27 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a song of praise, abundance, acceptance, adore, all knees will bow, all tongues confess, apologetic, Ark of the Covenant, ashamed of Jesus, Author and Finisher, be glad and rejoice, Bruh David, christ jesus, Christ's blood, convincing, Creator, embarassed, enjoyment, exalt, exalting Jesus, extol, exuberance, faith, faithful, fellowship, good news of Christ, grateful fellowship, honour and glorify God's name, ice-cold, Jesus Christ, joy, joyful worship, just what the doctor ordered, King of Kings, life, Lord and Saviour, Lord of Lords, loving, lukewarm, manifestation of joy, marvelous works, partaking of the cup, passion, passionate, praise and thanks, red hot, rejoice, rejoice always, sacrifical flesh of christ's body, sacrifice of Jesus, sharing, sing and dance, singing praises to God, sins, so-so, spit, step up to the plate, stodgy, Sunday, thanks always on our lips, time to worship, truth, venerate, vomit, walk of faith, with my whole heart, witness, wonderful feeling in our souls, worship Almighty God
Psalm 9:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (tell of) all thy marvelous works.
And then it was Sunday… And all the people joyfully sang: ‘Sunday, oh Sunday; time to go to the sanctuary; time to give praise and thanks; time to let the Lord know how much we LOVE Him; time to worship in true and grateful fellowship with my brethren, partaking of the cup of Christ’s blood, and the sacrificial flesh of His body, to let Him know that we remember Him in faith and truth, and also honour and glorify His holy name, for ever and ever. Amen!’
Oh Friends, at the rate we’re going, we’ll soon have a song of praise for every day! (smile) And that’s definitely not a bad thing, but rather it’s wonderful! For waking up each and every day and singing praises to our awesome God is just what the doctor, and God Himself have ordered.
And believe you me, we can never praise and glorify our omnipotent Creator too much. So let’s get ready to go to His house and worship Him this Sunday morning nuh, with plenty passion and truth.
However Friends, one of the unfortunate things I’ve discovered about us Christians; is that we’re not as passionate and convincing about Jesus as we should be. Most other faiths seem to continually extol, exalt and adore the object of their veneration, but we seem to be merely lukewarm about our Lord and Saviour, who has done so much for us.
Oftimes we seem even ashamed to call His name in public, or let others know that we believe in the Mighty King and Warrior known as Jesus Christ; King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, to whom all knees will eventually bow, and all tongues confess and acknowledge Him as Lord.
Yes, in the church buildings we sing and dance and praise His holy name, but once we’re out of the buildings we seem to adopt a stodgy, embarrassed and even apologetic attitude.
Oh my people, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about or to apologize for in exalting Jesus! For He is indeed the author and finisher of our faith! The one who selflessly and willingly gave up His ease and comfort in heaven to come to this mish-mash earth and die for our abominable sins, so that we could be granted salvation and eternal life.
Now isn’t that something to jump for joy about, and shout from the rooftops and mountains to all the world? It certainly is my brethren! For what other supposed deity has done anything even closely resembling Jesus’ sacrifice for his followers eh? NONE WHATSOEVER!
Oh Friends, please remember what Jesus said to the church at Laodicea: ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would (wish) thou wert (were) cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (spit or vomit) thee out of my mouth.’ (Rev.3:15-16)
Yes my people, we either have to be red hot, meaning passionate, or ice-cold, not merely so-so in our acceptance and following of the greatest teacher who ever lived, Christ Jesus!
Oh my fellow believers, it’s time we all rose up and passionately do like Bruh David says in our Bit and the verse following: ‘I will praise thee, O Lord with my whole heart; I will show forth (tell of) all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High.’ (Ps.9:1-2)
And my people, we ought to do that not only in the churches or wherever we officially worship Almighty God, but in all our doings, wherever we go; at home, at school, at work, at play, the thanks and praise to our wonderful Creator ought always to be on our lips.
How did Bruh Paul put it? ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.’ (Phil.4:4)
And remember too how Bruh David danced before the Lord when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. (2 Sam.6:14) He wasn’t ashamed to exalt and extol His ever-faithful and ever-LOVING God in public, like so many of us sadly are.
But we shouldn’t be ashamed of our Saviour, my brethren. Jesus said that He came to earth to give us life and joy, and give them in great abundance. (John 10:10) And joy is such a wonderful feeling in our souls that it usually just comes pouring out of us and we are glad to share it.
Therefore Friends, if we have joy in Jesus, then why aren’t we sharing it passionately with all and sundry eh, instead of foolishly and selfishly keeping it locked up inside of us? We should be exceedingly glad to share it with everybody, to noise it all over the world!
So today my people, when we’re finished joyfully worshipping in church, let’s come outside and continue that joyful worship nuh. Joyful worship does nothing for the inanimate buildings; it’s meant to be partaken of, to be spread amongst people. And how can we expect believers to come to Jesus through our witness, when we are only lukewarm in our walk of faith, in our exuberance, our manifestation of joy eh? That won’t ever happen!
It’s time we step boldly up to the plate and witness with true joy, so that others may belief. It’s what we’ve been placed here to do, therefore let’s do our duty with relish and verve and fervour nuh! It’s the ONLY way to go! Much LOVE!
