18 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a comapssionate heart, a positive outlook on life, abundance, acquiring money, avoids evil influences deeds and attitudes, blessed is the man that walketh not in the way of the ungodly, blessings bestowed on the righteous, bringeth forth fruit in his season, Christians, climate change, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, do according to all that's written therein, doth he meditate day and night, faith, followers of Christ, god, God causes him to prosper, God's supernatural wisdom, godly behaviour, got a zeppo, have good success, his delight is in the law of the Lord, his leaf also shall not wither, holy spirit, in his law doth he meditate, in league with the wicked, in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, like a tree planted by the rivers of water, like chaff, like night follows day, like the chaff which the wind driveth away, live in a godly and righteous manner, live righteously and be blessed, live unrighteously and persih, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, material possessions, mercy, negative word, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, nor stands in the seat of sinners, only a matter of time, our guidebook for godly living, personal power, promotion, put the Lord's word into action, receive clear direction for my life, salvation, share our blessings, sit in hallowed halls, social status, spiritual growth, supernatural strength, talent, the Bible is our guidebook for living, the blessed man is the righteous man, the cold weather is inevitable, the righteous, the ungodly, the ungodly are not so, their destiny is judgement, truth, whatsoever he does shall prosper, whatsoever he doeth shall prosper, wisdom
Psalm 1:1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the seat of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Oh friends, one more beautiful summer day! In all my years in Canada, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful, summery month of September! But we’re definitely not complaining, just saying thank the Lord and climate change for making it possible, because the real summer months were too hot and filled with the smoke from the many wildfires that were then happening. Now, it’s temps in the low to mid-twenties, with a cool breeze ruffling through the trees to keep things at a modest heat. So let’s pray that it will last a while longer, as the cold weather is inevitable, like night follows day, it’s only a matter of when it will show up. (smile)
So what’s on the agenda for today? Well, I was just searching through the scriptures for something to talk on, but nothing caught my interest, then I got this sudden zeppo to go to Psalm 1. So here we are. And according to the scholars, ‘It’s an appropriate introduction to the Psalter (Book of Psalms) since it sets before the readers the three characters who will figure mostly in the psalms: the righteous, the ungodly, and God.’ And so it does, but also more importantly, it begins by telling us about the blessings which are bestowed on the godly.
So please read with me. ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the seat of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.’ (Ps. 1:1) Right away friends we are told what a blessed or righteous man ought not do. That’s basically not get in league with the wicked, the scornful, the blasphemer etc. etc. And how should that man who desires to be blessed behave? ‘But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder by talking to oneself) day and night.” (Ps. 1:2)
That means we now have the basic idea of how the righteous man ought to behave. And what happens when he behaves in that prescribed manner? Then he’s blessed! ‘And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Ps. 1.3) Wow mih bredrin! What wonderful news! Prosperity will be ours if we read,, understand and put the Lord’s Word into action!
And that’s something the Lord also drilled into Joshua’s head when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. He told him in no uncertain terms. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Now what’s so difficult to understand in all of that eh? Nothing whatsoever! So why aren’t many more of us doing that eh? Don’t we like prosperity? Of course we do, but the problem is that we consider propserity to be simply acquiring money, the material possessions of the world, social status and personal power within the society, with no regard to the acquiring of godly behaviour and spiritual growth.
But let’s remember what Psalm 1 says on that matter. ‘The ungodly are not so (shall not prosper); but are the like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement; nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.’ (Ps. 1:4-5) Yuh see that friends; the ungodly are not worth anything; they are like the useless chaff that the wind blows away. And they certainly won’t be allowed to sit in the hallowed halls with the righteous, but their destiny is judgement.
Ah my people, it’s time we wake up and learn that propserity does not only relate to things like money and material possessions, but also to our quality of godly life. As the scholars tell us: ‘The key word in the psalm is the word blessed. It serves here as a pronouncement upon a man – a certain kind of man. In essence, the psalm is teaching that the blessed or happy man is the righteous man. The happy man avoids evil influences, deeds, and attitudes (vs. 1); he delights in God’s Word (vs. 2); therefore God causes him to prosper.’
And who’s going to decide and evaluate the righteous and the ungodly? God Himself. As the psalm concludes: ‘For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Ps. 1:6) In other words, God knows the ways of the both righteous and the ungodly, and the former will be blessed, but the latter will perish.
Now, let’s remember that God does not make idle promises. So whatever He promises in His Word, the Bible, our Guidebook for Godly Living, He will fulfill in His own time. In the meantime though, if we want to call ourselves Christians, followers of Christ, then we are required to live the way He desires us to live, and that’s in a godly and righteous manner. That’s all there is to it.
But our God, being a righteous, just and generous Deity, has also chosen to bestow on us undeserved blessings to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, (awright!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord did with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…life is simple…with only two options…live righteously and be blessed…or live unrighteously and perish…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, Bible, blessed is the man that walketh not in the way of the ungodly, Blessings on the Godly, brings forth fruit in season, call a spade a spade, cause some to fall, change it from the bottom up, chaos, christianity, day and night, deviated from God's law, do all that's written therein, do not travel on it, don't walk the path of the wicked, drink the wine of violence, eat the bread of wickedness, endure to the very end, evildoers will be destroyed, faith, fireworks, followers of Christ, from the top down, glad to be alive, go not in the way of evil men, halfway home, hands on the plough, have good success, his delight is in the law of the Lord, his leaf shall not wither, holy spirit, hurt God's heart, in his law doth he meditate, Jesus Christ, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, meditate therein day and night, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not turning back, robbed of their sleep, running rampant, salvation, set a good example, shall not depart out of thy mouth, sits not in the seat of the scornful, stands in the way of sinners, sure fire option, thank God, the breath of life, the kind of character, the Lord's chosen people, the One True God, the righteous will inherit the earth, this book of the law, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turf God from our society, turned back to God, U.S Thanksgiving, unfortunate consequences, whatsoever he does shall prosper, wickedness, wisdom, woke up
Psalm 1:2. ‘But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.’
