04 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 4th of July, a purpose and a place, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, abundance, acts of devotion to almighty God, America, as America goes so does everyone else, Beauty for Ashes, blessed, bring america back to God, Bruh Paul, day of deliverance, depravity, destruction, different colours, disobedience, don't fool yuh fat, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, evil hands of beelzebub, faithful, fellowship, forgiveness, founding fathers, freedom, Friday, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glorified, God's promise, God's will, godless path, godliness, going under, good tidings, Happy 4th of July, history of america, hope, Independence Day, Israel, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, jesus name, John Adams, justice, lack of true love, LOVE, lower standards, Lucifer, memorable epoch, most powerful and wealthy nation, mourning, murky depths of life, obedience, oil of joy, power, principles, relaxation, repentance, reputation, rest, right, salvation, showplace for God's Word, sin, sinful path, solemn, sound mind, spirit of fear, spirit of heaviness, stand together strong, strong, succumbing, the evil one, the garment of praise, the most sinful country in the world, the party humming, the planting of the Lord, to console them that mourn, to grace God's earth, trees of righteousness, true, truth, truthful, U.S Independence, unity of purpose, we can do anything, wealth, wisdom, Word of God
Isaiah 61:3. To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called tress of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY U.S OF A!
Oh mih people, God’s people, it’s Friday! Thank God for that! But would you believe it’s also Friday the 4th of July in the year of our Lord 2014? Yes Friends, it’s Independence Day in the U.S. of A! She’s 238 years young!
And since it is one of the most celebrated days down there, you know that the party done start long time ago and is humming along quite nicely. And I wish all you folks down south a Happy and Blessed 4th of July Holiday! Enjoy it, because you’ve earned it.
But unfortunately, it seems that you are now swiftly drifting down into the murky depths of life. You have removed Jehovah God so much from your lives, that you’re now very much considered the most sinful country in the world. And that my Friends is not a very nice reputation to have.
Please remember that your great country was founded on the solemn, true and faithful Word of Almighty God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
As John Adams, one of the founding Fathers and later President, was said to have written to his wife Abigail, shortly before the Declaration of Independence in July 1776: ‘The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.
It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.’
Please note my brethren, the advice regarding it as a ‘day of deliverance, with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.’ And though there is still some of that, it’s no way near enough!
Apparently there’s some confusion as to when the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed, the 2nd or the 4th, but it’s always been celebrated on the 4th.
Remember too, that all your wealth and great abundance came from Jehovah God, the most august God of your fathers. It is He who caused you all to beget so much wealth that you can also possess the sobriquet as being the most powerful and wealthy nation so far to grace God’s earth.
Why do you think America has been so blessed eh? Because the Lord had a purpose and a place for it; that it should be used as a show place for His Word in Modern Times, as Israel was in the Days of Old.
And hopefully, you’llnotice that as America moves further and further away from God, the lower and lower it sinks into sin, into depravity, lower standards and a lack of true LOVE for anything and anybody.
Oh Friends, America needs to be strong again, for sadly, but truthfully, as America goes, so does the rest of the world. She’s still that powerful.
Therefore my people, if we want to make the world right, truthful and strong, then we need to bring America back to God; back into His obedient fold, for if she succumbs to Lucifer’s evil power, then we’re all in danger of succumbing and going under.
So my brethren, that is the task that lies before us this Independence Day of 2014… to bring America back to the God of its Fathers! Hn! And don’t fool yuh fat nuh, it is indeed going to be a mighty task, so far has she fallen into the evil hands of Beelzebub and his wicked cohorts.
But as we well know, if we stand together strong, in unity of purpose with each other, and with Jesus Christ, then we can do anything; anything at all that needs doing! And believe me people, this needs doing very badly. America is heading for certain destruction if she keeps going down the godless path.
I beg of you, implore you, not to sully the names of your forefathers who founded this great nation on the principles of truth, freedom, justice…and above ALL…GOD!
And we can restore its godliness if we simply put our hearts, minds, souls and bodies to it. As Bruh Paul so wisely told Timothy: ‘For God hath not give us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7)
That means my brethren, that we already have all the parts to do God’s Will!
Oh my people, the Lord has made America great so that it could glorify Him, but now it’s showing totally different colours, and just like Israel paid dearly for their disobedience, we will too eventually, if we continue down the the disobedient, sinful path we’re now treading.
But my fellow believers there is hope, there is also God’s perennial promise that repentance and obedience will bring forgiveness. He is overjoyed when we repent and come back to Hisfold,and He’s waiting with open arms, waiting with good tidings of salvation:
‘To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’
And my people, we definitely can’t glorify God, the way things are going now. So let’s get it together and do what we have to do nuh, to save the greatest nation ever, from total destruction for disobedience to God’s Word and Will.
Now let’s go home chanting our Friday Chant: ‘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.’
And remember too Friends, to heed Granny’s wise warning this weekend of much festivity, since the evil one will be out desperately hunting for anyone he can take down. So drunk or sober…please mind yuh business… Those are truly words of everlasting wisdom! Much LOVE!
…don’t forget…that as America goes, so do all of us…so we all need to pitch in and help her…
03 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abomination, be of good courage, blessed day, branch of God's planting, buckle down, burdens, confess our sins, Creator, crying, curse, days of mourning, death, defile, destruction, devastation, encourage, endure afflictions with patience, establish, everlasting light, expectant faith, eyes of faith, faithful, fire in your hearts, forgive and forget, former things are passed away, friends, gates, glorified, glorious day, glory, glory and honour, glory hallelujah, glory of God, good tidings, gospel truth, heavenly guidance, hungry hope, inherit the land, Isaiah, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, joy, keep us focused on god, kings of the earth, Lamb's book of life, light, live our faith, Lord and Saviour, lord god almighty, LOVE, Love our God, magnanimous, manifestations, mettle, moon, motivate, New Jerusalem, nightmares, obedient to God's will, Oh Happy Day, pain, passages through fire, patience, perseverance, praise, Praise the Lord, promise, provider, pull up our britches, repentance, Revelation, rewarded by god, righteous, salvation, serve and worship, settle, Shekinah, sinned and fallen short of God's glory, sins, smile, sorrow, spread His Word, steadfast and strong, strengthen, sun, take hold of God's grace, tears, temple, tests, thank the Lord for small mercies, that God might be glorified, the garment of praise, the Lamb, the oil of joy for mourning, the planting of the Lord, the spirit of heaviness, the throne of God, to console them that mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, trees of righteousness, trials, tribulations, ups and downs, violence, walk and talk with Jesus, when Jesus washed my sins away, wisdom, without growing weary, work of god's hands, yokes, Zion
Isaiah 61:3. To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
Oh Friends, it’s a nice cool Thursday morning in early summer! And what does the ole fella have to say for himself? Not a whole lot nuh. I went to bed late, reading a novel, then had a rough night, turning and tossing, dreaming all sorts of stuff. But luckily though, it was all pleasant stuff, no nightmares, nothing scary… Thank the Lord for small mercies!
