03 Feb 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a powerful opponent., a waste of time, admonishment, anxiety, carnality, Christians, contradicts our faith, dance, doubts, Ephesians, evil hordes, evil schemes, faith, fellowship, fight for Jesus, Friday chant, friends, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, gospel, holy character, in Jesus' name, like no tomorrow, LOVE, Lucifer, moral conduct, party, peace, pounce on, put on the whole armour of God, quench the fiery darts, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, Roman soldier, Satan, sincerity, sing, song of freedom, spiritual armour, stand, stand against the wiles of the devil, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the hope of salvation, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the prince of darkness, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the weekend, the wicked one, the Word of god, the working people, truth, week of work, your feet shod, your loins girt about, your waisted girded
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.
Well friends, it’s Friday! That means another weekend is upon us, and the working people are delighted and shouting out their song of freedom: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the wonderful weekend is here. No punching a time clock!
Wow! It’s time to sing and dance and party like there’s no tomorrow…for who knows if we’ll ever see tomorrow eh? But this day we’ll always remember…or maybe not! Hn! Thank God though for Fridays and the weekend!’
Ah mih people, nothing’s wrong with the general idea of enjoying oneself during our days off, but as usual it’s the extreme length to which the world desires to carry it that contradicts our faith. So let’s hear what our faith says to counter that extreme position.
Let’s chant our Friday Chant with truth and sincerity. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes friends, that sounds like a much more sensible way of handling our short time off, so please let’s follow it, and not overdo the partying, the carnality aspect of the situation.
Now without further ado, let’s get to our Bit. ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’
Ah mih breddren, those words are ever so important in these very evil times! We’ve just got to be always prepared, for as we saw yesterday, the prince of darkness is always on the look out for Christians he can pounce upon.
Now, hitherto, we’ve been talking about the armour of God and what it does, today, let’s look at what it actually is. So let’s continue with Bruh Paul’s admonishment to the Ephesians.
‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about (girded your waist) with truth, 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 of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:’ (Eph.6:14-17)
There you have it my people, the basic breakdown of God’s powerful and protective spiritual armour! And the scholars have some good explanations of what they are and what they mean.
‘6:14-17. The whole armour of God consists of six pieces. (1) Truth (v.14a) is a knowledge of the truth of God’s Word (cf.4:21). The ancient soldier’s loins (“waist”) were girt about with a leather belt which held most of the other pieces of his armour in place.
Similarly, the other pieces of the Christian’s armour depend on, and are held in place by his spiritual “belt” or his knowledge of the “truth” of Scripture.
(2) The breastplate of righteousness (v.14b) may be read “the breastplate which is righteousness.” It represents a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the “truth” known produces a godly life (“righteousness”).
(3) Preparation of the gospel of peace (v.15) means “eagerness that comes from the gospel of peace.” That is, as the Roman soldier wore special shoes called ‘caligae’ on his feet, enabling him to advance against his enemy, so the Christian must have on his feet (possess) a sense of “eagerness” or “willingness” to advance against the Devil and take the fight to him.
Such eagerness to contend with Satan “comes from the gospel of peace.” The gospel gives peace to the believer, freeing him from anxiety though he advances against such a powerful opponent.
(4) The shield of [which is] faith (v.16) means taking God at His word by believing His promises. Such trust will protect one from doubts induced by Satan.
(5) The helmet of salvation (v.17a): Since the readers are already Christians (2:8), they are not here urged to be saved. First Thessalonians 5:8 describes this helmet as “the hope of salvation” that is, the certainty (assurance) of salvation.
(6) The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (v.17b): The Greek term rendered “word” is not ‘logos’, referring to the whole Word of God, but ‘rhema’, referring to certain portions or selected verses of Scripture.’
There it is friends, the basic explanations concerning the ‘whole armour of God.’ I do hope it helps us to better understand the Word. Those are the things with which we need to be equipped, if we want to fight a serious and victorious battle against Lucifer and his evil hordes.
Like any good soldier, we cannot go into battle unprepared, and the first thing we need is physical protection. But since our battle is spiritual, we need spiritual protection, which our God gives us totally. It is now up to us to accept it and put it to good use.
Please my fellow believers, let’s ramp up our fight for Jesus nuh, otherwise our talk and our supposed faith are all a waste of time! Much LOVE!
…a Christian…who isn’t fighting a serious battle for Jesus…is no Christian at all…
27 Jan 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a high priest, a modicum of circumspection, a name above every other, a touch of blue, a touch of white, align ourselves, an evil conscience, as a man, asaph, assurance, carnality, charles stanley, death of the cross, declare all thy works, do what we want, eternal life, every knee should bow, every tongue confess, exalted, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, friends, frustration, generous help, giving vent, glorious kingdom, glory to God, go overboard, good works, He is faithful that promised, hope, humbled himself, I have put my trust in the Lord, in Jesus' name, it is good for me to draw near to God, Jeeves, Jesus Christ, Jesus christ is Lord, leave all the consequences to Him, light of the Son, LOVE, misdeeds, moderation, motto, mystery, number one priority, obedient, obey God, partying, prosperity, prosperous wickedness, receive the promise, relaxation, renege, rest, salvation, slave labour, stir up, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the goodness of God, the house of God, the things of the Lord, the weekend, the wicked are prospering, to the glory of God the Father, trust, truth, unto death, wicked attractions, wisdom, zenith
Psalm 73:28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
Well, well, finally a touch of blue in the sky! But unfortunately there is also a touch of white on the ground too. I guess we can’t get one without the other these days.
But that’s okay, we can handle it, and anything else that’s thrown at us, once we get the brilliant light of the SON, which we do every single day. Glory to our great God!
