23 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: a close relationship with God, a new flock of believers, a phenomenon, a sin nature, animosity in Christ's church, be responsible, behave like the rest of the world, can wake up and smell the coffee, Christ's church is divided, cleanseth us from all sin, confusion of these ungodly times, crying out for God's help, disciples of Jesus, discipleship demands sacrifice, discontent, dissatisfaction, divide and conquer, eternal life, faith, Friday chant, get united, get wise, God has no sin nature, God is light, have the light of life, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, His sacrifices demand it, holy spirit, I am the light of the world, in him there is no darkness at all, Jesus Christ, keep Satan at bay, lives characterized by sin, LOVE, lying to ourselves, mercy, not putting out the necessary effort, problems are escalating, refuse the charm of Satan's offers, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, Satan's sinful route to hell fire and damnation, set free from the bondage of sin, simmering unrest, stand up and fight for Christ, stay safe, talk is cheap, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the blood of Jesus Christ, the error of their ways, the example we faithful believers set, the Great Commission, the Lord helps those who help themselves, the nature of the human animal, the slide down into the quicksand of hell, the throne of grace, the weekend, the world's in disaster mode, this is the message we have heard of him, time for Christians to unite, truth, unexpected storms, walk in darkness, walk in the light as he is in the light, walking in sin, we have fellowship one with the other, wind storms, wisdom, wise guidance
1 John 1:5b. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
And then it was Friday, the end of our work week, with many of us shouting the traditional ‘Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend’s here at long last!’ We’re behaving as though we’ve worked a full, hard week, when it’s been only four, easy days. But that’s the nature of the human animal. (smile) Thankfully too, the rain’s finally stopped in my area, but it’s still very cloudy with a feeble sun trying to make some headway against the dark, threatening clouds. However, it’s also windy as ever!
I don’t know where these sudden wind storms have come from, but over the last few years they have become a more noticeable phenomenon…even in the summer. But as is our won’t, we’ll blame it all on climate change, the new blame outlet for many of our current problems. Anyway, today, I want us to look at a particular aspect of scripture that John deals with very nicely in his first epistle; that’s walking in the light. He writes: ‘This then is the message which we have heard of him (Jesus), and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.’ (1 John 1:5)
John is here giving us first hand witness of the teaching he heard from Jesus Himself, when He claimed: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) He’s saying that darkness and light are metaphors for evil and goodness. And since there’s no sin or evil in God, then He’s perfect and good. Now, do we believe that my brethren? We ought to, otherwise our faith is of no use. For, as John continues: ‘If we say that we have fellowship with him (Jesus), and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not (practice) the truth.’ (1 John 1:6)
And according to the scholars, ‘walk in darkness means walking in sin. John may have had in mind people who claimed to have a close relationship with God, but whose lives were clearly characterized by sin. Such a state of affairs, John says boldly is impossible; such persons are lying.’ And, sadly, that’s seems to be the state of affairs with many supposed believers; we might believe or say that we’re walking with Christ, but we’re actually lying to ourselves. Otherwise our world would not be in its current disaster mode, we would have made much more headway against the devil and his evil cronies than we have.
But talk is cheap, while true discipleship and sacrifice are rather expensive, and many of us don’t have the wherewithal to stand up and fight Beelzebub, or refuse the charm of his worldly offers. However, as John further proclaims: ‘But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ (1 John 1:7) And that is such a necessary truth my people! Our God is light; has no sin nature, therefore if we walk in His light, then we too would have no sin nature, be set free from the bondage of sin for which purpose Christ died on the cross of Calvary.
His shed blood cleanses us from all sin, and is supposed to draw believers closer together. But that isn’t happening as it ought to, for today, the church of Christ is split into so many denominations, cliques, groups, etc. etc., and there’s so much animosity amongst us over such petty stuff, that it’s unbelievable. The devil doesn’t even have to try to divide and conquers us, no, for we’ve already divided ourselves. No wonder he’s having such an easy time, for the church cannot produce any worthy offence unless it’s united.
Oh my people, everyday our world is slipping and sliding ever deeper into disaster and chaos, sadly following Satan’s ungodly and sinful route to hell fire and damnation! But as disciples of Jesus, we cannot allow that to happen, for He’s put His utmost trust in us to help bring the world to salvation and eternal life. Remember His Great Commission, (Matt. 28:19-20) where we’re supposed to go out to all nations and make disciples of them, teaching them all that He’s taught us? So why aren’t we being more successful eh? Because we’re not united, and therefore we’re not putting out the necessary effort to keep Satan at bay. It’s as simple as that.
Just look around at how many of us go to church on Sundays and behave so holy and righteous, then look at our conduct from Monday to Saturday…just like the rest of the world. That’s obviously not conducive to kingdom building. But friends, we have to do something, and do something right now, if we want to stop the serious slide down into the quicksand of hell. So please, let’s get wise, get united and start fighting seriously for Jesus nuh. He deserves that much from us. And to help us on our way, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help in these disastrous times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now, my faithful brethren, we cannot just simply pray and wait for God to move on our behalf. No! We also have to help ourselves, for as the old saying goes: ‘the Lord helps those who help themselves!’ Much LOVE!
…it’s time for Christians to unite…and sincerely stand up and fight for Christ…His sacrifices on our behalf demand it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a different take on the situation, a mental disposition, a modicum of circumspection, a tough row to hoe, according to the flesh, an attitude, answer our prayers, any good thing a man does, as men pleasers, as unto Christ, as unto the Lord and not unto men, at loggerheads, be he bond or free, be obedient to your masters, bubbling over with excitement in God's service, careful concern, despondent, diligence in God's work, dire need of salvation, disgruntled employees, disobeyed your word, distraught, do a good job, do it heartily, do it with thy might, do the same things to your servants, doing service as to the Lord and not to men, doing the will of God, earn a living, enthusiastic service, eternal life, excellence, faith, fervent in spirit, forbearing threatening, fraud, from the heart, greed, he that doeth wrong, holy spirit, human masters, humble ourselves, in a reciprocal manner, in singleness of heart, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, judge without partaility, knowing that of the Lord, lagging in diligence, LOVE, mass confusion, masters, mercy, negative situations, no device or knowledge in the grave, no respect of persons, no respect of persons with God, no wisdom, no work, not slothful in business, not with eyeservice, receive the reward of the inheritance, renders obedience out of sincerity, repentance, respect, reverential respect, salvation, servants, servants of Christ, shall receive for the wrong that he hath done, sick, sincerely seek your face, sincerity of heart, slovenly in doing Jesus' work, strife, strong faith in Christ, thank you for life, the BIBLE, the God who heals, the Lord does not show favouritism, the same shall he receive from the Lord, truth, turn from our evil ways, uncertain about the times we live in, we have all sinned, what a joy it is, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, whatsoever you do, wisdom, wise guidance, with fear and trembling, with good will, work ethic, working for men, ye serve the Lord Christ, your Master is in heaven
Colossians 3:23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Oh my Scrip-Bit friends and families, what a joy it is to greet you on this Victoria Day Holiday Monday! Hope that your celebrations are going well on this sunny but not awfully warm day. Thankfully though the wind is not as strong as it’s been for the last two days. However, we do pray that there’s a modicum of circumspection taking place in the celebrations because tomorrow we have to go out and earn a living, and we can’t be sick or slovenly in doing Jesus’s work. No sir! Jesus expects excellence and diligence at all times from His earthly representatives.
