16 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man lay down his life for his friends, a test of your faith, all should come to repentance, be reconciled to God, be wise and go to God, Christ died for us, christianity, come back to God's fold, comfort, compassion, crapaud smoke yuh pipe, deepen my breath, die for a bunch of sinners, don't turn away from God, doubting God's love, dying for someone else, eternal life, everything will work out for our good, faith, follow Christ's example, God commendeth his own love toward us, God is omnipotent omniscient and omni-present, God so loved the world, God's great love for mankind, greater love hath no man than this, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he laid down his life for us, hereby perceive we the Love of God, holy spirit, I am the good shepherd, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his, if ye do whatsoever I command you, in all sincerity and truth, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, keep failing the tests, lay down our lives for the brethren, laze around, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, Lucifer, man's greatest folly, mercy, Nicodemus, quiet my soul, reciprocal love, relax my muscles, salvation, seeking intimacy with God, sin and satan got in the way, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, that's the way life is, the archangel of light, the BIBLE, the death and resurrection of Christ, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, truth, ups and downs, walk the path, whatever catches our fancy, while we were yet sinners, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, wisdom, ye are my friends, you can't be contained, you cannot blame God for everything, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 May 2026 Romans 5:8.
Romans 5:8. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’
And our lazy-day Saturday is here friends, warm but somewhat cloudy with the possibility of rain. But who cares? That’s the exact kind of weather we need to stay inside, to loiter and laze around, doing whatever catches our fancy, or perhaps doesn’t catch it! (smile) But before we allow that attitude to take hold, let’s offer up our ‘Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer’ in all sincerity and truth.
As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And there’s nothing better in this life than seeking greater intimacy with our heavenly Father, for that’s the main reason He created us; to pass LOVE back and forth between us, so that life would be peaceful, calm and wonderful. Unfortunately though, sin and Satan got in the way, thus making things much more difficult than they ought to be. But nonetheless, we can still be wise and choose to go to God for all the LOVE, comfort, compassion and help that He has waiting, has stored up for each of His human creations.
And it’s sad to see that so many of God’s greatest creation doubts His LOVE and compassion for them, and consequently turn away from Him, much to their own chagrin and demise. And if there’s one verse in the Bible that clearly demonstrates God’s total and undying LOVE for us is this one from Bruh Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, where he unequivocally declares: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)
Wow! Now why would omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present God send His only Son to die for a bunch of sinners eh, without even having them first turn from their sin? Obviously because of His great LOVE for mankind. Yes friends, while we were still enemies of God, He decided to set in motion the actions that would allow us to come back to His fold, to be reconciled to Him, through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, which would make salvation and eternal life possible to all.
So I really can’t see how we can ever doubt God’s great LOVE for us. We might not make use of the benefits He provided, but doubting His LOVE is certainly irreconcilable with the facts. Even Satan, being once the archangel of Light, Lucifer, knows that fact, although he would never admit to is, because it would spoil or break his treasured hold on those sinners committed to him. And Jesus Himself made several clear and unambiguous statements that pertain to God’s LOVE for us; including this most prominent one to Nicodemus a Jewish church leader, who through fearing the ire of his fellow leaders, came to Jesus under cover of night to ask questions and hopefully get good answers.
And he surely did, when Jesus declared: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) What could be more assertive and reassuring than that eh? It’s only God’s LOVE that saved all mankind from hellfire and damnation. As the Bible says, it hurts God’s heart to lose even one of His human souls to sin and eternal death, showing that He clearly desires that all of them should come to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9)
Now, listen to this other statement from Jesus that proves God’s unconditional and undying LOVE for humanity. He says to the disciples: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:13) And there’s no disputing that statement, for the greatest show of LOVE is dying for someone else, and we will only die for someone we seriously LOVE. And then, Jesus went out and died for us. But there was a corollary to Jesus’ statement: ‘Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 15:14)
Yes mih bredrin, friends usually do as their friends desire. And if we don’t do as Jesus desires, then we’re not His friend. But to be His friend, also means to have His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, leading and guiding our lives. For as Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’ (Rom. 8:9b) Direct and to the point. And to further solidify the point that Jesus died for us because He LOVED us, listen to this statement, where He declares: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) And that’s exactly what a good shepherd does; fight for his sheep, and if necessary die for them.
Then there’s this verse from John’s first epistle that again confirms God’s and Jesus’ LOVE for mankind. ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down ours for the brethren.’ (1 John 3:16) Now that’s a powerful scripture my people, not only reiterating that Christ died for us because He LOVED us, but also that we should follow His example, and if necessary, die for the brethren. And yes, it is indeed a tough scripture to contemplate, but thankfully, few of us will ever be called to walk that path of dying for someone else.
So please, on this lazy-day Saturday, let’s not even contemplate the question of whether God LOVES us or not, because there’s lots of proof to show that He does. You might not think so because your life is somewhat topsy turvy and not going the way you desire, but you can’t blame God for everything. He’s promised that if you live sincerely for Him, then everything will work out for good in the end, but in the middle, there will certainly be ups and downs that we don’t appreciate. However, that’s just the way life is, and please, don’t foolishly turn away from God because you don’t like what’s happening in your life right now, for sometimes it’s just a test of your faith, and if you keep failing the tests, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe! Much LOVE!
…doubting God’s LOVE…is mankind’s greatest folly…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cheerleader, a difficult and unrewarding task, a good mother, a good mother is a human reflection of God, a legacy of saving power, a mother comes comes closest to God, a mother was born to care, a mother's job is never done, a quiet strength, a shield from every earthly trial, a steady anchor, a woman that fears the Lord shall be praised, above the world's noise, always there for me, appropriate for a Mother's Day Tribute, as a nurse cherisheth her children, as a nursing mother cherishes her children, as one whom his mother comforteth, beauty is vain, by her words and her touch, call her blessed, call to remembrance, calm assurance of God's tender caring, came from my mother's hands, caring ways, carry us in their womb, christianity, comforted in Jerusalem, compassion, dwelt first in they grandmother Lois, each choice, eats not the bread of idleness, every waking hour, faith, favour is deceitful, flows in and through me, forgiving, generations climb the path together, give her the fruit of her hands, goodness, guide me still today, Happy Mother's Day, hauntingly beautiful, help me through each day, her children arise up, her husband also praises her, holy spirit, I felt my mother's love, I hear my mother's voice, I reach to feel God's grace, in each challenge, in her tongue is the law of kindness, inspiration for your song, Janice Kapp Perry, Jesus Christ, justification for a mother's exaistence, kindness, let her own work praise her in the gates, lifted and protected, live in me forever, live in my soul, longsuffering, looketh well to the ways of her household, LOVE, loving hands, many facets to a mother, mercy, moments of despair, motherhood, Mothers, my heart is aware, my mother's faith, my mother's hands, My Mother's Love, my mother's voice, my reaching soul, opens her motuh with wisdom, painfully give birth to us, prayers of earnest pleading, procreating and nurturing the young of the species, raison d'etre, rejoice in time to come, responsible for rearing us, salvation, scintillating, she openeth her mouth with wisdom, she strengthened me so much, so will I comfort you, soothed my fevered brow, still the memory helps me now, strength and honour are her clothing, such was my mother's faith, sweet eternities untold, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, taught me, the basis of everything good in my life, the BIBLE, the cornerstone of our family unit, the crowning glory of a good mother, the essence of her being, the forgiving loving nature of a mother, the legacy of faith, the power of her teachings, the strength that I now share, the unfeigned faith, thoughtfulness, through my darkest days, thy mother Eunice, timeless words of wisdom, to turn to God in prayer, truth, turned me to God, unenviable task, we were gentle among you, wisdom
Proverbs 31:26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
And it’s another Sunday in the life, but a special one, in that we celebrate that oh so important activity termed Motherhood, that’s been with us from the beginning of time, and will still be around at the end. (smile) And don’t ever think it’s a simple or easy task, for it’s one of the most difficult and unrewarding tasks in this world, because mothers are the cornerstone of our family unit, and they not only carry us in their womb, then painfully give birth to us, they are also responsible for rearing us, even till we sometimes become old and grey, because a mother’s job is never done.
