05 Nov 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a house full of sacrifices with strife, all these things shall be added unto you, as a means of restoring faith in you, behold how good and pleasant it is, better is a dinner of herbs where love is, better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, better is little with the fear of the Lord, bring backsliders back to your fold, confusion and havoc of Covid 19, Covid-19 virus, embrace your love and compassion, evildoers shall be cut off, for brethren to dwell together in unity, Friday chant, grin and bear it, introduce a whole new flock, like day follows night, LOVE, no peace of mind, our sinful world, reverential awe of the Lord, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith, than great treasure and trouble therewith, the joy of Jesus living within you, the love of money is the root of all evil, the season of frost, those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth, wake up and smell the coffee
Proverbs 15:16. Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Well, like it’s finally begun friends. I’m talking about the season of frost. That’s when you awaken in the mornings and see your car windshields frozen with ice. And before you go to work or leave work to go home, you have to scrape off the annoying ice, which can ofttimes be very thick and most frustrating to remove. And the presence of frost only means one thing, we’re getting closer to winter and that beautiful white fluffy stuff we so adorably label snow, but which can be ever so dangerous, like the devil, if it gets its claws into you. (smile)
Like day follows night, the seasons follow each other, another one of God’s many awesome mystical set ups in His amazing universe. But that’s all a part of living in the cold, northern climes. So, you just grin and bear it, and move on with your life. And as always, the Lord does give you the wherewithal to handle whatever He allows to come against you. And though you never really get accustomed to it, or even like it, except you are a skier or someone who likes snow sports, with the joy of Jesus living within you, you can even enjoy it some of the times.
Take me, for example. When I first came here, I went all over the cold, snowy land with an ice-hockey team from my workplace, and that got me acclimatized to the situation much quicker than if I had just shied away from it. Fast forward some forty something years later, I still find it’s beautiful when it’s nice and clean, but do my best to stay away from it, especially when other human beings are also plowing through it. Anyhow, enough on the snow scene, let’s not encourage it to come any sooner than it will. (smile)
What I am guided to talk about today is an ungodly and distasteful matter that leads too many of us believers around by the nose, like a chained animal. And Cousin Sol put’s it very nicely in Proverbs, when he declares: ‘Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs (vegetables) where LOVE is, than a stalled ox (fatted calf) and hatred therewith.’ (Prov. 15:16-17)
And if that isn’t the God-awesome truth, I don’t know what is! For the presence of the Lord within a home, is so wonderful and refreshing, even when there isn’t a whole lot to eat, while hatred within a home where plenty exists, substantially detracts from the very satisfaction that having plenty ought to bring. As the scholars so wisely remind us: ‘15:16. Spiritual riches are better than material riches.’
And Cousin Sol touches on the subject again in Proverbs 16 and 17, where he claims: ‘Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right (justice).’ (Prov. 16:8) ‘Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices (sacrificial meals) with strife.’ (Prov. 17:1) And we see it all around us in this world full of plenty. Many of those households are unhappy despite their plentiful material riches, while the poorer households that have a reverential awe of the Lord dwell together much better.
As Bruh David says in Psalm 133 – The joy of brotherhood. ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.’ (Ps. 133:1) But that can only be accomplished if there is a strong connection with the Lord God Jehovah, and thus the absence of negative things like hatred and envy. Bruh David himself also talks about the value of spiritual over material wealth in that famous Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. There he proclaims: ‘A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of the many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.’ (Ps. 37:16-17)
And that’s no lie friends, for within the same psalm, Bruh David sincerely advises us to: ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:8-9) That’s a faithful promise of God, so we know that it will eventually come to pass.
That means we ought to be careful how we live on this ungodly, evil earth and not run down the material wealth it seeks to compromise us with. Instead, we ought to do like Jesus advised: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That’s wisdom in spades my brethren! It’s the wisest decision we can ever make on this earth.
Let us not forget these marvellous words of Bruh Paul to Timothy either. ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us therewith be content. But they that will be (desire to be) rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction). For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil; which while some coveted after, have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (for which some in their greediness have strayed from the faith).’ (1 Tim. 6:6-10)
And we all know that’s the gospel truth, because the LOVE of money (greed) is all around us, especially in these troubled and frustrating times, and everyday it’s leading somebody to ruin and destruction. So please, let’s wake up nuh mih people, and stop selling our souls to Beelzebub for a few worthless baubles and bangles that we cannot take with us when our bodies return to the dust from whence it came. We need to be more concerned about our spiritual self which will live on after the body turns to dust. And we can only do that if we have a right relationship with Almighty God, the Creator and Controller of the universe and all therein.
Consequently, as Jesus has enabled us to do, let’s take this marvellous opportunity and go to Him in prayer, through our Friday Chant, humbly, but confidently asking for His divine help. As one strong and sincere voice. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
But please remember, to get that divine help, we need to keep our earthly promises. Much LOVE!
…it’s useless…to have plenty earthly wealth…but no peace of mind…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
29 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a gossip betrays a confidence, a trustworthy person keeps a secret, backsliders, biblical difference between gossip slander, by thy words thou shalt be condemned, by thy words thou shalt be justified, Covid-19 virus, defeats God's purpose, divine help, embrace your love and compassion, every idle word that men speak, Friday chant, God in His awesome faithfulness, in the day of judgement, LOVE, pandemic, Pastor Jeff Adams, social media, spreading false information, they shall give account for, ungodly living, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee
Matthew 12:37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by words thou shalt be condemned.
Oh friends, the ole fella is at a loss for exciting words to begin today’s message. Would you believe it? (smile) Well, I guess these things happen at times to the best of us, but I’m not worried, because I know that in His awesome faithfulness, the good Lord will soon intervene with some divine help since it’s His word and gospel I’m trying to spread, and He has faithfully promised to help all those who work sincerely in His name.
What a sentence! (smile) But it’s all the truth, and that’s all that really matters. How something is put down doesn’t matter as much as what is put down. The thing must be positive, edifying and true, otherwise it defeats God’s purpose.