Now, some of us might say that we’re working for men, but the Lord has an entirely different take on the situation, as Bruh Paul reminds us in his letter to the Colossians. ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.’ (Col. 3:23-25)
Yes my fellow believers, we ought to consider ourselves servants of Christ in everything we do, for in the long run, it’s from the Lord that we will receive our rewards, be they for good or for bad, because the Lord does not show favouritism. And there’s’ an interesting corresponding verse from Cousin Sol writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. He says: ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave (Sheol), whither thou goest.’ (Eccl. 9:10)
And that’s the living truth! There’s no working or otherwise in the grave. So whatever you do when alive, make sure you give it your best effort, especially when that’s what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects of His disciples. As Bruh Paul mentions in Romans, when he speaks about overcoming good with evil: ‘Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent in spirit (lit., boiling over), serving the Lord.’ (Rom. 12:11) That means we ought to be bubbling over with excitement in God’s service.
So, although we cannot always be excited and enthusiastic, we Christians of today can certainly be much more enthusiastic and excited about Christ than many of us are. That’s why the world is so distraught, despondent, and uncertain about the times we live in; believers are not spreading enough of the joy of the Lord, letting the unbelievers know of His imminent return and the dire need for them to accept Him as Lord and Saviour if they want to receive salvation and eternal life.
And I guess this passage on Servants and Masters in Bruh Paul’s letter to the Ephesians covers the whole spectrum of the subject. ‘Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness (sincerity) of heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond (slave) or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing (giving up) threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.’ (Eph. 6:5-9)
Now what does all of that mean? The scholars offer these explanations. The masters according to the flesh, means their human masters. And slaves, or servants ought to carry out their duties with fear and trembling is that they ought to do a good job with reverential respect for their masters. Meanwhile singleness of heart refers to a mental disposition, an attitude that renders obedience out of sincerity, not hypocrisy. As unto Christ explains why servants should obey masters in the manner prescribed here: obedience rendered to their masters is obedience rendered to Christ.
And singleness of heart, or sincere disposition excludes eyeservice, that is duty performed only when the master is watching; but it includes doing the will of God from the heart, that is, enthusiastic service coming from within and not having to be coerced by external pressure. Good will means “good intention.” The Christian servant (employee) seeks the best interest of his master (employer).
And the basis for the servant’s “good intention” toward his master is his being recompensed by the Lord – both in this life and in the one to come – the same good he has performed in his servant duties. Finally, earthly masters are to behave in a reciprocal manner toward their slaves (servants) (i.e., with respect, sincerity, and careful concern). For earthly masters have a heavenly Master who will judge them without partiality.’
Wow! Can you imagine if we had a world like that where the majority of employees and employers treated each other with respect and concern for each other! It would be a great place! Sadly though, the opposite is true. Employers and employees are always at loggerheads, trying to get the best of each other. No wonder the workplace is filled with so much strife, greed, fraud and disgruntled employers and employees. And the only way that is ever going to change, or improve, is if we believers up the ante, through our better work ethic and Christ-like joy spreading. (smile)
And we can certainly do it with the Lord’s help…if we try. The problem though is getting us to try. Anyway, right now, we need to go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine aid, to help us turn things around. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’
Ah friends, it’s a tough row we have to hoe, but for Jesus’ sake, in gratitude for all that He’s done for us, I implore us to put our hearts, minds, bodies and souls into achieving a better world! Much LOVE!
…unless we sincerely give Jesus first place in our lives…and live for Him only…our world will never improve…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a mixture of cloud and sun, a relationship with God, all should come to repentance, and live ye, breaks his heart, brings tears of joy to his eyes, brings tears of sadness to his eyes, cherished moments, christianity, come as a thief in the night, come unto the knowledge of truth, deepen my breath, desire to get intimate with God, Eli Eli lama sabachthani, eternal life, faith, for your unceasing nearness, God sent not his son into the world, God's desire for reconciliation, God's universal desire for salvation, good vibes, have I any pleasure at all, holy spirit, I have no pleasure, I may know you all the more, I want to be with you now, imminent duties, in the death of them that dieth, in the sight of God our Saviour, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, Lord I praise you, LOVE, mercy, My God my God, not willing that any should perish, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, return from his ways and live, salvation, Saturday, shall be burned up, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, that the wicked should die, the apocalyptic judgement, the BIBLE, the day of the Lord, the earth also, the earth and the works therein, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the Great tribulation, the heavens shall pass away, the ideal day for positive thinking, the knowledge of the truth, the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, the painful destiny we're creating, the peace that surpasses all understanding, the Rapture, the world through him might be saved, this is good and acceptable, to condemn the world, truth, turn yourselves, ungrateful sinners, unsettled weather, warms the cockles of God's heart, weighed down with the sins of the world, when the time was right, who will have all men to be saved, why hast thou forsaken me, wisdom, with a great noise, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
1 Timothy 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
And though the weather seems somewhat unsettled, being a mixture a of cloud and sun, after a thunder storm in the early morning hours, nonetheless, as one friend wrote me; ‘Saturday is the ideal day for positive thinking, cherished moments, and good vibes! Glory be! Yes friends, a lazy-day Saturday is ideal for those kinds of sentiments, since you don’t have to rush out to work or have too many imminent duties, so you can relax and let the good vibes flow. (smile) And there’s no better way to begin than with offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.
As one strong voice: ‘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 if our prayer was truly sincere, if the Lord checked our hearts and saw that we really wanted to get closer to Him, then we’ll soon be feeling the calm and peace that surpasses all human understanding. For, as I keep reminding us, there’s nothing our God desires more than His human creation wanting to get more intimate with Him, since that’s one of the major reasons He created us. So when we truly desire to have fellowship with Him, it titillates His Spirit, brings tears of joy to His eyes, and warms the cockles of His heart like nothing else can. (smile)
However, the reverse is also true; when we refuse to have close fellowship with Him, or any fellowship at all, as so many of us are currently doing, it breaks His heart, brings tears of sadness to His eyes, for He knows the sad and painful destiny that we’re creating for ourselves. Remember what Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy: ‘For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim. 2:3-4)
Yes my brethren, the Lord doesn’t want to lose even one of His human creation. This verse highlights God’s universal desire for salvation and the knowledge of truth. And as this commentary explains: ‘The phrase “the Lord wants all to come to salvation” is a common way to express a belief that God desires for everyone to be saved and to have a relationship with Him. This concept is rooted in biblical passages that emphasize God’s LOVE and desire for all people to be reconciled to Him.’