So it’s Wednesday, our mid-week second wind day. Let’s hope that we all catch that second wind, especially as one of, if not the biggest and busiest time of the year in the U.S, their Thanksgiving Celebrations are currently underway and will explode tomorrow with great fireworks, both literally and figuratively. (smile) And as I was just looking through the Palms for inspiration, I came upon Psalm 1 – Blessings on the Godly – and it struck me that it is a psalm that’s very appropriate to these wicked times, and it’s one we don’t pay sufficient attention to.
So let’s look at it today nuh. It reads: ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.’ (Ps. 1:1) Now what does that tell us in no uncertain terms eh? That the wicked, or those who hob nob with them will not be blessed.
And Cousin Sol reiterates that warning in Proverbs 4, titled ‘Instructions of a Father.’ when he writes: ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it (do not travel on it), turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except (unless) they have done mischief (evil), and their sleep is taken away (they are robbed of their sleep), unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.’ (Prov. 4:14-17)
Yes friends, that’s the kind of character we develop when we choose to do evil, or follow the evil doer. And, unfortunately, it’s the predominant character of our current world. Wish that it were different, but we have to call a spade a spade, and wickedness is simply running rampant, in every level and every direction of our society. That must hurt God’s heart tremendously, because He’s had such high hopes for His most important creation. Here’s what the Lord expected from us, instead of the evil doing in which we’re currently engaged. ‘But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.’ (Ps. 1:2)
Oh my people, that’s the action that the wise and righteous man will pursue; pondering on the Lord’s word day and night. Why? ‘And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps. 1:3) Oh my faithful brethren, that’s what should be predominating in our world right now instead of the current wickedness.
And the sad part is that it’s not new advice but is as old as the scriptures, for it’s the exact same thing that the Lord told Joshua when He made him the leader of Isreal after the death of Moses. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall be constantly) in thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh, 1:8)
It couldn’t be any clearer than that my people! And the examples abound in the Bible re the children of Israel. When they obeyed the law of God, they were successful and prosperous, but when they didn’t, reverted into evildoing and worshipping other gods, they suffered terribly, through wars and captivity and whatever the Lord chose to bring upon them. They were the Lord’s chosen people, and if they, knowingly and stubbornly disobedient, did not set a good example, then they had to be chastised, for no other nations would want to come to the One True God under those circumstances.
And it’s a source of wonder to me, that every time the Israelites deviated from God’s law and suffered the unfortunate consequences, they soon woke up and turned back to Him, and He forgave them. However, this generation is certainly not that wise. Our world is in chaos, because amongst other things we’ve deviated from God’s law, to the point of wanting to turf Him from our society, and we have tried every man made way to conquer the strife and disaster, but nothing’s working. Instead, it’s getting worse.
The ONLY thing we have not yet tried is a return to Almighty God and His righteous and just ways. And it seems like we’re adamantly not going to choose the one sure fire option we have to dissolve all the chaos and destruction in our world. But as children of God, as followers of Christ, we cannot give up, we have to keep on keeping on, in His name, and do our best to at least reduce the strife and suffering in our little part of the world. It’s the most many of us can do, because we don’t have the power to change it from the top down, so we’ll have to use our power to change it from the bottom up.
And having said that, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know our wonderful position in Christ Jesus! As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! So hoping to see you there! Much LOVE!
…the evildoers will eventually be destroyed…while the righteous will inherit the earth…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a form of lust, a new commandment I give unto you, anger, as far as the east is from the west, as I have loved you, be obedient to His commandments, bless the LOrd o my soul, by this shall all men know that ye are my disiciples, challenges of the world, change our heart's direction, Christ is the answer, crowns thee with loving-kindness, debauchery, disciples, disobedience, endure to the end, faith, followers of Christ, forget not all his benefits, forgives all thine iniquities, from everlasting to everlasting, God remembers that we are dust, God understands our constitution, greed, halfway home, hands on the plough, hate, he knows our frame, heals all thy diseases, his righteousness, holy spirit, idol worship, if you love me, jealousy, Jesus Christ, judgement, keep his anger for ever, keep my commandments, LOVE, LOVE one another, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, negative things, not turning back, only fools follow Satan, redeems thy life from destruction, repent, righteousness., salvation, satisfies thy mouth with good things, tender mercies, thank God, the breath of life, the death of Christ, the importance of love, the Lord is merciful and gracious, the Lord pities them that fear him, the mercy of the Lord, this is the message ye heard from the beginning, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unto children's children, wisdom
John 14:15. If you LOVE me, keep my commandments.
Then it was Wednesday; the middle day of our work week, where we endeavour to catch our second wind, and with a flourish, drive on towards the finish line on Friday! And I know that’s much easier said than done, but as disciples of Christ, we need to rise above the mundane challenges of the world, for that’s why we’re imbued with his Holy Spirit and all the other benefits we reap when we become a child of God and joint heir with Christ. And I believe we need a bit of reawakening and remembrance from the Word to encourage us; namely Bruh David’s words from Psalm 103 – Bless the Lord’s Holy Character.
So please pray with me: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103: 1-5)
Ah friends, those are words and sentiments we should never forget, but always have first place in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, for it’s through the Lord’s grace and mercy that we have all the good things and benefits we enjoy. And let’s remember those things don’t come for free; they have been bought with an enormous price, the death of Christ Jesus! So we cannot afford to take them for granted, but are expected, as followers of Christ to be obedient to His will and His commandments.
Remember His words: ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) It’s as simple as that my fellow believers. If we truly LOVE Jesus, then we will keep His commandments. Unfortunately though, it seems that a lot of us don’t truly LOVE him, for we are not keeping His commandments, otherwise, our world would not be in the shambles and total chaos that it’s currently in. And the sad thing is that our world is lacking only one thing; that’s LOVE! And Jesus told us several times about the importance of LOVE in discipleship, as well as in life on a whole.
