14 Apr 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things, be a partaker of, be not ashamed, beloved of God, bring it to pass, Buccoo, called according to His purpose, came to an end, cease from anger, clutching fear, Coronavirus, cur down like grass, delight thyself in the Lord, discipline, do good, Easter Tuesday, eternal life, evildoers, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, friend of Jesus, friendship of Jesus, ghastly destruction, give thee, Goat races, hearsya, holy spirit, hurry, I expect, I wait, I watch, in god's eyes, inherit the earth, LOVE, My personal rainbow, of power, omnipotent god, personal experience, pot of gold, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, share His love, sound mind, sweet Tobago, the afflictions of the gospel, the desires of thine heart, the divine perspective, the evildoers, the human perspective, the longest storm, the Lord God Almighty, the One Year Book of Bible Promises, the spirit of fear, the testimony of our Lord, those that wait upon the Lord, to them that love God, true state of the wicked, trust in the Lord, Tuesday Mantra, waves of agony, work together for good, worry, You are my God
Romans 8:28. And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.
Well just imagine that nuh; no goat races this Easter Tuesday in Buccoo in sweet Tobago! It almost amounts to sacrilege! (smile) I don’t think that those races have been cancelled more than a handful of times ever since I was growing up there in Tobago. But today, the stadium – the only one in the world I believe that was built specifically for goat races will be empty, and no setta parties with loud music and plenty dancing will grace the beautiful seaside village of Buccoo, on this the most important day of their year.
But what to do eh? Coronavirus has spoken: ‘thou shalt be locked down, if thou wantest to prevent my worldwide spread and ghastly destruction!’ And so, what worldwide war has not been able to do; a tiny, but rather deadly and virulent virus has succeeded in doing; shutting down the world! But friends, let us never forget that the Creator and Controller of this wonderful universe is still sitting on His heavenly throne running things, and thus this virus business will end eventually, but in His time, because He has a purpose for allowing it.
So we just have to believe and have faith and carry on as necessary until then, for this too shall pass, as so many other disasters have, it’s just a matter of time. And to help us do that, here is an encouraging poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, titled, ‘My Personal Rainbow!’
Please pray with me: ‘Lord, right now I struggle with clutching fear. Waves of agony pour over me as I face the darkest moments In my life’s history. But my conviction still stands firm: You are my God!’ (Glory Hallelujah my people!) ‘And though I cannot predict my future Or even tomorrow I am sustained by the reminder That the longest storm The world has ever known… And the worst… Came to an end one clear-sky morning. It was true for Noah It will be true for me. Though as yet I see no deliverance I watch I wait I expect My personal rainbow!’
Mama oh Mama! And do we ever believe and expect to see that beautiful rainbow with it’s wonderful pot of gold at its end! Why, you ask? The answer’s simple: because the Lord God Almighty promised it, and He does not renege on His promises. They have ALL been faithfully executed since the beginning of time and will continue to be faithfully executed… until the end of time! And there’s no doubt about that because He has said so unequivocally in His Word. ‘And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’
And if you don’t believe that, then you don’t LOVE God, and you’re not called according to His purpose! Simple as that! And the scholars offer these explanations: ‘8:28. To them that LOVE God is the human perspective. God is working ALL things together for good, but those who LOVE God are best able to appreciate that fact because they LOVE Him no matter what (cf. Job 13:15). To them who are the called is the divine perspective. Scripture often refers to believers as “the called” or “the elect.”
That’s why, as true believers, in these most trying and fearful times, we are not afraid. Yes, we are concerned, and we do pay strict attention to the rules, but fear does not take us over and make us like jelly – flapping and flubbing around uselessly. And that’s also because our great ‘God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (His Holy Spirit), and of LOVE (His most significant attribute), and of a sound mind (discipline and self-control).’ (2 Tim. 1:7)
And with all of that solidly planted and growing in us friends, we need not be afraid of what will and can happen to us, but are able to take it all in stride as we lean and depend on the Lord, our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God to defend and protect us as He’s faithfully promised to do. Consequently, as Bruh Paul continued to Timothy: ‘Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou (a) partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began (before time).’ (2 Tim. 1:8-9)
Yes friends, God has called and saved us with a salvation through Christ that we definitely did not deserve, but did it for His own purpose; basically, His endearing, unconditional and everlasting LOVE for us! So if we truly believe, then we need to take up our cross and follow Christ, unashamedly, through all the afflictions of this life, knowing the wonderful reward of eternal life that awaits us. And if all of that doesn’t move you, or reduce your fears and anxiety, (smile) then listen to these other most reassuring verses from Psalm 37; Bruh David’s declaration on The true state of the wicked.
‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass…
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:1-5; 7-9)
Brother! What wonderful advice! And the good thing about it all, is that Bruh David is not speaking from hearsay, but from personal experience! So for those of us who truly believe, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are.
All together now, 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!’
The natural next step is now for us to go out and do just that – share the LOVE and friendship of Jesus. Much LOVE!
…man was made by God…to LOVE…and be LOVED…
14 May 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a clean heart, abomination to God, adrenaline, asaph, aura of love, cease from anger, choose none of his ways, commit thy way, confidence, conquerors, continually be reminded of, delight thyself in the Lord, desires of your heart, do good, earthly riches, enthusiasm, envious, envious at the foolish, envy not, eternal life, evil doers, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, God is good, gospel truth, heavenly glory, holy spirit, humble servants, I almost stumbled, inherit the earth, invincible, Jesus, jobs. wiles, joy, lies, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, perverse person, plan your weekends, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, righteousness., salvation, sinful souls, sold their souls, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, surrender, taunts, the Good Book, the oppressor, the prosperity of the wicked, the workers of iniquity, trust, trust in the Lord, truth, ungodly world, wait on the Lord, warned against, wisdom, wither as the green herb
Proverbs 3:31. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Well friends, it’s such a glorious Monday morning that we should have no problem getting up and going out to meet the new work week. Hn! And I hear some of you sourly say, ‘Yeh, no problem eh? Well talk for yourself yes, but I have a problem every week getting up on a Monday morning.’ And I’ll reply ‘that’s because you don’t plan your weekends properly.’
