The Utmost Necessity of Knowing that Salvation ONLY Comes by the Grace of God, through Faith in Christ Jesus!

13 Aug 2025 Leave a comment

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

Romans 10:13.        For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Well hello there Wednesday, you glorious summer’s day! Thanks for showing up and allowing us to catch our second wind in this hot and frustrating work week. And for once the forecasters were right; we did get about ten minutes of rain yesterday afternoon and a lot of noise from Thor on his drums. But unfortunately it made little difference to the parched earth or the temperature, for later in the evening I went outside, intending to sit on my porch and watch the populace go by with their many dogs and few children, but had to come right back inside because it was still too hot to sit out there.

Chuh man! This extremely hot weather is cramping my style. I can’t get to indulge in one of my summer pastimes of sitting on my porch in the evenings and enjoying whatever scene unfurls before me. (smile) I also believe we might have had a little rain sometime during the night, because the streets were wet when I looked outside.at dawn. That didn’t do much to ease the drought either, but we’re surely thankful for what little we got, since the great minds say, a little of something good, is better than none at all. And who am I to challenge them eh? (smile)  

Anyway, we’re also very thankful for the breath of life that’s still flowing through us today, so let’s keep our promise of yesterday and continue looking at Bruh Paul’s writing to the Romans on the word of faith, after skillfully using Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 9:4, and 30:10-14, to amplify his own conviction. The last thing we saw yesterday is where he writes: ‘But what saith it? The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach.’ (Rom. 10:8)

So, the word of faith, faith in Christ is what Bruh Paul is preaching. Thus he continues: ‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (put to shame). For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Rom. 10: 10-13)  

Now that fact was first prophesied by the prophet Joel, in  Joel 2:32.  And was later corroborated by Jesus in His talk with Nicodemus. He said to him: ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:17-18) So you see friends, condemnation is a must, a certainty, if you don’t believe.

And later on Jesus told the Jews, who were desperately looking for something negative to prosecute Him with. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.’ (John 5:24) So why would we be foolish and choose not to believe eh, when all the good things are in believing? Only a foolish, arrogant and very prideful person would do that! And thankfully, we’re none of those things. (smile)

But getting back to that last passage from Romans, the scholars offer some explanations on some of the things said therein. As per Confession is made unto salvation: They say: ‘One is not saved by his mouth’s confession, but rather, the mouth testifies readily of the grace of God in Christ which has been received by faith.’  Remember what Bruh Paul says in Ephesians? ‘For by grace are ye saved (you have been saved) through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ (Eph. 2:8-9)

So all of the grace and saving is not from our strength or power, but as this excerpt from a commentary tells us: ‘By grace, we receive the faith that enables us to believe that He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and provide the salvation … The Lord died for our sins and rose for our justification, and He forgives, freely and fully, those who accept His gift of grace in Christ—and that acceptance comes through faith. This is the meaning of salvation by grace through faith.’

And how do we get this faith that’s oh so necessary to believe? As Bruh Paul says later in Romans 10: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:17) So we must be introduced to the Word of God to be able to get faith in Him. And the scholars note that ‘it’s not faith in what is heard, but faith that comes about by what is heard.’ So you can hear the word and not have faith, like so many of us today, but when the word touches us, that’s when faith rises up.

And as per verse 13, the scholars explain about ‘Whosoever: As chapter 9 stressed divine sovereignty in salvation, this passage stresses human responsibility. Scripture does not view these two principles as paradoxical or contradictory, but as mutually compatible truths.’ In other words, the Lord’s job was to make salvation possible, but then it’s our responsibility to accept it. And as the scripture says, that salvation is available to ANYONE who shall call upon the Lord’s name, be ye Jew or heathen! What a wonderful God we serve my brethren, making salvation open to ALL of His human creation!

And since we’ve said enough to give us sufficient food for thought, (smile) let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) 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!’ 

But that’s not all friends, for there’s the promise that all who endure to the end with Jesus will enjoy a future that’s much more glorious than we can ever think or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and endure right to the very end with Jesus nuh, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…God so badly wanted us to spend eternity with Him…that He made a way…where there seemed to be no way…that’s what He also does…in the individual lives of those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Prayer, Thanks and Gratitude in a Believer’s Life!

