Please Remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season!

08 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

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

Luke 2:14.       Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And the days are running fast ahead. Can you imagine it’s already the 8th of December, a month that began just a few days ago? (smile) It’s also the Second Sunday of Advent, our season of waiting for the birth of Christ, and His eventual Second coming in all His glory. And today we light a second purple candle that signifies our hope in Christ. And as this commentary tells us: ‘Hope has two meanings in the Bible: First, Tikvah, depicts the sense of eager anticipation or waiting. The second, Elpis, is used when explaining a sense of confident expectation based on certainty.’ 

And are we ever waiting with a sense of eager anticipation, with a sense of confident expectation, based on the certainty that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is coming back, because He promised it, and He never reneges on His promises. So, today, we’ll open our session of fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary with this popular Christmas Hymn, ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful,’ an adaptation of a Latin hymn ‘Adeste Fidelis,’ written sometime in the eighteenth century by author(s) unknown. 

The song deals with the biblical story of the birth of Christ and the shepherds to whom the angels made the first announcement of His miraculous birth, and then their going to Bethlehem to adore their new-born, Saviour. However, in these current tremulous and turbulent times, the hymn signifies and celebrates our coming together in worship to adore the LOVING blessing of Jesus, as He sacrificed Himself for our salvation. So, knowing all that, let’s raise up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a rich, scintillating, heartfelt, up-tempo version of the song. 

Singing: ‘O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels! (Chorus: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.) God of God, light of light, Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; True God, begotten, not created: (Chorus) 

O Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation O sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above. Give to our Father, Glory in the highest! (Chorus) Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be the glory giv’n; Word of the Father, Now in the flesh appearing, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.’ 

Wonderful friends, wonderful! Heaven certainly knows that we appreciate Jesus’ birth way back then, as He came to provide forgiveness and salvation for us, something that no one else could do! And at that time, because of a decree from Herod that all the world should be taxed or registered for a census, it meant all the men going to their hometowns. Consequently, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary, Jesus’ parents, were forced to travel to Bethlehem because he was of the line of David. 

The Bible tells the story thus: ‘And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished (completed) that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger (feed trough); because there was no room for them at the inn.’ (Luke 2:6-7) Can you imagine that, the Lord allowing His Son to be born in a stable and placed in a feed trough as His cradle? That was the very essence of humility, which came to be Jesus’ trademark. 

And the scholars tell us that swaddling clothes were bandage-like strips of cloth wrapped around an infant to ensure that the limbs would grow straight. Not to swaddle a child would be a form of abuse (Ezek. 16:2-4) This wrapping would aid the shepherds in identifying Jesus. 

‘The Bible then continues: ‘And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon (stood before) them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore (greatly) afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David (Bethlehem) a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (feed trough).’ Luke 2:8-12) 

Now, that sudden appearance of an angel with such news would have been enough to frighten even the most  courageous of men, but to mix it up even further, the Bible continues: ‘And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’  (Luke 2:13-14) There again, can you imagine a host of heavenly angels coming down to earth and singing before you? But remember, nothing’s impossible for out great God! But the Lord’s birth and the praise of the angelic host signified that peace and goodwill were being brought to earth for all men to enjoy…if they desired it. 

The Bible then says: ‘And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which the Lord hath made known to us.” (Luke 2:15) Obviously their inquisitiveness or curiosity was greater than their fear. ‘And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered (marvelled) at those things which were told by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.’ (Luke 2:16-20) 

Yes friends, from the very beginning the Lord intended His Son to be a lowly born human being, although He was indeed great and mighty in His own right. And yuh see whom He chose to be the first to receive the news; lowly shepherds watching their flocks in the night. That again speaks of the low-level introduction that the Lord desired of Jesus and His birth. And for all the things that He has done for us, appearing in the flesh as a man, we certainly ought to be joyful and triumphant, adoring Him with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds! 

Yes! For He’s the True God, born of a virgin, begotten, not created, the Word of the Father, God of God, light of light and so many other things, that it would take us all day to name them! (smile) But friends, let’s enjoy this Christmas season, as we remember that Jesus is the reason for it, not the festivities surrounding it! Much LOVE!

… at Christmas time…it is essential that we remember Jesus…and what His birth signified…

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

Let Almighty God be Your Refuge and Shelter in Times of Trouble!

05 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 9:9.       The Lord will be a refuge (stronghold) for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

And the snow fell, but not to a great extent, so that this Thursday morning in early December is not as bad as it could have been! Thanks be to God for that! And what’s on the agenda for today? A li’l something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is simply titled ‘NOW!’  And by the way, I don’t remember if I have ever shared it before, but in any case, they are all worth sharing over and over again. (smile) 

So please read with me: ‘My great strong God! All the fight Is drained out of me. In my debilitating weakness I can’t even hold on to You. But Your own words Keep my hope stirring: “For I Your God Am firmly grasping Your right hand. I am saying unto you Do not fear. I have become your helper.” Now, dear Lord! Now!’ 