Listen up to these instances. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35). Then later on He reiterates: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.’ (John 15:12) And even after that, Jesus still tries to implant the immense value of LOVE into our puny, stubborn minds, when He again says: ‘These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.’ (John 15:17)
And even John makes it plain in his fist epistle that LOVE should be first place in our hearts, when he writes: ‘For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning; that ye should LOVE one another.’ (1 John 3:11) But we are obviously not following Christ’s commandment because LOVE is the thing most lacking in our churches and our world as a whole. It’s so sad that the negative things like hate, anger, greed, jealousy, debauchery, etc. etc. are the ruling emotions in our world, with true LOVE running a pitiful last. And even when we do talk about LOVE, it’s merely a form of lust or expediency and not true brotherly LOVE.
Yet, despite al of our disobedience and idol worship, and putting God anywhere but first place in our lives, we still arrogantly expect to reap the many wonderful benefits His LOVE provides. And that’s bold facedness at its zenith! And I guess we should continue with these verses of Psalm 103, which make things a lot plainer.
‘The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy ( lovingkindness). He will not always chide (strive): neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (lovingkindness) toward them that fear (reverence) him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear (reverence) him. For he knoweth our frame (understands our constitution); he remembereth that we are dust.’ (Ps. 103:6-14)
Oh friends, Bruh David is trying to show us the many benevolent attributes of our great God, as well as the greatness of His mercy by not punishing us according to our sins, but instead removing them as far as the east is from the west, and also the greatness of His compassion on un us, as a father pitieth his children.
Then he continues: ‘As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more (it is not remembered). But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear (reverence) him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.’ (Ps. 103:15-18)
Yes my fellow saints, the Lord’s a wonderful God, but in the long run it’s to those who reverence Him and keep His commandments. We won’t be rewarded for our blatant disobedience and sinfulness, although we will be forgiven if we repent and change the direction of our hearts. So all the sinful nonsense we’re carrying on with in this world, will only bring us hellfire and damnation, and eventual separation from Almighty God. But for those of us who choose to do our best to follow Christ, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure right down to the end, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, see you there! Much LOVE!
…only fools knowingly follow Satan…when it’s obvious…that Christ is the Answer…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Aug 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: action changes things, Anselm's quotes, aspires to inspire, become our limits, believers, benefit our world, blaspheme against holy god, bring to fruition, Christians, complaining, compromising, daydreamer, don't face, even as I am not of the world, fears, followers of Christ, for a better tomorrow, get it done, heaven on high, hypocrites, keep them from the evil one, light of the world, live a life that's pleasing to god, not take them out of the world, notice things that others don't, pay close attention, pilgrims, raise a glass, raise a toast, ruminating, saints in Christ, salt of the earth, Saturday, social media, take chances, the most accommodating day, they are not of the world, words of wisdom
John 17:16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Raise a glass friends! Raise a toast to the most accommodating day of the week – Saturday! That’s the only day that welcomes you to do exactly as you please; work, laze, party, clean, shop, etc. etc. So let’s all declare: (yeahhh!) ‘Welcome Saturday! Welcome in the best way possible! And we gratefully thank the Lord Jehovah for you!’ Yes, we can’t forget to thank the Lord for all that we have, for it’s through His generosity, mercy, grace and forgiveness that we have all we have. (smile)
And having said all of that, deep down, I don’t know if I’m all that thankful for Saturdays nuh, (smile) since the next task at hand is for me to interpret the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. Sometimes they are simple and straightforward, but at other times I have a heck of a time figuring out what the quoter really meant. Take for instance this first one today. ‘Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything good.’
Now I’m not sure whether the last word in that first sentence is really ‘down,’ or he meant ‘done.’ That’s my first dilemma. (smile) But I’m going to take it that he meant ‘Get it done.’ Because that makes more sense to me. In this life, we certainly need to step out and take chances, especially when we’re in the employ of Jesus Christ, for that’s the only way we’ll ever know or do anything, be it bad or good. We need to get things DONE! Especially in this social media society where there’s way more talk than action. But it’s really action that changes things and situations!
And that segues nicely into this next quote: ‘Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.’ Yeh friends, the daydreamer, not the night dreamer, is the one who usually effects the most change in our society. They consciously dream during the day (smile) for things that might be, things that they might be able to bring to fruition and benefit our world. That’s how many of our inventions have come about. Some thoughtful person ruminating on how to fix a stubborn problem, or simply ruminating period, then coming up with a bright idea and changing everything, hopefully for the better. That’s not to put down might dreamers, for they too have a useful purpose… just don’t ask me what. (smile)
And then we come to this interesting quote: ‘Look for the thing you notice, but no one else notices.’ Now that’s ever so important in all walks of life, especially business and commerce, for it’s the person who has the uncommon or unnoticeable idea who has the best chance of benefiting from it. Don’t know if I put that in a very understandable manner, (smile) but a lot of stuff; inventions and things like drive-ins and drive thru restaurants and motels did not always exist, but came from day-dreamers and those who noticed things that others didn’t. Now they are all the rage in our society. That’s the benefit of noticing, of paying close attention to your surroundings and the people around you.
So what’s next you ask? Well the next quote gives us the answer in spades: ‘Just do your best and to hell with the rest.’ Ah mih people, that’s about all we can ever do; our best. And once we’ve sincerely done that, we ought not to worry about anybody or anything else, that’s because we can’t ever do better than our best. And as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say: ‘Do what you can, and the Lord will do the rest. But He won’t ever do what you can do.’ Certainly words of wisdom my fellow saints in Christ!
And yuh know that our Lord and Saviour expects nothing but the best from each of His followers! That means we have to be full of salt and shine as brightly as possible in this dark, sinful. evil and salt-less world! But unfortunately too many of us are not doing our best, being that effervescent salt and light Jesus desires in His followers. Remember we said above that we need to do things, and that it’s those who get things done that make the major difference in our society.
So obviously, if we were getting the supposedly Christian things done in our society, the world would definitely not be as ungodly, sinful and evil as it is, and be so desirous of kicking God out of our midst, rather than being wise and welcoming Him with open arms. The question we then need to ask, is why the saints of Christ are not truly behaving like the saints of Christ? And I think this last quote has quite a lot to do with it. ‘The fears we don’t face become our limits.’