But you’d also notice that regardless of the weather, the working folks are always rejoicing on Fridays, declaring stuff like: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Slave labour done for two whole, big days! Is we time now to do what we want, when and how we want!
And we going to start by partying down the place…giving vent to all the frustration that’s built up over the past week! Thank God for Fridays and weekends yes, so we can do our thing!’
Ah friends, as usual, the world tends to go overboard in the carnality of the weekend. As Jeeves would say ‘a modicum of circumspection’ is needed to temper it. Something more along the lines of our Friday Chant, that we shall now declare.
‘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.’
Yeh mih people, unless we get some rest, relaxation and fellowship on the weekend, next week will be even rougher than normal. So I implore us not to party the whole weekend away, like so many of us tend to do, for that just makes life more difficult in the long run. Moderation in all things friends! That should be our motto.
That brings us to our Bit: ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’
Yes my people, that was the psalmist Asaph’s conclusion after trying to solve the mystery of prosperous wickedness. And even today we wrestle with that fact that a lot of good people are suffering severe want and need while the wicked are prospering.
But yuh know what? The Lord has promised to destroy the wicked in His own time, so we don’t need to worry about them, that’s His problem.
Our number ONE PRIORITY is to get ourselves clearly aligned with the goodness of God, for that’s the ultimate in wisdom! It’s where salvation, eternal life and true prosperity are to be found!
Listen to the writer of Hebrews. ‘And having a high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works.’ (Heb.10:21-24)
Yes friends, it’s all there! We have a high priest in Jesus who knows our problems and can identify with them, because He also experienced them while here on earth. So we need to stand strong in faith and LOVE and good works, like He did, and like Him, we’ll eventually receive the promise, for our wonderful God is faithful.
And if you don’t believe that, then listen to this scripture from Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil.2:8-11)
Wow mih breddren! Yuh see how the Father was faithful to Jesus for His unswerving obedience; exalting His name higher than all names, and causing every knee to bow to Him and every tongue to confess His Lordship.
Likewise He will exalt us if we are faithful and obedient to Him and His word. The problem though is that the world has so many more colourful and wicked attractions that sing out for out attention, and we tend to gravitate to them, rather than to the things of the Lord.
But that’s not true wisdom my people. For the wicked will eventually pay for their misdeeds. Please remember that. The Lord has promised it, and He does not renege on ANY promise.
So please be wise and stand strong and faithful in the Lord God of our forefathers, for that is the zenith of wisdom. Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) says…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…better words were never spoken…
20 Jan 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Abednego, Absalom, burned, confidence in God, divisive, Donald Trump, Egypt, faith, fell, Friday chant, friends, fun, furnace, generous help, get down time, glorious kingdom, god is still in control, gospel truth, grace, honesty, I shall not want, I will be confident, I will fear no evil, inaguration, Jesus Christ, lack, LOVE, Meshach, messenger, mine enemies, my heart shall not fear, my oyster, Nebuchadnezzar, parted the Red Sea, party time, passest through the waters, perspective, pray for the U.S.A., productive, promises, pushing the envelope, ransom, reassuring scripture, rebellious son, redeemed, relaxation, rest, scorched, seven times hotter, shadrach, sincerity, smelling of smoke, strong, stumbled, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, The Lord is my shepherd, the Lord sustained me, the river Jordan, the secret to life, the trap of sin, the valley of the shadow of death, the weekend, tho art mine, tho art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, trust, truth, unified, walkest through the fire, war rise against me
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack).
Well friends, it’s Friday…and what a big Friday too! One that will eventually decide what our world will look like in the future. We’re talking about the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America!
Wow! As the man says, only in America! I don’t know if there has ever been a more divisive leader in the free world! But as a friend keeps telling me: ‘Don’t worry, Trump might be riding high now, but GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!’
And that’s the gospel truth my people, our Creator is still in control, and always will be, and His plans are the ones that will eventually prevail.
But it’s also necessary that we pray fervently for the U.S. of A, because unfortunately, as they go, so does a majority of our world. That means we need for them to be strong and productive and unified, else our lives will also be affected in some negative way or another.
But yuh know what? Some people don’t care about all the hoopla surrounding Trump’s inauguration, they are still basically concerned about having the weekend off and being able to do whatever then want, when ever they want.
That’s because they know that come next week, they will still have to go back out and labour under the same strenuous and unfair circumstances.
So they are still singing: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes, and the whole weekend is my oyster! It’s party time! It’s get down time! It’s whatever I want, when ever time! So thank you Lord for Fridays and the weekend!’
But as always, that’s simply pushing the envelope too far. Our Friday Chant brings a much better perspective to the situation. So let’s declare it with sincerity and strong faith nuh. ‘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, that’s a much better way to characterize our weekend, so let’s move on now to our Bit. ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack).’
And tough t’s (smile) to those who don’t like our continued use of that awesome line of scripture! Don’t blame me, I’m just the messenger, doing what I’ve been led to do. It’s the Lord’s will, and as we said earlier on, it will ALWAYS prevail!
Now let’s look at verse 4 of that amazing Psalm, 23, which we all know and continually quote. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps.23:4)
Mama Mia! What a most reassuring scripture! And in Psalm 3 – A prayer of confidence in God – when running from his rebellious son, Absalom, Bruh David again declares his immense faith and trust in the God of his forefathers.
‘I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3:5-6)
Oh my brothers and sisters in Christ, can we make such a declaration in all honesty and truth? I do hope so, for we need that stage of maturity to help us handle this evil world without fear.
