09 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: crying out, faith, for a fair share of the earth's wealth, glorify your father in heaven, go brightly into the dark world, greed, inequality, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Let your light so shine before men, light our candles, LOVE, makes countless thousands mourn, man's inhumanity to man, material wealth, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, rocket science, Satan's fold, selfishness, sincere repentance, sit on our laurels, strong faith in Christ, the downtrodden, the God who heals, the have nots, the haves, the marginalized, the poor getting poorer, the rich getting richer, the salt of the earth, the worst Christian is a comfortable Christian, they may see your good works, trodden underfoot of men, wisdom
Matthew 5:16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
And on this Thanksgiving Monday morning, all over this beautiful and blessed land of Canada thanks and praises are being offered up to heaven! And do we ever have a whole lot to be thankful for. The problem though is that those many blessings are not equally distributed throughout our land and our populace. And that sad state of inequality is unfortunately lowering the quality and level of our standard of living, and consequently causing much dissension, disunity and discontent in our society.
Now that’s not rocket science, because wherever there is blatant and widespread inequality, there will eventually be serious ramifications and consequences. And right now we’re seeing those unwanted divisions and disruptions occurring more frequently and more violently, not only in our country, but unfortunately all over the world, for the inequality is prevalent all over the earth, and the downtrodden and marginalized are crying out loudly for a fair share of the earth’s wealth, so that they can experience a reasonable standard of living.
However, the powers that be; the rich and ruling classes are foolishly clamping down, trying to further devalue and bring even more devastation to the have nots. The rich are indeed getting richer, while the poor, if possible, are getting poorer. No wonder our world is currently buffeted by numerous wars, rumors of wars and overwhelming instability, and everyday a new theatre of dissatisfaction opens up with loud cries of injustice and degradation. And what’s the answer to our problem of inequality you ask?
Obviously a more egalitarian society, where people are seen as, or considered equal and consequently deserve equal rights and opportunities. And until our world seriously and sincerely moves toward a much more equal situation, where the ten% of haves don’t possess 90% of the pie, while the 90% of have nots only possess 10%, that sort of ridiculous inequity will always be cause for rampant dissatisfaction, and eventually chaos. It’s so sad when our world contains truths like, man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn. And by the way, it’s no longer thousands, but millions that are mourning because of mankind’s greed, selfishness and inhumanity.
And what’s so sad about the whole situation is that there’s more than enough to go around for all the have nots to be satisfied and the haves to still maintain a big portion of the pie, but certainly not 90%. And that’s where we believers in Christ come in. For if we don’t stand up for the poor, the downtrodden, the sick and the lame like our Lord and Leader did when He was here on earth, who else is going to stand up for them eh? Definitely not the evildoers of Satan’s fold. And until we Christians start to make some kind of serious efforts to right the wrongs of the world, things will only go from bad to worse.
And contrary to our excuses, the job is not impossible, or as big as we claim. It’s just that it will take more effort than we are willing to expend. For if the majority of Christians were to behave like true Christians, our world will be a helluva lot better place than it currently is. Just a li’l kindness and help on our part, a li’l standing up for some injustice or evil deed would bring surprising change. But sadly, too many of us supposed believers don’t want to be bothered with the problems of those less fortunate than us, we just want to relax and be comfortable in our li’l cocoon, insulated from the dire state of our world. And the truth is that a comfortable Christian is indeed the worst kind of Christian there is!
Jesus didn’t come and die so that we could be comfortable and don’t care about our fellow man. He was always concerned about the sick and suffering, those considered worthless by society, and so should we, His followers, be similarly concerned. But the material wealth of the world and the many amenities now available have killed our pioneering spirit and made us lazy and uninterested in improving things. We just want to sit on our laurels and enjoy the good life. But be it known, that any society which sits on its laurels and does not keep its standards high, will eventually finds itself in ruins, for it’s the standards of a society that make them prosper and keep them in a healthy situation.
It’s obvious that these words of Jesus have fallen by the wayside in our modern times: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men.’ (Matt. 5:13) And if we’re truthful, we’ll admit that we have lost our salty flavour, and that’s why so many are being trodden underfoot.