Once they have a child alive, their thoughts and efforts are usually focused on that person to whom they’ve given birth, because that’s just the make-up of a mother. She was born to care! And there are so many facets to her LOVE and compassion, her thoughtfulness and kindness, goodness and mercy, forgiving and longsuffering, that she comes closest to God amongst the human race. And yes, there are many mothers who don’t have an ounce of true motherhood in them, but overall, most do a wonderful job, as the female of the species has the most difficult and unenviable task of procreating and nurturing the young of the species.
And having paid some homage to mothers, let’s now raise our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise in this tribute song on their behalf, simply and most appropriately titled ‘MY MOTHER’S LOVE.’ The song was written by Janice Kapp Perry (born October 1, 1938) an American composer, songwriter, and author. She was a member of a very musical family, and also a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Today’s version follows that done by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Slow and soulful, hauntingly beautiful, ever so rich and scintillating, very appropriate for a Mother’s Day Tribute.
(Singing: ‘My mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, Live in my soul and guide me still today. Her caring ways, her timeless words of wisdom Come forth to help me through each day. In each challenge, each choice, Above the world’s noise, I hear my mother’s voice. My mother’s faith, her prayers of earnest pleading, Turned me to God in moments of despair. Her calm assurance of His tender caring Taught me to turn to Him in prayer. Through my darkest of days I reach to feel His grace. Such was my mother’s faith.
My mother’s hands that lifted and protected, Those LOVING hands that soothed my fevered brow Were as a shield from every earthly trial, And still, the memory helps me now. And my heart is aware, the strength that I now share Came from my mother’s hands. My mother’s voice will live in me forever. A steady anchor for my reaching soul, As generations climb the path together to sweet eternities untold. My mother’s LOVE, the essence of her being, Flows in and through me every waking hour. A quiet strength grew from her constant caring, A legacy of saving power. By her words and her touch, she strengthened me so much. I felt my mother’s LOVE… I felt my mother’s LOVE.”
Oh friends, what a beautiful rendition! And the lyrics are ever so touching and sound like how real mothers are. In fact, Ms. Kapp says that she wrote the song with her own mother in mind, and continues: ‘If you had a good mother, she’s your inspiration for the song. My mother’s LOVE was the basis of everything good in my life. She was always there for me. My mother Ruth was a very enthusiastic and energetic person. She LOVED projects, played in a dance band with their father, and wrote musicals for the community. As far as her children were concerned, she was just a cheerleader. She LOVED everything they did. Made them feel like they could do things.’
Now that is the raison d’être; the reason or justification for a mother’s existence! And do I ever like how she planned the song; breaking it down in sections, like her ‘mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, that she could hear above the world’s noise. Then her mother’s faith, her prayers of earnest pleading, that taught her to turn to God in prayer. Her mother’s hands, that lifted and protected, LOVING hands that soothed her fevered brow, like a shield from every trial. And her mother’s voice, that will live in her forever, as a steady anchor for her reaching soul.
Then finally, her mother’s LOVE, the essence of her being, which she still feels in every waking hour, while a quiet strength grew from her constant caring. And by her mother’s words and touch she was forever strengthened, and it all caused her to feel her mother’s LOVE! Now that’s a most wonderful thing when you can feel your mother’s LOVE! And I can testify to that experience all through my life, although it didn’t mean that my mother was always happy or satisfied with me, but that’s the forgiving and LOVING nature of a mother. Even when they are angry with you, their LOVE and caring still shines through.
And there are several scriptures which show the attributes of a good mother, like this one where the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah: ‘As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you: and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.’ (Is. 66:13) Meanwhile in 1 Thessalonians, Bruh Paul ‘compares gentle, nurturing leadership to a nursing mother taking care of her children.’ ‘But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse (nursing mother) cherisheth her children.’ (1 Thess, 2:7)
And in 2 Timothy he talks about the legacy of faith that is passed down from mother to child. ‘When I call to remembrance the unfeigned (genuine) faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am also persuaded that in thee also.’ (2 Tim. 1:5) But the crowning glory of a good mother and wife come from the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol, who had enough of them to know what he was talking about. (smile)
‘Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour (charm) is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.’ (Prov. 31:25-31)
Yes friends, those are some of the many attributes of a good mother. So, let’s give them the praise, LOVE and respect they deserve, not only today, but every day. So that they can keep on being good mothers, nurturing and comforting us. Much LOVE!