And you can see that in scripture after scripture of the Bible. After Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, God’s manifested desire to was to root it out and bring us back to His holy and righteous fold, by giving us salvation through forgiveness of sins, which, when the time was right, He executed through His Son, Jesus Christ!
Oh my people, there can be no doubt that the Lord wants all His human creation to come back to Him, else why would He bend over backwards, even break His own heart, by sacrificing His One Son, on the cross of Calvary? Because the price of sin had to be paid so that forgiveness could be offered, and since Christ was the ONLY sinless person in the universe, He was the ONLY One who could pay the price for our sins. And don’t you think it grieved the Lord greatly to destroy His wonderful Son for a bunch of ungrateful sinners?
Of course! Just consider these hurting and heartfelt words of Christ on the cross nuh. The Bible tells us: ‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Matt. 27:46) Now Jesus knew that He became man to pay for the sins of mankind, but when that awful moment of separation from the Father came, He could not stop Himself from bewailing the situation, for it was the first time they were ever separated, and He knew that the Father could not look at Him with pleasure, weighed down with the sins of the world as He was.
And if you still don’t believe that the Lord wants everyone to be saved, then listen to these other verses that spell out His great desire. In the Old Testament, the prophet Ezekiel, declares: ‘Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?’ (Ezek. 18:23) And later in that same chapter, he again declares: ‘For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.’ (Ezek. 18:32)
It’s obvious the Lord doesn’t want the wicked to die, but they will, if they don’t turn from their evil ways. That’s just the law of the kingdom. And Jesus himself said it thus: ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) That was God’s whole purpose; saving mankind…that is those who wanted to be saved.
And Peter adds a l’il extra something to his verse, when He says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) Yes, my fellow believers, Peter is there telling us about God’s patience and longsuffering, waiting for us to come to the salvation He so badly wants us all to have.
However, He will not wait forever, as Peter continues: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 310)
Now that’s not the Rapture, which would have happened before, but the return of Christ in the final apocalyptic judgment. So even if you did not make it in the Rapture, you still have the years of the Great Tribulation to repent and receive salvation, though they will be very evil and terrible years. But after that, there are no more chances, so please, I Implore us, let’s be wise and take hold of God’s great gift of Salvation and Eternal Life right now nuh, so that we won’t miss out on it. Much LOVE!
…though mankind unwisely sinned against God…God in His great LOVE and mercy…still provided a way out through Jesus…but for only so long…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a change of conduct, a change of mind, a complete change of attitude towards God, after John was imprisoned, all are to repent, believe in the gospel, bring so much joy, by God's grace, christianity, Christians, despite the life threatening consequences, discomfort of the noise, endure to the very end with Christ, eternal life, extending into humanity, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, God sent forth his son, God taking a greater interest in humanity, halfway home, hands on the plough, holy spirit, in leading a man to repentance, it will soon be summer, Jesus begins his official ministry, Jesus came into Galilee, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, lawn mowers, laying the groundwork of the message, LOVE, made of woman, made under the law, make his paths straight, men are born again, mercy, new intensity, not just outwardly, not turning back, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, prepare ye the way of the Lord, putting trust in jesus Himself, putting trust in Jesus' message, repent, salvation, stay the course with Jesus, still flowing through me, summer nemesis, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the forerunner of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, the fullness of time, the good news, the kingdom of God is at hand, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the process of conversion, the promised Messiah, the result of God's mercy, the sphere of God's sovereign rule, the time is fulfilled, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turning from sin to righteousness, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, with the heart
Mark 1:15. ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (near): repent ye, and believe (in) the gospel.’
Ah friends, we’re usually on the late bus on a Wednesday because of attendance to my small church group, but today I left there later than usual and had to make a stop before coming home. So, by the time I got home, I was tired and needed a nap. That means we’re on the late, late bus today, (smile) but the important thing is that we’re on the bus! Glory Be!
And sadly my summer nemesis, the noise from lawn mowers have begun. Brother! All hours of the day, the blooming things are running around the neighbour. Even just now, during my nap time one started up and disturbed me. I guess my neighbours don’t consider the discomfort the noise causes the old folks in the neighbourhood, (smile) and even my own lawn maintenance person comes early on a Monday morning and disturbs me. What makes his disturbance even worse is that he does a few houses in the lane, so he’s around for a fairly long time.
But the good news is that it will soon be truly summer, so hopefully that will bring so much joy, that we won’t be as annoyed by the constant lawn mower noise. (smile) Enough of my griping though, let’s see what the Lord wants to tell us today. And the Good Library just opened at the Book of Mark where Jesus was about to begin His official ministry. The scripture says: ‘Now after John (the Baptist) was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (near): repent ye, and believe (in) the gospel.’ (Mark 1:14-15)
Yes friends, Jesus started out by preaching of the kingdom of God and it’s nearness, as well as the necessity for man to believe what He said. And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘Jesus’ proclamation stresses the importance of that present time. The sphere of God’s sovereign rule is extending into humanity with new intensity. All, even Israel, are to repent, by God’s grace, turning from sin and to righteousness, not just outwardly but with the heart. Along with repenting must come believing, putting trust in Jesus’ message (and thus right from the start, to some extent in Jesus Himself.’
And if we remember, it was the same message that John the Baptist came preaching, as the gospel of Matthew recounts: ‘In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (Isaiah), saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ (Matt. 3:1-3)
Yes my fellow believers, John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, preaching the same message, getting things started for Him. How wonderful to have a cousin like that, putting himself out there to lay the groundwork for your message, despite the danger and life threatening consequences to himself. But that was what he was born for! No wonder we say that God moves in mysterious ways.
Now, let’s check out the meaning of some of the individual words that Jesus used. We’ve already seen that the ‘time is fulfilled’ means that after the many promises made in the Old Testament and then those of John, God was going to take a greater interest in humanity, by now sending His promised Messiah. And the first thing mankind had to do was repent. So what does repent mean?
The scholars tell us ‘that means a change of mind that results in a change of conduct. Repentance is not merely sorrow. It involves a complete change of attitude regarding God and sin and is often accompanied by a sense of sorrow and a corresponding change in conduct. Such repentance does not arise within man himself, but is the result of God’s mercy in leading man to it. (Acts 5:31; Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25). Thus repentance involves the very process of conversion whereby men are born again. John’s message of repentance was necessary in order to prepare people for the kingdom of heaven which was at hand.’