The same goes for these words of our Lord and Saviour: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14-16)
Oh my people, there again we have sadly not shone as a bright light in this world. Whatever light we have is hidden under a basket, or we’ve never lit the candle in the first place. But whichever it is, it is not good enough. Jesus desires us to follow in His footsteps and bring some peace and LOVE to our inflamed and hateful world, and we can only do that if we get up off of our fat fannies, and renew or recapture our salty flavour, as well as light our candles and go brightly in this dark and evil world! Let’s promise ourselves to do just that nuh, for our children’s sake! And we can begin by most appropriately asking for heavenly help this Thanksgiving Day, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, let’s get up and get a sincere move on nuh, so that we can be assured of divine help! Much LOVE!
…without the salt and light of Christians…the world is dark and flavourless…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
26 Oct 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a harsh price, alive and kicking, another week of work, camaraderie, charles stanley, choked up, class of 69, consequences, crying out, diligence, do them, fellowship, forgiving, Friday chant, fun, gallivanting, glory to God, gracious, grounded, hallow, heart felt sorrow, I am the Lord your God, idols, in Jesus' name, infiltrate, Jesus Christ, keep my judgements, Kingston, larder full, LOVE, loving arms, merciful, Mo Bay, natural disasters, obey God, pay day, prosperous, punishment, redemption, relaxation, reminisce, rent, responsibilities, rest, rocking chair, rooted, sabbaths, smell the caffeine, stuff we face, tears of joy, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the enemy, the Lord, the straight and narrow way, unforgettable memories, unique flavour, wake up, walk in my statutes, wisdom, words to live by, workingman's song
Ezekiel 20:19. I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgements, and do them.
Aloha one and all! It’s Friday morning in Kingston, J.A! Glory to God! We’re alive and kicking, and very grateful for that fact! Ah mih breddren this will be another holiday of unforgettable memories! Chuh! When I sit in my rocking chair and reminisce, this will be definitely one of my favourite reminiscences.
Yesterday morning I took the Knutsford Express from Mo Bay to Kingston, and after a three and a half hour drive through some lush green and beautiful mountain scenery, amongst which large, beautiful homes nestled, we arrived in the hustle and bustle of Kingston Town. Brother, has it ever grown and gotten busier since my days some fifty years ago! But you can never mistake the unmistakable, unique flavour of Kingston, because it has a flavour all its own.
My sister from my other family (smile) picked us up at the Bus Depot, and after taking us to lunch at a quaint J.A. restaurant, don’t remember its name, she left us in her apartment to rest. And it’s a good thing that we did rest, because when some of the old U.W.I class of 69 began to show up, it got real hectic real fast! Now we’re all seniors many times over, but just like you couldn’t beat our indefatigable energy back in 1966-69, you still can’t beat it now!
And brother, did the old memories and reminisces fly! Most of us looked vaguely familiar to how we were back then, but there was no mistaking the camaraderie and friendship that three years at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica Campus bred! And the best part is that most of those who showed up were in the Social Sciences Faculty, so we didn’t only share social but also work related experiences.
Oh, by the way, if you added up the years of the dozen or so people that showed up, you’d probably come close to the thousand year figure. (smile) But all of us looked good and prosperous. Now that total would have even higher if several of our classmates hadn’t gone home to be with Lord a li’l bit early.
And I want to thank my big sister Maureen from my heart and soul for putting this amazing gathering together, because I hadn’t seen most of those people since I left the campus a half century ago. Just like how she looked after me in my campus days by writing my notes for the many lectures I missed, gone gallivanting somewhere about the country with friends – and I mean copying the actual notes from her notebook to mine, she’s still looking out for me fifty years later. The Lord bless her wonderful soul!
And as I sit here writing this, looking at her in the kitchen washing stuff from last night’s party, my eyes just flood with tears of joy and thanksgiving because she’s still the same warm, giving, caring and LOVING person she was all those years ago. So how can I say that I’m not amazingly blessed eh, when the Lord has brought such beautiful people into my life? It would be a certain lie, and the Lord would just cut me down to size.
Chuh! I had to stop there for a moment because I got all choked up. And is the ole fella getting choked up a lot on this vacation! (smile) But it’s Friday and we can’t leave out the workingman’s song for two straight weeks. So what’s he singing this bright, sunny, pay day Friday eh?
