14 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, a song of praise and encouragement, abject misery, after the rain comes the sunshine, all things work together for good, bad times don't last forever, be not dismayed, behind each cloud there's a silver lining, better must come one day, Christians must get tough, clouds all over the land, delivered of a child when she was past age, disobedient children, don't give up, encourage each other, faith, fear thou not, fear thou not for I am with thee, forgotten them, from the very core of our beings, George Banton, giving God thanks and praise, go to the Lord's sanctuary, God is not a man that he should lie, hath he said and shall he not do it, Hold On Better must come, hold on for dear life, hold on until the end, holy spirit, I am thy God I will strenthen thee, I thanked the Lord for another day, I woke up this morning, I've been there, in each life a little rain must fall, Jesus Christ, Jesus will fix it for you, joy comes in the morning, judged him faithful who had promised, keep on keeping on, know that the sun will shine again, like the clouds give way to the sun, looked through my window, LOVE, mercy, no relief in sight, praising and worshipping God, refresh our spirits, remember this song, right from our hearts, salvation, sometimes I get a little weak, strong faith, sweet sacrifices of praise, tell your friend, tell your mother and father, telling you to be strong, the darkest night is just before the dawn, the gospel truth, the Hall of Fame, the Lord does not lie, the sun will shine, there was sunshine everywhere, they acknowledged him faithful who promised, though times and things look bad, through faith also Sarah received strength to conceive seed, to see these tough times through, toiling in the boiling sun, tough times don't last but tough people do, truth, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, weeping may endure for a night, when I opened my eyes, when you're down and out, who are called according to His purpose, wisdom, with no one around, with sunshine on my mind, with the soul of our forefathers, without faith it is impossible to please God, your change is going to come
Psalm 30:5b. …weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) comes in the morning.
Another Sunday has rolled around warm and fairly sunny friends, and thus it behooves us to go the Lord’s sanctuary and have our souls, bodies and minds renewed and refreshed, through hearing His Word and giving Him thanks and praise for His goodness to His wayward and disobedient children whom He still LOVES so dearly. And is it ever to our great benefit that we experience His unconditional LOVE! That’s for sure!
So, today, in appreciation for God’s great compassion, we will open with a song of praise and genuine encouragement for all of us who are finding it difficult to keep our faith strong in these terrible strife-filled times. And the title of the song is ‘Hold On, Hold on (Better Must Come One Day).’ It’s a song done by Jamaican Canadian Gospel Artist, George Banton from His 2002 Album, ‘Jesus will fix it for You.’
Now, there’s also a ska version of the song, but for our purposes today we need to get really soulful, to allow the music and the words to come up right from our hearts, from the very core of our beings, with the soul that our forefathers felt when they were toiling in the boiling sun, but praising and worshipping a God who seemed to have forgotten them in their abject misery. But their faith was strong, they acknowledged Him faithful who had promised, and so they stood strong and held on, just like we’re doing today, because we know that better must come. The Lord promised it, and He doesn’t lie.
So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a truly soulful and sincere version of the song. Singing: ‘You know in each life, a little rain must fall, and sometimes the darkest night is just before dawn. I’m here to tell you, hold on, hold on, better must come one day. Oh let me tell you children, hold on, hold on, better must come one day. I woke up this morning, with sunshine on my mind, but as I looked through my window, there were clouds all over the land. Then I thanked the Lord for giving me another day.
And when I opened my eyes, there was sunshine everywhere, telling me to hold on, hold on, better must come someday. The clouds were all rolled away, yes they did, And I’m here to tell you, Oh I just can’t keep it to myself now, I’ve gotta tell somebody else, to hold on, hold on, better must come one day. Hold on till the end, and don’t give up now, I know your change is going to come, like the clouds give way to the sun.
Whenever you’re down and out, and you have no one around, remember this song, telling you to be strong. Let me tell you children, hold on, hold on, better must come one day. The sun will shine, yes it will! So, go tell your friend, go tell your mama, tell your sister about it, tell your daddy, to hold on, hold on, better must come one day.
And sometimes when you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and happiness is nowhere in sight. But I’m here to tell you that trouble don’t last always, behind each dark cloud there’s a silver lining. Yeh, let me tell you children, hold on, hold on, better must come one day, better will come, I know, Oh I know it will, Hey, hey, you’d better hold on, hold on, for better must come one day.
I’d like to share this with every man, every woman, with every boy and every girl. Let me tell you, you’d better hold on. I don’t know about you nuh, but sometimes I get a little weak, yes, I’ve been there, and know that the sun will shine again, so I’m holding on, and you’d better hold on too, hold on, for better must come one day, Yes hold on, hold on, for better must come one day…better must come one day…’
Oh friends, the Lord promised it, and He doesn’t lie. It’s as the prophet Balaam said to King Balak who wanted him to curse Israel, but the Lord would not allow it. ‘God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19)
Of course! If He said it, He will indeed do it! That’s why in the Hall of Fame chapter 11 of Hebrews; the author could write: ‘Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of (bore) a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who hath promised.’ (Heb. 11:11) And that’s one of the necessities of faith. As the author of Hebrews earlier wrote: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6)
Consequently as believers in Almighty God, we need to hold on faithfully to the promises He’s given us in His Word, as well as those given to us individually, or we’ll never see them come true. That’s why we need to steadfastly hold on, though things and times look bad, for bad times don’t last forever. For as Bruh David says in Psalm 30: ‘weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) comes in the morning.’ (Ps. 30:5b)
And that’s the gospel truth friends. The nighttime might bring fears and worries, but when the daylight appears, our fears and worries don’t ever seem half as bad. And we know that after the rain comes the sunshine which makes everything look so much brighter. As the song says: ‘trouble don’t last always, behind each dark cloud there’s a silver lining.’ And that means better must come, so we cannot afford to give up, especially since there’s no giving up in Jesus’ vocabulary.
No! We need to keep on keeping on in faith, for as this magnificent promise of God tells us: ‘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) Yes friends, that says it all! Life is not all comfort and good times; that’s just the way of the world. However, when times get rough and there seems to be no relief in sight, if we hang in there in faith, the Lord will eventually see us through them all, because that’s His promise and as Sarah found out, he who promised is faithful.
So, in these tough and uncertain times, let’s hold on, hold on for dear life, and also encourage each other, for as the Lord God Jehovah said so long ago: ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) Now that ought to keep us strong and steadfast in our earthly work for Christ! Much LOVE!
