The Extravagance of Jesus’ Generosity!

26 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 6:38a.       Give, and it shall be given unto you;

Well there’s no rain, and the sun’s out this somewhat cool, last Thursday morning in September. Imagine that nuh, we’re about to go into October and we’re still having twenty degree weather. I can certainly handle that! But have no fear, the cool weather will be here, sooner or later, you can bet your bottom dollar on it. (smile) 

So let’s enjoy the good weather while it lasts, showing our thankfulness for it by sharing what we have with others in a more generous manner than we’ve done before. And to help us with this extra generosity, let’s check out this section from the September In Touch Devotional titled, ‘Consider This.’  

Please read with me. ‘Can you think of a time someone was truly generous towards you, when you were given much more than you needed? When whatever you received – whether it was money, time, assistance, attention, or encouraging words – felt lavish, even over the top? Take a moment to relive that moment of generosity you experienced. A gift like that makes us feel treasured (and maybe a bit uncomfortable). 

That’s why it can be hard to wrap our mind around Jesus’ LOVE and care for us. His generosity isn’t logical; it’s extravagant. Do you want to give that feeling to someone else? If so, here’s one way to start. The next time you have the impulse to give, decide what you want to offer. Then double it. Remember: Generosity is, by definition, excessive. It shouldn’t easily fit into your wallet or schedule. But it will make someone feel truly and deeply LOVED.’ 

Now that’s definitely a beautiful and very interesting proposal! And the part I particularly like about it is that about Jesus’ generosity being extravagant. I’ve never before thought about Jesus’ LOVE and care being extravagant, but it’s a most wonderful expression of His compassion for us. That brings to mind the thought about whether we are extravagant in our generosity? 

Oh, I know that most of us aren’t. We give as little as possible, and definitely not more than we can afford, but as the passage says, ‘Generosity is, by definition, excessive.’ Yes. Our giving ought to be somewhat sacrificial, cause us a li’l pain, cause us to look to Jesus’ selfless and extravagant sacrifice for us. And yuh know what friends, our problem today is not so much being extravagant in our generosity, but being generous period! We hate to give…but do we ever LOVE to receive. 

But we ought to remember these most significant words of our Lord and Saviour on the subject. ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom (pocket). For with the same measure ye mete (use) withal it shall be measured to you again.’ (Luke 6:38) 

Yes my Christian brethren, that’s a scripture we ought to hold much dearer and closer to our hearts than we currently do. If we did, our world would not be such a greedy, selfish and jealous place! For whatever we give, the same will be given back to us, and if we give with generosity, then even more than we give will be given back to us. Giving is like a boomerang; when we toss it away, it eventually comes back to us. 

And the sad part is that in this wealthy and prosperous world, there are so many who desperately need sustenance, who’s lack is so obvious and distressing, that it hurts my heart just to think of it. I’ve known want in my time, but not like so many members of the world’s population currently do. It’s a crying shame that there’s so much wealth and provision available in our world and yet so many are suffering from terrible poverty, literally starving for food, clothing and shelter. 

Sadly, the inequity of our world’s goods is completely out of whack. One percent of the population owns 90 percent of it, while the other 99 only own 10 percent. That obviously makes for much poverty and want. And our humanity, our supposed LOVE for Jesus and gratitude for all that He’s done for us, still doesn’t make us want to help our fellow man, wallowing deep in the mire of sickness and poverty. 

What kind of Christians are we eh? Granted, many of us don’t have a whole lot ourselves, but we can, and we ought to sacrifice some for the benefit of others, as Jesus did for us. Our world today is filled with charitable organizations like never before. Now that should not be so with all the wealth and provision that’s in the world. But there again, the inequality of wealth causes so many to suffer. 

The saying man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn, is ever so real in today’s world, when it shouldn’t be because of our overwhelming prosperity. That reminds me of a statement I copied from somewhere or the other, (smile) it says: ‘Kindness is the easiest thing to receive, yet it is hard for some people to give.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people. All of us expect kindness but we feel so hard done by to extend it. 

And our world will never improve unless we believers start being more like our Lord and Saviour Jesus; being extravagant in our giving. And we can see that extravagance from our Godhead right in what we call our Thursday Blessings, that He’s poured on us undeserving humans to do His earthly work. That’s a most worthy example for us to set. Now let’s declare those blessings so we can activate them. 

As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…to give…to give…and yet to give…that’s being a true disciple of Jesus…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Awesome Power, Majesty and LOVE of Jehovah God!

29 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 150:6.       Let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah).

Sorry Friends, but today, Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, doesn’t look like it will live up to the summer image of the last few days, sunny and warm. In fact, it’s been forecasted to be somewhat cool and cloudy. And though we’d like every day of the summer season to be seasonally summer, (smile) we know that’s not always possible, especially with the vagaries of climate change, it’s unpredictable, unexpected behaviour. 