That recalls the story of one person wanting to tell another some news about a friend. But the listener stopped him in his tracks and asked if the news was true? The teller said he wasn’t sure. Then the listener asked if the news was something good. The teller answered no, it wasn’t good news. Then the listener asked if it would benefit him. The teller said he didn’t think so. Then the listener said he didn’t want to hear the news about his friend if it was bad, didn’t benefit him and was probably untrue.
That’s how we believers ought to operate as much as we possibly can. We are not perfect and will occasionally find ourselves gossiping about things we’re not sure of or listening to stuff that doesn’t benefit anybody. But we cannot make that kind of behaviour habitual. And here I am going to pull a few excerpts from a sermon on the ‘Biblical Difference Between Gossip and Slander’ by Pastor Jeff Adams found on the yelmonline.com website.
Pastor Adams begins: ‘Here are two practical statements: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends” (11:13; 16:28, NIV).’ There he is quoting the words of Cousin Sol from Prov. 11:13 and 16:28, as translated by the New International Version of the Bible.
But just for comparison we will also provide the king James Version which we use. The first one reads: ‘A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.’ (Prov. 11:13) And the second one says: ‘A froward (perverse) man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief (good) friends.’ (Prov. 16:28)
Then Pastor Adams goes on to specify that ‘Biblically, gossip is sharing information that ought not be shared. It may or may not be true.’ Meanwhile ‘Slander is spreading false information. We need to understand that one can be gossiping and slandering at the same time, and one can be gossiping and not slandering at the same time. In other words, gossip can be true and slander is false. Some information is nobody’s business to share. So what if you have the dirt on somebody else? Why is it OK for you to spread other people’s personal and/or private information?’
Then he quotes Jesus’ advice in Matthew; ‘But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by words thou shalt be condemned.’ (Matt. 12:36-37) And yuh better believe that in these days of easy communication, of much slander and gossip, many of us, including those in the church, will be answering for a lot of idle and untrue words come the judgement day.
Oh my people, it’s woeful, the amount of false and slanderous information that’s been spread like wildfire today, especially over the social media network. And don’t fool yuh fat (fool yourself), we believers also indulge a lot in the slackness. People’s lives, careers, self-esteem and what have you are being systematically destroyed by others who don’t care what they do to their fellow man. That’s mindful of Bruh Paul’s words in his second missive to the church at Corinth where there was apparently much feuding and false information being spread in his absence.
He therefore writes: ‘Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would (wish), and that I shall be found unto (by) you such as ye would (wish) not: lest there be debates (contentions), envyings, wraths, strifes (selfish ambitions), backbitings, whisperings, swellings (conceits), tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail (mourn) many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness (licentiousness) which they have committed.’ (2 Cor. 12:19-21)
And those my friends, would also be very appropriate words to write about our current society today. If Bruh Paul thought he saw or imagined reckless, ungodly living back then, his heart would certainly burst with utter disappointment at today’s dismal standards. Unfortunately my brethren, all most of us can do is to stand strong and do our best in our little corner of the world. So please let’s do that nuh, for every li’l bit of goodness and mercy helps to undo and discourage evil and strife.
But together, as a corporate entity, Christ’s church, we can do a whole lot, and it all begins with prayer. Therefore, let’s take our problems to God in prayer, through our Friday Chant, as He has asked us to. As one strong voice. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And as always, let’s remember that if we don’t keep our promises, God won’t answer our prayers the way we desire. Much LOVE!
…our words are more important to our destiny…than many of us realize…so please be careful with them…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
08 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, and grieve not the holy Spirit of God. ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, backsliders, be responsible and stay safe, Christ's promise of salvation, Covid-19 virus, faithful believers, filled with joy and galdness, foul language, Friday chant, guarantees our salvation, motives of our hearts, our sinful world, seals us as a child of God, stand strong and steadfast, the down payment of Christ's commitment, the earnest of our inheritance, the error of their ways, the everlasting light of life, the gospel of your salvation, the harbinger of good news, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the redemption of the purchased possession, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, the weekend, unexpected storm, unto the day of redemption, wake up and smell the coffee, whereby ye are sealed
Ephesians 4:30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Oh Friday, are we ever glad to see you, because you are the harbinger of good news – the weekend! And this past week in my area has been so rainy, and if not rainy, then cloudy and grey, like the sun has lost its energy or will to shine. But it’s a good thing that we have the best light ever – Jesus – who shines His marvellous light on our souls, thus we can handle the lack of light on our bodies. So that even when our outsides are clothed in darkness, our insides are filled with joy, and gladness, the everlasting light of life that is Jesus!
That’s why we shout: ‘The joy of the Lord is our strength!’ And no one can take that from us, though the enemy keeps on trying. Yes friends, once we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and effectively seals us as a child of God, a seal that no man can break.
Hear Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. ‘In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. Which is the earnest (down payment or deposit) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.’ (Eph. 1:13-14) And yes friends, that sounds like it’s very complicated, but it’s not. It simply means that we Gentiles who believed on Christ received the Holy Spirit when we believed, not afterwards.
The scholars tell us: ‘The sealer is Jesus; the seal is the Holy Spirit. The sealing of the Holy Spirit guarantees the benefits of our salvation, as a person might seal an envelope to guarantee its enclosures. The Holy Spirit as the seal to the believer is also the earnest of our inheritance, that’s a down payment of Christ’s commitment to someday give the believer all other things God has promised. With that seal of the Holy Spirit, God therefore assures the Christian that the realization of the rest of his salvation is forthcoming.’
So, once we believe, there’s no need to worry about all the other promises of salvation, because we have the deposit, the down payment of salvation dwelling with us, within us, and by our side! Glory Hallelujah! Now why would I refuse to accept such a wonderful invitation to come into Christ’s marvellous body, His church eh? No reason whatsoever!