I guess because John only emphasized that the time was coming, when Jesus Himself took up the baton, He could say that the time is fulfilled, the time is here. And, as per the scholars, the phrases, ‘kingdom of heaven,’ and ‘kingdom of God,’ can be used interchangeably, but Matthew possibly substituted ‘heaven for God’ because of his Jewish emphasis, and the fact that many Jews considered it blasphemous to refer to God by name. But the phrase ‘kingdom of God,’ is used more frequently by Mark and Luke.
Then there was believing the gospel, which the scholars already told us was putting trust in Jesus’ message as well as in Jesus Himself. And that’s the same thing we’re expected to do today my fellow saints. The Messiah has come, the kingdom of God has come, and we’re required to repent and believe the good news of the gospel, and it is indeed good news. For how else would you characterize forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life eh? Nothing else but GOOD NEWS! And who doesn’t’ want good news eh, especially in these deceitful and turbulent times? Only fools!
And since we’re not fools, let’s go home declaring 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!’
And believe me friends, if we endure with Jesus right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s stay the course with Jesus nuh, so that we can enjoy that most glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…but when the fullness of time was come…God sent forth his son…made of a woman… made under the law… (Gal. 4:4)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a modicum of circumspection, above the stars of God, all sinned and disobeyed your word, all who seek to exalt themselves above God, an everlasting king, answer our prayers, ascend above the heights of the clouds, ascend into heaven, at God's wrath, be like the most High, Bitble, call the proud happy, capable of controlling our destiny, challenge God's existence, chaotic state of the world, christianity, company in hell, day and night, disobedient times, divine aid, doubt God, embracing God as Sovereign Lord, eternal death, eternal life, evil world, exalt my throne, faith, fatal error, foolishly follow Satan, from the days of your fathers, gone away from mine ordinances, he is the living God, holy spirit, how art thou fallen from heaven, humble ourselves, I will return unto you, ignore a mother's wisdom, indefensible, infantile rebellion, it is vain to serve God, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keeping the word of God in first place, lead to a catastrophic fall, LOVE, Lucifer, mass confusion, mercy, my tears have been my meat, negative connotations, not able to abide God's indignation, pray, rebellion, responsibilities, Return unto me, revenge against God, revere Satan, robbing God, rumours of wars, said in thine heart, salvation, Satan's deceitful machinations, Satan's evil machinations, Satan's purpose, sincere repentance, sincerely seek God's face, sit upon the mount of the congregation, son of the morning, strife, such motivations, the choice is yours, the consequences of pride and ambition, the created trying to overthrow the Creator, the dark and dangerous abyss, the earth shall tremble, the God who heals, the height of intelligence, the Lord is the true God, the Lord of hosts, the pinnacle of evolution, the wicked are raised up, the wisdom of following God, those who tempt the Lord go free, tithes and offerings, tried to overthrow God, truth, turn from our evil ways, unsavoury conditions, walked mournfully, wars, weak Christian witness, what have we spoken so much against thee, what profit is it to keep his ordinance, where is thy God, wherein shall we return, wisdom, wise guidance, wisely follow Christ
Jeremiah 10:10a. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king:
Ah mih people, I know it’s tough to get up and get going this Monday morning after all the marvellous celebrations of Mother’s Day yesterday. But one of the many things our mothers taught us is responsibility; that’s ensuring we do what we have to do to the best of our ability. Looking ahead, and not doing stuff that will negatively affect our responsibilities, like going to work. Consequently, we ought to have been careful to exercise a modicum of circumspection in our celebrations. (smile)
But unfortunately, many of us ignore the wisdom of our mothers, and thus end up in unsavoury situations brought on by stubbornness and a kind of infantile rebellion. We mistakenly feel, that as adults, we’re quite capable of controlling and guiding our destiny. (smile) And so often we’re proven wrong. It’s like the Lord said through Malachi to the people of Israel in one of their disobedient and rebellious times. ‘Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?’ (Mal. 3:7)
Oh friends that’s the very same thing the Lord is saying to us today, in the evil, wicked and ungodly society that now prevails over the earth. At the height of our intelligence, the very pinnacle of our evolution, when we should be using our hard bought wisdom and embracing Almighty God as our Sovereign Lord and God, instead, we’ve fallen into the dark and dangerous abyss of Satan’s deceitful machinations, embracing evil and all its negative connotations, which is sadly driving our world on a crazy merry-go-round, of strife, wars, rumours of wars, and all that ungodliness brings.
And though our God is LOVINGLY calling out for us to return to his wonderful fold, we are obstinately ignoring His fatherly call. Just like Israel did, and were summarily punished for it. And we won’t even talk about the robbing of God in tithes and offerings which comes after verse 7. That’s an entirely different sermon for another time, (smile) but we’ll move on to verse 13, where Malachi writes: ‘Your words have been stout (harsh) against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully (as mourners) before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy (blessed); yea, they that work wickedness are set up (raised up); yea, they that tempt God are even delivered (go free).’ (Mal. 3:13-15)
And that’s exactly what’s happening today my people! A large proportion of the population doubt God, even challenging His existence. As the Sons of Korah declare in Psalm 42: ‘My tears have been my meat (food) day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?’ (Ps. 42:3) The complaints are also rife re, the wisdom of following Him, with calls to follow other religions with dead gods, while ours is the ONLY Living God in existence. Thus the prophet Jeremiah writes: ‘But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.’ (Jer. 10:10)
Oh friends, we definitely don’t want to experience the real wrath of God, for it is indefensible, as the world found out when He destroyed it all by the flood, except Noah and His family. And so many of us seem to revere Satan, but let’s remember who and what he was and why he’s where he is right now.
Isaiah says of him: ‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Day Star), son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides (farthest sides) of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.’ (Is. 14:12-14)
And that’s where he made his fatal error. Yes my brethren, once upon a time Satan was Lucifer or the Morning Star, one of the highest ranking angels in heaven, but his pride and greed caused him to try to overthrow God. What a joke! The created trying to overthrow the Creator. He was then kicked out of heaven with the other foolish angels who sided with him, and thus became the epitome of sin and evil. And it’s the same foolishness we’re trying to do today, encouraged by Satan’s evil and deceitful machinations.
And as one commentary so wisely tells us: ‘The Significance of this scripture emphasizes the consequences of pride and ambition, illustrating how such motivations can lead to a catastrophic fall from grace, not only for Lucifer but also for all who seek to exalt themselves above God.’
So friends, let’s wake up to Satan’s purpose nuh, revenge against God, with much company in hell, and therefore ignore him and his evil cronies, by keeping the Word of God and its ordinances in first place in our lives. And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid in these most difficult of times.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’
And it’s obvious from the chaotic state of the world, that we need to substantially improve our weak Christian witness, if we hope to receive divine aid. Much LOVE!
