30 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a foothold, another week of work, better to not vow, boundaries, brave, Canada's 150 birthday, carnal lust, Christian, consequences, courageous, delay not to pay it, discernment, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Ecclesiastes, extra special weekend, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, get a toehold, glory to God, God's will, Granny's warning, Happy Birthday Canada, hath no pleasure in fools, in Jesus' name, jumping and shouting, keep thy law, knowledge, let it all hang out, let our hair down, LOVE, mas like crazy, mistakes, motives, never turn us down, observe it, overwhelming spirit, problems, ramajaying, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, request, rest, reverential awe, right attitude, right hearts, righteousness, safely through, selfish world, sincerity, soul body and mind, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the best big country, the enemy, the partying, the paths of justice, the way of saints, the workingman's song, truth, understanding, vow and not pay, vowest a vow, wisdom, with my whole heart
Psalm 119:34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Awright mih people, one of the biggest, if not the biggest weekend of the year is upon us! Wow! We’re talking about the one hundred and fiftieth birthday of this great country called Canada! Glory to God my people! For it’s only with God’s help that we’ve come so far!
Yeh friends, tomorrow, the first of July, the BEST BIG COUNTRY in the world will be 150 years old! Oh, I know that in terms of age, it’s very young compared to many others, but its spirit is overwhelming!
So you can just imagine how the ordinary workingman is carrying on this weekend. ‘Oh, Mama Yo! TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! But this is an extra special weekend, because we big country Canada, is a hundred and a half!
Oh brother, the partying will be big…an beautiful…an loud…mas like crazy…with everybody ramajaying deh body…just jumping and shouting…Happy Birthday Canada! Ah just can’t wait to get started nuh! Oh thank God for Fridays and them kinda weekends like this one yes!’
Yes mih breddren, my sentiments exactly, but unfortunately we can’t afford to let down our hair too much and cater to the carnal lust of the flesh that comes out in these joyful situations.
And I would certainly be amiss if I didn’t remind us of Granny’s wise warning: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please, ah beg yuh, please mind yuh business this weekend!’
And we couldn’t get any better advice for this national party weekend friends, because when we let it all hang out, the enemy can easily get a toehold, even a foothold, in our lives. And we definitely don’t want that to happen.
So here’s how the average Christian ought to play it out. Please join me as we declare our Friday Chant. ‘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, I know it sounds staid and stuffy in comparison to the workingman’s song, but it’s the safe and right attitude to adopt if we want to keep our righteousness intact. Nobody’s saying we can’t party, but we just have to do so within certain boundaries, since getting outside of them can cause serious heartache and numerous problems with everlasting consequences.
So now that all the warning is done (smile), let’s turn to our Bit, which helps us handle the warnings, as we sincerely ask the Lord: ‘Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.’
Now that’s a very good request, but please note that it’s a big and often times tough one to handle, for it comes with the serious promise at the end. We’re promising to sincerely observe God’s law if He helps us to understand it.
Remember the wise words of Cousin Sol in Ecclesiastes. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl.5:4-5)
And that goes for not only vows to God, but promises to each other in this lying, fraudulent and selfish world. However, if we are sincerely looking for understanding of God’s law, He will graciously grant it to us.
As Cousin Sol so wisely expatiates early on in Proverbs. ‘Yea, if thou criest out after knowledge (discernment), and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up (stores up) sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler (shield) to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgement (guards the paths of justice), and preserveth the way of the saints.’ (Prov.2:3-8)
Oh my people, yuh see how willing our great God is to grant us wisdom and understanding if we come asking for it in all sincerity and truth!
And don’t worry, don’t be afraid, for the Lord expects us to make mistakes along the way. We just have to ensure that our motives and our hearts are right when He searches them.
So let’s be brave and courageous today nuh, and ask for whatever we know is right, whatever we need, to help us live a truly godly life. Our God will NEVER turn us down, once it is in accordance with His will. Much LOVE!
…without God’s help…we can never truly understand His law…
26 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a position of strenght, adrenaline, antidote, aura of love, Christians, Comforter, complaints, confidence, enthusiasm, eternal life, friends, generous help, glory hallelujah, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, lies, LOVE, Monday blues, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, move mountains, pray the Father, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, salvation, separated from God, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, taunts, touch God's heart, truth, ungodly world, unity, wisdom
John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you forever.
Okay mih brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s see if we can’t get it right this Monday morning nuh! For once, let’s not complain and be miserable because we have to get up and go to work, even if we had a rather rough weekend.
Let’s put the joy and strength of Jesus that’s supposed to be in our hearts at the forefront of our minds this morning, so that when we awaken and stretch, the words that come out of our mouths are not complaints, but more like: ‘Good Morning Lord. Thanks for allowing me to see another day. I LOVE You and will do my best to follow You all day long. This I pray in Jesus name. Amen!’
