18 Apr 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a future and a hope, acknowledge God in all thy ways, and lean not unto thine own understanding, as for me and mine, at odds with God's direction, be not wise in thine own eyes, blueprint for living a godly life, calamity, cast into the lake of fire, comfort, common sense, compassion, cry out to God for help, depart from evil, disobedience, ever-faithful God, fear the Lord, friends, give generously, glory hallelujah, glory to God, goals, God's plan for our lives, Hades, he shall direct thy paths, health, health to thy navel, honour the Lord with thy substance, how to live to purpose, humble yourself before God, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, joy, living God, LOVE, Lucifer, made in the image of God, magnificent and magnanimous God, marrow to thy bones, masterpiece of man, miracle, no way Jose, our heavenly Father, pay a price for disobedience, personal experience, possessions, praise his holy name, Praise the Lord, prince of darkness, rule the roost, sinful desires, sinful souls, singing praises to God, sufferation, the breath of life, the first fruits, thy barns be filled with plenty, thy presses burst out with new wine, top dog, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trust in the Lord with all thy heart, truth, understanding, usurp God's kingdom, wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell the roses, we move and have our being, we will follow the Lord, wealth, wisdom
Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Well Friends, yesterday was another beautiful day in my area; lots of sunshine and blue skies, with unseasonably warm temperatures, and above everything else, a most magnificent and magnanimous God, controlling it all!
Oh, Glory to God! What more can I say eh? Not a whole lot, because my vocabulary is limited when coming to singing the praises of God. And in any case, ‘Glory to God’ says it all.
Yes my people, He is indeed the God in whom we move and have our being. The very breath of life that percolates through our frail and finite bodies comes from Him, and to top it off, we’re also made in His likeness, His wonderful image. What a miracle!
And all God’s faithful people declared a loud, proud and grateful, ‘Praise the Lord! He is indeed a great God! The One who gives us everything we need to live this earthly life; health, wealth, comfort and joy, LOVE and compassion, wisdom and understanding. Glory Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name!’
Oh Friends, our heavenly Father is indeed a most wonderful God! In fact, He is the ONLY true and living God in existence! All other supposed deities are dead, but He is most certainly alive and kicking, and running the marvellous universe He created, the way He desires, with no one to tell Him yay or nay! (smile)
And one of His most important rules is that we, His most important creation, live and LOVE the way He does. But unfortunately too many of us refuse to do so. We’re more interested in living and LOVING the way our naturally sinful souls desire, which is most often at odds with God’s direction.
And if we don’t look sharp, we’ll pay all sorts of harsh and hefty prices for our disobedience.
Anyway, here is an interesting quote that addresses the matter somewhat. It’s attributed to Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), one of the significant philosophers of the French Renaissance. He reputedly declared: ‘The great and glorious masterpiece of man, is to know how to live to purpose.’
And there’s a lot of truth to that statement my brethren. To live a successful life we must set proper goals and also take good care of ourselves, all in accordance with God’s plan for our lives. However many of us in today’s sinful, ungodly world don’t care about God’s plan for our lives, so we do our own thing. Then when the ‘sufferation’ comes, we quick to run to God and cry out for help!
But life doesn’t work that way my people. God’s Word wisely tells us in our Bit: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.’
That my Friends, is one of the most significant and important passages of the whole Bible! If you follow that and nothing else, you will never go wrong, for it encompasses everything. In this chapter of Proverbs, Cousin Sol is exhorting us to obedience to God, because our God takes it very seriously.
Now hear how he continues after our Bit. ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.
Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov.3:6-10)
Oh my people, my people, those 6 verses (5-10) are the everlasting blueprint for living a godly life! Humble yourself before God, don’t be too proud, let Him guide you, and then give generously of your possessions to His cause. Oh Friends, it’s so simple that we think it couldn’t be true. But believe me, it is true, and I’m talking here from personal experience.
Instead, we foolishly follow the worldly lusts and dictates of Lucifer. But my brethren, if Lucifer was so smart, he would not have tried to usurp God’s kingdom, and he’d still be top dog, the number one angel in heaven. But no, he wanted to be king and rule the roost, so he rebelled against the Father, the same senseless thing that so many of us are doing in this current age.
But how can the created ever overthrow the creator eh? Not in this life, or any other! Granted, Lucifer is now the top dog, but in the darkness of Hades and in this sinful world which will eventually be destroyed and he and his minions cast into the lake of fire.
So Friends, if that is where you want to end up, you just have to keep on following the sinful desires of our nature and the lusts of this evil world, ruled over by the prince of darkness. But that’s not wisdom, common sense or the plan that God has in mind for any of us.
Remember the words He spoke through Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer.29:11)
Now my brethren, after hearing that wonderful promise from our ever-faithful God, how can we ever go and get seriously involved with Lucifer eh? Steups! No way Jose!
But everybody has to make their own decision, and I guess, though we may all speak the same language, we don’t necessarily have to think alike. Just look at the wicked, evil, war-like, greedy, ungodly, vengeful state of our world nuh. How could you ever want to be involved with those who are running it eh?