And isn’t that the way we always desire the Lord to react to our problems, with alacrity and undivided attention. And yes, sometimes when that is called for He will respond with haste, but our God is not there to jump when we call, we have the situation all wrong. The truth of the matter is that we are the ones who are supposed to jump to it when He calls. 

Anyway, what does the poem tell us? Basically that our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God is always there looking out for our problems and troubles. He’s promised to help us in all situations, so we should not be afraid of whatever comes against us. And that promise found in Psalm 9 is the Bible promise for today’s writing. It says: ‘The Lord will be a refuge (stronghold) for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ (Ps. 9:9-10) 

Oh my fellow believers, that’s the indisputable truth! The Lord has never, and will never abandon anyone who puts their sincere trust in Him. And Bruh David spells it out very nicely in Psalm 37 titled – Trust in the Lord, when he writes: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed.’ (Ps. 37:23-26) 

Now that’s how the Lord treats the righteous and his descendants. And if you don’t believe Bruh David, then listen to the sons of Korah from Psalm 46 titled – Our Refuge and Strength. They open the psalm confidently proclaiming: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3) 

Oh my people, what powerful faith is engendered by those words! And that’s the kind of faith we believers in these ungodly and evil times need to have if we intend to make any kind of productive difference! The devil is riding high right now, but we certainly have the ability and the tools to overthrow him, if we get together and put our hearts, minds, souls and bodies to it. 

It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy in his first epistle. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things (the world’s evil); and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) 

Yes mih bredrin, we are expected to fight a good fight of faith, so that when our time to leave this earth comes, we can proudly say like Bruh Paul: ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:6-8) 

What a wonderful reward awaits us in heaven my people; that crown of righteousness! But only if we keep on being righteous and fight the good fight of faith down here. And I know all of us desire to have that awesome crown, but please, let’s remember it’s not something that’s handed out willy nilly, but only to those who truly deserve it. And if we sincerely want it, then we still have some time to turn ourselves around and become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! 

And the Lord in His utmost generosity has indeed given us tools to do the job He desires of us. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So please, let’s declare them now so that they can be activated. 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 made that declaration (awright!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…to win the crown of righteousness…one must fight tooth and nail for it…

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

Strength in the Face of Adversity is the True Test of One’s Endurance.

24 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 24:10.        If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

So friends, we’ve lived to see another brand new day; a Sunday to boot, which means we ought to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary with other faithful believers to give Him much thanks and praise for all the undeserved blessings, grace and mercy He’s bestowed on us this past week, and pray for a continuance of such goodness in the upcoming week. And today we’re going to open our worship with a truly inspirational song, one that we all know and LOVE, written by Gloria and William Gaither, based on a tough time in their lives. It’s simply but most appropriately titled; ‘Because He Lives.’ 

So, let’s raise our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise, and offer up a soulful, sincere, mid-tempo version of the song. Singing: ‘(Chorus: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future, And life is worth the living Just because He lives.) (Repeat) God sent His son they called Him, Jesus He came to LOVE, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives. (Chorus) How sweet to hold a newborn baby And feel the pride and joy he gives But greater still that calm assurance This child can face uncertain days because He lives  

And then one day I’ll cross the river I’ll fight life’s final war with pain And then, as death gives way to vict’ry I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future And life is worth the living Just because He lives And life is worth the living Just because He lives And life is worth the living Just because He lives.’ 

Oh my people, that was a beautiful rendition of that most inspiring song. And I guess that’s why we sung it so sweetly, (smile) for all of us have been through hard times and it’s only the trust and faith in Jesus that’s pulled us through. Apparently, it was the same with the Gaither family back in the 1960’s, when a deep shift in values was taking place in their world. The winter of 1969 was particularly hard for them, because it was long and severe, and Bill fell ill with a bad case of mononucleosis. 

Concurrently, there was also strife and false accusations amongst their church family. Gloria says she can remember sitting in their living room in fear and agony on New Year’s Eve, as the educational system was being infiltrated with the “God is dead” idea, while drug abuse and racial tension were increasing. And as always, everybody was blaming everybody else. Nothing has changed since then, except that the idea of God being dead, has blossomed, where schools no longer teach about God, where the Ten Commandments and prayer are now banned in public schools and those of higher education. 

What a time for the Gaithers to discover they were about to have a baby! And though it was good news, they were also concerned about the wisdom of bringing a new life into that chaotic world. Then, one sunny day in the early spring, Bill, Gloria and Bill’s father George walked across the paved parking lot at their small A-frame offices. George called Bill and Gloria’s attention to a spot they had not noticed. He pointed out a tiny blade of grass that had pushed aside layers of dirt, rock and concrete to reach the sunshine of the world above. It had such a strong will to live; it had overcome all the odds to fulfill its destiny. 

That blade of grass became a symbol to the Gaithers of how God works in His creation. And it inspired Gloria to write a song expressing the hope that was shaped by the resurrection of Jesus, as well as that blade of grass and the birth of her son. And that’s the story of the song. No doubt many of us also have such inspiring stories, although we have not written any songs about them. But that’s the way Jesus works in our lives; using small and apparently inconsequential things and moments to build our faith and trust in Him. 