… a good mother is a human reflection of God…possessing most of His attributes…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a peaceful sense of comfort and safety, a positive outlook on life, a rainbow in the sky, a sign of God's covenant, abundance, appointed the moon for seasons, at the voice of thy thunder, at thy rebuke they fled, bless the Lord oh my soul, bread which strengthens man's heart, bring forth food out of the earth, Christians, clothed with honour and majesty, come to know and love jesus like we do, compassion, courage, covered it with the deep as a garment, coverest thyself with light as with a gartment, curse, divine protection, faith, favour, from the depths of God's heart, from the very beginning of creation, give them their meat in due season, God only has our best interest at heart, God set a bounday for the water, God waters the hills from his upper chambers, God's promise to never flood the earth again, he causes the grass to grow for the cattle, he touches the hills and they smoke, herb for the service of man, his servants a flaming fire, holy spirit, I will be glad in the Lord, in wisdom hast thou made them all, Jesus Christ, laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed, lay down in their dens, let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, let the wicked be no more, LOVE, makes his angels spirits, makes the clouds his chariot, man goes forth unto his work, mercy, my meditation of him shall be sweet, negative word, Noah and the ark, O Lord how manifold are thy works, O Lord my God thou art very great, oil to make his face shine, promotion, return to their dust, salvation, sing praise to my God, sing unto the Lord as long as I live, stretchest out the heavens like a curtain, success, supernatural wisdom, talnet, the arises, the BIBLE, the cedars of Lebanon, the glory of the Lord shall endure for ever, the high hills are refuge for the wild goats, the Lord looks on the earth and it trembles, the rays of the sun, the rays of the sun lift our spirits, the sun knoweth his going downthe young lions roar after their prey, the threes of the Lord are full of sap, the waters stood above the mountains, the waters turn not again to cover the earth, the young lions roar after their prey, thou hidest thy face they are troubled, thou openest thine hand they are filled with good, thou renewest the face of the earth, thou sendest forth thy spirit they are created, thou takest away their breath they die, to his labout until evening, truth, walk without fear of darkness, walks upon the winds of the wind, while I have my being, wine that makes glad the heart of man, wisdom
Psalm 104:33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
Well, thankfully, unlike Wednesday, Thursday has opened bright and sunshiny, though somewhat cool. For the sparkling rays of the sun always tend to lift our spirits even in the most difficult of times. That’s because they are the miraculous rays of LOVE, grace, mercy and compassion emanating from the depths of our heavenly Father’s heart, who created it to shine down on us and provide light during the day time so that we could walk without fear of the darkness. It’s the same way He created the moon and the stars to watch over us with a quiet and peaceful sense of comfort and safety when we’re at rest during the night.
That’s the kind of wonderful God we serve my people! One who’s only had our best interests at heart, right from the very beginning of creation. Just look at all the great things He’s created in His universe basically for our use and enjoyment. It’s like the palmist explains in Psalm 104 – God’s Marvellous Creation. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his (upper) chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers (servants) a flaming fire: Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys (the mountains rise up; the valleys sink down) unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound (boundary) that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.’ (Ps. 104:1-9)
Oh, what wonderful things our God has created my people! And I like that last comment about putting up a boundary for the waters so that they would not overrun the earth. That reminds us of God’s promise never to overrun the earth again with water (Gen. 9:11) like He’d done through the flood that destroyed mankind because of his abominable and overbearing iniquity, with only Noah and his family surviving in the Ark to populate the earth afterwards. (Gen. 6-9) At that time, God also made a sign of His covenant with all flesh of the earth; that’s the presence of the rainbow in the sky. (Gen. 9:12-17)
And the wisdom and compassion of our God shows up further in how He arranges for everything to enjoy the blessedness of His creation. Listen to the psalmist explain: ‘He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses (donkeys) quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his (upper) chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb (vegetation) for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. The high hills are refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks (cliffs) for the conies (rock badgers).’ (Ps. 104:10-18)
Wow friends! Everything God made, He provided for! And we spoke about the sun, moon and stars earlier on, now hear what the psalmist says about them. ‘He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until evening.’ (Ps. 104:19-23)
Yes mih bredrin; everything has it’s place and purpose. No wonder the psalmist could declare: ‘O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches (possessions). So is this great and wise sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable (teeming things), both small and great beasts (living creatures). There go the ships: there is that leviathan (a large sea creature of unknown identity, but usually refers to whales) whom thou hast made (formed) to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That (what) thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.’ (Ps. 104:24-30)
The Lord has it all planned out, from birth to death and then renewal of His universe. Consequently the psalmist concludes: ‘The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.’ (Ps. 104:31-32) And we see that in the earthquakes and volcano activity. However, despite all of that, he still assures: ‘I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah).’ (Ps. 104:33-35)
And that’s exactly how it ought to be with us my fellow believers; words of praise and blessings are what ought to emanate from our hearts and mouths. And to encourage us even further in that direction, let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, undeserved, but nonetheless generously bestowed upon us by the Lord so that we can 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, it now behooves us 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 Hin like we do! Much LOVE!
…only Jehovah God…could build such a magnificent, interwoven universe…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a candle in every soul, a family whose hearts are blazing, a man sent from god, a spirit who brings fire, active evangelism, and the life was the light of men, because I live ye shall live also, believe in whom they have not heard, bridging the gap between hearing and belief, bring glad tidings of good things, call on him in whom they have not believed, carry your candle, celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, Christ's resurrection victory, Christ's victory over death, christianity, Christians, Christopher Rice, compassion, critical times, ensures believers, faith, faith cometh by hearing, fiendishly destroyed by the devil, glorify your Father which is in heaven, Go light your world, guarantees believers own spiritual and eternal life, have the light of life, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, hear without a preacher, hearing by the word of God, hold out your candle for all to see, hold out yout candle for all to see, holy spirit, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, how shall they preach except they be sent, I am the light of the world, ignites a candle and makes His home, in him was life, in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus embodies all that spiritual light is and does, Jesus needs our help to bring others to his fold, Jesus power persuades us to do good, Jesus teachings and example illuminate our path, Jesus' selfless sacrifice on our behalf, John the Baptist, Kathy Troccoli, Let your light so shine before men, lighteth every man that comes into the world, lost to eternal separation, LOVE, make Jesus proud of us, make us a beacon in darkest times, mercy, offers hope and comfort, our world is falling apart, patience, peace, praying to our Father, raise our candles and light up the sky, rising up with our candles blazing, run to the darkness, seek out the helpless confused and torn, seek out the hopeless deceived and poor, some burning brightly, some dark and cold, spread Jesus system of salvation and eternal life, spread the good news of Christ's gospel, stop shirking our responsibilities, suffer injustice, sweet sacrifices of praise, take your candle go light your world, Thank you Jesus, that all men through him might believe, the BIBLE, the bowels of death, the darkness comprehended it not, the light shineth in the darkness, the second Sunday of Easter, the source of light that quickens our understanding, the true light, they may see your good works, those connected to Christ will share in His victory over death, to bear witness of the Light, to make God's revelation universally availble, truth, we have failed on the job, wisdom
Matthew 5:16. ‘Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’
And we’ve come to the second Sunday of Easter, that season when we celebrate the awesome resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus from the bowels of death! And since He made this profound promise: ‘because I live, ye shall live also,’ (John 14:19b) we believe that resurrection will also be in our future. And as this overview explains: ‘That promise ensures believers that His resurrection victory over death guarantees their own spiritual and eternal life. It offers hope and comfort, signifying that because He conquered the grave, those connected to Him will share in that victory.’ And all Christians joyfully shouted: ‘Thank You Jesus!’
But my fellow believers, although it’s good to give Jesus thanks and praise for His selfless sacrifices on our behalf, He also needs our help to bring others to His fold, so that they won’t be lost to eternal separation. And today’s song of worship is a song that encourages us to do just that. It’s one written by Christopher Rice in 2004, titled ‘Go Light Your World,’ and made popular by singer Kathy Troccoli. So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, sincere and heartfelt mid-tempo version of the song.
Singing: ‘There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle and makes His home. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world.) Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame
(Chorus:…Carry your candle…) ‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world… Repeat… Take your candle, and go light your world…Take your candle, and go light your world.’