20 Jan 2025 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 5:18.       In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Come on down Monday, we’re ready and waiting for you! Hit us with your best shot! But it won’t work, for we have all the tools and promises of Jesus, at the ready, waiting to shoot you down. Therefore, we have taken this scripture from the pen of Bruh Paul to heart. ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:18) 

Ah friends, that’s a tough scripture, but one we definitely need to know and totally embrace. And what does it mean? The scholars say that ‘In every event or circumstance (thing) the Christian is to give thanks to God for the good He can bring out of the event, even should the event be unpleasant. The constant attitude of prayer, mentioned in verse 17 –  ‘Pray without ceasing,’ will help the believer to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.’ 

And if that scripture doesn’t catch your fancy, (smile) then try this one from Bruh Paul’s missive to the Philippians. ‘Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:5-7) 

And I must admit that one seems a tad easier than the first one, although they both basically mean the same thing. Instead of worrying about anything, we are to take every situation, be it pleasant or unpleasant and present it to God through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. 

The scholars advise: ‘The Lord’s nearness (vs. 5b) leads Paul to forbid his readers from worrying. This is no summons to irresponsibility or an invitation to dismiss legitimate concern. The solution to undue anxiety is prayer in every thing, “in any matter of life.” The way to be free of anxiety is to be prayerful about everything. While God is eager to hear our requests, they are to be accompanied by thanksgiving.’ 

Now, that seems easier said than done, but like all things we need to get good at, it requires continuous practice until it becomes a habit. And what’s the benefit of that exercise, you ask? ‘The peace of God which passes all understanding.’ Wow! Isn’t that important enough to make the effort worthwhile? It surely is! 

Because as the scholars tell us, ‘The peace of God is that tranquility of mind freeing the believer from fear and worry. “Peace” which passeth all understanding means (1) peace divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it; (2) God’s peace far surpasses one’s own understanding of the problem, and his ability to cope with and solve it.’ 

That brings to mind this most important scripture from the prophet Isaiah, where he speaks on God’s behalf. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) That says it all my people. And so it should be, if He is God! 

Therefore, when we take our problems to Him in prayer, with thanksgiving, He gives us His unsurpassable peace that guards our hearts and minds from the enemies attempts to cause us worry and anxiety. And that dovetails very nicely with Jesus words on the subject to the disciples, and consequently to us. ‘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) 

Oh my people, what a marvellous gift is the peace of Jesus! It’s unlike any other that the world knows, and surpasses any other kind. It’s the amazing kind of peace that causes us not to worry or be afraid. Where else can you find that kind of peace eh? Only in and from Jesus! Then later on, He tells us again about the kind of peace we can have if we accept Him as Lord and Saviour. ‘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) 

Wow! What can we say to that most expressive statement eh? Not much really, but accept it for what it is: Jesus’ faithful promise! There’s no doubt whatsoever that in the world we will have trials and tribulations, but since Jesus has already overcome the world, that’s hell, death and the grave, if we stay entwined with Jesus, then we will have His awesome protection against the world and it’s ungodly masses. You can’t ask for anything more than that friends. 

However, Jesus has already done His work, it’s now our turn to live up to our promise when we accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. That’s take up our cross daily and follow Him, even if it calls for personal sacrifice. And sometimes that’s difficult to do, but through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we can do it. So let’s go to the throne of grace right now, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid to help us in this our great time of need. 

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!’ 

In closing though, please remember that divine aid is not doled out willy-nilly, but for obedience, repentance, sincerely seeking God’s face and a change in our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…He who has ears to hear…let Him hear…otherwise…He will feel…

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

The Unmerited Favour of God’s Salvation to Man!

17 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 2:8.       ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.’

Ah Lord friends, it seems like the weather is trying to make a liar our of me. Yesterday I trumpeted that the warm days are over except for a chance Indian summer, however I’m now hearing that next few days will be warmer than usual. I don’t know if that’s an Indian summer period or not. (smile) And strangely, the leaves on many of the trees have not assumed their autumn colour as yet, they are still fairly green. Usually, by now, my driveway would be filled with blowing multi-coloured leaves, but so far there’s only a handful. 

So what are we going to do eh? Well, the easiest thing is to chalk it all up to climate change. And so be it! Climate change is the monster stalking through the halls, causing all the unaccustomed changes and damages. Wow! It’s so good to have somewhere to lay the blame. Anyway, enough of the lightheartedness, let’s get serious about the Lord’s business. And today we’ll continue considering the wonderful information on the old tract from the Leviticus Church in Jamaica, New York, that I recently found in my mother’s old Bible. 