And furthermore, since we are true believers in Christ Jesus, we understand as Job says to his wife: ‘What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive (accept) evil (calamity)?’ (Job 2:10) That’s a very good question my people, but we can accept the tough things that will happen in this life to all of us, because we also believe these words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

Yes, in the long run, eventually, our great God will work everything out for our good, so we don’t have to worry too much about what happens in our daily lives. And here’s a prayer that can certainly help us to reduce our anxieties as we go about God’s business. It’s the prayer from the In Touch Devotional for this month. 

So please pray with me: ‘God, sometimes I feel stuck and hesitate to talk to you about it. Maybe I’m afraid of what You’ll say. Give me the courage to pray these words: Father, help me understand everything in my heart – what is pure and good, what’s holding me back, what I’ve never noticed, and what I’m afraid to see. Help me remember Your truth sets me free and you’ll never leave me to face anything alone. I trust You, God of all comfort. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Oh friends, is there ever a lot of truth and reassurance in that simple prayer! And by the way, we don’t need courage to go to God, just faith and trust, because we know He’s made it so we can come to Him at any time with anything. Even when we’re so low down, we believe we cannot get any lower, all we have to do is turn to him and pour out our hearts, for He will understand and receive us with LOVING arms. 

Remember, the Lord created us and He knows all of our faults and foibles, so nothing we do or happens to us, is news to Him. He just desires us to come to Him with all of our problems, be they big or small, because He enjoys taking an active part in our lives… all parts of them. So whatever is holding us back today, let’s go to God and pour it our to him. He LOVES to listen to us, and will help us fix what ever is wrong. 

And as the prayer says, His truth sets us free, and He’ll NEVER leave us to face anything alone, because He’s a most faithful and trustworthy God, of LOVE, comfort, peace and joy! And all God’s children gave out a loud and grateful shout of ‘Praise the Lord! Praise Him for his goodness and mercy to the undeserving children of men!’ And that just dovetails right into these amazing words of praise from Psalm 150. So let’s get right into it: 

‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power (his mighty heavens). Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet (cornet): praise him with the psaltery (lute or lyre) and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah).’ (Ps. 150. 1-6) 

And isn’t that the god-awesome truth! Everything that has breath ought to praise the Lord, their Creator and Sustainer! Shout Hallelujah to Him in His high heaven and give Him thanks and praise for the marvellousness of His great creation; heaven and earth, the seas, and all that therein is! 

What an amazing God we serve my people! One who can do any and everything. Just look at how His creation earth, heaven, the seas, Mother Nature run, like clockwork, without any help. Who else can create such an amazing entity eh? No One but the great God Jehovah, he of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! That’s why we ought to worship and praise him with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, for without Him, we’re nothing! 

And although we don’t deserve His awesome generosity, He still bestows it on us, for example in what we call our Thursday Blessings, given to help do His earthly work. So, let’s activate them now by declaring (chuh!!!) them. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings in the same generous manner to help others less fortunate. Much LOVE!

…there’s only ONE TRUE GOD…JEHOVAH…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Implementation of God’s Word is the ONLY WAY to True Success!

22 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Joshua 1:8a.       This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,

Where has all the hot weather gone, in this August month eh? You’d think it was September! Yes friends, this past week has been sunny but rather chilly in my neck of the woods, no use whatsoever for the A/C.  It’s tough to even get the daytime temperature in to the early twenties, much less the thirty we expect in mid August. The windows are also closed at night, for fear of freezing. (smile) The scenario is not helped either by the ever constant, vibrant, cool wind that accompanies it. I guess this is one of the effects of climate change. Let’s hope then that in September and October, we’ll have the hot weather that we’re missing right now. (smile) 

But thankfully, as true believers in Christ Jesus, we have all the tools to handle whatever comes against us. And all God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord!’ And yes, He does deserve much thanks and praise for all that He’s done, is doing and has promised to do on our behalf! He’s provided us with EVERYTHING we need to make a good go of it in this crazy and tempestuous world. 

And the first and most important thing, is as the Lord told Joshua in no uncertain terms when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) 

Oh my people, right there is the very essence to success! Meditation on the word of God, then putting what it says into practice! Not all the nonsense that the world writes about success. None of those books on so-called success and prosperity can even come close to what one can gain by reading, studying, and putting the Lord’s word into practice! 

But we blatantly refuse to accept what the Creator of the world and the One who allows us to get wealth says, in foolish favour of what sinful and ignorant man writes! Please remember that ONE truth from God’s word is worth more than ALL the wisdom of man.  As Bruh Paul puts it to the church at Corinth: ‘Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor, 1:25) 

And what does that mean? Listen to this commentary. ‘When Paul speaks of the “foolishness of God,” he is not implying that God is foolish. Rather he is saying that since God’s way of reasoning is in accord with things of the spirit, it confounds the reasoning of this world. It is wiser than human reasoning, because spiritual things are wiser than carnal ones.’ And that’s exactly why our world is in such a disastrous and chaotic state! We have not been listening to the spiritual reasoning of God, but to the carnal, Satanic reasoning of men! And what else can you expect from a satanic soul eh, but total chaos and strife, because that’s the very nature of Satan! 