Oh friends, that’s guaranteed to touch God’s heart and have the angels open the windows of heaven to pour down blessings upon you. But just in case the Monday Blues unfortunately have you all wrapped and trussed up in sadness and sorrow, then we have the perfect antidote for that as well. It’s called our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, and when we sing it with much vim and vigour and sincere belief, it just gets our adrenaline flowing and our spirits soar and we feel like we can conquer the world in the strength of Jesus! Wow! What an antidote!
So let’s burst out in harmonic song nuh: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
That was good mih people! Our choirmaster, Jesus had a big smile on His handsome face. And I know you can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins, because I am feeling it too. So let’s just get ourselves together and take the battle to the enemy this Monday morning as Jesus desires of us.
The best way to fight is from a position of strength and unity, which we have because of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, that leads and guides us in all circumstances, through every situation, good or bad. Jesus promised it in our Bit. ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you forever.’
And we all know that our Lord and Saviour keeps ALL of His promises. Now here is some info from the scholars on that verse. ’14:16. Another (allon) stresses that the Holy Spirit would be “another” like Jesus. A Comforter (Paraclete) is an advocate called alongside for aid in time of trouble.’
Now that Comforter is the Holy Spirit, the third person in our Trinity. Jesus came to do the work of the Father, then the Holy Spirit came to do the leg work, indwelling everybody, that Jesus being in human form could not do. And we all know that the Holy Spirit came to indwell ALL believers at Pentecost and thereafter, when it filled the upper room where the disciples were assembled, because Jesus had told them to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came.
And come it did, in spectacular fashion; like ‘a rush of a mighty wind…appearing unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.’ (Acts1:2-3) What a hard act to follow! And it stirred up the disciples and had them speaking in the languages of the visitors to Jerusalem. Then Peter preached his greatest sermon, and at the end some three thousand people received Christ. Glory to God!
That’s the power of the Holy Spirit my brethren! But we have to allow it to lead and guide us. It won’t do it on its own; it won’t usurp our power of choice that the Lord granted us from day one. So it’s completely up to us whether or not the Comforter will operate in our lives. If you are a believer, it will be in you, but you have to invoke its help.
And it would be a rather foolish thing not to do so my brethren, else you’ll just end up walking the wide and dangerous path that leads to Lucifer and eternal separation from Almighty God. Now that is definitely the worst thing a human being can ever do: be eternally separated from God. So please, let’s use the wisdom that God gave us to engage the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be led along the straight and narrow path that leads to our heavenly Father. Much LOVE!
…who has the power dwelling in them to move mountains…only Christians…
23 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: able to stand, assurance of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, carouse, Christian, dividing asunder, divine aid, earthly race, evil schemes, filled with the Holy Spirit, Friday chant, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, God's armour, gospel of peace, helmet of salvation, in Jesus' name, indispensable, loins girded with truth, lustful days, misguided way, party, perseverance, piercing, praying always, put on the whole armour of God, refreshed, refresher course, riotous living, saints, shake we bodyline, shield of faith, slave labour, soul and spirit, supplication, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the hope of slavation, the Son is shining, the sword of the Spirit, the waters, the weekend, the wiles of the devil, the Word of god, thunder showers, truth, twoedged word, week of work, workingman
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.
And then it was Friday, which was heralded by some pretty intense thunder showers in my area during the night. The ground should certainly be well watered this morning.
And even if we don’t see the Sun all day, just remember folks, the SON is ALWAYS shining brightly, both day and night, and He is ALWAYS readily available to come to for succour and comfort, or just a friendly chat.
Wow! What an awesome Saviour we have my brethren! Please give Him some well-deserved thanks and praise!
Even the workingman does that in His own misguided way, when he joyfully declares: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! Thank Him for the break from slave labour…even if it short…Thank Him for the time we have to party and carouse and shake we bodyline! Thank Him for the waters that will flow like water…Mama Yo! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend yes!’
Ah friends, to some extent, we can all understand those sentiments, and in our lustful days, before we were filled with the Holy Spirit, many of us might have even participated in that kind of riotous living. But they are way too extreme for the true Christian.
So let’s declare our Friday Chant nuh, which gives us a more sober view (smile) of how we ought to spend 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.’
Now that’s much more in line with true Christian behaviour! And 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.’
Yes my fellow believers, that’s the first thing we need to do, if we intend to successfully fight and overthrow Beelzebub! Please remember that without God’s protective armour, we are no match for the enemy.
And once again we’ll include the verses that describe the Lord’s armour, so we can have them right in front of us as we try to explain and understand them. ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about (girded your loins) 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 may 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. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph.6:14-18)
And we’ll continue today with the fifth piece of God’s armour: ‘The helmet of salvation (vs.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.’
So my people, once we are saved, and thus assured of salvation, nothing or no one can take that from us, but we have to make good use of it, by keeping it first and foremost, front and centre in our minds, using it as a helmet.
And now we come to the sixth and last part of God’s protective armour: ‘The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (vs.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.’
And the author of Hebrews tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (is able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’ (Heb.4:12)
That’s how powerful the word of God is friends! And when we use it in all aspects of our daily life it mightily assists us in staying centred in God. And though my brethren, we put on all the armour of God, there is one more thing that’s absolutely necessary in successfully fighting Lucifer and his evil buddies; that’s Praying in verse 18.