Listen to Bruh David again from Psalm 27. ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 17:1-3)
Oh friends, those are the kind of words we need to confidently declare in these cruel and tumultuous times, if we hope to win this world for Christ.
And we’ll end with this momentous promise of our omnipotent God from Isaiah, as he talks about ‘The Lord, the only redeemer.’
‘But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon (scorch) thee.
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee (in thy place).’ (Is.43:1-3)
All I can say to that amazing set of promises is that the Lord fulfilled them all in some form and fashion! He created us, then when we fell into the trap of sin, He redeemed us through Jesus Christ. He parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River for the Israelites to walk over on dry land.
Then remember the three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow to the golden image that the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar made, and were thrust into the furnace, heated to a temperature seven times hotter than normal.
And what happened? They cane out alive, not even smelling of smoke! Wow! And the Lord God of Israel will do the same for all those who sincerely believe and trust in Him! Please ponder seriously on all that today my brethren, for therein lies the secret to life. Much LOVE!
…if God doesn’t save…then who does eh…
P.S. Please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but I did a lot of successful running around yesterday, obviously buoyed by the Lord’s help, and my penchant for late nights have simply not abated as yet. (smile) Much LOVE!
13 Jan 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: assurance, awesome, cause them to stumble, commandments, debauchery, drinking, eating, fearful, fellowship, flooded with God's peace, Friday chant, Friday the 13th, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, futile, glory hallelujah, he who has ears to hear, in Jesus' name, in the wrong places, length of days, let him hear, long life, LOVE, massa, negative happenings, not as the world gives, nothing shall offend them, old wives tales, partying, peace, perfect peace, perspective, promise, quietness, relaxation, rest, right minds, righteousness, stayed on thee, strife, sustained by thee, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thank God for small mercies, the keeping of God's commands, the Prince of Peace, the weekend, the Word of god, tragic consequences, turmoil, vain, who love the Lord
Psalm 119:165. Great peace have they which LOVE thy law: and nothing shall offend them (cause them to stumble).
Ah mih people, so early in the year we come upon a Friday the 13th, which causes many of us to get fearful, simply because of all the old-wives tales about the negative happenings that can occur on such a day. But that’s all they are friends, old-wives tales, so please don’t let them have any effect on us today.
It didn’t seem to have any on the band of workers that appeared early this morning singing: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! It’s the weekend once again! Though is only two days now…Chuh! All them nice long ones done come and gone now.
But still the weekend is the weekend; no work and no massa looking over yuh shoulder. And best of all plenty eating and drinking and partying! Wow! Thank God for small mercies oui!’
Ah friends, although we’re in a new year, nothing has changed, the weekend is still looked upon as a time for hearty partying, which totally demeans its standing in our society and hides its true purpose.
Instead, let’s chant our Friday Chant, which shows a better perspective on the use of the weekend. In unison now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my brethren, that’s a more godly and sensible way to use our two measly days off from work, not simply delving into the depths of debauchery. (smile)
And to add to it all, we have a rather interesting Bit for today. ‘Great peace have they which LOVE thy law: and nothing shall offend them (cause them to stumble).
Now isn’t that rather inviting and promising? It surely is! If we LOVE the Lord’s word, then peace, no, great peace shall flow through our souls! Glory Hallelujah!
Now who wouldn’t want that eh? The whole world is currently searching for peace, but unfortunately they are looking in all the wrong places, while the right place is before their very eyes – the Word of God.
Hear how Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs, re exhortations to obedience. ‘My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.’ (Prov.3:1-2)
Oh friends, why wouldn’t anybody in their right minds long for long life and peace eh, especially when all you have to do is to keep the Lord’s commandments?
But I guess the majority of the world is not in their right minds, since they seem to abhor the keeping of God’s commands. And that’s exactly why the world is in its current state of immense turmoil and strife.
Now listen to Isaiah from his hymn of praise. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.’ (Is.26:3)
What a beautiful promise that is my people! If we keep our minds on God, He will sustain us in perfect peace. That means whatever is happening around us won’t detract from the peace we feel within.
And I can testify to that, for when my mother unexpectedly died some years ago, while I was in California, I was upset and disappointed and all that, but nevertheless a certain calm, a certain peace reigned within my soul and I was able to handle the situation wisely.
I can still remember those around me wondering how I was so calm, but that wasn’t my doing, my soul was simply flooded with God’s peace, and was I ever surprised by it.
Listen to Isaiah again on the subject. ‘And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.’ (Is.32:17)
Mama Mia! What an awesome promise from our awesome God! But how many of us know about it eh, or even choose to take it up? Not many enough!
And we’ll close with this quote from Jesus Himself, the giver of all peace. He said it thus to the disciples. ‘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)
Friends, if that doesn’t touch our hearts and wake us up, then I don’t know what else will. If the Prince of Peace offers you His peace, then that should close the deal right there and then. And please note, it’s an entirely different kind of peace to what the world has to offer.
But mankind is so taken up with its own vain and futile self that we’re foolishly bypassing the very peace that we seek, and the consequences will be tragic if we continue to ignore the peace offered by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Please let that be warning to us. Much LOVE!
