22 Apr 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an attitude of total trust, bring backsliders back to your fold, commit thy way unto the Lord, defeat the virus, Easter Season, faith is a condition of the soul, faith is more than inner belief, for a witness unto all nations, Friday chant, great is thy faithfulness, have our hearts reflect what our mouths have spoken, he shall bring it to pass, his compassions fail not, I wait for the Lord, imbued with consistent and responsible service to God, in his word do I hope, introduce a whole new flock, It is of the Lord's mercies, LOVE, many shall come in my name, marked by a stable character, more than they that watch for the morning, my soul doth wait, my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord, no greater love, preached in all the world, take heed that no man deceive you, TGIF!, Thank God it's Friday, the beginnings of sorows, the believer's whole life, the gospel of the kingdom, then shall the end come, therefore I have hope, they are new every morning, this I recall to mind, trust also in him, unrest in our streets, wake up and smell the coffee, we are not consumed, we will rejoice and be glad in it, with him is plenteous redemption, with the Lord there is mercy
Lamentations 3:22. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
And so, Friday has opened bright and sunshiny, but somewhat chilly, not as warm as it ought to be at this time of spring. But that’s okay, we can handle anything that comes against us because of the Holy Spirit of Jesus that indwells us. It gives us the boldness, the confidence to declare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’
And since it’s a day He has made, we shall therefore rejoice and be glad in it! So, please give our great God some thanks and praise for His wonderful works to us undeserving children of men. Let’s gratefully remember, as Jeremiah said 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.’ (Lam. 3:22-23)
Oh my people, it is indeed because of the Lord’s compassion, His mercy and faithfulness that we are not totally destroyed. And He especially showed His great LOVE and compassion for us in this past Easter Season when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross so he could justly and righteously have reason to forgive our sins! No greater LOVE than that can ever be found!
And in explaining ‘faithfulness,’ the scholars tell us that: ‘The word root from which it comes stresses that real faith is more than inner belief, even more than whole-souled committal. It is a condition of the soul marked by such a stable character and an attitude of total trust that the believer’s whole life is imbued with consistent, responsible service to God (c.f. 1 Sam. 26:23; Ps. 37:3-6). From the biblical standpoint, true faith results in faithfulness in one’s life.’
Yes friends, just like God has been faithful throughout His long existence, so we His creation and joint-heirs with Christ need to be faithful in all walks of our lives. And I believe that shows up positively in Jeremiah’s life when he remembers how he was mistreated, locked up and derided for preaching God’s word, and though he tried to get rid of it, the fire of the word still burned in his belly. ‘And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope.’ (Lam. 3:18-21)
That’s when he talks about the Lord’s compassions and mercies that we’ve spoken of above. Yuh see, once you’ve been associated with our wonderful God, and seen His faithfulness, it’s difficult to lose faith in Him, even when you go through real tough times on His behalf. That hope He imbues within us just doesn’t die, because deep down, we know that He is Almighty God; omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present, to whom all things are possible, the One who can bring us through any untoward situation if He so chooses.
Sometimes though, unfortunately, He doesn’t choose to make us escape the difficulty, because He has some good reason for us experiencing it. But the wonderful thing about our God is that He will NEVER allow us to go through something alone; He is always beside us monitoring our progress through the particular situation and through life itself.
That’s why the psalmist could also confidently declare in Psalm 130. ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-kindness), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:5-8)
Wow! What hope, and trust in God the psalmist shows there! His soul is waiting more deeply for God, than those who are keeping watch for daybreak. And he says it twice, for us to know how deep His trust and faith are in the God of his forefathers! Now that’s the kind of faith that we modern day believers ought to be showing, especially in these contrary and oh so difficult times, which seem to mimic the beginning of the last days that Jesus spoke about.
‘Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ: and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers (various) places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows (birth pangs)…And the gospel must first be published among all nations.’ (Mark. 13:5-8, 10)
But Matthew is more explicit per that last verse. He recalls Jesus saying: ‘ And the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ (Matt. 24:14) And we are indeed seeing the beginnings of those sorrows for all that Jesus spoke about is currently happening, with wars and rumours of wars, famines in a world with wonderful farming skills and technology, deception everlasting, pestilence, sickness and natural disasters like we’ve never seen before.
And above all, with our wonderful technology the gospel has already been preached or proclaimed to most of the world, and it should not take very long to do as Jesus desires; proclaim it to ALL the world. But in the meantime, we the faithful, must remain faithful and true to His name, and do what He desires of us. And the first thing in our arsenal is always prayer, that awesome method of communication between us and our heavenly Father. So let’s go to Him in prayer right now nuh, through our Friday Chant, seeking His divine help in these rather difficult times.
As one strong, but humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
Now that means cleaning up our act and having our hearts sincerely reflect what our mouths have just spoken. That is, if we want to receive a positive response from Almighty God! Much LOVE!
…commit thy way unto the Lord…trust also in him…and he shall bring it to pass… (Ps. 37:5)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
08 Apr 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crown of glory, avoid serious setbacks, bring thee to honour, by his knowledge, by understanding he established the heavens, discretion shall preserve thee, forsake her not, Friday chant, from the way of the wicked man, give to thine head an ornament of grace, if any would not work, knowledge is plesant unto thy soul, LOVE, love her and she shall keep thee, meditating on God's holy word, motives of our hearts, neither shall they eat, omnipotent help, shouts of joy, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the ability to distinguish between true and false, the beginning of the weekend, the clouds drop down dew, the depths are broken up, the drudgery of work, the end of the work week, the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, the skill to live life successfully, the unrest in our streets, to be wise in this unwise world, to deliver thee, understanding shall keep thee, walk in ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil, wisdom entereth into thine heart, wise guidance
Proverbs 3:19. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth: by understanding hath he established the heavens.