And now I’m here to write the Bit, seeking heavenly guidance to write something sensible that will help us all; that will motivate, encourage and keep our focus steadily on Almighty God, our LOVING Creator and generous Provider.
And in keeping with that task, I’ll just remind us that our task on this great earth is to take hold of God’s grace, to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary, knowing that in His own good time, our heavenly Father will perform, establish, strengthen and settle us.
We must be of good courage and wait with patience and perseverance, hungry hope and expectant faith on our wonderful and most faithful God. And all God’s people said a delightful ‘Praise the Lord! Amen.’
Yes Friends, we ought to, because that is all simply gospel truth! And why is that so? Because every worthy name named in the Good Book, had their trials and tribulations, their ups and downs, their tests and passages through the fire to check their true mettle.
And those who stood steadfast and strong, who passed the tests – obviously with God’s help – were subsequently rewarded By the Most High God Jehovah.
Oh my people, we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and expectations. However, when we do acknowledge our shortcomings, confess our sins and return to being obedient to His will, He is most magnanimous to forgive and forget.
Oh what a great God we serve and worship! He delights so much in our repentance, that He’s promised there would be future glory in Zion, with good tidings of salvation:
‘To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’
And was His great and holy name ever glorified when His Son Jesus fulfilled the first part of His everlasting promise!
We’re just waiting now, with patience and perseverance, hungry hope and expectant faith – yes, I do like those terms – for that fateful day when, as Isaiah promised in the Lord’s name: ‘Violence shall no more (longer) be heard in thy land, wasting (devastation) nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. The sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw it self: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Thy people shall also be righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his (its) time.’ (Is.60:18-22)
Oh Friends, what a glorious day that will be eh!
And if you don’t believe Isaiah, then listen to those same promises reiterated by our faithful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to John in His Revelations: ‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev.21:4)
Oh Glory Hallelujah! I can’t wait for that day my brethren! No more aches and pains – Wow!
And furthermore, hear this on the New Jerusalem: ‘And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Rev.21:22-23)
Oh happy dayyyy! When Jesus washed… When Jesus washed… ALL my sins away…!
As the scholars explain: ’21:22-23. There is no temple in the city, since both the Father and the Son will be present in their fullest manifestations. Its light will be provided by the Shekinah glory of God and of Christ (cf. Ex.3:3-4; 24:15-17; 33:14-16; Luke 2:9; 9:29; Heb.1:3).’
Plenty of scripture references tocheck out Friends. (smile)Now that’s not all: ‘And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh (causes an) abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.’ (Rev.21:24-27)
Mama Mia! Oh my brethren, the imagined sight of that, through the eyes of faith is just working on me, stirring me up! (smile)
And there’s more: ‘And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in (on) their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle (lamp), neither light of the sun; for the Lord giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.’ (Rev.22:3-5)
Oh my people, that is what awaits us at the end of the day, if we bear our burdens and yokes, already much lightened by our Saviour Jesus Christ, with patience and perseverance, hungry hope and expectant faith! There’s absolutely nothing better than what He’s promised!
So please, let’s get serious nuh, let’s buckle down, pull up our britches, pull up our socks, and whatever other cliché there is concerning improving our behaviour, and just live for Jesus, as He desires us to do. That’s wisdom of untold benefit! Much LOVE!
…Let’s LOVE our God…LIVE our Faith…and SPREAD His Word…that’s all He asks of us…
P.S. Oh my Friends and fellow believers, I do hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. There was a smile on my face and joy in my heart from soon after I began writing it, and saw where it was headed. Hope it brings a smile to your faces too and produces a fire in your hearts for Jesus! Please have a most blessed day walking safely and talking intimately with Jesus! Much LOVE!
01 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fool's wisdom, a shower of grace, almighty god, anointed, awesome truth, Beauty for Ashes, bind up, blessings, brand new day, Canada, Canada Day, charles stanley, civic, come up higher, comfort all who mourn, common sense, consequences, console those who mourn, current state of ashes, current world order, dancing, deliverance from death, destruction, diligence, disobedience, do what's right in God's eyes, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, faith, favour, generous, give thanks, glorifying our heavenly Father, glory hallelujah, God of justice, godly responsibility, gone by the wayside, good tidings, gospel truth, Happy Birthday Canada, hard work, heal, Isaiah, Jesus, joke, joy, just and righteous nature, kind, lie, LOVE, loving, lowering our standards, meek, merciful, mercy, mourning, obedience to god, obedient to god, obey God, oil, opening of the prison, pardoned, perished, poor, praise, price to bbe paid, proclaim liberty to captives, profit, pronouncements of the Bible, prophesying, Psalm 30, put a smile on my face, righteousness., rose to glory, rule of law, sackcloth, sacrifice, salvation, silent, sing God's praises, sins, Sodom and Gomorrah, stand strong, supplication, the acceptable year of the Lord, the best big country, the BIBLE, the broken hearted, the coming of Jesus, the day of vengeance, the garment of praise, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Good Book, the Lord's glorification, the oil of joy for mourning, the planting of the Lord, the shoulders of God, the spirit of heaviness, the spirit of the Lord, the top of the heap, those who are bound, time to take stock, to preach good tidings, took away my sorrow, trees of righteousness, trust, truth, wisdom, words of wisdom
Isaiah 61:3. To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA !’
Yes Friends, today is our Birthday in this fair and blessed land! One hundred and forty seven years young are we! Young by the standards of many other counties… And we still looking good too! Glory Hallelujah!
Yes my people, as I keep on saying, Canada is the BEST BIG COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! Wow! So let’s try and keep it that way nuh Friends. And please note that it didn’t get to be that way by chance, but by choice! By the rule of common sense, law, diligence, hard work and trust and faith in Almighty God!
And it will only stay that way if we continue to do what’s right in the eyes of the Lord. Unfortunately though my brethren, we’re falling behind some, because we’re lowering our standards, and that’s never a good thing, because the best of anybody or anything is usually the one with the highest all-round standards.
So let’s celebrate, but at the same time take stock of what we’re doing nuh, and try to come up higher, in both civic and godly responsibility. That’s the only way we will remain at the top of the heap!
And please, please, as we celebrate this bountiful day, let’s remember Granny’s wonderful words of wisdom: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, mind yuh business!’ (smile) I know it sounds clichéd, but that’s because it’s the awesome truth!
Anyway, enough preaching, (smile), here is the chorus of one of my favourite reggae, no just favourite songs, ‘Beauty for Ashes’ by Jermain Cowan. I heard it yesterday, and it so touched my heart – it does every time I hear it – I just had to share it, because the words and sentiments are so beautiful and true.
It says: ‘Beauty for ashes, In a shower of grace. Hope for tomorrow, It’s a bright and brand new day! He took away my sorrow, Put a smile on my face; Beauty for ashes, In a shower of grace.’
