18 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an awesome protector, be able to endure it, be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, be with him in time of trouble, because he hath known my name, both hope and wait quietly, christianity, Christians, deliver him, destroy every attempt of the evil one, disobedience, evil is no match for God, evildoings, faithful is that called you, for he who promised is faithful, for the salvation of the Lord, God abideth faithful, God cannot deny Himself, God is faithful, God is sovereign, God will not suffer you to be tempted more than you can bear, God's promises are always faithfully kept, God's word may run free, grateful for God's protection, great is thy faithfulness, guide me away from danger, he hat set his love upon me, he shall call upon me, he will not be delay with those who hate him, his compassions fail not, hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, holy spirit, honour him, hurry, I praise and thank you God, I will answer him, I will deliver him, if we bead with him, if we deny him he will deny us, if we suffer with him, in god's eyes, in him will I trust, In Touch Organization, it is a faithful saying, it is good that a man, it ism of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, keep me safe in your care, keep you safe from evil, keep you safe from the evil one, keeps covenant and mercy with those who love him, LOVE, make a way to escape, mercy, no evil shall befall thee, no plague shall come nigh thy dwelling, no temptation has overtaken you, over all heaven and earth, playing an untimely joke, reign with him, repays to their face them that hate him, rest confidently in the shelter of your hand, roaring back with vengeance, salvation, set him on high, share His love with my neighbours, show him my salvation, such as is common to man, temptation, thanks for your promise, that the word of the Lord may have free course, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the faithful God, the God of All Creation, the Lord is faithful, the Lord is my refuge and fortress, the Lord thy God He is God, the word of the Lord, they are new every morning, though evil may threaten, to a thousand generations, to bring me to harm, to watch over those who love you, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we shall also live with him, who shall establish you, wisdom, with long life will I satisfy him, worry
2 Thessalonians 3:3. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you safe from evil (the evil one).
And isn’t it wonderful to have another sun-filled, not too cold winter’s day? (smile) But of course! Now, let’s hope that spring is truly in the offing and winter isn’t playing an untimely joke on us, only to come roaring back with a vengeance in the next little while. However it turns out though, we believers will do well in handling the situation because we have an awesome protector…the Best there is…that’s the God of All Creation! And if we stick sincerely with Him, then all will be well with us.
And on that note, I want to share this prayer on Protection from the recent Prayer Cards issued by the In Touch Organization. So please pray with me: ‘God, how grateful I am for Your protection. The evil in this world may threaten, but it’s no match for You. Truly You are sovereign over all heaven and earth. Thank You for Your promise to watch over those who LOVE You. Please keep me safe in Your care. Guide me away from danger and temptation. Destroy every attempt of the evil one to bring me harm. I praise and thank You, God, that I can rest confidently in the shelter of your hand. Amen!’
And indeed, we can rest confidently under the shelter of God’s omnipotent hand my fellow believers! Why? Because He’s made numerous promises in His Word to that effect, and we know that His promises are always faithful and totally kept. And if you don’t believe me, then let’s check His Word and review some of those faithful promises of protection. And our first scripture passage will be one the prayer writers referenced, to which I’ll add the two verses before it so we can get the full context of Bruh Paul’s message on the Faithfulness of our God.
‘Finally brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course (run free), and be glorified, even as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you safe from evil (the evil one).’ (2 Thess. 3:1-3) And the scholars tell us that there Bruh Paul is contrasting the unfaithfulness of men to the faithfulness of God, which is a favourite topic of his. And they reference a couple of scriptures on the subject (1 Cor. 10:13, 1 Thess. 5:24, 2 Tim. 2:13)
So let’s look at them nuh. This first one we all know and quote all the time. ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) Meanwhile, the second one, with an added verse from Bruh Paul’s final exhortations to the Thessalonians is this: ‘And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it.’ (1Thess. 5:23-24)
And the last reference with a couple of added verses for enlightenment says: ‘It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ (2 Tim. 2:11-13) And that’s the gospel truth my people; our God cannot deny what He is. He cannot turn off His LOVE, faithfulness, compassion, holiness, or none of His other major attributes! That’s why He’s such a great, faithful and unchangeable God!
Now, we still have space for a couple of other faithful scripture references, like this one that we all know: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Heb. 10:23) Then there are these words from Moses to the children of Israel, as he lets them know that God had chosen them as his people. ‘Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that LOVE him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that (delay with him who) hateth him, he will repay him to his face.’ (Deut. 7:9-10)
Yes friends, our God is faithful on either side of the coin, (smile) so it’s wise to stay on His good side. And what about these words from that great Psalm 91, which features God as our refuge and hiding place. ‘I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust… Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh (near) thy dwelling….
Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life (length of days) will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:2, 9-10, 14-16) That’s how it goes when you know the Lord and consistently make Him your go to person my fellow believers.
And we’ll end our scriptures on God’s faithfulness with these awesome and truthful words from Jeremiah in his Lamentations. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness…It is good that a man should both hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:22-23, 26) Truer words were never spoken my brethren! It’s only because of God’s great compassion and faithfulness that we haven’t been long ago wiped off the map for our total disobedience and abominable evildoings. Instead, we ought to be praising Him and giving much thanks for His faithfulness to us woeful ingrates.
Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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!’