As usual, he opens with his thanks for Friday: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday…and the weekend here at last. Oh bwoy! Is also payday weekend, so you can imagine how the food and the waters going flow! Hope some of we not foolish enough to blow it all on drinks and pleasure and not pay we rent and we bills and buy food for we pickney them! It good to party and enjoy life when we work hard all week, but we must do what we need to do first. Mama Yo! I done pay mih rent and mih larder full, so is time for me an’ mih friends them to drink up the waters and stuff we face with food, as we thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends!’
Yes mih people, it’s all right to have fun after you have taken care of your immediate responsibilities. But still the workingman allows too much freedom for the enemy to infiltrate his soul. That’s why we believers have a different weekend song, we call our Friday Chant which keeps us rooted and grounded in the straight and narrow way.
So let’s chant up the usual storm, in unison now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’
Yes friends, we need to keep up our diligence in the spiritual battle against the evil enemy. And the Lord has sent us this reminder this October morning. ‘I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgements, and do them. And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.’ (Ezek.20:19-20)
Ah friends, the Lord is crying out to us in heart felt sorrow to come back to Him, to give up our evil ways and the worldly idols we’re now worshipping. Remember when He warned the nations long ago, they did receive punishment when they refused to listen. So I don’t know why we think it would be different with us. The Lord is LOVING and gracious and merciful and forgiving… but only for a time. When you continue in willful disobedience, you will pay a harsh price.
Unoo see all the natural disasters that happening in the world today? So let’s wake up and smell the caffeine nuh, and return to where we came from nuh, when life was so good; the LOVING arms of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Please friends, please let wisdom prevail! Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) is wont to say…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…words to live by…
03 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a comfortable position, a modicum of circumspection, a rollicking good time, ambassadors of Christ, an ordeal, bodily aches and pains, Caribana, crying out, doing Jesus' work, efficient, Friday chant, fruitful, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, get a foothold, getting down, give thanks, in Jesus name, in resistance, in the world, Jeeves, joy, Judas Iscariot, kept thy word, leggo beast, level of excellence, LOVE, manifested thy name, may be one, not of the world, nothing that comes against us will conquer us, out on the boulevard, out on the limb, refreshed, renewed, sanctify them, serving Jesus, set us apart, showing off, Steelband Competition, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the evil one, the prince of darkness, the scripture might be fulfilled, the son of perdition, the workingman's song, the world hated them, the world spotlight, thy word is truth, to go quietly, Toronto's big day, up the ante, we bumbulum, we're special, week of work, wining, with the Lord's help, worthwhile
John 17:16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Ah friends, it’s a sad day when bodily aches and pains contrive and conspire to drive you out of your bed! But that’s what came against me this morning. I got up around 5.30 to go to the bathroom and found I could barely walk the few feet to it. And that’s after going to bed around two thirty in fairly good shape. Every joint was crying out in resistance. Then when I went back to bed I couldn’t find a comfortable position to get back to sleep.
But with the Lord’s help I weathered it and did get some more spasmodic rest. However, the aches and pains in my back, both knees, both hips and both shoulders refused to go quietly into the sunrise, (smile) and I eventually got up somewhat earlier than I had planned.
But brother, what an ordeal! And I’ve been taking the pain pills fairly regularly. So why this painful episode now eh? Steups! But yuh know what? The aches and pains won’t keep the ole fella down for long. He’ll rally and fight back. And with the Lord’s help we’ll win, because the Lord has promised that nothing that comes against us will conquer us. Glory be!
And it’s Friday, Caribana Friday to boot, Toronto’s big day in the worldwide spotlight, so you know the workingman will be out and about blaring his song to all and sundry! ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Caribana Friday! A long weekend…and official time to play true leggo beast!
Yuh going to see we out on the boulevard tomorrow in we pretty costume…with the music blasting…and we doing we thing, getting down and wining, showing off we bumbulum and having a rollicking good time! Oh people, oh people, is Caribana weekend, the summer soon done, time to get out and have some fun, and thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends, especially the long ones!’
Yeh mih breddren, we must give thanks for our days off from labour, but we don’t need to go that far out on the limb like the workingman, where the evil one can easily get a foothold in our affairs. But like Jeeves says, a modicum of circumspection is necessary.
And it’s strange how life changes as one gets older. At one time Caribana was a big deal for me. Now I don’t even remember that it exists. That’s because I can’t handle all the walking and jammings again, as well as it has lost its flavour. It’s not as nice and authentic as it was before.