And there are a couple of other verses that talk about the sealing of the Holy Spirit. Bruh Paul also mentions it in that beautiful fourth chapter of Ephesians where he discusses the new life in Christ that believers ought to adopt. Things like putting on the new man, being renewed in the spirit of our minds, not lying, not being angry, and not letting the sun go down upon our anger. Not using foul language, but words that are edifying to our listeners. Then He says: ‘And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.’ (Eph. 4:30).
Yes mih bredrin, we do grieve the Holy Spirit when we abuse our fellow men with foul language. It’s like James said of the tongue: ‘Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude (likeness or image) of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter. Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.’ (James 3:9-12)
Oh my people, that’s ever so true! We bless God and curse those made in His likeness with the same tongue. It ought not to be that way, because then we grieve the Holy Spirit. And the last scripture about sealed by the Holy Spirit, comes from the second epistle of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth, where he reassures them of the promises of God and his confidence in them. ‘Now he which stablisheth (established) us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God. Who hath sealed us, and given the earnest (down payment) of the Spirit in our hearts.’ (2 Cor. 1:21-22) What reassurance for the believer!
And the scholars explain that ‘The sealing of the Holy Spirit has a threefold significance in the New Testament. (1) to indicate ownership; (2) to indicate genuineness; (3) to preserve and keep safe (cf. Eph. 4:40; 2 Tim. 2:19; Rev. 7:2-3) This last idea is amplified with the earnest of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit Himself is the down payment or pledge, of redemption. The indwelling Spirit is the surety and the “security” of all that is to follow in the final salvation of the believer (cf. Rom. 8:9-11, 23; 2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 1:14).’
Oh saints in Christ, what more or better assurance can we have, or do we need to put all our trust in Christ Jesus eh? None whatsoever! Christ not only died for us, He also pledged the Holy Spirit, the best deposit or down payment we can ever have as a promise of our salvation!
Now being thus reassured of Christ’s promise, let’s do what we are advised to do nuh; go boldly to the throne of grace with our problems, to seek help in this time of great need. So as one strong, confident, but humble voice, let’s declare our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And I should not have to remind us, but I will, (smile) that all of what we asked for, depends on our repentant behaviour and the true motives of our hearts. Much LOVE!
…the best guarantee ever…the Holy Spirit…on Christ’s promise of salvation…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
05 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a song of deliverance, be not dismayed, be of good cheer, but of power love and a sound mind, Christians talk a good talk, Covid-19 virus, disinformation, don't walk our talk, fear thou not, fearmongering, God hath not given us, I am a child of God, I am thy God, I am with thee, i have overcome the world, I will help thee, I will strengthen thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, I'm no longer a slave to fear, in the world ye shall have tribulation, let not your heart be troubled, little faith, my fears are drowned drwoned, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, Peace i leave with you, protests, Tasha Cobbs, the spirit of fear, time for worship, whosoever will may come, you surround me, you unravel me with a melody
Isaiah 41:10a. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
Sunday morning…time for worship…the last one we will have technologically at my church. Thank God! From next Sunday our church will be again opening its doors, so whosoever will, may come. Yes, many people have complained about missing the benefits of physical togetherness in worshipping under the same roof, but it’s still left to be seen how many will show up on opening day. We Christians talk a good talk, but we don’t walk our talk as well as we talk it. (smile) And with the Covid 19 virus still very active in our area, plus all the protests, fearmongering and disinformation being spread about it, some people will still be anxious, leery and somewhat fearful to attend physical church services.
And under the circumstances, I don’t know if we can really blame them, but being sincere Christians, we ought to have some faith in the promises of our God when He tells us not to fear. As He said through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) But unfortunately, even in Jesus’ time, two of His favourite words to the disciples and the people, were ‘Fear not.’ And several times He accused them of little faith.
We also know these famous words of His, when He promised the disciples the Holy Spirit after He went away. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And a couple chapters later He uttered these awesome, reassuring words to the disciples. ‘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)
Now those were tough words for the mostly youthful and uneducated disciples to absorb. And even with our better understanding of the scriptures today, it’s also difficult for many of us to hang on to those reassuring words of Jesus. Thus, fear and anxiety are still a major part of our lives, especially with the enemy currently being in worldwide ascension. But fear not friends, (smile) today we will sing a song of worship that will help us to annul any fear or anxiety we might feel. It’s sung by that rising American gospel singer Tasha Cobbs, and it’s aptly titled: ‘No Longer a Slave to Fear.’
Wow! And isn’t that good news my people? It surely is! If we can break the bondage that fear has over us, then we are free and clear of the enemy; victorious over his evil deceptions and lies! So let’s sing it like we really mean it nuh. In full, soulful voice, letting the words rise sincerely up from deep within our hearts, all the way to heaven’s throne, showing our Saviour that we have matured, we now fully and faithfully believe His promises, and are no longer slaves to fear.
‘(Chorus: I’m no longer a slave to fear, For I am a child of God (2) You unravel me, with a melody, You surround me with a song, Of deliverance, from my enemies, Till all my fears are gone. (Chorus: I’m no longer, a slave to fear, For I am a child of God (2) From my mother’s womb, You have chosen me, Your LOVE has called my name, I’ve been born again, Into your family, Your blood flows through my veins. (Chorus: I’m no longer, a slave to fear, For I am, a child of God (2) Oh oh, oh oh oh. Oh oh, oh oh oh! You split the sea, So I could walk right through, My fears are drowned, In perfect LOVE, You rescued me, so I could stand and sing, I am a child of God …
You split the sea, So I could walk right through it, My fears are drowned, In perfect LOVE, You rescued me, so I could stand and sing, I am a child of God, I am a child of God, I am a child of God…. I know who I am, I know who I am, I am a child of God! He calls me the head and not the tail, Above and not beneath, a lender and not a borrower. So I no longer walk in fear, but in faith. For I am a child of God. If you are a child of God, sing Hallelujah to His glorious name!’ Awright mih bredrin, let’s shout some ‘Hallelujahs’ to our wonderful heavenly Father, because we are indeed His ever-faithful and ever-LOVING children! Glory be!
