22 May 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a rainy Sunday, aura of love, bounden duty, Canadians, clothed with majesty, clothed with strength, confidence, conquerors, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, end times, energy, enthusiasm, friends, girded himself, glorious kingdom, God is alive, guilty, hardy breed, harmonious choir, holy spirit, homage, humble servants, hungry hope, I am with you always, impeding God's work, in the name of the Father, inventive, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, lies, LOVE, loving kindness, Lucifer, make disciples of, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, moral support, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., shout it to high heaven, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, taunts, teach, the Gentiles, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Great Commission, the heathen, the Holy Ghost, the Lord reigns, the nature of the beast, the SON, the world is established, trust, truth, turning away from God, ungodly world, vacation time, Victoria Day, wiles, wisdom, wood ants, words of truth
Psalm 93:1. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved (shaken).
And it was a rainy Sunday… Yes friends, the rain spoiled the outside celebrations yesterday for our Victoria Day long weekend. Chuh! But we Canadians are a hardy and inventive breed; no wonder our party season is in the winter and vacation time is the summer. And despite the rain, I’m sure that the celebrations, which had to be moved inside, were just as rocking and rollicking as if they had been outside. (smile)
And we still have one day to go, which should be sunny, so please, please, listen to Granny, and drunk or sober, please mind yuh business. Don’t give Lucifer even a small chance to become involved in it, because like wood ants, once he gets in, you won’t notice or see him, until the whole house is falling down around your head. (smile)
And fortunately for us in this great country called Canada, most of us don’t have to go out and labour today…Thank you Queen Vic! But others around the world do, so let’s sing along with them, give them some moral support, as they face the rough Monday morning going. As one big harmonious choir now, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, with plenty energy and hungry hope.
‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah friends, it had plenty energy, but it certainly wasn’t harmonious; more hoarse and croaky than anything. And as always, the loudest and croakiest voices belonged to those who did not have to go to work today. That’s just the nature of the beast. And our choirmaster, Jesus, just smiled like an indulgent father, appreciating our energetic though totally off-key output.
And that brings us to our Bit. ‘The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved (shaken).’
Glorious words of truth my people! As we said at the beginning of our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, He is ‘the Creator of the universe and all therein!’ Therefore we ought to pay Him great homage, exalt His holy name throughout all the universe, as Jesus instructed His disciples: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always(s), even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20)
And that’s the Great Commission that has been handed down to us my brethren! But I don’t think we’re doing such a great job of it nuh. Let’s see, are we doing what the psalmist advocates?
‘Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth (proclaim the good news of) his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen (gentiles), his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Give (ascribe) unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give (ascribe) unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear (tremble) before him all the earth. Say among the heathen (gentiles) that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be (is firmly) established that it shall not be moved (shaken): he shall judge the people righteously.’ (Ps.96:2-10)
Oh my people are we doing those things in these end times? Obviously not to the best of our ability, otherwise so many people would not be turning away from God and gladly embracing the wicked and evil ways of the world.
Ah friends, it’s up to us to teach our children about the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so that His mighty wonders and LOVING-kindness can be passed down from generation to generation. Please, let’s not be guilty of impeding God’s work, of not passing on the vital formation that we’ve been commissioned to do, because we’ll have to answer for it one day. Much LOVE!
…if we sincerely believe that God is alive and great…then it’s our bounden duty to shout it to high heaven…
21 May 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a toehold, all creatures great and small, All things bright and beautiful, all things wise and wonderful, British Empire, clothed with majesty, come before him, death, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, each bird that sings, eternally grateful, girded himself, glory to God, good things, good tidings, Granny's wise words, I AM, imprtance, Israel, it cannot be moved, joy, joyous time, let our hair down, LOVE, loving-kindness, magnify the Lord, meadows, outpouring of love, peace, praise his holy name, reipe fruits, resurrection, rushes by the water, sacrifice, salvation, smell the roses, strength, summer sun, tall trees, thanksgiving, the beauty of nature, the evil one, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Lord God made them all, the Lord reigns, the New testament, the wonder of Jesus, the world is established, Victoria Day, wisdom, worthy to be praised
Psalm 93:1. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved (shaken).
Oh friends, what a joy it is to wake up one more day and smell the roses! Wow! Our God certainly knows how to thrill us; what with the beauty of nature and the wonder of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
And would you believe that I completely forgot that this was a long weekend in the greatest big country in the world – Canada. It’s the Victoria Day holiday on Monday to celebrate the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) over the British Empire, at a time when the sun truly never set on it.
So you can imagine the celebrations have begun in earnest since possibly Thursday, and I’m probably a tad late in reminding us to heed Granny’s wise words – Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business! (smile)
But putting all jokes aside, we definitely don’t want to give the evil one even a toehold in our souls as we continue celebrating over the next two days. So let’s be very careful how we let our hair down in this joyous time nuh.
Consequently, as we gather this Sunday morning to praise, worship and fellowship in God’s sanctuary, let’s open the proceedings with this glorious hymn of praise, regarding the beauty of nature that we’ve spoken of above. Now, with a burning joy in our souls, let’s lift up our heads, hearts, eyes and hands as we open our mouths and offer a sacrifice of praise to our great and wonderful God.