Oh my people, let’s smarten up nuh. Let’s ask God for the wisdom to make right and good choices, and stop depending on our sinful nature and limited mentality, for as James says, He gives it liberally to all who ask and without reproach too. (James.1:5)
So Friends, let’s wake up and smell the roses, the coffee, or whatever it takes to follow the Lord God Jehovah nuh, for that is the essence of wisdom and common sense. Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we will follow the Lord till our dying day…
12 Oct 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a time of joy, a very present help in trouble, anger, be not dismayed, be not far from me, be not wise in thine own eyes, believers, blessed be the Lord, blessings, bolster our faith in God, Bruh David, Canadian Thanksgiving, come up over a problem, courage, depart from evil, encouragement, faith, faithfulness, faithlessness, fear the Lord, fellowship, first day of the week, for there is none to help, for trouble is near, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, forgiveness, friendship, glory hallelujah, God is our refuge and strength, grace, guidance, health to thy navel, help, Hosea, I am in the midst of them, I am thy God, I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, in me is thine help, Israel, Jesus Christ, joy, like a bird from a snare, marrow to thy bones, mercies, our help is in the name of the Lord, our soul is escaped, praise for deliverance, praise the Lord for His goodness, promises, prosperity, protection, psalm 46, Sabbath Day, Selah, strength, succour, Sunday, thanksgiving, the Lord God Jehovah, the LOVE of Jesus christ, Togetherness, truth, wanton, we will not fear, words of wisdom, worldly, worship
Psalm 22:11. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Well hello there Friends and Neighbours, another Sunday has rolled around! As the song says: ‘We’re right back where we started from;’ Sunday, the first day of the week.
And that means fellowship, worship, a gathering of faithful believers to give thanks and praise and receive blessings, encouragement, friendship, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and all the wonderful things our great God so generously bestows on us, His marvellous children! (smile)
And all God’s children declared a loud and ecstatic’ Praise the Lord for His goodness to us, undeserving though we may be!’
Yes Friends, our great God is indeed worthy of much praise, especially on this weekend when we choose to celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving here in Canada. That means all the sanctuaries should be filled to overflowing with believers, whether there are thousands in a big, new, pretty building, or a handful under a mango or apple tree. (smile)
Remember what Jesus said: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20) So the surroundings aren’t all that important, just the people and what’s in their hearts – the LOVE of Jesus! Consequently, ALL believers ought to find some means of joining with others to celebrate the Sabbath Day in the Lord’s Name!
And remember too Friends, that when we treat the Sabbath Day, the first day of the week, as it ought to be treated; with worship, praise and togetherness, then the rest of the week will unfurl so much better than if we are wanton and worldly. It’s always better to come up over a situation or a problem, than to have the situation or problem come up over you.
And the only way we can do that on a fairly consistent basis is by turning to the Lord God Jehovah for help at ALL TIMES! Why? Because as our Bit so wisely and truthfully declares: ‘Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.’ And truer words were never spoken my brethren!
So let’s continue with some scripture passages that prove our point and bolster our faith in Almighty God. And we’ll begin with these poignant words from Psalm 46 – God is our refuge and strength, from the sons of Korah. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps.46:1-3)
Yeh Friends, take a moment to ponder those statements nuh! What words of wisdom, truth, courage, strength and faithfulness!
Now listen to Bruh David from Psalm 124 – Praise for deliverance from enemies. ‘Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of a snare of the fowlers (bird trappers): the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’ (Ps.124:6-8)
And isn’t that the gospel truth my people? It certainly is!
But just in case you don’t believe the psalmists, then hear the words of God Himself, as spoken through the prophet Isaiah, re the final restoration of Israel. ‘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)
Oh my fellow believers, what could be more uplifting and encouraging than that eh? Nothing! When our powerful and faithful God promises something, we know for a fact that it will come to pass, for He cannot lie, and thus ALWAYS does as He says! Glory Hallelujah!
That’s why I can’t understand how, in this modern day and age, when everything is going haywire and things are topsy-turvy, we are turning away from God in anger and faithlessness, rather than running full speed into His ever-LOVING arms for protection, strength, LOVE, succour and guidance.
And just to prove that our wonderful God is not a wishy-washy, unfaithful Deity, who just talks for talk sake, listen to the prophet Hosea, as he declares the Lord’s words, when foretelling the destruction of Israel.
‘O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.’ (Hos.13:9-11)
Yes Friends, through the source of His mighty power, the Lord gives…and He also takes! Which man or other supposed deity can say Him nay eh? NONE WHATSOEVER!
So my people, on this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, let’s all make it a time of joy nuh, of giving serious and sincere thanks, of being faithful, of getting together in worship, and above all, remembering that Jehovah God is the source from which all blessings, help, prosperity and all good things flow. Do have a happy Thanksgiving weekend. Much LOVE!
…be not wise in thine own eyes…fear the Lord…and depart from evil…it shall be health to thy navel (body)…and marrow (strength) to thy bones… (Prov.3:7-8)
19 Sep 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a pleasant dream, blessed, bondage of labour, cause his face to shine on us, commandments, communicated with our Creator, Cousin Sol, crown of glory, dark and dreary night, depart from evil, diligently seek wisdom, drift aimlessly, father of patience, fear of the Lord, fellowship, fools despise wisdom, forgiving, fount of all wisdom, Friday chant, friends, fun, generous, generous help, God's gift, good understanding, goodly shepherd, goodness, grace, greetings, honour, illuminating sunshine of Jesus, in league with God, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, Job, knowledge, lost sheep, LOVE, Loving Deity, lustful worldly activities, magnanimous, may the Lord bless and keep us, merciful, ornamnet of grace, our Lord and Saviour, permeate our souls, powerful, rejuvenation, relaxation, rest, right perspective, salutations, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Holy One, the Lord's praise endures for ever, the peace that surpasses all understanding, the reverence of God, the weekend, time for partying, understanding, ungodly world, wisdom, wisdom of a fool, wise
Psalm 111:10. The fear of the Lord (an awe-filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Greetings and salutations my people, on this new and blessed day of September 2014! Tell me, have you communicated with your Creator as yet for today?