Yes friends, too many believers are too afraid to stand up and witness for Christ. That’s the long and short of the story! If all Christians were witnessing as we ought to, our world would never be so ungodly and evil! That’s a definite fact! And whoever refuses to admit that is… I won’t write what I think, because we’re a family blog. (smile) And the said part is we don’t have to go out on the street corners or shout it from the rooftops, but just live a life that’s pleasing and worthwhile to God, cut out the compromising and the complaining about what we don’t have, and be grateful for all that we have!
We’re living better than 90 something percent of the world! So why the hell are we so complacent but yet so complaining eh? Ah Lord eh! I get so upset when I see so many supposed believers behaving worse than the world, because they are afraid to behave like true believers. That’s why the heathen mock and blaspheme holy God and laugh at us and call us hypocrites! And as the quote above says, the fears we don’t face become our limit.
Yes that’s as far as we will ever go, until believers learn to face their fears of this evil world, and don’t just spout scripture like we can do all things through Christ who strengthen us, but actually put the scriptures into action. That’s why they were given to us; because there’s power in the Word of God and right now we desperately need to use that power contained therein! Oh friends, I got a li’l worked up there, was pounding the keyboard real hard, so I hope what I’ve written makes sense. (smile)
But truthfully, we seem to have forgotten that Jesus desires us to be in the world, but not of the world. Remember how He put it in John 17, when He laid it all before the Father, in what is the real ‘Lord’s Prayer,’ or what some call the ‘High Priestly Prayer of Christ.’ ‘I pray not that thou shouldest take them (His followers) out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil (the evil one). They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:15-16)
Let’s remember that nuh friends, remember that this earth is not our home, we’re only pilgrims passing through on the way to our real home, heaven on high. Now let’s go out and behave appropriately nuh. In Jesus name. Amen! Much LOVE!
…of the world…or in the world…that is the question…
31 Jul 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a faithful ambassador, a horror show, a lie, a sin, a wicked messenger, ambassadors of Christ, brings health, burn the candle at both ends, Caribana, Christians, controlling things, Covid-19 pandemic, defeat the virus and unrest, diligence, excellence, falleth into mischief, fellow saints in Christ, followers of Christ, Friday chant, lockdown, omnipotent help, people behaving irresponsibly, racial riots, reconciled to God, represent Christ, sinful world, still on His throne, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the long weekend, the Lord God Jehovah, the ordinary workingman, the right attitude, the weekend, this too shall pass, tools at our convenience, towards Him and His word, uncertain times, unexpected storm, wake up and smell the coffee, we can't help others, what a bam bam, working for Jesus
Proverbs 13:17. A wicked messenger falleth into mischief (trouble): but a faithful ambassador is (brings) health.
And then it was Friday and everybody…well most everybody was shouting with glee: ‘The weekend, the weekend, the long weekend at last!’ Yeh friends this is the Civic Holiday weekend, the first Monday in August. And it’s also what should have been Caribana weekend in Toronto with all the carnival stuff happening. But like most everything else the Covid-19 pandemic has put paid to that for this year. What a bam bam of a year this 2020 has been eh! (smile) But what to do eh? We need to know that the Lord God Jehovah is still on His throne and still controlling things and that with the right attitude towards Him and His Word, this too shall pass!
But enough of me, let’s hear what the ordinary workingman has to say nuh. And as always, he exclaims: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! And thank God for this long weekend too! Just hope it not too hot and miserable though. And finally the rest of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is being released into the Stage 3 lockdown mode. More places opening and inside service in restaurants and stuff. That sounds good, but ah wondering how safe or sensible it is for them to make this decision on this long weekend eh, knowing how people behaving irresponsibly all over the place?
Just think about that house party last week up in Brampton nuh, with some two hundred people and cars parked all over the grass and wherever. Steups! Can yuh imagine how some of them going to behave with the freedom granted them over this long weekend? But who am I to question it eh? The government seem to think they know what they doing…ah certainly hope so yes, for all of our sakes. But me and mine not going to do anything much different, to what we been doing – barbequing and going for walks and playing games together.
I need to get some rest too, as well as cut down on the drinking and smoking. Ah finally realizing that I’m not as young as I used to be, and can’t burn the candle at both ends like I used to, and get away with it. Hn, Hn! Let us hope though, that the release in this lockdown don’t drive people crazy and they end up doing nonsense to cause the virus to start spreading again nuh, and we have to go back into another lockdown. Brother! Would that ever be a horror show!’
And isn’t that the God-awful truth people! Having the society locked down again will definitely cause much more panic and disobedience than the original seclusion did! So let’s pray that people will be sensible, serious and responsible nuh, and we won’t be forced back into a lockdown situation again, but keep reopening li’l by li’l, glory by glory.
As one voice, with sincere hearts, let’s declare (steups!) our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. It’s been pretty rough…some of it from work, as many of us are now back to work in varied ways, but most of our anxiety still comes from all the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus still causing. We not accustomed to that Lord, and it really telling on us. And now, on top of all that, we have racial riots and protests to put up with. Oh Lord, yuh know we can’t handle it on our own and desperately need Your help.
Yes, heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the sure and wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Ah friends, so much of this recovery from our current sickness and strife depends on how we, followers of Christ, Christians behave. We need to show the world Christ though not only our talk, but more importantly through our actions and behaviour. Things like LOVE, compassion, care, forgiveness and mercy have to be prominently displayed by us in these dark, angry and dangerous times. This is when we truly have to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, showing forth our faithfulness in spades.