…you can either foolishly follow Satan…to eternal death…or wisely follow Christ…to eternal life…the choice is strictly yours…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day of final reckoning, a new covenant, all my praise for this I bring, all my righteousness, almost all things are purged by the law with blood, an eternal covenant, as by one man's disobedience, as by the offence of one, bearing his reproach, Bible, by his own blood, by the obedience of one, by the righteousness of one, by this I'll overcome, by this I'll reach my home, Christ's death and resurrection, Christ's deeds at Easter, christianity, Christians, confessing his name, delaying the inevitable, don't forget to share, eternal life, faith, fellowship, fellowship one with the other, for my cleansing this my plea, for my pardon, forever and ever, forgiveness of sins, from dead works, giving thanks to his name, go forth unto Jesus, God is well pleased, God's fullness of time, gratitude, heartfelt sincerity, holy spirit, it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to takae away sin, Jesus Christ, Jesus entered in once into the holy place, Jesus shed blood at the cross of Calvary, Jesus suffered outside the gate, judgement came upon all men, justification of life, LOVE, many were made sinners, mercy, naught of good that I have done, neither by the blood of goats, no other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus, nothing can for sin atone, obtained eternal redemption for us, offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, offered himself without spot, only the blood of Jesus can atone for human sin, outside the camp, precious is the flow, purge your conscience, repeated animal sacrifices, righteousness came through Jesus, Robert Lowry, salvation, sanctifies to the purifying of flesh, shall many be made righteous, sin came through Adam, sincere sacrifices of praise, sprinkling the unclean, sweet sacrifices of praise, Thank you Jesus, that he might sanctify the people, that makes me white as snow, the ashes of an heifer, the biggest change in the story of man since the creation, the blood of animals only covered sin, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, the eternal Spirit, the free gift came upon all men, the fruit of our lips, the great significance of, the just penalty for sin is death, the old covenant, the shed blood of Christ also offers sanctitication, the sinful disobedience of Adam and Eve, this I see, this is all my hope and peace, to do good, to serve the living God, truth, walk in the light, we have no continuing city, what can make me whole again, what can wash away my sin, wisdom, with his own blood, with such sacrifice, without blemish, without the shedding of blood is no remission
Hebrews 9:22. And almost all things are by the law purged with (cleansed by) blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness) of sin.
And then it was the Third Sunday after Easter; more time to celebrate God’s awesome goodness to the disobedient children of men, through Christ’s sacrificial death and magnificent resurrection. And all God’s children said a loud and very grateful; ‘Thank You Jesus!’
But yuh know what, some of us still don’t understand the great or the full significance of Christ’s death and resurrection in regards to our having the option of salvation and eternal life, and no longer headed straight for hell fire and eternal separation from God. Many of us don’t take it as seriously as we ought to, and consider it a trifling matter. But the truth is my brethren, Christ’s deeds at Easter produced the biggest change in the story of mankind since creation and the sinful disobedience of our forefathers Adam and Eve.
And the resounding truth is as Bruh Paul writes to the Roman church: ‘Therefore as by the offence (false step) of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (by one righteous act) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.’ (Rom. 5:18-19)
And that’s the unalterable fact; for as sin came to mankind through Adam, so did righteousness come to man through Jesus. And to kick of today’s fellowship we have a hymn detailing possibly the most important fact of Jesus’ sacrifice. It’s a hymn we know quite well, and oftentimes invoke it’s contents, though without the seriousness it deserves. It’s a traditional American hymn titled ‘Nothing but the Blood of Jesus,’ written by Robert Lowry, a hymn writer who was a Baptist minister and professor at Bucknell University.
The hymn was published in 1897, and deals with the blood atonement and propitiation for sin by the death of Jesus as explained in Hebrews 9. So without further ado, let’s raise our sweet sacrifices of praise to high heaven in an upbeat version of the song, with true heartfelt sincerity and gratitude, because without the shed blood of Christ we’d all be hell bound.
Singing: ‘What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain: Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.) For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain)
This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Now by this I’ll overcome; Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Now by this I’ll reach my home, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Glory! Glory! This I sing; Nothing but the blood of Jesus, All my praise for this I bring, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Refrain) Nothing but the Blood…Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.’
And that’s for certain sure my fellow believer’s: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus can cleanse us from sin! And let’s note, that it’s not simply Jesus’ blood that brings forgiveness, but His shed blood at the cross of Calvary. That’s what paid for our sins. Because, as Hebrews tells us: ‘And almost all things are by the law purged with (cleansed by) blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness) of sin.’ (Heb. 9:22)
Now, in the Old Testament the blood of animals was used to offer sacrifices for sins, but that blood only covered them for a while, it could not completely wash away their sins. And the high priest had to enter the Holiest of Holies every year to make renewed sacrifices for their sins. But as Hebrews tells us: ‘Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he (Jesus) entered in once into the holy place (the Most Holy Place), having obtained eternal redemption for us.
For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth (sets apart) to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot (blemish) to God, purge (cleanse) your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.’ (Heb. 9:12-14)
That’s why John in his first epistle could quite unequivocally claim: ‘But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin.’ (1 John 1:7) And I like how this commentary explains the overall situation.
‘Because the just penalty of human sin against God is death (Romans 6:23), the death of sanctioned animal sacrifices, through the presentation of their blood, stood in temporarily for the requirement of death for sinners. Yet the high priest had to return year after year, “repeatedly” (Hebrews (9:7; 9:25), because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). The repeated animal sacrifices were delaying the inevitable, waiting on God’s fullness of times.
One day a final reckoning for sin must come. Christians, of course, believe and celebrate that now in Christ, and under the terms of a new covenant, the reckoning has come. Jesus willingly “offered himself” (Hebrews 9:14) by “once for all” shedding “his own blood” (Hebrews 9:12), bringing to its intended completion the temporary covenant that came before (the old covenant) and inaugurating in its place an “eternal covenant,” (Hebrews 13:20), which we call the new covenant.’
That shows how important, precious and valuable the shed blood of Christ is to us. It’s the covering that allows us to enter into the presence of a perfect and holy God. And let’s also note that the shed blood of Christ not only offers us forgiveness of sin, but also sanctification, as Hebrews tells us. ‘Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify (set apart) the people with his own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate.’ (Heb. 13:12)
And I believe it is most fitting for us to end with the verses that come after that one. ‘Let us go forth therefore unto him without (outside) the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks (confessing) to his name. But to do good and to communicate (share) forget not: for with such sacrifice God is well pleased.’ (Heb. 13:13-16)
Yes my fellow saints; hopefully we offered up sincere sacrifices of praise today, and we’ll not forget to do good and to share with our fellow believers in the upcoming week! Much LOVE!