Yesterday, we stopped where Christ was on the cross, and having done His job, paid for our sins, He declared (steups!!!) ‘It is finished.’ No more ordinary blood sacrifices would be needed, for His sinless blood had paid the price once and for all! Then the tract tells us: ‘We are ‘justified freely by his grace.’ And they reference (Rom. 2:24a) 

Now here’s the full context of the declaration. (awright!!!) Bruh Paul writes: For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God: being justified freely (without any cost) by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (mercy seat) through faith in his blood, to declare (demonstrate) his righteousness for the remission (passing over) of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.’ (Rom. 3:23-25) 

And what does all of that mean. Here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘Being justified indicates being declared righteous. It signifies the believer’s standing before God. Freely: There is no just cause in man to warrant justification, (since we have all sinned and come short of His glory). By his grace: Unmerited favour is bestowed through the redemption (release on payment of ransom). Christ’s death is the ransom. The sinner is released on the basis of the ransom’s having being paid.’ 

In other words, we were locked up, in bondage for our sins, but Jesus’ death paid the price required to set us free, and thus we are now set free and justified before God. But let’s remember that this freedom and justification doesn’t come automatically. No sir! It comes through faith in Christ. As the scholars explain. ‘Christ’s death satisfies the Father’s righteous demands. It’s benefits are only appropriated (obtained) through faith in His finished work. And as per ‘In his blood: The emphasis is not on the blood as it coursed through Christ’s veins, but as it was shed for our sins. This is how the propitiation (atonement) was accomplished.’ 

Yes friends, it’s the SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST, that has the all-consuming, amazing and redemptive power! As we sing in that well known song ‘Nothing But the Blood of Jesus can set me free!’ And that’s the gospel truth! If you don’t believe in Jesus and the power of his blood shed on the cross of Calvary being able to cleanse you from all sin and wash you white as snow, then you’re not saved. 

For, as the tract continues: ‘Salvation is ‘Not of works, least any man should boast.’ (Eph. 2:9) God ‘Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world (time) began.’ (2 Tim. 1:9) 

Oh my fellow believers, we ought to seriously consider those words. As the scholars explain: ‘Who hath saved us refers to the ultimate effect of the whole operation: our salvation. And called us with an holy calling looks at the means by which our salvation was effected. His own purpose and grace…was given us indicates that our salvation was totally unmerited.’ 

Please friends, let’s never forget that! All we have from our heavenly Father comes from His abundance of LOVE, grace, and mercy! We earn nothing and in truth deserve nothing! It all happens because our Creator and God LOVES us so much that He cannot bear to see us separated from Him in hellfire and damnation with the evil Beelzebub. 

But getting back to the tract, it continues: ‘As the Bible, God’s Word, says, ‘Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared righteous) by faith without (apart from) the deeds of the law.’ (Rom. 3:28) And that we know is the indisputable truth.  Then, the tract in all wisdom, saves the best for last; concluding thus: ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.’ (Eph. 2:8) And it does make its original point; as loudly described in its heading: ‘ETERNAL LIFE IS A “FREE” GIFT.’ 

And I do hope that we’ve enjoyed going through this old but ever so informative tract. For I know that many of us both hated to distribute and receive them on the street corners as was the custom some years ago. But when we refuse to do God’s work, and also refuse Him, we’re only setting ourselves up for eternal separation from Him, which we all know is the worst thing that can happen to a human soul. 

Now, it’s time to declare (oh brother!!!) and thus activate our Thursday Blessings which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

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

…it cannot be said too often….life eternal can ONLY be gained…through faith in Jesus Christ…

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

The Importance of Giving God Thanks for His Awesome Goodness and Mercy!

15 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 107:1.        Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good: for his mercy (LOVING-kindness) endureth for ever. 

Another Monday…another day of work, bordered by morning and evening traffic jams! Yes, unfortunately that’s the sad reality in many big cities nowadays; not enough roads to handle the large volume of vehicular traffic. And don’t talk about that concrete jungle called Toronto! Right now, it’s even worse than normal with the daytime repairing of two lanes of the Gardener Expressway which leads into the heart of the city. Then to make matters worse, almost every street is barricaded due to building construction or street repairs. 

Sometimes the confusion of construction and repairs in the summer months, makes you long for the relative peace of winter. (smile) But that’s how our world is set up; cram vehicles and people into the cities in the morning for work, then watch them try to rush out in the evening, without much success. And sadly the process contributes to the loss of a great number of man hours, severe frustration, physical and emotional strain. 

