10 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life, a strong will, believers ought never to give up, blessed with God's supernatural widom, chores, christianity, Creator and Controller of the universe, curse, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God, David was greatly distressed, divine protection, do not fear, double figures, even mine enemies and foes, every man for his sons and daughters, evil and ungodly times, faith, favour, fear him which can destroy both body and soul in hell, fear not them which kill the body, fulfillment, give I unto you, good health, holy spirit, humans cannot harm the soul or spirit, in the name of Jesus, in this will I be confident, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, lifted up their voices to God, like a rag doll before a mad bull, LOVE, mercy, my heart shall not fear, my peace I give unto you, negative word, neither let it be afraid, nobody, not as the world gives, of whom shall I be afraid, onfidence, Peace i leave with you, physical harm, promotion, put our full hope and faith in God, salvation, self-control, share our undeserved blessings, stood strong in the comfort and encouragement of his God, strengthen our hearts, strife-filled and ruthless times, success, the Amalekites burned Ziklag, the BIBLE, the chaotic and fearful state of our world, the enemy will cast us aside, the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, the men blamed David for their woeful state, the people spake of stoning him, the soul of all the people was grieved, they stumbled and fell, though an host should encamp against me, though war should rise against me, to eat up my flesh, total assurance, truth, useful scriptures, we look for someone else to blame, we want to share in the fame and fortune, when the wicked came upon me, when things go right, when things go wrong, whom shall I fear, wisdom
1 Samuel 30:6b. …but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Ah mih people, we’re on the late, late bus this Thursday morning, or rather afternoon, where the sun has a decided edge over the clouds, but those clouds aren’t giving up very easily. Just like we faithful believers ought not to give up easily, or rather not give up at all, for there’s no giving up in Jesus’ kingdom! And on this penultimate day of our workweek, when July has hit double figures… imagine that nuh, is jut last week we celebrated Canada Day on the first of July, and it’s already up to the tenth. The days certainly are running away like they have some kind of wild animal running them down. (smile)
But I’m sure some of you are wondering why we’re so late today. Well it’s simple. I went to bed late, thus got up late, and there were a few chores to be done around the house that I could not put off any longer without earning the Duchess’ ire. And you know what that can be like! (smile) Anyway, we’re finally here, and kicking too, so let’s check out some useful scriptures…and be brief in doing so too. Hn! Hn! As if the ole fella knows how to be brief. But we’ll try. (smile)
And the scripture for today comes from that marvellous Psalm 27, aptly titled, ‘My Heart Shall Not Fear.’ And that’s something so many of us believers ought to get a grip on, for one of the things Jesus said most often while here on earth is ‘Do not fear.’ He doesn’t expect His followers to fear when they have His sovereign authority and marvellous promises at hand. And what can be more encouraging than these words of His. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Unfortunately though many Christians right now are experiencing much fear because of the chaotic and fearful state of our world. But that’s exactly where and when Bruh David’s words from Psalm 27 ought to strengthen our hearts, as he writes with total assurance and confidence: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1) And the correct answer to that question from the mouth of believers, ought to be a loud and resounding, ‘NOBODY!’
Yes friends, we ought to be afraid of NO ONE! Remember Jesus’ warning. ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28) And this commentary explains that verse thus: ‘It means that while humans may have the power to take away physical life, they cannot harm the soul or spirit. Therefore, one should not be excessively afraid of those who can inflict physical harm, but rather should fear God, who has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell.’
Now, I know it’s not always easy to not be afraid of man, especially in these strife-filled and ruthless times, but let’s weigh the thing in the balance here: man can only destroy our physical body, but the Lord can destroy both our body and soul, so whom should we fear most then eh? It’s obvious, the Lord God Almighty, Creator and Controller of the Universe and all therein!
So let’s stop fearing what man can do to us, and put our full hope and faith in God. Let’s begin thinking and saying like Bruh David did: ‘When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 27:2-3)
Oh my people, that’s the kind of thinking we have to embrace in these evil and ungodly times, otherwise the enemy will just cast us aside like a rag doll before a mad bull. And we all know that Bruh David’s life was far from easy, but he stood strong in the comfort and encouragement of His God. And there’s no better example of this than when Bruh David was living amongst the Philistines, running from King Saul, and he joined them to fight against his Jewish brethren. The Philistine princes didn’t trust him to fight on their side, and sent him and his men back home to Ziklag.