…only the blood of Jesus…yes…only the blood of Jesus can atone for human sin…forever and ever…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Christian life begins with total commitment, a great day to be alive, a living sacrifice, a new way of thinking, a time of renewal, a time to renew our passion for Christ, acceptable unto God, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, As God for christ's sake forgave you, be kind to one another, be not conformed to this world, be ye angry and sin not, be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, blindness of heart, changing your thought patterns, christianity, Christians, closer intimacy with God, conduct of the world, created in righteousness and true holiness, deepen my breath, Easter Season, embracing biblical principles, engaging in creative activities, eternal life, evil speaking, faith, flowers sprouting, forgiving one another, good to the use of edifying, greed, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, if any man love the world, ignorance, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, justifying, laciviousness, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let him labour, let him that stole steal no more, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of thy mouth, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, living lives that honour Christ, LOVE, love not the world, making us righteous, members one of another, mercy, minister grace unto the hearers, Mother Nature, neither give place to the devil, neither the things that are in the world, perseverance, practical advice, practicing new habits, prayer, prsent thinking, put away all bitterness anger wrath and clamour, put off the former conversation, put on the new man, putting away lying, quiet my soul, reading scripture, rebirth, reflection, relax my muscles, renewed in the spirit of your mind, resist being poured into the mold of the world, resurrection, salvation, sanctifying, sealed until the day of redemption, sincere effort, sincerity and truth, slow my thoughts, speak truth with your neighbour, spring, tenderhearted, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the help of the Holy Spirit, the Lord's calming presence, the love of the Father is not in him, the old man, the passion of our souls, the sacrificial death of Jesus, the season of rebirth, the thing which is good, the truth is in Jesus, to align with the truth of God's word, total commitment, transform our minds, trees budding with green leaves, truth, value systems, vanity, wisdom, with all malice, working with his hands, your love both surrounds and fills me, your reasonable service
Romans 12: 2a. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
Oh, this first lazy-day Saturday in May is a somewhat damp and cloudy one, but it’s oh so good for lazing around! (smile) And besides, that wonderful season of spring is in the air. The season of rebirth, of renewal, of all things being made new, and once again the trees are budding green leaves and flowers are sprouting in the gardens. What can be nicer eh, especially in this Easter Season, one of resurrection, of salvation and of eternal life! That means it’s a great day to be alive, so let’s give thanks to our wonderful God for that li’l fact nuh, by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
As one voice, in 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, if our prayer was sincere, we can soon expect to receive a calming presence from our heavenly Father, for desiring to be with Him in greater intimacy is His favourite desire, and He cannot help but grant our wish.
And just as spring is a time of renewal and rebirth for Mother Nature, I believe it can also be a time of renewal and rebirth for us, a time to strengthen our faith, to renew our belief in Christ Jesus, a time to reignite the passion in our souls, having recently suffered through His sacrificial death on our behalf, and then witnessed His miraculous and amazing resurrection. That’s certainly a time to renew our passion for Christ. so let’s begin with this foundational scripture from Bruh Paul to the Romans.
‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:1-2) Yes friends, in honour of all that God has done for us, justifying, sanctifying, and making us righteous, among other things, then we need to show some appreciation and respect by living lives that honour Him. And according to the scholars: ‘This shows that the Christian life begins with total commitment and irrevocable presentation.’
Now, the first step in this renewal of our minds is to stop being conformed to the ways of the world, which are mostly opposite and opposed to those of Christ. As per the scholars, we are to ‘resist being poured into the mold of the present thinking, value systems, and conduct of this world.’ And John, in his first epistle, tells it perfectly: ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him.’ (1 John 1:15) It could not be more explicit than that!
Then, we are to transform our minds, transition them to a new way of thinking, that supplied by Christ and His values. And I like how this commentary explains the process of transforming our minds. ‘Renewing your mind, often used in a spiritual context, involves actively changing your thought patterns to align with truth and God’s will. This process can be achieved through reading scripture, embracing biblical principles, and setting aside time for reflection and prayer. Practicing new habits, engaging in creative activities, and even taking a break from routine can also contribute to a renewed perspective.’
Yes, it’s not easy, especially if you were deeply involved in the ways of the world, and it does take time, but with a sincere heart and the help of the Holy Spirit, that transformation can be accomplished. And Bruh Paul, as is his habit, gives us some practical advice per transforming our minds, in his letter to the Ephesians. Having talked about the Gentiles being alienated from Christ, with their vanity, ignorance, blindness of heart, uncleanness, lasciviousness and greed, (Eph. 4:17-19) he then writes:
‘But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to hm that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (educational), that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day or redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:20-32)
And that’s the practical manner in which we go about transforming our minds and putting on the new man in Christ! And yes, it’s a lot to learn and do, but that’s why we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper. And please remember that nothing happens overnight, but it takes sincere effort and perseverance on our part. If we do our part, the Lord will surely do His. So on this damp and cloudy first lazy-day Saturday in May, let’s do like Mother Nature does in springtime, and get to renewing our minds and bodies in the new man that resembles Christ Jesus! Much LOVE!
…you cannot be in Christ…or He in you…unless your mind’s been transformed…and you’re a new man…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious opportunity for man, a great high priest, a great moment, a man lay down his life for his friends, a passionate and comforting call, accept Him as Lord and Saviour, anointed me to preach the gospel, at the feet of Christ, cannot be touched by our infirmities, cannot walk, Christ rose triumphantly from the dead, come boldly unto the throne of grace, come to know and love Him, come to save that which was lost, come unto me all ye that labour, Daniel Herbert, dare not talk, disaster-prone world, empathize with our weaknesses, eternal life, ever was the same, faith, faith doesn't make it easy, faith makes it possible, find grace, find rest for your souls, gentle and humble, give you rest, go to waste, greater love hath no man than this, guilt and sin, he hears the sigh or groan, he makes alive, hold fast our profession., holy spirit, I sigh, I'm lame, if you do whatsoever I command you, in all points, in the annals of man's history, in time of need, Jehovah is the sinner's friend, Jesus Christ, Jesus fills the throne, Jesus Son of God, Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, joy shall be in heaven, lay your load at Jesus feet, learn from me, lost blind and lame, LOVE, makes the blind to see, makes the dead to hear his voice, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, more than over ninety nine just persons, my burden light, my yoke ie easy, no practical experience of human life, obtain mercy, over one repentant sinner, passed into the heavens, plead what he has done, poor bankrupt souls, preach deliverance to the captives, preach the acceptable year of the Lord, recovery of sight to the blind, salvation, sanctified, selfless sacrifice, set apart for godly purposes, set the prisoner free, stopped my mouth, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, tempted like as we are, that are bruised, the first Sunday after Easter, the Lord will take you in, the parables of the lost sheep coin and son, the prodigal son, the sinner lost He came to save, the Son of man, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, the weight of our sins, the weight of the whole world, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears, those he kills, to all who feel the weight of their sin, to find mercy, to heal the brokenhearted, to help, to set them at liberty, truth, uncertain times, we owe Jesus much thanks, which need no repentance, whosoever comes, wisdom, without sin, ye are my friends, ye wretched sinners come
Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
And it’s the first Sunday after that marvellous and miraculous Easter Sunday, where Christ rose triumphantly from the dead, and it was such a great moment in the annals of man’s history, such a glorious opportunity for mankind, that we’re still celebrating it. (smile) And we’ll be celebrating it for a long while yet! (smile)
Today though, we’ll sing a song that only Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection makes possible. The song is aptly titled “Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace” and was written by Daniel Herbert (1751 – 1833), a congregational minister who served at Sudbury in Suffolk. It is a passionate and comforting call to all who feel the weight of their sin to come and find mercy at the feet of Christ. And in these uncertain and difficult times, many of us are feeling not only the weight of our sins but also the weight of the whole confused and disaster-prone world in which we currently live.
