09 Aug 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a name written, according to the riches of his grace, at the name of Jesus, be made the righteousness of God in Christ, become the righteousness of God in him, beside me there is no God, bestowed grace on us, carry them in his bosom, celebrates Jesus as our blessed redeemer, Chester G Allen, Christ is coming, crown him, every knee should bow, every tongue confess, faith, Fanny Crosby, feed his flock like a shepherd, for our sins he suffered and bled and died, gather the lambs with his arm, Gentiles brought into God's fold, gently lead those that are with young, give thanks and praise, given him a name above every other name, God also highly exalted him, God made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, God's worthy to be praised, gospel truth, hail him, he hath made him to be sin for us, he hath on his vesture and on his thigh, he our rock, he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, heard the voice of many angelsround about the throne, heavenly portals, highest archangels in glory, his redeemer, His wonderful love proclaim, holy spirit, I am the first and I am the last, I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and are known of mine, I know that my Redeemer lives, I will call upon the Lord, in his arms he carries them all day long, in whom I will trust, in whom we have redemption through his blood, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father, Jesus Christ sacrificed, Jesus our Blessed Redeemer., Jesus reigneth for ever and ever, Jesus Saviour, Jesus the crucified, Jesus who bore our sorrows, Jesus will guard his children, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, like a shepherd, loud with hosannas ring, LOVE, love unbounded, made us accepted in the beloved, mercy, my buckler, my deliverer, my high tower, our hope of eternal salvation, over the world victorious, power and glory unto the Lord belong, Praise Him Praise Him, praises Jesus' amazing gifts of salvation and redemption, Prophet and priest and king, recognize the goodness and greatness of jesus, reconcile us back to Himself, salvation, saved from mine enemies, set us free from the bondage of sin, sing O earth, sound his praises, strength and honour give to his name, sweet sacrifices of praise, the forgiveness of sins, the four and twenty elders, the God of the whole earth, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the greatest gift ever to mankind, the Holy One of Israel, the horn of my salvation, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, the Lord of hosts, the Lord's Day, the redeemer of all men, the righteous judge, thy Redeemer, to receive power and riches, to the praise of the glory of his grace, truth, unto him that sitteth on the throne, unto the Lamb for ever and ever, wisdom, worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever, worthy is the lamb that was slain
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2026 Ephesians 1:7.
Ephesians 1:7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
A new day has dawned bright and sunshiny my people! It’s also the first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, and thankfully we’re still alive to enjoy it. So, it’s our bounden duty then to attend the Lord’s sanctuary so we can give thanks and praise for all the good things He’s done for us, especially the offering of His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to pay for our abominable sins! It’s the greatest gift ever given to mankind! And today’s song of worship is one that addresses that very fact. It’s most appropriately titled ‘Praise Him, Praise Him,’ one of the many hymns of the blind American hymn writer Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), written in 1869, with the musical tune composed by Chester G. Allen.
The hymn celebrates Jesus as our “blessed Redeemer” and praises his amazing gifts of salvation and redemption. Let’s therefore offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a heartfelt, mid-tempo version of the song, ensuring that all who hear us know that we’re truly sincere in our praise! Singing: ‘Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Sing, O earth – his wonderful LOVE proclaim! Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory, Strength and honor give to his holy name! Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children – In his arms he carries them all day long:
(Refrain: Praise him! Praise him! tell of his excellent greatness! Praise him! Praise him! ever in joyful song!) Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins he suffered and bled and died; He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation, Hail him! hail him! Jesus the Crucified! Sound his praises – Jesus who bore our sorrows – LOVE unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong: [Refrain] Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring! Jesus, Savior, reigneth for ever and for ever, Crown him! crown him! Prophet and Priest and King! Christ is coming, over the world victorious – Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong: [Refrain]’
Oh my brethren, all of heaven sang along with us, because they too recognize the goodness and greatness of Jesus and also wanted to offer their own sacrifices of praise. And truthfully, there’s no praise that we can ever offer that can truly capture the awesome sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, offering up His sinless life, taking our sins, so that we could become the righteousness of God. As Bruh Paul says in 2 Corinthians: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ.’ (2 Cor.5:21)
Yes friends, we’re declared righteous in God’s eyes based on the merits of Christ’s work. As the song so rightly says: ‘Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins he suffered and bled and died;’ Job said it long ago: ‘For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day (at last) upon the earth.’ (Job 19:25) Meanwhile Isaiah writes: ‘Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.’ (Is. 44:6) And again: ‘For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.’ (Is. 54:5)
And Isaiah is there prophesying about the Lord becoming both the Maker and husband of the Gentiles, the Redeemer of all men, while also being the Holy One of Israel. Therefore, He is the God of the whole earth. And after Christ’s sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, the Gentiles were indeed brought into the fold of Almighty God, starting with the amazing zeal and hard work of Bruh Paul, whom the Christ sent to preach especially to the Gentiles. That’s why in the letter to the Ephesians, he could say of God: ‘To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved (bestowed grace or favour on us). In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:6-7)
Yes mih bredrin, it was all the Lord’s doing through His wonderful LOVE for His human creation. He sent Jesus to die on the cross so that His blood could redeem us, set us free from the bondage of sin, and reconcile us back to himself. That’s why He’s so worthy of our praise and LOVE, and the psalmist could rightly declare: ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout hallelujah). Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power (mighty firmament). Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness…. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (shout hallelujah).’ (Ps. 150:1-2,6)
Then we have that beautiful imagery in the song: ‘Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children – In his arms he carries them all day long:’ Jesus indeed referred to Himself as a shepherd: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) Which is exactly what He did on the cross of Calvary. Then later he also declared: ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:14) More gospel truth again, for Jesus does indeed know all those who truly know Him as Lord and Saviour. And way back when Isaiah also referred to the Lord as a shepherd. ‘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. 40:11)Yes, the Lord takes good care of His people like a shepherd takes good care of his sheep.
And there’s absolutely no doubt that ‘Jesus is our Rock, and our hope of eternal salvation.’ Bruh David says it so eloquently in Psalm 18: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. 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). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3) And that’s what he did, and the Lord saved him from His enemies. And since the Lord doesn’t change, if He did it for Bruh David, then He will also do it for all who sincerely call upon His Holy Name for help!