And the Lord’s certainly moving in mysterious ways in me these days yes, because as I listened to the song on You Tube, I was again led to scroll down to the commentaries, and there I found this wonderful testimony from a young lady named Sophia G, first posted about a year ago. Please read these heartfelt words with me. She says: ‘Recently I’m experiencing so much pain right now. I’m in high school and all of my “friends” have turned on me and starting to bully me basically. I don’t feel like I’m being bullied because I ask god to fill me up with his Holy Spirit and fruits of the spirits everyday.
But I do get down because the enemy is trying so hard to let me loose faith in Jesus and to get me depressed. My friends don’t like me because I’m different and no matter how hard they try and get a reaction of negativity out of me I never do and never will. They see god inside me and they don’t like that. But I’ll praise god in the good and the bad no matter how much I get down and this sing just gets me going and for (full) fills me. I love God so much and he is probably letting me experience this for a lesson. But it’s hard and some days I get so down I want to give up completely. Please pray for me and for my friends also so they can get Jesus in their life also, thankyou💞😭’
Now doesn’t that just break your heart? But here is the wonderful part, she recently shared. ‘Hello guys!! It’s been 10 months since I posted this comment and I just want to say Thank you so much for all your love and support. I would have never have ever thought this comment would get so many people praying for me! And oh wow how I have changed. God has blessed me so much and your prayers have helped me more than you could imagine. My mental health was very very bad. I was very depressed I’m not gonna lie. Everyday was a battle for me and every night I would be sobbing myself to sleep. But the devil never wins.
My faith with Jesus has grown. In this world ye shall have tribulation so much now. Now for me this year has been the happiest I’ve ever been. Even though 2020 had been a very strange year I can say this has been the best year for me mentally in my whole life. I ended losing all my friends which made me quite sad but I realised how toxic they were for me. But now I have the best friends I could ever ask for. All my problems I was in has been erased from my life and I have forgiven everyone. I’m honestly so happy and thankful for you all. God is so good and even in the hardest times you feel like giving up he’s always by my side.
This just shows how powerful God is and gods people💘💘 I love you all and I appreciate you very much. I still have a lot to learn and I want god to teach me more about life. It took me just less than a year for god to turn my life around but I’m more grateful than ever. I will never forget any of you xxxx.’
Mama Mia! And who says our God isn’t a great and powerful God eh? One who answers prayers! But we have to come to Him, to actively and consciously seek His face like that young lady in the testimony above, and allow Him to drive away the fear in our hearts and souls. That’s the only solution to our fear problem my people! Much LOVE!
…God hath not given us the spirit of fear…but of power…and of LOVE…and of a sound mind… (2 Tim. 1:7)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
06 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a world suddenly gone mad, bring backsliders back to your fold, corporate worship, Covid-19 virus, defeat the virus and the unrest, depends solely on our behaviour, embrace your love and compassion, enlivens our spirit, face time with God, faithful believers, Friday chant, fun and frolic, glorious summer weekend, he hath counsel and understanding, keeps us going in the right direction, like putty in the hands of the Creator, LOVE, lying in the sun, omnipotent help, private prayer, sinful and disobedient ways, tete a tete, the error of their ways, the giver of live, the grace of God, the source of all you are, time with our heavenly Father, To God be the glory, trusting faith, unconditional LOVE, unrest in the streets, wake up and smeel the coffee, with Him (God) is wisdom and strength
Job 12:13. With him (God) is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
Come on friends, it’s the big day of Friday, the start of this glorious summer weekend! So what’s your plans for it eh? Fun and frolic, wine and song, or just taking it easy and lying in the sun, enjoying its warming rays? Well, a li’l bit of those are all good, but what about some time with our heavenly Father eh? No plans to get together with Him for even a li’l tete a tete? That’s not wise now, for He is the source of all you are, all you have and all you will ever be.
So please, let’s be wise and make some time to spend with our wonderful God over the next few days nuh, in private prayer, as well as corporate worship. For that’s what truly makes us come alive, enlivens our spirits, strengthens our faith and keeps us going in the right direction.
Yes friends, without some face time with our God, we become listless and lost, unsure of how to proceed in this rather complicated and unpredictable process we call life, especially when the enemy is getting more active and daring every day, because he thinks he is winning the fight. But we need to show him that he’s oh so wrong. And we can only do that with the grace of our great God flowing from our souls and spirits. And we can only get that ever-powerful grace of God when we sincerely bond and engage with Him.
For as Job so rightly said when attacked by his supposed friends: ‘With him (God) is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.’ (Job 12:13) Oh my brethren, truer words were never spoken! And did Job ever learn a thing or two about God during his innocent ‘sufferation.’ Earlier on he remarked: ‘He (God) is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?’ (Job 9:4) And the obvious answer to that question is ‘NOBODY!’
Even the mightiest of His creations, the archangel Lucifer, foolishly tried to overthrow Him but was unsuccessful and ingloriously kicked out from the power and glory he enjoyed in heaven. So, it’s ever so foolish for us lesser mortals to think that we could best God in any respect whatsoever. But we do try, when, like Lucifer, the pride of our looks and doings overwhelm our puny minds.
It never ceases to amaze me that the created, could ever think that they are more powerful and can thus overthrow or bring down their Creator. It just doesn’t compute friends. The created is like putty in the hands of the Creator, made into whatever image the Creator desires, and the Creator is no fool to imbue the created with so much might and power that the latter could overthrow Him.
That means all our efforts to rid our society of God is just pure foolishness. And the only thing that’s stopping God from getting rid of us completely is His awesome, though not understandable, unconditional LOVE for us! Remember, He once erased the whole world through a flood when He got tired of humanity’s sin and disobedience. Unfortunately, that new start didn’t work too well either, for we were soon back to our old sinful and disobedient ways.