…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…
30 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: actions, alcohol, alcoholic beverages, as wise, attitudes, be filled with the Spirit, be not drunk with wine, Beelzebub, being a witness, character, Christians, disaster, dissipation, drinking champagne, drunk, drunk or sober, everybody black up, exposing sins, fellowship, filled by the Spirit, Friday chant, frivolities, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, giving thanks, gospel truth, Granny's advice, high class ones, hymns, I made it through, in Jesus' name, intoxicated, Jesus Christ, licentious celebrations, Lucifer, making melody, making the most of every opportunity, mind yuh business, New Year's Eve, not as fools, one drumbeat, one leader, partying, perilous morally, ps and qs, psalms, redeeming the time, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, sinful times, singing, smiling from ear to ear, snow, spiritual songs, submitting yourselves, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the fear of God, the Holy Spirit, the lost, the Most High God jehovah, the will of the Lord, thoughts, under the influence, virtues, walk circumspectly, waters flowing, wherein is excess, wisdom, your generous help
Ephesians 5:18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation): but be filled with the Spirit.
Aw shucks friends, is it Friday already? It surely is. But that’s what happens when you only work three days of the week, you don’t realize that time is flying by. And please be careful out on the roads this morning because some snow fell again last night. Steups! Like it’s becoming a regular habit now! A li’l bit every night now.
But that doesn’t stop the Friday workers posse from enthusiastically declaring: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday…And New Year’s Eve Friday too! So you can imagine the partying! Brother! Waters flowing for so…an’ everybody black up! With the high class ones and them drinking champagne to ring in the New Year!
But regardless of what yuh drinking, you have plenty time to drink it, because is another long weekend. No work till Tuesday! Mama Yo! Thank the Lord for Fridays and long weekends yes!’
And all of that is gospel truth my people. There will be more drinking this New Year’s weekend than at any other time of the year. And we certainly need to remember Granny’s wise advice: ‘Sonny Boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’
Yes friends, because at this time of year, Lucifer is smiling from ear to ear, knowing that the probability of getting into our lives is much higher than normal with all the licentious celebrations planned for it.
So let’s chant our Friday Chant which gives us a different and better perspective on how to use our weekends. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
It’s three days this weekend, but that scenario does make more sense, and is a better-balanced way of life, which we need if we’re going to succeed in this crazy, ungodly world.
That brings us to our rather appropriate and explicit Bit. (smile) ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation): but be filled with the Spirit.’ Ah friends, it couldn’t be any more explicit than that!
But before we get into our Bit, let’s look at a few verses before it. Bruh Paul told the Ephesians quite openly. ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.’ (Eph.5:15-17)
Yes my fellow believers, we have to be very careful how we live in these wicked and sinful times. Now here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘5:16. Redeeming the time (or “making the most of every opportunity”).
Contextually, the specific opportunity in view is that of exposing the sins of the lost and being a witness to them. Because the days are evil assigns a reason to seize each opportunity. It is because the sins being committed during these days are so evil.’ And are they ever!
‘5:17. Wherefore looks back to the evil days of verse 16. Since the current age is so perilous morally, Christians must clearly understand what the will of the Lord is.’
Then Bruh Paul got into our Bit. And the scholars provide an interesting explanation of it.
‘5:18. This verse gives an example of what is and what is not the Lord’s will (v.17). Believers are not allowed to be intoxicated with alcoholic beverages; the reason for this prohibition is wherein is excess; that is drunkenness leads to moral intemperance.
This is clearly contrary to God’s will. His will is that Christians be filled with (by) the Spirit; that is, they are to allow Him to fill them with God’s own life, character and virtues.
The analogy between these two moral states is this: a person filled with wine is under its influence; similarly, a Christian is filled with the Spirit when He (the Holy Spirit) controls his thoughts, attitudes, and actions.’
And it all makes a whole lotta sense, for who wants to be controlled by alcohol eh, when the Holy Spirit of the Most High God Jehovah can successfully control us!
Okay, so a small portion likes the control of the alcohol, but that’s not wisdom my brethren, because then you have no idea of what you’re doing, and it will eventually lead to some serious disaster. That’s definitely not the will of the Lord for His people.
Now let’s continue with Bruh Paul’s spiel to the Ephesians, re what they should be doing. ‘Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph.5:19-21)
Yes precious people of God, those are the kinds of things expected of us! It doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, but we need to have our p’s and q’s about us if we don’t want to succumb to Beelzebub’s evil and sinful frivolities.
So please let’s think sensibly about what kind of New Year’s Eve we are going to have nuh…whether we will bow to Lucifer or to Jesus Christ. I’m depending on us to make the right decision. Much LOVE!
…a man can only march to one drumbeat at a time…likewise…he can only have one Leader at a time…
23 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: back on his feet, birth of Jesus Christ, blessed, boggles my imagination, Boxing Day, call me blessed, catch us offside, Christian perspective, Christmas, drinking, drinks flowing like water, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, eating, Elisabeth, exalt, exalted the lowly, faith, fellowship, fervent, filled the hungry, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, gift giving, Granny's advice, handmaiden, heartrending prayer, hunting spree, imagery, in God my Saviour, it's Christ's birthday, looking over we shoulder, LOVE, magnitude of Mary's faith, Mary, massa, memorable day, mercy, my soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit hath rejoiced, Old Statesman, party everlasting, partying, praising the Lord, put donw the mighty, reason for the season, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, scattered the proud, secular time, shopping, song of praise, spiritual time, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the evil one, the food, the Holy Ghost, the imagination of their hearts, the light shining in the dark, the low estate, the Magnificat, the prominent figure, the rich sent away empty, the sun rises, the wisdom of God, them that fear him, weekend, wrapping gifts
Luke 1:46. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord.
Well friends, all the excitement of the Christmas season is finally coming to a head. Soon the shopping and the wrapping of gifts will end and the partying will start in earnest. Hn! That is if it hasn’t begun already.
And you know Sunday is the worst day that Christmas can fall on in terms partying, because a lot of people will be off from Friday to Wednesday, so that they can have the Christmas and Boxing Day Holidays to which they are entitled.