Remember too that Jesus backed up that scripture in Joshua, when he told His listeners: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That’s God’s indisputable and faithful promise! If you seek the things of His kingdom, then all that you need will be given to you. And God has no need to lie, because with His omnipotence, He can do exactly what He says! And Bruh Paul also promised in his epistle to the Philippians, that our needs will be met when we sincerely seek the Lord and serve Him. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

What more do we want or expect eh my brethren? And it’s not like there aren’t oodles of believers who are living comfortably while obeying God’s word, but most of them don’t have to bray or boast about their possessions, because that’s not the attitude of true believers. We ought to go about our business without too much fuss, working for the Lord, being the salt of the earth and light of the world, enjoying whatever He blesses us with, and sharing it with others who are less blessed. 

Jesus was the Son of God, could do miracles and anything else He so desired, but He didn’t go around boasting about it. In fact He took the opposite attitude, that of a servant, gave up all his privileges. As Bruh Paul writes to the Philippians. ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2:5-8) 

Yes my fellow believers, Jesus was the greatest, but He never boasted about it, because He was sure of Himself. He knew who He was, and let it show in His works, rather than in His boasts. It ought to be the same way with us: when we know who we are in Christ, are sure that we’re the children of God, then we don’t need to boast about it, but just show it in how we live our daily lives. And we can never be sure that we’re children of God until and unless we read, meditate and put God’s Word into practice in our daily lives. It’s as simple as that my people! 

And what amazes me about mankind in these turbulent times, is that we’re trying everything we know in man’s lexicon to make things better without any success, but for whatever reason, we simply refuse to go to God, where the answer truly lies. Sadly, such is the hold that Satan has on us. But for those of us who are trying to live right, lets’ go home declaring (chuh!!!) and thus activating our Thursday Blessings, generously bestowed by the Lord to do His earthly work. 

As one strong voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration (steups!!!) it now behooves us to go out and share the benefits of those blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…Success 101…read, meditate and put into practice…God’s Word…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Wisdom of enduring the Lord’s Discipline!

01 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hebrews 12:5b.       My son, despise not the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him:

And so we move on to Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, which just happens to be a somewhat rainy morning in my area. Most importantly though, it’s also the first day of August 2024! Yes friends, July is history, now nothing more than a passed breath of wind, and if the days continue to roll by so quickly, then September will soon be here with it’s chilly weather and much of the summer frolicking will be over! 

Chuh! But that’s just the way of life. That’s why we must make each day count, enjoy each day our eyes awake from sleep, saying and doing as the psalmist advises: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) That’s oh so important for our spiritual well-being my people. And let’s not forget either, that ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) 

If we want to retain our spiritual strength, we must ensure that the joy of the Lord is flowing through our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, because one of the enemy’s main goals is to steal our joy in the Lord, as he knows that’s where our strength comes from, and we are useless without it. So, let’s make sure that we keep those two things front and centre; enjoying each day that the breath of God keeps flowing through our bodies, and remaining strong in His joy, which gives us the strength to perform our godly duties. 

And today we’re going to look at an interesting  poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This poem is ever so appropriate for these busy and perturbing times. It’s simply titled: ‘Intrusions.’  And who knows if I’ve shared it before, but it’s well worthwhile sharing again. (smile) So please read with me: ‘A thousand intrusions Have crowded in on my life today. My reaction, Lord? I’ve resented every one. And now I read in Your Word That I’m to put out the welcome sign! 

In fact, I must welcome each intrusion As a personal friend. (Perhaps even serve tea, Lord?) You assure me that You have a purpose For their continual persistence: My faith needs depth My endurance needs development. I have no argument with that, Lord But I had hoped that an hour, or two Of trial and testing would suffice. Or a day at most, dear God. But again You remind me That the process must continue Until maturity becomes my password and independence becomes my goal and the Crown of Life becomes my reward.’ 

Ah mih people, what wise words, but words that many of us don’t to want to hear, because it reminds us that growing in spiritual maturity is a continuous process. It doesn’t just happen in a day, or even two, but throughout a whole lifetime. And furthermore, we only gain maturity by going through tough times, times we wish would never come against us. But as the poem says, the Lord has a purpose for each and every trial or test that He puts us through. We might not see the reason for it, but with His greater mindset, He does. 

And if we’re truthful with ourselves, most of us would admit that we do need more depth to our faith, and more endurance or perseverance in our development. And unfortunately, the only way to get those important things is by going through the fire with the Lord at our side. And though we would rather not call the intrusions and testings friends and serve tea, (smile) it’s important that we realize and recognize them as avenues of growth, if we want to truly become spiritually mature. 