Well, if you haven’t, then take a moment now to tell Him thanks for bringing you safely through the dark and dreary night, into the bright and illuminating sunshine of His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Then you can boldly and sincerely declare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God that the weekend is upon us, and we’ll soon be free from the bondage of labour… if only for a couple of days! Indeed, we must thank God that it’s Friday!’
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant, so that we can have the right perspective on how to use the weekend. ‘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 brethren, it’s very important that we view the weekend in the right manner; as a time of rest and rejuvenation, not merely a time for partying and engaging in other lustful worldly activities. Remember, when you use the weekend properly, then the new work week unfolds calmly and smoothly, like a pleasant dream. (smile)
That brings us to our Bit: ‘The fear of the Lord (an awe-filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’
Oh Friends, those words are ever so true! If the reverence of God doesn’t permeate our souls, then we’ll drift aimlessly for ever, like lost sheep in the dry and waterless wilderness, without a goodly shepherd to look after us.
But when we truly reverence our great and wonderful God, then we see Him for who and what He really is: a wise, powerful, merciful, forgiving and LOVING Deity, generous and magnanimous to a fault. As so many other men of God have stated, that’s where all wisdom begins, my brethren!
Now let’s have a quick look at some of the scriptures that tell us so, beginning with the father of patience, Job, as he talks about wisdom being God’s gift. After asking the profound question: ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?’ (Job 28:12) He goes on to detail where it cannot be found. (Job 28:13-21)
Then he finally declares: ‘And unto man he (God) said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28)
And if you don’t believe Job, then listen to Cousin Sol, proclaimed the wisest man ever. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7)
Yes my people, when we submit to Almighty God with a healthy fear of awe and reverence, then our eyes, hearts, minds and souls are opened, and we are able to discern wisdom and truth and knowledge, as decreed by our heavenly Father, not as the evil and ungodly world considers it.
And Cousin Sol later on, again wisely informs us on the subject: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (Holy One) is understanding.’ (Prov.9:10)
Oh my brethren, it’s therefore obvious that true wisdom and knowledge and understanding are all tied up with knowing our Creator, and unless we are in solid league with Jehovah God, the ONE who created the universe and all therein, we cannot attain to those things.
And as Cousin Sol seriously warns us: ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou doest embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.’ (Prov.4:7-9)
Yes my Friends, that’s what happens when we diligently seek wisdom; she just overwhelms us with goodness! So why aren’t more of us seeking it eh; godly wisdom that is, not the wisdom of the world?
I guess because too many of us tend to turn away from anything that smacks of God. And that definitely is not true or real wisdom my people! It’s the wisdom of a fool, for they despise true wisdom and instruction, as Cousin Sol says earlier.
And on that note we’ll close for today, because the rest of what I have to say will definitely make the Bit too long, and I know that our attention span is short on most days, but especially so on Fridays, when the weekend beckons. (smile)
So may the Lord bless and keep us as we walk faithfully with Him today, and may he cause His favour to shine on us, and give us His wisdom and peace that passes all understanding. Much LOVE!
…how can a mortal human ever attain wisdom…without a true and stable connection to the fount of all wisdom…the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…
15 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: add our own spin, Agur, allow God to unfold His plan for your life, almighty god, astonishment, awe, communication with God, consternation, deceitful Lucifer, depart from evil, depart from evil that is understanding, displeasure, don't ignore God, don't interject our own plans into the mix, don't listen to Lucifer, embrace God, eternal truth, eternal wisdom, evil, fear of God, feeling lousy, festivities, friends, give instruction to a wise man, god dislikes falsehood, God is a shield to those who trust Him, God's knowledge is infinte, God's questions to Job, God's word is pure, Godsend, hard ears pickney, he will increase in learning, he will yet be wiser, Holy One, jehovah god, know God intimately, know God personally, knowledge, limitless, lo and behold, LOVE, misfortune, restless sleep, reverence, rise and shine, send me a message, setback, strange dream, surrender, surrender your life to God, teach a just man, the beginning of wisdom, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Holy One, the knowledge of the holy, the limitations of man's knowledge, the Lord of hosts, the One and Only Living God, topsy-turvey, truth, turmoil, understanding, unsettled lives, where is the place of understanding, where shall we find wisdom, Who hath ascended up into heaven, who hath bound the waters in a garment, who hath established all the ends of the earth, who hath gathered the wind in his fists, wisdom, wisdom comes only from God, without direction and purpose
Proverbs 30:3. I neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the holy (Holy One).
Ah Friends, some of us just don’t seem to ever learn nuh! We’re like what the old people would call ‘hard ears pickney.’ Hn, hn!
Would you believe I did it again? Chuh! I got up earlier on in the morning, decided it was too early to rise and shine, so I just went to the bathroom then went back to bed. Lo and behold, some two hours later I finally got up, feeling lousy, with my back and other parts of my anatomy aching.