…merely talking in hushed tones about the good news and deeds of Christ…and not showing real enjoyment in, and passion for them…will never endear Him to others…
25 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abonormalities, accumulate earthly wealth, acknowledge Almighty God, assurance, awesome advice, backbreaking labour, be content with what you have, confide in god, contented, correct scriptural procedure, corrupt, covetousness, destroy, distractions, don't be proud, don't look down on the poor, earthly realm, eccentricities, envy, eternal life, evil, fellowship, fervour, financial resources, foolish pride, Friday chant, frivolous, further God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glory hallelujah, God gives us richly all things to enjoy, God will never forsake us, good foundation, greed, haughty, heed the warning, highminded, holy spirit, human nature, I will not fear, instill a joy, jealousy, Jesus Christ, joyful shout, keep up with the Jones', kudos, last day of the workweek, lay not up earthly riches, laying up in store, light of eternity, LOVE, moth and rust, peaceful, Praise the Lord, purveyors of evil, ready to give, reality of one's faith, refreshed in body and soul, relaxation, renewed strength, resentment, rest, rich in good works, ruin, sad tale, salvation, show-boating, sinful nature, sniffing noses, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, The Lord is my helper, the time to come, the weekend, thieves break in, treasures, trust in the living God, trust in uncertain riches, ungodly things, verve, voracious pursuit, willing to share, wisdom, wisdom of heaven, worldly riches
Matthew 6:19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin, destroy), and where thieves break through and steal.
And then it was Friday… ‘Oh praise the Lord! Glory Hallelujah! Thank God the weekend is upon us! Backbreaking labour soon cease! Oh Thank God is Friday yes!’
Now that’s the kind of joyful shout that’s being heard around the world this Friday morning. And it’s really amazing and amusing that though we still have to go and labour on Friday, just the thought of it being the last day of the workweek, seems to instill a joy, an expectation that promotes a sense of – ah well, it soon over – and we get a renewed strength to bear this one day.
However, the question is, why can’t we get that renewal of strength to bear all the working days and non-working days alike eh? I guess it just has to do with the eccentricities, abnormalities, or whatever of our human nature. (smile)
Anyway, to gain some added insight into the proper use of the weekend, let’s chant our Friday Chant with the same verve and fervour that we shout ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’
As one chanting voice 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 Friends, that’s a much better way to handle the weekend. And we’ll continue today with that most significant Bit of advice from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the subject of worldly riches. ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin, destroy), and where thieves break through and steal.’
Ah mih people, if only more of us would just heed that august warning, so many more lives would be peaceful and contented. Our world would also see so many less problems, like the insatiable greed and the crazy, hurtful distractions that the rush to accumulate earthly wealth bring with it.
As the author of Hebrews so wisely declares in these two memorable verses of scripture. ‘Let your conversation (conduct) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall (can) do unto me.’ (Heb.13:5-6)
But unfortunately too many of us listen to our naturally sinful nature, as well as the siren call of the purveyors of evil, who dangle the frivolous possibilities of earthly wealth under our always sniffing noses, at every turn we take.
In the earthly realm, the more wealth we accumulate, the more we’re considered successful. And the foolish pride and show-boating of that wealth only makes matters worse, leading to jealousy and envy, resentment and others killing themselves to earn that wealth, to keep up with the Jones’.
What a sad tale we weave by the voracious pursuit of earthly wealth my people!
Now nothing’s wrong with having earthly wealth, in fact most of us could use some right now, (smile) but it’s the way we accumulate it, and then the way we use it that sets us apart.
Listen to Bruh Paul’s advice to Timothy. ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share); Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19)
Oh Friends, oh Friends, what wonderful advice, what correct scriptural procedure! How can we ever ignore it eh? But sadly we do, at our own peril.
And we’ll end with some good info from the scholars’ re those verses. ‘6:17-18. Paul charges wealthy believers (1) not to be proud and look down on those who are not rich, (2) to confide in God, rather than in unstable riches, (3) to be rich in good works by generously sharing their surplus of financial resources with the needy. To be ready to distribute is to be generous in sharing. To be willing to communicate is to be liberal in giving.
6:19. When wealthy believers generously share (v.18), they secure an assurance (laying up in store for themselves a good foundation) that in the future (against the time to come) they will indeed enter heaven (lay hold on eternal life).
Salvation is not purchased by the giving of money, but generosity demonstrates the reality of one’s faith. Since the believer trusts God and not money, he gives. This giving shows where his heart is and that he views his wealth in light of eternity.’
Oh my people, my people, I couldn’t put it any better! We certainly need to view wealth in the light of eternity! For then and only then will that wealth not drive us to distraction and make us do foolish, unwise, ungodly things.
So please, today let’s sit and ponder, you can also lie down or stand up (smile), let’s consider our deepest and most intimate attitudes towards material wealth, and ultimately turn to Almighty God to help us with any problems we might have in that area. Now that’s the certain wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
…what’s the purpose of having wealth if we can’t take it with us eh…and we only leave it for others to fight over…might as well share it… and in the process…get some kudos from heaven…
18 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: appreciate each day, be not afraid, belief, blasphemy, bread, bread of life, disciples, do his bidding, doubters, earthly sojourn, eternal life, faith, feast of the tabernacles, fellowship, Friday chant, furthering God's glorious kingdom, Galilee, generous help, give of our best everyday, god the father, going through the motions, good examples, gospel truth, heavenly wisdom, hunger, in Jesus' name, in the limelight, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, Jesus' help, Jews, Judea, LOVE, miraculous works, no prophet is accepted in his own country, only believe, physical hunger, promise, ramp up our belief in Jesus, salvation, scoffers, show thyself to the world, son of god, souls, spiritual beings, spiritual bread of life, spiritual life, spirituality, testify for Jesus, Thank God is Friday, the Father is in me, the Father's bidding, the weekend, thirst, truth, wisdom, witness for Jesus, works
Mark 5:36b. Be not afraid, only believe.
‘Friday, oh Friday, how I LOVE you Friday! Friday, oh Friday, doh care what nobody says, I will always LOVE you, because you bring the weekend near. That’s why I sing; Friday, oh Friday! Thank God it’s Friday!’
Yes my brethren, it’s that day we all wait and long so badly for, because it signals the end of the workweek. Now there’s nothing wrong with looking forward to the weekend, but technically speaking, we shouldn’t be doing as so many of us are; just going through the motions at work waiting for Friday to come so that we can go home and party the weekend away.