…in the words of Dr. Robert H. Schuller…tough times don’t last…but tough people do…therefore, Christians must get tough…if they want to see these tough times through…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a friend of the world, a future and a hope, all things work together for good, be not dismayed, Bible, buckle down, calamity, called according to His purpose, Christ as the centrepiece of our lives, christianity, contentment, direct his wy, disaster, don't give up, don't lose faith, endure right to the end, established it upon the floods, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fear thou not for I am with thee, godliness brings responsibility, halfway home, hands on the plough, hang all the law and the prophets, he hath founded it upon the seas, holy spirit, I am thy God, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I will help thee, I will strengthen thee, if god be for us who can be against us, in complete control, Jesus Christ, LOVE, Love the Lord thy God, Love thy neighbour as thyself, make his way smooth, mercy, no one, not turning back, salvation, second wind, thank God, the abundant life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the earth is the Lord's, the fulness thereof, the great commandment, the right hand of my righteousness, the righteousness of the perfect, the valley of the sahdow of death, the wicked shall fall by their own wickedness, the world and they that dwell therein, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to a glorious future with Jesus, to give you an expected end, to them that love God, truth, understanding, unrighteousness brings chaos, uphold thee, weather the tough times, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, with a good attitude, with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul
Psalm 24:1. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Here we are friends, one day older, wiser, closer to death, but with also more wisdom and health as we live and enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have! And yes, it’s actually Wednesday, our second wind day. What a way it’s come so quickly. But I’m sure we’ll notice that everything’s happening very quickly these days. Whether it’s actual fact, or merely our imagination, who knows, (smile) but it surely seems that way. But with Christ as the centrepiece of our lives, we don’t really need to worry about how quickly or slowly things are moving, because we know that He has complete control over everything!
And there are so may scriptures that pertain to that glorious fact, I think we should spend some time remembering a few of them, to help us with our earthly problems. And what better scripture to begin with, than this one from Psalm 24, where Bruh David writes in no uncertain terms: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers).’ (Ps. 24:1-2) Now those two verses put everything right up front. The earth and all therein belong to the Lord because He created it. It could not get any clearer than that.
But then there’s this verse that I also like, because it offers certain encouragement from the Creator of the universe. The prophet Isaiah says on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10)
Wow mih bredrin! What wonderful encouragement from our God, the Creator of the universe and all therein! That means whatever happens the Lord will be with us to protect us. He won’t always lead us by the easy way, but will walk through even the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ with us. That’s how much He LOVES and cares for us.
Then there’s this everlasting promise from that mighty chapter of Scripture, Romans 8, where Bruh Paul confidently informs us: ‘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) What another wonderful and encouraging scripture! Life will not always be easy, but for certain in the end the Lord will work everything out for the good of those who LOVE Him and obey His will.
And what about this other marvellously encouraging scripture from the prophet Jeremiah eh? ‘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) …And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11, 13) Yes friends, the Lord’s goodness is earmarked for us, but we also have to sincerely seek Him with all of our hearts. It doesn’t just fall down on us without any involvement from us.
It’s like Jesus said when asked what the great commandment was. ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) There you have it my people, the two basic commandments on which God’s law is based. And they both have to do with LOVE: LOVE for God, for ourselves and for our fellow man!
No wonder our current world is in such a chaotic and disastrous state; there’s no real LOVE, or very little in existence in it. It’s mostly the negative and sinful things of Satan that are currently ruling the roost. So what else can we expect eh? For godliness brings responsibility and contentment, but unrighteousness brings chaos and destruction. As Cousin Sol so wisely says in Proverbs 11: ‘The righteousness of the perfect (blameless) shall direct his way (make his way smooth or straight): but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.’ (Prov. 11:5)
And we’re certainly seeing that in all parts of our world, where the wicked are reigning destruction on themselves with their wicked and ungodly behaviour. But the houses of the righteous are indeed flourishing, according to God’s faithful promise. And we will continue to flourish if we don’t give up hope, or lose faith, but buckle down and weather the tough times with a good and faithful attitude and belief in Almighty God.
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Now, we also need to know that if we endure right to the end with Christ, then that glorious future will be even brighter and more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, with all wisdom and understanding, let’s plan to meet there and enjoy it nuh! Much LOVE!
…if Almighty God…the Creator and Controller of the universe…is for us…then who can be against us eh… absolutely NO ONE…!
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a rewarder, called thee by name, come into my soul, don't give up, drowning, faith, faith is the currency of god's children, fear not, fellowship, He is faithful that promised, holy spirit, increase my awareness, Jesus Christ, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, LOVE, men ouhgt always to pray, mercy, mundane things, not to lose heart, of them who diligently seek him, pass through the waters, peace, quiet my soul, salvation, save me O God, slow my thoughts, take heart, tenderness, the Holy One of Isreal, the Lord's presence, the waters, truth, unceasing neareness, ungodly world, up to our necks, when you pass through the fire, wisdom, without faith, without faith it is impossible to please God, without wavering, you shall not be burned
Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Saturday has come friends…our lazy-day Saturday! Oh what a joy to be in its LOVING arms! To be able to do what we want, when we want, or not to do anything at all; just lie in bed or on the couch wrapped up in warm blankets on this somewhat chilly and cloudy Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I only got to enjoy a li’l of it, because I went to bed too early last night and thus my aging back would have none of that lying in bed for so long.
Now, I believe I have to address this going to bed early matter, because I seem to be doing it fairly often these days, and I don’t like it, because I keep waking up like every hour and a half, and thus have too many medication induced dreams. I tend to prefer a few hours here and a few hours there, not this long slog of seven or eight hours. But anyway, that’s my problem, and I’ll deal with it one way or another. (smile)
So, to more important things, like our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer. Let’s offer it up with all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And, as always, the Lord’s presence soon seems more intense and we’re more aware of it in our hearts and spirits. Now that’s the way it ought always to be, but we just don’t take the time to consider it and ask for His presence more often and more intensely. We’re simply too busy with the mundane, less important things and activities of the evil and ungodly world.
