to trust that you are with me in the unknown future and to know your presence.’ What wonderful sentiments! And yesterday we looked at Jesus’ promise to go and prepare a place for us and then come back to take us with Him, (John 14:1-3) a foundational truth of our faith, as well as the request for God to teach us to wait with patience.
Now that waiting with patience is a tough nut to crack, because it only comes through lots of experience; waiting with faith and a good attitude despite the adversity we all go through. Likewise the other request from the prayer: ‘teach me to watch with alertness.’ That only comes through faith and experience. As we saw a few day ago, where Jesus warns us to ‘Take heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.’ (Mark 13:33)
Yes, we know that Jesus is coming back, but we don’t know when, and it could be anytime, like a thief in the night. That means we have to constantly be on the lookout and also be ready. For if He comes back and we’re not ready, then it’s hell fire and damnation for us. That’s why these words of His are so important. ‘And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.’ (Mark 13:37) And we cannot overestimate how important it is to watch and be ready for whenever Jesus returns.
Then there’s the problem of trust, which means walking by faith and not sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) Putting all our trust in Jesus is again not easy, and only comes with experience. The longer we live with Jesus, the more we see His absolute faithfulness and learn to trust Him. And again there are numerous scriptures that detail that requirement. And here are a couple of the most prominent verses. The first ones come from Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6)
Then there’s this from Bruh David from Psalm 37. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:3-5)
And finally the prayer talks about knowing God’s presence. That’s another aspect that only comes with experience. But knowing and feeling God’s presence around us is of major importance, as it especially brings us comfort and lack of fear. And there are many scriptures that talk about the importance of feeling God’s presence in our daily lives. And I guess the first one ought to be Moses’ plea to God for grace and knowledge of Him, (Ex.33:13) while leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. ‘And he (God) said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.’ (Ex. 33;14)
Now that gave Moses the encouragement he needed, because he knew if the Lord wasn’t present with them, they would see lots of trouble. Then in Psalm 16, Bruh David encourages us with this titillating verse on the subject. He writes: ‘Thou wilt shew me the paths of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.’ (Ps. 16:11) Yes friends, when we’re in the presence of God, our spirits are light and fanciful and there’s such joy that we cannot contain it.
And I believe Bruh David says it best in the remarkable Psalm 139 ‘Praise to the All-Knowing God.’ There, he expounds thus on God’s presence: ‘Whither shall (can) I go from thy spirit? or whither shall (can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’ (Ps. 139: 7-10)
Oh my people, that just goes to show that we can never escape the presence of God; for he’s Omi-present Wherever we go, He’s always around. And every time I read that scripture I’m reminded of the first time I heard it acted out so marvellously by Dr. Robert Schuller on the Hour of Power T.V. programme. The problem though with God’s presence is for us to feel it. He’s always there, but unless we feel it, it does us no good. And to do that we have to become very intimate with God, through prayer, His Word and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us to lead, guide and comfort us.
Unfortunately friends, the whole Christian thing, growing in spiritual maturity, takes time and experience; going through adversity and failure, but not giving up because your faith and trust is strong. And every time you go through something negative; your faith gets stronger. As Cousin Sol says: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…’ (Prov. 24:16a) That’s the only way to grow!
Now, let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, undeserved ones, so generously bestowed on us by God to do His earthly work. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…growing in Christian maturity…only comes through… sincere trust and faith in God…and experience with adversity…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a global conflict, a nuclear blast, a plague, a wake up call to get right with God, all of them shall grow old like a garment, are you ready for Jesus' return, as a vesture shalt thou change them, atomic bombs, but of that day and hour knoweth no man, cause for us to sit up and pay attention, Christ's church come together, christianity, Christians, come as a thief in the night, come to know and love christ like we do, effects of radiation, faith, Greg Laurie, he find you sleeping, heaven and earth shall pass away, Hiroshima, holy spirit, hurry, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, let the world know to whom we belong, lift up your eyes to the heavens, lock stock and barrel, look upon the earth beneath, LOVE, mankind invents and perfects methods of destruction, mercy, my righteousness shall not be abolished, my salvation shall be for ever, my words shall not pass away, Nagasaki, nuclear weapons, of old thou hast laid the foundations of the earth, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, stay spiritually awake, suddenly coming, take heed, take the bull by the horns, the antichrist, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the day of the Lord, the earth also, the earth shall wax old like a garment, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the end times, the flesh eyes and tongues of people rot, the heavens are the work of thy hands, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, the rapture of the church, the second coming of Jesus, the Tribulation, the war of Gog and Magog, the works that are therein shall be burned up, they shall be changed, they shall perish but thou shalt endure, they that dwell therein shall die in like manner, thou art the same, thy years shall have no end, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn things around in Christ's favour, watch, watch and pray, watch ye therefore, weapons of mass destruction, what I say unto you I say unto all, wisdom, World War II, worry, ye know not when the time is
Mark 13:37. And what I say unto you I say unto all. Watch.