Anyhow, for whatever ails us this Monday morning, we have the sure antidote for it; our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, so let’s sing it with much gusto nuh, so that it can uplift our souls and spirits.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
And now that the adrenaline is coursing through our veins, we should be able to ramp up our efforts on behalf of Jesus without a problem. (smile) And today we have an interesting Bit from the wisdom of Cousin Sol. ‘Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.’
Yeh friends, it’s something we’ve been continually warned against throughout the Good Book, but also something we need to be continually reminded of, because the pull of the oppressor and his wicked ways are so strong on our naturally sinful souls.
And for our benefit, Cousin Sol continues: ‘For the forward (perverse person) is abomination to the Lord: but his secret (secret council) is with the righteous.’ (Prov.3:32) And isn’t that the gospel truth my fellow believers! And if you think Cousin Sol’s words are not strong enough for you, then listen to Bruh David’s on the subject; words that we know and quote, and yet still don’t follow enough.
‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps.37:1) How often have those words been preached to us eh friends, yet we keep on doing exactly what they warn us not to do.
Oh, I know the world and its evil doings are powerful, and though the Holy Spirit that dwells within us is stronger than the world, it’s not going to override our desires. It’s our job to heed the guidance of the Lord’s Spirit if we want to do His will.
That’s why Bruh David advises: ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps.37:3-6)
And friends, if Bruh David’s words don’t grab you, then listen to these of Asaph, the psalmist, who almost fell into the trap. ‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I had almost stumbled); my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps.73:1-3)
Ah mih people, we all know it’s hard to see the wicked prosper and some of the righteous suffer unfairly. But please, please, I implore us not to fall for the lies of the world, because as the Good Book says, the wicked will eventually be destroyed and the righteous shall take over their wealth.
So in closing, let’s be further reminded by the encouraging words of Bruh David. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evil doers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:7-9)
Please, let’s bury those words in our hearts and souls, so that we can remember them and put them into action when the evil one comes against us. Much LOVE!
…the wicked have sold their souls for earthly riches…the righteous have sold theirs for heavenly glory…
17 Feb 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better tomorrow, abject failure, admonitions, anger, Anselm, ascended Israel's throne, aspires, baptized with water, be of good courage, carnal, cease from anger, cyclone Gita, Day of Pentecost, different roads, disaster recovery, dispensation of the gospel, eagles, earthly lifetime, earthquake, evil system, FBI, Florida, forever, forsake wrath, friend, fulfill your dream, fulfillment, go haywire, God's realm, God's timing, Hades, Holy Ghost, hope, housework, Isaiah, joy, lazy time, life is too short to wait, limitations, lost, Lucifer, Mexico City, mount up with wings, not be weary, not faint, on the right track, quietly wait, reach the top, realm of the world, recompense evil, rejoice in his salvation, renew their strength, Rest in the Lord, revenge, run, Saturday, seeking happiness, sensible, set the table, Sheriff's Department, shooting rampage, song of the redeemed, strengthen thine heart, the promise of the Father, to inspire, Tonga, tongues of fire, trials, tribulations, wait on the Lord, waiting is everything, walk, walking the road to happiness, wicked schemes, wise, with Jesus
Psalm 27:14. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Awright friends, it’s Saturday…lazy time for some, but lots of housework for others… and then there’s disaster recovery for others.
Yes, our good friend, natural disaster has reared it’s ugly head again, at least twice this week; earlier on when cyclone Gita, a category 4 storm, tore through the Polynesian island nation of Tonga, and yesterday when another major earthquake of some 7.2 magnitude and an aftershock of 5 point something, hit the area around Mexico City. Luckily the damages weren’t nearly as bad as the one they experienced last year.
They say disaster usually comes in threes; and of course we had the shooting rampage at the High School in Florida earlier on this week too. And what’s heightened the anger down there is that the Sheriff’s Dept. reportedly had numerous calls about the shooter over the last few months.
The FBI also apparently had a tip on their Hot Line about him recently, and yet nothing was done by either agency to both remove and help him. And then we wonder why these things happen. Ah Lord eh! But ours is not to wonder why, but to do and hope not to die!
Now since it’s Saturday, let’s take a look at the quotes our friend Anselm graced us with this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘The most successful people reach the top not because they are free of limitations, but because they act in spite of their limitations.’
And there’s a lot of truth to that, for if you look at many successful people, they overcame a whole lot of limitations to make it to the top. And if you truly want to be successful, you can’t afford to let limitations stop you, otherwise you’ll never fulfill your dream.
And the next one says: ‘People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.’ Now that can be a bit contentious, because if you’re talking about fulfillment and happiness through the world’s carnal and evil system, then your are definitely lost!
However, if you’re walking on the road to happiness and fulfillment with Jesus…oh my brethren, then you’re definitely on the right track! Because only through Jesus can we ever find the joy and fulfillment that lasts and earthly lifetime…and then forever…
And the last quote is also one that provides room for some contention. All it says is: ‘Life is too short to wait.’ Well to a certain extent that’s true, but more so in the physical realm of the world, where haste and speed is everything. But in the spiritual realm of God’s world, waiting is everything my people!