And the shouts of joy and relief rise up over the land: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Heralding the end of the work week and the beginning of the weekend, our short break from the drudgery of work that so many of us detest, but which is oh so necessary for our survival. As Bruh Paul said to the Thessalonians: ‘if any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (2 Thess. 3:10) (smile) And though the day has opened somewhat cloudy, the sun is fighting through that darkness, just like we believers in Christ must fight through the darkness and evil of this ungodly world, by meditating on God’s Holy Word and following the guidance of His Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
But I like how Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs 2. ‘When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward (perverse) things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness: Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the forwardness (perversity) of the wicked. Whose ways are crooked and they froward (are devious) in their paths.’ (Prov. 2:10-15)
Yes friends, the purveyors of evil are fighting a serious battle against the light of Jesus, and we, purveyors of that light, desperately need to return their fire through the amazing goodness and mercy, the salt and light, the wisdom and knowledge that are supposed to emanate from us, faithful believers in Christ Jesus, keeper of His mighty name and everlasting flame in all the earth!
Oh my people, the wicked and perverse are very devious and scheming and it’s only through the wisdom and knowledge acquired by close association with Jesus that can give us the victory over them. That’s why Cousin Sol was so insistent on the matter of acquiring wisdom and understanding.
In a later chapter he admonishes: ‘Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline (turn away) from the words of thy mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: LOVE her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver thee.’ (Prov. 4:5-9)
Ah my fellow saints, words of indisputable truth! For it’s only wisdom in, and understanding of Christ’s dictates that will allow us to rise to great heights and defeat the enemy, the purveyor of evil and darkness. And I guess that many of us are wondering what are these marvellous and miraculous things called wisdom and understanding? (smile) Well, wisdom, as used in Proverbs basically means ‘the skill to live life successfully.’ While understanding denotes ‘the ability to distinguish between true and false, good and bad, what matters most and what does not matter at all.’
And if you’re still wondering why those things are so important, then listen to these enlightening verses from Proverbs 3: ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth: by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths (deeps) are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.’ (Prov. 3:19-20)
Yes mih bredrin, the Lord used wisdom and understanding to create the universe and all therein! And if, with all His omnipotence, omniscience, and omni-presence, God still needed wisdom and understanding to create the world, then why shouldn’t we frail and fragile minions that we are, not need them also to live a successful life? No reason whatsoever!
And with our world in such a sad and sorry state, it’s high time that we believers in Christ Jesus get up and seriously and sincerely seek wisdom and understanding so that we can enlighten the world and make it a better place for our children and our children’s children. And that ought not to sound strange and out of place because that’s one of the reasons we were placed on the earth at this particular time. Serving and worshipping the Father and bettering the world are our two basic duties!
And they all begin with prayer, the marvellous and exciting communication method between heaven and earth. Therefore, as we so badly need to do, let’s communicate with heaven nuh, through our Friday Chant. As one strong but humble and prayerful voice. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
Now, let’s set about keeping those promises and showing the Lord that our motives are right when He checks our hearts. For that’s ever so necessary to get positive answers from heaven! Much LOVE!
…to be wise in this unwise world…is the greatest talent of all…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
01 Apr 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a state of constant readiness, Antiochus Epiphanes, April Fool's day, as a roaring lion, be clothed with humility, be sober be vigilante, be subject one to another, bring backsliders back to your fold, casting all your care upon him, desecrationof the temple, disturbing the status quo, embrace your love and compassion, eschatological -theology of the end of the world, faithful believers, Friday chant, giveth grace to the humble, God resisteth the proud, has a bark but no bite, he blesseth the habitation of the just, he careth for you, he scorneth the scorners, he that shall endure to the end, his satanic majesty, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in the house of the wicked, LOVE, of a contrites and humble spirit, offer of a pig on the sacred altar, perpetual sunshine, raining downs from the skies, rebellious children, resist steadfast in the faith, restoring faith in you, stand strong and steadfast, the Abomination of Desolation, the antichrist, the beginning of the end, the curse of the Lord, the Great tribulation, the motives of our hearts, the prince of darkness, the same shall be saved, to revive the heart of the contrite ones, to revive the spirit of the humble, wake up and smell the coffee, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, wet snow, wise guidance, your adversary the devil
1 Peter 5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Ah mih people, like the weather has decided to play April Fools or All Fools Day jokes on us this Friday, the first day of April 2022. When I got up and looked outside earlier this morning, wet snow was raining down from the skies. Then on looking out again, a li’l later on, I was greeted by no wet snow but fairly sunny skies. So right now, the ground’s wet, but the skies are shining with some dark clouds hovering dangerously around like rebellious children intent on disturbing the status quo. (smile)
But foolishly, like the prince of darkness, they have reckoned without taking the awesome sunshine of Jesus Christ into their planning. They don’t realize that if He so desires, with just one wave of His mighty hand, He can scatter, obliterate ALL the darkness in the land and turn it into one of perpetual sunshine. He’s already defeated the prince of darkness, made him a toothless tiger, by dying and resurrecting from the grave, so that all his satanic majesty has now is a bark but no bite.