And interestingly enough, the Bible Verse of Promise for that poem comes from Hebrews, a verse which most of us thoroughly and totally dislike because it has to do with punishment and discipline. It says: ‘Now no chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (trained) thereby.’ (Heb. 12:11) 

Yes friends, none of us like to be disciplined, even when we are wrong, because it hurts both our ego and our flesh. But later on we see the wonderful benefits. So discipline in this evil and ungodly world is very necessary, otherwise we would all go astray, with possibly terrible consequences like eternal separation from Almighty God. That’s why the Lord keeps us in line. And as the author of Hebrews so rightly says earlier on in the scripture: 

‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons), My son, despise not the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards (illegitimate), and not sons.’ (Heb. 12:5-8) 

Oh my fellow believers, it’s simple: If the Lord LOVES you, He will chasten or discipline you. And if you endure that discipline with a good attitude, He will keep on blessing you. However, if your rebel at His chastening, then you will not enjoy the blessings put aside for you. It’s like Bruh Paul said to Timothy in his last days. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them that also LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:7-8) 

Now that’s the kind of exit we should all be seeking to have. But it doesn’t come without tough times, trials and testings. And we all know Bruh Paul’s life was not an easy one, but he never wavered in his faith during all his trials. In fact they made him stronger and more determined to fight the good fight of faith on Christ’s behalf. So let’s consider our own positions today nuh, as we go home declaring (chuh!!!) and thus activating our Thursday Blessings which the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings in the service of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…discipline is not for God’s benefit…but for ours…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

It Takes Sincere Repentance to Get to Heaven

18 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 4:17.        From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (near).

So it’s Thursday, a couple of days after the torrential rain we had in the Southern Ontario area. Clean up is still underway though, and some people are still without power, but I believe most, if not all of the earlier flooded roads are now open to traffic. Ah friends, one never knows what can happen at any given time, so one should try to be prepared for anything. And I know that’s not always possible, for who believed that we would be flooded out…and so quickly last Tuesday morning eh? I don’t think even the meteorologists thought we would have such a deluge. But let’s be thankful, for it could have been worse, as many others have recently experienced. 

And talking about preparations for possible disasters, we might not be able to prepare for the physical ones, but we can surely prepare for the spiritual ones…like the grim reaper suddenly showing up and calling your name. With all the natural disasters and man-made strife currently happening in our world, it’s time that we seriously do what John the Baptist preached to the people of Israel. ‘Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matt. 3:2) 

Yes friends, the experts say that there are lots of signs pointing to the last days of the church age, and if that’s true, and you haven’t repented and accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, then things will be real bad with you. When the Rapture happens, you won’t go home with Him to heaven, but remain here on earth to face the Great Tribulation. And believe me, if what the Bible says is true of that period, and I believe it is, then you’re in for one helluva of a rough time here on earth, more terrible than what we’ve ever seen. That’s why it’s so important to know that you wont’ be here for that ghastly period of time.

And John was not the only one to call for repentance. No. Jesus did too, when He began His ministry. The Bible tells us that once Jesus heard of John the Baptist’s imprisonment, and possibly after the attempt on His life in His hometown of Nazareth, He moved to Capernaum and there set up His ministry. And ‘From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of God is at hand (near).’ (Matt. 4:17) 

And what does repentance mean? The scholars explain: ‘Repent means a change of mind that results in a change of conduct. Repentance is not merely sorrow. It involves a complete change of attitude regarding God and sin and is often accompanied by a sense of sorrow and a corresponding change in conduct. Such repentance does not arise within man himself, but it is the result of God’s mercy in leading man to it. (cf. Acts 5:31; Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25). Thus repentance involves the very process of conversion whereby men are born again  (of the Spirit). John’s and Jesus’ message was necessary in order to prepare people for the kingdom of heaven which was at hand (near).’ 

And it basically means the renouncing of one’s sins that one be united more closely to God and all His ways. As Bruh Paul writes: ‘Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?’ (Rom. 2:4) Yes my people, when we see the truth of God’s goodness, grace and mercy, it leads us to repentance, to rejecting the foolishness and folly of this evil world. We can’t help but repent and acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour. 

Now what does the kingdom of heaven or of God mean? First, why does Matthew say ‘kingdom of heaven,’ while Mark and Luke say ‘kingdom of God.?’ The scholars theorize that Matthew substituted the word ‘heaven’ for ‘God,’ because of his Jewish emphasis, for many Jews regarded it as blasphemous to refer to God by name. Mark and Luke had no such problems because they were writing predominantly to Greeks and Romans. And when Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven (God) is at hand, He’s not talking of some future date, but of right then, for His presence on earth, His coming as the Messiah has introduced the kingdom of God to men as the prophets proclaimed, especially this scripture from Isaiah. 

‘Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm (make firm) the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart (deer), and the tongue of the dumb (mute) sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.’ (Is. 35:3-6) 

Ah mih bredrin, Isaiah there promised the salvation of the Lord and Jesus came to fulfil that promise. He paid the price for all of our sins and gave us a chance to begin anew with the Father, to return to a right relationship with Him, thus allowing us to enjoy heavenly benefits down here on earth. No, we don’t need to get to heaven to live the blessed life, it’s available to us as soon as we sincerely accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. As Jesus said: ‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) 

And when answering the Pharisees question about when will the kingdom of God come, Jesus says more clearly: ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For behold the kingdom of God is within you (or in your midst). (Luke 17:20-21) No friends, the kingdom of God cannot be seen or placed in a particular spot, for it’s a spiritual movement. And as the scholars suggest: ‘If the Pharisees cared to look around , it was clear that with John the Baptist and Jesus the kingdom was in fact already at hand.’ 