This is more a time for action rather than talk, and even though some of us are still in lockdown mode we can still do a lot to help those less fortunate than us. We now have so many tools at our convenience that it would be a lie, and a sin, to say we can’t help others. Yes my fellow saints in Christ, this is a time when the cream, we believers in Christ need to rise to the top, be true and good ambassadors of our Lord and Saviour. Bruh Paul said it quite plainly to the Corinthians. ‘Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray (implore) you in Christ’s stead (behalf), be ye reconciled to God.’ (2 Cor. 5:20)
Oh friends, we who have been reconciled to God, become righteous and justified, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, now need to go out and do what He wants us to do. He is our leader, and followers ought to do what leaders desire of them. Just like political ambassadors represent their countries in foreign lands, we too need to represent Christ wherever we go. And like Cousin Sol so wisely declares (yeahhh!) in Proverbs: ‘A wicked messenger falleth into mischief (trouble): but a faithful ambassador is (brings) health.’ (Prov. 13:17)
Oh my people, please, I implore us to be faithful ambassadors of Christ in these dangerous and uncertain times, and thus bring health to our society. Much LOVE!
…truly working for Jesus…means diligence and excellence… from a compassionate heart…
28 Jul 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faithful entity, a new commandment, amabssadors, as I have loved you, at break-neck speed, brotherly LOVE, Burt Bacharach, but for everyone, by this, disciples of Jesus, epoxy, followers of Christ, glue, God's been placed on the back burner, greetings, Hal David, his death and resurrection accompliashed, hold our world together, honour, hurry, I give unto you, in god's eyes, increase more and more, Jackie DeShannon, Jesus Christ, justified, keep his commandments, LOVE, LOVE one another, love sweet love, made righteous, non-existent in our society, not just for some, on the cross at Calvary, our Comforter, our Lord and Saviour, pandemic, perfected, political strife, praise, provider, reconciled to God, reverence, room for improvement, sacrificed His sinless life, sanctified, shall all men know, share His love with the world, sincere hearts, strife filled, strong voice, taught of God to love, the beloved of God, the evil mire, the LOVE of God, the Son of God, Top o' the morn, topsy-turvy state, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, walk as Christ walked, what the world needs now, worry, ye are my disicples
John 13:34. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.
Top o’ the morn my people! And wonderful greetings from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who’s also our Comforter and Provider! And He’s asked me to convey these most faithful and worthy assurances this Tuesday morning at the end of July 2020, when our world is in a most turbulent and unrighteous state. ‘Fear Not: For, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’
Wow! What reassuring sentiments from the One who sacrificed His sinless life on the cross at Calvary so that we could be reconciled to God, justified, sanctified, made righteous and all the other wonderful things His death and resurrection accomplished. Mama Mia! How can we not LOVE and honour, praise and reverence and sincerely worship such a mighty and faithful entity eh?
That brings me to these momentous words of His to all who believe in Him. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35)
Oh my people, those words are ever so important on at least two levels. The first is that the attribute of LOVE, God’s highest, strongest and most pervasive attribute should also be very strong and pervasive amongst us. But then too, by us showing that wonderful thing called LOVE to each other, mankind will see and know that we are truly disciples of Jesus!
Yes friends, our showing LOVE to each other is the surest way to point out, to manifest to the world, that we are real and true ambassadors of the Son of God; the One who’s name is above every other in the universe, except the Father’s, and to whom every knee must bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of the Father.
Unfortunately though, that attribute of LOVE is not being displayed enough amongst the supposed followers of Christ, much less amongst those who deny Him. And that’s why our world is in such a divided, disunited, strife-filled and topsy-turvy state! The LOVE of God is almost non-existent in our current society. But then how can we expect it to be when God Himself doesn’t hold much sway in it. He’s been placed on the back burner, or simply kicked out of many of our lives and activities.
But the truth of the matter is that the LOVE of God is what’s so badly needed in our society to stop it from further crumbling and sinking right down into the evil mire that it’s currently headed towards at break-neck speed. But each of us supposed disciple must get up, get up NOW, and perform the actions of discipleship, particularly the showing of LOVE for each other if we’re to reclaim the world for our Lord and Saviour.
Listen to these most informative words of Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians on the subject nuh. ‘But as touching (concerning) brotherly LOVE ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to LOVE one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more.’ (1 Thess. 4:9-10)
Yeh friends, we’ve all been taught by God to LOVE, and many of us are trying our best to do it, but in these most trying and uncertain times, we desperately need to ratchet up that effort so that our world won’t fall apart. It’s as Jackie DeShannon’s popular song of some fifty five years ago, written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, so rightly says:
‘What the world needs now is LOVE, sweet LOVE. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is LOVE, sweet LOVE. No not just for some, But for everyone.’ It was appropriate then when we were in the throes of the Vietnam War, and it’s ever so appropriate now when we are in the throes of a pandemic clothed with serious political strife.
And John explains what the true test of knowledge, of discipleship is. ‘And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the LOVE of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought also to walk, even as he walked.’ (1 John 2:3-6)
Yes my people, the only way to know if we truly LOVE God and He is in us, is if are walking in His will, keeping His commandments, of which the most important is that we walk in LOVE! So please, let’s check our LOVE walk nuh, and see if it can hold up to close scrutiny. And whether it can or cannot, let’s do as Bruh Paul asks, and improve it, with God’s help obviously. We all have room for improvement, that’s for sure!
Now let’s; go home telling the world who and whose we are, as we declare (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra. In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And that’s what true discipleship is; trusting our friend Jesus and sharing His wonderful, amazing and unconditional LOVE with the world. So let’s show some true discipleship nuh! (smile) Much LOVE!
…LOVE… the ONLY epoxy…the only glue…that can hold our world together…
05 Jan 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a city set on a hill, all is not lost, amputate the rotting part, Anselm, ascendance of darkness, ask God, balance the list, before men, behind the eight ball, building His church, by actions, cannot be hid, Christmas spirit, commodities, compromising, confront the situation, cracks to be patched, darkness, depending on us, enhances the taste of our food, evil, fearful, fester, followers of Christ, glorify your father in heaven, inflamed sore, lax, lazy, lead not follow, let go of anxiety, let your light so shine, light, like there is no tomorrow, listen more, looking for flaws, not words, potential, pray, prepare to be great, room by roo, sacrifices, sad state of disrepair, Saturday, see the vision, separate worries from concerns, Sermon on the Mount, set the foundation, sit on your ego, succeed, take one day at a time, talk less, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, they may see your good works, under a bushel, walking closer with Jesus, with Jesus anything is possible, work to be done
Matthew 5:13a,14a. Ye are the salt of the earth…Ye are the light of the world!