Oh friends, that is exactly what we need to do in these critical times, where our world seems to be falling apart, being fiendishly destroyed by the devil and his evil cohorts. Jesus left us here to show peace and LOVE, compassion and patience to those in need and spread His marvellous system of salvation and eternal life. In other words, to spread the good news of His gospel all around the globe. But unfortunately, we have done a rather poor job of it, and consequently the devil and his evil buddies are now running things, while we stand aside, watch and suffer the injustice of their rule.
However, if we read the beginning of John’s gospel, we’ll see where he refers to Jesus thus: ‘In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:4-9)
That means John the Baptist was sent to inform mankind about Jesus, the true Light of the world, who makes God’s revelation universally available to all men. And Jesus attested to that fact when He declared: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And this commentary further explains: ‘Jesus is called the light of the world ‘because he is the source of the light that quickens our understanding, because his teachings and his example illuminate our path, and because his power persuades us to do good.’
So, as the song tells us, in each human soul there’s a candle, and when we receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and lights the candle in us, with the expectation that we will go forth and shine it in the darkness, like a family whose hearts are blazing for Jesus, so others can see His light, and come to know and LOVE Him like we do. But sadly, too many of us have failed on the job, by not taking our brightly shining candle and going out into the darkness seeking the lost, helpless, confused and torn. That therefore left a lot of others trying to light their own candle in some other unsuccessful way and consequently being ill-treated and shamed.
But thankfully all is not lost, we still have the wonderful option to pray to our heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus to make us a beacon in these darkest of times, so, as the chorus says, we can carry our candles, run to the darkness, seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor. Yes friends, we need to bravely and boldly hold out our candles for all to see, so that we can light up this dark and evil world. Light it up with the light of Jesus, that brings, peace, LOVE, forgiveness, salvation and eternal light to those who accept His wonderful offer.
But many don’t know Jesus, and will only know Him through us, that’s why we need to get out there and spread the word. It’s like Bruh Paul says in his letter to the Romans. ‘How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias (Isaiah) saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:14 –17)
And this commentary explains that passage of scripture thus. ‘It highlights that people cannot believe in the Gospel if they have not heard it, and they cannot hear it unless it is shared by others. This necessitates active evangelism, where believers are sent to proclaim the message, bridging the gap between hearing and belief.’ That’s quite true, but we don’t all have to go afar to spread the gospel for there are many unbelievers right in our communities who can benefit from our sharing the gospel, or as Jesus said : ‘Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16)
And that’s the crux of our current situation my fellow believers; not enough of us are doing what Jesus desires of us. So please, our world is deteriorating at an enormous speed, and we are the only ones able to slow it down, so let’s stop shirking our responsibilities, and instead, make Jesus proud of us, by rising up, with our candles blazing, and get out there as one big family and shine those candles in the darkness of this evil and ungodly world! Much LOVE!
…“Jesus is the light of life and the life of light…He embodies all that we know spiritual light is and does…”
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
30 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a continuous drizzle, a genuine and unfeigned love, a sense of shame or remorse, a shared commitment to christ, a short downpour, a volitional caring for others, abhor that which is evil, abundance, as much as it depends on you, as much as lieth in you, as your Father in heaven is perfect, associate with the lowly, avenge not yourselves, be kindly affectioned one to another, be not wise in your own conceits, be not wise in your own estimation, be of the same mind one toward another, be ye therefore perfect, bless and curse not, bless them that curse you, bless them which persecute you, brotherly LOVE, cleave to that which is good, come to know and love christ like we do, compassion, condescend to men of low estate, creating havoc, curse, disharmony, distributing to the necessity of the saints, disunity in Christ's church, don't set your mind on high things, duty bound, even the publicans the same, faith, favour, fervent in spirit, give place unto wrath, given to hospitality, giving preference to one another, God spared our lives, God's supernatural wisdom, goes agins the grain of our culture, good friends, good health, great family, greet your brethren only, grounded in humility, harmony, have regard for good things, heap coals of fire on his head, holy spirit, Hurricane Melissa, hypocrisy, hypocritical posture, if he thirst give him drink, if it be possible, if thine enemy hunger feed him, in honour preferring one another, in the sight of all men, infighting in the church, Jesus Christ, Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, kindness, lagging in diligence, let love be without dissimulation, like-minded purpose, live peaceably with all men, LOVE, love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy, Love your enemies, mercy, mind not high things, negative word, no questioning of Christ's directives, not slothful in business, patient in tribulation, persevering in tribulation, petty differences, positive outlook on life, promotion, prosper, provide things honest to all men, recompense to no man evil for evil, rejoice with them that rejoice, rejoicing in hope, salvation, self-discipline, serving the Lord, sincere love, slef-control, steadfast in prayer, succeed, talent, the originator and perfecter of our faith, truth, unity, use those blessings to help others, vengeance is mine saith the Lord, weep with them that weep, what reward have you, wisdom
Romans 12:18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men.
It’s raining, it’s raining, on this Thursday morning! But it’s merely drizzling, as it’s done the last couple of times. And although a continuous drizzle can be just as bad as a short downpour, when I think of rain it evokes a sense of more than a drizzle. (smile) But unfortunately all the rain might now be centred in the Caribbean in Hurricane Melissa where she’s created untold havoc in places like Jamaica and Cuba…and might not be done just yet as she flies northward in search of more prey.
And unfortunately too, in those circumstances, all we can do is pray and offer whatever physical help we can afterwards. So please, let’s keep those unfortunate people in our prayers, and help however we can, for we never know when our circumstances might turn bad, and we’ll also need help. And since God seems to have spared our lives today, let’s turn to His Word as promised and check out some more scriptures that deal with unity, harmony and likeminded purpose. Or, as that commentary yesterday so nicely put it: ‘passages that emphasize unity in purpose, LOVE, and harmony, grounded in humility and a shared commitment to Christ.’
Now reading that just makes me feel so sad about the state of Christ’s church with all the disunity and infighting. And we’ll begin today with more words on Christian unity and compassion from Bruh Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome. He writes: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring one another (giving preference to another). Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent (boiling over) in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the lowly). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men. 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 (a sense of shame or remorse). Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:9-21)
Ah mih people, Bruh Paul just laid out the basics of our Christian faith. To LOVE each other with a sincere LOVE, not a hypocritical posture, treat others with kindness and compassion, don’t resort to evil, but to replace it with good, and even when wronged, don’t resort to your own vengeance for the Lord says that is His prerogative. Also to feed your enemies, which might cause them to be ashamed and turn to Christ through your kindness. And as per the scholars: ‘The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional caring for others (done of one’s own free will), LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’
Now, if we could only have more of that in the church than the hypocrisy and strife that’s currently deep seated in it, our lives and that of the world would be so much better. I don’t think we fully realize that it’s we Christians who are expected to make the world a better place, for the evil doers will not. It’s not on their agenda, but it’s on ours. And it’s like Jesus said: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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 use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye LOVE them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) the same? And if ye salute (greet) your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) do so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:43-48)
And if Christ, the originator and perfector of our faith says that’s how it should be, then that’s what we ought to do. So, if you consider yourself His true disciple and follower, then there’s to be no questioning of His directives. But because some of the things Jesus desires us to do seem difficult and run against the grain of our culture and religious denomination, we tend to question and shy away from doing His bidding. And that’s why His church is in such a mess; awfully divided, in disharmony, with many petty differences keeping it from being united.