That’s why we need not fear what he can do to us, for he can only do what we allow him to do. Therefore, Peter dutifully warns us: ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
Yes friends, though the devil has no teeth he can frighten us with his loud roar, and thus manage to get his evil claws into us. Consequently, we must be very careful of where and with whom we walk in this uncertain and unpredictable world. No wonder Peter gave us the solution to the problem before the warning. He firmly advocates: ‘Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:5-7)
Those are indeed wise words my brethren, words that we ought to sincerely and continually heed! Why? Because they are the indisputable truth! Cousin Sol tells us the first half of the story in Proverbs, when he decrees: ‘The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation (dwelling) of the just. Surely he scorneth the scorners (proud): but he giveth grace unto the lowly (humble).’ (Prov. 3:33-34)
And if you don’t believe Cousin Sol, then listen to the prophet Isaiah as he proclaims on the Lord’s behalf, as he condemns the idolatry of his people Israel. ‘For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite (remorseful, repentant) and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’ (Is. 57:15)
That says it all friends! The Lord only deals in repentant and contrite hearts and spirits! The proud He has no use for, because they don’t believe they need Him, like so many of us wrongly believe in these evil and dark times. And it’s so sad to note that in these enlightened times of technology and other advances in human endeavours that we are turning back to the dark ages in spiritual matters. We are trying to remove God from our society. Even shouting out that there is no God! But friends, now is the time when we should be seeking God more than ever, because the end times are in sight.
Jesus spoke to the disciples about the horrific happenings that would take place before the end came. Wars and rumours of wars, false prophets, plenty devastation and human suffering, much persecution, much deception with an inordinate amount of evil, but little LOVE. However, that would just be the beginning of the end. (Matt. 24:4-12) And in these beginning of the end times that we’re currently going through, it is ever so necessary for us to hold on to the end, as Jesus specified to the disciples. ‘But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ (Matt. 24:13) So my brethren, we have to hang in there, living for Jesus, right to the very end, if we want to be saved.
Then Jesus continues: ‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.’ (Matt. 24:14) Now, we’re quickly coming to that stage where with the magnificent technology we now possess, the gospel abounds like it’s never done before. But Jesus isn’t finished. He says: ‘When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand.) (Matt. 24:15)
And what is this ‘Abomination of Desolation’ that Jesus is talking about eh? Well, according to the scholars, ‘it refers to Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; where Antiochus Epiphanes’ profanation of the Jewish temple worship would foreshadow a similar and more severe act by the eschatological Antichrist. (theology concerned with the end of the world). Whereas Antiochus offered a pig on the sacred altar of the temple, the Antichrist will present himself (2 Thess. 2:4 – Please read it). The action of desecration by Antiochus, which Daniel had predicted, will now be repeated in the future by the Antichrist as the signal of the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the breaking of the covenant “in the midst of the week” Dan. 9:27).’
So friends, there’s still some time to go, but how much, we don’t know, that means we ought to be prepared for whenever whatever happens! As the scripture says above there ‘whoso readeth, let him understand.’ And since we’ve read, I want us to understand. (smile) And understanding means being prepared, because we know it will come, just not when. That is a point we can’t hammer home enough my people, because Jesus said He could come at any time; today, tomorrow or years into the future…but come He will!
And the first step in our preparation is going to Him in sincere prayer. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. As one humble and contrite voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
And all of that will only mean anything when God checks the motives of our hearts and finds them in agreement with the words of our mouths. Much LOVE!
…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…and let him prepare…be in a state of constant readiness…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
25 Mar 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you, blessed be the Lord, borne by me from the belly, Covid 19 virus, faithful believers, feed his flock like a shepherd, Friday chant, give his angels charge over thee, his arm shall rule for him, his reward is with him, LOVE, omnipotent, omnipotent help, omnipresent, omniscient, praise the Lord for His goodness, right motives in our hearts, stand strong and steadfast, the God of our salvation, the storms of life, to them who are called according to his purpose, to those that love God, tries our faith to the very limit, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, we know that all things work together for good, when we are faithful God is faithful, who daily loadeth us with benefits, wise guidance, with Christ you can overcome everything, with God all things are possible, with long life will I satisfy him
Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to those that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Another brand new day friends, a Friday to boot, when our names don’t show up in the obits! Praise the Lord for His goodness! And though the day may begin damp and cloudy, what really matters is that we have Jesus, the awesome Son of God dwelling in our hearts and souls through His Holy Spirit! Nothing can beat that my faithful brethren, because with Christ Jesus in our lives we can undergo and withstand anything that comes against us!
Yes, sometimes, like in the last couple of years, life can get real rough, but if we truly believe, we know that Christ makes everything all right in His own time. We just have to keep this great and everlasting promise in the forefront of our lives, as Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Oh friends, that’s one of the greatest promises in the Good Book, but it’s definitely the hardest to hold on to! Because it often tries our faith, trust and surrender to God right to the very limit. In so many situations we have to conjure up thoughts of peace, LOVE and joy even when it seems impossible. But please remember that when talking about a camel going through the eyes of a needle, Jesus gave us this divine assurance. ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26)
And that’s the indisputable truth my fellow believers! The Lord God Jehovah who made the earth, heavens and all therein has the ability and power to do anything He desires! He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent! Meaning He is ALL powerful, sees everything and is present everywhere at the same time! Now that’s what you call a mighty God! And if it’s one thing I’m sure about is that our God is indeed mighty… and mighty in all aspects of life, because I’ve seen Him in action, both personally and in the lives of others!
So there is really no need to fear although the storms of life come against us, for He will always bear us up with His righteous right hand. And I think in these perilous and uncertain times we need to hear some scripture that reassures us of God’s awesome care and concern for us, His most valuable creation. So listen up, pay careful attention, and let these scriptures seep into our hearts and souls and keep us faithful and strong.