And having said that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…because of God’s true, holy and unchangeable nature…He cannot be anything other than faithful to His promises and His people…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a godly attitude, a way out, above that ye are able to bear, an egress, an enormous price to pay, an ungodly world, avert temptations, be of good cheer, Bible, blessings await those who endure, call on you for help, called unto the fellowship of his son, capitulation, challenges, christianity, Christians, common to man, conquered the forces of evil, delivered him up for us all, demonic followers, disobedience, draw us into his web, endure to the end, eternal death, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, frustrations, give me the wisdom and courage to take it, God is faithful, God will not suffer you to be tempted more than you can bear, grace, halfway home, hands on the plough, he that spared not his own Son, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, if god be for us who can be against us, in me ye might have peace, in that marvellous journey, in the world, In Touch, inviting them to join us, Jesus Christ, joys, looking for company, lose the best thing we've ever had, LOVE, loving me enough, made me firm against old temptations, mercy, my desire to be obedient, not looking back, not turning back, our wonderful position in Jesus, problems, recognize temptations, refuse us anything else, rejoice, salvation, Satan, separation from God, short-loved pleasure, show the way out, sinfulness of Satan, so glad to be alive, temptation, temptations are inevitable, thank God, thank you for victory, the breath of life, the propitiation for our sins, the pull of false pleasure, there hath no temptation taken you, to a glorious future with Jesus, to rescue me from every trap, truth, victory, what then shall say to these things, where I'm still tempted, wisdom, you shall have tribulation, your escape route
1 Corinthians 10:13 b. but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;
Awright friends, Wednesday is up with its joys, problems, challenges and frustrations. But since this is the day we catch our second wind, then hopefully we’ll deal with all of them with a right and godly attitude. (smile) To help us do that, let’s offer up a prayer on a very appropriate subject: Temptation. Yes, we all know that’s our biggest problem in this world, and although we have all the tools to deal with it, the enemy doesn’t make it easy for us. This prayer comes from some prayer cards recently issued by the In Touch Organization, on useful topics that constantly affect our lives. And there’s certainly none bigger than Temptation!
So, let’s pray: ‘Father, where Your grace has made me firm against old temptations, thank You for victory. In areas where I’m still tempted, I call on You for help. Show me the way out, and give me the wisdom and courage to take it. Make my desire to be obedient greater than the pull of false pleasure. When I see Your escape route, I will rejoice, knowing blessings await those who endure. Thank You for LOVING me enough to rescue me from every trap. Amen!’
Oh friends, do we ever need God’s recuing from all the traps Satan and his demonic followers place in our paths! Especially, as the prayer says with ‘the pull of false pleasure.’ That’s Satan’s favourite way of drawing us in; placing what looks like pleasure before us, but a pleasure that’s often short-lived, and very often with an enormous price to pay for our disobedience. But thanks be to God that He’s promised to help us recognize and hopefully avert those temptations.
And here’s the most famous scripture on that topic, from the pen of Bruh Paul in his first missive to the Corinthians. ‘There hath no temptation taken (overcome) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) Now that tells us that we all experience the same basic types of temptation, but we have a most faithful God who will not allow us to undergo a temptation bigger than we can handle, but even if it seems like He’s done so, He will always make a way for us to handle it.
And according to the scholars: ‘Make a way to escape (lit. “an egress” or “way out”): In early Greek usage, this term had the sense of a landing place for a ship. The idea is thus not that He will allow us to escape temptation, but that He will enable us to land intact on the other side.’ Now, that’s something a lot of us supposed believers need to come to terms with. Temptation is a must; it’s just part of the world order of things. Even Jesus was tempted before He officially began His ministry. (Luke 4:1-13)
And He subsequently warned us: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) That means in this ungodly and evil world we will certainly have trials, troubles, tests, temptations and all kinds of trouble! However, as believers in Christ Jesus, who has already conquered the forces of evil, we can be of good cheer, or have a basic peace and faith that allows us to go forward with courage, facing whatever comes against with a good, strong and godly attitude.
Why? Because our God is faithful to His promises! Bruh Paul said it thus to the Corinthians: ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellow ship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor: 1:9) And I like this scripture that corroborates that one. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:31-32)
Now those are indeed very good questions? If the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God is for us, who can harm us eh? Nobody! And if He’s already broken His own heart, done the most important thing ever by giving us His Son Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, why would He refuse us anything else eh, for nothing can be more important than that?
Oh my fellow believers, if we would only use our brains and meditate on God’s Word, we’d certainly see how much He truly LOVES us and desires us to have a good life. He’s bent over backwards to show it, there’s no more He can do. The rest is all up to us; either to accept or reject His grace, mercy, favour, faithfulness and LOVE! Or to foolishly accept the short-term pleasures and sinfulness of Satan, who has no LOVE whatsoever for us, but is only looking for company to spend eternal death and separation from God with him. Let’s hope we’re not foolish enough to allow him to draw us into his web and lose the best thing we’ve ever had; that’s Jesus Christ.
Now, let’s go home declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, and inviting them to join us in that marvellous journey! As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And it’s been promised that if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So please, let’s plan on being there right at the very end nuh, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future! See you there! Much LOVE!
…in an ungodly world…temptations are inevitable…but capitulation to them is not…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Aug 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a peace that passes all understanding, a personal journey with God, a true christian life, abide in his love, above that ye are able, anointing, as the day follows the night, be able to endure it, be of good courage, blessed assurance, called thee by name, duty bound, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, faith, fear not, getting through to the other side with God, God is faithful, God will come to our rescue, God's never late, grace, he shall strengthen thine heart, hope, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I have redeemed thee, I will be with thee, if ye keep my commandments, in god's eyes, in the face of adversity, Jesus Christ, lay not up treasures on earth, lay up treasures in heaven, LOVE, lustful eyes, make a way to escape, many are the afflictions of the righteous, marinating in our hearts, moth and rust doth corrupt, necessary ingredients, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, no temptation has overtaken you, nothing is impossible with God, obedience, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, share His love with my neighbours, such as is common to man, suffer you to be tempted, the Holy One of Israel, the Lord delivereth him out of them all, the sinless blood of Christ, the transformative power of faith, the way the cookie crumbles, they shall not overflow thee, thieves break through and steal, thou art mine, thou shalt not be burned, through the rivers, to our detriment, troublesome Monday, trust, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wait on the Lord, walk the talk, walkest through the fire, when thou passest through the waters, where your treasure is there will be your heart also, wisdom, worry, ye shall abide in my love
Isaiah 43:2a. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;
And so, without any due notice or welcoming applause, we come to Tuesday, which follows Monday, just like the day follows the night and vice versa! (smile) But most likely, we’ve breathed a huge sigh of relief that we’ve gotten through troublesome Monday, and fallen into much easier Tuesday. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles. But the wonderful thing about it all, is that we believers have Jesus to backstop all our doubts and fears, so even when circumstances don’t look so good, we don’t need to worry, but call up scriptures like this one from the wise words of Bruh David: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’ (Ps. 34:19)
And with those words of blessed assurance steeping, marinating in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, we can then stand strong in faith with a good attitude, and do what Bruh David so wisely advises: ‘Wait (patiently in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (patiently in faith), I say on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) That’s marvellous advice friends, although it’s not always easy to put into action, because oftentimes we feel as though our world is just being torn apart and there’s no time to wait, an instant remedy is required. But please have no fear, for in good time, His time, our amazing and faithful God will come to our rescue.