‘(Refrain: All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.) Each little flow’r that opens, Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings. (Refrain) The purple-headed mountains, The river running by, The sunset and the morning That brightens up the sky. (Refrain)
The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, He made them every one. (Refrain) The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water, To gather every day. (Refrain)
He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.’
And isn’t that all gospel truth my people? It is indeed! Our great God made it ALL, and He made it WELL! Now we must sing forth His praise, magnify His Holy Name and let the world know about all His wonderful deeds, plus His LOVING-kindness, mercy, grace, forgiveness and salvation that He has so LOVINGLY prepared for all those who belief on the name of Jesus Christ His sinless Son!
Wow! What an awesome God we serve and worship my brethren! Please let us never forget that! And thus we are able to truthfully declare the words of the psalmist in our Bit: ‘The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved (shaken).’
Oh glory to our great God my people! He is indeed the great I AM! There’s NONE like Him in all the world! How could there be eh, when He made it ALL? That’s just not logical!
And Psalm 95 – A psalm of praise to the great God admonishes us: ‘Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto him with psalms (songs). For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand (His possession) are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand (under his care.’ (Ps.95:2-7)
Ah mih breddren, if we would just take our God as seriously as we should eh, our world and our lives would be so much better off than they are right now! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to the prophet Isaiah as he declares to his people Israel the promise that the Lord, the God of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will deliver them from captivity.
‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings (news), that publisheth (proclaims) peace; that bringeth good tidings (news) of good (things), that publisheth (proclaims) salvation). That saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth.’ (Is.52:7)
Now what more can we ask for or want eh friends? We have the bringing of good tidings, good news and good things through the gospel of the New Testament, where Christ indeed offered us peace and salvation through His sacrifice of death, His awesome resurrection and His atonement for our sins!
One would think that we’d be all overjoyed by such a monumental outpouring of LOVE and joy, but unfortunately it has left many of us unmoved, even annoyed and angry. Hn! But friends, the wise few of us indeed know who butters our bread – Almighty God – and we are eternally grateful!
Now let’s see if we can’t spread the good tidings of good things as Jesus desires of us, so that others can recognize its immortal importance and joyfully give their lives to Him too. For that is the wisdom of the ages! Much LOVE!
…oh magnify the Lord with me…praise His holy name…for He is indeed worthy to be praised…
17 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: above every name, almighty god, at the name of Jesus, aura of love, confidence, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Easter Monday, enthusiasm, every knee should bow, every tongue should confess, faith, fire water, fleshly realities, friends, given him a name, glorious kingdom, gluttonous, God hath highly exalted him, Granny's advice, He is faithful that promised, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, humility, invincible, Jesus Christ, Jesus christ is Lord, Jesus' resurrection, jobs, joy, keeping families together, let this mind be in you, lies, LOVE, love to hate day, loving kindness, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, no reputation, obedience, obedient unto death, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, rewards, salvation, sing up a storm, sins, spiritual armour, spiritual implications, steadfast faith, taunts, Thank You Lord, the form of a servant, to the glory of God, trust, ungodly world, uplift their spirits, wiles, wisdom
Philippians 2:9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.
Well mih people, it’s Monday, our favourite LOVE to hate day! (smile) But since today is Easter Monday, and a holiday for many of us, I am only hearing moaning and groaning and other unprintable remarks from a small portion of the populace. The majority of us are just rolling over with a big smile and saying ‘Thank You Lord!’ and going back to sleep.
But before you do that, we need to sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with our less fortunate brethren, those who have to go out and labour today, help uplift their spirits and dampen their jealousy. (smile) You know there’s comfort in fellowship and all that…Hn, hn! And I hear even more negative stuff coming from the unfortunate throng.
So as one voice, let’s sing up a storm this Monday morning nuh. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh friends, that was surely loud, but also raucous and not very harmonious. And as usual, the loudest and most raucous voices came from those who don’t have to work today. Jesus, our choirmaster, just had to shake His head in frustration and understanding.
And for those of us who are home today, please don’t use the Easter celebrations as an excuse to imbibe too much fire water, or become gluttonous, with the wide array of food and drink available, and thus give the deceitful Lucifer any loopholes to enter our souls. Consider the spiritual implications of Jesus’ wonderful work more than the fleshly realities. (smile) And please remember Granny’s words of wisdom: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’ Those are words that will always stand us in good stead my brethren.
And since we are still in the Resurrection celebration mode, it’s useful to see what the Father did after Jesus rose from the grave. But before we get to that, let’s check up on Jesus’ earthly attitude.
Bruh Paul advises the Philippians thus: ‘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 on the cross.’ (Phil.2:5-8)
Yuh see friends, though Jesus was God incarnate, when He became man, He didn’t abuse His godly powers, but focused on His human nature and was obedient to the Father’s every will, even going to the cross to die for our abominable sins. Hn! The strange thing is that none of us have His godly powers, but yet plenty of us are bombastic enough to act like God unto our fellow man.
Now we’ll see how God rewarded Him for His obedience and faithfulness. Our Bit tells us: ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.’ Yes my people, the heavenly Father rewarded Jesus by exalting His name to the highest available position; second only to His!