It’s essential that we wait on God’s timing, for if we don’t, our whole life can go haywire in no time at all. That’s why there are so many admonitions in the Lord’s word about waiting on Him, one of the most famous being our Bit. ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’
Oh friends, what marvellous advice from Bruh David! And nobody knew better than him, about waiting on the Lord. Look at how long after he was anointed to be king, and the number of trials and tribulations he went through before he finally ascended to Israel’s throne.
He could have tried to make it happen in his own schedule, but I assure you, it would either have never come true, or been and abject failure, but definitely not the glorious reign he enjoyed under God’s timing.
And today, I just want to remind us of a few of the many scriptures that advocate waiting on God. Let’s begin with this one from Cousin Sol, on the matter of revenge. ‘Say not thou, I will recompense (repay) evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.’ (Prov.20:22) In the first place we should not be seeking revenge, for the Lord has said that’s His job.
Now hear Isaiah in his song of the redeemed. ‘And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is.25:9)
And we all know the famous scripture from Isaiah 40. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40:31) Plenty of us quote it, but not enough live by it.
And then there is this astute reminder from Jeremiah in his Lamentations: ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:25-26)
And we have this command from Jesus to the disciples re waiting in Jerusalem. ‘And being assembled together with them (Jesus) commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts.1:4-5)
And some fifty days later the Holy Ghost baptized them with tongues of fire on the Day of Pentecost. Yuh think if they had disobeyed Jesus and moved on they would have received the Holy Ghost and been able to set the table for the dispensation of the gospel all over the world?
Not on your life. If they hadn’t obeyed, we would probably never have heard of Christ and His wonderful, free offer of salvation and eternal life, and thus been forced to associate with Lucifer and his evil cohorts in Hades. What an awful and frightening thought!
And though it’s getting pretty long, (smile) I still want to throw in this gem from Bruh David, because it covers all bases. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evil doers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:7-9)
Yeh friends, it’s not always easy to wait on the Lord, but it is the wise and sensible thing to do. Much LOVE!
…the Lord is NEVER late…His timing is always…PERFECT…
17 Nov 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a refresher course, abundance, abuse, anathema, as small as ever, back into action, backbreaking work, badgered, baser nature, be a part of the world, be not envious, bite the bullet, boundaries, bow to, catch up, cease from anger, chant up a storm, christianity, Christians, crapaud smoke we pipe, cut down, days off, delight thyself, desire to be with them, deteriorating, do good, drop down dead, dwell in the land, each step I take, economic situation, envious, evil men, evildoers, extremes, fairly divided, feed on his faithfulness, fellowship, fight the good fight, forget the toil, forsake wrath, freedom, fret not thyself, Friday chant, from morning till night, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, going overboard, greedier, heap more abuse, in Jesus' name, in soul body and mind, inherit the earth, iniquity, invitations, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, justice, killing me with work, like grass, live for Jesus, live in the world, LOVE, marginalized, next week, noonday, party, paycheck, prosperity, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, Rest in the Lord, righteousness, rise up, run the the good race, seek the Lord, senseless, slave master, temptations, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the desires of thine heart, the green herb, the Lord's authority, the poor category, the rich, the will, the workingman, the world order, tiring, tools, trust in the Lord, unfair, wait patiently for the Lord, week of work, wicked schemes, wither, workers of iniquity, worldly lures
Proverbs 24:1. Be not thou envious against (of) evil men, neither desire to be with them.
And then it was Friday…the day we all look forward to! And everybody shouted a loud ‘Yeah, Friday at last!’
I don’t know if our society is arranged the best that it can be nuh friends, and there doesn’t seem to be any movement afoot to change it. So we go, go, go for 5 days from morning till night, then are suddenly catapulted into 2 days of supposed freedom, where we try to catch up with our own lives, then get right back into action again on Monday morning.
No wonder it’s tiring and causes the workingman to loudly declare at the end of each week: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes mih brethren! One more day of work and I’d drop down dead! The slave master so unfair; killing me with work, but the paycheck as small as ever. The backbreaking work we do for the man…and all he does is heap more abuse on us. Steupssss!
That’s why when Friday come, we just have to go out and party till we senseless! Is the only thing that makes us forget the toil and abuse we have to go back to on Monday! All I can say is Thank God for Fridays and the weekends yes! Otherwise crapaud surely smoke we pipe!’
Ah mih people, the economic situation is surely deteriorating in a world that’s chock full of abundance. It’s just not properly, fairly divided. The rich are getting greedier and richer, while more people are being marginalized and falling into the poor category. That’s why sometimes you can’t get annoyed with the workingman’s behaviour. Christians on the other hand, are expected to bite the bullet to a certain extent and don’t allow our baser nature to flourish. (smile)
That’s why our Friday Chant is so different from the workingman’s anthem. So let’s chant up a storm nuh, and release our frustrations, the way that Jesus would like and expect us to do. Altogether 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, it’s not an easy world we live in, nor an easy faith we follow, but be assured that whatever our God desires of us, He will give us the will and the wherewithal to accomplish it. That’s why we can adhere to the boundaries set out in our faith, the not going overboard, or doing stuff in excess, to the extremes.
And what makes it even more difficult is that all around us we encounter the worldly lures, invitations and eye-pleasing temptations that are such a big part of our evil world. They are supposedly anathema to godly people, but yet we are expected to live amongst them and not be too affected by them.
No, it’s definitely not easy, when almost every minute of every day in this increasingly evil society, we are badgered by some ungodly temptation, and to top it all, then face the increasing prosperity of those who fall for, or bow to the world order.
Our faith quite plainly warns us: ‘Be not thou envious against (of) evil men, neither desire to be with them.’ And if we want to live a godly life and eventually see the face of God in heaven throughout eternity, then we have to live up to the warning. Because, here is what happens to those who follow the wicked world order.