And we’ll begin with this marvellous verse of solid, everyday promise from Psalm 68 – God has gone before his people. Bruh David proclaims without any hesitation whatsoever: ‘Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.’ (Ps. 68:19) Now, how reassuring is it to know that every day the great God of our salvation gives us benefits untold to help in our earthly journey!
And if you don’t believe that, then hear the prophet Isaiah corroborate it. ‘Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (strength), and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work (wage) before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is. 40:10-11) Oh my brethren, if you are a faithful believer in Jesus that should be all you need to reassure your faith in the mighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
But if that isn’t enough, then listen to this other scripture from Isaiah. ‘Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne (upheld) by me from the belly (birth), which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs (gray hairs) will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.’ (Is. 46:3-4) Yes my people, the Lord conceived us in the womb and will take us right through life from conception to birth, to death and then to eternal life!
And just to reinforce those promises, (smile) let’s listen to the psalmist as he expounds on the subject from Psalm 91 – God is a refuge and fortress. He says: ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra): the young lion and the dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample underfoot. Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life (length of days) will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:9-16)
Oh saints of Christ, what more can we ask or expect from our wonderful God eh? He’s promised us everything there, and we know he keeps His promises because He LOVES us unconditionally! So much so that He sent His only Son Jesus to die for the atonement of our sins! And if He could go to such awesome lengths to save us, why would He refuse us any lesser thing eh? No reason whatsoever! So, on this Friday morning filled with worldwide problems, let’s take the opportunity to do what He says in that scripture above there nuh, call on Him in time of trouble, so He can answer and deliver us.
As one confident but humble voice, let’s declare our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
But please note, my fellow saints, that God will only answer us positively if we behave like true faithful believers and our hearts are led by the right motives. Much LOVE!
…when we are faithful…God is faithful…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
11 Mar 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: bare our souls, bring backsliders back, clothed in white, for dust thou art, Friday chant, happy is he, he returneth to his earth, I will sing praises unto my God, in that very day his thoughts perish, introduce a whole new flock, keepeth truth for ever, LOVE, man's breath goeth forth, man's spirit departs, omnipotent help, our sinful world, positive response, pour out our hearts to God, Praise ye the Lord, Praise ye the Lord O my soul, put not your trust in princes, puts the icing on the cake, right motives, shout Hallelujah, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that hath the God of Jacob for his help, the blessedness of trusting God, the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind, the Lord shall reign forever, the throne of grace, the way of the wicked, trusting faith, unrest in our streets, unto dust shalt thou return, wake up and smell the coffee, while I live I will praise the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord his God, wise guidance
Psalm 146:1. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). Praise ye the Lord, O my soul.
Well, the ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ slogan is not being met with sunny skies today, but with precipitation of the white stuff. Some fell overnight, and some more is currently falling, but it doesn’t seem to be anything to really worry about, although any amount of snow can be dangerous to the unsuspecting person. Oh, and I think I’ve finally solved the mystery of my clean driveway, as opposed to all the others in the lane being clothed in white.
I suspect that the last time there was a substantial snowfall, the people who clean my driveway put down salt on it, so that when small amounts fall, it melts automatically. Now that’s the only reason I can come up with, because the same thing’s happening out there right now; my driveway is snow free, while the others are not. And when I went to bed this morning there was snow on it, but by the time I got up, it was clean again. But who knows what’s really happening eh?
This one thing I do know about though, that’s ‘The blessedness of trusting God.’ Yes friends, we can never go wrong in that regard. And if you don’t believe me, then let’s check out Psalm 146, which bears that most wise and encouraging title. (smile) The psalmist begins by proclaiming ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). Praise ye the Lord, O my soul.’ (Ps. 146:1) Now there’s no doubt that if we do treasure the Lord’s sovereignty, honour and glory, then praise should continually emanate from our mouths.
Therefore, as the psalmist continues, we should all declare, (chuh!!!) I really can’t believe that I’ve spelt that word wrong again, in its simplest form too! It must be the enemy causing me to do it yes! (smile) And that’s why I definitely have to do like the psalmist says. ‘While I live will I praise thee Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.’ (Ps. 146:2) And that doesn’t only bring joy to God’s heart but also to ours. It lifts our spirits and renews our confidence in Him.
Thus, this marvellous bit of wisdom from the psalmist. ‘Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (no salvation).’ (Ps. 146:3) And I do hope we all recognize that gospel truth, for as the psalm further testifies: ‘His (man’s) breath goeth forth (his spirit departs), he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.’ (Ps. 146:4) So, if man’s body returns to the dust from which he was formed and all the thoughts of his life disappear, why then put our trust in him? No reason whatsoever, since it’s not wise to put our trust in something that doesn’t last or can’t help us for any real length of time.
However, the psalmist does provide this wise solution. He says: ‘Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.’ (Ps. 146:5) Wow! But why is that eh? Because God is He ‘Which made heaven, and earth, the sea and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever; Which executeth judgement (justice) for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth (gives freedom to) the prisoners: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord LOVETH the righteous: The Lord preserveth (watches over) the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down (makes crooked).’ (Ps. 146:6-9)
Now those are all most excellent reasons for putting our trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And why not eh, since He made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all therein, which includes us? So, it makes much more sense to worship the Creator, God the Father, instead of the created human being, who is frail, fickle, not trustworthy and above all, in a few short years, dies and becomes of no account. That brings us to this last very good reason to praise and worship the Creator of the universe.
The psalmist tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps. 146:10) And that just puts the icing on the cake my fellow saints! Man dies and returns to the dust from which he came, but the great, the ONE and ONLY true God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lives and reigns forever! That’s another fact we cannot dispute, which means it’s safe to put our trust in Him, and all that He stands for. In other words, ‘The blessedness of trusting God.’