And the scholars tell us: ‘Praying is grammatically linked to “stand” in verse 14. Without prayer God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Prayer is indispensable. Always means “on every occasion,” that is, when Satan attacks.
In the spirit signifies that with the Spirit’s help such prayer for divine aid is to be made. Watching thereunto means “being vigilant in this very matter” of prayer. They are to pray not just for themselves but also for all saints; spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’
Hope you all got that my people: Prayer is indispensable! It must be used with the armour of God, for us to be successful! And we need to pray for not only ourselves, but for all believers!
So basically, God’s armour consists of our assurance of salvation, our helmet; our belt of truth; knowing the truth of God’s Word, plus our breastplate of righteousness which enables us to live a godly and moral life.
And we definitely need a shield to protect us from Satan’s arrows, in this case our strong faith. Neither can we go into battle barefooted, we need the shoes, the eagerness that the gospel of peace offers us. And we surely can’t fight without a weapon; namely God’s word that’s so sharp and powerful, it can cut anything and discern whatever is necessary. But it must all be anchored by continuous prayer.
Now let’s hope this brief refresher course, re God’s armour, reminded of stuff we might have forgotten, enlightened us some, and also raised our consciousness, so that we can run our earthly race more efficiently and successfully than before. Much LOVE!
…onward Christian soldiers…but remember…a soldier never goes to war…without his armour…his weapon…and prayer…
09 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sparkling day, a waste of time, all for nought, believe in Jesus, boundaries, Calvary, Christians, come short of the glory of God, divine provision, dry weather, enormous price, eternal life, extremes, faith, fellowship, fleshly activity, for all have sinned, forbearance of God, free gift, freed from sin, Friday chant, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, glory to God, God's standard, grace, guiltless, hot like hell, human need, in Jesus' name, just, justified freely, justifier, LOVE, made him to be sin for us, our flesh, pardoned, party time, praise, propitiation, ransom, redemption, relaxation, remisiion of sins, rest, righteous demands, salvation, shedding of blood, slave driver, Spirit of Christ, susceptible to sin, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, Thank you Jesus, thanks, the righteousness of God, the workingman, walk steadfast, waste not want not, week of work, who knew no sin, work never dead
2 Corinthians 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Oh friends, like another sparkler of a day is in the offing in my area! Wow! Three sparkling days in a row! We need to give the Lord plenty thanks for such wonderful weather!
I know for some of you the good weather is small potatoes, because you receive it most of the time, but we’ve had such chilly and rainy days the last couple weeks that some warm, sparkling, dry weather is greatly appreciated.
And you certainly won’t hear the workingman complain. He is even zestier in his attitude as he unabashedly declares: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! The weekend is upon us… And it going to be hot like hell too! Temps in the thirties! Oh party time…party time…
Steups! Look, forget the chupid slave driver and his work yes. Work never dead yet! Just let me loose here now, so we can get the party going! Much thanks to God for Fridays and the weekends!’
Oh mih breddren, how our flesh would LOVE to participate in such interesting endeavours, (smile) but our minds and spirits are crying out for us to resist such fleshly activity. And as sincere Christians, we ought to have some boundaries to our behaviour, not allow ourselves to go to such extremes.
The Christian way is more like our Friday Chant, so let’s put the lust of the flesh behind us and chant it heartily 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.’
And that’s the way it ought to be my people, especially when we take our Bit into account. ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’
Yeh friends, after Jesus paid such an enormous price for us to be freed from sin, we just can’t go back and commit sin willy-nilly again. Oh, we are all still susceptible to sin, but with the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, we ought to have a strong enough conscience to resist it.
And we have these powerful verses of scripture from Bruh Paul to the Roman church to help explain the situation and consequently uplift us. Hear him pontificate (smile): ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely (without any cost) by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (a mercy seat) through faith in his blood, to declare (demonstrate) his righteousness for the remission (passing over of) sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ (Rom.3:23-26)
Oh friends, right within those verses lies the basis of our salvation… Glory to God! Let’s see if, with the help of the scholars we can get a good understanding of what Bruh Paul is saying there.
‘3:23. For all have sinned: The human need and the divine provision are alike applied universally. Come short of the glory of God: Man can exceed his own standards but never, left to himself, can he attain God’s standard of righteousness.’
Ah mih breddren, regardless of how good we are, we will NEVER reach God’s standards. But He is so wonderful, that knowing that sin pervades and invades all our souls, He wisely provided provision for everybody, if we’d only believe in His Son Jesus Christ, who paid for our sins by the sacrifice, the shedding of His sinless blood on Calvary.
‘3:24. Being justified (Gr. dikatoumenot) indicates being declared righteous. It signifies the believer’s judicial standing before God. Freely: There is no just cause in man to warrant justification. By his grace: Unmerited favour is bestowed through the redemption (release on payment of ransom). Christ’s death is the ransom. The sinner is released on the basis of the ransom having being paid.’
So yuh see friends, we don’t have a leg to stand on, it’s all through God’s grace and Jesus paying the ransom for our sins by the shedding of His blood at Calvary.