Oh mih breddren, mih breddren, how true that is of our great God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
And it’s only appropriate that we should use that wonderful promise of our wonderful Deity as our Bit on this birthday of Canada. Listen to the prophet Isaiah as he declares the good tidings of salvation to Zion, prophesying of the coming of Jesus.
‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (poor); he hath sent me to bind up (heal) the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’ (Is.61:1-3)
Yes my people, it’s all for the Lord’s glorification! Let’s never forget that. In all we do, we ought to be thinking about glorifying our heavenly Father, for that’s one of the purposes He made us to fulfill. And if we are obedient to Him, we will enjoy innumerable blessings!
But Friends, the operative word here is ‘obedient.’ Our God is generous, LOVING, kind, merciful and all those other wonderful things, but he desires obedience of His people in return. And that sadly is why we are now experiencing our current state of ashes.
In the last couple of generations, obedience to Almighty God has simply gone by the wayside, but yet, foolishly, we still expect Him to bless us abundantly and be oh so merciful to us. Steups! That’s a fool’s wisdom my people!
Yuh see what He did to Sodom and Gomorrah, in whose footsteps our current world order is now marching? So what else but destruction can we expect if we continue along that pathway of disobedience eh? Too many of us take the serious pronouncements of the Bible as a joke, or old time stuff that no longer applies.
But Friends, I’m here to tell us that God doesn’t joke with, or in His Word, neither does He ever change. What He says stays the same forever. He is a God of justice and righteousness first and foremost!
And there is no better example of that than His sending His only son Jesus to die as a sacrifice for our abominable sins. He could just as easily have pardoned our sins, but because of His just and righteous nature, a price had to be actually paid for it, otherwise He would have forfeited that just and righteous acclamation.
So Friends, please don’t listen to all the crap the world’s throwing at us, for our continual disobedience to God will cause a hefty and significant price to be paid at some time or other. The Good Book doesn’t lie, and there are oodles of examples of nations and societies that rose to glory on the shoulders of God, then conveniently forgot Him when they became strong, but subsequently perished as a result of their disobedience.
Now let’s go home with some pleasant and thankful words from Bruh David, from Psalm 30 – A thanksgiving for deliverance from death. ‘Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication.
What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit (grave)? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth (the sackcloth of my mourning), and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory (soul) may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.’ (Ps.30:7-12)
Yes Friends, let’s go forth and stop being silent! Instead, let’s sing the Lord’s continuous praise, as we walk in continual obedience to His everlasting will. There can be no higher wisdom than that! Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say…the best way to live this earthly life…is to simply obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…and that’s gospel truth my people…
P.S. Friends, it’s long and late, but what else can you expect on this Canada Day eh? (smile). It’s good though!
25 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: A for effort, accept Jesus, accomplish that goal, broad is the way that leads to destruction, bumps and bruises, Christ, Christ-like, Christian life, destruction, difficult is the way that leads to life, enjoy a blessed day, enter at the narrow gate, eternal life, eternal separation, evil, exciting, find, forgiveness, friends, goodness, gospel truth, greetings, Hallelujah, interesting, irony, Jesus Christ, lead and guide, life gets rockier, live life the best way you can, live life to the fullest, living for Jesus, LOVE, Matthew's gospel, mercies, mess up, mistakes, modus operandi, narrow is the gate, narrow pathway that leads to Christ, personal experience, personal Lord and Saviour, plethora of stuff, Praise the Lord, required effort, Rowland Hill, salutations, salvation, Scrip-Bit family, seek, Sermon on the Mount, special relationship with Jesus, strive, surrender, tests, the irony of it all, the joy and strength of the Lord, the Lord moves in mysterious ways, this is the day the Lord has made, treasure trove, treasury of goodies, trials, tribulations, ungodly world, walk proudly and faithfully, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wide is the gate, wisdom, wise, words of wisdom
Luke 13:24. Strive to enter in at the strait (narrow) gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Greetings and salutations my wonderful Scrip-Bit family! May we all enjoy a blessed day as we walk proudly and faithfully in the joy and strength of our omnipotent God, while He showers us with His goodness and LOVE, His abundant mercies and forgiveness, all prepared new and special for this Wednesday morning.
And all God’s people declared a loud and thankful: ‘Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!’ And furthermore Friends, let’s proclaim and acclaim our faithful intentions: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’
Oh my people, of that there is no doubt, because we’ll strive valiantly to accomplish that goal. And speaking of striving, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. (smile)
Seriously though Friends, I have an almanac from my Insurance Agent tacked up on the wall on the right side of my desk, a fairly large one too, and if I turn my head to the right, I ought to see it. But it seems like I haven’t turned my head to the right for almost six months…that is until last night. Would you believe it’s still on January? Hn, hn!
Now there are other smaller almanacs on my desk that I use most of the time. But that is certainly ridiculous, especially since I always have a calendar in that position. Now I’ve been known to miss a couple of months, but this is surely the worst. Can you imagine that – not seeing a calendar, a big enough one too, that’s right beside you, for almost six months?
And coming to think of it, the whole plethora of stuff on that wall; acclamations, pictures, etc, I pass by them everyday and don’t even notice them! Chuh! And yet that was my studied purpose for putting them there… that I would notice them whenever I passed by. Oh the irony of it all!
But anyway, when I went to change the calendar last night, to my great surprise, I discovered that it contained a whole lot of quotes on different subjects from different people; a virtual treasury of goodies. Ah Lord eh! But I’m sure that such situations happen to all of us. We go searching for stuff far and wide, when there’s a treasure trove of valuable stuff right in front of us.
Sorry about that Leo (my Insurance Agent), but the Lord does move in mysterious ways. He knew that come June, I’d need some words of wisdom to share. (smile)
Anyway, the first item is titled ‘STRIVE!’ And the quote is attributed to Rowland Hill. Now I can’t say much about him, because there were several people by that name – a preacher, a viscount and a postmaster – when I looked it up. But the quote wisely advises us to: ‘Strive to live your life to the fullest and don’t let one day go by without trying to live it the best way you can!’
And that surely is gospel truth my Friends! Everyday we ought to try and live our lives the best way we can. Some days we will mess up and make a whole lot of mistakes, but the important thing is that we at least get an ‘A’ for effort. And that’s sadly where a whole lot of us Christians fall down. We don’t put in the required effort, and then we wonder why we can’t get ahead.
Oh my brethren, I’m here to tell us that living a truly Christian life takes mucho, mucho effort! And even then, there will be bumps and bruises along the way. Not because we’ve entered into a special relationship with Jesus means that our lives will be easy. His definitely was not easy.
On the contrary, when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, life tends to get rockier, because of the tests, the trials and tribulations the Lord allows or puts us through in order to refine us into a more Christ-like individual. That’s why, when we’re living for Jesus, we have to pay greater attention to how we walk, talk and behave, so that it conforms to His modus operandi.