Ah mih people, I’ve been around a fairly long time, and been associated with God throughout, though not always in close communication, (smile) but I’ve seen enough of His goodness and mercy, both in others and personally, to confidently second all that the psalmist says. The Lord God Jehovah is so wonderful and LOVES us so much, His most wonderful, but not always the brightest creation, that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to die for us, so that our sins could be forgiven! Now which other supposed god, could, or would do that eh? NONE!
That’s why it is undisputed wisdom to put our trust and hope in Him. And the first step in that regard, entails going to Him in prayer, which we can do right now, through our Friday Chant. So, in confident, but humble voice, let’s approach the throne of grace and bare our souls. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
Now, it’s fine to pour out our hearts to God, but we must remember to make sure our motives are right, and that we keep any vows that we make, if we expect to receive any positive response. Much LOVE!
…God’s promise to man…for dust thou art…and unto dust shalt thou return… (Gen. 3:19b)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
04 Mar 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fool's wisdom, a means of restoring faith in you, be responsible and stay safe, bring backsliders back to your fold, brotherly LOVE, concerned about sin, Covid-19 virus, dead man-made idols, destruction unto them, embrace your love and compassion, Friday chant, giving thanks to his name, I am the Lord that is my name, introduce a new flock, Lenten season, let us offer the sacrifice of praise, living creations of Almighty God, LOVE, my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images, our sinful world can wake up, praising idols, return unto the Lord thy God, seeking the kingdom of God, show them the error of their ways, stand strong and steadfast, take away all iniquity, the fruit of our lips, they have fled from me, thou hast fallen by thy iniquity, use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, we will render the calves of our lips, wise guidance, woe unto them
Isaiah 42:8. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
So now it’s Friday…and our spirits are lifted because work will soon be done and the weekend will be open for fun and frolic. But please remember that we are now in the Lenten Season, which means we have cut down some on the fun and frolic, getting a li’l more serious about our life with Christ. Concentrating on opening up our true selves to Him, and getting to know Him better, through prayer, meditation, fasting and sincere brotherly LOVE.
In this time, we ought to be seriously concerned about the sin in our lives and truly seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness with a sense of purpose, so that we can be liberated by His awesome power and our worldly needs met through His divine intervention. Ah friends, if there’s ever a time when we need to seek God it’s in this season of Lent and the numerous problems facing us worldwide.
It recalls the words of the prophet Hosea when he entreated Israel to return to the Lord with these prophetic statements. ‘O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves (sacrifices) of our lips. Ashur (Assyria) shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.’ (Hos.14:1-3)
Oh my people, if we ever hope to improve our worldly condition, we ought to pay serious attention to the words of the prophet, because there’s no doubt that we have replicated Israel’s situation from way back then. We have turned away from God, foolishly worshipping the idols of our own hands and minds. Yes, our iniquity has completely overtaken us, like it had done to Israel, no wonder the sad and sorry state of confusion, strife and disaster we are now experiencing.
And the scholars offer this explanation of those verses above. ‘14: 1-3. Calves of our lips: The word calves (Heb. par, “a young bull or produce”) is best understood metaphorically, referring to the words that the lips produce – in this context praise to the Lord. The nation (of Israel) had used its lips to praise the idolatrous calves, now it will use its lips in praise to the Lord God.’
And that’s exactly what we have been doing for the last generation – praising idols, but it’s time now to turn back to the God of our forefathers, who is the Only One who can protect us and keep us save from the wiles and deceits of the enemy. He is the Only One who can provide grace and mercy to us, who are so badly in need of a gracious and merciful Father. Other created men and animals, or our dead self-created idols cannot save or help us; only the One who created us in the first place, can now provide sanctuary and solve our many serious problems.
And this other verse from Hosea re Israel’s rebellion also applies to our recent folly. ‘Woe unto them (Israel)! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.’ (Hos. 7:13)
Yes friends, although our good and ever-faithful God has redeemed us through the sacrificial blood of His Son Jesus, we have still turned away from Him and been blaspheming and lying on Him with such a fierceness that many others have also turned away from Him, and now it’s our concerted effort to remove Him completely from our society.
But as I keep saying, that’s a fool’s wisdom, for it will never happen, because the Lord will never give up His power and glory to any other. He’s said that quite clearly through the prophet Isaiah. ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’ (Is. 42:8)
That to me is quite plain and straightforward, but so many of us seem to believe otherwise, else we would not be trying to replace the Creator with dead graven images. However, this verse from the Book of Hebrews points us in the direction in which we ought to go if we truly need salvation. It says: ‘By him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks (confessing to) his name.’ (Heb. 13:15)
Yes my brethren, it’s certainly time to turn back to our Creator and offer our prayers and praise to Him instead of the evil enemy who’s only bent on keeping us in his evil clutches, away from the grace and mercy of our heavenly Father. And the first step in that direction is always sincere prayer. So let’s go there right now nuh, through our Friday Chant and place our desires with confidence before the heavenly throne, knowing that sincere prayer will never be turned away by our Creator.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
Now, please remember that we have to keep our promises, if we expect the Lord to keep His. Much LOVE!