Unfortunately, they arrived there only to find that the Amalekites had invaded, burned it down, and took away all the inhabitants and their livelihood. Obviously when they discovered that sorry state of affairs, Bruh David and his men were very sorrowful, and they lifted up their voices to God and wept. But the selfish and distressful thing was that the men blamed Bruh David for their woeful state, not considering that his two wives were also taken captive. And here’s where Bruh David’s faith truly came through.
The Bible says: ‘And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved (bitter), every man for his sons and his daughters:’ (1 Sam. 30:6a) So, wasn’t Bruh David’s soul grieved for his family too? Apparently not, in the people’s estimate. But that’s how we feckless humans behave. When things go right we all expect to be a part of the fame and glory, but when they go wrong, we always try to lay the blame on someone else’s shoulders.
But thankfully Bruh David was up to the task…obviously with God’s help. The Bible further informs us that instead of being afraid and worried, ‘but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ (1 Sam. 30:6b) And that my people is what we all are expected to do when things get rough. And the example continues, for Bruh David enquired of the Lord what to do, and the Lord told him to go after the Amalekites. He and his six-hundred men did so, and with the Lord’s assistance recaptured all that they’d lost.
And today, there’s no need to worry, because the Lord has given us underserved blessings to do His earthly work as well as boost our faith; we call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and use those underserved blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. And I know I promised to be short …but that’s the best I could do! (smile) Much LOVE!
…faith is hope in action…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deep desire for personal righteousness, a fool, a new work week, a two way partnership with God, a word to the wise is sufficient, an evildoer, answer our prayers, anyone seeking to do evil against believers will fail, as a bride adorned for her husband, be of good cheer, be their God, burdensome, christianity, coming down from God out of heaven, confidence, conquering power, ease the pain, even our faith, every tongue that rises against you shall be condemned, evil and ungodly times, faith, faithfully keep your promise, find favour with God, God assures us of the victory, God himself shall be with them, God is sovereign, God shall wipe away all tears, God will dwell with them, have access to God, he that believes Jesus is the Son of God, his commandments are not grievous, holy spirit, humble ourselves, I am persuaded, i have overcome the world, I heard a great voice out of heaven, I John saw the holy city, in all these things, in me ye might have peace, in the world, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus' power over the world and the devil, LOVE, mass confusion in our world, mercy, neither sorrow, New Jerusalem, no more crying, no more death, no more pain, no weapon formed against us shall prosper, nor height nor depth, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, of the many suffering from negative situations, or any other creature, our daily attitude, place our sincere trust in Jesus, pray, responsibilities, salvation, show them your awesome grace and mercy, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, strong faith in Christ, strong trust in Christ, Thanks be to God, that neither death nor life nor angels, the BIBLE, the former things are passed away, the God who heals, the heritage of the servants of the Lord, the power to solve our many problems, the tabernacle of god is with men, the throne of grace, these things I have spoken unto you, they shall be his people, this is the love of God, through our Lord Jesus christ, to alleviate our problems, to prosper us, truth, turn from our evil ways, we are more than conquerors, we can handle whatever comes against us, we keep His commandments, whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, who gives us the victory, who is he that overcometh the world, wisdom, wise guidance, you shall have tribulation
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Aye mih people, it’s a new Monday and a new work week, and who knows what joys and sorrows we will encounter this week, but be encouraged that with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we will be able to handle whatever comes against us with a strong trust and confidence in the One who strengthens us and provides for all of our needs! How did Bruh Paul put it in his first missive to the Corinthians? ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!’ (1 Cor. 15:57) And that’s a mighty big thanks my faithful brethren!
It’s such a big deal that there are several scriptures that attest to it. Verses like this magnificent encourager from Isaiah. ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) Now doesn’t that just your get your dander up and make you feel like you could face the world and beat it with God on your side! Of course! (smile)
But what does that mean? This commentary tells us: ‘Simply put, God was stating that anyone who is seeking to do evil against believers will fail. Though for a time it may seem that we are defeated in a situation, God assures us the victory.’ And that’s an attitude we need to walk around with every day my fellow believers.
Why? Because it plays right into this other well-known scripture, where Bruh Paul in writing to the Romans, about persecution befalling believers, states in no uncertain terms: ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus.’ (Rom. 8:37-39)
Now that’s another noteworthy scripture that should be amongst our go to ones in times of doubt, trial and worry. Then John in his first epistle steadfastly proclaims: ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome). For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.’ (1 John 5:3-5)
Wow! What an uplifting scripture! And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Whatsoever refers to every believer born of God. There is conquering power through this confession because God is sovereign over the world, and only through the Son of God does man have access to and find favour with God.’ And who wouldn’t want to have access to God and find favour with Him eh? Only a fool or an evildoer.