‘3:25-26. Through faith: Christ’s death satisfies the Father’s righteous demands. Its benefits are appropriated only through faith in His finished work. In his blood: The emphasis is not on the blood as it coursed through Christ’s veins, but as it was shed for our sins. This is how the propitiation was accomplished.
Just, and the justifier: God can remain just (true to His nature) and still declare sinners to be righteous only because Christ has paid for sin and satisfied (propitiated) His holy law. The sinner is not rendered guiltless but pardoned. Christ has taken the sin on Himself and has imputed His righteousness to the sinner.’
And all believers shouted a loud and most grateful ‘Thank You Jesus! Thank You ever so much for redeeming us from our abominable sins! We LOVE You, and give You plenty thanks and praise! Please help us to walk steadfast in Your everlasting LOVE! Amen!’
Yes friends, I hope we all understand now that it was all the doing of the Father and Jesus, no thanks to us whatsoever.
So please lets be wise and accept the free gift of salvation and eternal life that’s been offered nuh. Otherwise Jesus’ sacrifice would have been all for nought, a complete waste of time. And I’m sure we don’t want that to be the case. Much LOVE!
…remember the old adage…waste not…want not…
P.S. It’s long and late, but full of redemptive grace (smile) Much LOVE!
02 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Beelzebub, Christians, circumspect, clean as a whistle, crapaud smoke we pipe, disciplined, dust in yuh eye, emotionally attached, enemy, eternal life, excellence, extreme, faith is strong, fellowship, for the sheep, freedom, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, Gentiles, gives his life, good morning, hireling, in Jesus' name, Jesus Christ, lay down my life, leeway, lighten our burdens, nature, one flock, procreated, propriety, pulling teeth, refreshed in soul, relaxation, rest, run away, salvation, scatters, sense of purpose, sin slate, sincerity, sinless life, slave driver, taking it to the max, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thanks and praise, the birds and the bees, the good shepherd, toothless devil, week of work, white as snow, wisdom, wise God
John 10:11. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Oh my people, when I got up and looked outside a li’l while ago, the day seemed so beautiful that I simply had to go outside and say a sparkling ‘Good Morning’ to the Lord and give Him some thanks and praise for causing me to see such another wonderful day!
Ah, the sun is shining brightly, playing off the green leaves as the flowers in the Duchess’ garden bloom and give off a beautiful sexy aroma, which causes the birds and the bees to helplessly gather around them, so that nature can further be procreated. (smile)
What a wise and wonderful God we serve my brethren! Please give Him some rightfully deserved thanks for allowing us to enjoy His nature walk today; so many others did not awake to that blessing.
And since it’s Friday, you know the workingman is declaring at every spare moment: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! Mama Yo! Freedom time soon come! Time to dance and sing…and do every li’l thing that I can’t do without the slave driver constantly watching over mih shoulder! Dust in yuh eye massa! Dust in yuh eye! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’
Ah friends, the sentiments are indeed touching and true, but the reaction is somewhat extreme. As Christians, we need to be more disciplined and controlled than that. Our Leader, Jesus Christ expects us to show the way in propriety and excellence, and taking it to the max will certainly not be considered such.
Our Friday Chant better displays and reflects the behaviour needed. So let’s chant it nuh with sincerity and a strong sense of purpose. 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!’
Yeh friends, that’s a much more appropriate way to approach and handle the weekend! We need to be always somewhat circumspect, so that we don’t give the enemy any leeway in our lives. For once he gets in, it’s like hell, like pulling teeth to get him out. But if our faith is strong, we need not be too concerned about the enemy, for he has already been defeated.
Listen to out Bit: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’
And that is exactly what the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ did: He gave His sinless life for us, so that we don’t have to be afraid of the toothless devil Beelzebub. Glory to God my people! Jesus took all of our sins on His powerful shoulders and wiped our sin slate clean as a whistle, white as snow! How can we not be everlastingly thankful eh?
Christianity is the only faith that offers such a simple but powerful release from sin: ONLY BELIEVE, it says! Yes friends, if we sincerely believe in the Good Shepherd, He will lighten our burdens and cause us to have salvation and eternal life with the Father.
Hear him, as He extols His purpose after our Bit. ‘But he that is a hireling (hired man), and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.’ (John 10:12-13)
And that’s ever so true my people, as all of us have had cause and occasion to run away from situations and from stuff because we simply were hired personnel and didn’t feel that emotionally attached to whatever was happening.
But our Lord and Saviour is certainly not like that. He sincerely and genuinely declares further: ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and are known of mine.’ (John 10:14)
Friends, do we know our shepherd? He knows us, but the most important question is do we truly know Him? If we don’t, then crapaud smoke we pipe!
And the Good Shepherd further states: ‘As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold (flock), and one shepherd.’ (John 10:15-16)
Oh friends, do you realize that the Good Shepherd was there referring to us, the Gentiles, the heathens, the non-Jews? Yes, He’s such a wonderful shepherd that He wants to include everybody in His kind and LOVING fold!