Well friends, with God’s help, we’ve successfully made it through Monday, so there’s no reason why we should not make it through this windy and chilly but fairly sunny Tuesday too! And, believe it or not, we’re already past the halfway mark of this March month, meaning that time and things are speeding up, so we also have to get a move on if we don’t want to be left behind. It’s therefore essential that Christ’s people, His church, come together, take the bull by the horns and begin turning things around in His favour, otherwise the devil and his evil cronies will just destroy everything that’s good and godly in our world.
We’ve already seen how we are foolishly leading up to another big war, which might just prove to be the last one, and the evil doers are in no hurry to change the situation, so it’s left up to the people of Christ to intervene and stop the foolishness, If not, then we might just see the promise of Peter’s words coming through, for the next big war will indeed be a doozy with nuclear weapons of mass destruction. ‘But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 3:10)
And that’s exactly what’s going to eventually happen if mankind doesn’t restrain his warlike tendencies. And if we think the atomic bombs that decimated the Japanese Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War 2 were bad, please think again, because the weapons we now have are several times stronger and more destructive. But that’s what mankind does so well, invent and perfect methods and weapons of destruction. What’s taken centuries to build, we can now destroy and eliminate in the blink of an eye. Most of our efforts are concentrated on destruction rather than construction.
And we have the same sort of warning about serious destruction from the prophet Isaiah when he talks about the ‘Nearness of God’s Righteousness.’ He writes: ‘Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax (grow) old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished (broken).’ (Is. 51:6)
Yes friends, there are several more references in the Bible to the earth being destroyed, like this one from Psalm 102. The author states: ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure (continue): yea, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed (descendants) shall be established before thee.’ (Ps. 102: 25-28)
Then this commentary tells us, there are other scriptures like ‘Zechariah 14:12 which describes a plague where the flesh, eyes, and tongues of people rot while they stand on their feet, which some interpret as the effects of radiation or a nuclear blast. Revelation 8:7-10: Mentions a third of the earth, trees, and grass burning up, and a great mountain burning with fire falling into the sea, often interpreted as nuclear missiles and fallout. Ezekiel 38-39: Describes the war of Gog and Magog, involving massive armies, fire, and brimstone, which some commentators suggest could be a global conflict in the end times.’
The problem though is however we explain or understand it, the earth and all therein will at some time be destroyed either by man’s hands or divine design, thus we should be prepared for whatever comes. And I like how Pastor Greg Laurie puts it in his article on the current problems in the Middle East, found on the harvest.org/resources website. He writes: ‘I believe what has taken place in the Middle East is cause for us to sit up and pay attention. Let me give you just a quick flyover of end times events chronologically. Number one, I think the next event on the prophetic calendar is the Rapture of the Church. Then, the Antichrist emerges on the scene and the Tribulation period begins.
The Tribulation ends with the Second Coming of Christ, and then the Lord establishes the Millennium (the 1,000-year reign of Christ). Events like the ones we are seeing now shouldn’t cause us to panic and be fearful, but move us to prayer. Pray for the nations involved. Pray for peace. And pray that many come to Christ. Bible prophecy is not given to scare us, but to prepare us. Are You Ready? Ask yourself today, “Am I ready for the Lord’s return?” Christ is coming again. This is a wake-up call to get right with God, walk closely with Him, and stay spiritually awake. Let’s all make sure we’re ready to meet the Lord—because, well, He could come back at any time.’