That’s why we can never give up hope, despite the many times we fall. That’s why Cousin Sol penned these words in Proverbs. First of all: ‘If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.’ (Prov. 24:10) And then: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) And we can do all of that only because of the completed work of Jesus. As the song says, ‘He came to LOVE, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.’ 

Oh glory be my fellow believers! Without Jesus, we cannot do much of anything, as He so rightly says in the gospel of John. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) Yes friends, in the natural we are weak, weary and finite human beings. But if we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, then His Holy Spirit comes and fills our souls and spirits with the power to do anything that He desires us to do. 

It’s like He promised the disciples and those of us who believe in the future: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18) 

And we all know that Jesus kept that promise, for on the day of Pentecost after His ascension, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, ‘as a sound of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them, cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4) 

And since that time my fellow saints, every time someone accepts Christ as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them, to lead, guide and comfort them just like Jesus promised. So, let’s go home today, renewing our faith, promising ourselves to keep it strong and to get back every time we falter or fall, because Jesus empowers us through His Holy Spirit. and as the chorus of the song reminds us: ‘Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future, And life is worth the living Just because He lives.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Let’s never forget it! Much LOVE!

…with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour…our strength ought not to fail…

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

The True Beauty of Jesus and His wonderful Name!

17 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 1:3a.       Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,

And as another Sunday rolls around, we also roll out to the Lord’s sanctuary, to fellowship with other believers, giving God much praise and thanks for all the wonderful things He’s done for us down through the ages, and is still doing for us right now! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Amen!’ For the Lord has indeed done wonderful things on our behalf, none more wonderful than sending His only son Jesus to die on the cross of Calvary so that our sins could be forgiven, and we could have the option of returning to His fold. 

And our song for today is a marvellous one that highlights the true beauty and magnificence that’s Jesus. It was written by Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood of the Hillsong Worship Group in Sydney, Australia in 1915, and it’s simply titled, ‘What a Beautiful Name!’ And is Jesus’ name ever beautiful my people! But before we get into all the ramifications of that beauty (smile) let’s get to singing the song. And we’ll offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a powerful, mid-tempo, scintillating, heart-stopping, sincere version with all the bells and whistles. (smile) 

So, let’s sing: Verse 1 ‘You were the Word at the beginning One with God the Lord Most High Your hidden glory in creation Now revealed in You our Christ’ Chorus 1 What a beautiful Name it is What a beautiful Name it is The Name of Jesus Christ my King What a beautiful Name it is Nothing compares to this What a beautiful Name it is The Name of Jesus’ 

Verse 2 ‘You didn’t want heaven without us So Jesus You brought heaven down My sin was great Your LOVE was greater What could separate us now’ Chorus 2 What a wonderful Name it is What a wonderful Name it is The Name of Jesus Christ my King What a wonderful Name it is Nothing compares to this What a wonderful Name it is The Name of Jesus What a wonderful Name it is The Name of Jesus’ 

Bridge ‘Death could not hold You The veil tore before You, You silence the boast of sin and grave The heavens are roaring The praise of Your glory For You are raised to life again You have no rival You have no equal Now and forever God You reign Yours is the kingdom Yours is the glory Yours is the Name above all names’ Chorus 3 ‘What a powerful Name it is What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus Christ my King What a powerful Name it is Nothing can stand against it What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus…’ 

And it most certainly is a beautiful, wonderful and powerful name, the name of Jesus! Now we could not do any better than checking out what the writers called their core scriptures in penning the song; Hebrews 1:1-4 and Colossians 1:15-20, 26-27.  They claim that ‘Hebrews 1:1-4 expresses with clarity and conciseness the supremacy of Jesus Christ — the radiance of God’s glory, the exact expression of His being, the creative conduit of His power. Jesus is God’s Word: powerful, authoritative and utterly supreme. He is the wonder of salvation, who reconciled us to God.’ 

So, let’s see what that scripture says: ‘God, who at sundry (many) times and in divers manners (various ways) spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world (ages); 

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged (cleansed) our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.’ (Heb. 1:1-4) 

Yes friends, those verses encapsulate exactly whom Jesus is, and the work He’s done. He’s the ‘brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His person.’ In other words, He shines as brightly as the Father and is an exact image of Him. And I like how the writers offer their reasoning. ‘To know God and to worship Him (“to enjoy Him forever”) is the most fundamental reason for our existence. 

As Jesus reveals the great mysteries of God, we come to know more of who God is, glimpsing new facets of His beauty, wonder and power. “Beauty” evokes the tenderness of His LOVE and the sweetness of His presence. “Wonder” speaks to our gratitude for salvation, awe at the lengths of His sacrifice. “Power” affirms His supremacy and Sovereignty—an exhortation to remember our access to the power of God in every situation, as we call upon and declare the Name of Jesus.’  

And what does the Bible tell us about that name? ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every other name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things) in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:8-11) 

Wow! That says it all my brethren! But the writers add their two cents worth. (smile) ‘Jesus has the Name above all others. Anything that we can name – from our greatest triumphs to our greatest challenges—comes under the authority of His Name. This song confesses that no greater beauty or source of wonder exists outside of Jesus, “the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3). The song is also a statement that Jesus has no rival or equal. His power is unmatched and absolute.’ And we certainly cannot deny that. 