No wonder he could continue: ‘Therefore doth my Father LOVE me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I receive of my Father.’ (John 10:16-17)
Please notice friends, how important the Father was in the life of Jesus, His Son, and likewise He should also be very prominent, in fact first and foremost in our lives too, because EVERYTHING begins and ends with Him!
Please notice too that Jesus shows His deity by having the awesome power to give up His earthly life and take it up again! Wow! Nobody took it from Him; He gave it up for us because the Father in His great LOVE, asked Him to, so that we poor sinful wretches could be saved.
Please remember that my brethren and be suitably grateful and thankful and unified in the ONE flock of the Good Shepherd. That’s wisdom of everlasting proportions! Much LOVE!
…there are shepherds…and there are shepherds…and then there’s JESUS…
26 May 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a balanced approach, a pittance, a sign, all the days of thy life, attentive to duties, barricade, blame, blessing the land, diligence, due diligence, eaves-troughs, fear, fellowship, flooding, Friday chant, frontlets, fun, generous help, gentle rain, glorious kingdom, grin and bear it, heart, in Jesus' name, industrious character, Israel, LOVE, Love the Lord, lying down, might, milk and honey, Moses, multiply greatly, not too late, obedience, parents, partying, persistent effort, proportion, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, riddim of the falling rain, rising up, satisfaction, siiting at home, soul, stand in awe, statutes, talk of the, taught our children, teach them diligently, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the bane of my existence, the great commandment, The Lord our God is one Lord, the Promised Land, the things of God, the things of the world, the weekend, the workingman's story, to thy children, walking in the street, week of work, wisdom, words of wisdom
Deuteronomy 6:7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…
Ah friends, remember that gentle rain that I spoke about yesterday that was blessing the land? Well it might have blessed the land but it certainly didn’t bless me, because it fell all day… even into the evening, and consequently caused flooding in the laundry room in my basement.
Steups! So instead of it being a peaceful day listening to the riddim of the falling rain, (smile) it was a tad hectic trying to mop up and barricade the water running down in my basement. And it wasn’t just one rivulet, that would have been easy to handle, but several pouring down the inside wall.
I believe the source of the problem is my eaves troughs – they seem to be leaking in several places thus allowing the water to run down the outside wall and find its way inside. But I just had them repaired last year!
And then there are the leaves…the bane of my existence! Everything that blows in my lane, ends up in my driveway, both snow and leaves. Thus the gutters are filled with leaves, which make them overflow rather easily.
Ah Lord eh! But what to do? Just grin and bear it and have them fixed again. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! (smile) The workingman’s story though is a whole lot different. He’s simply focused on it being Friday, which allows him to joyfully declare:
‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here at last! Is my time now to do as I please! No more labouring for a measly pittance, but partying for days! And who says we shouldn’t thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends eh!’
We should indeed friends, but constant partying will never give us sincere satisfaction. We need a more balanced approach to the weekend if we are to live successful lives, and I believe our Friday Chant provides it.
So let’s chant it out loud and proud 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 friends, that’s more like what we need, if we are to do Jesus’ work with sincerity, diligence and excellence! And today we’ll talk a little about diligence, see what the Bible has to say about it.
But before we get to that, let’s look at the dictionary’s definition of diligence. It’s characterized as being ‘Persistent effort or work: industrious character.’
Meanwhile diligent is seen as being ‘hard-working, steady in application, industrious, attentive to duties.’ So we have the basic idea of what we mean when we speak of diligence or diligent; a serious effort to do what one has to do.
Now hear these immortal words of wisdom that Moses spoke unto the people of Israel when he gave them the great commandment. These are the major things they should do when they entered the Promised Land.
‘That thou mightest fear (stand in awe of) the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it (be careful to observe it); that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily (multiply greatly), as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is ONE Lord: and thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.’ (Deut.6:2-9)
And there we have it friends, the basics of the Great Commandment: LOVE the Lord thy God, and keep all His commandments, and above all, teach them diligently to thy children!
And when the Israelites obeyed, they prospered, and suffered when they didn’t. And it’s the same with us in these trying times.
Oh my people, we are also very guilty of not doing what the Lord commanded. We haven’t been repeating the Lord’s commandments in the ears of our children or meditating on them ourselves as we walk and talk and lie down, etc.
No wonder our society and our world is in such a mess, with a large number of our children having no idea of God, or simply not caring about God and putting the things of the world first in their lives.
Now who do think is to blame for this current state of affairs eh? We the current parents obviously! Our parents taught us the right way, so why haven’t we taught our children eh? I guess we ourselves were also a little too taken up with the things of the world.
But it’s not too late my brethren, if we get serious and do our due diligence, as they say in legal circles, that means paying attention to our godly duties, putting in the hard work necessary, we can still save ourselves and our children from the clutches of the evil one.
Today, I implore us, sincerely plead with us to seek the things of God first, and point our children in that direction, that it may go well with them and us. That’s wisdom for the ages! Much LOVE!