Not only that, but during those final two hours of restless sleep, I dreamt a strange dream. In the dream, it seems like the duchess and I attended some function up some hill or the other, and after the festivities were over, she wasn’t sure of the way down, so I went over to her car and pointed it out to her, and she drove off.
Meanwhile, somehow or the other, I got into a conversation with this lady who was walking down the hill and I fell into step beside her. Halfway down the hill, we stopped at a restaurant, she to get something to eat, and me to look for the duchess. But the place was so busy and confusing that after a few minutes I gave up and continued down the hill to my apartment building.
Then, much to my astonishment and displeasure, as I was about to enter the front door of the building, which someone was holding open for me, I put my hand in my pocket and only felt my car keys.
Steups! It was only then I realized that going into the building didn’t make any sense since I couldn’t get into my apartment anyway, because I had left my car with all my other belongings back up the hill where the festivities had taken place.
Ah Lord eh! To make matters worse, the duchess was nowhere to be found. So you can imagine my consternation – no consternation is too mild a word – (smile) at having to trudge back up the hill to retrieve my car and my other belongings.
Oh Friends, I’m chuckling now, but in the dream it surely wasn’t funny! Now would you think that the Lord was trying to send me a message?
Namely, when I wake you up, and you’re feeling fine, regardless of the hour of the morning, don’t listen to the deceitful Lucifer and go back to bed. Just rise and shine then and there, because there’s method to my madness, and you’ll be worse off later on if you ignore me.
Ah mih people, I believe I finally got the message… at least for my sake, I hope so. But life is certainly interesting though when you surrender your life to Almighty God and allow Him to unfold the plan He’s prepared for you since before the beginning of time.
And very often, like me, when we try to interject our own plans into the mix, we suffer some misfortune or setback, which only creates unnecessary turmoil in our lives, and sadly affects our communication with our heavenly Father.
No wonder the words of Agur in our Bit can be applied to so many of us. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy (Holy One).’
And that’s rather unfortunate Friends! For as Agur continues: ‘Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell (know it)? (Prov.30:4)
Oh my people, can we answer those questions? I surely hope so, otherwise things will be very bleak with us.
And the scholars inform us thus: ’30:4. The questions are designed, as God’s questions to Job in Job 38-41, to press home the limitations of man’s knowledge.’
Please read those chapters sometime on your own, for they will give you great insight into God’s nature.
And yes my brethren, man’s knowledge is very limited. However, there’s One whose knowledge is infinite and limitless! His name is Almighty God, the Lord of hosts, the One and Only Living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Do we know Him, personally and intimately, like a son knows a father? We better had, else our lives will be unsettled, topsy-turvy, without direction and purpose.
For as Agur declares: ‘Every word of God is pure (tried, found pure): he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.’ (Prov.30:5-6)
Yes Friends, without a doubt, every word that our God utters is indeed eternal truth, and He fiercely protects those who trust in Him! And since our knowledge is limited, we ought not to try and add our own take, our own spin on His words, because our God doesn’t take kindly to falsehood.
Ah my fellow believers, as the Good Book tells us in several places, true wisdom comes from Jehovah God and from Him only!
Now let’s check out a couple of those scriptures. During his time of severe adversity, Job asked the always and ever important question: ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?’ (Job 28:12)
And later on in the same chapter, he gives us the answer: ‘And unto man he said, Behold, the fear (reverence, awe) of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28)
Oh my people, wisdom to live successfully on this earth is truly a Godsend!
And Cousin Sol reminds us of that when he proclaims: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (Holy One) is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased (years of life will be added to you). If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shall bear it.’ (Prov.9:10-12)
What more is there to say eh my fellow believers? Nothing really! The questions have been asked, answered and clarified. If you want to live wisely on this earth, then you MUST first sincerely embrace Jehovah God, and then you NEED to keep Him totally involved in all your doings.
That’s eternal wisdom Friends! So let’s try and attain to it today and everyday hence nuh. Much LOVE!
…give instruction to a wise man…and he will be yet wiser…teach a just man…and he will increase in learning… (Prov. 9:10)
04 Apr 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: almighty god, anger, anxiety, assuring, begging bread, calamity, cast down, comforting, confusion, crime, depart from evil, distribution of wealth, do good, early retirement, eternal truth, evil, evil doers, fallible, fellowship, focused, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God's largesse, godly men, godly wisdom, happy manner, healthy, hope, immortal, indisputable fact, inequality, infallible, jehovah god, Jesus, leisure, LOVE, mortal, necessities of life, peace, pensions, pipe dreams, poor getting poorer, poor stewards, poverty, relaxation, remove Jehovah God, resentment, rich getting richer, righteous forsaken, sacrifice, sad demise, several jobs, shall not stumble, shortcomings of our society, sickness, sincerity, sins, still can't make ends meet, stressed out, strife, survive in this rat race world, technological revolution, Thank God it's Friday, the weekend, ungodliness, walk safely, wealth, wealthy times, wisdom, work, working harder
Proverbs 3:23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, it’s Friday! The weekend’s come, and labour’s done! Thank God it’s Friday!
Yeh mih people, it is indeed Friday, but it never fails to amaze me at how much our society looks forward to those two days off. This was once supposed to be the generation of leisure, of take it easy, of so much wealth etc. that we didn’t need to work our sorry tails off any longer.
Hn! But what’s happened eh? In the midst of all the technological revolution, we’re now working harder than ever, often at several jobs, and still can’t make ends meet!