Meanwhile because of Jesus’ sacrifice, the Lord ‘Hath also 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.’ (Phill. 2:9-11) And then, when Jesus comes as the righteous Judge, the Bible says: ‘And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:16)
And there’s also joy and singing in heaven, ‘Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!’ when ‘ John says in Revelation: ‘And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts (living creatures) and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessings, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts (living creatures) said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. ’ (Rev. 5:11-14)
Yes my people, that’s only a foretaste of how it will really be. Much LOVE!
…our great Godhead…Father, Son and Holy Ghost…are indeed worthy of all our praise…and even more…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Jun 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bunch of ungrateful sinners, a living hope, a spoiled child, abundant life, according to His abundant mercy, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, ask anything that's in God's will, be able to comfort them which are in trouble, be my Helper, Bless His Holy Name, bless the Lord oh my soul, blessed be God, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, camp beneth the Lord's umbrella, carry them in his bosom, challenging, compassionate, crowneth thee with loving-kindness, delights in giving His Children good things, faith, feed his flock like a shepherd, foolish tears, forget not all his benefits, forgive my vain grasping, forgiveth all thine iniquities, friendly God, full of adventure, gather the lambs with his arm, genreous, gently lead those that are with young, gets whatever he asks for, guide me all my life, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, healeth all thy diseases, hold me, holy spirit, hurry, I resisted, I struggled, in god's eyes, Jehovah God is the greatest, Jesus Christ, kept by the power of God, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, light in the darkness, lock stock and barrel, Lord You LOVE to Say Yes, LOVE, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, my Friend, no better way to live, obedient to God's demands, ready to be revealed in the last time, redeemeth thy life from destruction, reserved in heaven for you, run and not be weary, salvation, satisfieth thy mouth with good things, seize me, share His love with my neighbours, shattered, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, steady me when I staggered, take us home when we lose our way, tender mercies, that fadeth not away, the awesome truth, the beloved of God, the easy yoke of christ, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, the One and Only True God, the resurrection of the dead, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, thread my tears into a song, through faith unto salvation, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, torn with grief, transitory change, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Manrta, undisturbable joy, value God's guidance, walk and not faint, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, willful pride, windstorm, wisdom, with your wisdom, worry, you said yes, your captivating love, your counsel
Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 June 2026 Psalm 103:5.
Psalm 103:5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
So we’ve conquered Monday and come to Tuesday; a sunny and mild though somewhat windy day, but definitely nothing like it was for the couple of days last week. That was a windstorm, this is just a decent wind. (smile) And today we’ll look at a wonderful poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin titled ‘Lord, You LOVE to Say Yes.’ I believe I’ve shared it before, but I also think it’s time to share it again, because it’s so beautiful and truthful. (smile)
So, please read with me: ‘Lord, I asked You for abundant life Rich, challenging, full of adventure And You said yes. I asked You for an undisturbable joy Independent of transitory change And You said Yes. I asked you to thread my tears into a song when I was shattered and torn with grief and You said Yes. I asked you to steady me when I staggered – To hold me when I struggled To seize me when I resisted And You said Yes.
I asked You to forgive my vain grasping My foolish fears, my willful pride And You said yes. I asked You to be my Helper, my Friend My light in the darkness And You said Yes. I asked You to guide me all my life With Your wisdom, Your counsel Your captivating LOVE And You said Yes. Sometimes, Lord I feel like a spoiled child Who gets whatever he asks for. You overwhelm me with joy For You LOVE to say Yes!’
And isn’t that the awesome truth when we ask for anything that’s in His will? It certainly is! Yes friends, we have a wonderful, generous, compassionate, LOVING and friendly God, who delights in giving His children good things. And if we are living in His will and are being obedient to His demands, then why wouldn’t He be generous, especially when we ask for things like His wisdom, His counsel and His captivating LOVE, which show that we truly value His guidance. As well as to be our friend, our helper and our light in the darkness, for those are all major aspects of the relationship the Lord desires to have with us.
It’s like Bruh David says in Psalm 103, from which the scripture promise for today’s poem comes. ‘He declares; ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with LOVING-KINDNESS and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:1-5)
Oh my people, that is the good and great God that we serve, who always desires for us to the abundant life for which His Son, Jesus Christ, died for us to have. And by the way, that last verse is the Bible promise for today’s poem. And Isaiah also corroborates Bruh David’s sentiments, when he declares: ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) So, if we’re wise, we’d certainly camp beneath the Lord’s umbrella, so we can enjoy all the good things He has in store for us.
And we know how He just LOVES to comfort us in our troubles, meet us wherever we are, ‘thread our tears into a song,’ and take us home when we lose our way or are too prideful and get lost because we choose to go our own way. Listen to how Bruh Paul puts it to the Corinthians: ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Yuh see mih people, our God is so caring and compassionate that He comforts us so that we can comfort others who need it! It’s like Isaiah says: ‘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. 40:11) That shows God’s tender and protective LOVE! Now, no other supposed God does anything like that. Our God gives and comforts, while the other supposed gods only take, with little or no desire to give to their people, or comfort them in times of sorrow. That’s why Jehovah God is the greatest!