Well it’s the first Saturday in the New Year, and though the ole fella was up a bit early, he’s fallen somewhat behind the eight ball. But that’s allowed eh, especially on a cloudy, winter’s Saturday morn? (smile) Hope everybody is catching up on their rest after the hectic Christmas and New Year’s seasons, but please don’t put away the Christmas spirit with the decorations, and remember that we are walking closer with Jesus this year of 2019!
And since it’s Saturday, it’s time to look at what our friend Anselm sent us this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. Now this is an interesting scenario that he’s submitted: ‘We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.
Things to think about for 2019: 1. Talk less; listen more; 2. Remind yourself you are not the General Manager of the Universe; 3. Sit on your ego; 4. Take one day at a time; 5. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it; 6. Pray. Happy New Year to all my friends and family!‘
There’s nothing wrong with any of that! In fact it’s all stuff we should do, if we want to live a joyful and peaceful and blessed New Year! Then there is this quote that sort of paraphrases the thoughts above: ‘There are greater things to be achieved in every New Year, and each and everyone must prepare themselves to be great, not by words of the mouth, but by a lot of sacrifices.’
Oh friends, our world is in such a sad state of disrepair, that only enormous sacrifices on the part of each and every believer could ever hope to right it! That’s why, as true believers in, and steadfast followers of Christ, we have to totally embrace this last quote: ‘The ones who can see the vision when no one else can, and work on it like there is no tomorrow, will succeed. The rest will follow.’
Yes my Christian brethren, that’s what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects of us; to have the vision He’s supplied and then to diligently and sincerely work on it like He desires of us. He most urgently wants us to be leaders, not followers! That’s why in His most memorable sermon, that on the Mount, He took such pains to point out what He expects of us: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth…Ye are the light of the world!’
Yeh faithful followers, in Jesus’ time, and still today, salt and light, are two of the most valuable things, much needed commodities in our world. Salt still enhances the taste of our food and keeps it fresh, while we can’t walk anywhere or do anything constructively if there’s only darkness.
Light, especially that special light that Jesus brings and offers, is desperately needed in this terribly dark world of ours. The powers of evil and darkness are ruling the roost, and that doesn’t sit well with our Leader. And that ascendance of darkness and evil didn’t just happen overnight, it happened over a period of time when His followers were too lax, lazy, fearful and compromising to step up and confront the undesired situation!
But remember friends, all is not yet lost, and once we have Jesus on our side, ANY and EVERYTHING is possible! However, we have to put in the sacrifices, the actual work, not just talk to improve our world! Just thing about the kind of world our grandchildren will inhabit in the next couple of decades if we do nothing NOW to make it better nuh?
We’ve already allowed the evil and corruption of this world to fester and run like an inflamed sore, we can’t afford to let it get any worse, otherwise we’ll just have to amputate the rotting body part. That’s why these immortal words of Jesus ought always to be pounding in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls:
‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lamp stand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt.5:13-15)
Oh friends, what more can I say eh? Except that we can’t let down Jesus like we’re currently doing! We need to pull up our britches and tighten our bootstraps if we want to be truly successful workers in His cause. And one thing also to remember, when we fail Jesus, since we are His chosen workers, it also means that He is failing the Father!
And under no circumstance can we allow the Father the opportunity to look askance at Jesus. That’s why we have to make the effort, the real sacrifice this year of 2019 and do as He pleaded: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.5:16)
Yes mih breddren, letting our light shine in this dark world must be our avowed purpose for this New Year, so that our Father in heaven, our Creator, Almighty God can be glorified. Remember that’s why He created us! Much LOVE!
…the Father sent Jesus to do a job…He did His part…set the foundation…then sub-contracted the rest of building His church to us… and He’s depending on us to do our part…to bring about successful completion…all to the glory of the Father’s name…
21 Sep 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bad eye, a godly level, abuse, afflictions, an afternoon nap, as a lion, be sober, Beelzebub, boundaries, Christians, cut her eyes, do as we please, dominion, enthusiasm, eternal glory, evil henchmen, faithful promise, fat fanny, fed up, fellwoship, followers of Christ, Friday chant, frustration, glorious kingdom, glory, God of all grace, gravesite, hope, in the faith, in the world, indignity, invading our space, keep the enemy out, let our guard down, life plummets downward, LOVE, machinations, make a way, make you perfect, man's inhumanity to man, nasty work, on the prowl, out on a limb, party time, pittance, prejudice, relaxarion, resist steadfast, rest, seeking someone to devour, settle you, sinful nature, stablish, strengthen, suffered a while, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the devil, the weekends, unenviable task, verve, vigilant, walketh about, we time, weekend song, with God nothing is impossible, working with Jesus, your adversary
1 Peter 5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
And then it was Friday…And I have to chuckle because yesterday, Thursday, I wanted to go and visit my mother’s grave site, but because it looked cloudy and rain was forecasted for the afternoon, and it’s a long drive, I didn’t do it. But lo and behold, while having an afternoon nap and going through some dream in my home, my mother suddenly appeared beside me.
In astonishment, I looked at her and said, ‘Aye Mols, I didn’t know that you were here.’ She never replied, but just gave me a bad eye, or as the Jamaicans would say, cut her eyes at me, a look that spoke volumes, one that said something like: ‘Yes, I’m here. I’ve been here all the time. You’ve just been too busy to notice me!’
Ah friends, the mysterious ways in which the Lord rebukes us eh! And the interesting part is that though it was cloudy all day, not a drop of rain fell. Chuh! So it’s not cloudy today, and I don’t think they are calling for rain, so hopefully, after writing the Bit, I’ll get up off my fat fanny and make the long drive to look for the lady. That’s the least I can do for her under the prevailing circumstances.