…a society prospers in direct proportion to its obedience to God…
19 May 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a raging wind, Aaron's beard, behold how good and pleasant it is, blessing, Christian, churches, congregations, dew of hermon, disunity, divided, downfall, fellowship, flirtation, for brethren to dwell in unity, freedom, Friday chant, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, grow, infighting, Isaac, Jacob, jesus name, Jesus' church, miracle, Mt. Zion, phenomenon, prosper, relaxation, rest, sense of purpose, separation, slave driver, summer type temperatures, survival, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the workingman, unity, week of work, weekends
Psalm 133:1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Well mih people, it seems like our li’l fling, our short flirtation with summer type temperatures is over. Yesterday we had temps in the high twenties again, and also with a raging wind.
And I’m sure many of us asked: Why does the wind rage? There seems to be no good or apparent reason for such a phenomenon. But I guess only God knows the answer to that question.
We’re now back to regular temps in the high teens, which are more reflective of this time of year. However, I don’t think the workingman cares about temperatures as much as he does the weekend, for he is still out there joyfully declaring:
‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! Our time is finally our own, no more slave driver breathing down we necks, every minute of every working day! Wow! Freedom at last! And yuh bet we going to celebrate it! Celebrate it to the last minute! Thank God for Fridays and weekends!’
Now some of what he’s saying there sounds reasonable, but the extreme lustful and worldly celebration that seems to be his thinking, does not fit a child of God. Our Friday Chant serves our purposes much better than that of the workingman.
So let’s declare it now nuh, with a strong sense of purpose and belief. ‘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 much more like it; we need a sense of balance and control, so that we can stay within the parameters of God’s word and will. And that brings us to our Bit: ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’
Oh my people of God, those words of Bruh David are crying out to us today for implementation, for brethren are definitely NOT living in unity; neither in the basic family units, in overall society, and especially in the body that’s Christ’s church.
These seem to be times of great disunity and separation, of strife and resentment in all aspects of man’s life!
Yeh friends, we all know that there is too much negative stuff happening in our churches, that’s why the congregations are constantly fluctuating, oftimes becoming less instead of more.
And the only ones who can stop the negativity; the breaking up, the fracturing of Jesus’ church is us, His supposed followers. Whether we sincerely want to do that is another question, but until we do, the church will continue to falter, for any organization divided against itself cannot prosper.
It’s as simple as that my Christian brethren. If we want Christ’s church to grow and prosper, then we need to put aside our selfish desires, stop the infighting and work together for the good and glory of Christ’s earthly institution.
The long and short of the story people, is that we’re not doing a very good job on Jesus’ behalf! We need to truly put up, or simply shut up! End of sermon! (smile)
Now let’s see what else Bruh David had to say after our Bit, how he describes brethren living in unity. ‘It is like the precious ointment (oil) upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts (edge) of his garments;
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.’ (Ps.133:2-3)
Oh friends, unity amongst brethren is so precious, Bruh David likened it to the precious oil that was poured down on Aaron’s head when he was anointed to be the chief priest. ‘And he (Moses) poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.’ (Lev.8:12)
Bruh David also likened unity to the dew that fell upon Mt. Zion. In olden days dew was looked upon as something precious, a gift from God; hence the blessing of Isaac upon Jacob, whom he thought to be Esau. ‘Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn (grain) and wine.’ (Gen.27:28)
And we’ll close with this explanation from the scholars. ‘Psalm 133. This psalm is all about the preciousness of family unity. Its blessedness is exclaimed (v.1) and explained (vs.2-3). It sanctifies (v.2) and solidifies (v.3).’
Ah mih people, if we want to survive and thrive, we have to begin seeking true unity in all aspects of our lives, societies and churches. Disunity will only tear us apart and lead to our eventual downfall. Much LOVE!
…the miracle of survival begins…continues…and ends…with UNITY…
12 May 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: ., a fine time, another week of work, balance, be quiet, believers, blessed, borders boundaries, born again, complacency, confidence, consequences, death, decisions, desolation, despised reprooof, destruction, devices, discretion, dwell safely, eat of the fruit, extremes, facades, faithful promises of God, favour, fear, fellowship, fools, free and clear, Friday chant, from fear of evil, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, glory to God, go overboard, gospel truth, grace, hated knowledge, His will, in Jesus' name, keep our heads on sraight, knowledge, LOVE, Lucifer, maximizing, no brainer, not be afraid, plans, pleasures, praise his holy name, prosperity, refreshed, reject, relaxation, renewed, rest, safely through, schemes., slay, sleep sweet, stumble, substance, talk to God, terror, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the fear of the Lord, the promises of God, the simple, the Son shining brightly, the time spent with Jesus, the weekend, the wicked, to each his own, top priority, trouble, understanding, walk safely, waywardness, we will follow the Lord, whoso hearkeneth unto me, wisdom, wisdom of God, witness, work for Christ, workingman, worldly lusts
Proverbs 1:33. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet (secure, at ease) from fear of evil.
And once more friends, we’re truly blessed on this Friday morning with both the Sun and the SON shining brightly! Glory to our great God! Praise His Holy Name!