…how can dead man-made idols…save living creations of Almighty God…it’s totally impossible…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
25 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a harbinger of times to come, a vexing and worrisome situation, a white winter wonderland, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, be responisble, bring backsliders back to your fold, Christian faith, facing jail time for tweet, fight tooth and nail, freedom of speech, Friday chant, I have finished my course, I have fought a good fight, introduce a new flock, LOVE, marching as to war, omnipotent help, Onward Christian soldiers, our sinful world, re LGBTQ issues in finland, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Bible doesn't trump Finnish law, the two bulwarks our society was founded on, thou therefore endure hardness, time to stand up and fight for Christianity, time to walk our talk, tweeted out a Bible verse from Romans, wake up and smell the coffee, wise guidance, with the cross of jesus going on before
2 Timothy 2:3. Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Oh friends, it’s Friday; the last day of the workweek, or as some like to say, the start of the weekend and shout ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But I wonder how many of us shouted that this morning when we awoke to a white, winter wonderland and had to drive through it to work? (smile)
Yesterday, we were exulting a dry, sunshiny day with no precipitation whatsoever, but during the night the white stuff precipitated, and it’s still precipitating right now! (smile) The weather report says -11degrees Celsius with some snow showers. And this is one of the few times they don’t seem to be wrong.
But yuh know what mih people, if snow was our biggest problem that would be quite all right, but I heard about a very vexing and worrisome situation yesterday, which seems like a harbinger of times to come. It’s been said that a female member of the Finnish Parliament tweeted out a Bible verse from the Book of Romans talking about the LGBTQ issues in Finland and now is supposedly facing charges that can bring up to two years of jail time.
That’s not all though. Apparently, a Bishop did the same thing, and now he is also facing up to two years of jail time. The Prosecutor it seems says that the Bible doesn’t trump Finnish law, and you can keep your Bible, but you just can’t say that you agree with it.
Now my fellow believers that’s certainly madness, and if it’s in Finland, a supposed Western democracy and a place of supposed free speech and disagreements, don’t think it won’t soon get to us on this side of the ocean. The Bible, our faith, is literally on trial here, and we can’t allow that to happen, otherwise all that Jesus and our forefathers suffered and died for would have become a total waste! We simply cannot allow that to happen!
The embarrassing and unfair thing with these fringe groups who talk so much about their own rights being subjugated, is that when they get their rights acknowledged, they quickly forget where they came from, turn and begin to subjugate the rights of others, behaving as though their platform is the only correct one, and brook no disagreement with it. They begin doing the same thing they had earlier accused others of doing to them.
Furthermore, it seems they are saying in Finland that the word ‘sin’ can be harmful, and therefore illegal! Imagine that nuh, you can’t talk publicly about the Bible, or sin, which we all commit, but can ramble on about and blatantly commit all the things the Bible tells us are wrong, are sinful.
My fellow believers, it’s time we throw off our mantle of laxity, of laziness, of compromise and get serious about our faith, because such a situation most definitely threatens the very foundation of our Christian faith, of freedom of speech, the two bulwarks that Western Society were founded on!
Yesterday, I believe we talked about others in Eastern lands being persecuted for their faith and having to hide and secretly practice it, well, look at what’s soon coming to us at the nearest theatre nuh; the very same thing…that is unless we get up and seriously fight tooth and nail for our freedom of speech and freedom to worship the One and Only true God Jehovah.
And as mentioned in the clip that I saw, one Holocaust survivor said that the worst crime leading up to the Holocaust was SILENCE! And that’s a fact friends, for when anything negative is happening and a lot of us keep silent, we only embolden the perpetrators.
Now this a fight for our very way of life, our Christian faith, for the right to worship Jesus Christ in our own land, are we going to stay silent and let it happen without a serious fight? I certainly hope not! It’s time we put on our spiritual armour and with sincere prayer stand up and face the enemy mano-a-mano. There’s absolutely no room for backing down or compromise on this situation my faithful brethren.
We all talk a good talk about standing up for God, well this is the time for us to walk that talk! As Bruh Paul said to Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) Time to do like Bruh Paul did, so we can later say: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith:’ (2 Tim. 4:7)
Yes friends, it’s time we live up to the song we so LOVE to sing: ‘Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus, going on before. Christ the royal Master, Leads against the foe; Forward into battle, See His banners go. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!’
The time has finally come my people, for us to put up, or shut up, there’s no more room to run from our problems. So, let’s begin by doing what we ought to do, go to the Lord in prayer, through our Friday Chant, and ask for His divine assistance in these turbulent times. As one confident but humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
Now, let’s set about being the faithful believers we claim to be. Much LOVE!
…Christ, fought, suffered and died to get His church going…now it’s time for us to do the same…to keep it going…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
18 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, against spiritual wickedness in high places, be of good cheer, be responsible and stay safe, bring backsliders back to your fold, but against principalities, but of power love and a sound mind, Christian soldiers, fight the good fight for Christ, Friday chant, God has not given us the spirit of fear, having your loins girt about with truth, i have overcome the world, in the world ye shall have tribulation, introduce a new flock, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, my peace I give unto you, negligible fear, neither let it be afraid, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, not as the world giveth, nothing can separate us from the Love of God, omnipotent help, Peace i leave with you, praying always with all prayer, put on the whole armour of God, stand against the wiles of the devil, strong faith, supplication in the spirit, that ye may be able to stand, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, wake up and smell the coffee, walk and not be weary, walk and not faint, we are more than conquerors, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, white aa snow, your feet shod
Ephesians 6:11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.
Oh my people, it’s as white as snow out there and the brilliant sunshine is just blinding as it reflects off the white surface! (smile) And it’s white as snow because it is snow! Chuh! Last night the rain and freezing rain changed to snow and a few inches of the beautiful stuff was deposited in our area. And you can imagine the problems it created with this morning’s drive to work. Hopefully, we all took care and there were not many accidents, especially with the undercoating of ice that was on the roads before the snow came.