We’re the most stressed out and anxiety wired generation ever, in times of supposed peace. There’s also more poverty, homelessness, sickness, crime – both white and blue collar – plus oodles of resentment, anger and strife, accompanied by unforeseen ungodliness and evil, in what’s been amongst the wealthiest of times.
Oh my brethren, how did we ever get this way eh? Whatever happened to the dreams of a four and three day work-week, and early retirement with pensions we could afford to live on? Steups!
Unfortunately, those are not even pipe dreams nowadays, but more like impossible ones! Ah Lord eh! We certainly have been very poor stewards of God’s largesse.
I guess there are many reasons for our sad demise, but one of the biggest is the distribution of wealth. The rich have indeed been getting richer and the poor poorer! And once that great inequality in wealth exists, society cannot function in a healthy, much less happy manner.
When so many don’t even have the wherewithal to purchase the basic necessities of life, there must be confusion and calamity – especially when you also remove Jehovah God from the equation!
Anyway Friends, this wasn’t meant to be a treatise on the shortcomings of our society, just a brief edification. (smile) So let’s get to the matter at hand and chant our Friday Chant with much sincerity and hope, to keep us strong and thoroughly focused on what we need to do to survive in this rat-race world.
So let’s chant up a storm this Friday morning nuh! ‘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.’
Awright mih people, that ought to give us enough of the right perspective in how to handle the weekend! So let’s move on to our Bit, one of God’s great promises. ‘Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.’
Yes Friends, when we give Jehovah God sovereignty over our lives, we WILL indeed walk in the safety and security of His everlasting LOVE and omnipotence!
What can be more assuring and comforting than that eh? Nothing my brethren! Nothing at all!
If we can’t trust the Creator and Controller of this great and wonderful universe, whom then can we really trust? Certainly not mortal and fallible man!
Now let’s check out some scripture that corroborates our Bit, from two of the most godly and God endowed men that ever lived.
First up is Cousin Sol with a proverb of eternal truth. ‘He that walketh uprightly walketh surely (securely, safely): but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.’ (Prov.10:9)
And that’s an indisputable fact Friends, as we’re seeing every day, as more and more evil doers are being brought to light.
Now hear Bruh David; a man after God’s own heart. ‘The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again (does not repay): but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth (land); and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off (destroyed). The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.’ (Ps.37: 21-27)
Oh mih people, my fellow believers, what words of grace and godly assurance! And Bruh David lived them! It wasn’t any hearsay, but a true testimonial of his life. Though he occasionally stumbled and fell, the Lord never entirely cast him adrift. Of course he paid a price for some of his more heinous sins, but his name still reverberates throughout the Good Book as a man of God.
All I can say Friends, is that if you deal sincerely and truthfully with Almighty God, He will do the same with you. But you have to put your trust in Him first. He has already done His part by sacrificing Jesus to pay for our sins. It’s up to us now to receive His awesome grace, mercy, LOVE and forgiveness. And if we’re truly endowed with godly wisdom, then we’ll do just that! Much LOVE!
…if you can believe you’re in good hands with All State…a company run by fallible men…why can’t you believe you’ll be in even better…the best hands…with infallible, immortal…Almighty God…
23 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: affection, associate with the humble, be honest, be of like minds, be of one accord, benefits, bless those who persecute you, body, bounden duty, build Christ's church, cheerful hearts, comfort of LOVE, conceits, consolation in Christ, Creator, curse not, depart from evil, dissension, ditty, divide and conquer, don't repay evil for evil, don't set your mind on high things, encouragement, eschew evil, esteem, fellowship, freedom, Friday chant, fun, further your glorious kingdom, generous help, get a move on, glorious kingdom, godly virtues, grains of sand, ground zero, hallmark of Christians, harmonious living, harmony and unity, high mindedness, holy spirit, jehovah god, Jesus, jesus name, joy, likeminded, live peaceably, live right, lowliness, mercy, mind, no man's an island, only hope, opposition, peace and harmony, petty differences, provider, rejoice, relaxation, relevant scriptures, renewed and refreshed, repel the enemy, selfishness, sincere reverence and worship, slave labour, solace, solemn decision, soul, stand together, steadfast in unity, strife, striving together, strong voice, successful future, succour, sure foundation, sympathy, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the gospel's progress, unruly living, vainglory, virtues, weekend, weep with those who weep, wisdom, wise in your own estimation
Proverbs 3:7-8. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.
Oh Friends, before I could even say anything about it being Friday, the working populace was already chanting: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! The weekend done come! Yes the weekend done come! And soon this week of slave labour will end. Yes, this week of slave labour soon end. So just thank God it’s Friday!’
Now Friends, that li’l ditty heralds the arrival of the weekend, and it’s all well and good to do so, but then we need to understand how to use those two days of freedom. That’s where our Friday Chant comes in. So let’s chant it nuh, in strong voice, with cheerful hearts.
‘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.’
Now that’s the right way to use our valuable two days off! That brings us to our Bit. ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’
It’s the same as yesterday. However, instead of it being basically the headline or banner for several other affirmations, today we’ll dig a little deeper into its individual meaning and share some relevant scripture.
Now the basic meaning should be clear, because the words are simple and to the point. We shouldn’t consider ourselves as stalwarts of wisdom, since we obviously are not, and thus try to do stuff in our own strength, as an island unto ourselves, for none of us can stand alone. We all need help at various times and stages of our lives.