And though God promised never to use a flood again, there’s nothing that says He can’t use other means, like fire and brimstone, or sickness and other natural disasters. And who knows what’s really happening in our world right now eh? Look at the serious strife, sickness, fires and upheaval that’s taking place all over the globe! How do we know that’s not the hand of God trying to wake us up, to tell us something eh? We don’t, and apparently many of us don’t care.
But for the comparative few of us who do care and are concerned about all the ‘sufferation’ in our current world, please, let’s make it our number one desire to spend time with our Maker, our God, our Provider, our Comforter. For it’s only through sincere interaction with Him that our problems will ever be solved, or even lessened. And there’s no better time than right now, to go to Him in prayer, asking for His help to bring back some sense of sanity to our world, for it surely seems to have suddenly gone mad.
So as one sincere voice, let’s offer up our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now friends, let’s remember our promise to be faithful believers, for if we aren’t, our prayers will not be answered. That means, it now depends solely on our behaviour; it’s our choice, to be righteous, or unrighteous! Much LOVE!
…to God…the giver of life…be all the glory…for ever and ever…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
30 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, all's right with the world, anxiety, August Civic Holiday, baptized into Christ, be responsible and stay safe, bond nor free, bring backsliders back to your fold, by faith in christ Jesus, can wake up and smell the coffee, change the world, Church of Christ, cliques, confusion, Covid-19 virus, denominations, faithful believers, faithful brethren in Christ, Friday chant, Gentiles, good examples, having slain the enmity thereby, Jews, LOVE, move mountains, neither Jew nor Greek, ONE body in Christ, one new man, our sinful world, the blood of Messiah, the One together church, the wall of partition, uncircumcised, unexpected storm, unrest in the streets, wise guidance, ye are all one in Christ Jesus, ye are all the children of God
Galatians 3:26. For ye are all the children (sons) of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Morning mih faithful bredrin in Christ Jesus! It’s a bright and sunshiny Friday morning, the coffee’s hot, sweet and strong, and going down nicely on the chest. (smile) Then we have this long weekend, the August Civic Holiday on Monday, to look forward to! Wow! And thus, all’s right with the world! Okay, okay, so you are disputing that last statement, but how much can we as individuals change whatever is wrong with it eh? Not a whole lot, although we can certainly do our small part in our neighbourhoods and workplaces.
However, as the great and mighty and ever-spreading church of Christ, we can move mountains, change the bloody, strife filled, evil world we live in to one where Christ is worshipped and glorified! But it means taking Him and His word seriously and coming together as the ONE together church that He envisions, instead of the one that seems to be continually dividing and breaking up into even more cliques and denominations than we already have.
Oh my people, do you think that Christ ever envisioned His church to be broken up into some three thousand denominations and sub-denominations and all the other supposed Christian groups that exist today? Obviously not! That’s the doing of our sinful, selfish human nature. We all think we know what Christ wants, and if can’t find it where we are at, we go elsewhere and seek it, or just start up a new group ourselves. It’s way too much about us friends, and not enough about Jesus!
Remember Bruh Paul’s words to the church at Ephesus, when he talks about the two groups, uncircumcised Gentiles and circumcised Jews. The former had no part in the blessings of the God of Israel until after Jesus shed His blood on the cross at Calvary and brought them into the fold of God. ‘But now in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometimes (once) were far off are made nigh (near) by the blood of Christ.’ (Eph. 2:13) That is, Gentiles were now brought into covenant worship with God through Christ’s atoning death.
‘For he (Christ Himself) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition (division) between us. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make (create) in himself of twain (the two) one new man, so making peace. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain (put to death) the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off (Gentiles), and to them that were nigh (Jews).’ (Eph. 2:14-17)
Oh precious people, the long and short of all that is simply Jesus, by His death on the cross broke down the wall in the temple courtyard which physically prevented Gentiles and unclean Jews from entering the temple, as well as disregarded the man-made rules, not God’s commandments, that previously kept Jews and Gentiles apart. Those man-made rules were made to supposedly protect Jews from pagan corruptions, but were terribly abused to make Jews feel superior to Gentiles which obviously caused dire enmity. Jesus’ death on the cross, served the wonderful purpose of abolishing all that enmity and making them One Body, through His Christian church.
Now here is an interesting commentary on Bruh Paul’s discourse above, from the website Bible things in Bible ways. It claims: In short, this is what Paul is trying to say: As sinful gentiles, we had no part in the covenants of promise, and were also excluded from the citizenship of Israel. But when Christ came and saved us through God’s Grace, the partitioning wall that kept us outside, was broken down. No man-made decree can keep us away from enjoying the covenants of promise or the Citizenship of Israel, as all who believe in God are now made into one people. We were once hostile to God, but now through the blood of Messiah, we have been drawn into His sanctuary, not to be separated ever again.’
And all of God’s people shouted loud, proud and grateful: ‘All thanks and praise and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ! May His mighty name and glorious works be spread all over the land! May He reign for ever and ever!’ Yes friends, Jesus came to create ONE body, but we are tarnishing His image, destroying that single entity He envisioned, where all are one, all are welcome, by creating numerous conflicting divisions.
Now listen to these fateful words of Bruh Paul on the subject, to the Galatians nuh. ‘For ye are all the children (sons) of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond (slave) nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.’ (Gal. 3:26-28)
And that’s the living truth my fellow saints in Christ! If we have received Christ as Lord and Saviour, then we have all been made children of God and there are no longer any differences between us! We have been made ONE in Christ through His shed blood on the cross and reconciliation with our heavenly Father. So please, let’s stop dividing nuh, and instead start coming together. That is if we want to be true to the ideals of Jesus and not follow the foolish dictates of man, which has made the world a living hell!
And we can begin right now by going to our heavenly Father in prayer, through our Friday Chant and asking for His awesome help and forgiveness. So as one strong and united voice, let’s pray: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Ah mih people…now it all hangs on our ability to deliver that promise; to be faithful believers and set a good example to unbelievers and backsliders. Much LOVE!