That attitude most certainly detracts from our witness for Jesus, and anything that does that is wrong! We must learn to appreciate each and everyday, and also give of our best each and everyday, for people are watching us; the way we work, the way we behave, and we therefore need to set good examples, if we want to be able to testify for Jesus.
Anyway, let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a little better insight into how we should spend our weekends. As one now; let’s chant! ‘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.’
And Friends, if we’ll take that to heart and follow it, we’ll be much better off when Monday and the new workweek arrives. But as Jesus says in our Bit: ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’
And that’s gospel, my people! For we’re not very good at anything unless we believe in what we’re doing, and also believe that we can do it, with Jesus’ help of course.
Now today we’ll continue looking at scripture passages that call for that act of BELIEF! And we’ll begin with one of the most provocative but important statements Jesus made in His earthly sojourn.
When the people were clamouring for bread to fulfill their physical hunger: ‘Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:35)
And the scholars explain that verse this way: ‘6:35. I am the bread of life means the bread that gives life. The life of which He speaks is spiritual and eternal.’
Oh my brethren, it is necessary to have physical bread to quench our physical hunger pangs, but it’s even more important, a vital necessity, to have the spiritual bread of life which only Jesus can give, so that we can attain salvation and eternal life!
We’ll always need worldly bread to quiet our complaining stomachs, but once we have the bread of life that Jesus gives, our souls, our spiritual beings, will never hunger or thirst again!
Now isn’t that a wonderful promise, one that we should all hasten to accept? Indeed it is! So let’s all concentrate on acquiring it today nuh, for it’s certainly heavenly wisdom.
Then Friends, we come to a little noticed passage of scripture, but which I believe hurt Jesus immensely. Now just before the feast of the tabernacles, Jesus’ family urged Him to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate it, but he declined, preferring to stay in Galilee, as the Jews in Judea were out to kill him.
‘His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and (while) he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him.’ (John 7:3-5)
Imagine that nuh people, Jesus’ own family didn’t believe in Him! That had to hurt and disappoint Him. This led Him to later say: ‘Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.’ (Luke 4:24) And that’s no lie, for the doubters and scoffers are usually the ones closest to the person in the limelight.
And we’ll close with another interesting episode from Jesus. This time the Jews were wanting to stone Him because they considered His claim to be the Son of God total blasphemy.
But Jesus simply reasoned to them: ‘If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.’ (John 10:37-38)
And the same thing applies to us today Friends. If we believe that Jesus did the miraculous works the Good Book claims He did, then we also have to acknowledge that He could only have done them by working in conjunction with God the Father. For no one could do those kinds of things on or in their own strength.
It therefore behooves us to believe that ALL He said was true; not to doubt, but to BELIEVE!
So this fateful Friday morning my brethren, let’s ramp up our belief in Jesus, and go out and do His bidding, just like He went out and did the Father’s bidding. That’s the best way to show our faith, our true and strong belief in Him. Much LOVE!
…you can’t put forth your best effort…unless your heart believes in what you’re doing…
11 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: almighty god, another week of work, awesome, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, breathed into his nostrils, cesspool, counsel of the heathen, Cousin Sol, creation, Creator, dust of the ground, failed societies, fear the Lord, fellow believers, fellowship, focus on Almighty God, fool's wisdom, foolish question, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, futility, generous help, God commanded and it stood fast, God created man in his own image, god created the heaven and earth, God directs his steps, God spake and it was done, God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, godly living, going against god's will, if the Lord commands it not, in the beginning, indisputable truth, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, jesus name, Lamentations, living soul, LOVE, magnanimous god, make man in our image, man plan's his way, man's power cannot rival God's, mortal man, nobody, omnipotent, Praise the Lord, refreshed, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, sing Hallelujah, sink into the mire, stand in awe of God, state of confusion, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the breath of life, the cesspool of ungodliness, the counsel fo the Lord shall stand, the Good Book, the Lord is sovereign, the Word of god, unequivocal answer, ungodliness, waste of time, weekend, who says and it comes to pass, wisdom, worldly invitations
Lamentations 3:37. Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
And then it was Friday… And all the working people joyfully shouted: ‘Yeahhh Friday! Friday at last! Oh how we LOVE you Friday! TGIF! Thank God it is Friday yes!’
Oh Friends, it sure is good to welcome Friday into our lives, but please remember it is just another day, one that the Lord laboured on to create, and we need to put the same energy and godly living into it, like any other day.
So to help us keep our focus on Almighty God, despite the fascinating worldly invitations of the upcoming weekend, let’s chant our Friday Chant. 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 brethren, we need to keep in mind that the weekend is not merely for fun and frolic, but also for fellowship and rejuvenation, which will enable us to do a good job for the Lord in the upcoming week.
And today we have a most interesting Bit… Sorry, all of them are indeed interesting (smile) because they are taken from the Good Book; the Word of God.
Nonetheless, in his soulful Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah poses this most important question: ‘Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commanded it not?’
And the unequivocal answer to that foolish question is ‘NOBODY!’
Yes Friends, no mortal man can make anything come to pass if the Lord declares otherwise!
And we just have to look at the awesome Creation, to discover how awesome, how omnipotent is the power of our amazing and magnanimous God. And He’s very forthright in telling us that His thoughts and His ways are way way higher than ours (Is.55:8-9) So how can we expect to out do Him eh?
Now listen to the opening statement of the Good Book: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ (Gen.1:1)
Oh my fellow believers, how could a mortal man ever top that eh, especially when it’s that same omnipotent Creator who created him?
‘And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.’ (Gen.1:26a, 27)
‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen.2:7)
So Friends, from those simple bits of scripture, it’s obvious, or ought to be obvious, that man’s power CANNOT ever rival God’s, and whatever God says, that’s the way it will be!
Hear how Cousin Sol in his God-given wisdom describes it. ‘A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ (Prov.16:9)
As the scholars so refreshingly declare: ’16:9. The Lord is sovereign over man’s scheming and planning.’