Meanwhile the writers also give us a most fitting ending to our Bit, when they say: ‘Perhaps some of us understand God LOVES us through the death and resurrection of Jesus, but haven’t grasped His power, ability and will to move strongly in our present circumstances. Or perhaps, we understand God as the supreme, omnipotent Deity He is, but have never known Him close and tender, as a friend acquainted with the depths of our humanity, knowing our flaws cannot perturb His LOVE. Our prayer for this song is that we can all enter into a deeper, more lateral, revelation of the person of Jesus Christ—the epitome of beauty.’ 

And that’s our assignment for today my fellow saints; to dig deeper into the smorgasbord, the wide variety of aspects that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ presents, and get to know Him better! Much LOVE!

…true beauty…begins and ends with Jesus…

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

The Necessity of having Strong Faith to Live the Christian Life!

16 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 10:23.        Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Saturday has come friends…our lazy-day Saturday! Oh what a joy to be in its LOVING arms! To be able to do what we want, when we want, or not to do anything at all; just lie in bed or on the couch wrapped up in warm blankets on this somewhat chilly and cloudy Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I only got to enjoy a li’l of it, because I went to bed too early last night and thus my aging back would have none of that lying in bed for so long. 

Now, I believe I have to address this going to bed early matter, because I seem to be doing it fairly often these days, and I don’t like it, because I keep waking up like every hour and a half, and thus have too many medication induced dreams. I tend to prefer a few hours here and a few hours there, not this long slog of seven or eight hours. But anyway, that’s my problem, and I’ll deal with it one way or another. (smile) 

So, to more important things, like our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer. Let’s offer it up with all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And, as always, the Lord’s presence soon seems more intense and we’re more aware of it in our hearts and spirits. Now that’s the way it ought always to be, but we just don’t take the time to consider it and ask for His presence more often and more intensely.  We’re simply too busy with the mundane, less important things and activities of the evil and ungodly world. 

And I’m chuckling here friends, for I’ve reached a mental roadblock; in other words, I don’t know how to proceed from this point, (smile) So, like all true believers ought to do, when in doubt, I opened the Good Library and like the saving grace it is, it opened very appropriately unto Psalm 69 – A Cry for Help – where Bruh David writes of a situation that many of us are currently in, and don’t know how to extricate ourselves from it. So let’s pray with him. ‘Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (up to my neck). I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where floods overflow me.’ (Ps. 69:1-2) 

Oh my people, many of us today surely feel like we’re drowning in the situations in which we are immersed, like the water is up to our necks, or some of us even feel like we’ve already gone down a couple of times, and the next time will be our last. But take heart, don’t give up, keep treading or floundering or whatever it takes to stay alive, for as Jesus said in one of His parables, men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart). (Luke 18:1) 

And that’s the indisputable truth! If you are a believer in Jesus, you cannot ever throw in the towel or give up, regardless of the circumstances, because Christ is only and always a prayer away, and in His Word, He’s promised to save us from the terrors of this world. Listen to this marvellous promise extended on God’s behalf through the prophet Isaiah to those who are redeemed by the blood of His Son Jesus. 

‘O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon (scorch) thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee (in thy place).’ (Is. 43:1-3) 

Now that’s a magnificent promise for all who put their trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. And it’s not an empty promise as we’ve seen the Lord do those things. Remember when Israel came out of Egypt and met the Red Sea, which seemed to be a huge stumbling block? However, the Lord parted it for them to go through on dry land, then closed it back up and drowned Pharaoh and his army. (Ex.14) Then, when they came to the River Jordan, to enter the Promised Land, it seemed uncrossable as it was in flood. But then again, the Lord parted it for them so they could walk over on dry land. (Josh. 3) 

And what about the time the three Jewish teenagers refused to bow down to the pagan idol of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, and they were thrown into a furnace seven times hotter than normal, but they came out unharmed, without even smelling of smoke. (Dan. 3:14-25). Then what about Daniel himself being cast into the lion’s den for refusing to adhere to the king’s ungodly decree? Daniel spent the night sleeping amongst the lions and was unharmed come morning, for the Lord had shut the lions mouths. (Dan. 6-7) 

So my brethren, we see it’s totally possible and plausible for our God to do both big and small miracles on our behalf. But we have to keep on believing and being obedient to His will and praying and giving thanks regardless of the circumstances. That’s why the author of Hebrews reminds us thus: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Heb. 10:23) And also: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) 

Yes friends, it’s all a matter of belief from which faith and hope rise eternal, then trust and obedience which follow from those. So, although today we might be mired in very difficult, even life threatening circumstance, please, let’s not give up. Instead, let’s pray and cry out to God for help, for He can help us if we are sincere in our entreaty. Much LOVE!

…faith…that is the currency of God’s children…

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

It’s a Happy Day when One Serves Jesus in All Sincerity and Truth!

10 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 100:2.       Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ Now that’s the opening verse of Psalm 122, and this Remembrance Day weekend in God’s house is where we all ought to be, giving thanks and remembering the many millions who senselessly died in the many wars of the last century. And yes, they died that we could ostensibly live in peace and harmony. 