Bruh David explains it to us in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps.37:1-2)
Yes friends, that’s what is going to happen to those who don’t follow Jehovah God. And all the worldly prosperity and power won’t be able to help you when that time comes. So if you want to be cut down like the grass, then go right ahead and do what the world considers acceptable.
However, if you are wise and acknowledge the Lord’s authority, you will do like Bruh David recommends. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit they way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise (way) to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:1-9)
Yeh mih breddren, that’s Christianity course 101! (smile) And I guess the Lord thought we needed a refresher course this morning, that’s why He led me to that particular scripture.
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, we all know it’s not easy to live IN the world and not be a part OF it, but if we sincerely seek the Lord, He will definitely give us the tools to do just that. Remember He is faithful that promised. So let’s rise up and be strong nuh, fight the good fight and run the good race in Jesus name. Amen! Much LOVE!
…Jesus gave His life for us…the least we can do…is live our lives for Him…
12 Oct 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faithful follower of Jesus, a foolish thing, a rainy day, a sovereign Being, a wake up call, a waste of time, action, almighty god, behind the eight ball, believe, bush fire blazing, California, carnage, cease from anger, claimed numerous lives, communication revolution, courage, creativity, curse, earthquakes, engulfed homes, evil ways, evildoers shall be destroyed, extinguish His presence, faith, fellow believers, fires, foolish games, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, friends, glamourous, glitzy, God is alive and well, God is in control, God's infinite movements, God's salvation, homes, hope, hurricanes, impatience, in His own time, inherit the earth, Israelites, Jeremiah, Lamentations, livelihoods, lost their lives, LOVE, moral ineptitude, natural disasters, negative word, now-for-now living, obedience, patience, perseverance, power mongering, punishment, puny imaginations, quietly wait, rain pouring down, rebellion, repentance, Rest in the Lord, self-control, self-discipline, take better care of our planet, the back burner, the beginning from the end, the God of their fathers, The Lord is good, the soul that seeks God, the way of the world, Thursday Blessings, tragedy, trust, unpredictable weather, wait on God., wait patiently, wealth, wicked schemes, work everything out for good
Psalm 37:7a. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:
It was a rainy day…a chilly one too…and mostly cloudy… Looks like today will be more of the same. Ah mih people, our weather is becoming so unpredictable that who knows what’s happening?
Meanwhile, with rain pouring down on this side of the continent, out on the West Coast, in California, another raging bush fire has claimed numerous lives and engulfed thousands of homes! Steups! So where is the rain that they need eh?
Sometimes, when we see all these natural disasters happening, it gets real hard to trust and believe and wait on our great and good God.
Oh, deep down, we know that He is in control and that all things will eventually work themselves out for good, but nonetheless we don’t want to see our fellow believers suffering such unbelievable tragedy. It hurts us to the very core of our beings, especially when we project ourselves in their positions.
And the number of folks who have lost their lives, homes and livelihoods in the last few months, to fires on the west coast of Canada and the U.S, and to hurricanes in the Caribbean and Southern U.S and to earthquakes in Mexico, is simply staggering.
I don’t know if so much natural carnage has ever occurred in such a short space of time in so many places before. But friends, all we can truly do is take better care of our planet and place our total faith and trust in the One who created us and the entire universe; Almighty God!
And as I keep reminding us, all of these natural disasters might just be a wake up call from God to cut out our intolerable evil ways and return to following Him in true repentance and obedience.
The Israelites suffered severe punishment whenever they drifted away from the God of their fathers, so why can’t it happen to us too, since we have also put God on the back burner of our lives, with every intention to totally extinguish His presence and place in our society.
Obviously that’s a very foolish thing to do, but nevertheless, many of us have done it, or are in the process of doing so. The way of the world; it’s glitzy and glamourous things and wealth and moral ineptitude have bedazzled us into thinking that God is a waste of time.
But my fellow believers that’s the furthest thing from the truth! Our God is alive and well, keeping a very watchful eye on everything, allowing mankind to play their foolish games of power mongering and rebellion.
He knows the beginning from the end and has all His plans laid out and will eventually bring them all to fruition…in His own good time! Now that last phrase is the all-important one… in God’s own time.
Remember God is a sovereign Being, full of might and power, whose thoughts and ways are much higher than ours. So in our finite and puny imaginations we can never truly understand His infinite movements and the time line for them.
Thus, regardless of how religious and holy and righteous we are, true wisdom can only be shown when we adhere to the immortal words of our Bit, which flowed from the pen of Bruh David as he wrestled with the same feelings and constraints that we are currently wrestling with. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:’
Oh friends, we’ll never find out how true those words are until we put them into action! Our God has made numerous promises, and He will keep them ALL, but in His own time and His own way! Until we learn to recognize and accept that, we’ll remain continuously behind the eighth ball.
Now listen to how Bruh David continues after our Bit: ‘fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only cause harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:7b-9)
Oh mih breddren, we all know how true those words are, so why aren’t we practicing them eh? Because we have been overwhelmed by the world’s impatience and desire for everything as soon as possible. Now-for-now living characterizes our society. We need to have everything immediately! That’s the unfortunate result of our technological and communication revolution.
Now hear this scripture that truly tells it like it is. Jeremiah, in his lamentations, tearfully but truthfully declares: ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:25-26) How much clearer can it get eh my people?
But before we go home declaring our Thursday Blessings, there is one proviso to it all; waiting on the Lord doesn’t mean sitting on our fannies and doing nothing. It means still doing what is necessary, working, persevering in God’s will. For that’s when the Lord showers down these heavenly blessings on us.