And Peter acknowledges that when he declares: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-5)
Now which other supposed god gave up their only Son to die for a bunch of ungrateful sinners eh? None, but the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! That’s why He is the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD! The undisputed Creator, Controller and compassionate Ruler of this universe! The One who LOVES to say yes to those who seriously and sincerely worship Him in faith and truth. No wonder the wise flock to Him, so that He can spoil them and overwhelm them with unspeakable joy. (smile)
And that’s why we can declare our Tuesday Mantra with joy, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
That then means we are duty bound to go out and share the amazing friendship and LOVE of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…there’s no better way to live…than under the easy and unburdened yoke of Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all God asks of us is obedience, all should come to repentance, beelivers must now do their part, birds singing, buds on the trees, carry them in his bosom, Christ has already done his part, christianity, Christians, climate change, deepen my breath, do the work we pledged to do for Christ, Easter celebration, eternal life, eternal separation from God, faith, feed his flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, get up off our fat and lazy fannies, God commendeth his own love toward us, God is longsuffering towards us, God is not willing that any should perish, God reconciled us back to Himself, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, God so loved the world, God will bring us closer to His heart, God will come in strength, God's great love for mankind, have everlasting life, have greater intimacy with mankind, he gave his only begotten son, his arm shall rule for him, his reward is with him, his work before him, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, keeping Christ's victory alive, keeping God first place in our lives, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, like a shepherd treats his sheep, LOVE, majesty of this time, mercy, motivated by love, number one priority, our sins could be paid for, our turn to reciprocate God's love, prayer and supplication, proclaiming victory over sin and death, promises of spring, quiet my soul, rebirth of nature, relax my muscles, rose from the grave on the third day, salvation, sending Jesus to die on the cross, sinking into the mire of evil and ungodliness, slow my thoughts, souls lost forever, spend eternity in God's presence, spring has sprung, thank you for this tenderness, thanskgiving rises to the heavens, the BIBLE, the blazing new colour, the first blossoms of spring, the Lord God will come with strong hand, the world through him might be saved, treat us in a loving manner, truth, warmer days, we all have room for improvement, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, whosoever believeth in him should not perish, wisdom, with all sincerity and truth, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Romans 5:8. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’
Oh friends, it’s our lazy-day Saturday, and I’ve seen the first blossoms, the first true blooming of the marvellous season of spring! Yes, in the beautiful yellow flowers of a tree in my backyard! And please don’t ask me what kind of tree it is, because I don’t have a clue. (smile) But after all the promises of spring that’s been recently taunting us; with buds on the trees, birds singing and the days getting warmer, we can now definitely say that spring’s been sprung! Yes my fellow believers, that marvelous and miraculous rebirth of nature is truly on it’s way after a somewhat tough winter.
And truthfully, the winter was not as tough as some we use to have before climate change disrupted everything, and made us soft, after experiencing a period of easy winters. But that’s all behind us now, for spring is here and thanksgiving rises to the heavens for all the blazing new colour and majesty of this time. And in honour of all that, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth!
As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Yes mih bredrin, if our prayer was sincere, then we know that the wonderful God we serve will soon bring us closer to His heart, and bestow His wonderful peace and calm in our spirits, because His Number One priority is to have greater intimacy with His most wonderful creation, mankind! And He’s shown that in so many ways, in so many promises that if we don’t know and understand that by now, we’ll never do so.
Listen to this promise from the prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (in 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)
Now why would God make such a promise if He didn’t desire to be in close intimacy with His creation eh? His desire is to treat us in a LOVING manner like a shepherd treats his sheep. And what can be more convincing of the Lord’s great LOVE for us than His sending His son Jesus to earth to die on the cross of calvary so that our sins could be paid for, then raising Him up from the grave on the third day, at Easter, which we’re still celebrating, so that we can have the wonderful options of salvation and eternal life? That’s reconciling us back to Himself; bringing us back to his fold, and causing us to spend eternity in His awesome presence.
Yes friends, all of that was motivated by that one majestic word: LOVE! And I can’t help quoting one of my favourite scripture verses here. (smile) This one from Bruh Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, where he exposes the true and wonderful heart of God to us, when he writes: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Why would He do such a thing unless His LOVE and compassion were overwhelming for us eh?
Because, as Peter says, He ‘is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9b) Of course, the Lord doesn’t want to lose any of His magnificent creation to hellfire and damnation. Just like we don’t want to lose any of our children or descendants to it. And we do that because we have much LOVE and compassion for them, and don’t want their souls to be lost forever in eternal separation from their Creator.
And Jesus Himself explained it better than anyone else, when He said to Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who secretly came to Him under cover of night seeking answers. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world though him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
There again we see it my people, it’s all about God’s great LOVE for mankind. And you can’t have real and true LOVE unless you have a fair amount of intimacy. That’s why it’s ever so important for us to get close to our heavenly Father so that we can experience all the LOVE and compassion He has for us. He has already played and shown His hand by sending Jesus to die for us, it’s now our turn to reciprocate that LOVE by keeping Him first place in our lives and sincerely living this earthly life the way He desires. That’s all He asks of us; obedience to Him and His Word!
And though that’s sometimes difficult to do in this ungodly world with Satan and all his evil cronies on our case, the Lord has already given us all we need to fight the good fight: His Word with His many promises, the Holy Spirit that indwells us to lead, guide and comfort us, and easy access to Him though prayer and supplication. What else do we need eh? Nothing, but to get up off our fat and lazy fannies and do the work we’ve pledged to do for Christ!
And this lazy-day Saturday in the spring of 2026, is as good a day as any for us to truly contemplate how we’re living for Christ, and how we can and need to improve it, for we all have room for improvement. And my fellow believers, we all also know that our world desperately needs to see plenty improvement right now, if we’re to prevent it from further sinking into the mire of evil and ungodliness that it’s currently doing! Much LOVE!
…Christ has already done His part…proclaiming victory over sin and death…now we must do our part…keeping His victory alive…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Feb 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartfelt version of the song, a name that is above every other name, a name written, at the name of Jesus, became obedient unto death, being found in fashion as a man, blessed Redeemer, bore our sorrows, carry them in his bosom, Christ died to pay for our sins, christianity, Christians, crown him, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, every knee should bow, every tongue confess, face another week of work, faith, Fanny Crosby, feed his flock like a shepherd, fellowship, for our sins he suffered, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, give to his holy name, God hath highly exalted him, he carries them all day long, he hath on his vesture and on his thigh, he humbled himself, heavenly portals, His wonderful love proclaim, holy spirit, hope of eternal salvation, I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and are known of mine, I know that my Redeemer lives, in his arms, in joyful song, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus is Christ the Lord, Jesus our Blessed Redeemer., Jesus reigns for ever and ever, Jesus sacrificed His sinless life, Jesus the crucified, Jesus will guard his children, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, leads me beside still waters, like a shepherd, loud with hosannas ring, LOVE, love unbounded, make war with the Lamb, makes me to lie down in green pastures, mercy, my Prophet Priest and King, no other name compares to Jesus, on the cross of Calvary, our rock, praise him, Praise Him Praise Him, Praise ye the Lord, praise ye the name of the Lord, redeemed us from the curse of the law, redemption through Christ's blood, salvation, sound his praises, strength and honour, sweet sacrifices of praise, tell of his excellent greatness, the battle trenches called work, the BIBLE, the death of the cross, the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the Son of man, the son of man came not be ministered unto, to the glory of God the Father, truth, wisdom, worship in the Lord's sanctuary, ye servants of the Lord
Psalm 135:1. ‘Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.’