…the church is ONE foundation…in Jesus Christ ALONE…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
25 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abound to the glory of God, and lo I am with you always, be of good cheer, bring backsliders back to your fold, Covid-19 virus, death on the corss, earth is only our temporary home, embrace your love and compassion, even to the end of the world, for which cause we faint not, Friday chant, God dwells in believer's hearts, heaven is for eternity, i have overcome the world, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, introduce a whole new flock, LOVE, men of clay, mental and emotional health, omnipotent help, promised never to leave nor forsake me, put out trust in Jesus Christ, racial strife, restoring faith in you, resurrection from the dead, saints of Christ, serious setbacks, the error of their ways, the example we set, the excellency of the power may be of God, the inward man is renewed day by day, the New Covenant, though our outward man persih, trusting faith, wise guidance and direction
Matthew 28:20b. …and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Well hello there, you beautiful saints of Christ! It’s Friday, the day that so many of us look forward to, or rather used to look forward to, when life was normal and the world was not pandemic entangled. But now, things are somewhat different; many of us are finding it even more difficult than before to make ends meet, money is in short supply for numerous reasons, and our mental and emotional health is not as good, not as relaxed and contented as it once was. But I’m here to remind us that if we have put our trust in Jesus Christ, we should not despair or be afraid.
Why is that, you ask? It’s simple; because He will look after us, for He has promised never to leave nor forsake us, (Heb. 13:5) and He is noted for keeping His promises…all of them. But we must keep believing them, and stand strong on them, let our faith rise to new levels, by recalling scriptures like: ‘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)
Yes, it is difficult to raise our level of faith when we are undergoing serious stress and strain, but the truth is that’s the very time we need to raise it, when we need to stand strong in Jesus, because without His saving grace and faith, we will indeed crumble under the enemy’s onslaught. Remember Jesus last words to the disciples, and consequently to us, when He gave them the Great Commission to go out and evangelize the world? ‘…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) Now that is another vital scripture to keep uppermost in our hearts and souls, to help in time of need.
Oh my people, in these trying times, times that echo the last days, we need to be greatly encouraged in our faith, in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And if we are finding things difficult right now, it might take a while before they improve, but we need to believe that they will. And even if they don’t, because not all things fall under the mantra, ‘this too shall pass,’ we need to be strong enough to understand that we are being prepared for a better place, heaven, and that in due time, the Lord will work it all out for our good. (Rom. 8:28) It’s a matter of trust and faith in God’s promises friends.
As Bruh Paul wrote to the Corinthians: ‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.’ (2 Cor. 4:7) What that means is that we are brittle earthen vessels that have the power of God, of the gospel filling us. The scholars explain it thus: ‘It depicts humanity in its weakness. The gospel is not a product of human genius or clever intellect (humanity in its strength). Yet it resides in men of clay, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.’
Ah my fellow saints, under the New Covenant, God dwells in believer’s hearts, and it’s the source of power that enables us to keep keeping on, despite less than comfortable or favourable circumstances. It’s borne out in Bruh Paul’s words. ‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’ (2 Cor. 4:8-10)
Yes friends, the life and death of Christ must empower us to hold on to our Christian beliefs. We need to remember what He suffered on our behalf – death on the cross, as well as what He also accomplished – resurrection from the dead, giving us the promise of salvation and eternal life. And that better life with Him in the future, is something we ought to think about a little more down here on earth, especially when times are rough.
As Bruh Paul says: ‘Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound (abound) to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not (do not lose heart), but though our outward man perish (is perishing), yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ (2 Cor. 4:14-18)
Oh my brethren, I know it’s not easy to ignore the things going on in our earthly lives and think about those that will occur in the future in heaven, but it’s one of the tools we need to use to help us get through the trying times. And we can do it, if we harness the amazing power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, through the awesome grace that our heavenly Father provides for us to do His work. Now that doesn’t mean we don’t ask for divine help in our earthly troubles. So let’s take the many we currently have, to the Father right now nuh, through our Friday Chant.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And also introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And, as we supposed faithful believers truly behave like faithful believers, so will our current troubles be remedied. Much LOVE!
…earth is only our temporary home…heaven is where we will spend eternity with Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
04 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compromise of Christianity with paganism, bring backsliders back to your fold, Christ is sufficient for all believers needs, Christ will judge false teachers, Covid-19 virus, eat of the hidden manna, embrace your love and compassion, expect god's blessing, faithful believers, Friday chant, give him a white stone, in the stone a new name written, message to the church at Pergamos, omnipotent help, racial strife, repent of the toleration, Satan's seat, Satanic influence, saving he that receiveth it, sinful world, sit on the fence, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, these things saith he, to him that overcometh, trusting faith, wake up and smell the coffee, which hath the sharp sword with two edges, which no man knoweth
Revelation 2:12. These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
A merry Friday morning mih people! The sun’s shining brightly, the birds are singing sweetly, a cool, gentle breeze is blowing o’er the land, and Jesus is on His throne on High! Wow! That means everything’s right with the world! At least in our Jesus-filled hearts, souls and minds, for that’s what He does when we become His sincere followers and His Holy Spirit enters us, heals and seals us, once and for all, as a child of Almighty God! Glory be my faithful brethren!
Now, yesterday we were looking at Christ’s message to the churches in Asia Minor through the vision of John the apostle during his exile on the isle of Patmos. We talked about the messages to the churches at Ephesus and Smyrna, today we’ll look at the message to one more church, that at Pergamos, which said: ‘These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;’ (Rev. 2:12)
And the scholars say of that verse: ‘Pergamos, or Pergamum, was located about 50 miles north of Smyrna. The name may mean “Thoroughly Married,” and may represent the state church which is “married” to a political system. The reference to the sharp sword shows that Christ will judge the false teachers at Pergamos.’