So let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo version, being sincerely thankful for the throne of grace that we have such open access to. Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk. Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same.
He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free. Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in’
And that’s the living truth my people! Regardless of your problems, your sins, your guilt or whatever, if you come sincerely to Jesus, He WILL TAKE YOU IN! No doubt about it! But you now have to come to Him, because He’s already done His work, dying and rising from the grave so that you can have the wonderful options of salvation and eternal life. It’s available to whosoever who comes and asks for it.
But getting back to our hymn for today, the basis for it is found right there in the Bible, in Hebrews 4, which states: ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (weaknesses), but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16)
Oh my faithful brethren, what a magnificent scripture! Firstly, it assures us that Christ our high priest is in heaven after completing His earthly work. And in so doing, He was tempted in all ways and manners like we are, but did not sin. Therefore He can empathize with our temptations and mistakes, unlike the other so-called gods who have no practical experience whatsoever of human life and problems. But our Jesus does! That’s why we can confidently go to the throne of grace seeking grace and mercy anytime we so desire.
And all God’s people said a loud and thankful, ‘Thank You Jesus!’ Yes friends, do we ever owe Jesus a bunch of thanks for all that He’s done for us. We can never offer up enough thanks to satisfy His selfless sacrifice, neither can we ever make up for it. He knows that, and thus all He really wants from us is to genuinely accept Him as Lord and Saviour and live the life that He desires of us; one that’s sanctified and set apart for His purpose only, encouraging others to come to know and LOVE Him like we do.
And there are some individual scriptures that parts of the song bring to mind, like: ‘Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet,’ That surely reminds of Jesus’ ‘Great Invitation’ where He so graciously and generously offers: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt.11:28-30)
Now there’s no greater invitation in this world, but unfortunately an amazing number of people have turned it down. Only to their own eventual demise. Then there’s the line that says: ‘Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same.’ Here’s what Jesus said to the disciples, and consequently to us. ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 15:13-14)
And what about this line? ‘The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free.’ Yes my fellow believers, that’s exactly what Jesus came to do, as He said that day when He lunched with the tax collector Zaccheus. ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:10) Then to amplify that statement, in Luke 15, Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son (Prodigal Son), where the owners of the sheep and the coin, or the father never gave up looking for what was lost. And He offers this sentiment: ‘I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just (upright) persons, which need no repentance.’ (Luke 15:7)
And there’s no better scripture on Jesus’ earthly role to close with than this one where He read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set them at liberty that are bruised (oppressed). To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’(Luke 4:18-19)
And after he closed the scroll, with all eyes on him, He solemnly informed them: ‘This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (hearing).’ (Luke 4:21) And so it was friends, Jesus fulfilled all that He came to do. The rest is now up to us. Please, let’s not disappoint Him, and make all His selfless sacrifice go to waste! Much LOVE!
… faith doesn’t make it easy…faith makes it possible…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great cloud of witnesses, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a true disciple of Christ, a warning, absolutely necessary, an incorruptible crown, be disqualified, bring it under subjection, business, Christian celebrations, compassed about, competes for the prize, corruptible crown, denying the spirituality of the situation, despising the shame, disicpline our bodies, disobeyed your word, disqualified from Christian ministry, divine aid, earthly spiritual journey, ease the pain, Easter celebrations, Easter Monday, encouraged by the enemy, endured the cross, eternal life, every man that striveth for mastery, faith, fall by the wayside, finished my course, flails helplessly, food, for the joy that was set before him, forfeiting rewards, fought a good fight, frustrations, gifts, grace, greed of the world, have a part to play, he that abideth in me, heavenly help, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am the vine, I in him, I keep under my body, I myself should be a castaway, I therefore so run, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus' miraculous resurrection, Jesus' sacrificial death, keep Jesus uppermost in our minds, kept the faith, know ye not, lay aside every weight, lest that by any means, looking unto Jesus, lose sight of the essential facts, LOVE, mass confusion, material selfishness, mercy, not as one that beateth the air, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, one receives the prize, our sufficiency is of God, parties, peace and calm, personal sacrifice, practical advice, pray, run not as uncertainly, run with patience, salvation, self-control, selfless sacrifice of Jesus, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, share a partnership with Christ, sin, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, so fight I, so run that ye may obtain, spiritual strength, spirituality, steal our joy In Jesus Christ, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ta perishable crown, temperate, temperate in all things, Thank you Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the giver of life, the God who heals, the joy of the Lord is your strength, the material world, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the sin which doth so easily beset us, they which run in a race run all, throne of grace, to think anything of ourselves, traffic jams, trainig for a marathon, truth, turn from our evil ways, we have all sinned, when I have preached to others, wisdom, wise guidance, without me ye can do nothing, work diligently, ye are the branches
1 Corinthians 9:24b. So run, that ye may obtain.
And the Easter celebrations continue unabated on this somewhat cloudy Easter Monday! And why not eh, when we were given the greatest presents ever; salvation and eternal life through Jesus’ sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection! And the other good thing about today is that many of us don’t have to face the traffic jams and all the other frustrations involved in going out to work. And all God’s children said, a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Jesus!’
However, there’s always a warning needed in these Christian celebrations, a warning to not let the material selfishness and greed of the world to make us lose sight of what the celebration is truly about; the LOVE and selfless sacrifice of Jesus! For if we allow them, the material world, staunchly encouraged by the enemy, would just make it all about business, gifts, food, and parties, while denying the spirituality of the situation. So, as we celebrate, let’s keep Jesus uppermost in our minds today and every day, for He is the giver of life, health, wealth, LOVE, mercy, grace…in fact of everything that we enjoy!
Now, to always keep Jesus first place is no easy task, especially when the enemy’s main goal is to steal our joy in Christ, since, as the Bible says: ‘for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That means if we lose our joy in Christ then we’ll lose our spiritual strength and won’t be able to make the wise decisions we ought to, or have the peace and calm we desire.