Ah friends, it’s a sad day when you look at our world and see the turmoil it’s in, and know that with a little effort on our part we could help to make it better. But for whatever reason(s) we refuse to make that effort. Even with the amazing, undeserved blessings that we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. But nonetheless, with great hope and faith in our hearts, 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, (yesss!!!) 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 can also come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…unless there’s first sincere LOVE and unity in Christ’s church…our world will never see peace…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a free for all, a hard task master, a heart full of love, a man's enemies are the men of his own house, a more godly being, according to the fruit of his doings, adulteries, arrogance, be careful what we allow in our hearts, blasphemy, blustery winds, christianity, closer intimacy with God, compassion, created in the image of God, deceitful hearts, deepen my breath, desperately wicked, every man did that which was right in his own eyes, faith, filled with hope, for out of it flow the issues of life, fornications, fraud, from her that lieth in thy bosom, God tests the hearts and minds of the righteous, God's greatest attribute is love, goodness, great sinfulness, greed, hardship, heartfelt sincerity, holy spirit, I marvel to think, I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, if there be any wicked way in me, increase my awareness of you today, incurably sick, intimacy, Jesus Christ, keep the doors of thy mouth, keep thy heart with all diligence, know my anxious thoughts, know my heart, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lead me in the way everlasting, Lord I praise you, Lord I want o be with you now, LOVE, mercy, no honour in a man's' word, nothing from without a man can defile him, obedience, out of the heart of men, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, pride, put ye not confidence in a guide, quiet my soul, receive God's help, relax my muscles, salvation, Satan, search me O God, self-aggrandizement, slow my thoughts, strife, test the mind, tests our faith and love, thank you for this tenderness, that I may know you all the more, the BIBLE, the daughter rises up against her mother, the heart is deceitful above all things, the Master Deceiver, the motives of our hearts, the son dishonours the father, the things which come out of a man defile him, there was no king in Israel, to give every man according to his ways, trust ye not in a friend, truth, try me, unwise to trust others, waiting in the wings, who can know it, wickedness come naturally to man's sinful nature, wisdom, you are here with me, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present, your unceasing nearness
Jeremiah 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?
Awright friends, our lazy-day Saturday is here, sunny with a touch of cloudiness and a little warmer than yesterday, but it opened with the same blustery winds that created havoc yesterday. Right now it seems to have settled down somewhat, but who knows what later will bring. But we won’t worry, just hope that if it does restart, it won’t do any serious damage. In the meantime, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, seeking closer intimacy with our wonderful God.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And with the heartfelt sincerity in which we offered up that prayer, the Lord simply cannot refuse our request, because His greatest attribute is LOVE, which includes closeness, caring, compassion and intimacy, and from day one He’s been asking us to LOVE Him more. So how can He refuse when we come to Him with a heart full of LOVE eh? No way!
However, please note that the Lord doesn’t fall for our outward manifestations, but first checks the motives of our hearts before He makes a move. Remember what He says in Jeremiah? The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try (test) the reins (mind), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.’ (Jer. 17:9-10)
And how does the Lord test our hearts? This commentary tells us: ‘God tests the hearts and minds of the righteous. He tests our faith and LOVE by means of obedience and hardship. He sometimes withdraws to test us. The Messiah refines His people by fire.’ So being a true believer is no Sunday afternoon walk in the park., for it takes guts and discipline. That’s why Bruh David could offer up these heartfelt words: ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my (anxious) thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps. 139:23-24)
Now that’s an interesting prayer that we can all offer up, for we know from personal experience as well as worldwide knowledge, that the heart of man is the most deceitful thing in God’s great universe! Just look around at our world today and you’ll see that all the strife, all the greed, all the fraud, arrogance and self-aggrandizement come from deceitful hearts. We blatantly make promises with no intention of keeping them. There’s no longer any honour in a man’s word. Everything’s become lawless, a free for all. We’re daily becoming more like old time Israel, when the Bible tells us: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25)
Unfortunately, that’s the way we seem to be travelling my brethren, for even with an abundance of dictators and despotic leaders, man’s natural gravitation to lawlessness, to doing what He himself desires, is very strong. And don’t forget that the Master Deceiver, Satan, is always waiting in the wings with a deceitful word and smile to encourage us to go our own way. That’s why these days it’s so unwise to trust others. We have to be so wary, even with our own family.
The prophet Micah said it a long time ago, revealing the deep societal decay within Israel, and it’s the same today. ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.’ (Mic. 7:5-6) And sadly my brethren we can see that taking place all over our world right now. For wickedness comes naturally to man’s sinful nature.
Remember what Jesus said about that? ‘There is nothing from without (outside) a man that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile a man. …That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye (licentiousness), blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.’ (Mark 7:15; 20-23)
And if you’re alive today, and of sane mind, you will see that all those evil things are currently very prevalent in our society, in fact ruling the roost. No wonder, Cousin Sol, the wisest man ever, could write a long time ago: ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’ (Prov. 4:23) And this commentary explains that verse thus: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Our heart is our mind—it’s what we think and believe with, feel with, choose with, and judge with. Solomon warns us to be careful what we allow into our hearts.’
And there’s no better time to start doing that than right now my faithful believers, when our world is in such chaos and disarray! It’s so sad, that at the height of our evolution, we seem to be returning to our warlike, animalistic roots, and not moving upwards to a more godly, peaceful and LOVING being, created in the wonderful image of our great God. It must break His heart every day, when He looks down upon His creation and see what a mess they are making of His universe.
But don’t worry, one thing we, His true disciples are filled with is HOPE; a hope for a brighter day, a brighter future which we are slowly and painstakingly working towards. So let’s stay strong, look up, and receive God’s help and encouragement to turn things around. For that’s why we’re here at this particular time! And we pray it all in Jesus name! Amen! Much LOVE my brethren!