Then Christ continues: ‘I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat (throne) is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” (Rev. 2:13)
And according to the scholars: ‘Satan’s seat or throne may be a reference to the religious paganism centred in Pergamos. The city had a throne-like altar to the god Zeus, a temple to Asklepios (symbolized by a serpent), and various temples dedicated to the worship of the Roman emperor. Christ here commends the church at Pergamos for remaining faithful in the midst of such Satanic influence.’
However, Christ wasn’t done with Pergamos: ‘But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block (put an enticement to sin) before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication (sexual immorality). So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.’ (Rev. 2:14-16)
Serious words from our Lord and Saviour my brethren! And the scholars have this to say about verses 14-16. ‘The doctrine of Balaam was a compromise of Christianity with paganism, resulting in idolatry and immorality. Balaam had once succeeded in leading many Israelites into these sins (cf. Num. 31:16; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11). The entire church is urged to repent of the toleration and sins of those false teachers, before Christ has to judge them Himself. The church should discipline itself and not tolerate false teaching and immorality within.’
Now if Christ said that to the church at Pergamos back then, what do you think He is saying to the current church which is laden with false teachers and sexual immorality that’s tolerated by the leaders, or worse yet, have leaders engaged in those ungodly acts? Oh friends, we all know that the current state of Christ’s church is far from satisfactory, and we are not doing enough to correct the iniquity and corruption that’s buried within it. But please listen to what Jesus says after every message to a church: ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.’
It’s a straight up warning, and to each church He promises something different if they repent and/or stand strong. Yesterday we saw what He promised to the churches at Ephesus and Smyrna. Now, to the church at Pergamos, He promised: ‘To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving (except) he that receiveth it.’ (Rev. 2:17)
And the scholars explain that verse thus: ‘Manna in the Old Testament represents sustenance and life (cf. John 6:48-51). Christ is sufficient for all the believer’s needs. The white stone with its new name symbolizes acceptance and approval by God.’ Now who doesn’t want to receive God’s acceptance and approval eh?
Well some foolish people don’t, but those of us, blessed with even a smattering of common sense and a touch of wisdom, will undoubtedly want to please God and receive His acceptance and approval. and the first stage in doing that is approaching Him in sincere prayer, laying down all our doubts, fears and problems before Him. And there’s no time like the present, that’s right now, to do it. So let’s come before Him and express our Friday Chant.
As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife is causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And to receive a positive response from the Lord, we now have to show ourselves to be truly faithful believers. That’s all there is to it friends! Much LOVE!
…you can’t waiver…or sit on the fence…and expect God’s blessing…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
28 May 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: . the pain of loneliness, adversity, as a means of restoring faith in you, avoid serious setbacks, be examples of faithful believers, be for my confort, bring backsliders back to your fold, challenging us to come up higher, change our evil ways, come forth like pure gold, confusion and havoc, Covid-19 virus, cruel cutting words, embrace your love and compassion, emotional trauma, faithful believers, financial ruin, freezing rain, Friday chant, growth is a painful process, I am a coward about pain, life-giving precipitation, LOVE, O Lord thy judgements are right, our sinful world, racial strife, rejection, serious and unexpected storm, soothe the parched land, stay safe, sufficient unto the day, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, the evil thereof, the example we set, the greatest spiritual teacher, the Pain of Growth, thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me, thy merciful kindness, to give us a future and a hope, unfailing love, wake up and smell the coffee
Psalm 119:75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgements (laws) are right (righteous), and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
Well at long last, it seems like we might actually have a rainy day! Thank the Lord! The earth is most grateful for it because the little sprinklings we have had recently did nothing to soothe the parched land. What’s amusing and interesting though, is that every time they call for rain, the skies darken, but then the wind comes and blows away the dark clouds bearing the life-giving precipitation. But today, we finally seem to have the real thing, even my computer that was earlier on saying mostly sunny, is now calling for rain! Glory be!
Oh, I just heard that it’s not only rain, but freezing rain, for the temperature has dropped to around five degrees Celsius. Imagine that nuh, a few days ago we had temps in the high twenties, now they are closer to freezing. But anyway, on this rainy Friday, in these tough times, we are going to turn to a most appropriate poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, to give us a li’l enlightening and encouragement. It’s titled ‘The Pain of Growth.’ And that is exactly what we are supposed to be doing in these trying times; growing in God!
So please pray with me. ‘O God Growth is a painful process. I frankly confess I am a coward about pain. I don’t like it, Lord I never pray for it Or get excited over it. In fact, I often resist it: The pain of emotional trauma So overwhelming So baffling and crushing. The deep-cutting pain Of a broken relationship. Physical pain that goes on and on Until my entire body screams. The pain of cruel cutting words. The pain of loneliness, rejection Of financial ruin. The pain of being misunderstood.
Lord, the very thought of pain Frightens and unnerves me. Yet it is true – Again and again it is true: My greatest spiritual growth Has come through pain. Through heartache And anguish. And very often in my suffering When I sadly thought You were doing absolutely nothing At that very moment You were doing more within me Than I ever dreamed or hoped.’
Oh Mama, Mama! How true are those words eh? In the hurting and awful times when we think that God has forsaken us, those are the exact times that He is working most desperately in us, to grow us and increase our faith and trust in Him. And right now, in these most uncomfortable times of worldwide sickness and strife, when life is rough with so many of us, that’s the very thing He is doing; growing us, strengthening our faith, teaching us to wait patiently and expectantly on Him, deepening our trust in His awesome promises.
But as always, there’s a part that we must do, and that’s hold on sincerely and tightly to His word and the promises found therein, where He has promised never to leave nor forsake us, to be with us right to the very end, to have thoughts of peace and not evil towards us, to give us a future and a hope. However, we have to sincerely accept them before we can see them coming to pass.
And I know that this is a time when the Lord is challenging us to come up higher, to show that we truly believe in Him and His promises. The world is rejecting Him left, right and centre, but He is trusting that His followers will stand up strong although the times seem perilous, and come forth like pure gold when we are tested in these hot and evil fires.