One would have thought that with the magnitude of wisdom supposedly entrenched in our society, a more efficient, less stressful system would be employed. However, that’s the way it currently is, and it won’t change for the foreseeable future, so let’s just say thank you we have a job to go to, despite all the frustration involved, for many of our fellow humans don’t have jobs and are facing much more severe hardship than us. 

That brings us to these most encouraging words from Psalm 107: ‘Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good: for his mercy (LOVING-kindness) endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 107:1) And that’s as it should be my fellow believers! For although we will encounter unforeseen negative circumstances in this rough and tumble life, our faith in Christ Jesus will enable us to face them from a position of strength rather than one of weakness. 

As Moses said to the Israelites: ‘And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken (heed) unto the commandments of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them (be careful to observe them).’ (Deut, 28:13) And what does that mean? Exactly what it says. If you obey the Lord’s commands you will never be inferior or the tail, but always superior or the head. 

And that leads us to this prayer based on Deuteronomy 28:3-14. ‘In the Name of Jesus, I declare…. I am blessed in the city and blessed in the country. I am the head and not the tail in my finances, my family, my health, my job and my ministry—not just sometimes, but all the time. Every day, in every way, I am the head and not the tail.’ Now that’s an interesting prayer we should offer up everyday. 

Then let us not forget these marvellously encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spareth not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom. 8:31-32, 37) 

Yes friends, if our great God, who willingly broke His own heart, gave up His most treasured relationship by crucifying His Son Jesus Christ for our benefit, why wouldn’t He give us lesser things than that eh? No reason whatsoever! 

And as this commentary further explains: ‘Nothing that enters our life is able or sufficient to separate us from God’s LOVE demonstrated at the cross. God’s LOVE allows the believer to be a conqueror in adversity. God walks with us through every adversity and hardship. We do not merely survive or squeak by. We do not just succeed.’ 

No my brethren, with God in our corner, we don’t just succeed, we overcome with flying colours.  As Jesus says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And if we are His true disciples, then we too can overcome the world. 

Friends, it’s all a matter of faith, of belief. For as Jesus also says: ‘If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible to you.’ (Matt. 17:20) Oh my people, Jesus was just highlighting that it doesn’t take much faith for God to work in a person, but the disciples needed to believe it, and so do we. 

Yes, we can know the Bible verbatim from cover to cover and don’t believe what it says, and then put it into action, then all our effort to learn it was a waste of time. The Bible is only useful when we believe it, then action it. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking help with out many earthly problems. 

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 if we truly desire divine aid, then we need to turn from our evil ways and sincerely seeks God’s face. Much LOVE!

…head knowledge is of no use…unless it’s accompanied by heart action

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 October 2021 Philippians 4:6.

11 Oct 2021 Leave a comment

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA!

Philippians 4:6.     Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. 

Oh friends, is it ever good to awaken to another day, another Monday, another Thanksgiving Monday! And all God’s people said: ‘Thanks be to God, who keeps the breath of life flowing through our earthly bodies!’ And why does He do that? Because He has a plan and a purpose for our lives, which includes enjoyment of the day. That’s why we say: ‘This is the day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) Yes, my brethren, that’s the only way to go! 

And on this Thanksgiving Day of 2021, where life is somewhat rough, and we can’t gather as carelessly as we’d like, we ought to be thankful that we can even gather at all. Remember last year Thanksgiving Day was a most dreary time. No set of food and family and good cheer, all because of the Pandemic situation. So, there’s oodles of thanks to be given for just being able to get together more than last year. But please, please be careful. This thing is not over yet – far from it – and we still need to take as many precautions as possible to minimize further problems. 

And to show our gratitude for that improvement, let’s intone the opening verses of Psalm 105, subtitled – God’s wondrous works in behalf of Israel. ‘O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek ye the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.’ (Ps. 105:1-4) 

Now I am sure if we were doing that as much as we ought to, we would not be having half as many problems as we do! I am convinced that many of our problems stem from the fact that we don’t reverence and appreciate our Creator as we should. But this Thanksgiving time is the right occasion for us to turn back to Him, remembering all that He has done for us, and has promised to do. 

In the marvellous words of Bruh David: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:2-5) And are we ever so glad that this Thanksgiving we have sufficient food to eat. But having said that, let’s not forget there are many of our fellow brethren out there who don’t have enough, possible nothing at all to eat, and it’s our bounden duty to provide for them as best we can. 