Now we cannot go home without featuring these revolutionary words from Jesus Himself, that He issued when warning the disciples of coming persecution and hard times. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Yes friends and fellow believers, when we place our sincere trust in Jesus, then we can have peace and calm despite the trials and tribulations we might face, because His authority and power over the world and the devil, enables us to do it.
And we’ll close this Bit on the victories of God on our behalf through Christ Jesus, with the one that we’re all looking forward to. In the prophetic words of John the Revelator: ‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev. 21:2-4)
It could not get any better than that my fellow saints! And after what I’ve been through these last few months, I for one am looking forward to the day when there will be no more pain! Yuh better believe it! (smile) Now, let’s go to the throne of grace in humble confidence seeking help to handle all that ails us in these evil and ungodly 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!’
But please, let’s remember that we’re in a two way partnership with God; He has responsibilities, and so do we, and to get His help, we need to better carry out ours. Nuff said! Much LOVE!
… a word to the wise is sufficient…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chaotic mess, a just man falls seven times, addresses the problem, anchored to you, anxious, be a weatherer, bends but doesn't break, Bible, by my side, christianity, Christians, come to know and love him like we do, controlled by circumstances, controlled by Satan, diligence, endures peacefully, evil and ungodly times, excellence, experience every day, explores uncertainty with gentleness, faint in the day of adversity, faith, fear of man, fear of negative circumstances, fearful, God is in the middle of our every battle, good or bad, Guide, he delights in his way, he shall not be utterly cast down, holy spirit, hurry, I can't take it anymore, in a timely and efficient manner, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in the face of overwhelming odds, in the swing of things, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, know who we are in Christ, laughs easily, learn from our mistakes, learn the word, like an ocean wave, lock stock and barrel, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, make mistakes, many are the afflictions of the righteous, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, mourns losses wholeheartedly, negativity, no resilience in us, none of his bones are broken, one who celebrates victories liberally, overwhelming odds, pilot, rewards are worth the sacrifice, rise fall and carry on, rises up again, run and not be weary, salvation, shall renew their strength, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, storms of life, stumble into calamity, successfully navigate the storms, surfing, surrender our all to Christ, teach me to ride each circumstance, the beloved of God, the Lord delivers him out of them all, the Lord upholds him with his hand, the poisonous atmosphere of the world, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the wicked shall fall into mischief, the world is troubled, they that wait upon he Lord, though he fall, thy strength is small, to determine the shape of my life, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk and not faint, wisdom, worry
Proverbs 24:16. For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).
And after Monday comes Tuesday; a day we don’t dislike half as much as Monday. (smile) That’s because by the time Tuesday rolls around, we’ve sort of gotten back into the swing of things. You’ll be surprised at how anxious or even fearful one can become on returning to work after a mere two days off, because anything untoward could have happened in the break, especially in these ungodly and evil times. And this prayer from the January In Touch Devotional addresses the problem in a most timely and efficient manner.
So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, the world is so troubled. Sometimes I can’t take it anymore. But I don’t want negativity to determine the shape of my life. God, don’t let me be controlled by circumstances. Instead, teach me to ride each one, good or bad, like an ocean wave – to rise, fall, and carry on. Let me be a weatherer: one who bends but doesn’t break, no matter what comes my way – a person who celebrates victories liberally, mourns losses wholeheartedly, explores uncertainty with gentleness, laughs easily, and endures peacefully. May I be anchored to You through it all, knowing You experience every day by my side. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s a good prayer, and if many more believers could follow that behaviour, our world would definitely not be in the chaotic mess that it’s currently in. But too many of us cannot weather the storms of life, we bend and do break. There’s no resilience in us. Who knows why? Perhaps through fear of man, and fear of our very negative, heartbreaking and painful circumstances. We lack encouragement to stand strong in the face of overwhelming odds. And that will most certainly be the case if we don’t have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, our Guide and Pilot though the many storms that life throws at us.
That’s why the prayer pleads to be anchored to God through all our ups and downs, for He is right there in the middle of them all with us. Not by the side, or somewhere off in the distant, but right in the middle of every battle that we’re called on to fight. Therefore, accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour is the number One priority in any human’s life, because it’s only with His help, though His Holy Spirit Living in us, that we can ever successfully navigate the stormy, evil and poisonous atmosphere of this world, currently controlled by Satan and his dangerous cronies.