And the Bible Promise for our poem today comes from that mighty scripture, Psalm 119, where the psalmist confesses: ‘I know, O Lord, that thy judgements (laws) are right (righteous), and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let I pray thee, thy merciful kindness (unfailing LOVE) be for my comfort, according to thy word (promise) unto thy servant.’ (Ps. 119:75-76)
Yes friends, that’s how we have to look at it, otherwise we will just drive ourselves crazy with worry and anxiety, fear and dread of the future, unwisely forgetting Jesus’ wise advice: ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (don’t worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34)
Oh my people, everyday has its own problems, and wisdom decrees that we should concentrate on the present or current ones, not the ones we think might come tomorrow, which usually never come. So now, with all that wisdom under our belt, safely stored away in our hearts and souls, (smile) it’s time to get ourselves together and come to our great God in humble prayer through our Friday Chant.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife is causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And if we want to receive a positive answer, then it behooves us to change our evil ways and truly be examples of faithful believers. Much LOVE!
…adversity…the greatest spiritual teacher…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
21 May 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all my members were written, bring backsliders back to your fold, comparative attributes of God, confusion, covered me in my mother's womb, Covid-19 virus, curiously wrought, defeat the virus and the unrest, embrace your love and compassion, faithful believers, formed my inward parts, Friday chant, havoc, how precious thy thoughts unto me, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I was made in secret, in thy book, introduce a whole new flock, know my heart, lead me in the way everlasting, marvellous are thy works, my substance was not hid from thee, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, our sinful world, racial strife, search me O God, see if there be any wicked way in me, show them the error of their ways, stand strong and steadfast, thou hast possessed my reins, thou wilt slay the wicked, try me and know my thoughts, Victoria Day weekend, wake up and smell the coffee
Psalm 139:23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts (anxious thoughts).
Well friends, it’s the weekend! A long and hot one too! Although if I heard right yesterday, the weather people were forecasting snow and cold times for some of the western parts of the country. Now, I sympathize with their plight, but my natural human selfishness is going to show forth, when I say better them than me yes! (smile) And the good weather in my area has already brought out all the summer stuff; topless cars, loud motorbikes and lawn-mowers, not to forget half-naked people, and this Victoria Day Holiday on Monday is going to bring out even more.
I believe the authorities will have their hands full with all the illegal gatherings that are going to take place during the next few days. It’s one thing to keep the human animal cooped up during the winter, but it’s an entirely different story in the summertime. But let’s get to keeping our recent promise of continuing to look at the magnificent Psalm 139, where Bruh David gushes forth on the everlasting presence and power of our great God. And as we pick up where we left off, at verse 12, Bruh David writes some of his most momentous words on the making of man.
He proclaims: ‘For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered (weaved) me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (very well). My substance (frame) was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously (skillfully) wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unformed); and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned (the days were fashioned for me), when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps. 139:13-18)
Yeh mih people, what a mighty discourse on God’s creation of man, especially when, back then, they had no real idea of how it all worked in the specific. But even now, when we know most of the ins and outs of the process, it’s still a miraculous process. And the wonderful thing about it all is that our God was there each and every moment in our development; nothing escaped His omniscience back then, and it still doesn’t now. From before our birth, to long after our mortal death the Lord knows all about us, because we are His most wonderful creation! And for that we ought to give Him much thanks and praise.
Then, having praised God for our wonderful creation, Bruh David turns to taking up His cause. ‘Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody (blood thirsty) men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieved (do I not loathe) those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect (complete) hatred: I count them mine enemies.’ (Ps. 139:19-22)
Yeh friends, the wicked are still fighting against God, and it’s our duty to fight back. But despite all the wonderful words and sentiments of Bruh David in the earlier parts of the psalm, I believe these last two verses are the most important, because they are so practical and apply to all of us. Let’s pray them together nuh. ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts (anxious thoughts). And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps. 139:23-24)
And it’s because of prayers, of requests like those that Bruh David was considered a friend of God and a man after His own heart. He never shied away from the difficult positions, but wisely took them all to God, and let Him, in His omnipotence and omniscience deal with the problem. And that’s how we also ought to be my fellow saints; not be afraid to take everything to our wonderful and faithful God. And as I keep reminding us, it’s not for God’s benefit nuh, but for ours! So, if we’re not interested in our own welfare, what does it say about us eh? I’ll leave that for us to each answer to ourselves. (smile)
Now here are some scholarly explanations on the Comparative Attributes of God found in Psalm 139. ‘The comparative attributes of God contrast human abilities with the divine nature. Everyone has some knowledge, but only God has all knowledge (omniscience). Everyone has presence, but only God has presence at all times everywhere (omnipresence). Every person has some degree of power, but only God has unlimited power (omnipotence).
Illustration: Psalm 139 lays the foundation for understanding the comparative attributes. The omniscience of God is seen in verses 1-6. The omnipresence of God is seen in verses 7-11. The omnipotence of God is seen in verses 12-16. Application: A Christian’s response to the comparative attributes of God should be to surrender to His leadership because He is wise, He is able to protect us, and He knows the true way to life with Himself. (first Ref. Gen. 3:8; Primary ref. Ps. 139:1; cf. Eph. 1:8).’
Yes my fellow saints, though we have some power, presence and knowledge, combined with free will, we still are subject to the sovereignty of the Lord our Creator, who has ALL knowledge, power and presence. So it’s wise to bow to Him in most, sorry, in ALL aspects of our lives if we want to live successfully. And we need to put that theory to the test right now, by going to Him through our Friday Chant and asking for His eternal wisdom, presence and knowledge to help solve our many problems.
As one sincere voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And the obvious corollary to that is for us to go out now and be faithful believers. That’s what the Lord is going to look for before He answers our prayer. Much LOVE!
…the created…can NEVER be greater…than the Creator…it’s time for the created to learn that…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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