But where is that peace and harmony now eh? It doesn’t exist, for most of our world is now a strife-filled battleground, where thousands still die each day for the same supposedly worthwhile ideals of peace, LOVE, honour and country, but usually it’s to satisfy the greed and power hunger of a handful of proud and egotistical people. But that’s a story for another day. 

Today however, we’ll do as Psalm 100 so wisely instructs us: ‘Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all ye lands (all the earth). Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:105)  

So, having heard those most encouraging words, let’s grace the Lord’s house on His day with praise and worship through this wonderful rendition of that joyful tune titled ‘Oh Happy Day.’ It’s an 18th century hymn authored by clergyman Phillip Doddridge and recorded in a gospel music arrangement by the Edwin Hawkins Singers in 1967. Soon thereafter, it became an international hit and is now recognized as a gospel music standard. 

So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful and joyful rendition, remembering the hand clapping and the call and response of the choir and the lead vocalist. (smile) And as we sing, please let there be no doubt as to our happiness; just allow it to bubble up from our hearts and souls like a wellspring of joy.  

Singing: ‘Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) He washed my sins away (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) (Repeat) He taught me how (He taught me how) To watch and fight and pray Watch and pray And live rejoicing every day Every day 

Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) He washed my sins away (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) He taught me how (He taught me how) To watch and fight and pray Watch and pray And live rejoicing every day (Good God) Live rejoicing every day, Every day 

Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) Yes, what a happy day it was, when Jesus washed all my sins away…taught me how to watch and fight and pray…and live rejoicing every day…Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)…Yes, every day’s now a happy day…since Jesus washed my sins away…and taught me how to watch and pray…and live rejoicing every day… Oh, happy day… oh, happy day…Oh, happy day…’ 

And oh my fellow saints, it was indeed a happy day when Jesus washed our sins away…the most joyful day ever! Then in His great LOVE, He added to it by teaching us how to watch and fight and pray… and consequently, how to live rejoicing every day in His new covenant. What can be more joyful that that eh? Nothing whatsoever! For in Jesus, we have ALL that we’ll ever need, both in this world and the next! 

And these words of Jesus assure us that He is who He said He is, and did what He set out to do. He said them to Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who came to Him under cover of darkness to find out what was what. ‘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. 

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 3:16-18) 

Yuh see friends, all it takes to be saved is true belief in Jesus. He came to save the world, and that’s exactly what He did! Who rejects His saving grace after hearing of it, have only themselves to blame. And He did teach us how to fight by all the rejection and abuse and the awful things he went through on our behalf. 

As the author of Hebrews informs us: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:2-3)  

Ah mih people, Jesus did teach us how to wage a peaceful war, with LOVE and understanding rather than with worldly weapons and caustic rejoinders. And oh, how He taught us to watch and pray, always making time to spend quietly with the Father and listen to His message, because He knew that he could not accomplish His earthly tasks without the Father’s help and encouragement. 

And one of my favourite passages of scripture details that for us. The gospel of Mark puts it thus: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35) Now, if Jesus the Son of God, while here on earth needed prayer so earnestly, why wouldn’t we adopted sons need it even more? And the answer is that we do! 

So please, let’s wake up to the reality of the situation and realize how badly we need Jesus and all that He brings to the table, otherwise we’ll end up like lost sheep in the wilderness, without a good shepherd, wandering aimlessly, hungry and thirsty, until we die from lack of nourishment…both physical and spiritual. And that would be such a waste of a good life! Much LOVE!

…every sheep…needs a good shepherd to take care of it…and Jesus is our good shepherd…

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

God still sits on His Heavenly Throne and NOTHING Happens Unless He Allows it!

08 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 1:5.       For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation (comfort) aboundeth by Christ, (as the problems increase, so does the consolation).

So Friday is here at last, and all the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ rise to high heaven, in thanksgiving for the upcoming end of another tough work week; what with the shocking results of the U.S. Presidential occupying the minds and sensibilities of our already chaotic world. But yuh know what friends? That, like everything else in this crazy world must pass! 

Granted, some unnatural and evil things might befall us before it does, but let’s remember that the Great God Jehovah still sits on His heavenly throne and still runs things, though it may seem He is asleep at the wheel. But that’s incorrect, for nothing happens in this world unless He allows it. That’s the comfort we have to take as believers in His Son Jesus Christ. And  consequently, let’s never forget these most encouraging words of Bruh Paul from his second missive to the church at Corinth.

 ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation (comfort) aboundeth by Christ, (as the problems increase, so does the consolation). (2 Cor. 1:3-5) 

Now that’s the wonderful God we serve my fellow believers! One who comforts us in all our trials, so that we can comfort each other with that same comfort we receive from Him! Wow! Please give our amazing and awesome God some thanks and praise for His goodness and mercy to us, underserving children of men! For we certainly don’t deserve all that He’s done on our behalf, but His LOVE towards us is so great that He just cannot help Himself! 