And I like how the prayer asks for the ability to ride out each circumstance, be it good or bad. It brings to mind the sport of surfing, where adventurous people attempt to ride the high and ofttimes rough waves as they crash toward the shore. Now, like everything else we desire to be good at, that takes much practice. You have to fall off, get enveloped in the waves, and on occasion even feel like you’re drowning, but with each unsuccessful attempt, it’s ever so necessary to get back up and try again, until you can perform the feat successfully.
And life is just like learning to surf my fellow believers. You’re going to make mistakes, but each time you have to get back up and learn from it. That’s why Cousin Sol offers this lifesaving advice. ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) Yes friends, falling is a natural aspect of life, but getting up is where the boys are separated from the men. And you can only do that on a consistent basis if you have the Lord God Jehovah, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as your God.
That’s what Jesus enables us to do; get back up and move forward with vim and vigour. And this verse from the prophet Isaiah exemplifies it like no other. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) Now, isn’t that a most excellent reason to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life? Of course it is! Because we are all struggling for health, wealth and strength in this difficult and disastrous world, and ONLY Jesus promises to help us achieve our goals.
However, what we must realize from the very outset is, although we’re in league with Jesus, we will still face problems; many of them, and big ones too. Jesus is not there to always take away our problems, but mostly to help us through them. As Bruh David says in Psalm 34: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ (Ps. 34:19-20) And in Psalm 37, Bruh David again tells of God’s delight in a good man. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps. 37:23-24)
Yes friends, that’s how it is when we obey the Lord’s will and stay in His good graces. But the onus is on us to get close to God, and stay close to Him. And that can only be done if we seek God sincerely, through His Son Jesus Christ. That requires surrendering our all to Him, asking Him to come into our lives and lead and guide us from henceforth. Then we have to learn His Word, the Bible, so that we can know who we are in Christ. For we are nothing without Him! Then live the new life He desires of us with diligence and excellence. It’s not easy, but the rewards are certainly worth it. And you’ll never know about it until you try it.
So, if you’ve never tried Jesus, please do so today nuh. It’s the best decision you’ll ever make in this mortal life. Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out into the world and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…if thou faint in the day of adversity…thy strength is small… (Prov. 24:10)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a doting grandfather, a future and a hope, a just and righteous God, evil and ungodly times, faith, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I may know you all the more, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, knowledge of Jehovah God, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lift up Christ's name, light of the world, like a thief in the night, look for God in the right places, LOVE, material wealth, obedience, our bounden duty, quiet my soul, refuse to seek God, reverence, salt of the earth, search for me with all your heart, slow my thoughts, suffer the consequences, the great divide, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end, truth, up the ante, Veteran's Day, ye shall seek me and find me, your unceasing nearness
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And it’s cloudy and windy on this lazy-day Saturday November 11th , 2023, as we celebrate Veteran’s Day, honouring the many brave souls who fell in the wars of the last century. Not many of them are still alive today, and if they are, they are not doing so well medically, financially or emotionally because down through the years their services had not been properly appreciated nor rewarded.
And every year we drag out the few remaining veterans before the cenotaphs and other markers of those great wars, and make big speeches and promises, but nothing much still ever happens to improve their situations. But the Lord is in His high heaven and is closely watching down on the affairs of men, and we know that He has a heart for the poor, the marginalized and the downtrodden. So we’ll leave their affairs in His capable hands.
Now, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity of heart. As one 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 do we ever need to know and be more aware of our great God in these evil and ungodly times, if we hope to come through them as unscathed as possible! Yes friends, in times like these, only a strong attachment to and knowledge of Jehovah God will enable us to overcome all the evil stuff that’s coming against us in droves. The big problem though is that we need to seek the Lord, not the Lord seek us. We desperately need Him, He doesn’t need us. He LOVES us a whole lot, but that doesn’t mean He’ll just roll over and satisfy our every need, like a doting grandfather. Not at all.
The Lord God Jehovah is a just and righteous God, thus He must act justly and righteously and allowing us to do whatever we want without repercussions is not acting justly and righteously. Thus, He demands that we come to Him, in obedience and reverence, and if we don’t, then we’ll suffer the consequences. It’s as simple as that. And furthermore, it’s so easy to find the Lord if we truly desire to find Him, for He’s always around, not in some far off heavenly place, the way so many of us falsely think.
And these words from the prophet Jeremiah say it all. ‘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) Now that’s what the Lord has in store for us, but it does not happen automatically. We also have a part to play in this covenant relationship.