They were too blind to see that, too full of their own importance to recognize the changes that were taking place right around them. But we know the truth, and have been bestowed with undeserved blessings, we call our Thursday Blessings to help it along. So let’s declare them now so that they can be activated in our lives. 

Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! 

I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those blessings, we are now duty bound to go out and use them for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…without true repentance…one will never enjoy the wonderful kingdom of God…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 May 2024 Jeremiah 29:13.

16 May 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jeremiah 29:13.       And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Well, it’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and tomorrow we get to celebrate the big day of Friday! I must say that this week has gone by awfully fast… and I’m yet to do any of the things I planned to do. Ah Lord eh! Between the devil and my own laziness and procrastination we’ve had a lazy and unfulfilling time. (smile) But dem’s the breaks! And I have no one else to blame but myself. 

Now, it’s not that I haven’t done anything at all, but not the supposed important things I wanted to do. And that’s just how life and the enemy work together in concert to delay or trip up our best laid plans. That means we have to be strong and steadfast in the Lord and, if necessary, bully our way through the enemy’s lines and get our God-given plans fulfilled. And it’s not like we don’t have the wherewithal to do it. No! We most definitely do! 

Starting with the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, plus all the wonderful and encouraging scriptures found in the God’s Word. Scriptures like: ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That’s Jesus’ faithful promise. Then Bruh Paul tells us, ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Then he says; ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

And what about this wonderful promise that Bruh Paul offers in his letter to the Philippians? ‘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) Then you have this awesome scripture of godly strength: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil 4:13) And what about this marvellous promise of God’s provision?  ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

Yes friends, that’s wonderful news! God will not stop working in us until Jesus returns. That means we don’t have to fear anything, but we do need to keep up our personal intimacy with Him, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, while fellowshipping with other believers, to encourage and build up each other so that we can do the good works that God desires of us. That’s why Jesus told the parable to the end that men ought always to pray and faint (lose heart). (Luke 18:1) 

For prayer is the immediate method of communication between God and man, the method devised by the heavenly Father for us to share our thoughts and desires with Him. Therefore, when we are tempted to lose faith and give up, that’s the very time we have to be strong and steadfast in prayer! No wonder the Lord said through the prophet 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). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (listen to you) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Ah mih people, if there’s one thing Christians ought not to be lacking in is encouragement, for the Lord’s Word, the Bible, is filled with so many encouraging scriptures to keep us alive and kicking in Christ’s employ. The problem though is that we don’t read and study the scriptures enough, consequently we don’t have those warm and faithful words of encouragement stored in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. Remember, we cannot be encouraged unless encouragement and reassurance lies within us. And the only way to get it there is by putting it there through reading, studying and memorizing the useful scriptures, so when the time comes, they are right at hand to put them into action. 

Now, if we do as we ought, then we don’t have to fear laziness and procrastination, for as the scriptures expound: ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you: that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:8) There you go my fellow saints, if we stand strong and steadfast to do the Lord’s will, we will never want for anything. His bountiful grace will supply all we need. And that’s why Bruh David could make this amazing but oh so true statement: ‘The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) That says it all friends. Now we only have to believe it and put it into action. (smile) 

So, let’s get to declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which have been so generously bestowed on us, by the Father, to do His earthly work. And to activate them let’s declare them loud and strong. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having said that, we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings in the support of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…now set your heart and soul to seek the Lord… (1 Chr. 22:19a)

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 April 2024 Philippians 4:19.

18 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Philippians 4:19.        But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now there’s no rain on this Thursday morning, but the clouds are battling with the sun to see who will win the day. Let’s hope the latter will be triumphant as the Son was against the dark and evil Satan. And there’s no better way to begin today than with a prayer for all that our wonderful God has done for us. It comes from the Between Friends Newsletter published by the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower, and it’s simply entitled ‘A Prayer of Thanks.’ So please pray with me: 

‘Gracious Lord, Thank You for this LOVELY day. I come before You with a grateful heart. Thank You for all of your blessings and goodness in my life. It is only because of your kindness and grace that I am able to get through each day. I give You glory. I give You all my LOVE and adoration. Thank You for LOVING me and forgiving my sins. I want to express my gratitude to You, Lord, for everything You have done in my life. Thank You for being my Provider, I appreciate your works in my life. Thank You for being my Guide and helping me make good decisions. Thank You for being my Sustainer in life. Even when things are difficult, I trust that You are working and that You will always see me through. Thank You, Lord, for all that You do in my life. I bless your holy name. Amen.’ 

Ah friends, like a good cup of tea hits the spot in our stomachs, so that prayer hits the prayer spot in our souls! It seems to cover all of the major elements of our God’s grace and mercy towards us. So, let’s see what scriptures we can find that exemplify some of the things that our God is to us. And I guess the first scripture we should state is the first blessing that the Lord instituted among the Israelites, where He said unto Moses. 

‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put (invoke) my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.’ (Num. 6:22-27) And yuh know what friends, many thousands of years later we are still invoking the Lord’s name over us and receiving His blessings! Give him much thanks and praise! 