And I’m chuckling here friends, for I’ve reached a mental roadblock; in other words, I don’t know how to proceed from this point, (smile) So, like all true believers ought to do, when in doubt, I opened the Good Library and like the saving grace it is, it opened very appropriately unto Psalm 69 – A Cry for Help – where Bruh David writes of a situation that many of us are currently in, and don’t know how to extricate ourselves from it. So let’s pray with him. ‘Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (up to my neck). I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where floods overflow me.’ (Ps. 69:1-2)
Oh my people, many of us today surely feel like we’re drowning in the situations in which we are immersed, like the water is up to our necks, or some of us even feel like we’ve already gone down a couple of times, and the next time will be our last. But take heart, don’t give up, keep treading or floundering or whatever it takes to stay alive, for as Jesus said in one of His parables, men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart). (Luke 18:1)
And that’s the indisputable truth! If you are a believer in Jesus, you cannot ever throw in the towel or give up, regardless of the circumstances, because Christ is only and always a prayer away, and in His Word, He’s promised to save us from the terrors of this world. Listen to this marvellous promise extended on God’s behalf through the prophet Isaiah to those who are redeemed by the blood of His Son Jesus.
‘O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon (scorch) thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee (in thy place).’ (Is. 43:1-3)
Now that’s a magnificent promise for all who put their trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. And it’s not an empty promise as we’ve seen the Lord do those things. Remember when Israel came out of Egypt and met the Red Sea, which seemed to be a huge stumbling block? However, the Lord parted it for them to go through on dry land, then closed it back up and drowned Pharaoh and his army. (Ex.14) Then, when they came to the River Jordan, to enter the Promised Land, it seemed uncrossable as it was in flood. But then again, the Lord parted it for them so they could walk over on dry land. (Josh. 3)
And what about the time the three Jewish teenagers refused to bow down to the pagan idol of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, and they were thrown into a furnace seven times hotter than normal, but they came out unharmed, without even smelling of smoke. (Dan. 3:14-25). Then what about Daniel himself being cast into the lion’s den for refusing to adhere to the king’s ungodly decree? Daniel spent the night sleeping amongst the lions and was unharmed come morning, for the Lord had shut the lions mouths. (Dan. 6-7)
So my brethren, we see it’s totally possible and plausible for our God to do both big and small miracles on our behalf. But we have to keep on believing and being obedient to His will and praying and giving thanks regardless of the circumstances. That’s why the author of Hebrews reminds us thus: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Heb. 10:23) And also: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6)
Yes friends, it’s all a matter of belief from which faith and hope rise eternal, then trust and obedience which follow from those. So, although today we might be mired in very difficult, even life threatening circumstance, please, let’s not give up. Instead, let’s pray and cry out to God for help, for He can help us if we are sincere in our entreaty. Much LOVE!
…faith…that is the currency of God’s children…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according to the will of God, and my words abide in you, be careful for nothing, Bible, christianity, consume it upon your lusts, don't give up, don't say you're done, Ds Flame, every trial mountain and sea, faith, feel battered, feeling like and outcast, fellowship, God answers prayer, God is the answer, goodness, groanings, he sees every tear drop, he sees every weakness, He that searcheth the hearts, He wipes them for me, holy spirit, I get down on my knees, I say Saviour help me please, if ye abide in me, if you're ever feeling down, in everything by prayer and supplication, in the midst of all your heartache, in the morning, it shall be unto you, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus to pray departed into a solitary place, knows th mind of the Spirit, LOVE, not knowing what to pray, O thou that hearest prayer, one thing is for certain, prayer, problems overflow, refresh our souls, release the frustrations, remember in the hard times, rising up a great deal before day, shall keep your hearts and minds, sweet sacrifices of praise, the biggest privilege in the Christian faith, the error of our ways, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the Spirit maketh intercession for us, truth, unto thee shall all flesh come, wisdom, ye ask amiss, ye ask and receive not, ye shall ask what ye will, you have nowhere to go, you may be broken, your battles are already won, your strength will surely come
Psalm 65:2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
One more Sunday; one more time to attend the Lord’s sanctuary on His day, and in association with other believers, to offer up sincere thanks and praise for His goodness and mercy towards us. And why do we do it? Because the Lord commands it, so that we can have joint fellowship, to release the frustrations and pressures of the past week and refresh our souls and spirits for the upcoming one.
So, let’s get right to today’s song of worship, one from the female Gospel Artist known as Da Flame and very truthfully titled, ‘God Answers Prayer.’ And we’re going to offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a rich, soulful, heartfelt, mid tempo version. Singing: ‘If you’re ever feeling down and like you have no where to go. If you’re feeling like an outcast as your problems overflow, just remember there is someone, and all it takes is for you to know, is that God is the answer, and God answers prayer.
(Chorus: He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. I get down on my knees, and I say Saviour help me please. Because one thing is for certain, is my God answers prayer.) You may be broken and feel battered, but your strength will surely come, in the midst of all your heartache. Your battles are already won. Just remember in the hard times, don’t give up, don’t say you’re done, because God is the answer, and God answers prayer.
(Chorus: He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. I get down on my knees, and I say Saviour help me please. Because one thing is for certain, is my God answers prayer. Oh, He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. So, let’s get down on our knees, and say, Saviour, help us please. Because one thing is for certain… our God answers prayer.’
And of that very thing we can be one hundred percent sure my people: God does answer prayer…although there are some whys and wherefores and addendums attached. (smile) But before we get into the nitty gritty of the prayer situation, let’s get a definition of prayer.
Prayer is our biggest privilege in the Christian faith. It’s basically talking to God, but in the greater scheme of things it is so much more. One commentary tells us that ‘Prayer is the complete submission of my heart, mind, body and soul to Him. We are told that sometimes we don’t even know what or how to pray so the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans and utterances.’
And we find the scripture to corroborate that in Bruh Paul’s letter to the Romans. ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (weaknesses): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.’ (Rom. 8:26-27)
Yes friends, when our inner being is in so much turmoil that we don’t how or what to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in and interprets those innermost groanings. ‘And the Father who knows all hearts, knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.’
Now that statement ‘according to God’s will’ is a most important one, because if what we pray for, even through ignorance, is not in His plan for us, or in His general will, then most likely we won’t get it. As James says in his epistle: ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures).’ (James 4:3)
And that’s no lie, for many of us take the scriptures for granted which say, ask and ye shall receive, (Matt. 7:7) so we ask for all the lustful stuff that goes against God’s will, and when we don’t get them, we wonder why, and complain that God is not real or truthful.