And isn’t that the indisputable truth? It surely is!
Now listen to Cousin Sol again: ‘There are many devices (plans, schemes) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov.19:21)
Yes my fellow believers, it’s a complete waste of time trying to put plans into place which God does not authenticate or desire to have come to pass. And I can testify to that from hard experience, like most of you also can.
And looking back through history, we can see all the failed societies and great pronouncements and plans of men that have not been successful because God was simply not in favour of them.
And our world is in its current state of confusion because we have not adhered to God’s plan, as outlined in the Good Book, but are foolishly trying to implement our own. And the more we try to do that, the further down we sink into the mire, the cesspool of ungodliness.
The psalmists’ of old wisely recognized the futility of going against God’s will. Hear how the author of Psalm 148 – All creation to praise the Lord – puts it. ‘Praise ye the Lord; (sing hallelujah): Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.’ (Ps.148:105)
And the writer of Psalm 33 – Praise to the Lord for His creation – declares it thus. ‘Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen (nations, gentiles) to nought: he maketh the devices (plans, schemes) of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.’ (Ps.33:8-12)
Ah Friends, neighbours and fellow believers, what more do we need to convince us that if God does not desire something to come to pass, for whatever reason, it will not do so, regardless of all our puny mortal efforts?
So today, let’s be wise nuh, let’s try and bring all our plans into agreement with those of Almighty God nuh, for it is His dictates that will prevail anyway. Much LOVE!
…how can the created ever be greater than the Creator eh…that’s nothing but a fool’s wisdom…
04 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 4th of July, a purpose and a place, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, abundance, acts of devotion to almighty God, America, as America goes so does everyone else, Beauty for Ashes, blessed, bring america back to God, Bruh Paul, day of deliverance, depravity, destruction, different colours, disobedience, don't fool yuh fat, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, evil hands of beelzebub, faithful, fellowship, forgiveness, founding fathers, freedom, Friday, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glorified, God's promise, God's will, godless path, godliness, going under, good tidings, Happy 4th of July, history of america, hope, Independence Day, Israel, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, jesus name, John Adams, justice, lack of true love, LOVE, lower standards, Lucifer, memorable epoch, most powerful and wealthy nation, mourning, murky depths of life, obedience, oil of joy, power, principles, relaxation, repentance, reputation, rest, right, salvation, showplace for God's Word, sin, sinful path, solemn, sound mind, spirit of fear, spirit of heaviness, stand together strong, strong, succumbing, the evil one, the garment of praise, the most sinful country in the world, the party humming, the planting of the Lord, to console them that mourn, to grace God's earth, trees of righteousness, true, truth, truthful, U.S Independence, unity of purpose, we can do anything, wealth, wisdom, Word of God
Isaiah 61:3. To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called tress of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY U.S OF A!
Oh mih people, God’s people, it’s Friday! Thank God for that! But would you believe it’s also Friday the 4th of July in the year of our Lord 2014? Yes Friends, it’s Independence Day in the U.S. of A! She’s 238 years young!
And since it is one of the most celebrated days down there, you know that the party done start long time ago and is humming along quite nicely. And I wish all you folks down south a Happy and Blessed 4th of July Holiday! Enjoy it, because you’ve earned it.
But unfortunately, it seems that you are now swiftly drifting down into the murky depths of life. You have removed Jehovah God so much from your lives, that you’re now very much considered the most sinful country in the world. And that my Friends is not a very nice reputation to have.
Please remember that your great country was founded on the solemn, true and faithful Word of Almighty God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
As John Adams, one of the founding Fathers and later President, was said to have written to his wife Abigail, shortly before the Declaration of Independence in July 1776: ‘The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.
It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.’
Please note my brethren, the advice regarding it as a ‘day of deliverance, with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.’ And though there is still some of that, it’s no way near enough!
Apparently there’s some confusion as to when the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed, the 2nd or the 4th, but it’s always been celebrated on the 4th.
Remember too, that all your wealth and great abundance came from Jehovah God, the most august God of your fathers. It is He who caused you all to beget so much wealth that you can also possess the sobriquet as being the most powerful and wealthy nation so far to grace God’s earth.
Why do you think America has been so blessed eh? Because the Lord had a purpose and a place for it; that it should be used as a show place for His Word in Modern Times, as Israel was in the Days of Old.
And hopefully, you’llnotice that as America moves further and further away from God, the lower and lower it sinks into sin, into depravity, lower standards and a lack of true LOVE for anything and anybody.
Oh Friends, America needs to be strong again, for sadly, but truthfully, as America goes, so does the rest of the world. She’s still that powerful.
Therefore my people, if we want to make the world right, truthful and strong, then we need to bring America back to God; back into His obedient fold, for if she succumbs to Lucifer’s evil power, then we’re all in danger of succumbing and going under.
So my brethren, that is the task that lies before us this Independence Day of 2014… to bring America back to the God of its Fathers! Hn! And don’t fool yuh fat nuh, it is indeed going to be a mighty task, so far has she fallen into the evil hands of Beelzebub and his wicked cohorts.
But as we well know, if we stand together strong, in unity of purpose with each other, and with Jesus Christ, then we can do anything; anything at all that needs doing! And believe me people, this needs doing very badly. America is heading for certain destruction if she keeps going down the godless path.
I beg of you, implore you, not to sully the names of your forefathers who founded this great nation on the principles of truth, freedom, justice…and above ALL…GOD!
And we can restore its godliness if we simply put our hearts, minds, souls and bodies to it. As Bruh Paul so wisely told Timothy: ‘For God hath not give us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7)
That means my brethren, that we already have all the parts to do God’s Will!
Oh my people, the Lord has made America great so that it could glorify Him, but now it’s showing totally different colours, and just like Israel paid dearly for their disobedience, we will too eventually, if we continue down the the disobedient, sinful path we’re now treading.