However, let’s hope that the real reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ shines through it all, and we don’t simply make this most memorable day merely a secular time of eating, drinking and gift giving. Now those things are an important part of it, but not the MOST important. We have to get in some spiritual time in there too.
But no doubt by the time the sun rises in the east this morning, we’re going to hear the myriad voices declaring ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! And Christmas Friday to boot! We have almost a whole week to do what we want! No massa looking over we shoulder and giving us a setta chupid orders!
The drinks will be flowing like water, and the Christmas food… Oh Lord! Look how it spread out and looking pretty nuh! Oh thank you Lord for this Friday that falls in the Christmas weekend! Is party everlasting!’
Ah mih people, let’s hope that’s not how most of us see it. Jesus has to be light shining in the dark, the prominent figure, because it’s His birthday.
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant which is not devoid of good times, but has a more moderate and Christian perspective. In unison 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.’
Ah mih breddren, this weekend we have more than two short days off yes, so please let’s use them wisely and remember Granny’s saying: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’
Because for certain sure the evil one will be out on a serious hunting spree this long weekend, especially since we celebrating Christ’s birth. He won’t desire anything better than to catch a few of us offside. So please be careful.
Now we come to a piece of news that’s not so great. I’m hearing this kind of thing too often these days yes. I just heard today that another of our Scrip-Bit family, Keith Noel, had a massive stroke in Jamaica some three weeks ago.
Apparently his brother had died a few days earlier and he took it so hard that it brought on the stroke. So he couldn’t go to his brother’s funeral. Ah Lord eh! But the good news is that he was allowed out for two hours to celebrate his 40th wedding anniversary. Glory be!
Oh friends, please let’s send up some fervent heartrending prayers for our family member Keith, hoping that he will soon be back on his feet, praising the Lord for His goodness. It’s the least we can do.
Finally, let’s turn to our Bit for today, the faithful and amazing words of the teenaged girl Mary, so rightly chosen it seems to be Christ’s mother. I guess the Lord would not have made a mistake there at all. (smile)
‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord.’
Yuh know people, every time I consider the magnitude of Mary’s faith at so tender an age, in those dark and difficult times, it just boggles my imagination. But listen to her song of praise after she joyfully accepts her upcoming role with all the enormous problems it entailed.
She begins with our Bit, then gladly declares: ‘And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly state) of his handmaiden (maid servant): for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones), and exalted them of low degree (the lowly). He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.’ (Luke 1:47-55)
Oh friends, can you imagine a young girl speaking such enlightened words. The Holy Ghost must surely have been upon her to bring out that kind of reaction. And what we just read is known as ‘the Magnificat.’
The scholars tell us that it’s ‘based on the first word of the Latin translation (the Vulgate). It is rich in Old Testament imagery: Jesus’ coming was the fulfillment of Old Testament promises.’ And indeed it was my fellow believers!
After Mary’s declaration, the Good Book tells us: ‘And Mary abode with her (Elisabeth) about three months, and returned to her own house.’ (Luke 1:56)
Yuh see the wisdom of our God at work! He left Mary to bond with Elisabeth, to give her the required strength and whatever else she may have needed to perform the task He had set before her. And He does the same thing up to this day my people. He never gives us a task to do without giving us the wherewithal to do it.
So please, let’s learn from Mary, and instead of complaining and carrying on about our God-given tasks, let’s rejoice and give Him praise instead nuh, especially in this wonderful Christmas Season. Much LOVE!
…there is no other God besides ours…great, faithful, LOVING and true…
16 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fine time, a modicum of circumspection, Absalom, another week of work, arrive late, buckler, Christ-like, Controller, crazies, Creator, cries, David, day of trouble, defense, deliverance, deliverer, encouragement, enemies, eternal life, fellowship, fortress, Friday chant, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, God's help, God's plan, headway, henchmen, high tower, honesty, hope of salvation, horn, I am helped, I will praise him, I will trust, in Jesus' name, let it snow, Lord God Jehovah, LOVE, loving presence, mercy, moderation, my heart greatly rejoices, my heart trusted in him, my shield, naked trees, on which side his bread was buttered, our walk with Christ, party inside, passionate, physically, ponder, prayers, put our best foot forward, refreshed, refuge, relaxation, renewed, rest, Rock, salvation, Saul, saved from mine enemies, security, shield, sing of thy power, snow, spiritually, strong voice, stronghold, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thanksgiving, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, The Lord is my strength, the northern climes, the protection of Almighty God, the weekend, the wind howling, times of trouble, Toronto, truth, warm nest, wisdom, with my song, worthy to be praised, zenith
Psalm 28:7. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
And then it was Friday… And the snow not joking at all nuh friends; it had Toronto all snarled and tied up again yesterday evening and last night. Hn! It took one friend, several hours to get home in what would normally be a forty-five minute drive. But that’s the price you pay for living in the northern climes.
In my area though, the snow didn’t fall till later in the night, but the wind was a howling all day long! I wanted to go out the street, but when I heard the wind and saw what it was doing to the poor, naked trees, I decided to stay in my warm nest instead. What I wanted to do, could certainly wait for a better weather day. (smile)
And this Friday morning there are going to be more difficulties on the road again. So please my people, leave home early and take your time on the road. Watch out for the crazies! They say it’s better to arrive late, than not arrive at all.
And what amazes me, is that rain, shine or snow, nothing stops the weekenders from singing their li’l ditty. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday…and we have the weekend to we selves! As the song says, let it snow, let it snow, for all we care.