But then, sometimes God gives us stuff that we ask for that is not in His will, to show us the error of our ways. Instead, we should be taking account of this scripture from Jesus: ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’ (John 15:7) So the best way to know God’s will is to read His Word and talk to Him, through the medium of prayer.
Now here are two interesting scriptures on prayer. This first one we all know from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) That’s the awesome power of prayer my fellow believers!
Then there’s this verse from Psalm 65 – Praise to the Lord, where Bruh David says in no uncertain terms: ‘O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.’ (Ps. 65:2) And that’s the gospel truth friends, for all of us, even the staunchest unbelievers, when we suddenly find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, the first words to come out of our mouths are ‘O God!’
And there’s so much that can be said about prayer, but the greatest reason for us to turn to prayer is because of the example that Jesus set. Although He was the Son of God, and deity in His own right, He never made any serious decisions without consulting His heavenly Father. There are numerous places in the Bible where we see Jesus going off by Himself to pray. But my favourite scripture on Jesus’ prayer life is this one from the gospel of Mark. ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
Oh my fellow saints, prayer was such an important part of Christ’s life that before the day even dawned He was up and about communing with His father in a quiet place. So if Jesus needed prayer continually, what about us eh? Now that’s an example we all should try to follow, so that our lives will have more heavenly guidance. Much LOVE!
…prayer…being able to go to God without fear…any time…anywhere…with anything…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 50% capacity in churches, a pillar of cloud by day, and lo I am with you always, be strong and of a good courage, by night a pillar of fire, celebrating the Lord's day, don't give up, George Nooks, hit us with hurricane-like force, how is it that ye have no faith, I'll never forsake you, just hold on to Jesus, LOVE, Master carest not thou that we perish, remember His promise, Ride our Your Storm, stage 3 of pandemic opening, standing strong and steadfast, the greatest storm pilot -Jesus, the Lord went before them, the Shekinah glory of God, the violent stroms of life, then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, they'll do you no harm, though the waters be troubled, why are ye so fearful, your morning is coming, your nights of confusion, your ship has lost anchor
Mark 4:40. Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?
Awright friends, time to get excited, hopefully we’ll be going into stage 3 of the pandemic reopening next week, meaning we can then have about fifty percent capacity in our churches. Isn’t that good news? It surely is! For the first time in over a year it might make sense to reopen, although I believe some of the pandemic regulations like masks and physical distancing might still be in place. But whatever happens, today is Sunday, which means we ought to be celebrating the Lord’s Day, by gathering technologically, hopefully not for much longer, (smile) to give Him much thanks, sing His praises and glorify His holy name.
And, as we do each Sunday, our opening salvo is a glorious burst of worshipful song. Today’s song of worship is titled ‘Ride Out Your Storm.’ And we could not find a more appropriate song for these rather stormy times we have been recently experiencing. We are going to do the Reggae version, as done by the well-known Jamaican singer George Nooks. So, in an upbeat reggae tempo, with plenty riddim and background vocals, let’s raise our voices in sweet harmony, offering up sincere sacrificial praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
‘Don’t give up just ride out your storm. You’ve been in the storm and it seems like forever. And your nights of confusion have been too long. Your ship has lost anchor, and the storm’s got you drifting. Just hold on to Jesus And ride out your storm (Chorus: Ride out your storm, God is there with you, you may not feel him, but you’re not alone. You’re hurting now, but your morning is coming…Lord have mercy, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm) Remember His promise, He said I’ll never forsake you, though the waters are troubled, they’ll do you no harm. Don’t give up the battle for your answer is coming, just hold on to Jesus, hold on to Jesus, and just ride out your storm.
Ride out your storm God is still there with you, you may not feel him but you’re not alone. I know you’re hurting now but your morning is coming, Lord have mercy, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm. Oh Ride out your storm God is there with you, you may not feel him, but you’re not alone. Although you’re hurting now, your morning is coming, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm. You know He’ll never leave you, so just hold on to Jesus, and just ride out your storm. Hold on to Jesus, and ride out your storm.’
Oh friends, that was magnificent! There was no doubt in heaven that we were sincere in singing the praises of Jesus. The problem now is for us to put all that we’ve just said into action, which is much easier said than done. Yes, even for those of us with strong faith, when the violent storms of life hit us with hurricane-like force, it is ofttimes difficult to bring it to the forefront and stand strong on the promises of Jesus. But we have to do it, if we expect to overcome the storms, or merely to ride them out. And today I just want to reacquaint us with some scripture that helps us to do just that.
So let’s start at the beginning, it’s usually the best place. (smile) That means we are going right back to the Old Testament, when the Lord brought the Israelites out of 400 hundred years of bondage in Egypt. Now what does the Good Book tells us about that mighty Exodus? ‘And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.’ (Ex. 13:20-22)
And the scholars inform us that ‘This glowing cloud was the shekinah glory of Yahweh (a visible manifestation of God on earth), which later filled the tabernacle (Ex. 40:35) and then Solomon’s temple (1 Kin. 8:10), and finally departed from the temple and the city just before the Babylonian captivity (Ezek. 8-11). This “glory of the God of Israel” will not return to Israel until the Second Coming of Christ (Ezek. 43:1-7), at which time the glowing cloud will once again cover God’s earthly people. But back then, it guided the people through the wilderness, assured them of God’s presence, and protected them from the Egyptians (cf. Ex. 14:19-20).’
Now that alone should be enough to convince us that God is always with us, and will never leave nor forsake us. But I know that we are a stubborn, hard-ears lot, (smile) so listen to Moses to those Israelites who were just as stubborn and hard-ears as us. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them (the enemies they’d meet in the Promised Land): for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Deut. 31:6) Then Moses said the same thing to Joshua, the new leader, adding at the end ‘fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:8)
And if that wasn’t enough, after Moses died and Joshua took command, the Lord Himself reassured Joshua. ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5) But they had to meditate on His word and keep His commandments; ‘for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9)
And nothing has changed since then my brethren, except for Jesus coming and giving us even more assurances. Like He promised the disciples and all those who believed on Him and did His work: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) And remember the physical calming of the storm, when they were crossing the Sea of Galilee? The disciples were terribly afraid because the boat was in serious danger of capsizing, but Jesus lay sleeping comfortably in the stern, But they awoke Him and asked ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish?’ (Mark 4:38)
He obviously did, but He knew that there was no cause for worry since He was with them. That’s why after getting up and rebuking the wind, saying to the sea, ‘Peace be still,’ He also rebuked them by asking: ‘Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:39-40) And friends, it’s the same question Jesus asks of us when the storms of life beset us and we become so terrified that we don’t know our A from our E. (smile) ‘Where is your faith? Why is it so small? Haven’t you seen and heard enough about me and My word, and know that I am the eternal calmer of storms?’