I’m not even enthusiastic this year to go to the Steelband Competition, the only aspect I support these days. I haven’t even heard from my buddy Bas, who usually goes with me. But who knows what will happen. It’s still early times. And don’t tell me that I’m getting old and cold, because I’m not. (smile)
Anyway, in response to the workingman’s song, let’s chant our more sedate and less frivolous Friday Chant. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’
Yes my people, in Jesus organization, we don’t behave like the world, that’s ruled by the prince of darkness behaves. As Jesus prayed to the Father on our behalf: ‘I have manifested (revealed) thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them (to) me; and they have kept thy word… I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine…
And now I am no more (longer) in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost (destroyed), but the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot); that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray NOT that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (one). ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth.’ (John 17:6, 9, 11-17)
Oh friends, yuh see how important Jesus thought we were? He spent the whole of chapter 17, 26 verses praying for us. Even for the believers who’d come down through the ages (vs.20). He asked the Father not to take us out of the world, but to keep us filled with His joy and to set us apart from the world, so we don’t get too contaminated by it.
Now we do have to be in the world, otherwise how would we bring the lost and suffering to Him eh? But we don’t have to be a part of the world, meaning doing the things the world does, or living the way it does. We’re special friends. And we need to know it and behave accordingly!
As we said yesterday, we’re ambassadors of Christ, therefore we have to behave in a special way, a way that glorifies and exalts His Holy Name. And we definitely can’t do that by behaving the way the world behaves. So let’s up the ante nuh, let’s raise our level of excellence in doing Jesus’ work, otherwise we won’t be His fruitful and efficient ambassadors, like we’re supposed to be. Much LOVE!
…serving Jesus in this evil world… is not easy…but it sure is worthwhile…
01 Feb 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a beautiful place, a brand new day, a compassionate heart, a dime a dozen, a low ebb, advances in technology, amenities, an ugly place, as white as snow, Ash Wednesday, Auld Lang Syne, bask in the sunshine, be as scarlet, began from scratch, blessings, blood guiltiness, bounden duty, building, called according to His purpose, Carnival, children, close harmony, come now, communicate with Him, crying out, curse, destroying, destruction, devoured by the sword, dissension, disunity, everlasting goodness, evil world, evildoers, faith, favour, forgive, future generations, gives the world hope, God's invitation, goodies, hate, health, heavenly Father, hope, in good faith, Isaiah, left overs, let us reason together, LOVE, Love the Lord, made specially for today, magnificent and magnanimous God, negative word, new mercies, New Year's resolution, one thing, personal relations, positive outlook, prosper, ready to cleanse, reasoning together, rebel, red like crimson, refuse, repentance, repenting, see a better world, shall be as wool, share our blessings, sins, standard of life, strife, strong conviction, succeed, talking to each other, the future, the good of the land, the mouth of the Lord, those who love him, Thursday's Blessings, turning to god, turns the world, Valentine's day, walking closer with Christ, war, willy-nilly, wisdom, worm
Isaiah 1:18. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Welcome, welcome, one and all to a brand new day in God’s great universe! And it’s not only a new day, but also one filled with new mercies and blessings from our heavenly Father, stuff he made specially for today.
He threw out all the left overs from yesterday and began from scratch this morning, so those who LOVE Him and are called according to His purpose can bask in the sunshine of His everlasting goodness.
Wow! What a magnificent and magnanimous Deity we serve and worship my brethren! But remember YOU have to communicate with HIM, to get those goodies! He doesn’t just hand them out willy-nilly. (smile)
And would you also believe that today is the 1st of February? Brother! We were just singing Auld Lang Syne a few days ago, welcoming the New Year, now we’re already hot into the bacchanalian bash called Carnival, with Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day falling the same time in two weeks. Is the year flying by or what?
Let’s hope that we all are keeping our New Year’s resolution, that of walking ever closer with Christ this year, strong and in good order, because that’s the only way we will be successful in this crazy, troubled, war-like, evil world.
And you know friends, the ‘One thing that turns the world from an ugly place to a beautiful place is LOVE. LOVE gives the world hope!’ And is that ever so true my people. Without LOVE permeating our hearts and souls, we simply have no hope, since hate is all about destroying, but LOVE is about building; building together in close harmony.
But sadly, if we look around our world right now, there is very little, if any building, everywhere is simply destruction, both manmade and natural. How does that augur for the future of our planet eh? It’s not very encouraging. If we keep on destroying everything in our path, the future generations will be left with nothing.