Remember though, that we’re seeing this day because He has important plans for us to perform, so we need to talk to Him and find out what’s up in His will today.
Mean while, the ordinary workingman is more concerned about the days off on the weekend, as he delightedly declares: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here… We free and clear… and a fine time will be had by all…eating and drinking and partying! Wow! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’
Ah mih people, extremes are not good for us. We need some sense of sensible balance in our lives, otherwise we’re liable to go overboard one way or the other, like the ordinary workingman.
I believe that our Friday Chant provides that sensible balance, so let’s chant it now nuh, so that we can keep our heads on straight. (smile) 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 fellow born-again believers, for us, maximizing the time we spend with Jesus and doing His work should be our top priority every day of our lives!
That means we need to set serious borders and boundaries in all that we do, and then ask Him to help us stay within those parameters, since stepping outside them will only sully our work and witness for Him. Amen!
And if you doubt me, then listen to these fateful words of Cousin Sol to those who reject the wisdom of God. ‘For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would (have) none of my counsel: they despised all of my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices (schemes).
For the turning away (waywardness) of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity (complacency) of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet (secure, at ease) from fear of evil.’ (Prov.1:29-33)
What a magnificent promise that’s embedded in our Bit, my people! And what I just can’t understand is why we turn away, foolishly reject the wonderful promises of God, when we full well know that they are all sound and sincere, and that He never reneges on any of them.
But as they say; to each his own, and we have to lie down on our beds however we make them up. (smile) Long time I haven’t heard that one. My wise mother use to preach it to me all the time.
And it’s the gospel truth! I can tell you that from personal experience. For whatever decisions we make, we will have to live with the consequences arising from them. And you see what the Lord promises for those who refuse to accept His wisdom – death and destruction!
But hear the wonderful things He has in store for those who accept Him; His wisdom, knowledge and understanding. ‘My son, let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) unto thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.’ {Unfortunately I had to wake up from one of those sweet sleeps this morning to come and write the Bit. (smile}
‘Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of (trouble from) the wicked, when it comes. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov.3:21-26)
Oh my breddren, if I have those wonderful promises from the Creator of the universe, why would I hearken unto the lies and deceits of a fallen angel, a fool like Lucifer eh, who’s only true offers are death and destruction? No way Jose! That only shows that I don’t have true wisdom and understanding.
So please, I implore us, let’s give up all the nonsense, the worldly lusts and pleasures trumpeted by Lucifer, for they are only false facades, simple storefronts, with no substance to them, or behind them.
Instead, let’s seriously and sincerely, diligently and wisely accept the faithful promises of Jehovah God nuh, and thus live our lives the way He desires, so that He can bless us now and forever. Now that is true wisdom and understanding to the nth degree! Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we will follow the Lord…that’s a no brainer…
28 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a good time, a horn of salvation, a peculiar people, Abraham, all our cares, amenities, benefits, bless the Lord, borders, busy, Christians, covenant, crowns, destruction, enemies, enthusiasm, fellowship, followers of Christ, forget not all his benefits, forgiveness of sins, forgives iniquities, free time, Friday chant, fun, fun and games, furthering your glorious kingdom, generosity, generous help, gift, good things, good works, grace, grateful, hectic, holiness, improvements, in Jesus' name, in soul body and mind, iniquities, ironic, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, king, lawgiver, LOVE, loving-kindness, lustful world, lusts of the flesh, magnanimity, mercy, Mighty Deliverer, misguided soul, o my soul, oath, one iota, our Lord and Saviour, partying, prophets, reality, redeems thy life, refreshed, relaxation, rest, restraints, righteousness, sanity, satisfies thy mouth, save, sins, steadfastness, take for granted, tender mercies, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thanksgiving for god's mercy, the Christian life, the Lord is our judge, the weekend, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, Titus, withour fear, zealous, Zechariah
Psalm 103:2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Well mih breddren, like we’ve successfully completed another week of work in this confused and way too evil and lustful world!
And sadly, it leads too many of us to enjoy the lusts of the flesh too much in our short time off. We try to make up for what we think we’ve lost during the workweek.
That’s why so many of us joyfully declare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Oh boy, that means the weekend is here! Time for fun and games, partying and letting all our cares drift away to wherever they go! It’s all about a good time now! Oh thank God for Fridays and the weekends yes!’
And as I keep saying, the sentiments are understandable, but the reality is not. We do have little free time during the workweek, much less that a generation ago, when times were not so hectic and busy.
And that’s sort of strange, when all the improvements we’ve made, were supposedly to help us get more free time. How ironic eh, with plenty more amenities, we have even less free time now than then!
But that doesn’t mean we have to overdo the lighter side of life either when we finally get some time off. If we are to keep our sanity and some sort of steadfastness, our lives must have some borders, some restraints that we will not loosen. And our Friday Chant gives us a good example of that.
So let’s chant it now nuh, with as much enthusiasm as the misguided soul above declares his Friday mission. ‘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.’
And all of that segues very nicely into our Bit:‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.’