And that was Jesus’ exact warning: ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter (doorkeeper) to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even (evening), or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all. Watch.’ (Mark 13:31-37)
And whatever Jesus says, is what we ought to do! So please my fellow believers, let’s sit up and take notice nuh. It’s all for our benefit. Now let’s declare 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!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…regardless of our many problems…Christians ought to be ready for Christ’s return…at any time…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spring-like day, a symbol of sorrow, a time of sufferation, an alien to my mother's children, an expected circumstance in a believer's life, be of good cheer, be perfect and complete, became a proverb to them, became my reproach, become a stranger unto my brethren, chastened my soul with fasting, Christ also suffered for us, come into deep waters, come to know and love christ like we do, committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, count it all joy, duty bound, face tough times, faith, fall into divers temptations, fall into various trials, follow his steps, for thy sake I have born reproach, hate me without a cause, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself, holy spirit, hurry, i have overcome the world, I made sackcloth also to my garment, I restored that which I took not away, I wept, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, if we be dead with him we shall also with him live, if we belive not, if we deny him he will deny us, if we suffer we shall also reign, in god's eyes, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, it is a faithful saying, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the best example of God's brusing, leaving us an example, let patience have her perfect work, LOVE, mercy, mine enemies, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God, more than the hairs of mine head, my throat is dried, rejoicing with Christ in eternity, restored what I didn't steal, salvation, save me O God, shame hath covered my face, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sink in deep mire, stand strong and steadfast for Christ, steadfastness to one's commitment to God, suffering on God's behalf, suffering wrongfully, take it patiently, the beloved of God, the floods overflow me, the reporaches of them that reproach thee are fallen on me, the reproaches of them that reproached thee, the song of the drunkards, the trying of your faith worketh patience, the waters are come in unto my neck, the waters are come in unto my soul, the zeal for thy house hath eaten me up, these things I have spoken unto you, they that sit in the gate speak against me, they that would destroy me, this is acceptable before God, this is thankworthy, those whom God uses the most are the ones He bruises the most, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, undeserved suffering, wanting nothing, weary of my crying, what glory is it when you be buffeted for your faults, when he suffered threatened not, when he was reviled reviled not again, when ye do well and suffer for it, where there is no standing, who did not sin. neither was guile found in his mouth, wisdom, worry, ye take it patiently
Psalm 69:1. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (neck).
It’s Tuesday friends, and thankfully it’s another bright and sunshiny spring-like day with temps in positive double figures, and all the snow has finally melted. Thank God! I can now see the dry grass on the ground and the floor of the deck at the back of my house, which was once covered with snow over a foot high, making it risky to open my back door. Some trees are even starting to push out some buds. But please, let’s not get carried away, it’s only the tenth of March and winter is certainly not over. And soon we’ll be back enjoying the cold weather. (smile) But it’s surely nice to have a break in between.
And today we’ll have a look at Psalm 69, ‘A Cry for Help.’ It was a time of ‘sufferation’ for Bruh David and he cries out to God. ‘Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (neck). I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away (did not steal)…
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of (for) thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to (became) my reproach. I made sackcloth also to my garment (a symbol of sorrow); and I became a proverb (byword) to them. They that sit in the gate (sit as judges) speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.’ (Ps. 69:1-4, 7-12)
And according to the scholars: ‘This psalm gives extensive expression to one of the major themes of the psalms: undeserved suffering. In this case, the suffering has come largely from the psalmist’s steadfastness in his commitment to the Lord.’ Yes my fellow believers, when we are steadfast in our commitment to the Lord we will indeed face tough times. And many men of God have gone through undeserved suffering just because of their faith. People like Moses, Elijah, Isaiah and Jeremiah. They were all doing the Lord’s work, but suffered unnecessarily because of it.
And the same thing is liable to happen to those of us who stand strong and steadfast in God’s name in these modern times. Jesus said it very clearly: ‘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) And people like James have written of such tribulation thus. ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (various trials); Knowing this, that the trying (testing) of your faith worketh (produces) patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing.’ (James 1:2-4)
Now that’s easier said than done! Consequently, listen to this interesting comment from the scholars. ‘Negative experiences are to be accepted with great joy, not for the sake of the trial itself but because of the positive work God can accomplish through the testing. The words in verses 2 and 3 (temptations and trying) are often regarded as virtually synonymous. If this were true, then trials themselves would produce spiritual maturity. But they do not. Often, testings make Christians bitter instead of better, with no spiritual growth occurring. The Greek word for “trying” (dokimion) might be better translated as “approving.” It is not merely one’s presence in such trials but one’s victory over them that brings spiritual growth and maturity. Those Christians whom God can use the most are those whom God has bruised the most.’
And is that ever true! For many of those used by God down through the ages have been well bruised, both before and during their work on God’s behalf. The most prominent example of that being God’s most important worker; Jesus Christ. I guess the reasoning is that if you’re not bruised, you cannot fully understand the problems and sufferings of others.
And to top James’ philosophy, Peter then declares: ‘Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward (harsh). For this is thankworthy (commendable), if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted (beaten) for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with (commendable before) God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did not 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:’ (1 Pet. 2:18-23)
Ah mih people, that’s the kind of example we’re expected to follow as disciples of Jesus. And though that becomes more difficult as our world becomes more evil and ungodly, the effort is necessary if we’re to be true disciples of Jesus. And hopefully, this scripture from Bruh Paul to Timothy, might mitigate it some. ‘It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer (endure) we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not (are faithless), yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ (2 Tim. 2:11-13)
Yes mih bredrin, suffering for and with Christ here on earth, means also living and rejoicing with Him in eternity! And considering the short time limit to our possible suffering and the infinite extent to our rejoicing, that should help us bear the earthly trials and tribulations with a better attitude. (smile) 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 now friends, we’re 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!
…suffering on God’s behalf…is an expected circumstance in a believer’s life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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