And furthermore: ‘That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil.2:10-11) Ah my brethren, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! He is indeed a rewarder of those who sincerely seek and obey Him.
As the author of Hebrews reminds us: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering;) for he is faithful that promised;) (Heb.10:23) That simply means, that as believers, we need to remain steadfast, humble and obedient to the will of God, and in due time He will reward us with such a multiplicity of rewards, both down here on earth and in heaven, that we won’t know what to do with them!
Wow! Now, I don’t know about you all, but that surely sounds like perfect wisdom to me, and I will surely do my best to be eligible for as many rewards as possible. Why don’t you join me? Much LOVE!
…there’s nothing like humility and obedience…to win God’s favour…
15 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Abide in me, all things are possible, battle armour, beliefs, Christian faith, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Easter, events, faith in Jesus Christ, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God's LOVE, Good Friday, gospel truth, grace, hope, human trait, I am the vine, I can do all things through Christ, Lent, lifting our spirits, look on the bright side, LOVE, Lucifer, negative manner, nomadic life, not in vain, not sufficient in ourselves, optimism, our sufficiency is in God, Paul, persecuted the church of God, positive, preaching Christ crucified, reconciliation with the Father, Resurrection Sunday, thanks and praise, the Corinthians, the grace of God, the moral of the story, the Philippians, the power to make me happy, this is the day the Lord has made, true potential, trust, without me ye can do nothing, ye are the branches, yesterday is dead
Philippians 4:13. I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me!
Well friends, it’s Easter Saturday; another season of Lent is over with the passing of Good Friday and Jesus is resting quietly in His tomb. Glory to God! We’re only waiting for the big day now; Resurrection Sunday, possibly the greatest day in the history of the Christian faith.
I know many people prefer Christmas to Easter, but without Easter there could be no death, thus no payment for sins, no Resurrection and consequently no reconciliation with the Father, salvation and eternal life. We’d be left forever wallowing in the deep and deadly mire of sin.
So Easter is indeed a most important time in our faith, that’s why we ought to celebrate it with joy and gladness, offering up songs of thanks and praise to our heavenly Father who made it all possible through His awesome, amazing, undaunted, unconditional LOVE for us.
But please remember, that though Lent is over and the celebrations will begin today, we must not overdo it, and give occasion to Lucifer to penetrate our spiritual battle armour. So let’s take Granny’s advice to heart, one more time; ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business!’ (smile) And that truly is some of the best advice we can ever receive my brethren.
Now since today is Saturday, I guess we ought to take a look at some other advice, this from our friend Anselm, who aspires to inspire us in our daily living. He had some interesting advice this week. Listen to this one. ‘Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.’
And that’s certainly an option that’s open to us all. It’s like the verse from Psalm 118 that we often declare: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ It’s our choice how we view and then spend the day; it can either be in a positive or negative manner.
That brings us to this next quote: ‘Optimism is the most important human trait, because it allows us to evolve our ideas, to improve our situation, and to hope for a better tomorrow.’
Now I don’t know if optimism is indeed the most important human trait, but it surely is a very important one, because it allows us to look on the bright side of every situation and gives us hope that things can get better, thereby lifting our troubled and worried spirits..
And this last quote reinforces all the others. ‘Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.’
And nobody knows that better than we Christian believers! Our faith in Jesus Christ can cause us to move mountains, as we believe that with our great God ALL THINGS are possible!
And that brings us to our Bit: ‘I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me!’ Glory Hallelujah my believing brethren!
Like in Bruh Paul’s life, when he made that statement to the Philippians, our God places us in certain situations, and then gives us the enabling power to handle them. Whether we be rich or poor, abounding or abased, weak or strong, God gives us the strength, the power to be content in them all, regardless of their complexity and/or painfulness.
And we see this attitude and belief in all of Bruh Paul’s teachings, though how else could it be eh, seeing the rough, dangerous, nomadic life he led once he began preaching Christ crucified?
Listen to him in the first epistle to the Corinthians. ‘ For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (1 Cor.15:9-10)
Yeh friends, it’s only through God’s saving grace that Bruh Paul could have survived all the dangers and rough times he encountered during his missionary journeys. And the same thing goes for us; only through God’s grace are we able to bear the trials and tribulations of this earthly life.
Now hear him in the second epistle to the Corinthians, as he talks about ministers in the New Testament. ‘And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God:’ (2 Cor,3:4-5) Yes friends, we are indeed nothing without God!
Now let’s end with the immortal and authoritative words on the subject, from the mouth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself. ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5)
And if there ever was real gospel truth, that’s it! Without an association with Christ we are powerless to do anything, much less to bear much good fruit in this life. So the moral of the story is to get in good with Christ, and stay attuned to Him all the days of our lives. And there’s no better time to do so than right now at Easter; the time of His awesome, world changing Resurrection! Much LOVE!