That recalls the glorious day when many of the children of Israel heard the word of the Lord for the first time as it was read to them, by Ezra and his associates. Then Nehemiah, the Governor, said unto them: ‘Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 1:8) 

And is it ever my fellow saints! That’s why the enemy does his best to steal our joy. He knows when he gets us sad and downcast, it’s much easier to have us do his evil bidding. But not today mih bredrin, for today is a day of exceeding joy, and a time to remember our biggest blessing, our greatest gift and benefit. Like Bruh David said: ‘who redeemeth thy life from destruction.’ And yes friends, God’s greatest gift, His biggest benefit is that of freedom from the bondage of sin, of salvation through His free gift of grace, earned through the finished work of Christ. 

As Jesus puts it: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) Glory be my fellow believers! If we are not thankful for anything else, we should be exceedingly thankful for that, because it’s nothing that we earned, or could ever earn, but though God’s infinite grace and mercy, it was bestowed upon us. And all we have to do is to believe in His Son! But so many of us stubbornly refuse to do it because of foolish pride and belief in the world’s evil systems. But there will be consequences for that stubbornness. 

And let’s not think that just because we call today Thanksgiving Day, that this is the only day we should give thanks. Absolutely not! Bruh Paul reminds us of that in his epistle to the church at Philippi, when he says: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:4-7) 

Oh my fellow believers, we wonder why we don’t have peace? Well, the answer is right there. We don’t take our requests to God in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. And there’s no better time than right now, for us to get wise and do just that. So, in sincere prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let’s make our requests known to Almighty God through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

As one now: ‘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. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that 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. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, let’s go and keep the promises we just made, if we want to see positive answers to our prayers and supplications with thanksgiving. Much LOVE!

..in everything give thanks…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus…concerning you… (1 Thess. 5:17)                                                                                                         

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 December 2013 1 Corinthians 12:12

11 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

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

 1 Corinthians 12:12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
 
And here it is Friends, a bitterly cold Wednesday morning, two weeks before Christmas Day. Ah Lord eh! Meanwhile in sunny climes like T&T, the sun’s shining hot and bright, and the living is comparatively easy. Steups!
 
No need for thick, heavy coats and boots, scarves, gloves, hats and the like to ward off winter’s chill. But to a certain extent the weather conditions here do make us a hardier stock of people, and I can tell you that from hard, personal experience.
 
But though it can be sometimes rough, the weather in no way diminishes our celebrations. For like the wise and godly people we are, we’ve found numerous ways over the years to harness our weather to that wonderful joy we find in the birth of Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
 
The weather certainly doesn’t stop us from getting out and about and enjoying activities with others. In fact this is our party season! But to tell the truth, I’d rather be in T&T, or some other warm and sunny clime right now. At my advanced age (smile) the cold does get to you. And believe me, after 41 years of it… Chuh! I can certainly do with a break.
 
But sadly that doesn’t seem to be in God’s plans for me, so I’ll just have to shut up, and grin and bear it. The good thing though is the reality of the cold doesn’t stop me from seeing and experiencing the warm sunshine, golden beaches and calm, blue seas in my mind’s eye. Yes Friends, I’m seeing them through the eyes of faith! Hn, hn!
 
Anyway mih breddren, enough ‘preambling’, (smile) let’s turn now to our Bit. ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.’
 
As you can see, though it’s a different piece of scripture, were’ still dealing with the ONENESS of Christ’s church, although it contains many different functioning parts. And it is indeed a crucial aspect of our faith, my people!
 
An aspect that all believers should know, understand and fully believe, otherwise we’ll never truly attain that ONENESS, that unity, that togetherness that’s oh so necessary and important in any undertaking whatsoever, especially such a monumental undertaking as faith in Christ, and building and growing His church.
 
And to enhance the importance of that ONENESS, listen to Bruh Paul earlier on in this missive to the church at Corinth. ‘The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (fellowship) of the body of Christ? For we being many are ONE bread, and ONE body: for we are all partakers of that ONE bread.’ (1 Cor.10:16-17)
 
Yes Friends, it’s the same thing with the Holy Communion; we all participate of a small portion of ONE entity – Christ’s body and blood!
 
And as Bruh Paul continues after our Bit: ‘For by ONE Spirit are we all baptized into ONE body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond (slaves) or free; and have been made to drink into ONE Spirit. For the body is not ONE member, but many.’ (1 Cor.12:13-14)
 
Again Friends, we’re reminded about the ONENESS of God’s operation, through the ONE Holy Spirit, which caters to all believers.
 
And here’s what the scholars have to say about that verse. ’12:13. Are we all baptized into one body: This is not the baptism of water but the baptism of the Spirit. This has the same meaning as the expression and have been all made to drink into one Spirit: This fulfills Matthew 3:14; John 1:33; and Acts 1:5.
 