As Bruh Paul says to the church at Corinth: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) Yes friends, our great God will either make a way for us to escape the tough circumstances, or give us the strength, the grace, the anointing to go through it with a calm peace that passes all understanding.
And, one more very important thing: He won’t be late. No! God’s NEVER late! And I can testify to that, because so often in my own life, when I’ve thought that all was lost, I’ve seen Him show up just at the right time. Sometimes He waits until the very last moment to show up, because He’s testing our faith, to see if we will actually walk the talk that we’ve been spewing out to others. And why would He not rescue us, or at least give us the strength to go through our problems after He’s made promises like this one.
‘But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon (scorch) thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee (in thy place). (Is. 43:1-3)
Yes friends, that’s all the gospel truth, for the Lord our God has certainly redeemed us, bought us with a price, the sinless blood of Christ, which means we are indeed His! And we’ve seen examples of His people passing through the waters on dry ground through the Red Sea to escape the army of Egypt, (Ex. 14:19-31) and the rivers, where they passed through the River Jordan and it did not overflow them. (Josh. 3) And we all know the famous story of the three young Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who refused to bow to the idol made by the king of Babylon and were thrown into the furnace, heated seven times hotter than normal, yet they came out alive, not even smelling of smoke. (Dan. 3)
Wow! What a powerful and faithful God we serve my brethren! Remember, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM! But He seeks faith and trust in those who claim to believe, and consequently tests us by allowing unfortunate stuff to happen to us, like passing through the waters. And what does passing through the waters really mean? Listen to these two commentaries on the subject. The first one says: ‘Isaiah 43:2 is a verse that calls for a personal journey with God, where trust in His divine promise leads us to discover our own strength and resilience. In essence, the heartfelt message of Isaiah 43:2 is about the transformative power of faith in the face of adversity.’ No doubt about that!
And the second tells us re Isaiah 43:3-5. ‘Another thought about “when you pass through the waters”: this phrase implies getting through to the other side with God. Whether it ends with resolving a problem here or taking us home to heaven, God will be with those who LOVE Him and whom He LOVES.’ And you can bet your bottom dollar on that my people! God will ALWAYS be with those He LOVES, and those who LOVE Him! As Jesus said to the disciples: ‘If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my LOVE; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his LOVE!’ John 15:10)
Yuh see friends, it’s all about obedience and doing the will of God! You cannot expect God to bless you while you are constantly ignoring Him and doing the will of Satan. And yuh know, that’s all the Lord really desires of us, obedience. But we allow the bright and shiny baubles and bangles of the world to dazzle our lustful eyes and thus turn away from God, all to our certain detriment. That’s a fool’s wisdom my people! For even if you acquire all of the world’s wealth, you cannot carry one iota of it with you when you die, regardless of if you make your bed in heaven or in hell.
For as Jesus so wisely advises: ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth doth corrupt (ruin) and rust, where thieves break through and steal: But lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matt. 6:19:21) More gospel truth and wise advice my fellow believers. Instead Jesus gives this wise and heartfelt advice as to what we should do. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Now, Jesus doesn’t have cause to lie, like Satan does, so it’s wise and sensible to believe Him. And for those of us who have been wise and sensible, and have believed Jesus, (smile) let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, 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!’
And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…trust, faith, hope, obedience and LOVE…all necessary ingredients for a true Christian life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 May 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a tough row to hoe, ambassadors, as a good soldier of Christ, Bible, christianity, compassion, do the work of an evangelist, endure afflictions, endure hardness, eternal life, faith, God is faithful, humble ourselves, if any man will come after me, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus went out and prayed, joy, let him deny himself, let this cup pass from me, living in darkness, LOVE, make a way to escape, men ought always to pray and not faint, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, negative situations, new work week, not my will but thine, pray, prayer, prosper us, rising up a great while before day, salvation, seek your face, strong faith in Christ, such as is common to man, take up his cross, the fruit of the spirit, the God who heals, the throne of grace, turn from our evil ways, walk the walk, willing to sacrifice, wisdom, worldwide strife
Luke 9:23. If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Another Monday, another new work week, but at least yesterday was a joyful celebration of our Mothers, and that gives us hope and confidence to get out into the dissolute world today and carve out a big piece of it, all in Jesus’ name! And we do that by being the salt of the earth, the light of the world and letting the fruit of His Spirit flourish in us, some thirty, some sixty and some one hundred percent! Wow! What a wonderful world we’d have if more of us supposed Christians would just make the effort, think of all that Jesus sacrificed on our behalf, and be willing to sacrifice just a little on His.
But it seems oh so difficult for us to give up just a tad of our comfort and security, to let our humanity show forth, to add a li’l joy, LOVE and compassion to world that so badly needs them in these times of serious worldwide strife and suffering. It’s asking too much of us to be like Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) And also later on: ‘But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.’ (2 Tim. 4:5)
Unfortunately though, not too many of us are willing and/or able to brave the hardships of this cruel world and put up a good fight for Jesus. We seem to conveniently forget what we signed up for when we became disciples of Jesus. As He said it: ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) And the important words in that statement are ‘deny himself… and take up his cross daily.’