What we need to do is turn to Jehovah God, our Creator and Provider and acknowledge Him with sincere reverence and worship. That’s true wisdom! For in so doing, He’ll give us all the succour we need, and the strength to eschew the evil things of this world, which are like the grains of sand on the beach; too numerous to count.
That’s why Bruh Paul wrote these relevant scriptures to his readers. To the Romans, he says: ‘Bless them which persecute you: bless (speak well off), and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another.
Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense to (repay) no man evil for evil. Provide things honest (have regard for good things) in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom.12:14-18)
Yes Friends, believers ought to try and live in peace and harmony as much as possible and not in dissension and high mindedness as many of us are living today.
Meanwhile to the Philippians, Bruh Paul pleads: ‘If there be therefore any consolation (encouragement) in Christ, if any comfort of LOVE (consolation), if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels (affection) and mercies (sympathy),
Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same LOVE, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.’ (Phil.2:1-4)
Oh my people, harmonious living should be the hallmark of those living under the Holy Spirit of Christ!
Now here are some important thoughts from the scholars. Re verse 1: ‘Therefore resumes the thought begun in 1:27-28, namely that the Philippians are to be “worthy” and steadfast in unity, striving together for the gospel’s progress. The word if, occurring four times in this verse, denotes fact, not doubt; it might then be translated “since.”
Paul is thus affirming that in Christ there exist consolation (encouragement); comfort of LOVE (solace furnished by LOVE); fellowship of the Spirit (partaking of the Holy Spirit’s life and sharing in His gifts, ministry, help, values, etc.); bowels (affection); and mercies (sympathy).
This verse forms the basis for Paul’s appeal in verse 2: “Fulfill ye my joy.” His thinking is this: Since these five benefits or virtues exist in Christ, and since you are Christians, then exercise these virtues toward one another as you contend for the gospel and face opposition.’
Ah mih breddren, what statements of truth! Selfish and unruly living, like many of us supposed believers are currently embracing, will only harm Christ’s church. Only the upholding of the godly virtues will enable us to stand together and successfully repel the enemy. And sadly, we’re not doing a good enough job of it, because the enemy is daily getting stronger, using our selfish and petty differences to divide and conquer us.
Oh fellow believers in Christ, we cannot allow that to continue happening, for it’s our bounden duty to build Christ’s church, not to see it fall apart for lack of harmony and unity. So I’m imploring each and every one of us who claims to believe, to TRY AND LIVE RIGHT!
We all know what it takes to do that, but we need to truly get serious about it and make a solemn decision to actually do it. Otherwise, Christ’s church will keep on falling lower and lower, until it hits Ground Zero. And I’m sure we don’t want that to happen, especially on our watch.
Therefore Friends, let’s get a move on nuh, let’s start living more harmoniously than we’re currently doing. It’s our ONLY HOPE for a successful future! Much LOVE!
…no organization can be successfully built…unless there’s a sure foundation of unity and harmony…
22 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sound mind, Abraham, absolute truth, acknowledge God, affirmations, arsenal of wisdom, boost our spirits, breath of life, cleansing from unrighteousness, compassions, confession of sins, confidence in God, confronting struggles head-on, courage, dearly hold on to, declaration, depart from evil, direct thy paths, don't be wise in your own eyes, eternal security, evil earth, fear the Lord, fight the good fight, focus, forgiveness of sins, God's best, God's faithfulness, God's majesty, godly way we live, gospel truth, health to your body, hearts, holy spirit, in the image of God, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus Christ, knowledge, LOVE, minds, new every day, obey God's will, our commission, power, power to rise above, raise faith, souls, spirit of power, Spread God's Word, strength, strength to your bones, the Creator of everything, the day of Christ, the font of all wisdom, the Lord's mercies, the One True God, the spirit of fear, truth, turst in the Lord, understanding, victory, walk on water, What I can do through Christ, work of the holy spirit, zenith
Proverbs 3:7-8. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.
Oh Friends, it’s Thursday, and the ole fella’s feeling the call of affirmations to boost our spirits! Mama Mia! So today will be an affirmations day!
And I’ll start us off by sharing one of the two conglomerations of affirmative stuff I have on my desk. From whence I got them, I don’t remember, but they are indeed useful. I believe I’ve shared them both already, but it’s stuff that never goes bad, in fact it’s something we can all use everyday to raise our faith and courage.
And it says: ‘I CAN have victory in my life by dealing with the things that are keeping me from God’s best. I am confronting my struggles head on, so that I can overcome them. God has given me the power to rise above. He has given me the strength to focus on Him and push through. NOTHING will hold me back! This is my declaration of what I can do through Christ!’
Yes Friends, those are all things we can do through Christ, because He has given us the power through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But most importantly, before we can do any of those things, we first have to acknowledge Him; His strength, His power and His majesty as the Creator of all there is.
And our Bit puts it very clearly and concisely. ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’
Now that’s absolute truth my people! Nothing will work for us if we don’t first turn to the Lord, our Creator, the font of all wisdom, power, knowledge and truth!
And having learned that lesson, let’s absorb this one: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil.1:6)
That’s God’s faithfulness at work Friends! That’s our eternal security, for God will NEVER leave anything undone in the lives of those who sincerely try to obey His will.
Now listen to John on sin, its reality and remedy. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1:9)
That’s the number one move to righteousness mih breddren – confessing our sins!