But my fellow believers there is hope, there is also God’s perennial promise that repentance and obedience will bring forgiveness. He is overjoyed when we repent and come back to Hisfold,and He’s waiting with open arms, waiting with good tidings of salvation:
‘To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’
And my people, we definitely can’t glorify God, the way things are going now. So let’s get it together and do what we have to do nuh, to save the greatest nation ever, from total destruction for disobedience to God’s Word and Will.
Now let’s go home chanting our Friday Chant: ‘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.’
And remember too Friends, to heed Granny’s wise warning this weekend of much festivity, since the evil one will be out desperately hunting for anyone he can take down. So drunk or sober…please mind yuh business… Those are truly words of everlasting wisdom! Much LOVE!
…don’t forget…that as America goes, so do all of us…so we all need to pitch in and help her…
29 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: almighty god, be not afraid, believe in Jesus Christ, believe on him whom he sent, Bible, bless me, Capernaum, celebrate, Christ's people, Christ's victory, comfort, courage, covers all the bases, doubting Thomas, embrace the Son, encourage, eternal livelihood, eternal separation, eternity, everlasting life, exhort, feeds the five thousand, fellowship, first order of business, five loaves, foolish, getting together, God is in our thoughts, god the father, heavenly Father, imperils, individual approach, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus rescues us, John, joy, labour for food that endures, Labour not for food that persihes, let my heart find peace, life in the hereafter, LOVE, lusting after the things of the world, miracle, most worthwhile goal, on the inside looking out, opening prayer, our greatest teacher, peace, physiacl food, placed God in the background, praise, private time with God, reconcile, redeem, salvation, saviour, Sea of Galilee, selfless sacrifice, sinless life, Son of man, spiritual purposes, teaching of Jesus, thanksgiving, the Life, the only way, the Sabbath, the Truth, the Way, the Word, the work of god, time and time again, truer words were never spoken, two fishes, understanding, uplift, utmost importance, walking on water, warning, what God expects, wisdom, work the works of God, worship, worst thing could happen, wrong
John 6:29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Oh mih people, how we doing this bright and bountiful Sunday morning eh? I do hope that the Lord is in our thoughts, and that all those who celebrate the Sabbath on Sundays are getting ready to go and fellowship with others of like intentions.
Meanwhile, for those who celebrate the Sabbath on other days, I hope that you have already successfully fellowshipped with your peers. For we need to remember that fellowshipping is extremely important in the lives of Christ’s people.
It’s where we encourage and exhort and uplift each other. So please make it a habit of getting together with others of your denomination at least once a week to celebrate Christ’s victory, and to offer up praise and worship in thanksgiving for all that He’s so selflessly done for us.
And before I forget, here is a most useful prayer that we can all use when we come to share private time with our Maker. I’ve shared it sometime ago, but in light of yesterday’s Bit, where we talked about reading the Word, it seemed rather apropos to share it again. I found it at the back of my mother’s Bible after she went to be with the Lord, and since then, I’ve used it all the time.
It’s plain and simple and to the point. ‘Dear heavenly Father, as I open my Bible, I pray that you will let my heart find peace. As my mind is filled with new understanding, Grant that I may learn the things you want me to know from the words I read. Bless me to find the courage, the comfort, the joy, these pages can bring, as I read about Jesus our greatest teacher. Amen.’
Oh Friends, I don’t think we can getter a better opening prayer than that, for it covers all the bases! But it’s your choice to use it or not, though you can certainly use it as a guide to develop your own individual approach. Whatever you’re comfortable with, that’s what you ought to use.
And today, my fellow believers, we’re going to look at an interesting and most important teaching of Jesus. This happens the day after He feeds the five thousand with the five barley loaves and two small fishes, then gathers up twelve baskets with the remnants of that meal. That certainly opened their eyes and made them believe that Jesus was indeed a prophet. (John 6:1-14)
But Jesus fearing that they would take Him by force and try to make Him king, went off by Himself into the mountains. Then that evening, without Jesus, the disciples got into a boat to cross over the Sea of Galilee, but part way over a wicked storm hit them.
And like the gracious Saviour He is, who comes to our rescue time and time again, the disciples, now in great despair for their lives, eventually see Him walking on the water towards them, saying; ‘It is I; be not afraid.’ (John 6:20)
Now obviously after hearing about Jesus great miracle of feeding, the next day throngs gathered in expectation of more of the same. But unfortunately they couldn’t find Jesus, although they knew that He hadn’t gone over in the boat with the disciples. But nonetheless, they rushed over by boat to the other side, to Capernaum, looking for Him.
‘And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles (signs), but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.’ (John 6:25-26)
Jesus knew that they weren’t looking for Him for spiritual purposes, for spiritual fodder, but for physical food. And He therefore warns them: ‘Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for that meat (food) which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.’ (John 6:27)
Oh Friends, that warning is also of the utmost importance to us today, as we have sadly placed God in the background of our society with only sparse acknowledgment, and are daily lusting more and more after the unenduring things of the world.
And that is oh so wrong, so foolish my brethren, because it imperils our salvation, our eternal livelihood, setting us up for eternal separation from Almighty God, which is the very worst thing that could ever happen to a human being!
And the crowd back then, not fully understanding Jesus’ words, continued: ‘Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’ (John 6:28-29)
Yes Friends, that is what God expects of us! Before we can do anything in His name, we must first believe in and on Jesus Christ; the One He sent to enlighten us, to selflessly sacrifice His sinless life on our behalf, and thus redeem and reconcile us to Himself! That, my people, ought to be our first order of business! Not the last, as some of us consider it.
And that is quite ably backed up by Jesus’ statement to doubting Thomas, when he declared: ‘Lord, we know not wither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:5-6)
Oh my brethren, no truer words have ever been spoken! So if you are truly concerned about your life in the hereafter, and you ought to be, then you’d better take those words to heart and put them into action in your life. For that my Friends, is indeed wisdom of the highest order possible. Much LOVE!