So let’s shout them to the world, so that others can see the goodness of God and thus wisely desire to embrace Him too. ‘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 everyday! Amen!’
The next step is to now go out and bless others, because blessings are meant to be shared. Much LOVE!
…only as believers show patience and perseverance…will they be truly blessed…
15 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a new world, abundance, abundance of peace, blessing, cast down, Christians, Commit thy way to the Lord, courage, creativity, curse, delight thyself in the Lord, divine protection, don't do evil, evildoers, evildoers shall be destroyed, fall, forsake wrath, Fret not thyself over evildoers, glory to God, God is in control, God's ever-faithful promises, gun culture, in the name of Jesus, inherit the earth, justice, Look to God, magnanimous god, negative word, neither be envious, peace, prosper, Rest in the Lord, rie in London, righteousness, seed begging bread, self-control, self-discipline, sharing, state of confusion, stay calm, succeed, supernatural wisdom, talent, the desires of thine heart, the Lord loves justice, the Lord upholds him, the meek, the righteous forsaken, the steps of a good man, the workers of iniquity, this is the day the Lord has made, Thursday Blessings, turbulent times, vengeance is mine saith the Lord, wait patiently for the Lord, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wicked schemes, with the help of God, you die by the gun, you live by the gun
Psalm 37:1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
And then it was Thursday; another blessed day on earth so generously granted to us by our magnanimous God! Give Him some thanks and praise people as we gratefully and joyfully declare: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’
Unfortunately though several people involved in the fire in London yesterday won’t see today, and in the U.S a couple in the shooting of Republicans at their baseball practice might not see tomorrow.
What a life eh! What are we coming to? A group of legislators gather to practice for a charity game and then all hell breaks loose!
But in a country where the gun culture rules and guns are so easy to come by, the gun will be used to settle a lot of scores. As the old adage goes: ‘You live by the gun, you die by the gun.’
It’s been reported that a U.S Republican congresswoman from New York received an email that asked what else she expected after her party, which has the majority in both the House of Reps and the Senate, was making the poor even poorer in order to enrich their already rich friends.
And the current state of confusion that reigns in the U.S between its President and some of the lawmakers, doesn’t help the situation at all. But all I can say is that God is still in control, and nothing is going to happen unless He allows it, for whatever reason.
So we just need to stay calm and collected, holding on to His ever-faithful promises and run the race that He has assigned for each of our lives. Christians definitely need to look to God more than ever in these turbulent times, where stuff we never dreamed of is sadly happening.
Friends, this a whole new world, and it’s definitely not a brave one, but we have to have courage, and with the help of Almighty God, we can, and WILL handle whatever comes against us.
And one of the ways we can handle this new world, is by paying serious attention to the words of Bruh David enshrined in our Bit. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.’
Why, you ask? Because our God will deal with them in His own way and own time! Don’t worry friends, our God said that vengeance was His, and that He would repay it. He’s taking note of all the evil and evildoers, and at the right time, He will cut them down and burn them. Glory to God!
Meanwhile, what we believers need to do, is to follow the words of Bruh David found later on in Psalm 37. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm).
For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider His place (look diligently for him), and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Ps.37:4-11)
Oh my people, that is the best remedy for whatever ails us: turn sincerely to God and try our best to live in peace and harmony.
And if you don’t believe me, then listen to these words of Bruh David, found later on in Psalm 37. ‘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 I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever merciful (merciful all day), and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore. For the Lord LOVETH judgement (justice) and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.’ (Ps.37:23-28)
There we have it friends; the perfect prescription for earthly living! And when we follow it, then we are continually showered by our Thursday Blessings. Wow! What a wonderful God we serve and worship!
So let’s declare those blessings now with strong belief heartfelt passion. ‘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 everyday! Amen!’
And the ultimate factor in blessings is that they must be shared, so let’s go out and do that now nuh, so that we can please our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Much LOVE!…
blessing and sharing…IS the Christian way…
02 Nov 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 110 percent, a faithful Creator, a glorious future with Jesus, apostle, assurance of salvation, be counted, brought to his knees, case from anger, Christians, commit thy way, confidence, cut off, delight thyself, destroyed, enthusiasm, evildoers, faithful, for I know whom I have believed, for the which cause, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, giving everything, glad to be alive, glory, glory hallelujah, God's gifts, God's grace, halfway home, hands on the plough, he is able to keep, honour, I also suffer these things, I am not ashamed, I am persuaded, inherit the earth, Jesus is the best, judgement, justice, keeping of their souls, mercies, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, negatives, new blessings, no leftovers, not looking back, obedient, passion, positives, preacher, principles, prospers, Rest in the Lord, righteousness, salvation, sincerity, stand up, stewards, teacher, template, thank God, that which I have committed unto him, the breath of life, the desires of thine heart, the judgement seat of christ, the noonday, the will of God, this is the day the Lord has made, Timothy, today's journey, trust, trust in the Lord, until that day, wait upon the Lord, walk of faith, walking in God's will, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, well doing, wicked devices schemes
2 Timothy 1:12. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.
And then it was Wednesday! Yes friends, it’s a brand new day filled with brand new blessings and mercies made especially for this day. No leftovers or anything from yesterday.
So please let’s appreciate it as such and seek all that our wonderful God has prepared for us today, starting by proclaiming with confidence; ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps.118:24)
That’s the first step in today’s journey my people, acknowledging that we will enjoy the day. That will just lead us to focus on all the positives in our lives and not the negatives.
And to help us do that, let’s wail our Wednesday Wail, again with supreme confidence, overwhelming enthusiasm, strong passion and heartfelt sincerity.
Wailing: ‘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!’
Oh my people, what a wonderful declaration!Who isn’t glad that they are alive today eh? I certainly am!