…only in and through Christ…do our lives live up to their true potential…
20 Feb 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a roof over you head, accused, and know my heart, aura of love, Beelzebub, blessed, Canada, choirmaster, Christians, compassionate, confidence, David, dread, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, faith, Family day, fate, favour, fellowship of faith, forgiveness, forgiving, friends, God's kingdom, grace, Granny's advice, heavenly Father, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, if there be any wicked way in me, innocence, integrity, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, judge me, know my anxious thoughts, lead me in the way everlasting, lies, LOVE, loving kindness, merciful, mercy, motives, nice thread to wear, peace, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., salvation, scowl, search me O God, should not eat, sincere, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, taunts, the truth will set you free, trust, truth, try me, ungodly world, wiles, wisdom, work, workers
Psalm 139:23-24. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
And then it was Monday, the day that so many of us workers dread. But technically speaking friends, there’s no need to fear Mondays; that’s if we have used the weekend the right way and gotten enough rest and strength from our weekly fellowship of faith. But if instead we have abused the weekend, then we will be grouchy and miserable and don’t want to get up to go to work.
Some of us in Canada are lucky, or rather blessed, because we don’t have to go to work today, because it’s a Provincial Holiday. Good ole Canada!
But for those of you who have to go work, please look at the situation this way nuh. As Bruh Paul told the Thessalonians. ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (2 Thess.3:10)
So it’s quite okay if you don’t want to work, but just remember that you won’t be eating either, and eventually you won’t have a roof over your head either… or nice threads to wear… (smile) So what’s your choice eh?
Hopefully that lights a fire under us this Monday morning and gets us moaning and groaning out of the bed and up and about. And to further encourage us, we have this antidote for the Monday morning blues, it’s called our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, so let’s sing it out with much verve and enthusiasm and thus raise our adrenaline level.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh friends, that wasn’t too bad, our choirmaster, Jesus didn’t scowl…but neither did He smile, because He knew that the loudest and most raucous voices were coming from the Canadians who did not have to work today.
And we Canadians, please, please, as we celebrate Family Day, or whatever it’s called in your Province, remember Granny’s advice: Drunk or sober, please mind yuh business. And don’t give Beelzebub a chance to get a toehold in your affairs, since it’s always so much trouble to get rid of him, and he can do an awful lot of damage in a short space of time.
But one of the ways to get rid of him is to do as Bruh David does in our Bit, cry out to our God in all sincerity: ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Yes my fellow believers, the easiest way to handle any problems at all in our lives, regardless of what they might be, is to go to our heavenly Father with them. But we have to be sincere, for remember He doesn’t just listen to our words, but digs deep into our hearts to discover our real motives. And if they are sincere, He will NEVER turn us away, but tenderly lead and guide us to where He wants us to go. That’s the beauty of our wonderful Father – ever LOVING, kind, compassionate, forgiving and merciful!
No wonder Bruh David kept going back to Him, time and again, when he found himself in trouble, whether of his own causing or not. Listen to him from Psalm 143 – Teach me to do thy will. He soulfully declares: ‘Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee (take cover) unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken (revive) me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy cut off (put an end to) mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.’ (Ps.143:9-12)
Oh friends, if our heart is right, how can our merciful and graceful God not respond favourably to such an outpouring of anguish eh? Bruh David knew this principle that’s why he successfully received favour from God. Hear him again from Psalm 26 – Examine me, O Lord, and prove me.
This time he cries out: ‘Judge (vindicate) me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide (slip). Examine me, O Lord, and prove (try) me; try my reins (test my mind) and my heart. For thy LOVING-kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.’ (Ps.26:1-3)
Ah mih people, like Job when he was wrongfully accused by his friends, Bruh David seems to have suffered the same fate, and cried out in innocence to his heavenly Father. No reason why we can’t do likewise, provided it’s the truth. Much LOVE!
…in God’s kingdom…the truth will ALWAYS set you free…
26 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: 24/7 machine, a feather in his cap, according to His purpose, all things work together for good, as a roaring lion, aura of love, Beelzebub, Casting all your care, catch us offside, Christians, christmas day, confidence, confirm, conquerors, contempt, devour, discourtesy, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, encouragement, enthusiasm, eternal glory, ever-faithful, evil, exalt you, face the music, faith, families, friends, frivolities of the world, glorious kingdom, glory and dominion, grace, Granny's advice, heartfelt compassion, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, humble yourselves, in due time, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, joy, kind words, labour, leave nor forsake us, lies, lives, LOVE, loving kindness, Lucifer, make you perfect, mercy, nobody but Jesus, nobody know the trouble I see, out of key, raucous sound, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, resist, rest, righteousness., salvation, season, seeking whom he may devour, settle you, sober, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, strengthen, suffered, surrender our all, taunts, the devil, the God of all grace, the mighty hand of God, the nature of the human animal, the straight and narrow path, them who are called, to them that love God, trust, truth, uncaring ways, ungodly, ungodly world, vigilant, walks about, wiles, wisdom, wishful thinking, work diligently for Jesus, your adversary
1 Peter 5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
Well friends and fellow believers, Christmas Day is over, but not the Christmas season. Let’s see if we can’t drag it out for as long as possible nuh – until next year this same time. (smile)
Yeh, I know that’s only wishful thinking because come the second, if not the first week of January 2017, we’ll be back to our ungodly, uncaring ways, treating each other with discourtesy and contempt, having forgotten the kind words, the generous giving and heartfelt compassion we had shared just a couple weeks before. But I guess that’s just the nature of the human animal, unable to stay on the straight and narrow path for any length of time, especially when the frivolities of the world call.