Is that what we want for our children, and our children’s children? Even the evildoers will answer no to that question, but none of us are doing anything substantial to stop if from coming to pass. That’s why we’re crying out now, in our Bit, like the prophet Isaiah did on the Lord’s behalf, many centuries ago to the Israelites.
‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’
Yeh friends, it’s all about mankind sitting down and reasoning together if we want to see a better world. And the two verses after our Bit clearly spell out the consequences of not doing so. ‘If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured by the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Is.1:19-20)
Oh my people, we don’t have to wait for the Lord to tell us that. It’s written ever so plainly in our behaviour, where there’s so much dissension and disunity, even amongst family, much less between countries. Consequently, strife is all-pervasive, and wars are a dime a dozen. It’s easier to pick out where there is no strife than where there is strife, because there are so much fewer of the former. That’s to tell you how bad it is.
But turning back to our Bit. Let’s get some explanations from the scholars. ‘1:18-20. The prophet’s appeal to come and reason together reveals God’s gracious invitation to all men. It literally means to be “reasonable” by repenting and turning to God. Their sin is described as scarlet and red like crimson, referring to their blood guiltiness before God.
The term ‘crimson’ also means “worm,” referring to the colourfast red dye of the scarlet worm. The eradication of this stain turns it snowy white and is symbolic of the life-changing grace of God, which delivers men from guilt and condemnation of sin. Thus the prophet reminds his readers that God stands ready to cleanse and forgive all who will turn to Him.’
Oh mih breddren, from way back then, our wonderful God was prepared to forgive sins to those who turned in repentance to Him, and today He is still in the forgiving business. All we have to do is turn to Him in true repentance. Are we willing to do that so our world and our children can enjoy a better standard of life in the future?
I do hope so, because with all the amenities and advances in technology we now have, the most important aspect of our society, personal relations between humans is at a low ebb, and until we fix that, nothing else will make life any better.
Now, for those of us who choose to LOVE the Lord and obey Him, let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings. In full voice and strong conviction: ‘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 everyday! Amen!’
Now let’s go out and do our bounden duty; share those blessings with others, as Jesus desires. Much LOVE!
…only by talking to each other…in good faith…will our world ever improve…
30 Nov 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a coward, a glorious future with Jesus, a part of our lifewalk, a youngster, according to His purpose, all things work together for good, an open heart, are called, arthritic bones, baffling, become like christ, believers in Christ, beloved, blasphemed, Christ's glory be revealed, Christ's sufferings, Christ-like, come first, conformed, crying out, deep cutting pain, difficulties, emotional trauma, escape the testing, evidence, evil, evil spoken of, exceeding joy, faith, fiery furnace, fiery ordeals, fiery trial, forgiveness, friends, frightens, get out of bed, glad, glorified, glory, glory hallelujah, God's people, God's will, goodness, grieves, growth, honesty, hope, hungry hope, I ask God to steady me, incredible lessons, insulted, joy, joyful note, loneliness, losing someone, LOVE, medication, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not looking back at the past, One Year Book of Bible promises, out and about, overwhelming, pain, partakers, plead for help, positive, Praise the Lord, pray for it, praying, promise, pruning, rejoice, reproached, Ruth Harms Calkin, saltwater, some strange thing, strong faith, sunshine, sweet Tobago, teaching me, testing, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the children of men, the cross of Christ, the Garden of Gethsemane, the image of His Son, the Lord's plans, the spirit of glory, think it not strange, to them that love God, to try you, trials, tribulations, trying times, warmth, warning, we shall overcome, Wednesday Wail, willingness, without relief, yielding
1 Peter 4:12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.
Oh my fellow believers in Jesus Christ, this morning the ole fella is pleading for mercy and forgiveness in accordance with our Christian faith. (smile)
Ah friends, it seems like I’ve forgotten that I’m no longer a youngster, and after being out and about a fair amount yesterday, I also had a pretty late night… or morning. Thus, I was unable to get out of bed at a decent enough hour to write the Bit.
And to make matters even worse, the arthritic bones are crying out some this Wednesday morning…. Oh for the warmth, the sunshine, salt water and LOVE of sweet Tobago! (smile)
But not to worry, between some man-made medication and the cross of Christ, we shall overcome all our difficulties.