And here’s our part: ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken (listen) unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) There it is in black and white friends, written thousands of years ago but still the definitive way to find Jehovah God: search for Him with all your heart!
Unfortunately, not enough of us are doing that, either individually or as Christ’s body, the church, and thus we have this great divide between our heavenly Father and ourselves. And we are the ones who are suffering, but we’ve become so stubborn, ignorant and hardhearted that we refuse to seek Him, even though we are been eaten up by the evil doers like the big fishes eat up the small ones. But yet we listen to the lies and the deceits of Satan and run down the material wealth of the world, instead of seeking the righteousness of God’s kingdom. And his evil majesty is laughing as it were, all the way to the bank, because of our foolish and unwise behaviour.
When are we going to wake up and do what’s right my people? Every day it gets later, with less time left to make the necessary changes. And remember Jesus could come at any time, and once He comes, most likely like a thief in the night, it’s all over. So please, let’s do what we’re supposed to do nuh. We call ourselves Christians, believers in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, members of His august body, the church, that means there are things we need to do to keep it all afloat and successful. And we know what we need to do. So please, please, I plead with us, let’s do it nuh!
Let’s lift up Christ’s name on high like we promised to do when we first believed. Let’s be the true salt of the earth and the light of the world as He desires of us. Let’s show the world that we’re truly His disciples by the LOVE we show to each other and to the rest of the world. That’s our bounden duty and what Jesus expects of us. Come on my fellow saints, let’s pull up our socks and do better nuh. We all know that there’s more in us than we’re showing, so for Jesus’ sake, let’s up the ante! We desperately need to, if we’re going to turn things around! Much LOVE!
…you’ll find God…if you look for Him in the right places…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
25 Aug 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, a new flock of believers, as the day follows the night, backsliders, commit thy way unto the Lord, compassion of Jesus, delight thyself also in the Lord, error of their ways, evil and ungodly times, fret not thyself because of evildoers, Friday chant, give thee the desires of thine heaert, God is good to Israel, God's promised never to leave nor forsake us, he shall bring it to pass, I saw the prosperity of the wicked, I was envious of the foolish, increase in riches, Jeusus is faithful, LOVE, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity, omnipotent help, prosperity of the wicked, simmering unrest, sin is enticing, stand strong and steadfast, sunshine lollipops and roses, test his own personal relationship with God, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the repercussions of sin, the righteous are chastened, the ungodly who prosper, the weekend, their eyes stand out with fatness, thou shalt be fed, trust in the Lord and do good, trusting faith, violence covereth them as a garment, wise guidance
Psalm 73:3. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
And after a wet and foggy night, Friday has turned out somewhat sunny, but the cloud cover is still there threatening the blue skies that are peaking out. (smile) But that hasn’t stopped us from zestfully proclaiming: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ And believe me, as August is winding down, there won’t be many more warm and pleasant weekends, as the cold weather begins to take over. But we know that we can handle whatever comes against us, because we have Jesus on our side, and He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us. (Heb. 13:5) Give Him some thanks and praise my brethren, for He is as faithful as the day follows the night.
Ah friends, as I was perusing the Good Library, looking for something to write on, I came upon Psalm 73, a psalm of Asaph, titled ‘Prosperity of the Wicked.’ It’s one I know, but haven’t read for some time, and it suddenly struck me as being very appropriate for these evil and ungodly times. For it points out how easy it is to lose our faith and fall into evil doings, when we see the wicked prosper in spite of their ungodliness. Now, the scholars have some wonderful explanations on it, so I’ve decided to follow their lead.
They say: ‘This psalm is another dealing with the problem of the prosperity of the wicked. Unlike Psalm 37, however, it does not emphasize the brevity of that prosperity.’ And Psalm 37 is Bruh David’s famous psalm that says: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps. 37:1-2) However, the author of Psalm 73, Asaph, ‘observes that sometimes the bounty achieved by the wicked does in fact last throughout life (v.4)’ And we have all seen the wicked prosper throughout their entire lives.
But Asaph ‘emphasizes every believer’s need to test his own personal relationship with God. That alone provides the ultimate satisfaction available to the believer who witnesses the affluence of the wicked. The psalm contains two key parts, first the psalmist describes the problem of the wicked’s prosperity (vs. 1-16). Not only is it an objective fact (vs. 4-12), but it almost caused him to stumble spiritually and lose his faith (vs. 1-3, 13-16) So now that we have some idea of what the psalm is all about, let’s read it together.
‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I almost stumbled); my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands (pangs, pain) in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain (serves as a necklace); violence covereth them as a garment.