Now here’s one we all know and like to quote. Whether we truly believe and live by it is another story though. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam.3:22-23)
Oh my people, that’s gospel truth at its truest! For if our God was not compassionate and faithful, and renewed us every day, I’m afraid to think what we’d be like, and where we’d end up.
Now here’s a gem from Bruh Paul to Cousin Timmy; ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7)
Oh my brethren, my brethren, that scripture is so powerful that it could make us walk on water, if we so desire! (smile) It’s the first image of power that came to mind. But it’s true Friends. Our God has imbued us with all we need to fight the good fight here on this evil earth. But we need to raise up all these things from our spirits so that we can use them.
There’s no need for us to be as fearful and afraid of this life and its evil powers as too many of us are. That’s because we have the Lord’s power, His LOVE, faith and courage buried within us. It’s high time for us to let them rise up, so that we can go forth and do the job(s) we’ve been commissioned to do; Spread God’s Word, His LOVE, His Mercy and His forgiveness, through faith and the godly way we live our lives.
And I think we’ll end where we began; with the eternal wisdom of Cousin Sol. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth) thy paths.’ (Prov.3:5-6)
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, if there was ever only one scripture in the entire Good Book that we could hold on dearly to, take with us everyday and everywhere, and give someone else to also hold on dearly to, I believe it’s those two verses from the arsenal of Cousin Sol’s wisdom. That’s because they embody the very gist, the very kernel or seed of what God’s been trying to say to us from day one – TRUST ME!
And believe me Friends, there’s no greater thing that we can do, than sincerely trusting in the God who formed us from the dust of the earth in His very own image, then breathed His own breath of life into our nostrils.
So please let’s memorize as many of these Bible verses as we can, or even just get their substance in to our hearts, minds and souls, so that they can encourage us, keep us strong and steadfast in our faith, build our self-confidence and thus our confidence in the ONE TRUE GOD; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Now that my beautiful brethren, is wisdom at its very zenith! Much LOVE!
…there’s no greater thing we can do…than to surrender our lives…put them in their entirety… into the hands of our heavenly Father…
27 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: allegiances to men, boasting, computer madness, corruption, depart from evil, doing right, eating right, fear the Lord, foolishness, glorying is not good, God's help, greed, harmful additives, immorality, insufficient exercise, it is well with my soul, moral standards, morning chores, obesity, recipe for destruction, respect, reverence, right with God, selfishness, spirituality, thinking right, trust in the Lord, ways of death, wisdom
1 Corinthians 5:6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
‘Morning neighbuh!’ the older lady greets her younger counterpart as they both come down their back steps to begin their morning chores. ‘How yuh doing today, Miss Louise?’ the younger woman enquires, watching her neighbour navigate around the cluttered yard with her cane. ‘Not too bad nuh mih chile,’ the older lady replies. ‘The arthritis and all the other aches and pains in mih body acting up this morning, but with God’s help, ah bearing them.’ ‘Ah know how it is yes, Miss Louise. My mother had all them same aches and pains too.’ The older woman then breaks out in a toothless grin, as she declares. ‘But though mih body old and mash up, not a thing wrong with mih spirit nuh! As the ole Negro spiritual says, mih chile: ‘It is well with my soul!’ ‘And I can only say Amen to that!’ the younger woman says. Then after a moment’s hesitation, she continues: ‘Ah sure hope when I reach your age, I’ll be as strong in body, mind and spirit like you yes Miss Louise.’ The older woman gets serious, shakes her head and replies. ‘Is only one way to do that yes mih child. You have to start doing it from young; start eating right, thinking right, and doing right from now. And you can only do that if yuh living right with God!’ And therein lies the basis of most of our world’s problems my Friends! We’re not doing any of those four things properly. Obesity has become the most recent scourge of our society. We’re eating way too much fattening and non-nutritional foods with all sorts of harmful additives, and not exercising sufficiently. Plus, with all the modern conveniences available, we don’t really need to put out much physical energy to live in our comfortable surroundings. And sadly, the recent computer madness has just made us even more comatose. Unfortunately though, while one comparatively small part of the population is eating too much and exercising too little, the majority doesn’t have enough to eat and many are dying of starvation in a world of plenty. How sad mih people! And to further complicate our problems, we’re not thinking right or doing right either, because we’re mostly concerned with ourselves. Selfishness, greed, immorality and corruption are the hallmarks of our world today. Basically, the cult of I, Me and Mine rules the universe these days. And that obviously doesn’t sit well with the Lord God Jehovah, which just cements the fact that we’re not doing well with Him either. So when we’re falling down on all fronts, how can our world prosper, eh mih breddren? That’s why in talking about their moral standards, Bruh Paul wisely informs the Corinthians in our Bit: ‘Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?’ And isn’t that the gospel truth? It sure is! The biggest mistake we can make is glorying in ourselves and mankind, for that’s a major no-no with our heavenly Father, because that means we’re not taking Him seriously, not giving Him priority in our lives. And if we don’t give proper reverence and respect to our Creator, Controller and Provider, what do we expect eh? Nothing but disaster! As Bruh Paul tells the folks at Corinth earlier on: ‘Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world (age), let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in his own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (futile). Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ (1 Cor.3:18-23) And all God’s people declared a rousing ‘Amen!’ But we’re still behaving like the Corinthians, as the scholars explain. ‘For all things are yours: The one who belongs to Christ is a child of God, and his Father will do anything for him. The absurdity of their division over allegiances to any of these men (Bruh Paul, Cephas and Apollos) is that God gave them “all” to the Corinthians.’ Yes my brethren, until we start glorying in God and not making our allegiances to men more important, our world will continue to be a mess, undergoing one disaster after another, both man-made and God sent. But somehow we can’t seem to get that through our thick skulls, and the powers that be are fully bent on the evil intent of taking God out of our society and have us worship the foolish fallen angel Lucifer. That’s a sure recipe for destruction my people. Cousin Sol warns us so many times and so many different ways in Proverbs, but we still refuse to listen. And to end, we’ll quote the most well known of his warnings. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov.3:5-8)That says it all Friends. So please, let’s wake up from our foolish slumber and pay attention nuh. That’s wisdom at its highest. More on the other part of our Bit tomorrow, the Lord in favour. Till then, may the Lord bless us and give us wisdom to follow His Word, so that we can do right down here on earth. Much LOVE!…there is a way which seemeth right unto a man…but the end thereof are the ways of death… (Prov.14:12)
06 Feb 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: afflicted, depart from evil, do good, fasting, forgiving mercy and grace, God of Love, heads, hearts, hypocrite, joy and happiness, Lent, living truth, Love for Jesus, meditating, omnipotent god, praying, seeking God, sin can't hide, tape measure, the eyes of God, the ways of man, wrongdoings
Job 34:21. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
Oh Friends, it’s Wednesday, and the sound of the pre Lenten celebrations are all around. But next week this time, the partying will be over, and we’ll be doing ashes instead, as the Lenten season of praying, fasting and close encounters with Almighty God proliferate. Now isn’t it surprising how at that particular time of the year, how so many of us can turn to God and behave in a somewhat more appropriate fashion? Why can’t we do that through more of the year eh? Partying and seeking God are not mutually exclusive things. In fact, seeking God leads to more joy and happiness in one’s life. So let’s see if we can’t raise the level of our relationship with the Father all through the year nuh, and not just during the Lenten season. Anyway, here’s a little something I want to share. I saw it just now on a 3 x 5 card at the front of my desk. Yes, it’s one of those things I pass everyday, but very seldom see. It says: ‘God’s tape measure goes around hearts, not heads.’ And isn’t that the living truth Friends! God doesn’t measure our heads, otherwise He wouldn’t have a tape measure big enough to go around the many extremely swollen heads that are running around right now. Instead, He measures our hearts; how full, or big they are with true LOVE and adoration for His Son, Jesus, and how obedient we are to His will. And it’s so sad that too many believers will get small measurements when God measures our hearts, because our motives, LOVE for God and each other are not as strong and pure as they should be. That brings us to our Bit: ‘For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.’ Yes mih people, we talk a big talk about our omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present God, then go out and do nonsense; stuff that doesn’t fit who we are as believers. Now if our God is so powerful, all-knowing and all pervasive, isn’t He going to see and know our wrong doings? Of course! But I guess we don’t think about that when the evil Beelzebub gets in our hearts and minds and leads us astray. The time to think Friends is before the deed’s done, not after, when the possible consequences stare us in the face. And despite all the evidence to the contrary, some of us still genuinely believe we can fool God and get away with it. Hn! How wrong, how naive and foolish that is my brethren! For as Elihu, Job’s buddy, continues after our Bit: ‘There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For he will not lay upon man more than right (need not further consider a man); that he should enter into judgement with God (go before God in judgement). He shall break in pieces mighty men without number (inquiry), and set others in their stead (place). Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth (overthrows) them in the night, so that they are destroyed (crushed). He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only (alone): That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.’ (Job 34:22:30) Yes Friends, there is no hiding from our mighty, merciful, but just God! In His time He will set justice upon all who deserve it. Our only hope is to trust in Jesus and follow His lead as best we can, otherwise the Lord will eventually call us to account for all our wrongdoing. And it’s obvious that there’s way too much wrongdoing in all aspects of our lives, all over God’s earth! Do you imagine He will let it all go unpunished? Absolutely not! Even as we speak, He’s in the process of righting some wrongs, and meting out the appropriate punishment. We need to remember that our god is a God of LOVE, but also a God of justice. And justice must be done in His kingdom. Why do you think He went to such extraordinary lengths to lay our sins on Jesus, then sacrifice Him? So that justice could be done, and we wouldn’t have to pay the hefty price of death, eternal separation from Him. That’s why Bruh David warns in Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous. ‘What man is he that desireth life, and LOVETH many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile (deceit). Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth.’ (Ps.34:12-16) Yes my people, our God doesn’t sleep, neither is He tired. He rules His creation, our universe and all therein with a mighty hand! Just listen to what He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, against His chosen people Israel, when they went a whoring after other Gods. ‘Behold I will send for many fishers (fishermen), saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. And first I will recompense (repay) their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.’ (Jer.16:16-18) Oh Friends, though the Lord will eventually bring His chosen back to the Promised Land, they will pay for their disobedience. Please, let’s remember that today, and consider our own lives, and repent from any known disobedience, so that we won’t suffer the rightful justice we deserve, but will instead be blessed by His forgiving mercy and grace. That’s wisdom at its highest level. Much LOVE!…continual disobedience may bring big rewards in Lucifer’s world…but in God’s righteous and just kingdom…it brings sure punishment…
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