And friends that’s exactly what we ought to do, every day, every waking moment of our lives! For remember, all the earth and its contents are His, and it’s only through His magnanimity and lavish generosity that we can enjoy even one iota of the things we enjoy!
Now let’s look at a few of those things that Bruh David declares we ought to appreciate in this psalm titled – Thanksgiving for God’s mercy.
‘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.103:3-5)
Ah mih people, if those are not things to be everlastingly grateful for, then I don’t know what is nuh! But yuh know what? Unfortunately, too many of us, simply don’t know, don’t pay attention to, or simply take those things for granted, and that includes Christians.
But just think about it nuh friends, we have a God who forgives all our iniquities, all our sins, all our transgressions! Wow! That certainly is something to be thankful for! Listen to these scriptures nuh that uphold that contention.
Isaiah declares: ‘For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us… And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven all their iniquity.’ (Is.33:22, 24).
Now hear Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, as he declares at John’s birth. ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up a horn of salvation (a Mighty Deliverer) for us in the house of his servant David;
As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives.’ (Luke 1:68-75)
And friends, we all know that promise was miraculously and marvelously fulfilled by the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! So why we don’t appreciate our wonderful God more than we do eh? I really can’t say nuh. But eventually, we’ll all have to answer that question to our Maker.
Now let’s close with these moving words of Bruh Paul to Titus on the Christian life. ‘For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (age);
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar (his own special) people, zealous of good works.’ (Tit.2:11-14)
Oh my faithful followers of Christ, there’s absolutely no doubt that we need to be much more diligent in doing Christ’s work, if we are to truly show our thankfulness for His saving grace and mercy! Much LOVE!
…there is no greater gift in this evil world…than the forgiveness of sins…
24 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a saint of God, almighty god, antidote, aura of love, buckler, common task, confidence, courage, daily grind, deleted expletives, delivers, diligently heed, divine protection, enthusiasm, fear, friends, generous help, glorious kingdom, gospel truth, grin and bear it, groaning, hate evil, he preserves the souls of his saints, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, Jesus, jobs, joy, judgement, justice, knowledge, lies, LOVE, moaning, Monday blues, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, moving and grooving, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, reverential awe, rewards, salvation, scintillating words, shield, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, strengthen your heart, taunts, the hand of the wicked, the proud doer, treasures, trust, truth, understanding, ungodly world, vim and vigour, wiles, wisdom, ye that love the Lord
Psalm 97:10. Ye that LOVE the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Ah mih friends, once more it’s back to the common task and daily grind…and no short workweek either, but a full five days of labouring! And I hear some moaning and groaning and expletives I must delete, as we realize that it’s our favourite day, Monday.
Hn, hn! But my working brethren, it is what it is, and we can’t do much about it, for even the very rich need to labour some to keep their wealth. So we just need to grin and bear it and thank the Lord that we’re alive and kicking on another glorious day on planet earth. And once we get up and get moving, we’ll forget all the puny and pitiful details of waking up on a Monday morning to go to work, cause by then we’ll be full of vim and vigour.
And I hear some of you sourly declare: ‘Don’t bet on that nuh!’ But I’m betting on it, because I know the awesome power of our antidote for the Monday Blues, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. So let’s belt it out now nuh, like there was no tomorrow.
‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Good going friends, good going! Jesus was pleased, as the affirmative nod of His head and bright smile attest to. And I know you are now feeling the strong ripple of adrenaline just moving and grooving through your system, and with your spiritual battle armour on, you can’t wait to get out on the battlefield called work to do serious battle in Jesus’ name. See, I told you about the power of our antidote! (smile)
And all of that finally brings us to our Bit; those immortal words of wisdom from the psalmist: ‘Ye that LOVE the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.’
And some of you are muttering: ‘But we just did that a couple of days ago?’ Yes, we did. But I wasn’t quite finished with it, because there are three parts to it, and yesterday’s Bit was just more suited to the Sabbath Day. (smile)
Now we’ve already covered the first part in our earlier messages, ‘Ye that LOVE the Lord, hate evil:’, so let’s turn to some scriptures that deal with the second aspect: ‘he preserveth the souls of his saints;’ Listen up to these scintillating words of advice and wisdom and indisputable truth from Bruh David out of Psalm 145 – The Lord is gracious.
‘The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that LOVE him: but all the wicked will he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.’ (Ps.145:17-21)
And if that doesn’t touch your very heart and soul, then hear Cousin Sol from Proverbs, as he talks about seeking wisdom. ‘If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up (stores up) sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler (shield) to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgement (guards the paths of justice) and preserveth the way of his saints.’ (Prov.2:4-8)
So friends, if you are one of the Lord’s saints, then you know that true wisdom is yours for the asking, and divine protection is guaranteed!
And we’ll close with some more powerful and wise advice from Bruh David out of Psalm 31 – In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. ‘O LOVE the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth (fully repays) the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.’ (Ps.31:23-24)
Words of gospel truth my brethren, and if we’re wise we’ll diligently heed them. Much LOVE!
…one can’t be a saint of God…and not be securely tuned in to Him and His Word…
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