Their eyes stand out with fatness (bulge with abundance): they have more than their heart could wish. They are corrupt (scoff), and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily (proudly). They set their mouth against the heavens: and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to (drained by) them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper (who are always at ease) in the world; they increase in riches.’ (Ps. 73:1-12)
Oh my people, haven’t we all seen what Asaph is speaking about in these evil and wicked times, when the rich seek even more than they can ever use, but their greed is so rampant that they are willing to oppress and even kill the poor to satisfy their greedy and lustful desires. And despite their greed, evil deeds and ungodliness, they prosper in this evil and ungodly world. Meanwhile, the righteous are chastened, as Asaph writes.
‘Verily I have cleansed my heart (kept my heart pure) in vain, and washed my hands in innocency (innocence). For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus: behold I should offend against (would have been untrue to) the generation of thy children. When I thought to know (understand) this, it was too painful for me (troublesome in my eyes); Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (Ps. 73: 13-17)
Yes my brethren, in spite of Asaph’s righteousness, it was not until he went into the Lord’s sanctuary that he truly understood what was happening! And it can indeed be incomprehensible to many of us who try to live godly, and yet see the wicked prosper in their evil deeds and schemes. But we have to hold on to our faith, and believe as Bruh David says that eventually they will be destroyed. Unfortunately, it might not be in our lifetime, or even theirs, but the Lord has promised to destroy the wicked, and we all know that He’s faithful to keep His promises.
In the meantime, if we want to stand strong and not fall for, or stumble into the prosperity of the wicked, we also have to take these words of Bruh David very seriously, where he says in Psalm 37: ‘Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps. 37:4-6)
And I know that’s all easy to say, but doing it under the shadow of the wicked’s prosperity takes a lot of effort, sacrifice and faithfulness in God. But that’s what we signed up for when we received Jesus as Lord and Saviour. He will make a way, where there seems to be no way, and He will supply all of our needs, and no weapon formed against us will ever prosper, but at the same time we must realize it won’t all be sunshine, lollipops and roses, for no life is ever like that, not even the prosperous wicked.
And if God spares life, we’ll continue with Psalm 73 tomorrow. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking help to handle all the evil and ungodliness that’s coming against us. As one voice: ‘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, it’s up to us to keep our promises, and do our part, so that heaven can do its part! Much LOVE!
…sin is indeed enticing…but are the sure and serious repercussions of sin…truly worth it…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
09 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a burning desire to do things, a Christ-like difference, accept the things I cannot change, all great changes are preceded by chaos, bored with life, bring others to the knowledge of Christ, burning with passion, chaos, Christians step up and take control, climate change, divisive and strife filled, economic misfortune, elbow grease, evil and ungodly times, get understanding, get wisdom, getting out of hand, God sent not His Son to condemn the world, grant me the serenity, heavenly blessings, Jesus turned the world right side up, led by the Holy Spirit, LOVE, lust for dictatorial power, out of your comfort zone, poverty, racial differences, see a light at the end of the tunnel, see possibilities before they become obvious, sleeping in, step up to the plate, the church of Christ, the courage to change the things I can, the greed of the rich, the Serenity Prayer, the wisdom to know the difference, the world through him might be saved, when the dust settles, wisdom and understanding, wisdom is the principal thing, without hungering and thirsting after anything
John 3:17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Oh, what a perfect Saturday morning for sleeping in, at least in my area! We are talking about dark skies on a fairly warm morning for this time of year, and a lulling, drizzle of heavenly blessings. But here I am up early, working. Chuh! That’s because I went to bed early this morning, that’s early by my standards. (smile)
Anyway, it’s no use griping about it now, because I’m already up and at ‘em. So, like we do every Saturday, let’s check out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week. I pray the Lord will give me the wisdom and understanding to do a good job on them, because it’s all for His glory.
This first one says: ‘All great changes are preceded by chaos.’ Now I don’t know if it’s absolutely true, but there is a fair amount of truth to it. Just look at all the great changes forced upon the world by the numerous wars and strife that’s happened down through the ages.
Look at what’s happening right now. Chaos is in our midst, with serious differences over the cause and effect of the Covid 19 pandemic, the strife that’s been injected over the vaccine, the lust for dictatorial power that’s currently running rampant, the greed of the rich, who are getting insanely richer while the world is beset by numerous natural and man-made disasters, poverty and economic misfortune, climate change, racial differences etc. etc. There’s no doubt that when the dust settles, our society will be significantly changed… but who knows how.