Yes friends, we’ve got to deny ourselves and take up our crosses every day and follow Jesus if we truly desire to be His disciple. Nothing else will do!. And don’t forget these memorable words that tie in with true discipleship. ‘And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) Ah mih people, that’s such an important part of being a Christian. As the scholars explain: ‘Precisely when tempted to give up, men ought to be strong in their resolve to pray.’
And Jesus wasn’t just talking for talk sake. No! Because He modelled that very thing for us by the amount of time He spent in prayer to His heavenly Father. He didn’t do anything without consulting the Father, because He came to earth to do the Father’s will. Mark tells us: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
And even when the obedience to His death on the cross faltered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said to the disciples: ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye (stay) here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt. 26:39) And He prayed that prayer three times, though deep down He knew that the cup could not pass from Him, because that was His major reason for coming to earth.
And our heavenly Father is so faithful and compassionate that according to Luke, when Jesus shared His agony with the Father: ‘And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.’ (Luke 22:43) Likewise my fellow believers, when we share our deepest fears and agony with the Lord through prayer, He might not turn them aside, but He will surely give us the strength to handle them. As Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. ‘There hath no temptation (trial, tribulation) taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye can bear; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13)
Oh friends, how much more can we ask eh? We’re not down here to just smell the perfume of the roses and have Sunday strolls in the park. No! We’re here to perform a job as the hands, feet, eyes, ears and noses of Jesus, in other words, ambassadors, so that the heathen, those who are still living in the darkness of Satan can be brought into the light that Jesus offers, wherewith salvation and eternal life can be attained. And until we wake up to that reality and begin doing what we’re supposed to do, this world will remain a total mess, and possibly get worse as the days go by.
But the sad part is that we all know what we’re supposed to do, we’re just not doing it to the best of our ability. Anyway, to help us do better, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, laying our all before Almighty God. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, let’s remember that divine aid only comes when we do certain things; turn from our evil ways, humble ourselves, pray and seek God’s face. Much LOVE!
…discipleship is indeed a tough row to hoe…but Jesus…through His Holy Spirit…gives us the wherewithal to walk the walk…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, all good things end sometime, assured faith in Christ, be of good cheer, be strong and steadfast in our faith, by the example we set, faith, faith only grows through suffering, Friday chant, God is faithful, He is faithful that promised, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the only one we can totally trust, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, live the abundant life Jesus died for us to have, LOVE, make a way to escape, nothing good or bad lasts forever, omnipotent help, our sins could be forgiven, Praise the Lamb that was slain, restoring faith in you, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Christian life is tough, truth, with the temptation
Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast to the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).
Well, the beautiful sunny days look like they have ended on this last day of the work week, as we shout: TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes, friends, it cloudy and windy and the presence of some kind of precipitation is in the air. But as we know, all good things must end sometime or the other, no good nor bad thing lasts forever. That’s why we have such strong belief and faith in Christ Jesus, because He has promised to be always with us in our every circumstance, and to eventually work them all out for out good! And the Good Book tells us that He who promises is faithful to deliver on His promises.
Wow! That’s why the author of the Book of Hebrews so candidly laid it out for us, when he wrote: ‘Let us hold fast to the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).’ (Heb. 10:23) Yes my people, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is indeed faithful to His every promise, He has never reneged, and will never renege on even one! That’s why we need to be strong and steadfast in our faith and hope in Him, for He is the ONLY ONE in whom we can put our total trust, and surrender our entire being to. Praise His holy name you faithful saints! Praise the Lamb that was slain so that we could be forgiven of our abominable sins! May He reign in glory for ever and ever! Amen!
Ah mih bredrin, the Christian life is tough, for it’s not easy to have strong and steadfast faith in Christ and then grow more faithful and righteous like Him every day, because that’s what discipleship calls for, and it’s what the Father expects of us. And the sad part of it all is that we only grow in faith through suffering and hardship, through trials and tribulation. That means to be a lifelong believer, you will always be faced by some problem or the other. Life will NEVER be clear sailing all the time, in due course, inclement weather will undoubtedly arrive at your doorstep. And only when we have that assured faith in Christ, will we ever be able to handle it.
The truth of the matter is that the more problems you encounter, the more your faith grows and the easier it gets the next time around. And I know that’s no consolation, but it’s the truth! (smile) But these encouraging words of Jesus do make things a tad easier. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Yes my fellow saints, Jesus has indeed overcome the world, by defeating hell, death and the grave and rising on the third day, and thus has also given all believers the victory. We now just have to endure the tough times this world has to offer, and to assist us in that endeavour, He’s generously given us His Holy Spirit to be our Guide, Comforter, Helper and Reminder of His truth, so that we can live the abundant life that He died for us to have, beginning right here on earth.
Give Almighty God the praise for all He’s had Jesus do on our behalf! That’s why Bruh Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth, could write thus: ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:9) And later in that same letter, he wrote these words of encouragement: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13)
The problem with that verse though is too many of us focus on the word ‘escape.’ However, in the Lord’s vocabulary, ‘escape’ doesn’t always mean literal escape. Many times it means, enabling us to go through the tough circumstances, not bypassing them completely. Yes, sometimes, God will allow us to escape certain things completely, but more often than not, He will give us the strength and the wherewithal to bear the temptations, because in doing so we will grow and mature in our faith, and that’s His plan for each and every one of His born again children.
And since we’re not doing as well as we ought to in these difficult and ungodly times, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and ask for divine help to do better. Altogether now: ‘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 my fellow saints, I’m sure the Lord sometimes chuckles when He hears our prayers for help, prayers which include the very thing(s) we need to do to get it. Like above there where we say: ‘And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ Now that’s exactly what we need to get divine help, set a better example than we’re currently doing! Much LOVE!