It’s another cold Sunday in this cold and snowy month of February friends, but let’s hope that will not stop us from congregating in worship with other believers in the Lord’s sanctuary, on this His special day. We need to give Him thanks and praise and receive His awesome grace and mercy to face another week in the battle trenches called work. (smile)
And today we have an interesting song to open our worship session. It’s one of the many from that blind but prolific American hymn writer Fanny Crosby, titled ‘Praise Him, Praise Him!’ written somewhere around 1869. The hymn celebrates Jesus as our “blessed Redeemer” and praises His amazing gifts of salvation and redemption.
So, without further ado, let’s raise our sweet sacrifices of praise to high heaven, in a soulful, mid-tempo, heartfelt version of the song, letting our exaltation of Jesus ring forth with all sincerity and truth. Singing: ‘Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Sing, O Earth, His wonderful LOVE proclaim! Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory; Strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children, In His arms He carries them all day long: (Refrain: Praise Him! praise Him! tell of His excellent greatness; Praise Him! praise Him! ever in joyful song.) Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins He suffered, and bled and died; He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation, Hail Him! hail Him!
Jesus the Crucified. Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows; LOVE unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong:(Refrain:) Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring! Jesus, Saviour, reigneth forever and ever; Crown Him! crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming! over the world victorious, Power and glory unto the Lord belong:(Refrain: Praise Him! praise Him! tell of His excellent greatness; Praise Him! praise Him! ever in joyful song. Praise Him! praise Him! Power and glory unto the Lord belong: Power and glory unto the Lord belong:’
Now that was an excellent version my people! All heaven could hear the sincerity of our praise. And there are so many scriptural references in the song, that we could spend all day and not list them all. (smile) But let’s look at the few that time and space will allow us. And we’ll begin with the first two words ‘Praise Him.’
Well friends, throughout the Bible we are encouraged to praise the Lord, for one reason or another, especially in the Psalms. And Psalm 135, opens thus: ‘Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.’ (Ps. 135:1) Meanwhile Psalms 146-150, all open with the advice to praise the Lord. So, there is very good reason to praise our great God, like Ms. Crosby contends.
Then we come to ‘Jesus our blessed Redeemer,’ and there’s absolutely no doubt that He is indeed our Redeemer, having sacrificed His sinless life on the cross of Calvary to pay our sin debt. He is the one that’s caused us to have the option of salvation and eternal life. And we have this great prophetic reference of Job, to Christ as the ultimate Redeemer, when He declares to his friends: ‘For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter (last) day upon the earth.’ (Job 19:25)
Meanwhile in the New Testament there are several scriptures which talk about Jesus as our Redeemer. Listen to Bruh Paul to the Galatians: ‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse (having become) a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.’ (Gal. 3:13) Christ became cursed as He took our sins on His sinless shoulders.
And Bruh Paul writes thus to the Ephesians: ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:7) There it’s stated that redemption was through His blood, and there are several places where Jesus’ redemptive work was seen as paying a ransom for us. Jesus Himself said it in the gospel of Matthew when talking to the disciples about the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ‘Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (be served) but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (Matt. 20:28)
Then we come to this verse that says: ‘Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children, In His arms He carries them all day long:’ And that’s the gospel truth! Isaiah made that reference to the Lord carrying sheep in His arms like a shepherd. ‘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. 40:11)
And we all know that Bruh David spoke of the Lord as his shepherd in that famous Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.’ (Ps. 23:1-2) So the reference to Jesus as a shepherd of His flock is indeed a very appropriate one, as He also referred to Himself as a shepherd. ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep…I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:11&14)
Then the song says: ‘Jesus, Saviour, reigneth forever and ever; Crown Him! crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!’ And so we ought to, because He’s been exalted for His obedience to the Father’s will. As Bruh Paul writes to the Philippians: ‘And (Jesus) being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient even 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)
And not only that but He’s also been given the titles of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Revelation tells us that ‘These (pagan kings) shall make war with the Lamb, and the lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.’ (Rev. 17:14) And for further info on that, we can turn to Revelation 19, where in speaking of Jesus battle gear, it says: ‘And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:16)
Now that puts paid to the whole scenario, for He will be coming in all His glory, with might and power. To claim Hic victory! Let’s hope and pray that we will be there to receive and honour Him like we ought to. Much LOVE!
…there’s no other name that compares to Jesus’…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a flaw in our prayer, a new flock of believers, acclamation of our faith, all things work together for good, be content with such things as ye have, be of good cheer, be reminded of our previous struggles, be responsible, be strong and of a good courage, by the example we faithful believers set, can wake up and smell the coffee, carry them in his bosom, comfort ye my people, crying out for your help, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, discontent, dissatisfaction, divine help, drag us back into medieval times, embrace your love and compassion, faith, fear not, feed his flock like a shepherd, fellowship, Friday chant, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, God will continue empowering us, God's omnipotent help, Halloween Day, his arm shall rule for him, his reward is with him, his work before him, holy spirit, I am the good shepherd, I am with you, i have overcome the world, I know my sheep and are known of mine, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, I will not fear what man can do to me, improve our witness, in me you might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus Christ, keep you in all places you go, let your conduct be without covetousness, life is not a bed of roses, LOVE, mercy, no rights or privileges, nor be afraid of them, on the late bus, our Christian witness is not good enough, our sinful world, our walk with christ is a two way street, prayer time with the Father, problems escalating, restoring faith in God, return backsliders to your fold, revert to such an inhumane situation, salvation, shining our bright lights in the darkness, smell it sweet and strong, spreading our salty flavour, stand strong and steadfast, stay safe, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the daily grind and common task, the enemy comes against us in christ's name, the error of their ways, the evil spirits come out to play, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the gospel truth, The Lord is my helper, the Lord tests us, the Lord will come with strong hand, the shedding of innocent blood, the throne of grace, the trick or treat game, the unexpected storms, the way of life, these things I have spoken unto you, to shower down blessings on us, to stand up and fight the evil enemy, to them that love God, tribulation, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storms, waiting with bated breath, walking with the Lord, we may boldly say, who are called according to His purpose, wisdom, wise guidance
Isaiah 40:1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Ah friends, the ole fella had a rather late night, thus he also had a rather late morning. (smile) Consequently, we are on the late bus this Friday October 31, or Halloween Day, when all the evil spirits and people come out to play the trick or treat game. But that’s a topic for another day, not this wet, cloudy, windy Friday, where we’ve offered up our acclamation of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ which means the weekend is upon us, those two short days we have for ourselves; to rest, recuperate and have some fun, before getting back to the daily grind and common task.