Remember He made us for Himself; to have wonderful and LOVING fellowship with Him, and to do His will, so His connection to us is undeniably strong. The problem is that we haven’t returned the LOVE that He desires of us, that’s why there’s the divide between us, a divide He’s desirous of fixing and doing His best to fix, but we, with our stubborn, hardhearted, ungrateful attitudes are refusing to have anything to do with the fixing, preferring the lustful and prideful ways of the world. 

Then we’ll just have to suffer whatever consequences those ungodly things and actions bring us, praying that hopefully, before it’s too late, we wake up and see the wrongness of our ways. Remember how Jesus emphasized that we walk the straight and narrow and difficult path that leads to Him and eternal life, and not the wide, winding and easy path that we’re choosing which leads to hellfire and eternal damnation, to eternal separation from Almighty God. (Matt. 7:13-14) And nowhere in time has this wisdom been more important and necessary than right now, as our world seems to be rolling hell bound with increasing speed as each and every day goes by. 

Oh my fellow saints, please, let’s remember what God said to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah, when He exiled them to Babylon for their disobedience and idolatrous ways. He promised to return them to their land after a period of seventy years had elapsed. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). (Jer. 29:11) 

And that sounds like a wonderful promise, but it was not going to happen automatically, for the Lord added this addendum to it: ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) 

Yes friends, the Lord won’t rain down blessings on us for no good reason. No! We have to sincerely seek and search for Him with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds. Remember Jesus said that was the first and great commandment. (Matt. 22:37) And if we don’t follow that first commandment, how can we expect to receive anything good from God eh? 

That’s just a fool’s wisdom. You can’t dilly dally, or hob knob with Satan and sin, and then expect to receive salvation and eternal life from God. That’s never going to happen! Not even in our wildest dreams! So please, let’s wake up and see the frail, fickle and sinful state of our world nuh, and make the wise and wonderful decision to forsake sin and Satan and return to Jesus Christ and His righteousness. And to help us make that magnificent change, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in our time of great need. 

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And let’s not fool ourselves with that prayer, for divine aid will not be forthcoming unless we step up to the plate and become better examples of Christian belief! Much LOVE!

…God is good and merciful and compassionate…but He also expects us to…sincerely seek Him…and obey His will and ways…

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

The Enormous,the Profuse Need for More LOVE in our Strife-filled World!

03 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 20:8.       Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

The cycle has come full circle again friends; meaning it’s Sunday; time to get together and praise and worship our wonderful God in fellowship with other believers. It’s the most important day of our week, as it celebrates the Lord’s Sabbath, which He commanded us to do in His word. ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work… (Ex. 20:8-10a) 

And today, our song of worship is a beautiful gospel and R&B standard from the old Commodores ‘Heroes’ Album from around 1980, a song that is most appropriately titled ‘Jesus is LOVE!’ And that’s the gospel truth, for it’s why He left heaven to come to earth to save us humans from our abominable sins. The main reason for that was simply ‘LOVE!’ A  LOVE so great that it would not allow heaven to see us all go to hell as our sins demanded: ‘For  the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom. 6:23) 

Heaven refused to reject us without a fighting chance to be reconciled to the Father and therefore spend eternity with Him. And the words of the song are also very appropriate for these turbulent and trying times. So as always, let’s offer up our sacrifices of sincere praise in a soulful rendition of this most relevant song. 

Singing: ‘Father help your children And don’t let them fall by the side of the road. And teach them to LOVE one another And heaven might find a place in their hearts. ‘Cause Jesus is LOVE He won’t let you down And I know He’s mine forever Oh, in my heart We’ve got to walk on Walk on through temptation ‘Cause His LOVE and His wisdom Will be our helpin’ hand And I know the Truth And His words will be our salvation Lift up our hearts To be thankful and glad That Jesus is LOVE 

He won’t let you down And I know He’s mine Deep down in my soul Jesus is LOVE Oh, yes, He is, He won’t let you down And I know He’s mine, He’s mine, He’s mine, He’s mine, all mine Forever, ohhhh, in my heart Help me, heart, heart Ooh…ooh… (Deep in my heart) I know, I know, I know, I know, cause His LOVE’S the power (Power) His LOVE’S the glory (Glory) Forever (Ever and ever) Ooh, yeah (Yeah, yeah) Ooh, yeah (Yeah, yeah) 

Oh wait a minute, I wanna follow your star Wherever it leads me And I don’t mind, Lord I hope you don’t mind I wanna walk with you And talk with you And do all the things you want me to do Cause I know that Jesus (Jesus is LOVE, I know) ‘Cause I know, Lord (And if you ask, I’ll show) (LOVE is the word forever) And ever and ever Who can bring you LOVE (Jesus) Who can bring you joy (Jesus) Who can turn your life around (Jesus), oh Ooh, yeah (Yeah, yeah) Yeah (Yeah, yeah) 