And since it’s Friday, yuh better believe the workingman is already singing his weekend song: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Hurray for the weekend! We time! We time to do as we please, without any interference from any bosses. Steups! The boss and them so full of foolishness it ain’t funny. Deh so prejudice! The things they ask we to do, they’d never ask any of deh family or friends to do nuh! But because we work for them, they pay we a li’l pittance, they think they could pile all the nasty work on us.
But they have another think coming yes! Because one day when we get really fed up of all the abuse and indignity, the persecution and inhumanity, we simply going to rebel! But until then, we just going to keep we cool and enjoy we weekends; letting out we frustrations then. So let the partying begin! As they say: ‘Thank God for Fridays and weekends yes! Don’t know what we’d do without them!’
Ah mih people, our world is getting rougher, more cruel and more inhumane everyday. Man’s inhumanity to man is certainly increasing as life plummets downwards. But as believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, we’ve been given the unenviable task of trying to stop it from falling further and raise it back up again to a godly level.
Hn! I know some of you are sighing and saying that’s an impossible job, but please remember that NOTHING is impossible where our Lord and Saviour is involved. Yes, it might be difficult, but we have all the tools to fix it…and Jesus by our side to help, so we just have to get serious, buckle down and fight the good fight.
And I know that many of us believers feel the way the workingman feels about our society, but as Christians we’re not allowed to go out on the limb like he does. We have boundaries in place to keep the enemy out, that’s why our weekend song is different from his. So let’s sing ours nuh, our Friday Chant, with the same verve and enthusiasm with which he sang his song.
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.’
Yes my fellow believers, we need fun and fellowship and relaxation too, but we also need to control our natural sinful nature and not give Beelzebub any chance of invading our space. And yes, I know we recently had this passage of scripture as our Bit, but it’s one of those commands we need to hear over and over and over again, because with the constant demands and busy pace of the world we’re very liable to forget it.
So here goes: ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ And that is the indisputable truth my brethren! Lucifer and his evil henchmen are always on the prowl, seeking victims they can take advantage of. And we can’t let our guard down because they’ll jump in at even the least invitation.
So Peter continues his warning. ‘Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet.5:9) Yeh friends, we have to stand strong and resist the enemy and all his evil machinations.
It’s not easy, and we all are afflicted in some manner or the other, but Peter guarantees us that if we stand strong: ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you.’ (1 Pet.5:10)
What a wonderful God we serve and worship my faithful brethren! That’s why we can sincerely say like Peter did: ‘To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet.5:11)
So please hang in there my people, even though there seems to be no hope, for once you’re alive…and working with Jesus…there is always hope! Much LOVE!
…the Lord will make a way for us…where there seems to be no way…that’s His faithful promise…
11 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate fire, angry, anointed, begged for mercy, blessings, bonafide believer, bounden duty, calamitous days, Christian trait, christianity, compassion, consumed, debtor's prison, delivered him, disastrous, do like christ did, doing good, dwelleth the love of God, eyes fixed straight ahead, finite minds, followers of Christ, for our benefit, forgave him, forgive not, fresh bread, from your hearts, generous to a fault, giving, glad to be alive, God was with him, God's manna, great is thy faithfulness, greed, had compassion, had pity on thee, halfway home, hands on the plough, have need, heart, his compassions fail not, hoarding, Holy Ghost, in deed, in time of need, Jeremiah, jesus of nazareth, Lamentations, lights a fire, looking to a glorious future, loving, loving-kindness, magnanimous god, mercies, new every morning, not love in word, not turning back, oppressed of the devil, owed money, power, sacrificing, sadly lacking, Scrip-Bit, sees his brother, selfishness, sharing, shutteth up his bowels, talk, talk your talk, thankful, the breath of life, the forgiven one, the land of the living, the Lord's mercies, thou wicked servant, to the tormentors, tongue, Top o' the morn, torturers, trespasses, truth, unchristian behaviour, walk your walk, Wednesday Wail, wroth
Lamentations 3:22-23. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Well top o’ the morn to all you Scrip-Bit friends and family…and top of the afternoon to those of you faithful readers on the other side of the world! (smile) It’s just another brilliant, sunshiny day in the land of the living, with all of God’s manna, mercies and whatever brand new!
Wow! It’s like waking up to fresh bread every day! And we should be much more thankful than we are for those blessings. But our God is what we call magnanimous, generous to a fault, so He gives us stuff that we don’t truly deserve.
And yes, we’ll continue with the same Bit, because there are so many scriptures on compassion, a most important Christian trait in which we current believers are sadly lacking.
Jeremiah knew exactly what he was talking about when he declared in His Lamentations: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’
If you are a bonafide (true, sincere) believer, then you certainly cannot argue with that statement or the sentiments contained therein since it’s only through God’s LOVING-kindness that life is not more disastrous than it is. Now let’s check out some scriptures on compassion.
The first one we’ll look at today is Jesus’ telling of the parable about the two servants who owed money they could not repay. The first owed his master thousands of dollars, and when the master threatened to cast him into debtors’ prison, he begged for mercy, and the master forgave him the entire debt.
However that same forgiven one, found someone who owed him a measly few dollars, but when he couldn’t pay, he had him and his family cast into prison. Obviously that disgusting news got back to the master, who called the first servant and castigated him.
‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst (begged) me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth (angry), and delivered him to the tormentors (torturers) till he should pay all that due unto him.’ (Matt.18:32-34)
And it’s sad to say friends, that that kind of behaviour is still rampant in this world, amongst Christians too, believe it or not. But listen to the moral of the story as told by Jesus: ‘So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ (Matt.18:35) It couldn’t be any clearer than that!
And John says it thus in his epistle: ‘But whoso hath this world’s good (goods), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels (heart) of compassion from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him?’ (1 John 3:17) Good question friends? And the answer is that the LOVE of God does not dwell in such a person.