No Friends, the truly Christian life is not an easy one, especially in this evil and ungodly world that now holds sway. But I can assure you, from personal experience, that it is indeed and interesting and exciting one! Oh my brethren, there’s no life like the one you experience when you truly surrender to God and allow Him to lead and guide you!
That’s why Jesus cautions us in our Bit: ‘Strive to enter in at the strait (narrow) gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.’ If Jesus says so my people, then it must be so!
Meanwhile, Matthew’s gospel relates it this way. ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7:13-14)
Now hear are some explanations from the scholars: ‘7:13-14. The closing section of the Sermon on the Mount presents two choices to the listener. These are presented in a series of contrasts: two ways (vv.13-14); two trees (vv.15-20); two professions (vv.21-23); and two foundations (vv.24-29).
This was a common method of teaching in both Jewish and Greco-Roman thought. Enter ye in at the strait gate (narrow) means that one must come through the narrow gate in order to reach the path that leads to eternal life.
Though many are on the broad…way, that leadeth to destruction (eternal separation from God), the gate that leads to life is so narrow that few there be that find it. Christ Himself is both the gate and the way (cf. John 14:6), and God enables men to find that gate (cf. John 6:44).’
And that my Friends, is what this life is all about; striving to find the narrow pathway that leads to Christ, to salvation and eternal life! Please, I implore us, let’s be wise and seek it nuh. Much LOVE!
…the highways are straight and wide…easy to find…but not so the narrow and winding byways…those we must diligently seek to find…
23 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: advice, blessings, bolstering our spirits, caveat, chastised, Christians, common sense, Cousin Sol, cracked the whip, crux of the problem, destruction, fellowship, forgiveness, forsook the counsel, Friday chant, friends, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, Glory Hallelujah! the weekend, good judgement, gospel truth, Guide, heavy yoke, in the multitude of counsellors there is safety, indisputable truth, Jesus Christ, long and short of the story, LOVE, man's inhumanity to man, mercies, mercy, moaning, mourning, multitude, new-found power, oppressed, patience, peers, plans go awry, poor judgement, Praise the Lord, pray in Jesus' Name, Proverbs, rebelled, Rehoboam, relaxation, rest, scorpions, servant, slaving for massa, speak good words, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Good Book, the way of a fool, undeniable wisdom, valuable lesson, wealth, where no cousnsel is the people fall, wisdom, wonderful god, work shall cease
Proverbs 11:14. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
And finally it was Friday… Glory Hallelujah! At long last the big day – the harbinger of the weekend is here! And all work shall cease, and the people shall rest their weary souls and bodies from slaving for massa!
And a loud cheer went up from the workers: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’
Yes Friends, let’s thank our great and wonderful God that it’s not only Friday, but a new day! A new day of life has been granted to us here on planet earth, where His blessings, mercies and forgiveness will pour down on us, as He so generously does, each and every day!
And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord! Amen!’
Now to continue bolstering our spirits this Friday morning, let’s chant our Friday Chant with much sincerity. ‘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, please let that be our guide for handling the weekend, for those two simple days off are very important in the general scope of our lives. How we handle them will dictate and determine what our new workweek will generally be like. So if you want to have a good workweek, you have to begin with a good weekend. End of sermon! (smile)
Now let’s see what our Bit has to say. ‘Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.’
What undeniable wisdom Friends! For as the scholars tell us: ’11:14. The wise man gets advice from many people of good judgement before making a decision.’
However my brethren, there is one caveat, or rather two caveats to that statement, as well as our Bit. The first thing to beware of is advice from ‘many people.’
The problem there is that advice from too many people tends to be overwhelming, sluggish and all over the place. Sometimes it’s also incomprehensible, simply because of the number of voices giving advice.
So we need to winnow, to scale down the number of our advisers to a select few; a handful, or not much more, so we won’t have too many voices and opinions ringing in our ears.
And the second, but even more important thing to be very careful of, is that we recruit people of ‘good judgement’ to give us advice. That’s the crux of the problem right there Friends! Too often we end up with people of poor judgement, even though they may be Christians.
Remember, not because someone claims to be a Christian that they possess sound judgement. Now it’s always desirous, or preferable to get advice from Christians with good sense, but the good judgement aspect is more important than the Christian part.
And we see the perfect example of this in the Good Book, in 1 Kings 12. At that time Cousin Sol’s son, Rehoboam was made king of Israel and the people came to plead with him for mercy, because Cousin Sol had laid a heavy yoke on them, in order to support his vast enterprises.
Unfortunately though, Rehoboam listened to the group of his peers, the young men, rather than the group of older and wiser men.
The latter advised patience and mercy: ‘And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him. And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
And the young men that were grown up with him, spake unto him saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
And whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’ (1 Kin.12:7-11)
And the scholars give us this info: ’12:11. Scorpions means the multi-tailed whips to which barbed points or hooks were attached. Their sting was as severe as that of a scorpion.’
Ah Lord eh! Man’s inhumanity to man is surely a great instrument of moaning and mourning!
The long and short of the story though Friends, is that Rehoboam cracked the whip even harder than his father did, because of advice from people with poor judgement. And their advice was bad, not necessarily because they were young, because the young can be wise and the aged unwise.
But obviously they were revelling in their youth, their wealth and new-found power. And believe me Friends, those latter two things, wealth and power can work very negatively in the hands of the young, can cause them to bring destruction on themselves and those they rule or advise.
And what happens eventually? Like it always does when people are oppressed beyond measure. Israel rebelled, overthrew Rehoboam and replaced him with Jeroboam. Rehoboam lost it all because of a lack of common sense and mercy on his and his young advisers part.
So my brethren, I surely hope that this teaches us a valuable lesson. For as Cousin Sol declares later on in Proverbs: ‘Without counsel purposes are disappointed (plans go awry): but in the multitude of counselors they are established.’ (Prov.15:22)
It’s indisputable truth! But again my people, please beware of that word ‘multitude,’ and make sure that your advisers are people, preferably Christians, of sound judgement. That’s wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!