Ah well, that’s just the way life is, for once up a time, and it’s not so long ago that many people worked seven days a week, with a day off once in a while. Thankfully our situation has improved some, although the greedy employers would like nothing better, and indeed are trying their best to drag us back into the medieval times where we had absolutely no rights nor privileges. But we won’t ever allow that to happen, for too much innocent blood has ben shed to get us to where we are today, to ever revert to such an inhumane and ungodly situation. And all God’s children said a loud and proud, ‘Amen!’
And I’m chuckling here, because I don’t know where that all came from because it’s not Labour Day or anything of the sort, but I guess the Good Lord just wanted us to be reminded of our previous struggles and have us understand that He will continue empowering us to stand up and fight the aggressive and evil enemy. It’s like Isaiah promised on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God…Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (in 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. 40:1;10-11)
Yes friends, that’s one of the many promises of our God to be with us at all times and look after us. And Jesus embodied that promise in Himself when He subsequently declared: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep…I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:11;14) It’s like the author of Hebrews also reminds us: ‘Let your conversation (conduct) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall (can) do unto me.’ (Heb. 13:5)
Now that’s a most powerful acclamation of our faith, and hopefully we all will stand strong in it, because our God is ever-faithful to keep His promises. As he said to Jacob, when he dreamed that famous, mind-boggling, but life changing dream (Gen. 28:10-14) ‘And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.’ (Gen. 28:15) And we all know that the Lord kept His promise to Jacob.
It’s also like Moses said to the Israelites on God’s behalf: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Deut. 31:6) And that promise was also kept, except for the times when Israel rebelled against the Lord and suffered the dire consequences of such rebellion and disobedience. But all in all, Israel had it pretty good. For as Bruh Paul warns us in his letter to the Romans: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
And that’s one of the most important scriptures for Christians to know and understand. The Lord will keep His promises and look after us, and eventually all things will work out for our good. But we need to thoroughly understand that life, especially the Christian life is not a bed of roses, but can often be a tough slog, especially when the enemy comes against us in Christ’s name, or when the Lord Himself tests us. So it’s ever so necessary to keep in mind these most reassuring and encouraging words of Jesus. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
And all that’s the gospel truth, my fellow believers, but it’s not easy to put into practice. That’s why we need to keep on growing in our faith, through reading and meditating on the Word, through fellowship with other believers and sincere prayer time with the Father. And our God is so wonderful, that through Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now go directly to the throne of grace seeking divine help. So let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant.
All together: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And we’ve prayed a good prayer, but there’s one flaw in it; if the new flock of believers are like us, then they won’t be of much use, because our current Christian witness is not up to scratch. That means we have to improve, if we truly desire divine aid! So let’s get to it nuh. The Lord is waiting with bated breath to shower down blessings on us…when we improve our witness, by spreading our highly flavoured salt far and wide, and shining our lights much brighter in the many dark places of the earth. Much LOVE!
…walking with the Lord is a two way street…He’s kept all His promises…now we need to do our part…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, amidst all the anxiety and confusion, as sheep going astray, bare our sins in his own body, be responsible, being dead to sins, bring us back to his fold, by the example we faithful believers set, by whose stripes ye were healed, carry them in his bosom, cast into hell fire, discontent, dissatisfaction, distorted concept, divine aid, even my servant David, faith, feed his flock like a shepherd, find pasture, for His name's sake, Friday chant, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, go in and out, God is good all the time, God's loving kindness, have it more abundantly, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he restores my soul, his arm shall rule for him, his reward is with him, his work before him, holy spirit, how foolish it is, I am come that they might have life, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I the Lord will be their God, I will fear no evil, I would not be searching for you, if any man enter in he shall be saved, if you were not first wanting me, improved Christian witness, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, Jesus walked his talk, keep us safe from harm, leadeth me beside the still waters, leads me in the paths of righteousness, let me remember always, live unto righteousness, lost sheep, Lost Shepherd, lost souls, LOVE, major deterrent, marvellous reassurance, mercy, my servant David a prince among them, now returned unto the shepherd, on the late bus, One Year Book of Bible promises, our sinful world can wake up, problems escalating, prone to forget, rebellion against God, rebellious and disobedient sheep, return backsliders to your fold, reversed the parable of the Shepherd and the sheep, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, searching for you, set up one shepherd over them, show them the error of their ways, smell the coffee, stay safe, surrender to your search for me, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the bishop of your souls, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the Lord God will come with strong hand, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the shepherd has been lost, the thief cometh not but to steal, the weekend, these ungodly times, thieves and robbers, thou art with me, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to stumble through darkness, trudged down dangerous mountain cliffs, truth, unexpected storms, who his own self, wisdom, wise guidance
John 10::11. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Oh my people, it’s Friday, a damp and cloudy one, with showers promised for the weekend. But I know that we’ve all offered up our ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ jubilation, because the weekend is here. And unfortunately, today we’re on the late, late bus because I had to go out early this morning and do some stuff, and by the time I returned, a li’l rest was needed, but unfortunately that li’l rest turned into a much longer one than expected. (smile) And thus we’ll get right into it, with an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. Most likely I’ve shared it before, but in these lost and scary times, it’s certainly worth sharing again.
The title is simply ‘Lost Shepherd.’ Please read with me. ‘Sometimes, Lord In my groping effort to find You I have reversed the parable Of the Shepherd and the sheep. In my distorted concept The Shepherd has been lost And the sheep have trudged down Dangerous mountain cliffs to find him. How sadly prone I am to forget That I would not be searching for You If You were not first wanting me. Let me remember always, Lord How foolish it is To stumble through darkness Searching for You When I need only to surrender To Your search for me.’
And all God’s children said a loud and grateful shout of ‘Amen! God is good all of the time!’ And that He is my fellow believers! There’s absolutely no doubt about it, otherwise we would have all been cast in to hell fire long ago for our disobedience and proud, arrogant rebellion against His Sovereign Majesty! But in His awesome LOVING-KINDNESS, He set out to find us, like lost sheep, so that He could bring us back to his fold and keep us safe from harm. Now the Bible tells us that we should seek Him with all that we have, but it’s also worthy to note, as our poem above says, we would not be seeking Him, unless He was first wanting us.