And per God’s kindness and grace, I just adore this scripture from Jeremiah’s Lamentations. ‘Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 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. 3:19-23) Oh my fellow believers, truer words were never spoken! It’s only because of God’s grace and LOVING-kindness that we haven’t been totally destroyed, for that’s what we deserve for our rebellion and disobedience. 

But our God LOVED us so much that He broke His own heart and sent His one Son, Jesus Christ, a sinless lamb to die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven.  As Bruh Paul writes to the Romans, one of my favourite scriptures: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now if that isn’t a true showing, or rather the greatest example of LOVE, then I don’t know what is. And Jesus Himself said it so well: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17) 

And as for being our Provider, there are so many scriptures on the subject that we can only quote a few, like this one that Moses pointed out to the Israelites: ‘these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou has lacked nothing.’ (Deut. 2:7b) And that was the indisputable truth! They had food, clothing, health and every thing they needed. That’s why Bruh Paul could later on make this astounding but real proclamation: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19). 

And Jesus could confidently announce: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) And you will discover that it’s the gospel truth, if you seek and keep God first place in your life. 

There are also numerous scriptures about God being our guide. Let’s highlight a couple. This one from Isaiah is a popular one: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) And that voice we hear guiding us is the voice of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said: ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what’s mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you’ (John 16:13-14)) So both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our guides in these troubled times, therefore if we need wise guidance, then we must meditate on the Word and listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. 

And as God being our Sustainer, we only have room for a few of the many scriptures that exist. Listen to Bruh David as he says in Psalm 55 – The Plea of the Fearful. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:22) That’s the indisputable truth my people! And Isaiah said it thus: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.’ (Is. 26:3) And Jesus wraps it all up when He solemnly declares: (yesss!!!) ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) 

That says it all my brethren! Now let’s turn to those underserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has given us to do His earthly work. Let’s declare them so that they can be activated. As one voice! ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having accepted those blessings, we must now go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…like the great planner He is…the Lord has made preparation for ALL of our needs…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 March 2024   2 Corinthians 5:17.

21 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Corinthians 5:17.       Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Oh brother, I don’t know what to believe anymore nuh; the computer tells me it’s minus 2 Celsius and mostly cloudy, but in my area, it’s sunshiny as ever and somewhat windy. I will take that over the cloudiness any day. (smile) But worse yet, they are predicting 3 centimetres of snow for Friday! Goodbye spring…welcome again winter! But like the world, we won’t believe it until we see it! (smile) And to help us remember that we serve a good and great God Jehovah, let’s check out this interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled ‘NOW.’ Obviously I don’t know whether I’ve shared it before or not, but as always, these poems are always worth sharing again. (smile) 

So please read with me: ‘Lord I don’t ask You to renovate me Nor do I ask You to reconstruct me Or make me over. I don’t even ask You to patch me up Or pare out the bruised spots Or gloss over the tin and tarnish. Rather, dear Lord, I ask You To make a new species – Something that never before existed. Impart to me Your very own Life. After all, Lord It is such a simple thing for You To create something beautiful From a shapeless, chaotic mass. It is such a simple thing for You To divide light from darkness. Please do it for me – now. (And the Lord replied) ‘Child of My Infinite Plan Two thousand years ago All you have asked I did. Please accept it from Me – NOW.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth friends! Two thousand years ago, with the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus, the Lord recreated, reformed and refashioned man one more time, with Jesus as the foundation of the new process. As the psalmist so truthfully prophesied in Psalm 118, long before Christ’s coming: ‘The stone which the builder refused (rejected) is become the head stone of the corner (chief corner stone). It is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.’ (Ps. 118:22-23) 

The Lord was always one jump ahead of  us my people. He knew the plans He had in mind for us, plans and thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give us an expected end.’ (Jer. 29:11) That’s a future and a hope, so we could live with complete faith and trust in His magnanimity. Therefore, once Jesus came, all the old, unused, thrashy stuff was thrown away. As the Lord’s Word so rightly says in our Bible Promise for today’s poem: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17) 

And there we have exactly what the Lord was speaking about in His answer to our pleas for recreation! It’s simple; if you want to be a new man, then all you have to do is believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and the work of recreation will immediately begin. As the scholars explain: ‘When a man comes into vital union with the risen and glorified Lord, he is a “new creation” (cf. John 3:3; 15:5; Rom. 8:1, 9; Gal. 6:14-15) and perceives Christ in a new way. And, Old things are passed away indicates a decisive break with the old life at the moment of salvation. Behold, all things are become new stresses the abiding results of the Christian’s union with Christ (cf. Is. 43:18-19; 65:17; Eph. 4:24: Rev. 21:4-5).’ 

Ah my people, those are all important and very valid scriptures, but we don’t have time to quote them all, so we thoughtfully suggest (smile) that you take a few moments to look them up yourselves. However, since we like to spoon feed you, (smile) we will quote a few of them, beginning with this total gem from Jesus when the Jewish leader Nicodemus came to him by night to ask about His ministry. ‘Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.’ (John 3:3) 

Right there friends, Jesus shows the overwhelming importance of change, of new life, of new behaviour, if one desires to follow Him. And Bruh Paul opens that magnificent chapter of hope, chapter 8 of Romans, with these most convincing words. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ (Rom. 8:1) What a marvellous situation that is! When we become new creations in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and we cease walking after our carnal, fleshly lusts, but instead walk with the leading and guidance of God’s Spirit. 