…the way of a fool is right in his own eyes…but he that hearkeneth to counsel…is wise… (Prov.12:15)
14 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a tree planted by the waters, achievement of excellence, advice, avoid the tempter's snare, blessed are the righteous, brings forth fruit in season, cancer survivor, chaff, complaining about the heat, congregation of the righteous, consent thou not, counsel of the ungdly, Cousin Sol, damned, danger of associating with evil people, Dave Dravecky, delights in the law of God, destruction, don't confuse life with God, don't follow evil men, don't walk the path of the wicked, doomed, eternal life, eternal separation from God, evil men, follow the straight and narrow path, from every evil way, God is good, good and bad times, How I love thy law, Jesus' desires, judgement, leaf doesn't wither, leave the evil way behind, life is not fair, LOVE, lusts, make haste to shed blood, materialism, meditates, pay a hefty price, ponders, prosper, Proverbs, Psalm 1, psalm 119, reject the invitation of criminals, restrained my feet, rise to the occasion, salvation, scornful, separated from Christ, shines brighter and brighter, sincerity, sinners, sinners entice thee, sits in the seat of the scornful, stands in the way of sinners, stumble, summer-like weather, Thank You Lord, that I might keep thy words, the bread of wickedness, the evil path of sinful man, the Good Book, the individual's responsibility, the law of God, the Lord's Word, the middle of the week, the path of the just, the things of God, the way of the righteous, the way of the ungodly shall perish, the way of the wicked is as darkness, the wine of violence, the world worships evil, their feet run to evil, truth, tuned in to our heavenly Father, undisciplined, ungodly, we praise and bless your holy name, wealth without work, Wednesday, wisdom, words to live by
Proverbs 4:14. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Oh Friends, can you believe it’s already Wednesday, the middle of the week! Wow! The days surely are passing rather quickly, and we are having some wonderful summer-like weather!
We’ll soon forget about the lengthy, cold winter and start complaining about the heat. Hn! I guess that’s just man’s nature – not happy unless he’s complaining about something.
Anyway, I have an interesting quote to share today… Oh chuh! They are always interesting! (smile) This one comes from the ex-baseball star, Dave Dravecky, a cancer survivor. In his book, ‘Comeback,’ he writes these memorable words. ‘Life is not fair, but let’s not confuse life with God.’
And isn’t that the awesome truth my people! Our God is good! He doesn’t create our problems, though He might allow them. He fixes them! And if we sincerely adhere to His directives, during both the good and bad times, we will turn out to be wonderful witnesses that life is not fair, but God is Good, in fact, extremely wonderful!
And that’s why Cousin Sol, in today’s Bit, solemnly warns us: ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.’
Oh Friends and fellow believers, we can be given no better advice than that! For if we follow the paths of evil men, we’ll surely be damned, doomed, and eventually separated from Christ, from His wonderful gifts of salvation and eternal life! And that’s not a very nice path to envision at all, at all.
And Cousin Sol was so assured of his reasoning, that he continues: ‘Avoid it, pass not by it (do not travel on it), turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except (unless) they have done mischief (evil); and their sleep is taken away (robbed), unless they cause some to fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining (bright) light, that shineth more and more (grows ever brighter) unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.’ (Prov.4:15-19)
Words to live by my brethren! Words that hearken back to our quote: all those evil happenings are life, or a part of it, but our great and wonderful God is on a completely different level. He shows up in verse 18, as the shining light that ever brightens our day!
And all of God’s people declared in a loud and grateful voice: ‘Thank You Lord! We praise and bless Your Holy Name!’
Yes Friends, we have so much to thank God for, that even if we live till eternity, we won’t have enough time to do it. (smile) Now let’s check out some other scriptures that also warn us about following the evil path of sinful man.
And we’ll begin with an interesting verse from the longest chapter in the Good Book, Psalm 119. The psalmist in the section MEM, How I LOVE thy law, proudly declares: ‘I have refrained (restrained) my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.’ (Ps.119:101)
What a beautiful sentiment my people! Are we doing that too – refraining, restraining from evil so that we might keep the Lord’s Word? I surely hope so, because that is one of the things which keeps us strongly tuned in to our heavenly Father.
Meanwhile, Cousin Sol, right in the opening chapter of Proverbs, warns his offspring: ‘My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not… My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain (keep) thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.’ (Prov.1:10,15-16)
Ah mih breddren, those are words which we should be constantly teaching our children. But unfortunately, too many of us are not doing so, and that’s why our children are so undisciplined, ungodly and tending more to the lusts and materialism of the world, than to the things of God, for which we’ll all eventually pay a hefty price if it continues.
Now here’s some info from the scholars: ‘1:10. Occasionally the expression my son occurs within a discourse. The wise son rejects the invitation of criminals who promise wealth without work (v.13). The verse stresses the individual’s responsibility to avoid the tempter’s snare. (cf. James 1:14-15).’
But you can’t know of the evil unless you’re first taught it, so it’s still our responsibility to teach our children the dreadful dangers of associating with evil and wicked people.
And we’ll close with words from that beautiful piece of writing, Psalm 1, titled, Blessed are the righteous. ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Ps.1:1-6)
Oh mih people, mih people, it couldn’t be put any simpler or clearer than that! So today, let’s rise to the occasion nuh; let’s come up higher, let’s attend to the achievement of excellence, of wisdom, as Jesus desires of His followers!
Let’s leave the evil way behind, and wisely follow the straight and narrow path that leads to salvation and eternal life. It’s the only path that it makes sense to follow in this evil and ungodly world. So let’s follow it nuh, with all sincerity and truth! Much LOVE!
…the world worships evil…which only earns destruction and eternal separation from God…not very good results by any standard whatsoever…
07 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: appointed time of the harvest, aptly describe our society, astonished, awesomeness, boldly declare, can't see the trees for the forest, captivity, catch our second wind, cause of the fatherless, destruction, disgusting behaviour, disobedience, disobedience to God, disobedient nations, don't defend the cause of the needy, don't falter, don't give up, Elementary my dear Watson, exile, fear the Lord our god, flaunting, God's Word, grown rich, he that has ears let him hear, heart-rending, heavenly wisdom, high levels of sin, high tower, History, history is a lesson of the past, history is alive and kicking, history of mankind, history repeats itself, Holy Bible, horrible thing is committed in the land, houses full of deceit, immorality, impregnable fortress, iniquities, irreversible facts of history, Israel, it's you and me against the world, Jeremiah's day, Jesus, Jesus is our fortress, Jesus is our high tower, Jesus is our rock, Jesus' name has inherent strength and power, Let's go Jesus!, listen, magnificence, marathon runner, my people love to have it so, my soul be avenged on such a nation, perplexed, perversity, power, priests rule by their own power, propagating, prophets prophesy falsely, punish, rebellious heart, Revelation, revelling in, Rock, sad, set traps, Sherlock Holmes, shocked disbelief, sins, sleek, sorry and sinful times, strength, suffer a similar fate, surpass the deeds of the wicked, take a deep breath, the latter and former rain, the middle of the week, the people have a revolting and rebellious heart, they catch men, to understand the present and the future, ungodly times, we are a majority, Wednesday, weeks of the harvest, what the Spirit says to the churches, what will you do in the end, why do we learn history, wicked men, wisdom, with Jesus beside us we are invincible, withholden good things
Jeremiah 5:23. But this people hath a revolting and rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).
And then it was Wednesday; the middle of the week already! Wow!
How we doing mih people? We’re halfway there, so please don’t falter, don’t give up now. Today is the day to catch our second wind.
Like the marathon runner, who halfway to the finish line, finds his breath and strength faltering, let’s take a deep breath, then boldly declare: ‘Let’s go Jesus! It’s you and me against the world! And I know that once You are in my corner, that we are a majority, and can’t be beaten by anybody, ever!’