And although many of us are off today, many still have to go out and labour since our society has become a 24/7 machine that never stops. So let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with those unfortunate ones who have to go out and face the music today. Let’s lend them a helping voice so that they can be inspired and enthused to go out and work diligently on Jesus’ behalf.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Hn, hn! I have to laugh yes mih people, because it happens all the time. On the Mondays when only some of us are going to work, the raucous sound of those who are off are always louder and more enthusiastic, but also more out of key and harmony. Our Choirmaster, Jesus, could only chuckle and shake His head, because He was well aware of the earthly goings on. And He does appreciate us putting our hearts into it, though our voices weren’t that sweet.
And before we get to our Bit, it’s necessary to remind us of Granny’s warning: ‘Sonny Boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’ Because if we don’t, Beelzebub will certainly mind it for us as He is out seriously prowling for any unfortunates he can find this Christmas season. I guess that’s why I’ve been led to this Bit for today. ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’
Ah mih people that’s ever so true! Lucifer is always on the watch for when we step out of line. And he’d be especially pleased to get his tenterhooks into us in this Christmas time when we’re celebrating the birth of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To catch us offside while we carrying on about Jesus…Wow! That would be a real feather in his cap. So that’s why we have to pay particular attention to Granny’s advice when we are celebrating, or for that matter doing anything at all.
And Peter continues after our Bit. ‘Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet.5:9)
Oh friends, that ought to give us some encouragement, knowing that others in the faith are also suffering some rough times, with the evil one right on their heels, just waiting for them to falter, to stumble and fall. Sometimes it will, and sometimes it won’t. For as we say, ’Nobody knows the trouble I see. Nobody but Jesus.’
We all feel that our afflictions and problems are different and more serious than those of other believers. But the truth is my brethren, we all suffer at different levels and different degrees, but ‘sufferation’ is ‘sufferation’ in any form or level that it comes.
That’s why Peter advised us before our Bit to: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet.5:6-7)
Yeh precious believers, our wonderful God cares a whole lot for us, but He can’t help us unless we surrender our all to Him. We just can’t keep some things for ourselves and give the rest to Him. He wants it all. That’s the only way He can properly control our circumstances. And believe me, He won’t ever leave us in the lurch, for He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us. And we all know that He’s ever-faithful about His promises.
And here are some encouraging words from Peter for us to go home with today. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet.5:10-11)
Yes friends, in due course, the Lord will bring us out of our troubles, much stronger than when we first encountered them. So let’s apply ourselves to wisdom nuh, if we want to be honoured, exalted and looked after by our heavenly Father. Much LOVE!
…all things work together for good…to them that LOVE God…to them who are the called…according to his purpose… (Rom.8:28)
23 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: back on his feet, birth of Jesus Christ, blessed, boggles my imagination, Boxing Day, call me blessed, catch us offside, Christian perspective, Christmas, drinking, drinks flowing like water, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, eating, Elisabeth, exalt, exalted the lowly, faith, fellowship, fervent, filled the hungry, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, gift giving, Granny's advice, handmaiden, heartrending prayer, hunting spree, imagery, in God my Saviour, it's Christ's birthday, looking over we shoulder, LOVE, magnitude of Mary's faith, Mary, massa, memorable day, mercy, my soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit hath rejoiced, Old Statesman, party everlasting, partying, praising the Lord, put donw the mighty, reason for the season, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, scattered the proud, secular time, shopping, song of praise, spiritual time, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the evil one, the food, the Holy Ghost, the imagination of their hearts, the light shining in the dark, the low estate, the Magnificat, the prominent figure, the rich sent away empty, the sun rises, the wisdom of God, them that fear him, weekend, wrapping gifts
Luke 1:46. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord.
Well friends, all the excitement of the Christmas season is finally coming to a head. Soon the shopping and the wrapping of gifts will end and the partying will start in earnest. Hn! That is if it hasn’t begun already.
And you know Sunday is the worst day that Christmas can fall on in terms partying, because a lot of people will be off from Friday to Wednesday, so that they can have the Christmas and Boxing Day Holidays to which they are entitled.
However, let’s hope that the real reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ shines through it all, and we don’t simply make this most memorable day merely a secular time of eating, drinking and gift giving. Now those things are an important part of it, but not the MOST important. We have to get in some spiritual time in there too.
But no doubt by the time the sun rises in the east this morning, we’re going to hear the myriad voices declaring ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! And Christmas Friday to boot! We have almost a whole week to do what we want! No massa looking over we shoulder and giving us a setta chupid orders!
The drinks will be flowing like water, and the Christmas food… Oh Lord! Look how it spread out and looking pretty nuh! Oh thank you Lord for this Friday that falls in the Christmas weekend! Is party everlasting!’
Ah mih people, let’s hope that’s not how most of us see it. Jesus has to be light shining in the dark, the prominent figure, because it’s His birthday.
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant which is not devoid of good times, but has a more moderate and Christian perspective. In unison now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Ah mih breddren, this weekend we have more than two short days off yes, so please let’s use them wisely and remember Granny’s saying: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’
Because for certain sure the evil one will be out on a serious hunting spree this long weekend, especially since we celebrating Christ’s birth. He won’t desire anything better than to catch a few of us offside. So please be careful.