…to spend eternity on the inside with the Father looking out…one must first embrace the Son and all that He stands for…that’s the ONLY WAY to achieve that most worthwhile goal…
27 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversary, afflictions, almighty god, be subject to each other, Beelzebub, Bruh Paul, cast all your care on Him, Christ's Church, Christian, christianity, cliques, clothed with humility, conceited, crucified the flesh, daylight at the end of the tunnel, denomination, divided, dominion, dysfunctional, envy, envying each other, eternal glory, evil desires, exalt, faith, fear of God, fellowship, fractured, Friday, Friday chant, fruit of the Spirit, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, Galatians, generous help, gentleness, glory, goals, God gives grace to the humble, God of all grace, God resists the proud, goodness, governed by the Spirit, grace, harmonious, harmony, holy spirit, humility, in Jesus' name, in the reverence of God, inherit the kingdom of God, Jesus Christ, joy, kindness, leasure, led of the Spirit, like-mindedness, live in the Spirit, long-suffering, LOVE, lusts, meekness, moral life, not under the law, passions, peace, provoking each other, relaxation, religion, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, resentful, resentment, resist, rest, restraints of the law, reverent, roaring lion, self-control, shame, sober, spitefulness, steadfast, submitting to each other, temperance, Thank God it's Friday, the devil, the fear of God, the lust of the flesh, the mighty hand of God, the weekend, united, unity, uplifting, vainglory, values that please god, vanity, vigilant, vulture, walk in the Spirit, warring, works of the flesh
Ephesians 5:21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
‘Friday, oh Friday! How I LOVE that day! Friday, oh Friday! The weekend’s coming my way! Oh thank God it’s Friday! And I’m feeling okay! Friday, oh Friday! How I LOVE that day…’
Ah Friends, the amount of little ditties we can make up to celebrate Fridays eh. And rightly so, because Friday is a day when we finally see some daylight at the end of the work-week tunnel and envision a wonderful weekend of pleasure.
But please remember that the weekend is not only for pleasure, but should also include rest and fellowship with other believers. So let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a better perspective on how to handle the weekend.
As one 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.’
Now that’s more like it! (smile) And today we’ll continue looking at our simple sounding, but oh so important Bit: ‘Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’
And why is it so important? Because it deals with harmony, unity, like-mindedness, goals and values that please God, in His church. And right now there’s certainly not enough of that in the body of Christ.
Christianity is way too fractured, and thus dysfunctional to the serious work it’s called upon to do. In too many churches, regardless of religion or denomination, the congregations are divided in to cliques resentful of, and sometimes outright warring against each other.
Bruh Paul saw it happening even in the young churches he founded and strenuously pointed out the error to them. Here is what he said to the Galatians on the matter. ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.’ (Gal.5:16-18)
Basically, he’s saying that ‘the flesh seeks to thwart the Spirit, who in turn attempts to frustrate the flesh’s evil desires…. The Spirit-led person is not under the law. The Christian does not need the restraints of the law because his moral life is governed by the Spirit.’
And then Bruh Paul goes on to list the works of the flesh (Gal.5:19-21)…’and they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections (its passions) and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory (conceited), provoking one another, envying one another.’ (Gal.5:21b-26)
Yes Friends, as true believers, the Holy Spirit ought to lead us to produce fruit that is harmonious, united and uplifting to God’s church. But unfortunately too many of us have not sufficiently crucified our flesh, and thus worldly lusts like vanity, envy, resentment and spitefulness still characterize Christ’s church today. What an awful shame!
Meanwhile, Peter, who also recognizes the problem, puts it this way. ‘Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet.5:5-11)
Oh Friends, I couldn’t say it any better! And my wish for all of us today, is that we walk carefully, recognizing that Beelzebub is constantly circling, like the vulture that he is, that we stand strong and steadfast, yet humble and reverent before Almighty God, living in harmony and unity, thus bringing untold glory to His Holy Name. Much LOVE!
…unity and harmony between God’s people…will not come simply by wishing it…but by diligently working together to make it happen…
23 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, blessings, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, faith, fellowship, forgiveness, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, joy, lies, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morniing Battle Hymn, praise, Praise the Lord, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, salvation, spiritual armour, spirituality, St. Francis Parish, steadfast faith, trust, truth, ungodly world, wisdom
Proverbs 3:6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths.
Oh Friends and neighbours, the second day of summer was even better than the first yes! Glory Hallelujah!
It was also the Lord’s Day, and quite appropriately, His people, those of the parish of St. Francis were celebrating with praise, worship and thanksgiving at our annual outdoor service and picnic.
Yeh Friends, unlike the unfortunate Jews held captive in Babylon, who couldn’t sing the Lord’s songs in a strange land, we were singing the Lord’s songs on the banks of the winding Credit River, in a free and prosperous land.
Yes my brethren, on the banks of the living waters of the winding Credit River, the people of St. Francis were singing the Lord’s songs with joy and gladness, praising and thanking Him for all His goodness and mercy to us, the undeserving children of men!
And yuh know Friends, being in a physical structure worshipping Almighty God is fine, but it is somewhat restricting, in that it sort of keeps God within the walls of the edifice. However, worshipping Him outdoors is surely something special to behold and participate in!
Just imagine being present in the natural beauty of His creation, being one, under the open blue skies filled with brilliant sunshine, in the shade of the green trees, leaves dancing in concert to the riddim of the cool, gentle breeze that’s blowing, with the birds and other creatures singing their own songs of praise, and the river meandering slowly by, with nature proclaiming God’s majesty and beauty!
How could anything be better than that eh?
The praise and worship led by our own cool pastor, Fr. Jeff, were excellent. And don’t talk about the food! That too was most excellent; rich, diverse and spicy, just like the people who prepared it. The fellowship was both enticing and exciting, (smile) with fun and games for all to enjoy.