A fine time is going to be had by all! We can’t go outside, so we going to party inside! Thank God for weekends and Fridays yes!’
Ah mih people, the party life is nice for a little while, but it soon kills you, both spiritually and physically when you overdo it. What we need to do is to have a modicum of circumspection in our activities, like our Friday Chant says.
Let’s chant it now nuh, in strong voice, truly believing that what we’re declaring is the best way to handle the weekend. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes friends, that is indeed the best way to navigate our weekends; a little bit of everything, everything in moderation, because we need to be fresh, energetic and passionate come Monday morning. And how can we mange that eh?
Listen to our Bit from Psalm 28 – Bruh David’s prayer for God’s help. ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.’
What a strong and unwavering declaration my fellow believers! Can we make such a declaration in all truth and honesty? We ought to, if we are true followers of Jesus Christ. Bruh David knew on which side his bread was buttered after doing so much running from his enemies, like Saul and his own son Absalom.
Yeh mih people, only because of his great faith and trust in the Lord God Almighty was he able to defeat or get away from his many foes. His cries and prayers in times of trouble had not gone unanswered; therefore he placed his ultimate hope of salvation in the hands of the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
And so should we friends, because He is the ONLY ONE who can offer true salvation and a wonderful eternal life in His awesome and LOVING presence.
Now let’s check out some scriptures that corroborate our Bit, beginning of course with Bruh David’s famous words from Psalm 18 – Thanksgiving for deliverance.
‘The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold).’ (Ps.18:2)
Oh friends, how good that makes a believer feel, knowing that the Lord God Jehovah is his strength and fortress, his shield and stronghold! Wow! It doesn’t get any better than that! How could it eh, when the Creator and Controller of the universe is your safe refuge and helps you fight your battles?
Now hear Bruh David again from Psalm 59, another prayer for deliverance, this time when Saul sent his henchmen to watch Bruh David’s house with the definite intent to kill him.
‘But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.’ (Ps.59:16-17)
More strong proclamation of God’s power and safe keeping my brethren! And you know, until we come to that point in our Christian walk, when we can sincerely declare those things, we’ll not be taking full advantage of all that God has provided for us.
Remember God’s basic plan for all of His people is to become as Christ-like as possible. Oh, He knows we’ll never attain to the level of Jesus, because He is God, but that doesn’t mean to say we can’t put our best foot forward and get as close as we humanly can.
And we’ll end with this verse of encouragement from Psalm 18: ‘I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps.18:3)
Yes friends, that’s wisdom at its zenith! So please, let’s take some time to ponder our walk with Christ today nuh, see how far along we are, and if we are making good headway, and as always, ask for God’s help. You know He’ll never refuse it. Much LOVE!
…there’s no better feeling of security…than walking under the protection of Almighty God…
09 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a castaway, backbone, believers in Jesus Christ, belly, boxers, can't stop the party, Canada, Christian ministry, daily struggle, dampen, discipline, disqualified, earthly pilgrimage, endures to the end, essentail, evil, fight the good fight, finished my course, fleshly temptations, forfeiting rewards, fought a good fight, Friday chant, friends, fun, gay abandon, generous help, glorious kingdom, icy sections, immortal words, in Jesus' name, iniquity, Isthmian Games, Jesus Christ, kept the faith, LOVE, lusts of the flesh, maturing, meekness, not easy, ox-hide, patience, perseverance, relaxation, rest, rewards, righteousness., salvation, shall be saved, sin, snow, snowfall, spiritual life, steadfastness, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the LOVE of money, the righteous path, the song of the heathen, the song of the righteous, the victor's crown, trials, tribulations, week of work, weekend, weekend enthusiasm, wintertime
2 Timothy 4:7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.
Ah mih people, at long last a semi-serious snowfall has hit my area. Chuh! And the time was going by so nicely! But that’s the nature of this good country Canada; wintertime means snow is very likely to disrupt the situation. (smile)
However, it wasn’t too bad a snowstorm, and hopefully by now the roads would have been cleared and salted. But still, please be careful if you have to drive because there is liable to be some icy sections out there.
And you’d think that the snow would dampen the weekend enthusiasm…not on yuh life! The shouting of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday, and the weekend is upon us!’ still rings out. ‘A li’l snow can’t stop the party. We’ll just have to stay inside and keep warm, while the drinks and whatnot flow! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’
Now that’s the song of the heathen, let’s sing that of the righteous; our Friday Chant, with as much, if not more verve and enthusiasm than the heathen. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh friends, that’s a much better way of handling the weekend, than simply giving into the lusts of the flesh and celebrating with gay abandon.
Anyway, let’s turn to our Bit; Bruh Paul’s immortal words, for the last time. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’
Oh precious people of God, it is essential that we believers in Jesus Christ, fight a good fight against the evil of this world! The world will not simply allow us to live our lives according to God’s will, because it doesn’t fit into their programme of sin and iniquity.
That means, at each and every chance they get, they will try to dissuade us from following the righteous path with lustful and fleshly temptations. But we have to learn to resist it.
As we saw Bruh Paul tell the Corinthians yesterday: ‘But I keep under (discipline) my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’ (1 Cor.9:27)
And I worked that verse in there because I want to share a very interesting explanation of the scholars on it. ‘9:27. I keep under my body (i.e. discipline my body): The expression I keep under loses much of the original sense. It has the idea of to “give one a black eye,” “buffet,” or “bruise.”
Paul’s readers knew that in the Isthmian Games, the boxers wore gloves consisting of ox-hide hands covered with knots and nails, and loaded with lead and iron. To prepare for such an event, a man would have to brace himself to endure all forms of physical abuse.