Yes my fellow saints, we ought to know better than to be terrified of the storms of life when we have Jesus running the show. So, I hope this li’l review will reassure us, boost our faith, and keep us standing strong and steadfast, so that we can confidently ride them out on the strong and massive shoulders of Jesus. Much LOVE!
…the greatest storm pilot there ever was…Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
28 Apr 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a song of exaltation and praise, all his promises are faithful, ambassadors for Christ, circumstances should not run our lives, don't give up, end of sermon, everlasting kingdom of peace, for his mercy endureth for ever, give thanks and rejoice, glad to be alive, guided by the Holy Spirit, I am halfway home, I will exalt thee, I will praise thee, I'm not turning back, if we endure to the end, let's be joyful and celebrate, magnificent magnanimity, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, O Give thanks unto the Lord, panic mode, still flowing through me, thank God, the amazing benefit of living for Jesus, the breath of life, the Great tribulation, the help of Jesus, the joy of Jesus, the nations have been brought low, the peace and love of Jesus, the song of the redeemed, the story ends in our favour, the triumph of His judgement, the year of the variants, this is the day the Lord has made, thou art my God, to a glorious future with Jesus, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, words of awesome wisdom
Psalm 118:28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Glory be, mih people! It’s another day in the life! That means our great God has something useful for us to perform this Wednesday of April 2021, the year of the variants! (smile) So let’s be joyful and celebrate that nuh, for many aren’t around to do it.
Yes friends, each and every day we’re alive, we ought to give thanks and rejoice, for as the psalmist so wisely said a long time ago: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24)
Words of awesome wisdom, that ought to make a significant impact in and on our lives as believers in Christ Jesus, for our circumstances are not supposed to run our lives, but the Word of God. So let’s be grateful we made the wake-up list and celebrate it and give thanks despite the negative things in our lives.
Remember the good thing about being a believer is that unlike the unbeliever, we have the awesome help of Jesus when things are not going our way; His peace, His LOVE, His joy, which is our strength. So, in these pandemic and uncertain times we need to stand up strong and show the world the amazing benefit of living for and with Jesus.
As He said, we can cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us. But we have to truly believe that our lives are in God’s hands before our mountains can become like li’l molehills. So no matter what comes our way, we have life and hope and a bright future in living and working for Jesus, because He’ll never leave nor forsake us, because He sincerely promised that, and all His promises are faithful and reliable.
Oh my fellow believers, it’s of the utmost importance that as ambassadors for Christ, we stand up strong and steadfast and be good examples to the unbeliever, be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, like Jesus desires of us. For it’s only through us that others will see Him and the wonderful things He has to offer.
That’s why on this Wednesday, when everyone and everything around us seems to be in panic mode we can quite calmly and truthfully declare in the words of the psalmist: ‘Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 118:28-29)
What marvellous words of praise and thanksgiving, of encouragement and reassurance my brethren! It’s only when Christ is in our corner, that we can stand up strong to the storms and other negative things that come against us on this evil and sinful earth, and that deserves enormous praise and gratitude.
And the opening words of the song of the redeemed in Isaiah 25, puts it so wonderfully. ‘O Lord thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.’ (Is. 25:1)
And the scholars offer this marvellous explanation of this chapter, ‘25:1-12. Chapter 25 begins with a song of exaltation and praise to God for the triumph of His judgement of the world. The survivors of the Great Tribulation lift their voices in praise to God for His protection.
The cities of mankind have fallen into ruin and the nations of the earth have been brought low (i.e. humbled) before the mighty God who alone has been a refuge from the storm. The veil does not refer to the veil of the temple but to the covering of death that hangs over all nations. Yet God will swallow up death in victory (cf. 1 Cor. 15:54) and the Lord God will wipe away tears (Rev. 7:17). This act of His grace will then bring in the millennial kingdom.’
What more can we ask for eh my faithful believers? We know the end of the story: our God wins and then brings us into His everlasting kingdom of peace, LOVE, joy, and all the other good things available in His magnificent magnanimity!
So, if we know that the story ends in our favour, why the awful worries and anxieties eh? Just cast all your cares upon Him! Don’t give up! Don’t give in! In spite of how things may seem or appear, the only place we are truly safe is with God, through His most wonderful Son, Jesus Christ, as we are led and guided by His Holy Spirit! End of sermon mih bredrin! (smile)
And I do hope it makes some impact in all of our lives this Wednesday morning, and causes us to live a better life, be better ambassadors for Christ, than we might have been without it! But how can it not eh, when all it says is truth? (smile) So for those of us who are sincere in our desires to live for Christ, let’s go home now declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail, telling all and sundry about our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And let’s not forget that if we endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious than our puny minds can ask or imagine. So please hang in there my friends, for Jesus will never leave or forsake us if we hold tightly to Him and His awesome ways! Much LOVE!
…O give thanks unto the Lord…for his mercy endureth for ever…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
08 Mar 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cruel dream, against the workers of iniquity, awesome grace and mercy, bring for thy righteousness as the light, but their walk leaves a lot to be desired, cease from anger, come hell or high water, Commit thy way to the Lord, delight thyself in the Lord, do good, don't give up, for the crumbs that remain, forsake wrath, Fret not thyself over evildoers, give thee the desires of thine heart, it was all a dream, it's a balancing act, It's B.S., it's not equal or equitable, Jehovah Rapha, keep on fighting, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, neither be thou envious, only one sure way, praise Your Holy Name, rectify this untenable situation, Rest in the Lord, scrape the bottom of the barrel, show others the way, sincerely seek your face, Surrender our lives and souls to God, the disenfranchised, the God who heals, the haves talk a good talk, the many are suffering more than the few, the poor are getting poorer, the privileged are enjoying their privileges, the rich are getting richer, the righteous shall inherit the land, the true state of the wicked, the underprivileged, they shall soon be cut down like grass, this too shall pass, thy judgement as the noonday, trust in our Creator, trust in the Lord, wait patiently for him, wake up from our sinful slumber, walk our talk, wise guidance and direction, wither as the green herb, your humble servants
Psalm 37:1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
The 5. a.m. alarm sounds…and I roll over and mutter, ‘O Lord, is Monday, got to get up and go and open the shop. Customers will soon be there knocking on the door anxious to get in…’ and I see myself bustling to fix up the place before opening time. But then something significant happens. I finally open my eyes and realize that it was all a dream, a cruel one, but still a dream. No real alarm went off, and one won’t go off until I don’t know when, for I have not opened the shop in months, because of the lockdown, and it won’t be opening this morning either, although the lockdown has been eased some.