And isn’t it so good, so encouraging and reassuring that our Creator LOVES us so much that He would send out someone special to look for us and bring us back home. It’s like Isaiah said so long ago: ‘Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (in 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)
Yes friends, that’s the picture of a God that’s been painted throughout the Bible; that of a Good Shepherd. Ezekiel also said it of the Lord. ‘And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.’ (Ezek. 34:23-24)
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Bruh David could write in that most popular Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters, he restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. 23:1-4) Oh yes my brethren! For that’s what a good shepherd does; provides food, safety, warmth and comfort for his sheep!
And no one has done that more for us lost souls than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He said it Himself, then went and proved it on the cross of Calvary. Listen to this last part of his discourse on the sheep and shepherd. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:7-11)
Wow! What marvellous reassurance! And that last verse is the Bible Promise for our poem today. And as we said earlier, Jesus did walk His talk; He went out and died for us lost, unworthy, sinful, disobedient sheep! He certainly did all he could to salvage the situation for us. Now the onus lies in our hands, on our shoulders. There’s no Lost Shepherd, but plenty lost sheep! And hopefully, we can end up as Peter says: ‘Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes (wounds) ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but now are returned unto the Shepherd and the Bishop (Overseer) of your souls.’ (1 Pet. 2:24-25)
Yes my people, that’s where we belong, and hopefully that’s where we’re all headed, but it’s not an easy row to hoe, therefore, we need to go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, to get divine help. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And having said all of that my fellow believers, we need to follow it up with improved Christian witness, for it’s the major deterrent to us not receiving more divine aid! Much LOVE!
…Jesus first came looking for us…we now need to go looking for Him…and if we are sincere…He isn’t hard to find…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a free day to look forward to, a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, according to his work, as a thief in the night, be merciful as your Father is merciful, Bible, carry them in his bosom, christianity, diligence, divine aid, do good, faith, faithful believers, faithfulness, feed his flock like a shepherd, Friday chant, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, god, he that cometh to God must believe that He is, his reward is with him, his work is before him, hoping for nothing again, I come quickly, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lend, living fully for Christ, LOVE, Love your enemies, mercy, my reward is with me, our sinful world, restoring faith in God, return backsliders to your fold, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the benefits of living for Christ, the children of the Highest, the crown of life, the error of their ways, the Lord God will come with strong hand, the Lord promised to the that love him, the rewards, the throne of grace, the weekend, tired as a dog, to give to every man, traffic jams, true disciples of Christ, truth, unexpected storms, wake up and smell the coffee, when he is tried, wisdom, wise guidance, without faith it is impossible to please God, your reward shall be great
Revelation 22:12. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.
And that distinctive weekly shout has gone out all around the world: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Just let me at that weekend!’ Ah mih people, we do LOVE our weekends, because they belong to us, not to any employer, and we don’t have to get up early to go to work, nor face frustrating traffics jams to get there, then spend the whole day with people we don’t like, or who don’t like us, then face more irritating traffic jams to get back home, tired as a dog. No, the weekend is ours; sanctified as such. (smile) But we still have to get through Friday. No problem! Apparently since we have a free day to look forward to tomorrow.
How wonderful it would be if we could look forward to Christ and His salvation the same way, meaning, we’d have no problem living fully for Him today! That’s a major problem though with believers; for with Christ we can only look to today, that makes it difficult to live sincerely and fully for Him. But just imagine the rewards and benefits we’ll be having in heaven with Jesus nuh. Remember what He says in Revelation: ‘And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.’ (Rev. 22:12)
That means Jesus can come at any time, like the proverbial thief in the night, and when He comes He will be rewarding people for their work on His behalf. So, if we want to get good rewards, then our work must be good. It’s as simple as that! And there is talk of rewards for working on Jesus’ behalf all though God’s Word. Let’s check out a few, like this one from Isaiah, where centuries before he spoke about the Lord’s coming with rewards.
‘Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (in 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) What a beautiful picture my brethren of Jesus’ coming and the work He will do. Doesn’t that just lift your spirits and increase your faith? It ought to, since it was prophesied long before the actual coming of Jesus.
Now, here’s this scripture from Hebrews that speaks directly to our point.. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Yes friends, it’s ever so necessary to believe that God exists and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. That’s from the famous chapter on faith, with people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph not knowing or seeing what lay ahead of them, but nonetheless placing their total trust and faith in the Lord God Almighty when He directed them to do things they knew not how to do, or to go places, not knowing exactly where they were going.
And they were all greatly rewarded by Him for their diligence and faithfulness. The same thing applies to us today, as Jesus says in the gospel of Luke. ‘But LOVE your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again (in return); and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father is merciful.’ (Luke 6:35-36)
However, at this current time in the world’s existence, rather unfortunately, the words ‘mercy and merciful’ are not well known, nor are their fruit much extended like our heavenly Father desires. What a pity! For if they and their fruit were better known and extended, then there would not be as much strife, greed, hatred and selfishness as there currently is on God’s great earth!
And James, Jesus’ brother, adds his two cents worth to the mix, when he writes in his epistle: ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.’ (James 1:12) Ah my fellow saints, all throughout the Good Library, the Bible, the indisputable truth of God’s Word, are deeply embedded promises of rewards, righteousness and all kinds of other goodies for expending one’s time and talents on the Lord’s behalf. Let’s hope that with today’s revisiting of some of those scriptures that our hope and faith will be renewed and lead us to better fulfill God’s plan for our lives.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid to help in these desperate times of need. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Lastly, let’s remember these very significant words from our prayer: ‘the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ And then go out and be very good examples, so others can see the benefits of believing in Jesus and follow our example. That’s the first step in receiving divine aid! Much LOVE!