And how do we do that? We have to work sincerely and diligently at it. But obviously not by ourselves, for as Bruh Paul writes: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And Jesus corroborates that when he declares (yesss!!!) that well known statement: ‘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 15:5)
But unlike what some might think, that does not stop us from working towards the goal of spiritual maturity, for we share a partnership with Christ, meaning we both have a part to play. If we do our part, He will do His. But if we don’t do our part, neither will He do His, and we’d be left in the lurch. And what’s our part in all this eh? Here’s one practical bit of advice from Bruh Paul. He writes thus in his first missive to the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor. 9:24)
Yes friends, Bruh Paul is likening our earthly spiritual journey to a race, and in his last communication with Timothy, he uses that same imagery. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:7) Likewise, the author of Hebrews views our earthly journey as a race, when he writes: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:1-2)
So Jesus is our example for living this earthly life. But yuh know what, if we want to obtain anything positive and/or substantial from this race of life, we have to put out something. Therefore, Bruh Paul continues to the Corinthians. ‘And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown, but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air (flails helplessly): but I keep under my body (discipline my body), and bring it under subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’ (1 Cor. 9:25-27)
Ah mih people, like a runner training for a marathon, we too have to discipline our bodies and exert ourselves so that we will do well in the race of life. If not, we’ll fall by the wayside and lose the promised imperishable crown that Christ has laid aside for us. As the scholars explain: ‘The point is that the believer must discipline himself to avert being disqualified from Christian ministry, and forfeiting the rewards for such service.’ So we see that running this earthly race is not easy, but with the help of our wonderful God, we can do it, if we put out the necessary effort. And to help us do so, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, pleading for divine assistance.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’
And from our prayer, we see that there are some necessary steps we must take before divine aid is granted; humble ourselves, pray, sincerely seek God’s face with sincere repentance. So please, let’s get to them right now nuh, so that we’ll get heavenly help asap! Much LOVE!
…as a true disciple of Christ…personal sacrifice is absolutely necessary…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Alleluia, an ongoing event, and earth reply, as others which have no hope, be ever with the Lord, believe that Jesus died and rose again, caught up together with them in the clouds, Charles Wesley, Christ is Risen today, Christ our Saviour is risen, Christ's Resurrection, Christians, church anthem for Easter, comfort one another with these words, comforting words, descend from heaven with a shout, Easter Sunday, eternal life, ever present effects, everlasting life, faith, fellowship, follow our risen Lord, forming habits, Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, hail the resurrection, Happy Easter, He is risen, he that believeth in me, holy spirit, Hosanna, Hosanna Save us now!, how to be in a relationship with God, I am the resurrection and the life, in newness of life, instill in us, Jesus Christ, king of glory, Lazarus, Lift up the name of Jesus, LOVE, marthat, mercy, miraculous occasion, my hope, raise your joys and triumphs high, remain unto the coming of the Lord, salvation, sing ye heavens, soul of bliss, teach us, the best feeling ever, the Lord himselff, the rapture of the church, the understanding that God still works today, thee we greet triumphant now, them which are asleep, though he were dead, thus to love, thy power to prove, to be ignorant, to ever lift our alleluias in praise, to meet the Lord in the air, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, wisdom, witnesses of the resurection, worship, ye sorrow not, yet shall he live
1 Corinthians 15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
HAPPY EASTER!
‘He is Risen! He is risen! Yes, Christ our Saviour has risen indeed! Alleluia!’ That’s the cry being heard all over the world today, as millions of Christians celebrate Easter Sunday, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, thus allowing all those who believe in Him to also be resurrected at the time enshrined by the Father. As Jesus said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, before He raised him from the dead: ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
And millions of Christians believe that on this Easter Sunday morning, as Christ shows His awesome power to give eternal life to all who sincerely believe in Him. And to celebrate this marvellous, miraculous occasion, today we’ll sing a song that’s rather appropriate, one titled ‘Christ Is Risen Today!’ It was mostly penned in 1739 by one of our great hymn writers, Charles Wesley, and is considered by many Christians as being the most definitive church anthem for Easter, as each verse is focused on stuff in Christ’s resurrection.
But before we get into the song, listen to this most interesting commentary. ‘In every worship service, the words we say and the actions we participate in are somehow shaping us. Perhaps without even being aware of it, worship is doing something to us – it’s forming habits and language inside of us to both teach us why we are in relationship with God, and how to be in relationship with God. One practice that many liturgists and hymn authors have brought into worship is describing an event that happened in the past (usually a moment from the Gospel story) as if it were happening today, in order to instill in us the understanding that, just as God worked in the lives of people two thousand years ago, He is still working today.
And The hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” is a perfect example of this. Right in the title is an indicator of the present tense: the word “is.” As we sing this song, we are first brought back two millennia as “witnesses” of the resurrection, and then we are also made aware that though the actual event of the resurrection happened once, it is in a sense an on-going event with ever-present effects. We are called today to live out of the resurrection, to follow our risen Lord in newness of life, and to ever lift our “alleluias” in praise.
Now, let’s turn to our song of praise, but first this most appropriate Intro from the Simple Series Musical ‘Merry Tree,’ featured on the album inspired by the message and mission of Billy Graham, ‘My Hope.’ Please declare with me: ‘We have gathered today to lift up the name of Jesus. We rejoice in His victory over sin and the cross. Our cries of ‘Hosanna! Save us now!’ have been answered. Our Redeemer has conquered death! And because we are certain of that, we have reason to celebrate!’
So finally, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise to heaven in a scintillating, up-tempo version, imagining ourselves as we sing, back there in the garden, like Mary Magdalene, two thousand years ago, the first to see and talk to Jesus after His resurrection. (smile)
Singing: ‘Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! LOVE’S redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia! Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia! Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia! Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia! King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia! Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! Thee to know, Thy pow’r to prove, Alleluia! Thus to sing, and thus to LOVE, Alleluia!’
Yes friends, wasn’t it wonderful seeing Jesus alive and kicking once again on that resurrection morn? It most certainly was! It was the best feeling ever, because then we knew for sure that if He rose from the grave, so would we also! As Bruh Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians: ‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (have fallen asleep, died). For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ (1 Cor. 15:20-22)
Oh my faithful brethren, sweeter words were never spoken, for that means in due course, in the Lord’s time, we will also rise from the dead to live with Christ. And this passage from Bruh Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians gives us a better understanding of the process. ‘But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (have died), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep (dead). For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (trumpet) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever (always) be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Yes my fellow believers, those are very comforting words. It’s oh so good to know that we will meet our LOVED ones who have gone before us in the Rapture of the Church, so that we can live with Christ forevermore. Please, let’s spend some time today, take a moment away from the celebrations and truly try to comprehend what that means for us all! And in closing, I wish us all a very Happy Easter my Scrip-Bit friends and family! Much LOVE!
…ONLY in Christ…can salvation and eternal life be found…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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