…faithful is he that calleth you…who also will do it… (1 Thess. 5:24)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
22 Aug 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all the way down to hell, Christ's church is filled with contention, Christian faith walk, come behind in no gift, encourage and strengthen you in the Lord, false teachers and preachers, God is faithful, grace be unto you, I am the beloeved of God, in god's eyes, Is Christ divided, LOVE, patience, peace from God our Father, perseverance, praise, prayer, shall he find faith on the earth, share His love with my neighbour, speak the same thing, successfully navigate the storms, supplication, thanksgiving, the devil is laughing his head off, the grace of God, the help of social media, the unity of Christ's church, there be no divisions among you, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unmerited favour, when the Son of man cometh, worry, ye may be blameless in the day of christ
1 Corinthians 1:13.a. Is Christ divided?
Welcome to the second to last Tuesday in August 2023 my Scrip-Bit Friends and Family! Now, I would like to share Bruh Paul’s sentiments in his first letter to the church at Corinth, because they are still very valid, important and encouraging to our Christian faith walk. So, as he wrote: ‘Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf (concerning you), for the grace of God which is given you by Christ Jesus;
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind (short) in no gift; waiting for the coming (revelation) of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:3-9) What a heartfelt and LOVING greeting! And in my simple way, I offer you the same sentiments, hoping that they will encourage and strengthen you in the Lord. (smile)
Now, as per ‘Grace …and Peace,’ the scholars tell us that ‘In the former (grace) Paul contemplates all that is understood by God’s gracious unmerited favour as it is extended to sinners.’ And do we all ever have great need of plenty of God’s unmerited favour in these ungodly and evil times. And as per ‘The latter (peace) Paul has in mind benefits that fall from the exercise of God’s LOVE.’ That’s another thing we so badly need in these troubled and turbulent times; God’s peace! The ONLY kind that can truly do us any good right now!
Then, Bruh Paul goes on to wish that the Corinthians were enriched with all wisdom and knowledge of God, through the testimony and witness of Christ that was confirmed in them, and that they would not be left out of any of God’s good things, most likely spiritual gifts, but be strengthened and made firm, as they waited for the return of Christ, when He shall make them blameless before God.
Now it’s the same testimony and witness that’s supposedly been confirmed in us, and we’re still waiting for Christ’s return, and desperately need to be strengthened and made firm in God’s grace, so the same sentiments can be applied to us, and we possibly need them more because our world is surely more troubled and confused than theirs was.
And I like how after all the warm and pleasant greetings Bruh Paul gets down to brass tacks re the unfortunate contentions in the church. ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ye all speak the same thing (have a uniform testimony), and that there be no divisions (dissensions or schisms) among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement.’ (1 Cor. 1:10)
Apparently it had been brought to Bruh Paul’s attention that serious quarrels were happening among the church brethren. ‘Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.’ (1 Cor. 1:12-15)
Ah friends, sadly, just like the early church was filled with contention, today’s church is overrun with dissension, so badly that Christ church is terribly divided. There are so many Christian religions, sub-religions, cliques, and what have you, that it brings a big smile to the evil one’s face, because that makes it ever so easy for him to conquer us. He doesn’t even have to do the division since we’ve already divided ourselves, and over so much petty stuff. That’s the hurtful part. A lot of our division is over stuff that can easily be figured out or simply laid aside because it is not that important.
But the latest style is that as soon as something dissatisfies us in one church body, we leave and start a new one, with slight variations. But as Bruh Paul asked the church at Corinth, and we should seriously consider today with our many schisms and divisions: ‘Is Christ divided?’ And the answer is NO! So why is His supposed church so divided, and yet we all claim to be preaching the same Christ crucified? That’s why the devil is laughing his head off all the way down to hell! For if Christ is One, the same yesterday, today and forever more, then how can so much different, conflicting stuff be preached and taught about Him eh?
Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers. All I know is that Satan is having a field day, a heyday amongst believers right now. Believers who are filled with so much doubt, anxiety and worry about their lives and circumstances that they are losing their faith in Almighty God. And the many false teachers and preachers, with the help of social media, are escalating the problems, causing more conflicting dialogue and beliefs among Christ’s people.
Ah mih saints, the times are difficult and troubling, but serious and sincere students of and believers in Christ Jesus will be able to successfully navigate the storms and trials of the day. However, the important question, is what’s to become of Christ’s church? God is already being removed from our society, and if Christ’s church doesn’t come together soon, and real soon too, there will not be much of it left to talk about, and the devil would have won. Now that’s something we should not even be contemplating, but it is a possible reality the way the church is continually splitting apart, instead of uniting.
However, I pray that most of us will stand strong and call for the reunification of Christ’s church, so that we can defeat Satan’s evil schemes. And thus, the question Christ posed after the parable of the unjust judge: ‘Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:8) will be a resounding YES! But please remember that will only happen if we keep strong in faith, in prayer and supplication, in fellowship, praise and thanksgiving, and our patience and perseverance don’t run out by the time Jesus finally returns.
Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we joyfully 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 it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the unity of Christ’s church…right now it’s of the utmost importance…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
01 Aug 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: actions cost a lot, come to the end of our rope, common to man, God is faithful, God will not suffer you to be tempted, hurry, I am the beloved of god, in god's eyes, LOVE, more than you are able t bear, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, our eyes are on you, our sufficiency is in God, overwhelmed by the storms of life, share His love with my neighbours, talk is cheap, the assurance that Jesus will help you, the first day of August, the help of the Holy Spirit, the waters have come up to my neck, there hath no temptation taken you, to think anything as of ourselves, troubles with number surround me, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, we should not trust in ourselves, will also make a way of escape, with the temptation, without me ye can do nothing, worry, ye may be able to bear it
2 Corinthians 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.
Now, whether you believe it or not, it is indeed the first day of August, a beautiful Tuesday; cool, sunshiny and without a trace of a cloud in the bright blue sky. Ah Lord eh, the good days just fly by so quickly while the cold and ugly-looking ones take their own sweet time to move along. But that’s life, and like all the other aspects of our earthly days, we just have to learn to accept and handle them, obviously with the help of the Holy Spirit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our guide and comfort.