…many more salty…light filled…true disciples of Christ…is what our world badly needs…RIGHT NOW…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an inheritance incorruptible, disobedience, earthly treasures only last a lifetime, eternal separation from God, faith, feed his flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, heavenly treasures last for eternity, holy spirit, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I am the vine ye are the branches, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, LOVE, my God shall supply all your needs, neck of the woods, rebellion, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God, share His love with my neighbours, the Lord God will come with strong hand, the Lord's hand is not shortened, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, where your treasure is there will be your heart also, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing, worry
Matthew 6:21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Oh friends, it’s a cold, snowy Tuesday in my neck of the woods. That means we probably won’t see any of the bright sunshine we experienced over the last two days. Chuh! It’s so nice seeing the sunshine reflect off the white snow. If we must have snow, then we do need sunshine to brighten it up. The sun can shine even while the snow is falling. That’s not too difficult for the Lord to do eh? (smile) Absolutely not! For nothing is impossible with our great God! As Isaiah says: ‘Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear.’ (Is. 59:1) That means there is no limitation or weakness in God’s ability to save anyone or do anything!
As Isaiah also said earlier on: ‘Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand (in strength), and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work 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) Wow! What a powerful scripture my brethren, speaking of Christ’s coming and gathering His people like a shepherd gathers his flock. It shows us both the Lord’s strength and His never ending LOVE and compassion for His sinful creation called human beings.
And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘When the Bible talks about God’s right arm, it refers to His powerful, ruling arm—His justice, His holiness, and His strength. God is like that. He is all that and more.’ No doubt about it my fellow believers! In His omnipotence, omniscience and omni-presence, our majestic and magnificent God embodies ALL that there is, and can ever be! That’s why it’s so foolish and unwise for us frail, fickle and finite human beings to turn away from Almighty God our Creator, Controller and Protector.
For as Jesus so rightly said: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same shall bring forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And that’s gospel truth my people, for without Jesus in our lives, our ability to do much of anything productive is severely limited. Remember that God gave us free will so that we could choose His Will, not the will of Beelzebub or any of the many other false gods existing in our evil world. And when we don’t choose God’s will, then we suffer the negative consequences of disobedience and rebellion. It’s as simple as that.
As Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) liked to say: ‘You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.’ And that’s an indisputable fact! It’s just the way the Lord’s kingdom is set up. Meaning that if you sow evil, you will eventually reap evil, and if you sow good seed, you will eventually reap good fruit. And the best way to ensure that we are sowing good seed is by accepting and living by these momentous and oh so true words of Jesus. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Yes my brethren, that’s the basic root of our faith: keeping God first place in our lives, making sure that all, or most of what we do and say falls into the realm of His godly will! Then, all that we need to live this earthly life will be added to us. As Bruh Paul so confidently said to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) Yuh see how it all falls into place my fellow believers? We acknowledge God as El Numero Uno, or Number One, and He looks after all our basic needs through His wonderful Son, Christ Jesus! It couldn’t get any better than that.
But some of us mistakenly and foolishly have decided to follow the will of the evil Satan, to whom we sell our souls to get the same earthly stuff that we can quite easily get from Almighty God. The big difference is that when you follow Satan all your earthly treasure will be left behind when you descend into hellfire and damnation, and eventually eternal separation from God, which is the worst predicament in which a human soul can find itself. However, when you sincerely seek Christ and His kingdom, though your earthly treasure is still left behind, you are able to store up treasures in heaven that you can enjoy while spending eternity with our Triune God!
Now isn’t that a much better scenario? It certainly is! And if you don’t believe me, (smile) then listen to Jesus explain it. ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matt. 6:19-21) And that’s the indisputable truth friends! Wherever our treasures are stored, that’s indeed where our hearts and most of our attention will be focused.
And we’ll just add these two verses from 1 Peter as extra fodder for our souls. (smile) Peter writes these words of encouragement to the Christian diaspora, those spread abroad from their homeland, and undergoing tough lives with a lot of undeserved persecution. ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-4) Please be reassured my fellow saints, that if we sincerely live for Christ, then there will be rewards awaiting us in heaven.
Now, for those of us who believe it and are trying our best to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) we must now go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too may come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…earthly treasure only lasts a lifetime…while heavenly treasure lasts for eternity…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
28 Apr 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a feeling of freedom, be responsible and stay safe, carry them in his bosom, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, depart from iniquity, Friday chant, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those that are with young, give thanks to Almighty God, glorious resurrection, his reward is with him, I also suffer these things, I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and are known of mine, in every good work, introduce a new flock of believers, lack-of-work-ethic society, LOVE, make you perfect, omnipotent help, raises our adrenaline level, receive His blessings, redeeming death, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, shed his sinless blood, spiritual renewal, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that great shepherd of the sheep, the error of their ways, the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep, the Lord knoweth them that are his, the Lord will come with strong hand, to be happy in Jesus, to do His will, trust and obey, wellpleasing in his sight, wise guidance
John 10:11 & 14. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep…I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
And finally it’s Friday…and that enormous worldwide shout has gone out: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And at long last the weekend is here! Glory Be!’ Yes friends, that last day of the work week which we all so look forward to is finally here. And what difference does it make eh? Why are we so glad, so overjoyed to see it eh? Because it reminds us of the two days off work that we have coming up. And since work is not a favourite action of this lazy, entitled, lack-of-work-ethic society, just knowing that for the next two days, without a boss constantly looking over our shoulders, we can do whatever we want, that feeling of freedom just raises our adrenaline level.
But please friends, let’s not forget that if you’re a serious believer in Jesus Christ, that one of those two days is set aside for gathering in worship, praise and fellowship, to give thanks to Almighty God and receive His blessings and spiritual renewal, and to generally rest and recuperate, which means you only have one real day to do as you please. (smile) But true believers in Christ don’t mind that, because they know that their Lord and Saviour is always with them, helping them, LOVING them, keeping them safe, comforting them and all the other things a good caretaker or shepherd would do for His flock.
And that’s why Jesus could adamantly declare (yesss!!!): ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep…I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:11 & 14) Ah mih people, with those two statements Jesus tells us all that we really need to know about Him. He is intimately acquainted with His sheep, knows them by name, and He will give His life, allow His sinless blood to be shed for His sheep. Those are possibly the two most important aspects of a shepherd’s duties; to know His sheep and to go to the ends of the earth for them, which is exactly what Jesus did for us.
And yuh know what my faithful brethren, Jesus doings were not last minute, hurriedly put together actions, but actions which had been pre-ordained from the beginning of time, and shared with man through the prophet Isaiah, who let it be known, loud and clear, far and wide: ‘Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (in strength), and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work (wage) before him. He will feed his flocks 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)
Yes friends, all this stuff about Jesus was planned a long time ago, and finally manifested, or put in place, when the Lord judged the time right for it. And since He is the Creator and Controller of the universe, with thoughts and ways much higher than ours, He knows what is best for us all. That’s why it makes no sense whatsoever to reject Jesus and His wonderful free grace that’s embodied in salvation, through His redeeming death and glorious resurrection.