Yes Friends, with Jesus walking beside, before and behind us, we are invincible, like one of those impregnable fortresses of old. I guess that’s why Bruh David continually referred to Him as his rock, his fortress and his high tower.
There’s a certain strength, power, awesomeness and magnificence inherent in not only the name of Jesus, but also in His abilities, which we will do well not to forget.
Unfortunately though my fellow believers, those of us who can feel that impregnable and invincible aura and spirit seem to be in the minority these days, as most of our world is better described by our Bit: ‘But this people hath a revolting and rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).’
How sad and heart-rending my brethren, that most of God’s supposed greatest creation have returned to an ungodly time, as did the nation of Israel in Jeremiah’s day!
Listen to the description of those ungodly times: ‘Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay (lie in) wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen (grown) rich.
They are waxen (have grown) fat, they shine (are sleek): yea, they overpass (surpass) the deeds of the wicked: they judge (plead) not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge (defend).
Shall I not visit (punish) for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
A wonderful (astonishing) and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means (rule by their own power); and my people LOVE to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?’ (Jer.5:24-31)
Ah mih breddren, mih breddren! How sad and disgusting! And as I said yesterday, those words so aptly and thoroughly describe our current society, that it seems as though the prophet Jeremiah is within our midst penning our awful sinfulness.
And we’ll just share a very interesting note from the scholars’ on one of those verses. ‘5:30. Judah’s sin is so exceedingly evil that it is being described as being appallingly horrible and staggeringly wonderful (wondered at in shocked disbelief).’
That ought to give us some idea of how terrible, how ungodly the situation was back then in Judah. And yuh know, the saying that history repeats itself, is proving to be ever so true in this case. We’re behaving just like Judah did in those sorry and sinful times.
And I daresay worse, because some of the sin, perversity, immorality and disgusting behaviour that we are currently propagating, flaunting and revelling in, were unknown back then. Ah Lord eh!
I’m sure that even the most perverted and sinful in those olden times, would be greatly astonished and perplexed at the extremely high levels to which we’ve taken sin and disobedience to God.
But Friends, as we said above, history often repeats itself, and thus, if we’re behaving like Judah did, then isn’t it logical to expect that we’ll also suffer a fate akin to theirs – namely destruction, captivity and exile from our homeland?
And we all know the words that that astute sleuth Sherlock Holmes would have replied in answer to that question: ‘Elementary, my dear Watson!’
And it is an elementary bit of logic Friends! But sadly, despite the supposed advances in our level of intelligence and otherwise over the intervening years, we’ve become too proud and egotistical, believing that those advances were all our own doing.
Thus we can’t see the proverbial trees for the forest before us, (or is it the other way around – smile) and we consider history as merely a dead thing of the past, which can’t happen to us again. But my people, I have news for us; history is alive and kicking, just like our great God!
And as the Rasta breddren that once taught me History back in High School, many moons ago, was wont to so wisely note, as he put his ‘brogued’ feet on the desk, stroked his scruffy beard with his right hand and deeply intoned: ‘What is History? History is a lesson of the past. And why do we learn History? So that we can understand the present and the future!’
And that’s gospel truth my fellow believers! But just like so many of us, who either refuse to read the Bible, or simply don’t believe it, the same way we’re making fools of ourselves by not paying sufficiently close attention to the very important, indelible and irreversible facts of History!
Oh my brethren, I’m pleading with us today, please, please, let’s not be like those who have gone before us, ignoring the facts of history. But instead, let’s be wiser and pay serious attention to the repeated history of mankind, sorry though it may be, and also give greater attention to God’s Word found in His Holy Bible.
That is wisdom of the heavenly kind, which we so badly need nowadays, and which is the only thing that will save us from destruction, like the ungodly, disobedient nations of old.
Therefore, today, let’s contemplate, let’s seriously ponder those last words of our scripture passage: ‘and what will ye do in the end thereof?’ Now that’s the most important question, we need to answer. Much LOVE!
…how many times does Jesus have to say it eh… before we listen…he that hath an ear…let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…He says it several times in Revelation…please check it out…and LISTEN…
06 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all or nothing at all, almighty god, ascension, ask for the old paths, boldfaced, brazen, cannot prevail, compartments, Controller, corruption, Creator, cubicles, death, degradation, departed, destruction, disobedience, don't you fear God, Easter Season, encouragement, evil, evil powers, faith, find rest for your souls, foolish people, foothold, hat trick, have ears and hear not, have eyes and see not, hefty price, holy of holies, house of Jacob, human intelligence, in living colour, invincible, ioo percent all the time, Israelites, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, Judah, long-suffering, negativity, operative words, pagan instruments, patient, patient and long-suffering God, Pentecost, perpetual decree, rebellious, relevant scripture, resurrection, revolting, righteousness., saviour jesus christ, sinfulness, smartest creation of God, smile, spiritual and civil corruption, spring of 2014, stand in the ways, stubborn refusal, surrender, technology, tenuous hold, the people have a revolting and rebellious heart, the straight and narrow path, traditional ways, tremble at God's presence, truly and completely surrendered to Jesus, trust, turned from God, ungodly times, walk therein, walk upright, we will not walk therein, we will walk therein, where is the good way, wisdom, wisdom for the ages, without understanding
Jeremiah 5:23. But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).
Well hello there mih Lovelies! (smile) How goes it with us this beautiful morning in the exotic spring of 2014, where we’re continuing the wonderful celebration of the Easter Season?
Oh yes Friends, it’s still the Easter Season until Pentecost!
So please don’t forget just yet, that miraculous and marvellous hat trick of Death, Resurrection and Ascension that our magnificent Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ recently scored! A hat trick like that only comes along once in a lifetime, so please, let’s keep it close to our hearts, ever-present in minds and souls.
And the word for today my brethren is ‘SURRENDER!’ Wow! What an exciting word! (smile)
That leads us then to this most important question – have we truly and completely surrendered our hearts, souls, bodies, minds, souls and lives to Jesus?
And I know that all of us will quickly jump up and shout and astounding ‘Yes!’ But Friends, the operative words in that last sentence were ‘truly’ and ‘completely.’
Yes, most of us have surrendered most of ourselves to Christ, but unfortunately we still have some little compartments or cubicles deep within, that we still keep separate from God. We don’t allow Him to enter what we shall call our personal holy of holies.
But that’s not right, nor wise, my people, because it keeps God from doing lots of good things in our lives. Please remember, that with Jesus, it’s either ALL or nothing at all! He can’t only control 99.999 percent of our lives and make it work properly. He needs the full 100 percent, all the time!
So please, today, let’s carefully and seriously investigate ourselves and see if we have truly and completely surrendered our ALL to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ nuh. And if we haven’t, then let’s do it pronto; like yesterday, (smile) so that Jesus can get on with the great work(s) He has planned for us.
And having said all of that, let’s see how it marries up with our Bit. ‘But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).’