I am a barber, I am a hairdresser, I am an esthetician, but my premises must still remain closed, while the liquor stores, the pot stores and the big groceries are open and making a killing. They won’t even allow me one or two customers at a time. Steups! But they still want me to pay rent on a shop that they’ve closed up, not me. And how do I get money to do that eh? From the li’l pittance the government so graciously grants me every few weeks? Chuh blast! And what am I supposed to live on, and feed my family with eh? It’s B.S! It’s all B.S!
The rich as usual are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer, and the status quo still holds; the privileged ones are enjoying their usual privileges, while the underprivileged and disenfranchised scrape the bottom of the barrel for the crumbs that remain. But isn’t that the way it’s always been, from the beginning of time? The haves sometimes talk a good talk, but their actual walk leaves a lot to be desired.
I know it’s a balancing act, but the powers that be are not doing a good or even fair job of it. Those at the bottom of the feed trough are suffering so much more than those at the top, but they are still talking about we are all in this together. Yes, we are, but not equally or equitably! For the many are suffering a lot more than the few!
And how do we rectify this rather untenable situation eh? Let’s see now. The first thing is that we must not give up. Come hell or high water we must continue fighting, because like all adversity, this too shall and must pass! And how do we do that? There’s only ONE sure way that I know, and that’s to trust in our Creator, Almighty God. Surrender our lives and souls to Him completely. He created us and still cares for us, and is the best one to lead and guide us through the universe He’s created for us to spend our formative years – eternity is our adult years. (smile)
And believe me, our God is allowing this pandemic to terrorize us because He’s trying to wake us up from our sinful slumber and bring us back to Him. Now the best way to do that is by taking His holy word to heart. Listen, as Bruh David teaches how from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’(Ps. 37:1-2)
Oh friends, that’s the initial step; do not envy or be jealous of the wicked who seem to prosper in their wickedness, for when the Lord is ready, their time of reckoning will come upon them. He has faithfully promised us that: ‘the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.’ (Ps. 37:28b-29)
Then here comes the mainstay: ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps. 37:3-6)
Yes my faithful brethren, that’s the starting point for us to stay strong and never give. Trust and delight in the Lord, and commit our way to Him, follow His lead and guidance, His plan for our life. No it’s not easy, but once we truly surrender to Him, He will enable us to do it. Then, as Bruh Paul would say: ‘And having done all that, thenSTAND!’(Eph. 6:13b) (smile)
But Bruh David puts it this way. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:7-9)
And that my people, is the only way to get through this pandemic successfully; turn your eyes heavenward to the One who made you and cares a whole lot about you, judging from the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, that He made on your behalf. So let’s begin at the beginning nuh, turning our lives over to God through sincere prayer, namely our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
As one voice now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the many natural disasters that now seem more prevalent than ever.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control.
And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’
Now let’s go out and live up to our word. Much LOVE!
…like the haves…we Christians also talk a good talk…but in these troubled times…we desperately need to walk our talk…Jesus is depending on us to show others the way…
12 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith, amidst all the confusion, be of good cheer, be responsible, bring backsliders back to your fold, Covid-19 virus, distress, don't give up, drive me crazy, every tongue that speaks ill of us, facing uphill battles, faith is belief in action, faithful believers, famine, Friday chant, I am persuaded, I give up, i have overcome the world, in all these things, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, keep walking in His awesome love, money in short supply, nakedness, neither death, no job, no weapon formed against us will prosper, nor angels, nor life, nothing has changed, obey the rules, omnipotent help, our sinful world, persecution, racial strife, raise our faith, reassure us of the goodness of God, sending the children back to school, separate us from the love of God, talk to the Lord, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the only way to handle difficulties, the ordinary workingman, the virus still running rampant, these things I have spoken unto you, things too conflicting, through him that loved us, tribulation, unrest in the streets, unused faith is a waste of time, use the pandemic, wake up and smell the coffee, walked with Christ beside you, walking with Christ, we are more than conquerors, we still on lockdown, who shall separate us from the Love of Christ
Romans 8:37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that LOVED us.
Welcome to Friday; somewhat snowy and blustery, but all a part of the winter system. Hope I think so when I have to go out the street later. (smile) So how’s your day going so far eh? I hope for those of you in my time zone it’s begun on a good note, and for those of you whose day is almost ending, hoping that you had a good one, despite whatever difficulties you encountered, as you walked with Christ beside you all the way.
Oh my people, I shouldn’t have to remind us, but I will, (smile) that walking with Christ is the ONLY way to handle, to mitigate some of the troubles and difficulties we’ll experience in this evil and dangerous world. Remember Jesus promised that we’d have problems, but once we’re walking with him, things would be all right. Here’s what He said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Yes friends, we all know that scripture, but do we really consider it when hard times come against us? That is the question. Do we remember promises like that when we’re facing uphill battles and need reassurance? I hope so, because that’s what those scriptures are for; to reassure us of the goodness of God and His promise to work things out eventually for the good of all those who LOVE Him, and sincerely try to do His will.
So please, I implore us, in these rough and uncertain times, to keep the promises of our God front and centre in our lives, so we can use them to raise our faith and keep walking in His awesome and amazing LOVE! Otherwise, our supposed faith is just a waste of time. It doesn’t make sense having faith if you don’t use it positively. End of sermon! (smile)
Now let’s see what the ordinary workingman has to say today nuh. And he is somewhat crochety. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes, and I’m still alive, though just barely. And I don’t know what you all expect me to say nuh. Nothing has changed in the last little while; we still on lockdown, I still don’t have no job, money in short supply, the virus an’ them still running rampant all over the world…So what new thing all yuh expect me to say eh?
Oh, they thinking about sending some of the children back to school…when? I don’t know, and don’t really understand why everybody want them to go back to school. If big people can’t handle the situation, how yuh expect children to handle it in such crowed schools like we have eh?