Now we come to a piece of news that’s not so great. I’m hearing this kind of thing too often these days yes. I just heard today that another of our Scrip-Bit family, Keith Noel, had a massive stroke in Jamaica some three weeks ago.
Apparently his brother had died a few days earlier and he took it so hard that it brought on the stroke. So he couldn’t go to his brother’s funeral. Ah Lord eh! But the good news is that he was allowed out for two hours to celebrate his 40th wedding anniversary. Glory be!
Oh friends, please let’s send up some fervent heartrending prayers for our family member Keith, hoping that he will soon be back on his feet, praising the Lord for His goodness. It’s the least we can do.
Finally, let’s turn to our Bit for today, the faithful and amazing words of the teenaged girl Mary, so rightly chosen it seems to be Christ’s mother. I guess the Lord would not have made a mistake there at all. (smile)
‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord.’
Yuh know people, every time I consider the magnitude of Mary’s faith at so tender an age, in those dark and difficult times, it just boggles my imagination. But listen to her song of praise after she joyfully accepts her upcoming role with all the enormous problems it entailed.
She begins with our Bit, then gladly declares: ‘And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly state) of his handmaiden (maid servant): 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 him from generation to generation. He hath showed 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 for ever.’ (Luke 1:47-55)
Oh friends, can you imagine a young girl speaking such enlightened words. The Holy Ghost must surely have been upon her to bring out that kind of reaction. And what we just read is known as ‘the Magnificat.’
The scholars tell us that it’s ‘based on the first word of the Latin translation (the Vulgate). It is rich in Old Testament imagery: Jesus’ coming was the fulfillment of Old Testament promises.’ And indeed it was my fellow believers!
After Mary’s declaration, the Good Book tells us: ‘And Mary abode with her (Elisabeth) about three months, and returned to her own house.’ (Luke 1:56)
Yuh see the wisdom of our God at work! He left Mary to bond with Elisabeth, to give her the required strength and whatever else she may have needed to perform the task He had set before her. And He does the same thing up to this day my people. He never gives us a task to do without giving us the wherewithal to do it.
So please, let’s learn from Mary, and instead of complaining and carrying on about our God-given tasks, let’s rejoice and give Him praise instead nuh, especially in this wonderful Christmas Season. Much LOVE!
…there is no other God besides ours…great, faithful, LOVING and true…
24 Nov 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook, a strong will, a time of opposition, abundance, ascend up into heaven, blessed, bounden duty, broken, can't hide from God, celebrations, Christians, clear direction for my life, courage, cover me, creativity, curse, darkness, divine protection, divisive tension, dr robert h schuller, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, evil cohorts, faith, family, family gatherings, favour, flee from thy presence, friends, fulfillment, go from thy spirit, God's character, God's will, good health, Granny's advice, Happy Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving U. S of A, heaven, human experience, in Jesus' name, known me, light about me, Lucifer, make my bed in hell, negative word, night shineth as the day, O Lord, on Christ's behalf, openings, partying, passion, penchant for theatre, pray for healing, promotion, prosper, psalm 139, recent elections, Scrip-Bit family, self-control, self-discipline, serious prowl, succeed, success, supernatural strength, supernatural wisdom, take the wings of the morning, talent, thanksgiving, the Crystal Cathedral, the night, thou hast searched me, three score and ten, Thursday Blessings, thy hand lead me, thy right hand hold me, transgress, travelling, truths, turmoil, uttermost parts of the sea, work diligently
Psalm 139:1. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING U.S. OF A !
Well a Happy Thanksgiving to our friends and neighbours in the U.S. of A! I do hope that a lot of true thanks will be given today and thus de-escalate some of the divisive tension that’s been caused by the recent elections.
It’s definitely not an easy situation to deal with, but unless it’s dealt with, and wisely too, more turmoil will ensue. It’s the biggest holiday in the U.S. with lots of travelling and family gatherings taking place all over the country.
Let’s hope that all the celebrations, both familial and national will go off smoothly, because there is still a lot to be thankful for in the U.S. and as they go, most of the world goes. So let’s pray that the nation will be healed somewhat by the thanksgiving celebrations.
And for you Scrip-Bit family members down there, please remember Granny’s advice: ‘Drunk or sober, mind yuh business.’ (smile)
Plenty partying will be going on this weekend, so please be careful not to give Lucifer and his evil cohorts any openings in your souls and spirits, because you know that they are on the serious prowl on occasions like these.
And yuh know what friends, the ole fella has a special reason to give thanks today too; it’s his birthday. ‘Happy Birthday Ole Fella!’ (smile) I haven’t reached my allotted three score and ten as yet, but I am drawing close.
And I will try not to let Beelzebub and his buddies get into my soul either, although the celebrations will be minimal, just a small family gathering.
Now let’s declare our Thursday Blessings over our lives, for remember, a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been declared. In unison now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance!
I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life!
I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’
Oh friends, with all those wonderful blessings spoken over our lives, how can we ever lose eh? No way Jose!
That brings us to our Bit: ‘O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.’ Yes my people, it’s the same as yesterday, because there’s much to discover and talk about in this Psalm 139.