Oh my people, that was ever so true of Judah back then, and is it also ever so true of us in these modern times! It’s like if Jeremiah was in our midst writing about us. How sad!
When yuh talk about spiritual and civil corruption, our world is generating and experiencing it in living colour, to such an inordinate extent, that it’s breeding total degradation. I don’t know if that sentence makes sense, but I’m sure you got the serious negativity of its intent.
Now hear the also ever so relevant scripture that comes directly before our Bit. ‘Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish (proclaim) it in Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves (to and fro), yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?’ (Jer.5:20-22)
Oh my people, my people, it’s the very same thing that our patient and long-suffering God is saying to us today in these perilous and oh so sinful times! And unfortunately, the answer we seem to be giving is exactly like that of olden Judah. No, we don’t fear the Lord, our Creator and Controller, and neither do we really care.
In fact, I believe that we’re even more brazen and boldfaced than Judah. Nowadays, sitting on the false and easily destroyed wealth of our human intelligence and technology, we so foolishly believe that we’re invincible! Steups! Ah Lord eh!
Oh Friends, what ever happened to that trust and faith we used to have in Almighty God eh? I used to wonder how the Israelites could have turned from God after all those wonderful things He’d done for them. But sadly, now I’m seeing personally how God can disappear from a society, once the evil pagan instruments and powers get a foothold in it.
And now my brethren, having declared our utter sinfulness, we need to consider the solution to it. And the same way it was given to Judah, it’s being given to us.
‘Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein.’
Oh my people, please, please, unlike Judah, let’s declare instead nuh, in these oh so ungodly times: ‘And we said, we WILL WALK THEREIN!’ That’s the wisdom for the ages my brethren, and the only way we will escape total destruction!
And hopefully, to give us a little more incite into the situation, and thus encouragement to walk upright, let’s hear the scholars’ remarks on that verse. ‘6:16. The people’s stubborn refusal to walk in the traditional ways of true righteousness is often mentioned by Jeremiah (12:16; 18:15; 23:12; 31:21).
Moving in their own paths and following their own way could lead only to Judah’s destruction (cf. Prov. 14:12). The contrast of the way of righteousness and life with the way of the ungodly and death is often made in the Scriptures (e.g., Ps. 1; Matt.7:13-14).
Oh my people, please check out those scriptures and see how tenuous a hold we have on this earthly life nuh, especially if we don’t walk the straight and narrow path that leads to our Creator. We’re supposed to be the smartest creation of God, please, let’s prove it nuh. Much LOVE!
…the Scriptures don’t lie…he who continually disobeys God’s Word…will eventually pay a hefty price for that disobedience…
P.S. Ah mih people, it was brought to my attention by my first born that yesterday, instead of saying that the singing of our Monday Morning Battle Hymn ‘wasn’t’ up to scratch, I mistakenly wrote ‘was.’
Please forgive the ole fella for that typo, though I’m sure you all understood what I meant. Thanks too for pointing that out mih big D. Just goes to show how human the ole fella is. (smile) Much LOVE!
01 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Afghanistan, all things are possible with God, America, Beelzebub, blessings, bounden duty, bring the heathen to their knees, can't make the grade, compassion, creative advertising, decline in standards, desensitized, destruction, disobedient, done worse than our fathers, egotistical, empathy, equal rights, evil, evil and ungodly world, evil cohorts, eye candy, fathers have forsaken God, forsaken, giant of the land, God's chosen people, God's Word, gospel truth, grace, greed, guardianship of God's people, heathen, immortal and everlasting truth, iniquity, Iraq, Israel, Jeremiah, justice, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, Lucifer, lusts of the flesh, materialism, mercy, mere shadow of themselves, mighty war machine, money loving, natural disasters, no one to blame but ourselves, omnipotent, omnipresent God, omniscient, one truth fron the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man, priority in our lives, proud, read your Bible, read your guidebook, real realities of life, reconciled to God, right this evil world, righteousness., sin, sinful, societies fall apart when they abandon God's Word, standards, stimulating our fleshly senses, success, the BIBLE, the Bible is God's word to us, the Bible is our everyday guide to life, the created can't become wiser than the creator, the Good Book, the Lord our god, the most sinful land, the world owes them a living, top of the heap, tornadoes, trials and tribulations, truth, U.S. of A., undeniable truth, ungodly, Vietnam, virtual reality, walked after other gods, we walk after the stubbornness of our evil hearts, we'll find God's wisdom on the Bible's pages, wisdom of a fool
Jeremiah 16:12. And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.
Oh Friends, on this rainy Thursday morning, the first day of May 2014, I’ve been guided to remind us of two very important matters of immortal and everlasting truth! I’ve shared them before, but they belong to that group of sayings which need to be repeated every so often for us to get them fully centred in our consciousness.
The first statement of undeniable truth is this: ‘The Bible is God’s Word to us – still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages!’ And the second statement follows from the first: ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man!’
And there we have it my people! The Good Book is our everyday guide to life on this planet earth, but unfortunately, too many of us are too lazy to read it, or simply refuse to read it, for whatever reason, then we wonder why our individual lives and those of the majority of the world are in such a sad, disgraceful and disgusting mess.
Friends, the answer is simple; read your guidebook!
When we’re going on vacations and stuff, we’re always quick to read the brochures though, for they are done up in lots of colour and attractive styles giving us eye candy, stimulating our fleshly senses. However, the Bible, because it ‘s old and not as dazzling to the eyes and our fleshly senses, we find it difficult, even reprehensible to read!
Ah mih brethren, that is the most foolish thought we could ever have! It’s the wisdom of a fool! But sadly, it is the wisdom that predominates our evil and ungodly today!
How sad eh. And it’s not like there isn’t a long history of societies falling apart when they abandon God’s Word. There is! But man has become so proud and egotistical because of our supposed inventions and technologies, that we now consider ourselves wiser and more know it all than the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God who created us.
Steups! How foolish and ignorant that is my brethren! The created cannot become wiser and more powerful than the Creator! That’s more of Beelzebub’s creative advertising to which we’re falling, or rather, to which we have fallen victims.
Note the serious and numerous amounts of natural disasters that are taking place all around the world today. Check out the recent killer tornadoes that have just passed through the most sinful land in the world; the U.S. of A!
And I know some of you will take umbrage at that remark, but it is the gospel truth! If you truly check out the evil stuff that’s going on in America today, it will blow your mind away!
Remember, once upon America was the giant of the land! They were the Lord’s chosen people in the New World. Everything they touched turned to gold! Now they are a mere shadow of their former selves.
Oh yes, they still have their mighty war machine, but when last have they won a war eh? Not since the Second World War. Think of Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Despite all their firepower they can’t bring the supposed heathen to their knees. Why? Because they have become too sinful and ungodly.
Now listen to the Word of our God, just before our Bit, in the time of Jeremiah when His Chosen People, Israel were being disobedient to His Law.