And the breath of life is one of God’s greatest gifts to us mere mortals. Consequently, it should be highly appreciated, for a lot of people have lost that gift just today, and we are the blessed ones.
And on top of all that, we’re being faithful and obedient in our walk of faith, looking ahead to a glorious future with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Wow friends; that is the ‘mostest!’ (smile)
Yeh, nothing can beat a long and glorious time with Jesus, for He is the BEST!
That’s why, when Bruh Paul was finally brought to his knees by Jesus, he spent the rest of his earthly life working his ‘soulcase’ out in his honour and glory!. Long time I haven’t hear that word ‘soulcase.’ It just means giving your everything, 110 percent.
Therefore, as a preacher, an apostle and a teacher to the Gentiles, he could confidently declare to the young pastor Timothy, the words of our Bit.
‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.’
And the scholars offer these insights into that verse. ‘1:12. Persuaded (Gr. peitho): The perfect tense indicates that “I was persuaded in the past and remain so now.“ That he is able to keep refers to the assurance of salvation which is committed…against that day, when we will stand before the judgement seat of Christ.’
Yuh see friends, our faith and our assurance of salvation are not things to be trifled with. They are very serious aspects of our lives, both here on earth and in eternity.
That means we have to be strong in Jesus, be fully committed to doing His earthly work, being good ambassadors for Him, not ashamed of Him, or be afraid to stand up and be counted in His name. Only then can we consider ourselves true followers.
Believers believe, but followers act on their beliefs!
Now hear this corroboration of Bruh Paul’s words by Peter, talking about being good stewards of God’s grace. ‘Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.’ (1 Pet.4:19)
And so it should be my brethren! If we’re walking in and suffering in God’s will, then it’s only logical that we should commit our very beings to Him, especially since He is also our Creator, and a faithful one at that.
But it’s Bruh David who puts it in true layman’s terms, as he confidently declares in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness).
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:3-9)
Oh friends, I couldn’t put it any better. Bruh David has laid out the template for all Christians in that short passage of scripture. If we sincerely adhere to it, then we won’t go wrong.
Please, I implore us to check our lives today and see if we’re adhering to those wise principles, and as always, ask the Lord to help us wherever we are not coming up to scratch. Much LOVE!
…a Christian’s vocabulary should abound in these words…trust, delight, commit, rest and fret not…
05 Jun 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: affirmation of faith, angels, anger, as for me and mine, at his feet, blameless, cease from anger, Christendom, come alive, commit thy way, confidently trust the Lord, consequences, crown him Lord of all, cut off, death, delight, destroyed, discouragement, do good, dwell in the land, encouraging, envious, ever-faithful, everlasting song, evil men, evildoers, exciting life, failure, faith, formula, forsake wrath, fret not, glory, Glory be, God's sanctuary, grace, hope, Hour of Power Devotional, I will move, immoral, inherit the earth, iniquity, Israelite, life boring death, majesty ascribe, move forward, National Anthem of Christendom, omnipotent god, pardon, peace of mind, pious, power, praise, prayer, prostrate, providence, raised the roof, ransomed, recipe, responsive, rest, reversal of fortunes, righteousness, robert h schuller, rooted out, sacred throng, saves you by his grace, seed of Israel, shame, short-lived, strange women, strength, success, Sunday, the Lord's Day, the Lord's presence, the perfect, the power of Jesus name, the Promised Land, the royal diadem, the upright, the wicked, tongue, transgressors, tribe, uplifting, wait patiently, wait upon the Lord, we will follow the Lord, weakness, wickedness, wisdom, worship, wrath
Proverbs 2:21. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect (blameless) shall remain in it.
Welcome my fellow believers to this blessed and glorious day called Sunday – the best day of the week! And so it should be since its’ the Lord’s Day. And what better way to begin our proceedings than with some praise and worship, so please sing with me this popular old hymn, which is sometimes called the ‘National Anthem of Christendom.’
As one now my people, let’s raise the roof of God’s sanctuary with the passion of our praise and worship. ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all. Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all!
O seed of Israel’s chosen race now ransomed from the fall, hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all. Hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all! Let every tongue and every tribe responsive to his call, to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all. To him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all!
Oh, that with all the sacred throng we at his feet may fall! We’ll join the everlasting song and crown him Lord of all. We’ll join the everlasting song and crown him Lord of all. Amen!’
And having raised the roof not only of our sanctuary, but also of heaven, let’s tone it down a little with some heartfelt prayer as devised by Gramps Schuller (Robert H Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional, titled ‘I Will Move…’ I’m fairly sure that we’ve prayed it before, but as we keep on saying, once it’s nice, it’s okay to pray it twice. (smile)
So please pray with me. ‘Lord, I want your heart to be in my heart. For in you I come alive, moving ahead from boring death to exciting life! In your promises, I will move from discouragement to hope. In your pardon, I will move from shame to glory. In your power, I will move from weakness to strength. In your providence, I will move from failure to success! Thank you, Lord. Amen.’
Oh friends, what an awesome prayer! It highlights all we can do and become, how we’ll move positively forward when we acknowledge and sincerely maintain the Lord’s presence in our lives! Glory be!
And all of that just nicely and naturally segues into our Bit; wise words from Cousin Sol, as he talks about staying away from evil men and strange (immoral) women. ‘For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect (blameless) shall remain in it.’
And that’s a fact my brethren, as Cousin Sol explains in the next verse. ‘But the wicked shall be cut off (destroyed) from the earth (land), and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.’ (Prov.2:22)
Precious people, it couldn’t get any plainer than that. Righteousness will undoubtedly overcome wickedness. That’s the promise of our ever-faithful and omnipotent God, so I wouldn’t go doubting His Word in favour of Lucifer’s lies.