And we are certainly blessed to have Jesus in our corner to help with all the stuff we experience in this evil world. His promises of negligible fear and strong faith are ever assuring and confidence building. Listen to these two magnificent promises nuh. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Yes friends, the kind of peace Jesus imbues in His followers is a special kind that overcomes fear and the concerns of this world. And He goes even further to reassure us with these marvellous words. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Now that’s how powerful and reassuring is our Lord Jesus! Through His death and resurrection, He’s overcome the evil and darkness of this world, so there is no need for us to fear anything or anyone that comes against us. In fact, it’s been promised that ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17)
And let’s not forget that ‘in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us…and that nothing can separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:37, 39) However friends, it’s essential that we remember all of God’s promises concerning our peace and safety and take them to heart, because it’s only through holding His word securely that we can successfully fight the battles that we will all encounter in this earthly life.
And in these perilous times, which certainly seem to be the last ones, it’s ever so important to keep our trust and faith strong and not the let the evil and deceitful enemy beat us down through fear and misfortune. Remember that Christ has promised to hold our hands as we go through whatever comes against us. And though He doesn’t make the problems go away, be assured that He walks beside us through them all and brings us out stronger on the other side.
So, we need to have that trust to walk and not be weary, to walk and not faint. And that’s not always easy to do when the evil wiles of Satan come against us, but as Bruh Paul reminds Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) That means we all have what it takes to overcome the enemy, but we need to bring the tools, the weapons He’s given us to the fight. In other words, it’s necessary to ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph, 6:11)
And you ask, what’s this armour Paul’s talking about? Well it’s not physical but spiritual armour. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Eph. 6:12) So it’s spiritual, not physical battle we’re waging, which means we need spiritual armour if we are to be successful in that fight.
And Bruh Paul describes that spiritual armour thus: ‘Having your loins girt about with truth,’ (that’s girded your waist with the truth found in God’s word), and having on the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts (arrows) of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph. 6:14-18)
So just like a soldier in physical battle puts on armour to protect himself, likewise we believers doing spiritual battle need to have protection as listed above, and then to cover it all with sincere prayer and supplication for all our fellow soldiers in Christ, because prayer is still the number one weapon in our armoury. And since that’s so, let’s offer up prayer right now nuh, through our Friday Chant, taking our problems to Almighty God for His divine assistance.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set.
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!’
Now let’s go and sincerely action those promises we’ve just made so that the Lord can positively answer our prayer. Much LOVE!
…it’s time for all Christian soldiers…to put on their spiritual armour…to stand up strong…and fight the good fight for Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
11 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fool's wisdom, a means of restoring faith in you, a society only grows through work, an injection of godly wisdom, avoid any more serious setbacks, be obedient, bring backsliders back to your fold, cause those that love me to inherit substance, driven with the wind and tossed, durable riches and righteousness, embrace your love and compassion, Friday chant, giveth to all men liberally, he that wavereth is like a wave, I lead in the way of righteousness, I love them that love me, if any of you lack wisdom, in the midst of the paths of judgement, introduce a new flock, keep the commandments, let him ask in faith, let him ask of god, LOVE, my fruit is better than gold, my revenue than choice silver, not doubting, nothing wavering, omnipotent help, our sinful world can wake up, riches and honour, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, show them the error of their ways, smell the coffee, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the anxiety confusion and havoc, those that seek me early will find me, time to party, true obedience, trusting faith, wise guidance
Proverbs 8:17. I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.
Then it was Friday, that long awaited day. And everybody shouted ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And the weekend is here! Time to party!’ Yes, it’s surprising at how eagerly and addictively we look forward to the end of the work week, as though work is such an enigma, such a problem, that we just want to be rid of it. But friends, the only way we progress, get ahead, succeed, is through work. And we do need a break from it every so often, but the disgust and hate that our current society shows towards work is very disheartening.
So many of us tend to think that work is below us, we shouldn’t have to work, and we are entitled to just pay, play and party. But unfortunately, that’s a fool’s wisdom. A society only grows by the amount of work its members put into it. No work equals no growth. Little work equals little growth. Plenty work equals plenty growth. That’s just the facts of life. And that’s why our society is slowly going down the drain. Not enough of us are working to keep the standards high. And when the standards of a society fall, so does the society itself.
And how do we turn around that situation eh? I believe it’s through an injection of wisdom into our society, that’s godly wisdom, not the wisdom of the world. And I just rediscovered a li’l gem from Proverbs 8, where Cousin Sol is talking about wisdom is everlasting. Now that gem says: ‘I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.’ (Prov. 8:17) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren. Those of us who seek godly wisdom diligently will indeed find it.
And James, Jesus’ brother, said it thus. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach), and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
Now it couldn’t be put any clearer than that! So friends, strong, unwavering faith is also necessary to acquiring godly wisdom. We can’t be wishy washy about it; one day up, the next day down, but need to walk a steadfast path. And if yuh think is joke we joking here, (smile) just listen to the things that godly wisdom does for its benefactors nuh.
‘Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable (enduring) riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead (walk) in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement (justice): That I may cause those that LOVE me to inherit substance (wealth); and I will fill up their treasures.’ (Prov. 8:18-21)
Oh my people, you see how godly wisdom gives you everything; riches and honour as well as righteousness and justice! And most important of all, those things are enduring. They don’t blow up unexpectedly in your face when some unfortunate situation occurs, like the stuff that comes from the world’s wisdom, because they come from God and are everlasting! Like Jesus said, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Ah my fellow saints, we only have two options, two ways of living this earthly life: either under the rule of Jehovah God, our Creator and Controller, or under the ham-fisted rule of Satan, the foolish usurper. And the truth is, that whatever Satan can give you, Jehovah God can give you the same, and more too. And what He gives you will be enduring and long lasting, not fragile and fanciful like Satan’s offering, without any real truth, substance, peace and joy to it. That’s because Satan’s storefront is only a pretty façade. When you go behind its fanciful front, all you’ll find is chaos, confusion, hellfire and eternal damnation.