Steups! I just give up yes! Things too conflicting, yuh getting all sorts of different information from different people, and everybody claiming that theirs is the truth. So what’s an ordinary body to do eh? I don’t know about nobody else nuh, but me, I’m just going to keep me peace, and do the best I can with what I have. That is provided this lock up home situation don’t drive me crazy before we get the situation under control. Until then, I’ll just have to thank God and ask Him to keep me and mine safe oui.’
Ah mih bredrin, I think that’s the best advice for all of us yes; don’t give up, obey the rules as best we can, don’t put ourselves in any untenable situations, and talk to the Lord in all sincerity about the situation. It’s all in His hands friends, and He’s promised that this too shall pass, and also that no weapon formed against us will prosper, and every tongue that speaks ill of us will be condemned. (Is. 54:17)
And Bruh Paul has also reminded us of our divine heritage with these words. ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35, 37-39) And all of God’s children said a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’
Yes friends, I do hope that we are all truly persuaded that NOTHING will separate us from God’s LOVE, because if we don’t, then our faith is again a waste of time and crapaud will smoke we pipe. And having said all that, let’s do the first thing we ought to do each and every day, and when we are in troubled times, turn to God in sincere prayer. And some of you might be wondering why I keep talking about sincerity, but that’s simply because the Lord doesn’t just hear our words, but checks the motives, the sincerity of our hearts before He considers our requests.
So with sincere hearts (smile) let’s lift up our Friday Chant to heaven. As one voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. Yuh know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife causing. We not accustomed to that kind of life Lord, and it really telling on us. And we know we can’t handle it on our own, that we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the sure and wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And now that we’ve shown our hearts to be sincere, let’s show the world that we are truly faithful believers in Christ Jesus and handle the situation as we ought to! Much LOVE!
…faith is belief in action…so let’s get some serious action going nuh…to show some serious faith…
27 Sep 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a constant affair, a contrite spirit, a crown of righteousness, a life relationship, cast all your cares on Him, crushed in spirit, darkening the church doors, doing life with God, don't give up, ease the pain, encouraging words, eternity, fear of Covid -19, God is the answer, God why, gospel truth, he saveth such as be of, heavenly rewards, humility of Spirit, Judith Gayle, my mouth shall show forth thy praise, only one place we are safe, open thou my lips, relieved of your burdens, revive the heart of the contrite ones, revive the spirit of the humble, song of praise, Stay with God, the comforting arms of Jehovah God, the great invitation, the heartaches are severe, the Lord is nigh, the Lord's Day, the only sensible way, the road gets rocky, them of a broken heart, thou delightest not in burnt offering, thou desirest not sacrifice, to all life's cares, under the rock
Psalm 34:18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (crushed in spirit).
The Lord’s day, the Lord’s Day, it’s here mih bredrin! But sadly, we not breaking down the doors of His sanctuary to gather together in worship, as there are still restrictions and many people are still anxious about darkening the church doors for fear of the Covid-19 virus. But as Bruh Paul said to the church at Rome: ‘nothing can separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:30) And that’s the gospel truth! So though all of us can’t gather to worship as we desire, there are ways for all of us to worship, if we so desire. (smile)
And today in our song of praise, one a friend recently acquainted me with, and from the time I heard it, I knew we had to sing it this Sunday. (smile) Thanks friends, for all the good and useful stuff you all send me through WhatsApp. And today we slowing it down, we going soulful, getting it straight from the heart in a contemporary Christian song by Jamaican gospel singer Judith Gayle, titled ‘Stay with God!’ And if that isn’t the best news in the world, then I don’t know what is nuh! So in strong and soulful voice, with sweet harmony, let’s raise our sacrifice of praise to high heaven, pouring out our hearts in utter sincerity.
‘I know the mountains get so high sometimes I know the valley seems so wide It seems this journey, it will never end, And you keep asking the question: God why? I know the road it gets so rocky at times Ahhh, I know the heartaches are severe Oh, It seems like life will never change its tide But there’s an answer to all of life’s cares. (Chorus: Stay with God In spite of what you see or feel Stay with God In spite of how things may appear Come on, Stay with God It doesn’t matter what may come our way There is only one place we are safe Stay with God.)
I know the way you feel says give up now I know you feel you can’t hold on You’re not the only one who is carrying your load Remember He said to cast all your cares on Him. I know you cry and tell everyone you meet Because you feel that will ease the pain But if you just believe your life is in God’s hands Then today I tell you your mountains have to disappear. (Chorus – twice) Ooh yeah You got life in Him There is hope in Him There’s a bright future Just stay with him yeah just stay with him yeah Oh he’ll never leave you He’ll never never forsake you no
Just cast all your cares upon Him Don’t give up now Don’t give in no Whatever may come your way God is always there, Stay with God In spite of what you see or feel Stay with God In spite of how things may appear Stay with God It doesn’t matter what may come our way There is only one place we are safe Come on, Stay with God Stay with Jesus Stay with Jesus Stay with God Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God yeah Stay with God…Stay with Jesus…Stay with God…right until the end…Stay with God…’
Oh friends, those are the most truthful and encouraging words you can ever say to another human being! Why? Because there’s only ONE place in this world where you can be sure of safety and comfort and care: in the LOVING and comforting arms of Jehovah God, that’s under the rock that’s higher than we are and thus safer too. The Lord God Almighty is the answer to ALL of life’s cares.
He’s invited you to come to Him and be relieved of your burdens through His Great Invitation. (Matt. 11:28-30) He’s also told you to cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:7) He’s also promised ‘never to leave nor forsake you.’ (Heb. 13:5) And when you endure to the end with Him, there’s a bright and glorious future in store for you, with a crown of righteousness and magnificent heavenly rewards.
But friends, to be able to do all of that successfully, you must give your life over to God, surrender your life to Him, and then spend time in prayer, or conversation with Him, while reading and meditating on His holy word with obedience to it a priority. There also needs to be humility of spirit, no false human pride, and a contrite heart.