‘And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt show this people all these words, (the disaster He planned to bring upon them and their land; vs.5-9) and they shalt say unto thee, Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil (disaster) against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?
Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law.
And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.’ (Jer.16:10-12)
And Friends, I’m ashamed to say that that’s the gospel, gospel, gospel truth! Our Fathers had their faults, but at least they paid plenty more attention to God’s Word than our generations has done… And may the Lord have mercy, but this generation we’re currently raising, they are even worse than us.
And we have no one to blame but ourselves, because we have raised them without the proper attention to God’s Word. We have not instilled the importance of the Good Book and its place of priority in their lives. Instead we have allowed Lucifer and His evil cohorts to indoctrinate them into the lusts of the flesh and the materialism of the world.
No wonder they don’t have a clue about the real realities of life, but constantly dwell in the unreal realm of virtual reality. The purveyors of greed, materialism and money LOVING have desensitized them to godly things like grace, mercy, truth, equal rights, justice, compassion, empathy, righteousness, wisdom, and all the other things we once held as priorities.
But they do know about blessings though, and expect to be blessed abundantly! They believe that the world owes them a living, and they don’t have to work or suffer any trials and tribulations to get to the top of the heap.
And sadly too Friends, along the way all our standards have fallen, fallen so low that now it’s much easier to make the grade. But even sadder my people, is that many aren’t able, can’t even make this low grade. It doesn’t say very much for our guardianship of God’s people and His other creations.
But the good news my brethren is that it’s not too late for us to turn this ship around! It’s not going to be easy, but as we all know, with God’s help, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! That means we’ve got to get the Lord deeply involved in our situations if we want to have any success.
And what’s the most important word in the whole process? LOVE!
Yes my fellow believers, it’s LOVE that caused us to be created, it’s LOVE that caused us to be reconciled to God, and it’s LOVE that will help us right this evil world!
We all know what we have to do. So please, let’s get serious about our bounden duty nuh, let’s get the LOVE REVOLUTION truly ramped up and rolling, for we don’t have much time before Jesus returns, and once He comes again, it will be too late. Let’s get going in Jesus’ Name! Much LOVE!
…unless Western Society turns back to the God of their forefathers…they will suffer the same fate…as all the other heathen and disobedient societies…DESTRUCTION…
15 Apr 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: amassing materail wealth, arms of the wicked shall be broken, better is a little with righteousness, blessed, Bruh Paul, Christ has no hands feet or tongues but ours, Christ is depending on us, clothing, contentment, destruction, dr robert h schuller, erred from the faith, faithful servants, fired employees, food, friends, God-given talents, godliness, godliness with contentment, gospel truth, great gain, great revenues without justice, greediness, harmful lusts, have-nots, heavenly bank account, Holy Tuesday, images, indisputable truth, injustice, LOVE, material riches, negative side, poor and suffering, positive side, positive working, power of the holy spirit, reconciliation, reflections of Almighty God, repentance, reverence of God, riches of the wicked, righteous man, righteousness., root of all evil, ruin, saints, share with others, shareholders, snare, snowflakes falling from heaven, social justice, sorrows, spiritual riches, stand strong, tell the world the good news, temptation, the Lord upholds the righteous, the LOVE of money, unfair practices, We can do all things through Christ, we can do nothing without christ, wisdom of the ages
Proverbs 16:8. Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right (justice).
Well hello there mih people! A good Holy Tuesday morning to all you blessed saints out there in Christendom; true images and reflections of Almighty God!
Yes Friends, we are indeed all of that! So please let’s make full use of it and not waste the talents and whatever else the Lord has given us to share with others.
And to help guide us in that respect, here are some true and most useful words from the Hour of Power Devotional by Dr. Robert H. Schuller. I’m not sure if I’ve shared them before, but even so, they are still very relevant to these times.
Listen up as Dr. Schuller reminds us that: ‘Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today. He has no feet but our feet to lead us on the way. He has no tongues but our tongues to tell us how He died. He has no help but our help to bring us to His side.’
And that’s the indisputable truth my brethren! Christ is depending on us, His faithful saints and servants, to tell the world the good news of His story and bring it to repentance and reconciliation with Him.
What a blessed assignment, though not an easy one, for there will be lots of obstacles placed in our way. But if we’re serious about doing the job, then Christ will enable us through the power of His Holy Spirit to stand strong and do it.
Just remember that we cannot do it without Him, as He so shrewdly reminds us when talking to the disciples about the vine and the branches: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5b)
But by the same token, as Bruh Paul reminds un in Philippians 4: ‘I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil.4:13)
And with all that solid stuff now under our belts, let’s turn to our Bit, another morsel of everlasting truth. ‘Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right (justice).’
And there can be no doubting of that fact my Friends! Why? Because it percolates in every area and aspect of our lives and that of our society. We see it in homes where there’s great wealth but little true godliness. We also see it in businesses, where injustice is booming and very flagrant these days.
We lay of hundreds of ordinary workers to save some money, while flagrantly increasing the stipends of those at the top of the food chain by humongous amounts, without any thought for the welfare of those being put out of work.
The social justice that cries out for those fired employees is certainly not being taken into account. Instead it is all centred on the supposed bottom line, shareholders interest and the rest of the garbage and distorted truth that the captains of industry spout to support their unfair practices.
Oh Friends, I just went upstairs to see the duchess off to work and my heart almost stopped on me because I was greeted by snowflakes falling gently from heaven. And not simply wet snow but the kind that seems to last. Oh Lord eh!
Earlier on when I came down the streets were simply wet with rain. And we’ve been having such nice warm temps for the last little while! It’s supposed to have a high of just one degree today. Mama Mia!
But as we’ve said above, though it might be a tad inconvenient, we can handle it all with Christ’s help. So let’s not look at it from the negative but the positive side.
Now let’s check out some scripture which corroborate our Bit. Cousin Sol himself also stated it thus: ‘Better is little with the fear (reverence) of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith.’ (Prov.15:16)
And the scholars explain that as: ’15:16. Spiritual riches are better than material riches.’
Gospel truth Friends! But try telling that to the legions of poor and suffering around the world nuh!
Meanwhile Bruh David puts it this way in Psalm 37; the true state of the wicked. ‘A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.’ (Ps.37:16-17)
More gospel truth my people! But tell that to the wicked rich nuh, whose only aim seems to be amassing more and more wealth at the expense of the have-nots.
And we’ll end with a passage from 1 Timothy, where Bruh Paul warns: ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us therewith be content.
But they that will be (desire to be) rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction).
For the LOVE of money is the root of all (all kinds of) evil: which while some coveted after have erred from the faith (for which some in their greediness have erred from the faith), and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ (1 Tim.6:6-11)
Oh Friends, I can’t say it any better than that! I can just try and encourage us to take those words to heart and put them to positive working in our lives, for they indeed convey the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!
…why do we foolishly insist on amassing material wealth…when it causes all sorts of evil problems…and does nothing for our heavenly bank account…
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