And the Lord looked down from His high heaven and saw that it was good. And He smiled and said, ‘Amen! It is good! So let it be!’
But Friends that was yesterday, and hopefully some of the joy and gladness has spilled over to today, Monday, when we have to get up and go to work….
Unfortunately though, I still heard some moans and groan when I mentioned the word Monday. (smile) So let’s join together and sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get those adrenalin juices flowing nuh.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Awright my brethren, that was a worthy enough rendition, so let’s go out and do the things we have to do with the Spirit of Jesus leading and guiding us. That brings us to these wise and faithful words of Cousin Sol, before, after and including our Bit
‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov. 3:5-8)
What wisdom my people, what awesome wisdom!
Now here are some notes on those verses from the scholars. ‘3:5-6. Three commands are given: trust, meaning “rely on, depend on”; lean not, meaning do not depend on your own native instincts; and acknowledge him, meaning have fellowship and intimacy with God in all of life. The result of such devotion is that God will make the paths straight before you.’
Oh Friends, please, I implore us to take those wise and sincere words to heart as we walk our journey of faith, today and every day, so that our paths will be directed by our Creator along smooth and straight lines. That is the wisdom of a true believer. Much LOVE!
…walk good…talk good…do good…live good…just like Jesus did…and your efforts will be richly rewarded…both here on earth…and in heaven on high…
20 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a rudderless ship on a stormy sea, almighty god, another week of work, as per how the Spirit moves me, blessings, blood, civil disobedience, command you not to teach in Jesus' name, contrary to te explicit commands of God, courage, decadence, direct connection to Jesus, direction, doctrine, earthly dominion, enabling faith, everlasting love, evil, exalted, exciting, faith, feared the people, fellowship, floundering, forgiveness of sins, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God will not leave us in the lurch, God's direction, God's Word, gospel truth, guidance, Holy Ghost, holy spirit, Holy Trinity, honouring God's word, in Jesus' name, in prison, Jerusalem, Jewish Council, lest they stoned them, life threatening, LOVE, most important aspect of our earthly lives, moving of the Holy Spirit, new mercies, not waiver, obey civil government, obey God, obey god rather than men, one day at a time, plan for our lives, power and purpose, power of the holy spirit, Praise the Lord, Prince, purpose, raised up Jesus, relaxation, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, repentance, responsibility to man and God, rest, right perspective, righteousness., saviour, set us free, sloth, slumber, steadfast, strength, strong, suffer the consequences, teaching in the temple, thank god for every day we draw breath, Thank God it's Friday, the apostle, the god of our fathers, the Holy Spirit, the how and why, truth, truth of Jesus, unconditional LOVE, understanding God's spirit, ungodly world, uplifting, weekend, wisdom, without violence, witnesses, worldly trait, wrong and right
Acts 5:29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
‘Friday, oh Friday, beautiful and blessed Friday! Thank God for it yes! Thank God it’s Friday, and the work week is drawing to a close! Thank God for Fridays!’
Yes my people, we ought to thank God for Fridays as our work week winds down. But even more importantly, we are to thank Him for every day that we draw breath, every day we open our bleary eyes to a new, exciting and uplifting day filled with His faithful promises of new mercies, blessings and the same old, same old but beautiful, unconditional and everlasting LOVE!
And all God’s children said ‘Praise the Lord!’
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant to give us the right perspective for handling the big two days off over the weekend. As one, holy chanting voice 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.’
Now that should give us a little better guidance on how to spend the weekend; not merely in sloth, slumber and/or decadence, but in rest, relaxation and fellowship. (smile)
And we’ll continue looking at the mighty moving of the Holy Spirit in Acts… And please don’t ask me when we’ll be done with that, because I truly don’t know. I’m just taking it one day at a time, as per how the Spirit moves me. (smile)
Oh Friends, I know that too many of us have the worldly trait in us, where we don’t want to hear about anything on a consistent basis. Everyday we want it new, even though we haven’t understood what we’ve heard before. But my Brethren, the Holy Spirit is the MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR EARTHLY LIVES!
Why? Because it is our DIRECT CONNECTION TO JESUS; TO ALMIGHTY GOD! It is the arm of the Holy Trinity that’s supposed to lead and guide us into all truth and righteousness!
And without our serious knowledge of its awesome power and purpose, how it worked before, and how it can still work in us, we’re lost, floundering like a rudderless ship on a stormy sea, for it’s the Holy Spirit that imparts God’s direction, strength, purpose and plan for our lives.
And having tried to convince us of the necessity of knowing about and fully understanding God’s magnificent Spirit, let’s hear what happens after the confounded Jewish council heard that the apostles weren’t in prison, where they had placed them the day before, but were teaching in the temple.
‘Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Saying, did not we straitly (strictly) command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.’ (Acts 5:26-29)
And those words of our Bit my brethren are gospel truth! God’s word is way way more important than man’s!
But please listen closely to the scholars’ note on that verse. ‘5:29. Peter is not sanctioning civil disobedience, as he makes clear in his first epistle (1 Pet.2:13-17; cf. Rom.13:1-7). We are to obey civil government, but when it goes contrary to the explicit commands of God, we must obey God and be ready to suffer the consequences.’
That’s more gospel truth my people! But please take a moment and read those referenced scriptures, for they will greatly enlighten you as to what our responsibility is to both man and God.
However, as the scholars note, we must be prepared to suffer the consequences re honouring God’s word if it differs from that of man. Quite often those consequences can be very serious, even life threatening, but we must have the enabling faith to not waiver, to stand our ground, knowing that our great God WILL NOT leave us in the lurch when we stand up strong and steadfast in His Holy Name.
And that’s another reason why we so desperately need to know about and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, because He is the ONE who also enlightens us about wrong and right! It was the power of the Holy Spirit that gave the apostles the wisdom and the courage to stand up against a group of men who had earthly dominion over them.