Lest that by any means …I myself should be a castaway (lit. “So that …I myself should not be disqualified”): Paul was afraid of losing his salvation: his subject is still Christian liberty. The point is that the believer must discipline himself to avert both being disqualified from Christian ministry, and forfeiting the rewards for such service.’
Oh friends, can you imagine the bloodied bodies of the boxers in those olden times. One would have to be very brave and single minded to take part in such a carnal sport. But that’s the kind of mentality we need to have to fight off the temptations of this world and eventually win the victor’s crown.
We can’t afford to be disqualified from Christ’s ministry and also lose the rewards earned through doing it. Now hear what Bruh Paul told Timothy in his first message re the good fight of faith.
‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things: and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim.6:11-12)
And the scholars explain: ‘6:11. Flee these things means shun a LOVE for money (v.10) and the striving for material wealth (v.9) with all its resulting woes. Follow after means pursue. Righteousness is practical correctness, conforming to God’s will in one’s thinking and acting.
Godliness is proper reverence for, and obedience to God. Faith is a trust in God that grows stronger. LOVE is a maturing affection for God and man. Patience is perseverance or steadfastness in life and service. Meekness is gentleness.’
‘6:12. The good fight concerns the daily struggle with sin in the Christian life, and the hardships and adversities in the ministry. A genuine believer demonstrates the reality of his faith by being engaged in this warfare.
Lay hold on eternal life does not negate the fact that a believer now possesses spiritual life (John 3:36); rather, it speaks of fully realizing or appropriating salvation as the believer matures.’
Ah friends, the life of a true believer is not an easy one. As Jesus told the disciples, we’d be persecuted just for believing in Him: ‘but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ (Matt.10:22)
So it’s up to us to keep persevering, keep fighting the good fight, keep maturing, obviously with God’s help, until we reach the end and are presented with the victor’s crown.
Wow mih people! What a day that will be! It will certainly be worth all the trials and tribulations endured in this earthly pilgrimage! Much LOVE!
…to fight the good fight successfully…one must have plenty belly and backbone…
02 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a wild and wicked weekend, Aloha, an excuse to party, another week of work, balance, be exceeding glad, behaviour we display, beloved, blessed, blessedness, celebrate the birth of Christ, character, Christ's work, Christ-like, Christian, Christmas Season, Christmas time, close proximity to God, debauchery, dispossess the child of God, each step I take, eat and drink and party, eternal destiny, evil, excellent manner, experience, exult, faith, falsely, fellowship, fiery trial, for my sake, Friday chant, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, glory in tribulations, God is real, God's deliverance, godly manner, grace, grow in faith, hope, I made it through, in Jesus' name, joy, justified, licentiousness, LOVE, patience, peace with God, persecute you, persecuted the prophets, perseverance, poured out, put through the fire, reconciliation, rejoice, rejoice in hope, relaxation, rest, restoration of our souls, revile you, reward in heaven, safely, salvation, shed abroad, some strange thing happened to you., TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thanks, the Beatitudes, the glory of God, the Holy Ghost, the LOVE of God, the reason for the season, the salvation of Christ Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount, think it not strange, to test our mettle, to try you, trials, tribulation, truth, vitality, words we speak, working for Jesus, worth its salt
1 Peter 4:12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.
Aloha friends, and family, Aloha! Is Friday one more time… And as expected, the place is already hopping in expectation of a wild and wicked weekend, especially with Christmas time in the air.
Yeh, mih people, all around the place yuh hearing the usual ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Thank God for the weekend in this Christmas season, where we going to eat and drink and party fuh so…and even fall down drunk sometimes too! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend, come Christmas time!’
And believe me, this time when we celebrate the birth of Christ, is used to cover a lot of debauchery and licentiousness. But thankfully, we believers know better, we know the true reason for the season; the birth of Christ, and we celebrate it in a much more godly manner, don’t just use it as an excuse to party.
Anyway, since it’s Friday let’s chant our Friday Chant, which shows a better standard of behaviour in the use of the weekend. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh friends, that’s a much better way to spend the weekend, getting some balance and restoration in our souls, without which we won’t be able to do Christ’s work in the excellent manner that He expects from His followers.
Now let’s get to our Bit, which a lot of believers still can’t fathom. (smile) ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.’
Ah mih people, working for Jesus does not come easy, for at times, much of them unexpected, we are put through the fire to test our mettle, to see how our faith matches up with the words we speak and the behaviour we display. And it’s never easy to welcome these unexpected trials with the joy that is required of us.
However, as we grow in faith, as we stay in close proximity to Almighty God, taking all our problems to Him, finding joy in tribulation becomes easier. We have to go through it several times before we can truly appreciate the truth and the vitality contained therein.
Now we’ve heard James’ and Peter’s take on the subject, but no word on trials and tribulations will be worth its salt if it doesn’t contain these fiery words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome.
‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience (produces perseverance); And patience, experience (character); and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (has been poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom.5:1-5)
So friends, since we have been justified through Christ, through God’s doing, not man’s, and thus have right standing with Him through reconciliation, we can therefore rejoice in whatever befalls us, because we are sure of God’s deliverance.
Hn! Hope that makes sense. (smile) That’s why Bruh Paul says we can glory, can boast in all the negative stuff that comes upon us, since they only grow us, make us stronger in our faith, bring us closer to God and more Christ-like, which is our end-goal.
Now here is the crowning glory of it all, found in the words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ that He delivered in the Sermon on the Mount. This is the last of the Beatitudes, and I don’t know if Jesus had a special reason for putting it last, possibly because He knew that it would be the hardest one to live by.