And all God’s people said a loud and appreciative, ‘Praise the Lord for his goodness to the children of men!’
And now that I’ve gratefully received your mercy and forgiveness so graciously offered, (smile) here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, which I think is very appropriate for many of us in these trying times.
It’s titled ‘Fiery Trials.’ And it says: ‘God is teaching me incredible lessons regarding growth. I see with undeniable evidence that growth means pruning, and pruning means pain. I confess, I’m actually a coward about pain.
I certainly never pray for it. I don’t anticipate or look for it. I do only one thing. I ask God to steady me, since the Bible so clearly states that trials are a part of our lifewalk with Him. In all honesty I would prefer to escape the testing.
I don’t like the pain of emotional trauma, which can be so overwhelming and baffling. I don’t like the deep cutting pain that goes on and on without relief. The pain of loneliness frightens me, the pain of losing someone dear to me grieves me.
Nevertheless, I am praying for an open heart. I can’t begin to contemplate what fiery ordeals God may choose for my testing and growth, but I do long for my yieldedness to prove my willingness to be conformed to the image of His dear Son.’
Oh my precious people in Christ, I am sure that each one of us have thought and prayed something like that on numerous occasions when we’ve been put through our paces by Almighty God!
No, the testing is never ever very nice, but as believers in Christ, we do need to keep an open heart and try our best to yield willingly to the trials and tribulations that come against us. We obviously don’t know the Lord’s plans for our testing, but we must also remember that He’s promised to see us successfully through each and every one.
Please remember these great and promising words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom.8:28)
So friends, if you are one of those called by God, and you LOVE Him, then please believe that eventually He will work everything out for your good as He has promised.
And the promise for today’s ‘Fiery Trials’ writing is also our Bit, a scripture that we all know but DON’T LOVE! (smile)
‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.’
And a lot of us ask if Peter is mad or what! How can we not think it strange when those trials and tribulations suddenly come upon us, usually without any warning?
But here is Peter’s logic as he continues after our Bit. ‘But rejoice, inasmuch as (to the extent that) ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached (insulted) for the name of Christ, happy (blessed) are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of (blasphemed), but on your part he is glorified.’ (1 Peter 4:13-14)
Yeh mih breddren, it is hard to accept trials, moreover to rejoice in them is extremely difficult. But please remember they are come upon us for testing, we’re being put thought fiery furnace so that we may become like Christ.
That’s the main reason, and it follows that if we suffer in His name, then we will also be glorified when He is glorified. So please hang in there and don’t be afraid to ask the Lord for help.
If Christ could plead for help in the Garden of Gethsemane before undergoing His fiery trial of crucifixion, so can we. But the important thing to realize is that God’s Will must always come first.
It’s not easy, but like Jesus did it through hungry hope and strong faith in His Father, so can we with God’s ever-present help. Now let’s go home on a more positive and joyful note, as we wail our Wednesday Wail.
Wailing… as one: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Yes friends, instead of focusing on our trials and tribulations, let’s joyfully focus instead on the wonderful future we have to look forward to with Christ! That makes much more sense. Much LOVE!
…through the fiery furnace we go…but more Christ-like we come out…
P.S. It’s late, but great! (smile) Please keep on praying for our bubba Scotty. Much LOVE!
17 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abandoned God, an element of cloudiness, beautiful life, call upon me, calm all our fears, can cheer me so, comfort us, confession, Creator, crying out, cut off, deceitful, despair, destruction, empty-headed, eternal joy, eternal life, faith, false gods, forget thy misery, forgiving, from day to day, glorify, glorifying God, glory hallelujah, gracious, grey clouds hovering overhead, He makes me glad, He's my friend, Hour of Power, I am halfway home, I trust him now, I will deliver thee, idols, imprisons, in the day of trouble, in times of trouble, iniquity, Jesus is all the world to me, Jesus is my strength, Job, life's fleeting days, lift up thy face, living God, LOVE Revolution, loving, merciful, my all, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, my joy, my life, no other, no push over, not looking back, omniscient God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, practicality, praise his holy name, prepare thine heart, provider, repentance, Samuel, satisfy all our needs, simplicity, sincerity, succour, thank God, the breath of life, the deepest and darkest times, the god of Abraham, the sun is shining, thou shalt glorify me, to a glorious future with Jesus, to Jesus I go, ungodly world, vain men, war, waters that pass away, We can do all things through Christ, Wednesday Wail, when I'm sad, wickedness, wisdom, with God's help, Zophar
Psalm 50:15. And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
And then it was Wednesday; a bright and shiny, but somewhat cloudy day! (smile) I know it sounds somewhat confusing, but the sun is shining and there are a few grey clouds hovering overhead.