And let’s not forget the chaos and great changes made by the coming of our Lord and Saviour two thousand years ago. Jesus turned His then Jewish society upside down and the world right side up! Remember what He said: ‘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) And the world has never been the same since He came…neither will it be, after He comes again! (smile)
The second quote tells us that: ‘If you are bored with life, if you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things—you don’t have enough goals.’ I don’t know about not having enough goals nuh, but rather of having the wrong goals. For if you even have one goal of sufficient interest and importance to you, then that will have you getting up every morning burning with passion to fulfill it. What’s the point of having goals that aren’t actively cultivating your interest? None whatsoever!
The problem with today’s society, why we are so easily bored, is that life’s just too easy for too many of us. There are so many amenities now that we can easily get by without hungering and thirsting after anything, so serious goal setting is not as important as it used to be back when things were harder.
A real goal is something that calls for elbow grease, for getting out of your comfort zone, that causes you to see a light at the far end of the tunnel and drives you towards it. But since so many of us are averse to working hard, or working at all, who wants to do that eh? Consequently, when we do set goals, they are often of the easy, lacklustre kind and obviously don’t fire us up.
And that’s where this next quote comes in: ‘Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you can imagine it.’ Yes friends, our dreams, the things we would like to acquire or do, are extremely important, and they are the things that should usually become our goals, because they will inspire us to get up and get a move on. And the second part of the quote does have some truth to it.
Generally speaking, you must be able to imagine something before you can do it. You don’t always need to see the finished product, but there must be ideas about whatever you want to accomplish continually buzzing about in your head. Otherwise, you won’t have the necessary incentive to keep working on it.
That’s why the following quote is important. ‘The future belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious.’ No doubt about that friends. You just have to look around at all the amazing inventions in our current world to see it. They were created by those who were thinking ahead. They had an idea, a dream, a goal, to make something better, or do something differently, and they kept working at it, despite numerous failures, until they succeeded. A good example of that is the vast and tentacle-like network of social media we have nowadays. Some people saw the possibilities and took advantage of their opportunities. That’s what it takes to be successful in this world.
And the same thing goes for believers in Christ Jesus. We also need to be forward thinking; seriously gauging possibilities and seeking opportunities to bring others to the knowledge of Christ. That’s our job as His earthly messengers and ambassadors. So don’t think for one moment that Christians don’t also need dreams, goals and successful operations in Jesus’ name. We just have to do them within His framework; that of His holy word.
His church is His big organization here on earth. But how is that working eh? Not as good as it ought to. It cannot, with all the divisions, disunity, strife, anger and evil that’s currently going on in it. And one would think that in these terrible times, the church of Christ would take the obvious opportunity to be a calming, settling and uniting force, working to bring peace, LOVE and the Spirit of Jesus to the situation. But unfortunately, it is just as divisive and strife filled as the rest of the world.
What can we as individuals do eh? Not a whole lot, except sincerely show Christ to those around us and pray. And what we call our Serenity Prayer is the last of our quotes for today. So, let’s pray it nuh. ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’
Yes my fellow saints, that’s why Cousin Sol advises us through the Good Book that: ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding,’ (Prov. 4:7) It’s absolutely imperative that in in these dangerous, evil and ungodly times that the children of God seek His wisdom and learn what we need to do, by studying His word, talking to Him, and being led by His Holy Spirit.
This is an opportunity for all true believers to step up to the plate and make a real good and Christ-like difference in the lives of others and in our scarred and scared world. That’s what Jesus is expecting of us. So please, let’s not disappoint Him nuh. Much LOVE!
…when things are getting out of hand…that’s when Christians step up and take control…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
14 Aug 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: act wisely, actions speak louder than words, ask for the old paths, be strong and of a good courage, bones crying out, break free from a limited mindset, bring me out better on the other side, caring, characteristics of Jesus, Christ-like actions, Christian brethren, conquerors, created me to be uncontainable, Creator of the universe, death and destruction, destined to be a barrier breaker, disobedience, do according to all the law, doing good, eternal life, evil and ungodly times, example of our everyday lives, experience god's favour, fellow believers, find rest for your souls, friends, frightful times, glory hallelujah, God's children, God's promise, God's purpose for my life, God's Word, good news, I won't bear more than I can handle, inheritance, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, Joel Osteen, keep keeping on, living God, Lord God Jehovah, LOVE, meditate on God's Word, Moses, my destiny, never to leave or forsake me, obedience, one of those days, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, persecuted, potential, Praise the Lord, problems, prosperity, salvation, seeds of greatness in me, sharing, sight of faith, significant lesson, stand in the ways and see, success, successful living, suffering, talent, thanks and praise, the gospel in action, the head and not the tail, Today is my day, trampled in the dust, victors not victimes, way ahead of the game, where is the good way, wisdom, with God's help
Jeremiah 6:16. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Oh Friends, neighbours and fellow believers, it’s just one of those days… I went to bed late, got up early, feeling foggy, with all the ole arthritic bones crying out!