That this baptism is common to all believers at Corinth is implied by the fact that Paul does not exhort them to be baptized by the Spirit. Rather, he asserts that they have all been baptized. The believer does not tarry or pray for this baptism. It occurs at the moment of regeneration (rebirth, being born again). This passage is clear that all believers have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.’
 
So my people, it is of the utmost importance that we really see the gravity of Christ’s church working together in unity, as ONE! For just as our God consists of a trinity, it is still in fact only ONE GOD, broken down for different purposes.
 
And on that rather important point, we’ll end today’s proceedings. Please ponder all that we’ve said, and check out the scripture references above. Much LOVE!
 
…unity is always the key…to any kind of success… 
 
P.S. Ah mih people, please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but in the last couple of days my computer and I have been on different wave lengths. Steups! Like a sinful human, it’s been rebelling on me, wanting to do its own thing. But with the Lord’s help we’ll soon bring it to heel. Note how the Bit’s short too. (smile) Much LOVE! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 March 2013 1 John 4:2

22 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

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

1 John 4:2.    Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.

Oh brothers and sisters in Christ, it’s Friday… And all around the world, joyous shouts rise up to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday and labouring finish for another week yes!’ Well not quite mih breddren, because we still have to labour today Friday, but just the idea, the expectation of not having to face the evil, ungodly people we work with, the traffic jams and snowy, icy roads for a couple days raises the human emotion of joy to a higher level. And on that point, I looked outside just now and saw my driveway covered in snow. Hn! I thought this was supposed to be spring. But spring obviously hasn’t sprung as yet, because the banks of the roads are still snow covered, and instead of rain we’re getting flurries of the white stuff. In my area though we still need to be very thankful because we haven’t gotten as much snow as many other places. But back to our weekend gig. Just a reminder that it’s not all for fun and frolic. So let’s chant our Friday Chant that brings the whole situation into its proper perspective. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes my people, it’s all about resting up and fellowshipping so we can go back out next week and continue the battle in Jesus’ Name. Now let’s turn to our Bit: ‘Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.’ A most interesting Bit that my people! And we’ll continue from yesterday, where we saw that there are many false prophets and spirits trying to gain control of our lives, but there’s ONLY ONE, that’s truly worthwhile, that of Jesus Christ. And John told us that the easiest and best way to know whether there’s truth in a spirit or doctrine is if Christ is spoken of as being real flesh and blood, during His earthly sojourn. We also saw where Jesus declares that a lot of those claiming to be His followers will be turned away at the end time because they only had outward facades of Christianity, while their hearts were truly tuned into the frequency of Beelzebub. So Friends, a reminder that we have to be very particular of whom and what we let into our lives and our souls. Bruh Paul, in talking to the Corinthians about spiritual gifts, had this to say on the subject. ‘Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb (silent) idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed (anathema): and that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.’ (1 Cor.12:2-3) Yes my brethren, if the Spirit of God is truly in us, we can’t speak badly of Jesus, and the only way we can acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour is through the Holy Spirit. Now here’s some info from the scholars re the ‘Dumb idols: The pagan worship at Corinth involved a pagan exercise of “tongues.” The practice of “ecstatic utterances” was common in the cults and in the worship of various Greek gods and goddesses.’ I guess this could have an impact or caused some confusion between the idol worship and the Christian speaking in tongues, with the possibility of the idolaters using it to influence early Christians. Anyway, turning to Bruh Paul and the Romans. In speaking of righteousness being obtained by faith in Christ, he declares: ‘But what saith it? The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed (put to shame).’ (Rom.10:8-11) And here’s an important note from the scholars on the last two verses. ‘Confession is made unto salvation: One is not saved by his mouth’s confession, but rather, the mouth testifies readily of the grace of God in Christ, which has been received by faith.’ That means salvation is much more than just confessing Jesus with our mouths. Our hearts, faith and the grace of God, all joined in perfect harmony, are necessary to be saved. Now that’s enough info for us to process today Friends, so we’ll end on that note. Tomorrow we’ll pick up the topic again, the Lord in favour, for there’s more scripture to be highlighted on this most important subject of divining the true Spirit of Christ. Till tomorrow then, please walk safely in fellowship with Almighty God and man. And may the Lord bless us and give us His awesome peace which passes all human understanding. Much LOVE!…it’s time for all believers to step up and sincerely…LOVE Our God…LIVE Our Faith…and SPREAD His Word…