…sinfulness comes easily to us…but goodness is a hard task master…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a momentous decision, all liars, all of them shall wax old like a garment, and the lust thereof, as a vesture shalt thou change them, as for me and my house, Behold, behold I make all things new, Bible, black ice, blessings and cursing, catches our attention, christianity, coming down from God out of heaven, compassion, contemplate our association with God, deepen my breath, divine peace, easing the stress and tension, faith, forgiveness of sins, freezing rain, God desires greater intimacy with man, God himself shall be their God, God shall wipe away all tears, gracious and merciful connection, have their part in the lake, he that does the will of God abides forever, he that sat upon the throne said, he will dwell with them, heaven and earth shall pass away, holy spirit, I call heaven and earth, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, I want to be with you now, ice accumulation, idolaters, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, justification, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lift up your eyes to the heavens, look upon the earth beneath, LOVE, many of us are experiencing, meditating on your quality of life, mercy, murderers, my righteousness shall not be abolished, my salvation shall be forever, my words shall not pass away, neither sorrow, New Jerusalem, no more death, no more pain, no more sea, nor crying, of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth, one truth from the Bible, our fault, our sinful nature, personal desires, physical desires, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, putter around, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, righteousness., salvation, sanctification, self-interest, set before you life and death, sexually immoral, shall die in like manner, sindul things of the world, slow my thoughts, sorcerers, stay home, thank you for this tenderness, that both you and thy seed may live, the abominable, the children of thy servants shall continue, the earth shall wax old like a garment, the fearful, the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, the former things are passed away, the gospel truth, the heavens are the work of thy hands, the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, the holy city, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the opposite end of the spectrum, the permanence of God's Word, the pride of life, the second death, the tabernacle of god is with men, the things of God, the things of God will endure forever, the things of the world, the things of the world will disappear, the transient nature of the physical world, the unbelieving, the world passes away, their seed shall be established before thee, therefore choose life, these words are true and faithful, they shall be his people, they that dwell therein, thou art the same, thy years shall have no end, to come to Him, to our benefit, to witness against you, truth, turbulent times, unexpected consequences, waiting with open arms, we will serve the Lord, whoremongers, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love surrounds and fills me, your peace and lover are present
Matthew 24:35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
And the weekend’s begun with a wet, chilly, lazy-day Saturday, with the promise of freezing rain and consequently an ice accumulation. And believe me, that’s the worse part of the winter – ice. The snow, you can at least see and navigate through, but the ice so often is invisible, and you walk or drive through it indiscriminately and suffer severe, unexpected consequences. Hence this famous term for it on the roadways; black ice. But tell me nuh, why is everything supposedly dangerous or bad given the misnomer of ‘black’ eh? And unfortunately, to the minds of many white folks, that tendency is also associated with black people.
But that’s a story for another day. The important thing right now is if you don’t have to go out, don’t. Just stay at home and putter around, doing little or nothing important, or simply lazing and meditating on the quality of your life. This is a good time when it’s peaceful and quiet to contemplate our association with Almighty God. But if you must go out, then be very careful, because the temperature is right around the freezing mark, which means ice can be hiding underneath the apparently solid ground.
Now, on a brighter note, 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 the divine peace and calm simply starts flowing into our connected spirits, easing the stress and tension that so many of us are experiencing in these tough and turbulent times. What a joy it is to be in the Lord’s presence, to have greater intimacy with Him than we normally do. But that’s our fault, for He desires greater intimacy with all His creation, and He’s just waiting with open arms for us to come to Him. However, for whatever reason, too many of us hesitate or refuse to make that unbelievable, gracious and merciful connection, which can only benefit us.
Meanwhile, the Lord is wondering what else He has to do to get His most precious creation to come to Him. He’s offered, LOVE, grace, mercy, salvation, compassion, forgiveness of sins, justification, sanctification, righteousness, etc. etc. What else does He have to do to get us to sincerely turn to Him eh? I guess the bright, shiny, unimportant sinful things that the world offers catches our attention and our sinful nature more than the things God offers. But please note, that the things of the world eventually will disappear along with those who sadly embrace them, but the things of God will endure forever, along with those who wisely and joyfully embrace them.
Remember what we recently read in John’s first epistle. ‘For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires),and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interest), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:16-17) Truer words were never spoken my fellow believers!
And if you don’t believe John, then listen to Jesus as He talks about the signs for His second coming. He emphasizes: ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.’ (Matt. 24:35) There again, He stresses ‘the permanence of God’s words compared to the transient nature of the physical world.’
And the psalmist said it in such beautiful poetry, way back in olden times. ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundation 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)
Yes friends, even the old time people knew that this world would end eventually along with the wicked who refused to accept God as their Lord and Saviour. And Isaiah’s prophecy on the Lord’s behalf was even more forceful. He wrote: ‘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)
And if you still need further clarification, then try these words of John from Revelation. ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne (Jesus) said, Behold, I make all things new. and he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21:1-5)
Well friends, if you’re still not satisfied, then all I can say, that’s too bad, because that’s the Word of the Lord which is the gospel truth. Oh…but wait a minute, this other scripture might help you make up your mind. ‘But the fearful (cowardly), and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers (sexually immoral), and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death.’ (Rev. 21:8)
Now that’s the opposite end of the spectrum, so it’s up to you to decide how you want to go. But wisdom hearkens back to these words of Moses to the Israelites. ‘I call heaven and earth to record (witness) against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:’ (Deut. 30:19) Let’s hope that we all make the right decision, and like Joshua, eventually say with great determination: ‘but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Josh. 24:15b) And all of heaven said a loud and glad ‘Amen!’
Oh my fellow saints, what a momentous decision for a wet and chilly lazy-day Saturday! (smile) Much LOVE!
…one truth from the Bible…is worth more than…all the wisdom of man…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
30 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a benevolent young couple, a compassionate heart, a great family, a piece of life, abundance, ask forgiveness, at thy right hand, bruised for our iniquities, by his stripes we a re healed, clothing, compassion, complain unnecessarily, courage, creativity, curse, disappointment, divine protection, doesn't always come to the surface, doubted God's faithfulness, eternal life, faith, faithfulness, fall on our knees, favour, food, God's goodness, grace, grin and bear it all, He is enough, holy spirit, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, in god there is enough of everything, in our heart of hearts, in the annals of the Bit, in thy presence is fullness of joy, is now and forever, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, joy, LOVE, M, may I never forget, mercy, misfortune, my great enough, my limited concept of God, negative word, never enough of anything, New York, not enough, One Year Book of Bible promises, pain, pass the test, pleasures evermore, pleasures intermingled with pain, promotion, prosper, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, shelter, spend a week at the seashore, succeed, supernatural wisdom, take it in stride, talent, that God Himself, the chastisement of our peace, the crowded city, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the miracle healer, the most deprived section, the path of life, to satisfy the longings of my heart, truth, uncertainty, unwanted side effects, warmth, wisdom, with me in the middle of it all, worship Christ like never before
Psalm 16:11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures evermore.
Ah friends, that’s another missed day in the annals of the Bit, but the good thing is that we’re still alive and kicking. (smile) Yesterday was another day spent in the hospital going through procedures, and by the time I got home in the afternoon, I was all tired out from the procedures and whatever medication they used, so all I could do was get into bed and try to catch myself. Let’s hope that that concludes all the searching and questions, and now we can spend time fixing whatever is wrong, and there won’t be any more days with missed Bits.