And as the prophet Isaiah prophesied to the Israelites, and also to us, long before Jesus came: ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:18-19) And He did it physically for the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness, and for us spiritually with the coming of Jesus. And all God’s people gave a grateful shout of: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will to men on the earth!’ 

Now that should be our earthly motto, but, unfortunately, Satan rules the earth with his evil doings, and hate and strife currently overwhelm our flailing world. But there is hope my fellow saints. Yes, once there is life, there is hope, in Almighty God! And the hope we have right now rests in what we call our Thursday Blessings. Undeserved blessings generously bestowed by God for us to do His earthly work, and turn this evil planet around. However, to activate them, we must vocally declare (chuh!!!) them. So let’s do that right now nuh. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) we are now compelled to go out and use those blessing  in a generous manner to help others find Christ and come to LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…becoming a new creation in Jesus…is more important…and much easier…than buying a suit of new clothes…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 February 2024 Philippians 3:14.

29 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Philippians 3:14.       I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Here it is friends, the final day of February, where every four years a day is added to the shortest month of the year to keep our calendar in tune with the astronomical and seasonal cycles. As far as I knew, every fourth year was a leap year, but apparently not, so 2024 doesn’t’ seem to be a leap year, and since I don’t understand the science and the maths behind it, I’ll just leave it alone. (smile) Let it be known that today is simply the 29th day of February 2024, and we’re alive and kicking, basking in the joy and peace of Jesus Christ, our wonderful Lord and Saviour. 

And now, I want to share an interesting feature I found in the In Touch Devotional. Don’t know if it’s new, or I just never paid attention to it before. (smile) But it’s a section titled ‘Let’s Pause.’ And in this month’s edition, they pose this interesting question and answer. Please read with me. ‘Have you ever wondered if God is truly good? It’s an honest question, considering our broken world. Think back to a time you doubted. What started it? Were you alarmed? Ashamed because your faith wavered? We’re quick to judge ourselves, but God isn’t. Remember Jesus’ response to Thomas. He didn’t shame the disciple – He reassured him. And He’ll do the same for you. Picture doubt as a bird, one of many thoughts flying across the blue sky of your mind. Watch it come and go and be at peace, secure in God’s LOVE.’ 

Now isn’t that wonderful advice? It surely is! Because, regardless of how strong our faith normally is, things happen every so often that causes doubt to creep in, and though it doesn’t cause us to lose faith completely, it does drive us to ask some serious and sincere questions about our faith walk. And there’s definitely no need to beat ourselves up if once in a while a sliver of doubt enters our minds, since God doesn’t expect us to be perfect every living moment. He made us and knows all our faults and foibles and accepts and LOVES us just as we are. Now it’s our turn to do like Him and accept ourselves, just as we are. 

That however doesn’t mean we should not be continually making improvements and moving forward in our faith journey. No! Just that when we falter, we don’t think too little of ourselves or give up, but keep moving ahead, or as Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians. ‘I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:14) Yes friends, pressing forward should always be the objective of Christians. And what does it all mean eh? 

The scholars tell us that The mark is the objective of verses 10 and 11, where Bruh Paul declares his utmost desire to know Christ: ‘That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain (arrive at) the resurrection of the dead.’ (Phil. 3:10-11) Now those are good but mighty goals, which not all of us can attain to or are as zealous in doing as Bruh Paul was, but that’s the direction in which we should always be moving. 

So, as the scholars say, we can reach ‘the prize which is the joyful satisfaction of having attained it, as well as the divine commendation and reward to be granted in heaven for having reached this goal on earth. The high calling of God is the divine summons extended to the believer for salvation.’ Now all of that might sound like hifalutin stuff to some of us, so let’s see if we can simplify it with a couple of other commentaries. This first one explains: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” To press toward the mark is to faithfully continue on the “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” with our Savior and our Father in Heaven.’ 

And the second commentary says: “Keep pressing.” Meaning, stay faithful and persevere in the midst of fatigue, hurt, or whatever it is that could make you discouraged. Sometimes in this walk, we grow weary and get tired, but I want to encourage you today with God’s word, “So don’t get tired of doing what is good.’ And I do hope that makes things somewhat clearer, as we ‘press on’ (smile) with a few more appropriate words from Bruh Paul: ‘Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (mature), be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.’ (Phil. 3:15) 

Yes friends, we need to keep on thinking about pressing towards the mark. And the scholars explain that verse thus: ‘Mature Christians must realize that they are not ethically perfect, but they tirelessly press onward for higher spiritual attainment. There is present then a bit of irony: perfect (mature) believers are those who admit they are not perfect in any absolute sense. The apostle urges all mature Philippian Christians to hold this attitude concerning that none has yet “spiritually arrived” but ever pressing on toward further development.’ 