However, the important thing is that the Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is shining as brilliantly as He always does. There’s never an element of cloudiness in Him! Praise His holy name!
And so, in honour of His constant faithfulness, I want us to begin today by singing this soulful ditty I heard the Hour of Power choir and congregation singing last night. I don’t know it personally, but the simplicity and practical nature of the song touched my heart and made me want to share it.
So let’s get soulful and sing: ‘Jesus is all the world to me, My life, my joy, my all; He is my strength from day to day, Without Him I would fall. When I’m sad to Him I go.No other one can cheer me so; When I am sad he makes me glad, He’s my friend.
Jesus is all the world to me, I want no better friend. I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him when Life’s fleeting days shall end. Beautiful life with such a friend, Beautiful life that has no end; Eternal life, Eternal joy, He’s my friend!’
Oh what wonderful sentiments my brethren. And as I said earlier, I just LOVE it’s simplicity and practicality. And besides, there’s truly no better friend than Jesus; He is able to satisfy all our needs, calm all our fears and comfort us in the deepest and darkest times of our lives! No human being can do all that for us.
And to further honour and glorify Him, as well as lift our spirits, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail nuh with plenty enthusiasm, and sincerity.
Wailing: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Oh my people, my people, how beautiful it is to be alive on this glorious morn, feeling the breath of God coursing through my body as I look forward to the wonderful future that Jesus has planned for us, if we stick to the programme that He’s outlined! It doesn’t get any better than that friends!
No wonder our Bit seems so appropriate. ‘And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ Yes my fellow believers, it’s all about glorifying Jehovah God, our Creator and heavenly Provider!
And we do that by living the life God has set before us, doing so in faith and sincerity, and in times of trouble, crying out to Him for succour so that He can uplift us and further glorify His holy name. Oh what a wonderful Deity we serve and worship my people!
Now let’s turn to some scriptures that corroborate our Bit. And to begin, we’ll go all the way back to the days of the prophet Samuel, when he lead Israel to repentance.
‘And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange (foreign) gods and Ashtaroth (images of Canaanite goddesses) from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines.’ (1 Sam.7:3)
Oh friends, that is exactly what we need to do in this current evil and godless world. Like the Israelites back then, we’re worshipping all sorts of idols and false gods, thus our world is quickly going to hell in a hand basket. And the only thing that will save it is repentance and a sincere return to serving and worshipping the One and True Living God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Yuh see how all the other societies that abandoned Him and worshipped other gods fared? There was never any true peace, just constant war, destruction and despair. Now why do you think our society would be any different, suffer a different fate eh?
Yes, our God is a merciful and gracious, forgiving and LOVING God, but He’s no push over, He’s very serious about whatever He says. And He’s said several times in His word that if you don’t serve and worship Him, you’ll be destroyed. So I don’t know where we’ve gotten this foolish idea to abandon God, kick Him out of our society, and then expect to prosper. Steups!
Ah friends, it’s up to us believers to bring about that repentance. It’s not going to be easy, but with God’s awesome help we can do it. Remember we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
And we’ll end with this appropriate passage from Job, where his buddy Zophar reproves him. ‘If he (God) cut off (passes by), and shut up (imprisons), or gather together, then who can hinder (restrain) him? For he knoweth vain (deceitful) men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?
For vain (empty-headed) man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt (when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man). If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch forth thine hands toward him; If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles (tents).
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shall not fear. Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away. And thine age (life) shall be clearer (brighter) than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.’ (Job 11:10-17)
Yes my brethren, though Zophar was wrongly ragging on Job, believing that some hidden, serious sin caused his tribulations, his advice was right on. An omniscient God could clearly see man’s sin, and if he confesses and repents, the Lord will forgive Him and make his life better.
Now that is what we need to do in this ungodly world; bring about confession and repentance, so that our beautiful world can be lifted up, be without spot and without fear. That’s the wisdom of the age! Much LOVE!
…only Christ’s LOVE Revolution can save our sinking world…
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