And I know that talk is cheap, while actions cost a lot more, but worrying and agonizing over the things of life we cannot control won’t make them improve or go away. However, with Jesus in your life, you have the assurance that He will help you handle whatever comes against you. Not that He won’t give you more than you can handle, as so many people mistakeably dispense. For all throughout the Bible you can find passages where the Lord gave His servants more than they could humanly handle.
Take for instance when Elijah fought and slew all the 450 prophets of Baal, then faced the wrath of Queen Jezebel, who threatened to kill him, he ran for his life a day’s journey into the wilderness and sat down under a juniper tree, and requested of the Lord that he would die. But as it says in 1 Kings 19:1-8, the Lord fed him through ravens and allowed him to rest.
‘And the angel of the Lord came again a second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat (food) forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.’ (1 Kin. 19:7-8) It’s obvious then that Elijah reached a stage where he just couldn’t handle it anymore, but the Lord looked after him. And that’s what He’s promised to do, for all who sincerely worship Him.
And I like the examples this commentary by Ron Edmonson gives. ‘David, the great war hero and man after God’s own heart, told the Lord that “troubles without number surround me” and “I cannot see”. He couldn’t see clearly, because he was overwhelmed with the storms of life! Another time David said, “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.” (Oh how I identify with David there!) Jehoshaphat prayed, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chr. 20:12) It sounds like he was facing more than he could handle on his own.’
So it’s not that God won’t give us more than we can handle but what the scripture says is: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13)
What that verse says is that God won’t allow Satan to bring more temptation or enticement to sin than we can handle, and when we are tempted or enticed to sin, He will make a way for us to resist it, because He doesn’t want us to fall into Satan’s clutches, but to live the holy life that Christ desires of us. But He will allow stuff to come on us greater than we handle in our own right, because He wants us to come to the end of our rope and realize that He’s our ONLY HOPE!
And in Bruh Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he tells them of his deliverance from suffering and death in Asia. ‘For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble (tribulation) which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure (burdened), above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.’ (2 Cor. 1:8-10)
Wow! That time of trouble certainly caused Bruh Paul to keep His focus on Almighty God and not himself. And anytime we get into problems we cannot handle, it should also cause us to do the same! Yes friends, our hope lies only in Christ Jesus! For as Bruh Paul later writes: ‘And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:4-5)
And until we truly believe and action those sentiments my brethren, we’ll always have problems that cause us unnecessary worry and overwhelming anxiety, instead of the quieting peace of Christ. It’s like Christ says: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And there’s never been a truer word ever spoken my fellow saints!
So please let’s take it to heart and place all of our trust in the sinless ONE, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so that we can handle all the vicissitudes of this interesting but eccentric life. (smile) Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. In sincere harmony: ‘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!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and share that amazing friendship and LOVE of Christ with those we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…trust not in fragile and deceitful man… but in the awesome faithfulness and power of Jehovah God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Nov 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a crown of righteousness, a harbinger, bear thee up, by faith, by it the elders obtained a good report, cast thyself down, clear sailing, common sense, courage, creativity, curse, dash thy foot against a stone, endure to the end, faith in a nutshell, faith is the substance of things hoped for, give his angels charge over thee, God is faithful, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he that cometh to God, in their hands, it is written, Jesus will always be with you, LOVE, must believe that he is, negative word, no temptation has overtaken you, prosper, rocket science, succeed, such as is common to man, surrender to God, the evidence of things not seen, the Son of God, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, Thursday Blessings, trust, without faith it is impossible to please God
Hebrews 11:6. 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.
It’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, and possibly a harbinger of what our weekend will be like; snow filled! (smile) My computer tells me that snow is in the offing. And if that’s so, then the winter weather is here to stay, meaning we had better get used to it as soon as possible, for we might just be in for a long, cold season.
But as the familiar saying goes, ‘Who cares eh?’ Not us believers in Christ Jesus, for once you have Jesus in your life, it will be clear sailing. (smile) Well that’s not totally true, the sailing will not always be clear, but Jesus will ALWAYS be there to guide and protect you and bring you out safely from any tough times. That’s His promise!
Listen to Bruh Paul in his first missive to the church at Corinth. ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13)
What a marvellous God we serve my people! He will allow temptations to come against us, to test our faith and our backbone, but He will always be there in the wings ready to help us if we falter, either finding a way for us to escape it, or by giving us His divine help to overcome it.
But, as with everything else in the Lord’s kingdom, that requires, belief, faith, trust, surrender and good communication with our God. And also remember what the psalmist said in Psalm 91, subtitled ‘God is a refuge and fortress,’ long before the coming of Jesus.