And if you don’t believe Cousin Sol, then listen to his father, Bruh David, from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon (look diligently for) the Lord, shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:1-9)
Ah mih breddren, what wonderful words of wisdom…and from a man who lived them! Now let’s hear some interesting explanations from the scholars on those verses.
‘Psalm 37. The psalm is written in the form of an acrostic, although our numbering is out of step with the Hebrew. There is no logical outline to the psalm, so it is best studied according to its topics. The major point of the psalm seems to be that the wicked’s prosperity is short-lived.
Though David was troubled by the prosperity of the unrighteous, he knew by faith that their undeserved bounty would be cut off. His underlying belief is that God will intervene in His time. Then the present, temporary reversal of fortunes will be set right and the righteous “shall inherit the earth” (vv.9, 11, 22, 29, 34).
The mention of inheriting the earth would be encouraging and uplifting to the pious Israelite since all of God’s blessing was connected with the Promised Land. In contrast to this blessed destiny the wicked “shall be cut off,” an expression used often in the Old Testament of a violent death.
The psalm also contains the simple formula for achieving peace of mind in the face of the wicked’s prosperity: fret not…neither be thou envious (v.1), trust…do good(v.3), delight thyself also in the Lord (v.4), commit thy way…trust (v.5), rest…wait patiently…fret not (v.7), cease from anger…forsake wrath…fret not (v.8).
All of those exhortations urge the believer to confidently trust the Lord with all of life’s problems. The psalm concludes appropriately with an undying affirmation of faith and trust in the unchanging character of God.’
What more can I say eh friends? Right there you have the perfect recipe for the best life here on planet earth. It’s now up to you to choose whom to follow. But as for me and mine, without a doubt, we will follow the Lord. Much LOVE!
…it all boils down to…trust, faith and belief in Almighty God…you either do…or you don’t…but remember to consider the consequences of each option before making your choice…
29 Oct 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: . the fountain of wisdom, a faithful Creator, according to the will of God, against that day, and am persuaded, bounden duty, Bruh Paul, cease from anger, children of the Most High God, Christians, commit thy way unto the Lord, divine destiny, do no evil, eternal life, evildoers shall be cut off, for I know whom I have believed, for the which cause, forgiveness, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, God has chosen me, God has inscribed me in the palms of His hands, God's grace is sufficient, God's thoughts towards me, grin and bear it, Hurricane Patricia, I also suffer these things, I am forever linked to divine destiny, I am not ashamed, I belong to the God of the universe, I do know, kindness, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, my life has purpose and dignity, nail scarred palms of Jesus, One Year Book of Bible promises, praising my saviour all the day long, Rest in the Lord, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, sing and shout, that he is able, the assurance of salvation, the judgement seat of christ, the keeping of their souls, the life of the Son, the love of the Father, the magnitude of God, the object of His lavish love, the power of the Holy spirit, the very essence of our beings, them that suffer, this is my song, this is my story, those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth, Timothy, to keep that which I have committed to him, wait patiently for him, wisdom
2 Timothy 1:12. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.
Well Friends, it’s a crazy Thursday morning in my neck of the woods. Yesterday we had the tail ends of the rain from Hurricane Patricia, and we might still get some more later, but right now we’re getting some of the tail end winds.
The wind’s a howling out there! I opened my front door just now to pick up the newspaper and the wind fought me to close it back. (smile) I surely am sorry for those who experienced Patricia’s wrath a few days ago. Please, let’s keep them in our prayers.
On a point of interest, my ole right knee is still acting up. Steups! I really don’t understand it nuh. They don’t usually ache for so long. I’ve taken painkillers, rubbed it with stuff, talked with the Lord about it, but still no relief. I guess I just have to grin and bear it and limp along, knowing that God’s grace is indeed sufficient for me to do whatever He desires.
And though I might not like it, I am comfortable with it, especially when added to these facts from the following excerpt from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is titled ‘I Do Know.’
Listen up my people: ‘There is much I cannot begin to fathom concerning the vast, indescribable universe created by our majestic God. There is much I will never comprehend. I want to sing and shout, (I was doing that the other night, (smile), so utterly overwhelmed I am with the magnitude of God.
But I do know with confident certainty that I belong to the God of the universe – the Creator of all that exists. I know that I, a mere mortal, am forever linked to divine destiny. I know that my life has purpose and dignity.
I know that God has chosen me as the object of his lavish LOVE; that his thoughts toward me are thoughts of kindness and mercy; that he has inscribed me in the palms of his hands. I know that all the LOVE of the Father, and the life of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit are freely, inseparably mine – now and throughout all eternity. This I do know!
Wow mih breddren! Do we know all of that? I surely hope so, for if we are truly children of the Most High God, it is imperative that we know those things!
How can we not know that we are linked to a divine destiny; that our lives have purpose and dignity; that Almighty God has chosen us to lavish His unconditional and everlasting LOVE on us; and all His thoughts towards us are of LOVING-kindness, forgiveness and mercy; and most surely we must know that He has inscribed us in the nail scarred palms of His wonderful Son, Jesus; and all that they have, the power, the life and the glory are ours from now until forever?
All of that is the very essence of our beings as Christians! Oh what a mighty, generous and wonderful Deity we worship my people! Give Him some well-deserved thanks and praise!
And the promise of scripture to which that message is attached is also our Bit for today. ‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.’ Those are the words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, as he exhorts the young pastor to endurance.
And the scholars offer these explanations. ‘1:12. Persuaded (Gr. peitho): The perfect tense indicates that “I was persuaded in the past and remain so now.” That he is able to keep refers to the assurance of salvation which is committed…against that day, when we will stand before the judgement seat of Christ.’