Now, let’s turn to an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s simply titled, ‘He Is Enough.’ As always, I don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but even if I have, it’s still worth sharing over and over again. (smile) So, please read with me. ‘She lived in the most deprived section of the crowded city of New York, where there was never enough of anything – never enough food or clothing, never enough warmth or shelter, never enough compassion. But one day a benevolent young couple invited her to spend a week at the seashore, to experience a piece of life she had never known.
Hour by hour she breathed deeply as the crashing waves brushed against her small frame. She looked at the vast expanse of water – and then, without warning she began to sob. For the first time in her life she saw something of which there was enough! Today I ask forgiveness for my limited concept of God. At times I’ve secretly felt cheated – as though somehow He was not enough to satisfy the longings of my heart. I need to learn and relearn that in Him there is enough faithfulness, enough LOVE, enough grace, enough joy! May I never forget that God Himself is now and forever my great enough.’
Oh my people truer words were never spoken! And although most of us know that deep down in our heart of hearts, sometimes it doesn’t always come to the surface when we need it, which unfortunately causes us to complain unnecessarily. And I can certainly testify to that in this past week of so much pain and uncertainty. I never doubted God’s faithfulness, and I knew that He was right there with me in the middle of it all, but yet, sometimes I felt a bit of disappointment that He was not taking me through the process quicker and with less pain and provocation.
And even now, when most of the questions have been answered, I still have pains, and the pain medication, as it so often does, is causing unwanted side effects. But I just have to grin and bear it all, knowing that the medical personal are doing their best – and believe me, I am having the best treatment possible – and in God’s own good time, this problem will be solved, but until then I need to grin, bear down and pass the test. (smile) But as with so many other things in this life, that is much easier said than done. However, since I know that I am in the miraculous hands of Jehovah Rapha, the miracle healer, I won’t be worried.
And the good thing about our God, is that whenever He allows misfortune to befall us, He always gives us the strength and surety to go through it with a smile. Yes, sometimes it is difficult to smile when enveloped in all the pain and uncertainty, but when you’ve been experiencing God’s goodness as long as I have, I should be able to take it in stride. And that’s where the scriptures like these come in handy. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me:’ (Phi. 4:13) ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,’ (Phil. 4:19)
‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) ‘But he (Jesus) was wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with (by) his stripes (the blows that cut into His body) we are healed.’ (Is. 53:5) Not forgetting these most encouraging words of Bruh David from Psalm 16, the Bible Promise for today’s poem: ‘Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures evermore.’ (Ps. 16:11)
And that’s the indisputable truth friends! There are joys and pleasures intermingled with the pain and suffering, but let’s remember the hefty price Christ paid for us to have them. He paid such a mighty price for our redemption that we can never really evaluate it. It therefore behooves us to fall on our knees and worship Him, like we’ve never worshipped anything or anybody before! That’s what His sinless, selfless sacrifice on our behalf calls for. And we ought to be very serious about doing His earthly work, of trying to lead sinners to Him for salvation and eternal life, especially when He’s bestowed on us undeserved blessings to do that work.
We call them our Thursday Blessings, so let’s declare (chuh!!!) and 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!’
Now, let’s go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the Lord is my shepherd…I shall not want… (Ps. 23:1)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a discerner of thoughts, a Saviour who is christ the Lord, beyond our understanding, Bible, bless thy name for ever, breath of life, call us to rejoice in thee, celebration of Christ's birth, centre of unbroken praise, Christ our brother, christianity, compassion, condemnation, death, destroy religion, dividing asunder of soul and spirit, drive the dark of doubt away, expressions of common Christian feelings, faith, fellowship, fill us with the light of day, flowing fountain, full of compassion, giver of immortal gladness, giving and forgiving, God of glory, God of Love, God's Unsearchable Greatness, great is the Lord, greatly to be praised, hearts unfold like flowers before thee, Henry van Dyke, his greatness is unsearchable, holy spirit, hope, Hymn of Joy, I will extol thee my God, immeasurable love, in the midst of strife, Jesus Christ, joy, joy is still flooding the land, Joyful joyful we adore thee, light, LOVE, melt the clouds of sin and darkness, mercy, no creature is hidden from God's sight, not afraid, ode to joy, of great mercy, one generation shall praise thy works to another, opening to the sun above, overthrow the kingdom of God, raise our praise level, raise the roof, restoration, revolution on earth, salvation, selfless sacrifices, sharper than any twoedged sword, singing bird, slow to anger, stars and angels sing around thee, Sunday after Christmas, sweet sacrifices of song, teach us, the inner recesses of man's mind, the Lord is good to all, the Lord is gracious, the prince of darkness, the truth of science, the Word of God is quick, they saints shall bless thee, to love each other, trust, truth, unable to hide from God, ungodly times, victors, wellspring of the joy of living, wisdom, you bring us joy
Psalm 145:3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding).
And it’s the Sunday after Christmas, but the joy is still flooding the land in glorious celebration of our Lord and Saviour’s miraculous and wonderful birth! And all God’s people said a joyful and most grateful; ‘Thank You Lord for the gift of Jesus at that Christmas so long ago! It’s really been the beginning of the best gift you’ve given us, after our initial breath of life; the birth of a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord! And consequently, from Him and His sinless, selfless sacrifices flows the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the wonderful option of salvation and eternal life!
And we’re oh so sorry for those who refuse to accept that marvellous option of Light and LOVE that you have provided and foolishly prefer to hob knob with the prince of darkness, and thus endure eventual separation from you, our most wonderful Creator and God. And the amazing point is that you did not have to give us that option of escaping from our sinless lives and the eventual death it causes, but you simply did it out of your immeasurable, unconditional LOVE for us, your most important creation. And for that we sincerely thank you each and every day…in Jesus’ name. Amen!’
And now, having offered up a prayer of praise and thanksgiving, let’s raise the roof of heaven with sweet sacrifices of song, singing that marvellous ‘Hymn of Joy’ – better known as ‘Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.’ It’s based on a poem written by Henry van Dyke in 1907 with the intention of musically setting it to the famous “Ode to Joy” melody of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s final symphony, Symphony No. 9. And is it ever a most appropriate song of worship for this particular Christmas season when our lives are flooded with joy at Christ’s birth.
So, in a sweet, scintillating up-tempo version of the Hymn of Joy…let’s sing: ‘Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of LOVE; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays, Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, Singing bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee. Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, All who live in LOVE are Thine; Teach us how to LOVE each other, Lift us to the joy divine. Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Father LOVE is reigning o’er us; Brother LOVE binds man to man. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us Sunward In the triumph song of life. You bring us joy, joy, joy, We adore thee…You bring us joy, joy, joy!’
Oh friends, does the Lord our God and Saviour, ever bring us joy! The greatest joy that there is to offer, salvation and eternal life! And did we ever light up heaven with our heartfelt sincerity and joy as we sang that wonderful hymn! And this commentary gives the song its rightful pips: ‘This hymn is generally considered by hymnologists to be one of the most joyous expressions of hymn lyrics in the English language.’ And we certainly cannot argue with that.