Read these words of glorious promise with me. ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra): the young lion and dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample under feet.’ (Ps. 91:9-13)
And if you don’t believe the psalmist, then check out Jesus’ conversation with Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. That’s the scripture he used to inveigle Jesus to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. ‘And (Satan) saith unto him (Jesus), If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.’ (Matt. 4:6)
Yes friends, Satan knows scripture, better than us to boot, for remember he was once the archangel Lucifer, and probably even had a hand in helping to write it. And that’s why He knows exactly where to strike to get us to do his evil bidding. But like Jesus we must refute his arguments with scriptural refutations. (smile) What was Jesus’ reply to Satan’s entreaty? ‘Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt (test) the Lord thy God.’ (Matt. 4:7)
Now Jesus refutation comes directly from Deuteronomy 6:16, where Moses lectured the Israelites on the sorrows of disobedience to God’s laws. And I like to add to it, ‘neither shall thou tempt (test) the children of God.’ (smile) Oh my people, living for Jesus in this evil, sin-filled world can be difficult, but if we hold strong to our faith, then He will enable us to come through with shining colours and eventually receive that crown of righteousness that Bruh Paul told Timothy awaits all those who endure to the end with Jesus. (2 Tim. 4:8)
And the author of Hebrews tells us thus about faith. ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) That simply means we hope for what we don’t see, but by faith, strong trust in God, believe that it will come to pass. And then the author of Hebrews goes on to tell us that it was by faith that the elders received a good report. (Heb. 11:2)
Yes, saints of Christ, it was indeed by faith, strong trust in Jehovah God, that all the forefathers of our faith did what they did, and that set the stage for us. Consequently, the writer of Hebrews can further tell us: ‘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)
And that my fellow believers is our faith in a nutshell. We must believe that Jehovah God exists, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him and thus obey His laws. Matter fix! And it’s not rocket science, but simple common sense. Although common sense seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird in these current times. (smile)
Now, here is the continuation of that promise from Psalm 91, which ought to lift up our faith even more this Thursday morning at the beginning of winter. ‘Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in time of trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:14-16)
Wow mih bredrin! Yuh see what the Lord promises to do for those who believe that He exists and the rewards He will offer to those who faithfully serve and revere Him! And He’s doing it every day of our lives with the blessings, the mercies and the grace He bestows on us that we don’t deserve. And there’s this particular group of blessings that we call our Thursday Blessings, which we need to activate by declaring (awright!!!) them out loud.
So let’s do that right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use them for the betterment of our world and to bring others to Christ! Much LOVE!
…life is all about Almighty God…belief in…hope…faith…trust and total surrender to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ
11 May 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all my hope is in Jesus, all my sins are forgiven, as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, but such as is common to man, commune with my Maker, constantly bombarded by, dandelions, don't miss a trick, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, form henceforth even for ever, God is faithful, God will not suffer you to bear more than you can, greater love hath no man than this, halfway home, hands on the plough, I've been washed by the blood, it's not easy to live a righteous life in this sinful world, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity, let the silence wash over us, LOVE, lovely days are here again, my yoke is easy and my burden light, no temptation has overtaken you, not looking back, thank God, that a man lay down his life for his friends, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the enemy's devious and evil machinations, the fiery halls of hell, the great invitation, the Lord is round about His people, the promise of salvation and eternal life, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail
Psalm 125:2. As the mountains are round about (surround) Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
Well, lovely days seem to be here again friends! Glory Hallelujah! But unfortunately, the dandelions, who don’t miss a trick, (smile) are also pushing their weedy yellow heads up through the new green spring grass, causing much dissatisfaction to lawn owners. But although they are considered weeds, I like them, like the bright yellow colour they provide to the fresh spring atmosphere.
But best of all, with these warmer days arriving, I will now be able to sit on my porch in the afternoons and watch the world go by, as well as sit there in the quiet of the early morning hours and commune with my wonderful Maker. And it’s an interesting communication, because we don’t talk much, we just let the silence wash over us, and the beauty of nature fill our souls with a peaceful joy.
That’s one thing I miss a lot during the many cold and dreary winter months. And why shouldn’t we just sit in quiet and peaceful companionship eh, when as the song says, ‘All my hope is in Jesus. Thank God my yesterday’s gone, All my sins are forgiven, And I’ve been washed by the blood.’
Mama Mia! Life couldn’t get any better than that my people! And that’s what we all get when we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour; forgiven sins and a soul washed and cleansed in His Holy blood. We also receive His awesome peace and joy, and the promise of salvation and eternal life with Him in heaven or wherever He chooses to reside (smile).
So why do so many of us refuse to accept His invitation to come to Him and lay all our burdens and heavy loads at His feet and receive the rest for both our bodies and souls that He alone can provide? The overwhelming refusal of His Great Invitation just boggles my imagination, for the enemy has nothing to compare with what Jesus’ offers. ‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ Satan’s yoke and burden are exactly the opposite of Jesus’ – hard and heavy. So why are so many of us still fighting ourselves and each other to live under Satan’s hard yoke and heavy burden eh? I wish I knew, then I might be able to convince us of the folly of that decision.
Remember, whatever Satan enables us to have down here, like earthly wealth and power, we cannot take when we depart this life, and we’ll just end up in the fiery halls of hell with him. But the things that we get from Jesus, like peace, joy, LOVE and salvation, we carry them into eternal life with us, to dwell with Him right down through eternity. There’s nothing to compare with that friends! But I guess that our sinful nature is so strong within us that we like to dabble in it, enjoy its fleshly lusts, it’s pride and greed, it’s strife and resentment, as the evil one feeds our minds with his iniquitous thoughts and schemes.
And yes, we all know that it’s not easy to live a righteous life in this sinful world, constantly bombarded by the enemy’s devious and evil machinations, but if we sincerely turn to Jesus, He will surely help us with those problems. That’s His faithful promise. Bruh Paul wrote it thus to the church at Corinth. ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13)
Yes my fellow believers, in simple terms, we all fall under the burden of temptation, but our caring and compassionate God will not allow us to bear more temptation than we can handle. He will either find a way for us to escape it, or give us the necessary tools to endure it. In any case, no temptation will overwhelm us if we put our faith and trust in Jesus. He will give us the wherewithal to handle them all. And these words of encouragement from Psalm 125 – God surrounds his people – just add to our faith and strength in Christ Jesus.