And we’ll share this enthusiastic opinion of the scholars. ‘Psalm 139. Certainly one of the grandest psalms in all of the Psalter, it is also one of the richest theologically. It combines an exposition of the greatness of God’s character with the reality of human experience.
From verses 19-22 we find that David wrote the psalm during a time of opposition. It therefore contains truths that were meaningful to him during these troublesome times. They may be summarized under four key thoughts as David addresses the Lord: You know me (vs.1-6), You are with me (vs. 7-12), You created me (vs.13-16), and Your cause is my cause (vs.19-24).’
Yes my fellow believers, our great and wonderful God plays all those roles in our lives! And today I want to touch on the aspect of His being with us. So let’s read Bruh David’s words on that subject.
‘Whither shall (can) I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall (can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell (Sheol), behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover (fall on me): even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee (is not dark to thee); but the night shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.’ (Ps.139:7-12)
Oh what great and true statements my brethren! Our God is always around us, we can’t hide from Him anywhere at all! It’s His world, His creation, and He knows all the nooks and crannies in which to look for and find us.
Now over the last few years, those words of verses 7-12 have taken on a special significance to me. Every time I read or hear them, I remember Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) pontificating them (smile) from the pulpit of the Crystal Cathedral some years ago.
The way he acted them out, you know his penchant for theatre, just made a huge impact on me. It was the first time that I really paid any attention to the Psalm, now it’s one of my favourites.
And we’ll end today with similar words of Bruh David from Psalm 17 – A prayer for protection against oppressors. ‘Thou hast proved (tested) mine heart; thou hast visited me (searched me out) in the night; thou hast tried (examined) me, and shalt find nothing (nothing evil): I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.’ (Ps.17:3)
Yes precious people of God, those are words of faith and truth that each of us must be able to come to God and confidently declare, if we are to be true sons and daughters of His.
Now let’s go out, buoyed by all that we’ve heard and said, and have an excellent day, blessed and protected as we work diligently on Christ’s behalf, for that’s our bounden duty! Much LOVE!
…passion…the Christian needs lots of passion to sincerely do God’s will…
05 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a right spirit, aura of love, Bathsheba, broken spirit, burnt offering, cast me not away, celebration, confidence, consequences, contrite heart, create in me a clean heart, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, enthusiasm, eternal life, forgiveness, friends, Granny's advice, holy spirit, humble servants, inhumane actions, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, Labour Day, lies, LOVE, make me to hear joy, mercy, ministry, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my mouth shall show forth thy praise, Nathan, New Testament, obey God, open thou my lips, purge me with hyssop, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, sacrifices of God, salvation, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, TGIM! Thank God it's Monday!, thanksgiving, the nature of the beast, ungodly world, wash me, whiter than snow, wisdom
Psalm 51:15. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.’
Oh my beautiful people, I’m sure that this morning most of us are joyfully declaring: ‘TGIM! Thank God it’s Monday!’ The only problem is that we’re not declaring it because we’re excited and enthusiastic to go to work, but because we don’t have to go to work this Labour Day Monday.
Hn, hn! We certainly are something else yes! But what to do eh? That’s obviously the nature of the beast. However, unfortunately in this 24/7 society, some of us do have to go to work to keep the essential services running smoothly and allow our highly technological world to function properly and allow us to keep on enjoying all our wonderful amenities.
That means there is still the need for us to sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have to go out and labour on this Labour Day Monday, which was originally a celebration of the gains made in reducing the work week and other inhumane actions that were then sinfully perpetrated by the management class. However most of that has now been forgotten, and it’s just an occasion to party.
So in clarity and harmony let’s sing. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah friends, the voices were strong, but raucous and not harmonious. That’s because the ones who have the day off were the loudest, and they have already been celebrating, so their voices are a bit hoarse. I could see Jesus simply shaking His head and smiling, knowing full well the reason for the poor rendition. But nonetheless we’ll persevere, because through Jesus, who strengthens us, we can do infinitely anything and everything! (Phil. 4:13)
And so, we come to our Bit. ‘O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.’ Yes my people, that’s a very good line for us to follow. These words were written by Bruh David after the prophet Nathan draped him up over his sinfulness with Bathsheba. Having acknowledged his wrongdoing and pleading for mercy and forgiveness, Bruh David prays for inner renewal.
‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit. Then shall I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.’ (Ps.51:7-14)
Ah friends, Bruh David finally realizes the utter stupidity of his lustful liaison with Bathsheba, and having asked for cleansing, he then promises ministry and thanksgiving. And I have to chuckle, because like so many of us Bruh David obviously never considered the consequences of his sinful actions before he did them. But having eventually being found out, he had no qualms in confessing them and asking for God’s pardon.
Likewise, we should not be too proud to ask for cleansing and healing when our iniquities are brought to light. As Bruh David declares after our Bit: ‘For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I 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.51:16-17)
Yes my brethren, that’s what the Lord expects from us when we come to Him for forgiveness and mercy; humility and brokenness.
The scholars tell us: ‘This passage clearly teaches that those who have failed God may be restored to the service of God.’ What wonderful news friends!