Hey Who will pick you up (Jesus) When you fall (Jesus) Who’ll stand beside you (Jesus) Who will LOVE us all Hey, hey, Jesus (Yeah, yeah) Jesus (Yeah, yeah) Oh, yeah (Yeah, yeah) One thing I wanna say Who can heal your body (Jesus) Who can make you strong (Jesus) Who can help you to hold out (Jesus) A little while longer Ooh, yeah Yeah (Jesus LOVES you (Yeah, yeah), Jesus wants you If you call Him, He will answer (Jesus) Call him in the mornin’ (Jesus) Call him in the evenin’ (Jesus) Call him in the midnight hour Hey, hey Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah, y’all say it for me (Jesus is LOVE)… (Jesus is LOVE)…Yes Jesus is LOVE…’ 

Ah friends, it’s a long song, but a good song, and that was a most excellent rendition! And as one commentary says: ‘The song starts with a prayer. Lionel’s prayer (Lionel Ritchie, lead singer of the then Commodores Band) is reminiscent of the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. In this story, some of the seeds are (children) that fall by the side of the road. They never reach good soil and are gobbled up by birds, grow among the weeds, or have roots that grow too shallow. 

But the song reminds us that Jesus and His Extraordinary LOVE is there to save us, it’s the answer to our every problem. If we put our trust in Him, He won’t ever let us down, for ‘His wisdom and LOVE will be our helpin’ hand…His words will be our salvation…His LOVE’S the Power…and the Glory…forever and ever…’ And we’ll be smart to follow His star, to walk wherever He leads us: And who can bring you LOVE and joy and peace…? Nobody but Jesus! 

Who can turn your life around …pick you up when you fall…stand by you through all your trials…? Nobody but Jesus! And who can heal your body…make you strong and help you to hold on just a little longer eh? Nobody but Jesus! And the great thing about it all is that we can call Him at any time asking for help; in the morning, in the evening, or even in the midnight hour, for He is always available to help those who believe in Him! 

And that’s why we so badly need Jesus right now in our topsy turvy world. For as Lionel says in the latter half of his soliloquy in the live version of the song: ‘You know, I don’t have to be the one to tell each and every one of you, but the world is in a whole lot of trouble right now. Every body, the world is in a whole lot of trouble. And yuh know the funniest thing is this; everyone is looking for something new, something different to solve the problem.  

Some of us feel that technology sooner or later, will solve the problem. We feel that money can solve the problem. In 1980 we even feel that a President can solve the problem. But yuh know the funniest thing about the whole thing is this; everybody knows what the solution is; everybody knows what the solution is; because what the world needs now, what the world needs, right now is a little LOVE, a little sweet LOVE …!’ 

And that’s the gospel truth my fellow saints! What our world needs now is not anything new, like technology, or a new President, but the same old-fashioned remedy that existed from since the Lord created the universe and mankind…that’s LOVE! For if there’s anything so sadly lacking in our world at this disaster and strife filled moment is the LOVE of mankind for God, our selves and each other! 

And until we get that straightened out, our world will never get any better. And deep down we all know that, but we’re just allowing our blinkers to blind us to the fact, and insist in foolishly carrying on as though anything else will ever fix our numerous problems. And it would certainly help if we took some time on this Sabbath Day and consider all the things we can correct with just a li’l LOVE…and start doing them! Much LOVE!

…our world’s biggest problem is not too much hate…but not enough LOVE…

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

The Amazing Ability of Christ’s LOVE to lift Christians out of Negative Situations!

27 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 14:31.       And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Another Sunday, another Lord’s Day on God’s good earth! So let’s hie hither to His sanctuary, there to praise, worship and give Him thanks, while also fellowshipping with other believers, encouraging and uplifting each other, so that our faith and confidence can be refreshed and renewed, and we can continue doing the Lord’s work with all diligence and sincerity in the upcoming week. 

And after that mouthful, (smile) let’s get right into our song of the day, one most appropriately titled, ‘LOVE LIFTED ME.’ It’s a popular hymn written in 1912 by James Rowe (1865-1933), an English born, Irish immigrant to the U.S. And as this commentary tells us; ‘The lyrics draw from the stories of Jesus and His disciples at sea from the book of Matthew (and Mark). Rowe plays upon the idea of sinking in water to sinking in sin and that Jesus can lift us out of despair to salvation.’ 

And He certainly can! So let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful and sincere version, allowing the awesome truth of the words of the song to both echo in our hearts and our voices. Singing: ‘I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. (Refrain: LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me.) 

All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling, In his blessed presence live, ever his praises sing. LOVE so mighty and so true merits my soul’s best songs; Faithful LOVING service, too, to Him belongs. [Refrain] I was a mess, lost in my sin. Your LOVE has lifted me from the pit. Thank you God, your LOVE has lifted me. Not by my strength but by your grace sins are not my master anymore, Hallelujah! Your LOVE has lifted me. (Refrain): 

Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His LOVE out of the angry waves; He’s the master of the sea, billows His will obey He your Saviour wants to be, be saved today. [Refrain] LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me. When I thought my sin was too much, when I say I’m not good enough, when I think it will not be restored. Jesus will lift me. When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me.’ 