But now, on a different note, let’s consider what the song is really about? As another commentary tells us, the author Van Dyke wrote thus of this hymn. ‘These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this present time—hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thought of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.’
Wow! And that it certainly is! I like how the author expresses that we Christians will not be afraid that scientific knowledge will destroy religious beliefs, neither will earthly revolutions overthrow the kingdom of God! Because they are both indestructible! Remember what the Bible says about God and His Word?
‘For the word of God is quick (living, alive), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts (able to judge) and intents (intentions) of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in (hidden from) his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account to).’ (Heb. 4:12-13)
Yes friends, the Bible, the Word of God is not an ordinary book, it is alive and kicking, so powerful that it reaches into the inner recesses of man’s mind to discern his thoughts and intentions. Or, as this commentary so aptly puts it: ‘God’s Word can penetrate through all the layers of impurity and get to the true central issues of life. In line with this conception, we can see that the Bible truly has two edges: condemnation and restoration.’ And I certainly could not have declared that truth any better.
What we must also remember is that God’s eyes see us as though we’re naked, thus we’re unable to hide from Him behind any foolish excuse or pretence. But getting back to our hymn, it’s basically a song of praise to our great God, to His LOVING-KINDNESS towards us, who don’t deserve one iota of it. And there are so many scriptures on praising God, especially in the Psalms, that we can spend the whole day researching them and still not be done. (smile) However, we’ll close with some verses of this psalm of praise from Bruh David, titled, ‘God’s Unsearchable Greatness.’
Please offer praise with me: ‘I will extoll (praise) thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding). One generation shall praise thy works to another, and declare thy mighty acts… The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.’ (Ps. 145: 1-4; 8-10)
Yes my fellow saints, that is only a little of the great and constant praise our God deserves, and what we are required to give to Him, if we are true believers. So, without further ado, let’s ramp up our praise level nuh, like we so badly need to do in these evil and ungodly times. Much LOVE!
…true joy…which is of the soul…can only be attained…when Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, according to his divine power, act in obedience to his Word, arrogant, backsliders, be partakers of the divine nature, Bible, christianity, Christmas, compassion, courtesy to others, disaster, discontent, dissatisfaction, error of their ways, escalating instead of improving, escaped the corruption, eternal destiny, faith, faithfulness, foolish, forgotten God, free will, Friday chant, generosity, gentleness, given unto us all things, goodness, grace and peace be multiplied unto you, great and precious promises, help and guidance to do His will, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, Jesus Christ, joy, kindness, life becomes unbearable, live the abundant life, longsuffering, lose our bearings, lose sight of the essential facts, LOVE, lust, meekness, mercy, no longer need God's help, no one to blame but ourselves, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, our sufficiency is of God, patience, peace, prideful, problems, produce good fruit, salvation, seek God's wisdom, self-control, shed this mortal coil, simmering unrest, sinful world, smell the coffee, stand strong and steadfast, strength, strife, temperance, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that pertain to life and godliness, the examples faithful believers set, the fruit of the spirit, the knowledge of god, the necessity of keeping Jesus first place, to think anything as of ourselves, trusting faith, truth, wake up, water and nourish the fruit, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing
2 Corinthians 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
And it’s the Friday before Christmas! Wow! What a wonderful long weekend this will be! Some of us not going back to work for almost a week, if we have vacation time and a good employer! (smile) Thus the many joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But please, let’s not forget to include Christ in all of our Christmas doings, for He is the reason that we are celebrating this joyful time, and without Him we are nothing. As He so rightfully reminds us in the Word: ‘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)
Now that should be a scripture that’s always uppermost in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, because without Jesus in us and we in Him, we cannot produce any good fruit. For it’s His presence in us, as the Holy Spirit, that sows the seeds of good fruit, then gives us the strength and wisdom to water and nurture them, as well as the necessary patience to wait for them to blossom forth with much good fruit. And that’s exactly why so many of us supposed Christians are not bearing much fruit, or any fruit at all. We’re forgetting the necessity of keeping Jesus first place in all that we do, keeping Him uppermost in our minds as we live each day, and asking for His help and guidance to do His will in His way and in His time.
And by the way, I guess we can use a refresher re the fruit that Jesus refers to. (smile) Bruh Paul outlines it to the Galatians thus: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness (kindness), goodness (generosity), faithfulness, Meekness (courtesy with others), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.’ (Gal. 5:22-23) Yes friends, it’s ALL about Jesus, and the moment we forget or lose sight of that most essential fact, then we begin to slide, to lose our bearings and life becomes unbearable.
Consequently, there’s this other scripture that we should always keep in the forefront of our lives. They are these most interesting and poignant words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And until we have that fully planted in our souls, we won’t get anywhere. And that’s one of the reasons why our world is in such a chaotic state; we’ve become so filled with knowledge and supposed wisdom, which we feel is all our doing, and therefore we no longer need God’s help; we can handle it all. But if we’re so wise and great, why is there so much strife and disaster enveloping our once beautiful world eh?
It’s all because we’ve forgotten God, or worse yet, are trying to rid our society of Him, which is totally impossible. That just shows how foolish, arrogant and prideful we’ve become, if we believe that we can get rid of the Creator of the universe. And that’s why He’s given us free will; to make our own choices, be they good or foolish. We have no one to blame but ourselves for our foolish behaviour, because the Lord has given us everything we need to make a good life down here on earth.
As Peter attests to in his second epistle. ‘Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ (2 Pet. 1:2-4) And is there ever a lot of lust and corruption in our world today. It seems like there’s nothing else but that.
However, that scripture above tells us that God has already given us EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness. As parts of these two commentaries affirm: ‘We are prepared for anything. All the opportunities, information, relationships have already been given to us through knowing Him.’ As Believers, ‘Through the power of the Holy Spirit and His grace, we can seek God’s wisdom, choose to act in obedience to His Word, and live a fruitful life that reflects His glory.’
And there’s no disputing those words my brethren, for our wonderful God has done all He can to ensure that we have a decent earthly life, then, when we depart this earth, to end up with Him in heaven for all eternity. There’s no more that He can do! The rest of it all depends on us. How we respond to His commands will determine both our earthly and eternal destinies. And today, I will advise us to take a moment and consider the kind of lives we’re currently leading, and if they will enable us to live the abundant life that Christ died for us to live here on earth, and then catapult us to His waiting arms when we shed this mortal coil. It’s oh so important that we regularly check out our lives to see how we’re doing, so that we can make any necessary adjustments.
Now, let’s go to throne of grace, through our Chant, seeking divine aid to help us toe the line. 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!’
Ah friends, it’s ever so important that we wake up and smell the coffee and thus become better witnesses for Christ, if we expect to receive any divine aid! Much LOVE!
…only with Christ in us…and we in Him…that believers can do anything worthwhile…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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