Isaiah puts it this way. ‘For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’ (Is, 57:15) And Bruh David said it twice. In Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous – he proclaims: ‘The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (crushed in spirit).’ (Ps. 34:18)
And then in that powerful psalm 51 – A prayer for cleansing – when he finally admits to his sins with Bathsheba, after the prophet Nathan drapes him up, Bruh David declares (awright!): ‘Oh Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ (Ps. 51:15-17)
Yes friends, those are some of the basic ways we ‘Stay with God.’ And please remember, it is not a one time, one and done thing, but it has to be a constant affair, for staying with God means you are always around Him, and He is always around you. It’s a life relationship; even till after death. In fact, eternity is the time when it gets real good! (smile) So on this last Sunday in September, of this crazy and tumultuous year of 2020, when the worse possibly hasn’t happened as yet, let’s remember that the best way to face life is to ‘Stay with God!’ Much LOVE!
…doing life with God…that’s the ONLY sensible way to go about it…
17 May 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a repentant people, battles are already won, blaspheming God, called by my name, confidence, corporate worship, Covid-19, Da Flame, don't give up, enthusiasm, faithful, feeling like and outcast, get down on my knees, God answers prayer, God is the answer, he sees every tear drop, he sees every weakness, He's never late, hear thou from the heavens, heartache, his thoughts and ways are higher than ours, humble themselves, I will forgive their sin, if my people, in the hard times, learn to wait on Him, made in this place, merciful ever-loving God, mine ears attentive, mine eyes shall be open, physical distancing, physical greetings, pray, problems overflow, repentance, restrictions, seek my face, strengthened me, technological interaction, their prayer and supplication, time of need, turn from their wicked ways, unto the prayer, with strength in my soul
2 Chronicles 7:15. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent (attentive) unto the prayer that is made in this place.
Chuh! One more Sunday without physical corporate worship friends. But don’t worry, we’re drawing close to the day when the Lord’s sanctuaries will again be opened, and we’ll greet each other with hugs and kisses and handshakes and other physical greetings, as we sing and dance and enjoy physical fellowship together under one roof. (smile) As children of the Most High God Jehovah we must resonate with hope. And the restrictions are being slowly loosened, so it’s not like I’m totally talking out of my hat.
Anyway, we’re still restricted from gathering physically to worship, but not through all the handy technological means we have today. So let’s get on with it nuh, let’s sing and dance and listen to the Word and gain confidence and enthusiasm and strength from it through our technological interaction, in our own personal spaces, adhering to the restrictions of physical distancing, but enjoying the social and spiritual closeness that we so badly need. And in these pandemic times, times of much anxiety and uncertainty, when our world is caught between a rock and a hard place with this Coronavirus that’s overwhelming us, we need a song of praise and worship that encourages and strengthens us and gives us hope for the future.
And today we have one such song, most appropriately titled ‘God answers Prayer,’ sung by a young Jamaican lady who calls herself Da Flame. It’s a medium tempo soulful song, that details our many problems, but gives us hope, because we have someone who looks after us in our time of need. So in soulful harmony, let’s raise our sacrifice of praise and pleading to high heaven, drawing every emotion from deep down in our hurting and anxious hearts. ‘If you’re ever feeling down and like you have no where to go. If you’re feeling like an outcast as your problems overflow, just remember there is someone, and all it takes is for you to know, is that God is the answer, and God answers prayer.
(Chorus: He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. I get down on my knees, and I say Saviour help me please. Because one thing is for certain, is my God answers prayer) You may be broken and feel battered, but your strength will surely come, in the midst of all your heartache. Your battles are already won. Just remember in the hard times, don’t give up, don’t say you’re done, because God is the answer, and God answers prayer.
(He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. I get down on my knees, and I say Saviour help me please. Because one thing is for certain, is my God answers prayer. Oh He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for us. So let’s get down on our knees, and say, Saviour, help us please. Because one thing is for certain…our God answers prayer.’
Oh yes friends, that’s an indisputable fact: our great and faithful, merciful and gracious, forgiving and ever-LOVING God answers each and every prayer we offer up to Him with a sincere heart. He might not give us what we want when we want it, but He does answer our requests, with either an outright no, because it’s not in His will, a wait, not yet, or a definite yes.
And the one good thing that this Covid-19 disease is doing is turning more people than ever to prayer, because we realize that man made answers are not being quickly forthcoming, and when the chips are finally down, when we have no where else to turn, many of us turn to God, as our last resort, our final hope.
And nothing’s wrong with that, although He should be our first avenue of help. The problem though is when we finally turn to Him and He doesn’t respond as quickly as we like, we get annoyed and go back to blaspheming and bad talking Him. But that’s another sermon for another day. (smile) Today we’re talking about Him answering our prayers. And that He certainly does, though not necessarily in our time. Remember He says that His thoughts and ways and timing are higher than ours, so one of the things we have to do is learn to wait on Him. He might take a while, but I can assure you, He’s NEVER late.
And if you don’t believe me that He answers prayer, let’s look at a couple of scriptures that reassure us of it. Remember when Cousin Sol dedicated the majestic temple in Israel? Well he asked the Lord for one basic thing; if His children faltered in their obedience, but then returned and prayed at the temple, His house: ‘Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.’ (2 Chr. 6:35)
And what was the Lord’s reply? ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent (attentive) unto the prayer that is made in this place.’ (2 Chr. 7:14-15) And we see it happen all the way through the Good Book, where the Israelites turned away from God, then turned back, and He heard their prayer and forgave them. The same thing goes for us today my brethren.
As the scholars tell us: ‘7:14-15. While this promise was originally given to Solomon regarding the people of Israel, it is certainly applicable to all who will call on the Lord in repentance and faith. These verses stand as a high expression of God’s LOVING readiness to hear the prayers of a repentant people (cf. 6:37-39; James 4:8-10).’
Yes friends, God answers prayer, but our hearts, our motives must be right. Now are our hearts and motives right, are we being truly repentant in these pandemic times, or are we just mouthing platitudes, and as soon as He heals our land, we’ll go back to our old, wicked ways? I don’t know, but He will certainly check it out first.
And Bruh David verified that the Lord answers prayer, when he declared: ‘In the day when I cried thou answeredst (answered) me, and strengthenedst (strengthened) me with strength in my soul.’ (Ps. 138:3) And Jesus faithfully promised the disciples: ‘And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’ (Matt.21:22) Meanwhile, John says it thus: ‘And whatever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.’ (John 14:13-14)
Ah mih people, our God does answer prayer, but there are indeed some requirements for us to meet. Much LOVE!
…answered prayer…calls for…sincere hearts…and true belief in Jesus…
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