And to make matters worse, a tooth in my lower right jaw has suddenly begun acting up, which might necessitate a trip to the friendly dentist. (smile) Oh, my dentist is truly friendly. I’ve been going to him for over thirty years.
And what’s my response? A great ‘Glory Hallelujah!’
Yes Friends, I’m giving thanks and praise, because if those are my biggest worries, then I’m way ahead of the game! Those are minor problems compared to those so many others are suffering, especially our unjustly persecuted Christian brethren in other parts of the world. Hope you are continually praying for them.
And my problems most likely won’t do me in, so I’m just going to keep on keeping on, in the holy name of our magnificent Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who has faithfully promised never to leave or forsake me.
Now He never promised that I wouldn’t have problems, in fact He assured us that we would by simply believing in Him, but promised that He would not allow me to bear more than I can handle, and even then to help me go through them and bring me out better on the other side.
Wow! That’s why I can confidently say, like my Bubba Joel, (Joel Osteen): ‘TODAY IS MY DAY!
Yes my brethren, today is our day, so please affirm with me: ‘God has destined me to be a barrier breaker! He created me to be uncontainable. I have talent and potential given to me by the Creator of the universe. There are seeds of greatness inside of me.
Today, I choose to break free from a limited mindset and enlarge my vision. Today, God is taking me places that I’ve never even dreamed of before. Today, God is fulfilling His purpose and destiny in my life. Today, I will experience His favour like never before in every area of my life.’
And all of God’s children gave out a mighty shout of, ‘Praise the Lord!’
And now that we’ve affirmed all that, let’s go out and through sight of faith, make it happen…with God’s help obviously. Because through our great and wonderful God, we’re all conquerors, victors and not victims, the head and not the tail!
So please let’s behave in a suitable manner, one that embodies all those fine characteristics of Jesus; also doing good, caring and sharing, both emotionally and physically, like He wants us to do.
Oh my fellow believers, the best way to speak of Jesus is through the example of our everyday lives! For remember that actions speak much louder than words, and others are liable to come to Jesus much more through our Christ-like actions, than our good news words.
As they say, the gospel in action is a most remarkable tool, and so very hard to ignore. And that’s my little spiel for today! (smile).
Now let’s see what our Bit has to offer. ‘Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.’
Oh Friends, that is such a powerful and meaningful scripture, especially in these rather evil and ungodly times! It was very apropos in Jeremiah’s time, and even more so in ours now. I heard Uncle John (John Hagee) preach on it last night, and though we’ve used it as a Bit before, it’s so relevant to our frightful times, that I was guided to use it again.
Ah mih people, those old ways and paths of our forefathers were so blessed by obedience to God’s Word that prosperity was a given!
My brethren, let’s listen to this most potent passage of scripture, and as we do so, let’s also embed it deep in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies, for it’s the quintessential, the purest and most perfect direction for success and successful living.
‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance (you shall give as a possession) the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success, act wisely) whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall constantly be in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein in day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:5-8)
Oh Friends, that says it all! The numerous new-fangled books on prosperity and success are totally unnecessary since we have God’s own direction for successful living.
Those are the old paths and way that we ought to tread and embrace if we want to be truly successful and prosperous! They have been proven over and over by numerous societies, who rose to greatness by following them.
But by the same token, when they have turned away from, forsaken the Lord God Jehovah, like we are currently doing, then their success and prosperity have been sadly trampled in the dust.
Please my fellow believers, I plead with us to learn that significant lesson today, and to put it into practice, for it is the wisdom of Almighty God Himself! And if we foolishly continue to not adhere to His commands, disobey His imperial dictates, then eventually, possibly sooner than later, our society will also crumble into dust and ashes.
Is that what we want to happen? I very much doubt it. Well then, let’s wake up and smell the awful stench of our disobedience nuh! Much LOVE!
…when new ways and new paths lead to death and destruction…the wise turn back to the old ways and paths…those of the living God…which lead to success and prosperity…salvation and eternal life…
SCRIP-BITS 