And boldly, they continued in the power of the Spirit to inform the council: ‘The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance in Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.’ (Acts 5:30-32)
Oh Friends, more gospel truth! Wow! What a morning, where we’ve heard, been bombarded by so much indisputable, unadulterated truth! (smile)
Now let’s go out into the evil, ungodly world in which we dwell, but are NOT a part of, and let that truth of Jesus set us free, through the providential guidance and direction of His Holy Spirit. Much LOVE!
…if you don’t understand the how and why of the Holy Spirit…then you can’t use it successfully…
13 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: anxieties, bequeath, brave, can't stop God's time, centre of contention, Christ's Holy Spirit, confidence, conquer our fears, consternation, courage, courageous, dissension, energy, enthusiasm, evil, evil forces, fearlessly, fears, fellowship, for our children's sake, freedom, Friday chant, Friday the 13th, frightened, fun, further God's glorious kingdom, generous help, Gentile, glorified God, hate, Holy ghost power, holy spirit, inherent power, Jerusalem, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jew, Jewish leaders, John, joyfully, kindness, lead and guide, legacy, LOVE, miracle, opportunity, Pentecost, Peter, proclaim Jesus' name, pull up our socks, quandary, relaxation, resentment, rest, righteousness., salvation, source of power, stinking cesspool, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the church body, the Lord's will, the name of Jesus, the weekend, threaten, touches a hidden nerve, trillion dollar question, troubled, truth, try in vain, wake up and smell the roses, week of work, wisdom
Acts 4:19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
And then it was Friday…Friday the 13th to boot!
‘So what,’ shouted the people? ‘Who believes in those old-wives tales any way? We’ll still sing TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And thank God the weekend is finally here! No evil forces can stop that. For it’s the Lord’s will and desire! So shout it out loud and proud: TGIF! Thank God is Friday, and the weekend’s here!’
Yeh Friends, sure believers in Jesus don’t worry about the evil forces who are supposed to be in the ascendance on a Friday the 13th. Simply because none of those evil forces can stop God’s time. Jesus has already defeated them all, so they are only ‘flimming and flamming’ now, without any real power at all, just working on our natural fears and anxieties.
So let’s chant our Friday Chant with much energy and enthusiasm, that some will rub off on all of those who hear us. As one harmonious voice 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.’
Good chanting Friends, good chanting! Now let’s go and put it into practice. (smile)
And we’ll continue studying the stuff that the mighty moving of the Holy Spirit wrought at that memorable Pentecost, some two thousand years ago.
Yesterday we saw the apostles, Peter and John, stand up strong and brave to the Jewish leaders, with Peter boldly declaring that the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ was the source of their power. And that Jesus was the only one by whom salvation could be obtained.
Now the Jewish leaders were obviously unhappy with the situation, but what could they do? They had a group of uneducated, lower class men speaking bravely and powerfully to them, and a lame man who had been healed through their instigation, in the sight of countless people.
Those were facts they could not deny. But how were they to handle the delicate situation, without losing face and power; that was their quandary.
So they put Peter and John outside and ‘conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle (a remarkable sign) had been done by them is manifest (known) to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly (severely) threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.’ (Acts 4:16-17)
Oh Friends, how the forces of evil are troubled and affrighted by the name of Jesus! So much so, that they try and stop us from speaking His Holy Name. Hn! But they do try in vain!
As the scholars so wisely and rightly declare: ‘4:12. The name of Jesus Christ is the centre of contention (v. 7, 10, 12) and ever will be. Salvation for Jew and Gentile alike is exclusively through the name of Jesus Christ (cf. John 14:6).’
Oh yes my fellow believers, you can bring up any other name in the world, in any kind of company, and none will cause as much contention as Jesus’!
Why my people? Because of the inherent power vested in that most remarkable name! It just touches a hidden nerve in our beings; a chord programmed thus by our Creator, at our creation. Else why would a single name cause so much contention, consternation and dissension eh?
Anyway, having made their decision, the Jewish leaders called the apostles back into the room. ‘And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ (Acts 4:18-20)
Oh mih breddren, what a way Peter has developed into this brave and courageous believer! So that he can now look the Jewish elders in the eye and tell them to get lost. Oh the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit! For it was simply Holy Ghost power that Peter was operating on.
‘So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how (for which) they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed (had been performed).’ (Acts 4:21-22)
Oh Friends, I just LOVE it! I just LOVE the way our wonderful God moves in His most mysterious ways, His works to perform! The problem though is whether we are allowing His Holy Spirit to put such courage and confidence in our everyday lives? That is the trillion dollar question my people!
And it’s obvious that as a church, as a body of worshippers in the name of Jesus Christ, we are falling far short of expectations, otherwise our world would not be in such an awful mess, lacking LOVE and kindness, but full of hate and resentment.
Oh my brethren, it’s time for us to conquer our fears, anxieties, or whatever is keeping us from doing a good job in Jesus’ name. It’s full time we allow His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all truth and righteousness, so that we can joyfully and fearlessly proclaim His name to all the world, as He desires.
We’ve seen how the Holy Spirit moved in the early believers, and it’s still working the same way today. It’s just that we aren’t making the most of it, although we have more information, freedom and opportunity to do so.
Ah Friends, let’s wake up and smell the sweet perfume of those lovely roses nuh. Let’s see the evil and hateful world for exactly what it is – a stinking cesspool – and come to the great realization that without our best efforts, our world will only become more evil and hateful.
Is that the legacy we want to bequeath to our descendants? I greatly doubt it. So let’s hitch up our breeches, pull up our socks and allow the Spirit of Jesus to work in us as it should nuh… for our children’s sake. That’s wisdom to the nth power! Much LOVE!
…a believer who doesn’t embrace the leading and guiding power of Christ’s Spirit…is no true believer at all…
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