And believe me friends, if you want to be a successful Christian, you have to totally believe that Christ can lift you from the murky mire, and place you safe on dry land. Otherwise you have no hope of ever living the abundant life He died for us to have. And we all know that the song is based on two biblical stories that deal with Jesus and His disciples on the Sea of Galilee. The first one comes after Jesus fed the five thousand men, beside women and children, with the five loaves of bread and two fishes. (Matt. 14:13-21) 

However, right after the miraculous feeding, Jesus compelled the disciples to get into a boat and go over to the other side of the sea. Then He sent the multitudes away and went up into a mountain by Himself to pray. But by the time the evening came, the boat was in the midst of a raging storm, being tossed to and from on the waves from a strong wind. The Bible tells it thus: ‘And in the fourth watch of the night (3-6 a,m.) Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit (ghost); and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer (take courage), it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he (Jesus) said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 

But when he saw the wind boisterous (violent), he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.’ (Matt. 14:25-33) Yes friends, Jesus will indeed lift us out of any billows we find ourselves in, and deposit us on safe ground. 

Meanwhile the other scriptural inspiration for the song is one we know oh so well. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat out on the Sea of Galilee when suddenly a raging storm crops up and threatens to overturn the boat, filling the boat with water. However, through all of this drama, Jesus is asleep. Mark relates it thus: ‘And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part of the ship (the stern), asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, why are ye so fearful? How is that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this (who can this be), that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark. 4:38-41) It’s obvious why the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus…He is their Creator and Controller, just like He is ours! 

Ah friends, Jesus is indeed the Real Mccoy! For our own sakes, let’s believe it nuh. He can lift us out of anything, save us from any situation, if we only have the faith to believe. And this interesting commentary is a fitting conclusion to our Bit today. It says: ‘Rowe’s hymn masterfully incorporates both stories, using sinking or being swamped into the sea as an illustration for “sinking deep in sin…sinking to rise no more.” Jesus, “Master of the sea,” hears our pleas for help, reaches out to us in LOVE, and lifts us up into the well-being of grace.’ 

Now isn’t that just a beautiful situation to behold! (smile) Much LOVE!

…crying out to Jesus for help…is the wisest decision we can ever make…

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

The Importance of Believers understanding they have direct access to God’s throne through Jesus Christ!

20 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 4:16.       Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

And another beautiful Indian summer day is in the offing for the Lord’s Sabbath. That makes it even more encouraging and intriguing for us to make our way to His sanctuary to give Him praise and thanks for all His many blessings and to fellowship with other believers, as it is right to do. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:25) 

And it is necessary to pray on one’s own, but worshipping together gives the chance to encourage each other, to strengthen and stir up each other which can only be gained by fellowshipping together. And having said all of that, let’s get right to our song for today. It’s one we all know and like, with the apt title of ‘Come Boldy to the throne of Grace.’ Yes, it’s very encouraging and reassuring, so let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in a sincere, soulful, mid-tempo version of this marvellous song. 

Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk. Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free. 

Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in.’ 

And that’s no lie my brethren! If you come boldly or confidently to the throne of grace, our ever-faithful God will surely take you in. That’s one thing about Him, He never turns away anyone who comes to Him in all sincerity and truth. And what’s the basis for this confidence? It all springs from these Bible verses in Hebrews. 

‘For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses), but was in all points tempted like as we are (but one who was tempted in every way that we are), yet was without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain (receive) mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:15-16) 

Oh friends, isn’t it wonderful that we have a high priest who can empathize with our problems, because He also faced them, but was without sin, thus was eligible to die on the cross at Calvary and pay our sin debt in full? It most certainly is! That means we can take any problem to Him and He will understand. There are also a couple of other scriptures that encourage us to have confidence and boldness in our faith. 

This one also comes from Hebrews. ‘For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after (afterward); But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.’ (Heb. 3:4-6) 

Yes my people, every one else is a servant in someone else’s house, but Christ as the Son of God, has His own house to which we belong, if we continue to be confident and faithful to Him. And this scripture from the passage in Ephesians that speaks about the Unsearchable Riches of Christ also encourages us to have boldness and confidence. It says: ‘In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph. 3:12) 

And the scholars explain it thus: ‘This verse affirms that Christians have boldness (freedom of speech before God) and access (the right of entering His presence) with confidence (assurance of being heard by God), by the faith of him (through relying upon Christ to gain God’s ear).’ We certainly can’t ask for any more than that my fellow believers. But the wonderful thing about our God is that He gives us more through Christ Jesus, even though we don’t deserve it. 

And if we look at the statements of the song, they all claim that we are lost, blind, lame, unworthy, sinners, guilty etc., not worthy to come to Jesus, but there are many facts to the contrary. Remember what Jesus Himself said? ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:10) He is also the friend to each and every sinner. Was from the beginning, and will be until the very end. But this one line tells the whole story ‘Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet.’ 

For what does Jesus offer to those who are overburdened? The Great Invitation! ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Yes my fellow saints, that’s Christ invitation to all and sundry to come to Him, regardless of your woes. There’s no one He will refuse. So please, let’s take advantage of the invitation today nuh, and go to Jesus for help, whatever kind of help we may need, because He is the ONLY ONE who can solve all our problems, and will certainly not turn us away, despite our sorry plight. In fact, the sorrier our plight, the more Jesus desires us to come to Him for help. Let’s never forget that! Much LOVE!

…Jesus is only a sincere plea away…for help

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