Oh Friends, do we know whom we have believed? And is it the gracious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? And if we do, I hope we are not ashamed of Him, and are willing to testify loudly on His grace and mercy from the rooftops of every building.
And not only that, but also we are persuaded, confident, assured that He can do what He says; that is grant salvation and eternal life! To be true Christians we need to believe all these things and have them written indelibly in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.
And Peter admonishes, as well as encourages us thus: ‘Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.’ (1 Pet.4:19)
And believe me Friends, if there is nothing else I can vouch for, I can vouch for the faithfulness of our creator, because I have experienced it throughout my life! Oh Glory to Him!
And we’ll end with these well-known, superb words of advice and confidence from Bruh David from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked.
‘Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:5-9)
Oh my fellow believers, as a Christian, that is the best advice you can ever get! So please, today, let’s take it all to heart and run with it nuh, putting it all into action in our lives, so that we can truthfully testify to God’s greatness and glorify Him in all that we do. For that is our bounden duty and the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
…this is my story…this is my song…praising my saviour…all the day long…
08 Oct 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: anxieties, anxiety, be not envious of the workers of iniquity, brethren in christ, burdens, buttress, cares, cast thy burden upon the Lord, cease from anger, Commit thy way to the Lord, conflicts, confusion, crisis, delight thyself in the Lord, do good, evil doers shall be cut off, faith, faithful help of Jehovah God, fear, fears, fleece, forsake wrath, Fret not thyself over evildoers, Gideon, God is never late, God is not a God of confusion, God will never disappoint our hope, God's promises, God's timing, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved, he shall sustain thee, hope in God's promise, hopeful, idle promises, live in true faith, LOVE, omnipotent god, One Year Book of Bible promises, props, Rest in the Lord, righteousness., Ruth Harms Calkin, seek first the face of God, signs, silence., the kingdom of God, the measure of faith, the new man in Christ, the righteousness of God, the things of the world, the Word of god, those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth, Thursday, trust, trust God's Word, trust in the Lord, urgent decisions, violent times, wait patiently for the Lord, walk with god, wisdom, workweek, you don't stand alone
Psalm 55:22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).
Aye mih fellow breddren in Christ, the workweek is moving along as it’s been planned! Would you believe it’s already Thursday, the penultimate day? Yes it is, so please, let’s hang in there, keep giving of our best, and with the faithful help of Jehovah God we WILL make it through, possibly tired, but unscathed. For that’s the promise of our great God, and He never makes idle promises.
And I just could not ignore this most appropriate passage from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s called ‘I asked for a sign.’ Listen up carefully people.
‘Even as I answer your letter, you are perhaps still waiting while God sends only silence. There is no sudden hailstorm, no writing in the sky. The crisis is real, and you don’t want to be presumptuous. Like Gideon in Judges 6, you want to feel the wet fleece. Or the dry fleece – you don’t care which one. You just want to know! You don’t stand alone!
All of us who walk with God face conflicts that involve urgent decisions. God is not a God of confusion. We can know his will. When our faith is very new, He may send a sign to fortify us. However, I am convinced that God’s highest intention is to free us from unnecessary “props.” He wants to buttress us, not baby us. Above all, He wants us to trust His Word, not the wool.
When He encourages us to hope in a promise, that hope may be our only evidence. At this moment you can’t see ahead. However, you can still be incorrigibly hopeful! You can anticipate as you wait, knowing that God will never disappoint the hope He Himself implants. He is never too late. Remember: Not the wool but His Word!’
Yes Friends, in our times of crisis and confusion, we all look for a sure and certain sign from God, and sometimes He does send them. But at other times He doesn’t, because as the above passage declares, He wants to buttress, shore us up, not baby us.
He wants us to be strong and sure in the power of His promises, and that will never happen if we keep crying out every minute, and He sends signs all the time. As the passage also says, it’s not about the fleece that Gideon got a sign on, but about the Word of God, which we need to have enough faith to stand on, without receiving a sign.
Now signs are all very well and good, but please remember it’s all about building our faith, about maturing in the Word of Almighty God. And the promise for that passage is our Bit for today. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’
Now that is what our wonderful, ever-loving, ever-caring, and ever-faithful God wants us to do! Just cast all our cares and burdens upon Him without any fear or anxiety, because He has promised to sustain us and never let those who walk in His will be shaken.
Jesus specifically made that promise in Matthew 6 when He spoke about trusting one master, and seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all that we need would be given to us by our heavenly Father. (Matt.6:24-34)
So Friends, it’s ever so important that we seek first the face of God, before we begin seeking the things of the world. I know that in these turbulent and violent times that’s not always easy, but if we truly have the faith of His promises in His Word, then we will be able to do it.
That’s why the building of our faith in God’s Word is so important in the life of every believer. For without it, we’re just lost and adrift on a rough and lonely sea. And in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked – we have the encouraging, uplifting and edifying words of Bruh David to help foster and boost our faith.
‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness).
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise (way) to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:1-9)
Oh Friends, I don’t think it can be put any clearer or simpler than that nuh! Once we put on the ‘new man in Christ,’ we need to build up our faith, and that only comes through experience in daily living. We need to read the Word, study it, meditate on it, then put it into practice in our lives, which often means waiting patiently with no signs, for that’s the measure of faith.
So today, please let’s show our wisdom and trust in God’s promises found in His Word, and live in true faith by casting all our cares, all our burdens, all our fears and anxieties upon our omnipotent God, for that’s what He desires of us, and He is well able to carry them on our behalf. Much LOVE!
…have faith…trust sincerely in God…for His timing is perfect…sometimes He might leave it to the last minute…but He is NEVER late…
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