Nonetheless, please listen closely my brethren. ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’ (Matt.5:11-12)
And the scholars give us this interesting and uplifting explanation. ‘5:12. Rejoice is the command that grows out of the blessedness of the believer. The phrase Rejoice, and be exceeding glad means even more, exult!
Great is your reward in heaven focuses attention on the eternal destiny of all things. If God is as real as He claims, if the Bible is true, if heaven is to be gained, then no temporary earthly trouble or persecution can dispossess the child of God of joy in the prospect of the eternal glory that lies ahead.’
Oh friends, we know that our wonderful God is real, He is who He claims to be, plus the Bible is true, so no earthly trouble should take away our joy in the salvation of Christ Jesus!
So let’s go out today and just exult nuh; exult in the glory of God, knowing that our place in heaven is safe and secure! That’s what it means to be a true and mature Christian! Much LOVE!
…mourning may last for a night…but joy comes in the morning…because our faith is strong…and Christ’s salvation is real…
P.S. I visited our bubba Scotty yesterday afternoon. He is doing much better. He says he’s alive but can’t kick too hard just yet. (smile) So let’s keep on praying for him to make a full recovery very soon. Much LOVE!
25 Nov 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all my members, animalistic, any wicked way in me, Black Friday, Boxing Day, commercialism, communication, contrived, down on our luck, endearments, everyday lives, false, fearfully, fellowship, formed my inward parts, frailties, Friday chant, friends, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, gracious, how precious thy thoughts unto me, in Jesus' name, indisputable truth, jump to out rescue, know my heart, know my thoughts, lead me, leggo beasts, licentiousness, life plan, LOVE, loving kindness, loving thoughts of God, made in secret, marvellous are thy works, merciful, more in number, motives, my mother's womb, O Lord, on sale, outward behaviour, party hearty, possessed my reins, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, safely, sand, search me, searches our hearts, shop till we drop, shopping in the U.S, sincere, sincerity, skillfully wrought, sopping day, state of our hearts, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, Thanksgiving Day, the sum of them, the way everlasting, think of God, thou hast searched me, treasure chest, true intentions, truth, try me, understand God, unformed, unison, week of work, weekends, wonderfully made, you know me
Psalm 139:1. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
So it’s Friday once again, and the roar of the working people is in full swing: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and in particular Black Friday! We going to shop till we drop, then we going to party most heartily! Shopping and partying…! Oh what a glorious weekend it’s gonna be! Wow! Thank God for Fridays and weekends yes!’
Ah friends, the commercialism of our society is getting from bad to worse. Steups! We’ve finally integrated another shopping day into the calendar with the woeful name of ‘Black Friday.’
It’s actually become the biggest shopping day of the year, substantially beating out the old Boxing Day affairs. And the behaviour has become downright animalistic, like leggo beasts, as we rush and shove and push and fight each other to get to the items we think we need.
Ah Lord eh! And it’s right after Thanksgiving too. Some stores open at midnight, so a lot of folks don’t even get to finish the Thanksgiving proceedings properly before they rush out to the supposed sales, to line up to buy stuff they often don’t need, and in many cases cannot afford. But it’s on sale! Chuh!
Even in Canada it’s taken on a life of its own; I’ve never heard so many Black Friday ads like this year. I guess that’s because the Canadian proprietors don’t want the Canadians to go shopping down in the U.S.; they’d much prefer them to spend their dollars up here. Hn!
What a life eh! Anyway, for those of us who don’t allow the commercialism and licentiousness to get to us, we have our Friday Chant to bolster our emotions. So let’s chant it in sincerity and unison nuh.
‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Now that’s a much better way to view the weekend, especially this Black Friday madness. And our Bit is the same as yesterday: ‘O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.’
And that’s indisputable truth my brethren, for our God searches and knows the hearts of all His people, all His creation! It’s on the basis of the state of our hearts that He operates, not from our outward behaviour, since that outward show can quite easily be false and contrived and not reflect the true intentions and motives of our hearts.
And today we’ll look at the section where Bruh David talks about God creating him. ‘For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered (weaved) me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right (very) well. My substance (frame, bones) was not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously (skillfully) wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unformed); and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned (the days fashioned for me), when as yet they were none of them.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps.139:13-18)
Yeh friends, our magnanimous and omnipotent God originated us in our mothers’ wombs, knew exactly how we’d turn out, wrote down our life plan in His book before we were even fully formed, as He watched us grow in delight.
He knows all of our frailties, because He created us with them. And there’s not a moment that goes by and He doesn’t think worthily and beautifully of us, His most wonderful creation.
As Bruh David says, those kindly and LOVING thoughts of our merciful and gracious God are more than sand in number. Wow! That just goes to show how much He thinks of us.
Now the resulting and very important question is how much do we think about Him? Yes my people, how much do we consider our great and wonderful God in our everyday lives eh?
For many of us, the answer is that we don’t think about Him enough. We only seem to remember Him when we are down on our luck, or want something. Then we rush to Him with all sorts of untrue endearments, and expect Him to jump to our rescue right away.
But unfortunately, that’s not the way our God works. He expects continuous and sincere communication, from a true heart, before He opens up His treasure chest. And we’ll close with the serious and sincere words with which Bruh David closed Psalm 139.
‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps.139:23-24)
Ah friends, this Black Friday morning is a very good time for each of us to pray that prayer individually, and ask God to cleanse us of any evil ways or desires that linger in our hearts and lead us along the right path, the one which leads directly to Him and His LOVING-kindness. We couldn’t ask for anything better. Much LOVE!
…to know… and to understand God…one must have frequent and sincere communication with Him…
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