And we do have to be ever so careful about where we will end up come the ending of this mortal life. That’s why it’s ever so important for us to choose to live by godly standards and wisdom rather than by that of the world. And yuh better believe that right now we desperately need God’s wisdom with all the problems that are engulfing our world and turning it into bloody battlefield, both literally and figuratively. So please, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Friday Chant, not wavering, but with steadfast faith, asking for His omnipotent help and wisdom to handle the massive storm that’s currently overwhelming us.
As one strong, but faithful and humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. 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!’
And we need to remember that to get a positive answer, we must keep the vows we’ve just made, be obedient and keep the Lord’s commandments. That’s wisdom to the nth degree! Much LOVE!
…true obedience to anything…only shows…when we keep the rules…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
04 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: after ye have done the will of God, be joyful and peaceful, bring backsliders back to your fold, cast not away your confidence, caught up in Christ's amazing love, Christ has already conquered the world. ye have need of patience, confident trust in the Lord, courage fails, embrace your love and compassion, even in the tough times, faith is trust in action, faith makes the difference, faithful believers, fears become overwhelming, filled with Christ's goodness, Friday chant, God's promises do not disappear, great recompense of reward, it is well with my soul, it stands firm, LOVE, One Year Book of Bible promises, pandemic, patient endurance, regardless of negative circumstances, Ruth Harms Calkin, serious setbacks, spirits running high, the supreme love of Jesus, the throne of grace, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, ye might receive the promise
Hebrews 10:35. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
Another snow packed day! Thankfully though, this second storm deposited its blessings in the evening hours and gave us a few hours between it and the first to do some cleaning up. It’s always easier to clean up a little twice than the total amount once, especially when you’re talking about snow. (smile) But it’s also Friday, the last day of the work week and consequently spirits are running high.
Hopefully, it’s not all because of that, but mainly because we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour to help us in ALL our doings, ALL our troubles, and ALL our good times. And as a result we can confidently say, ‘It is well with my soul!’ Oh how those few words lift our spirits and cause us to have blessed assurance, filled with Christ’s goodness, while lost in and inextricably caught up in His amazing LOVE! (smile)
Yeh friends, once you encounter the supreme LOVE of Jesus, it’s ever so hard, if not impossible to turn to anyone or anything else for help and comfort, because He has everything so under control! And He ought to, since He created the universe and all therein and still controls it with His mighty right hand.
Now this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin puts the whole thing in a proper perspective as regards the promises of God, especially in troubled times like we’re currently experiencing, and is aptly titled ‘God’s Promises.’
Please pray with me: ‘With increasing joy I am discovering that God’s promises do not suddenly disappear when our courage fails and our fears become overwhelming. Feeling or no feeling, when God gives a promise that speaks directly to our need, it stands firm regardless of negative circumstances. There may be times of questioning, and we may not understand God’s timing, but His promise remains certain through our deepest trial.
If we consistently rely on His immutable Word, we can disregard the darkness. Oswald Chambers says. “Are you in the dark right now regarding your circumstances? Then listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you are in the light.” God waits for us to trust Him when trusting seems the most difficult thing of all.’
And isn’t that the indisputable, gospel and unshakeable truth my fellow saints in Christ? It certainly is! It’s easy to trust God in the light of the good times, but it’s only when we can do it in the darkness of the tough times that we can truly call ourselves faithful believers!
And that’s exactly what He is waiting for in these dark, troubled and calamitous times that we’re currently experiencing; our sincere faith and trust in His promise to never leave nor forsake us, to work everything out eventually for our good, that we are mighty conquerors with His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us!
Yes my people, how many more promises do we need to actually put our trust in Christ Jesus when the dark times come eh? He never said that we won’t have trials and tribulation in this ungodly world, but that we should not be afraid, to be joyful and peaceful, even in the tough times, because He has already conquered the world. And the scriptures used to support today’s poem is very appropriate to our lack of trust in difficult circumstances.
The author of Hebrews tells us, in no uncertain terms, what we need to do when those doubting, distrustful moments surface in lives. He says: ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience (endurance, perseverance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.’ (Heb. 10:35-36)
And I’ll also share the version from the NLT (New Living Translation) which is used in the book, and which explains it in simpler language. It says: ‘Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.’
Now that’s what we ought to do in uncertain times, when our faith and courage is low, but we all know it’s not always easy. Although nobody said that life would be easy working and living for Jesus. (smile) But that’s where the big difference between believers and non-believers shows up or exists. We have the promises of Jesus to hold on to, while the unbeliever doesn’t!
And if we don’t make good use of those promises by holding on to them sincerely and tightly, remembering that He who promised is faithful, then our faith is useless. Remember, it’s faith that makes the difference between the believer and the heathen. One believes, and the other does not.
So, with problems and the darkness of evil raging all around us, let’s perk up our faith and do exactly what the author of Hebrews advises nuh; not casting away our confidence, but going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, so that we can receive help in these treacherous and turbulent times.
As one sincere voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh 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 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, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set.
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!’
Now, let’s go out and act like faithful believers nuh, if we expect to receive God’s blessings. Much LOVE!
…faith is much more than talk…it’s trust in action…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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