And to provide a solution to that unchristian behaviour, John therefore recommends: ‘My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue (talk); but in deed and in truth.’ (1 John 3:18)
Oh my people, that is oh so necessary in the calamitous days our world is currently experiencing! We just need to have more LOVING action than just mere talk, as we all are so good at doing. I don’t know if there’s ever been a time that the saying; walk your walk and talk your talk, has been more important.
And this verse from Acts shows that is exactly what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did. ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’(Acts 10:38)
Oh my fellow believers, we have also been anointed with the same Holy Ghost and power that Jesus had, so it’s also our bounden duty to go around doing good and helping the less fortunate as much as we can, not keeping, hoarding and/or storing our power and anointing merely for our benefit. That’s what being a Christian means.
If we are followers of Christ, then we’re supposed to do like Christ did! And unfortunately we’re not doing it as much as we ought. Our compassion level is woefully low, while our greed and selfishness meter is way too high. So let’s hope today’s writing lights a fire, a compassionate fire under us. (smile)
But it’s time to go home now. And we’ll do so by declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the entire world know our situation in Christ Jesus. As one voice now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And yuh know what friends? Our finite minds can’t even truly imagine how glorious that future will be! Much LOVE!
…true Christianity is sharing…and giving…and LOVING…and sacrificing…and being there in time of need…
P.S. It’s a tad late because I got held up talking to a friend about the World Cup Soccer Tournament. Some things just can’t wait. (smile) Much LOVE!
17 Mar 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a brighter tomorrow, Anselm, at all times, be glad, bless the Lord, breath of life, calypso on the radio, christianity, Christians, common sense, contented in the Lord, continually be in my mouth, count our blessings, cultivate, don't deserve, dramatic fashion, everlastingly grateful, exalt His name, faith, feeling gratitude, followers of Christ, for all things, foundation stones, giving thanks always, glory to God, gospel truth, green stuff, his praise, humility, in the name of, Irish culture, Irish friends, libations, LOVE, LOVE in action, magnanimous god, magnify the Lord, make her boast, my soul, Nth degree, our Lord Jesus Christ, past misfortunes, present blessings, reflect upon, ridiculous, season of Lent, St.Patrick's Day, stringent, thank you, the habit of being grateful, the humble, thinking creation, understanding, unto God, untold proportions, warms the cockles, wisdom, wrapping a present
Ephesians 5:20. Giving thanks always for ALL things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well a Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all my Irish friends and family! Please don’t get too immersed in the green stuff, especially the many different libations of the day. (smile)
Yeh, St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) is the time the Irish celebrate their culture and religion, the legend being that the missionary St. Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland somewhere around the fourth century, and eventually drove out all the snakes from Ireland.
Whatever the truth be though, the 17th of March has become a traditional festival of Irish culture all over the world, especially the imbibing part, with all things green being highlighted.
What I remember most about St. Patrick’s Day is that as a young boy growing up in T&T, that was the only day you heard a Calypso on the radio, or you could have a party during the season of Lent. Now that state of affairs might have been somewhat stringent, but what happens now is downright ridiculous, with no serious or sincere observance of the Lenten season.
Anyway, it’s Saturday, so let’s turn our attention to the quotes we got from our friend Anselm this week, as he sincerely aspires to inspire us for a brighter tomorrow. And our friend certainly had some interesting quotes this week, conveniently all tied up together. (smile)
Listen to this first one: ‘Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.’ Now that’s wisdom of untold proportions! As Christians, we’re instructed to count our blessings, and concentrate on them, for they will always add up to more than our misfortunes and keep us happy and contented in the Lord.
And the second quote declares: ‘When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.’ Oh glory to God my people! That is the gospel truth! Whenever we concentrate on our blessings rather than our misfortunes, our lives suddenly turn around in such dramatic fashion! I don’t understand why more of us aren’t counting the blessings and forgetting the misfortunes.
And then there’s this invaluable quote: ‘Cultivate the habit of being grateful.’ What wise and wonderful advice my faithful followers of Christ! Everyday we preach that! There’s nothing that affects our lives as being grateful for all that we have, and which has been sent to us from our magnanimous God.
But then I like this associate quote: ‘Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.’ Yeh, what is the point of being grateful if you don’t show it eh? Then no one knows that you’re grateful. It’s like saying you LOVE someone, but not showing them that LOVE. It’s simply wasted. All talk and no play. Gratitude is one of those words that can only be appreciated through our actions.
And as always, I’ve left the best for last. ‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. ‘Thank you’ expresses extreme gratitude, humility, and understanding.’ Oh my people, if only we’d say more ‘thank you’s’ to each other, and to our awesome God, what a wonderful world this would be!
You know, being grateful, counting our blessings and saying ‘thank you’ are the basic foundation stones of our Christian faith, because they all display LOVE in action! And that’s what Jesus’ people are all about: LOVE in action!
And our Bit is one of the most encompassing scriptures in the Good Book, on the three topics we’ve covered today. It’s Bruh Paul’s direction to the Ephesians: ‘Giving thanks always for ALL things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Ah mih people, it’s something we continually hear, and know deep down in our hearts that we should do, but yet we don’t do it half as much as we should. We ought to be thanking our magnificent and magnanimous God, almost every minute of everyday for all that He’s done for us, especially when we don’t deserve ANY of it!
Just the mere fact that His wonderful and amazing breath of life is currently coursing through our mortal bodies of dust and clay is sufficient reason to be everlastingly grateful and shout out a whole load of thanks to Him! But what to do eh? Mankind, being the only thinking creation, has always been the most ungrateful creation of the Lord. (smile)
However, let’s see if we can change that some nuh, by going home declaring these wonderful words of Bruh David from Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous. ‘I will bless the Lord at ALL times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’ (Ps.34:1-3)
Ah friends, there’s nothing better that we can do than magnify and exalt our great God! So let’s get ourselves together and begin doing it much more nuh. It’s basic common sense and wisdom to the nth degree! Much LOVE!
…there’s nothing that lifts our spirits…and warms the cockles of God’s heart…like His people showing gratitude…and giving sincere thanks…
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