And we’ll end with these important words from the scholars: ‘The prayer take not thy Holy Spirit from me (v.11) need never be offered by a New Testament saint, since the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian permanently (1 Cor.6:19). David’s cry here may reflect only the fear, not the reality of losing the Spirit, and being rejected by God. Thus he asks God to restore the joy of his salvation, not salvation itself.’
Now that’s something to celebrate my people! Unlike the folks in the Old Testament who only received the Holy Spirit for specific purposes and periods of time, we, through the selfless sacrifice of Jesus, instead have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us continually, leading and guiding us along the straight and narrow path, making it much easier for us to be obedient to God’s word.
But please remember, the onus is still on us to follow the Spirit’s guidance. So as we enjoy the day, in whatever way, let’s not forget Granny’s golden advice, which covers every aspect and occasion of life. ‘Sonny Boy, drunk or sober, please mind your business…’ Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say… the greatest wisdom is to obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…
31 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a future, a hope, a man of his word, according to the power, all that we ask or think, an expected end, be strengthened, by faith, by his Spirit, calamity, change, Christ like attitude, Christ may dwell in your hearts, Christian, come what may, comprehend, Congratulations, corruption, crime, divinely enabled, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, easy going, Ephesians, ever-faithful God, fall from God's grace, fun and laughter character, glory hallelujah, glory in the church, glory to God, God's grace, gospel truth, Granny's warning, Happy Birthday, heartfelt, I am halfway home, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I'm not looking back, inner growth, Jawaharlal Nehru, LOVE, made its mark, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, not evil, on the world stage, open the eyes of the people, positive, prayer, prosperous country, repent of their sinfulness, revolutionary, rooted and grounded in love, sincere, stand strong and steadfast in faith, thank God, that worketh in us, the breath of life, the error of their ways, the evil one, the inner man, the Love of Christ, the power, thoughts of peace, to a glorious future with Jesus, to do exceedingly abundantly, tremendous pace of change, Trini vibe, Trinidad and Tobago Independence, Wednesday Wail
Ephesians 3:20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Happy Birthday T&T! Wow! Congratulations! You’ve made it to a big 54 years old!
Yes friends, today is the 54th birthday of Trinidad and Tobago. It received Independence from Britain on August 31 1962, and has certainly made its mark on the world stage in several different areas.
Now obviously things have changed over those 54 years, some for good, others for worse, and although right now it’s allegedly steeped in crime and corruption, it hasn’t lost its essential Trini vibe; one of an easy going, come what may, fun and laughter character.
And you can imagine the partying that will be taking place today! But please, I implore us to remember Granny’s warning: ‘Sonny Boy, please, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’ For it’s in those times of great celebration that the evil one does his best work.
And I sincerely pray that the Lord will open the eyes of the people of T&T and show them the error of their ways and encourage them to repent of their sinfulness and return to the God who once made them the most prosperous country in the West Indies.
I don’t know if any other small country had as many churches, and well attended ones too, in its heyday. And like so many other countries, these days that’s changing, God is also being pushed out of the society.
That brings to mind the quote of the first Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) that says: ‘The basic fact of today is the tremendous pace of change in human life.’ Hn!
And if Nehru thought that life was changing fast in his time, he wouldn’t like to experience it now, for at no other time in man’s history has change been as quick and revolutionary in all aspects, as today.
Now some change is good, but others not good. Unfortunately though, our world seems to be accepting more readily the changes that are not so good, thus our continuing fall from God’s grace.
But yuh know what my people? We’re not going to complain about all that’s wrong with our world nuh, instead we’re going to do our very best to fix it, while enjoying the good things. And that all begins with a positive, Christ like attitude which is found in our Wednesday Wail.
So, as one strong, positive enthusiastic, energetic Christian body, let’s wail it nuh! ‘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 if we’re true Christians, that should be gospel truth my brethren! We should be excited about being alive, of securely holding the plough and moving forward with Jesus to what ever wonderful opportunities He has planned for us!
Remember His promise in Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer.29:11)
And our ever faithful God is truly a man of His word. So if He says that He has a good future in mind for us, then there is an excellent plan laid out for each of our lives. I don’t know about anybody else nuh, but I believe my best years are still ahead of me…Glory to God!
Now let’s check out our Bit. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.’
Steups! As usual, I’ve left too little time and space for our Bit. But we’ll soldier on and do our best. (smile)
Now yesterday we saw that Bruh Paul was praying for the inner growth of the Ephesians, and by extension us too. Today, we’ll look at the actual prayer, the three verses before our Bit.
‘That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in LOVE,
May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph.3:16-19)
Oh friends, in these desperate times, we also desperately need that prayer over our lives. We need to understand, be strengthened, rooted and grounded in Christ’s LOVE, so that we can courageously and faithfully go about His business here on earth.
Now here is some info from the scholars. ‘3:16-19. In these verses Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his Spirit (v.16), that is, that they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life.
(2) That the readers be able to comprehend…the LOVE of Christ, that is, to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’
Yes my faithful brethren, we need to have all of that worked into our lives too. So let’s end like Bruh Paul did; sending those prayers up to the One who could successfully answer them.
‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph.3:20-21)
And may the Lord answer our sincere, heartfelt prayer my people, as we stay strong and steadfast in faith! Much LOVE!
…only when our lives are built on the strong foundation that’s Jesus…can we truly enjoy our earthly life…
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