And Peter tells it very well, when he writes. ‘For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in his mouth: Who, when reviled, reviled not again (in return): when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes (wounds) ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop (Overseer) of your souls.’ (1 Pet. 2:21-25)
Oh my people, it could not have been put any better! Jesus took the bit in His mouth and did exactly what a shepherd is supposed to do: die protecting his flock! And if you don’t think that Jesus knows the sheep in His flock, then listen to Bruh Paul in his second letter to Timothy. First, he admits his total trust in Christ. ‘Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until ) that day.’ (2 Tim. 1:11-12)
Ah friends, do we have such a monumental trust in Christ Jesus? We ought to, if we intend to live seriously for Him and do His earthly work. Then Bruh Paul acknowledges Jesus’ comment in our Bit. ‘Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having his seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ (2 Tim. 2:19)
Then, here is this perfect closing scripture from Hebrews. ‘Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect (complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Heb. 13:20-21) That’s such a beautiful scripture passage my fellow saints, one that truly encapsulates all that we’ve spoken of today.
So now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, pay our respects and ask for divine intervention in our earthly affairs. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so 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 the simmering unrest in our land.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And if we truly desire the Lord’s help, then we now have to clean up our act, keep our promises, and do as He desires. Much LOVE!
…trust and obey…there is no other way…to be happy in Jesus…than to trust and obey…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Sep 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bunch of ingrates, always welcoming me, blame others for my failure, bounden duty, critical and obstinate, disobedience, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, escape your penetrating gaze, feed his flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those with young, Godd's goodness and mercy, goodness and mercy shall follow me, helping to build God's magnificent kingdom, hurry, I keep running back to you, I will fear no evil, judge harshly, know where your bread is buttered, lie down in green pastures, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, ministry of salvation forgiveness and eternal life, names not in the obits, One Year Book of Bible promises, pay for the sins of, pride, Ruth Harms Calkin, sacrifice His only son, share His love with the world, thank you for Loving me, the beloved of God, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the paths of righteousness, the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, worry
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
It’s Tuesday; a brand new day friends, and thankfully our names are not in the obits…Praise the Lord! That means we’re alive, though possibly not kicking as hard and powerful as we might want to. (smile) But the important thing is that we were granted at least one more day to see God’s goodness and mercy on His planet earth, another chance to continue doing His awesome bidding, helping to build His magnificent kingdom. Glory be my people!
What a gracious, merciful and LOVING God we serve! There’s none other like unto Him! And that’s for certain sure! Who else would sacrifice their ONLY Son to pay for the sins of a bunch of ingrates eh? Only the Lord God Jehovah; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And that’s why this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin is ever so appropriate, ever so rich in reasons why the Lord God Jehovah is our God; our ONE and ONLY God!
It’s titled ‘I Keep Running Back to You.’ Please read with me: ‘You know how it is with me, Lord. So often I mess up my days. I judge harshly I am critical and obstinate I waste time and energy I blame others for my failure. There are people I try to avoid And tasks I try to evade And when I can’t have my own way I sulk in my own little corner. Lord, I even turn my back on You To escape Your penetrating gaze.
Then finally I get fed up with myself. The intolerable loneliness frightens me. And I can no longer endure my shame. It always happens, Lord – I keep running back to You! Where else can I go? Who else understands me so well Or forgives me so totally? Who else can save me from foolish pride? No one, Lord, but You. So thank you for accepting me For LOVING me For always welcoming me. I just can’t help it, Lord I keep running back to You!’
And that’s the way it ought to be my faithful brethren! Yes, we ought always to keep running back to our wonderful, unchangeable, ever-LOVING and always welcoming God, whenever the pressures of this world and our inherent sin nature get the better of us! That’s because there’s no place better to go when we can’t help ourselves. And here’s the reason why; it’s the Bible Promise on which the poem is based.
But I’m in somewhat of a quandary here, as to which version to use, the King James or the New International which the Book of Poems used. So to solve it, I’m just going to give us both. (smile) The promise comes from the Old Testament, through the prophet Isaiah. And it says: ‘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. 40:11) Now that’s the King James Version.
Here’s the New International translation. ‘He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads them that have young.’ And I guess the only real difference between the two translations is that the former uses the future tense, and so it should, since the necessary situations had not yet unfolded. Meanwhile the second version uses the present tense because the Lord God has already begun what the prophet prophesied about; the coming of Jesus and His wonderful ministry of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.
Anyhow, the important thing is that we know where our bread is buttered and where we need to run for help and succour when, because of pride and disobedience, life gets a bit too much for us to handle. And it all revolves around the pastoral imagery of the shepherd, who is responsible for the health, wealth and livelihood of his flock. The shepherd makes sure that his flock is well looked after and taken care of, thus the comparison of our great God to that of the Good Shepherd.
Remember Bruh David’s opening remarks in our second favourite scripture, Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) That’s the purpose of a shepherd; to make sure that his sheep lack nothing or want for anything. And the Lord God Jehovah admirably performs that duty in the lives of those who believe in, and sincerely accept His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Glory Hallelujah!
And how does He do that, you might ask? Well, I guess the best explanation is Bruh David’s in the rest of Psalm 23. So let’s read it together. ‘He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still (restful) waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy (LOVING-kindness) shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:2-6)
Wow! Life couldn’t get any better under any other shepherd my people, for the Lord gives us everything; from rest in this world, to rest with Him eternally. He causes us to walk in the straight and narrow paths of righteousness; takes away our fear, even when death threatens us; protects us with His powerful weapons, His rod and staff, as He refreshes us with an anointing of restorative oil, and prepares a feast for us right in front of our enemies, who can’t do a thing to overturn it!
Now, that to me is the perfect shepherd! And I want to be in His fold, and none other, because no other fold or shepherd meets the excellence of Jehovah God! End of story! And for those of us who are sincerely trying to walk in Jesus’ fold, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra letting the whole world know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and confident voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And having broadcast that to the world, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the epitome…the best example of a Good Shepherd…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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