Now that’s exactly what we need to do in these despairing and doubtful times my brethren; stand strong, and with fervent faith, keep pressing along the straight and narrow path. Then, as per If  … ye be otherwise minded, the scholars explain: ‘The writer realizes that not all of the Philippian readers agree with his conviction of verse 12-15. But he is confident that God shall reveal their erroneous thinking to them.’ And so He will to us also my people. If we are sincerely trying to walk God’s path, and happen to slip or slide, the Lord will definitely get us back on track, after teaching us whatever lesson He desires us to learn from our slipping and sliding. (smile) Nuff said! 

Now let’s declare and thus activate our Thursday Blessings, so generously bestowed on us by the Lord to do His earthly work. As one confident voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’  

Now, it’s time to go out and put those blessings into action with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…the mark of a true believer…to be always pressing forward to know Christ better…

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 December 2023 Luke 1:46-47.

14 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 1:46-47.        And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

And then it was Thursday; the penultimate day of the work week, and also one day closer to  the birth of Christ! And as I go around my neighbourhood, I can see all the activity, all the busyness that this time of year spurs. And it’s certainly the case in my home, as the Duchess is slowly ramping up the Christmas spirit. I can’t walk anywhere in the house without encountering some kind of Christmas decoration, some of which I don’t like, and I believe makes the place even more congested than usual. But apparently I have no say in the matter. (smile) However, the Christmas tree does look luverly. 

And I bring all of that up because I want to find out just how much of all this Christmas activity is actually being focused on Christ and His incarnate birth, or are we more concerned about the time for gifts and feasting and secular celebrations? And for the many who proclaim, ‘Happy Holidays!’ What’s the holidays about eh? It’s about the birth of Jesus! Without the celebration of the birth of Jesus there would be no holidays, no shopping, with the cash registers merrily jingling every few seconds, no gift giving or joyful get togethers. So why can’t we acknowledge Jesus as the true reason for the season eh? 

As our world becomes more evil, secular and ungodly, it’s becoming an uphill battle to remind people that Jesus’ birth is why we celebrate these supposed holidays. But let’s not give up my fellow believers, for if we keep on sending the message, in due course, the heathen, the ungodly, the evildoer, the greedy business person, will all come to recognize why there’s all the hubbub and hoopla at this time of year – the marvellous, miraculous, incarnate birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! There’s never before been a birth like it… and there will never again be another one as marvellous and miraculous! 

And today I want to explore the situation of that incarnate birth a little bit more for there are some interesting ramifications to it, like what happens after Mary’s momentous encounter with the angel Gabriel. The Good Library tells us: ‘And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda. And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted (greeted) Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heart the salutation (greeting) of Mary, the babe (John the Baptist) leaped in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. 

And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that (why should) the mother of my Lord come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation (greeting) sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance (fulfillment) of those things which were told her from the Lord.’ (Luke 1:39-45) 

Oh my people, doesn’t it astound and astonish you at the amazing dramatics that our God has placed in Hs Word? Listen to that drama there as Mary, the Mother of Jesus greets Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. The Holy Ghost comes upon Elisabeth and John the Baptist jumps for joy in his mother’s womb, spiritually knowing that the One whom he is coming to prepare the way for is close by! Wow! Only our great God could engineer such a dramatic situation! Give Him thanks and praise for His awesome Word nuh! 

But it gets even more dramatic as Mary then proceeds to sing this song, we call ‘The Magnificat.’ ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly state) of his hand maiden (maidservant): for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear (reverence) him from generation to generation. 

He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones), and exalted them of low degree (the lowly). He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed (descendants) for ever.’ (Luke 1:46-55) 

Oh friends, what magnificent sentiments in praise of our God’s goodness and mercy, His strength and His faithfulness! How could an ordinary teenaged girl proclaim such things eh…not unless she was filled with the Holy Spirit! The Bible then informs us: ‘And Mary abode with her (Elisabeth) about three months, and returned to her own house.’ (Luke 1:56) Can you imagine the conversations between the two women, and the way Jesus and John the Baptist were carrying on in their mothers wombs during those conversations. (smile) Only in the Bible, you say! Yes! Only in the Bible! 

And per the name of Mary’s soliloquy ‘The Magnificat’ the scholars tell us it’s based on the first word of the Latin translation (the Vulgate), and is rich in Old Testament imagery, for Jesus’ coming was in fulfillment of Old Testament promises. And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! From the very beginning of that noteworthy tome, there have been promises and talk of the coming of our Lord and Saviour. So please, as we go about our shopping and baking and all the etceteras of the season, let’s see if we can’t put a li’l more of our focus, our thoughts on the reason for the season, Jesus Christ. 

Let’s try and keep Him first place in all we do, so that we won’t forget why we’re having this joyful period of the year. And to help us with all that stuff, the Lord has generously bestowed certain blessings on us that we call our Thursday Blessings, but to activate them we need to declare them out loud, so let’s do that right now nuh. Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! 

I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those underserved blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord gave them to us! Much LOVE!

…but for the incarnate birth of Jesus…there would be no holiday season…at this time of year… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ   

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