Please read with me. ‘’They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed (moved), but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about (surround) Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. For the rod of the wicked (the sceptre of wickedness) shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous (the land allotted to the righteous); lest the righteous put forth (reach out) their hands unto iniquity.’ (Ps. 125:1-3)
That’s gospel truth my people! And please remember what Cousin Sol says about iniquity workers. ‘He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity (trouble): and the rod (sceptre) of his wrath (anger) shall fail.’ (Prov. 22:8) It’s for certain sure that the iniquity workers will eventually be destroyed when the Lord thinks it’s time. So mih bredin, how much more do we need before we believe eh, before we surrender completely to Jesus, our Maker, our God, Creator, Provider, Saviour and Friend? He even went so far as to come to earth as a man and selflessly sacrificed His sinless life so that we could be forgiven, made righteous, be reconciled to the Father and have the option of salvation.
And we’ll let this awesome truth He spoke linger in our hearts as we wind down today. ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:13) And He called us friends before He went to His death on the cross on our behalf. I don’t know what else to say to convince us that Jesus is real and His promises are ever-faithful. As Jesus also said: ‘He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Matt. 11:15) Words of eternal wisdom from our Saviour.
Now for those of us who believe and are sincerely trying to live for Jesus, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and confident voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Now don’t forget that if we endure with Jesus to the end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, please, let’s endure nuh mih people! Much LOVE!
…God has faithfully promised…never to leave nor forsake us…and He keeps all of His promises…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
25 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be quiet and listen to God, be strong and of a good courage, blood sweat and tears, by day in a pillar of cloud, by night in a pillar of fire, forgive us and heal our land, give us wise guidance, God is faithful, God is never late, God will supply all of our needs, God's grace is sufficient, He will not fail thee neither forsake thee, heavenly rewards, Jehovah Rapha, know our purpose, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, put our shoulders to the wheel, shall not depart out of thy mouth, sincere repentance in our hearts, temptation will not overtake us, the fruit of our earthly labour, the God who heals, the just in time principle, the Lord thy God goes before you, then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, this book of the law, thou shalt have good success, thou shalt meditate therein day and night
Deuteronomy 8:6. ‘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 before thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’
A good Monday morning to you my faithful friends and neighbours! Grace and peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to all those who sincerely trust and believe in Him. And since the breath of life continues to run through our bodies on this fateful Monday, it means that there is still important work for us to do down here in Christ’s name. Some of us know what that work is, and should faithfully put our shoulders to the wheel and do it without complaints, for He will greatly enable us to perform whatever He calls us to do.
Meanwhile, for those of us who don’t know our particular purpose, it’s ever so important for us to seek it out with the Lord’s help, for one day we shall all come before Him to answer for what we’ve done with our lives. And I don’t believe that ignorance of our earthly purpose will be a satisfactory answer. (smile) Remember, heavenly rewards are based on the fruit of our earthly labour, and if we didn’t bear any good earthly fruit, how can we expect to reap heavenly rewards eh?
And how do you find out your earthly purpose, you ask? Simple. Go to God and ask Him. Find a quiet place and some quiet time to spend with Him; read His word, think on it, and talk to Him like you’d talk to a friend, and He will answer your questions. Possibly not all at once, or in a loud voice, but quietly, in your spirit, you will eventually feel a nudging in a certain direction…or it might even be much more than a nudge, a direct command.
But remember too, that after we pose our questions to God, like in every other conversation, we need to be quiet and listen for His response. And that’s where so many of us fail, and complain that God doesn’t speak to us. It’s obvious that if we don’t listen, we can’t hear Him speaking. However, with the impatience of our current society, we expect to receive the answer right away, but that isn’t how our God operates. Unless it’s a dire emergency, He expects us to be patient and contemplative, not rushing around aimlessly like so much of our world is doing.
There’s no need to worry friends. If you ask God for directions, He will give them to you, just in His own time and fashion. Don’t worry about Him being late either. He knows what’s important and when and operates on the just in time principle. From personal experience, I know that’s an aggravating principle, but after the first few times, you’ll realize that God is faithful and will not let you down, He will arrive just in time.
But that means putting your trust in Him, which means spending quality time with Him, getting to know Him as intimately as possible, because trust can only be built through intimacy and sincerity and time spent together. And that trust can’t be built overnight either. It will take time, as much or as little time as you choose to put into the relationship. Remember, our heavenly Father is always there, ready, willing and able to talk to us, and when He feels the need, He will open a conversation with us, but basically, it’s our responsibility to get the ball rolling.
And in building trust, you must learn to rely wholeheartedly on His promises; promises like His grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:9); Temptation will not overtake us (1 Cor. 10:13); Victory over death (1 Cor. 15:57) To supply us with every need we have (Phil. 4:19) Eternal life. (John 3:16, 10:28) All things work together for good for those who love and serve Him faithfully (Rom. 8:28)
But yuh know what my people? Sincere trust also calls for bravery and courage. And believers need them each and every moment of every day if they are to be faithful to God’s desires. They are not easy to come by in this evil and ungodly world either, but God in His everlasting wisdom has also made provision for that. Remember these words of Moses to the Israelites. ‘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 before thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ (Deut. 8:6)
And that’s gospel truth, for you see how He led the Israelites when He brought them out of bondage in Egypt. The Good Book tells us: ‘And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:’ (Ex. 13:21) But to acquire that bravery and courage, trust and surrender, here’s what the Lord said to Joshua, when He made him leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death.
‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) And therein lies the secret to success in God’s kingdom; learn His Word and put it into action.
That’s it in a nutshell friends. If you don’t know His Word then you can’t keep His commands. And to truly truly know it, you must also have good and frequent communication with the Lord so He can explain the parts you don’t understand. (smile) And communicating with God is called prayer, and there is never a better time for prayer than the moment you think of it. So, since it’s in our thoughts right now, I think it’s appropriate that we approach the Lord in prayer through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, laying out our problems and desires before Him.
As one strong voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now remember that God not only listens to our words but also checks our hearts to see if our motives are right and true, before He answers our prayers. Much LOVE!
…to truly live for the Lord…one must put a sincere effort into it…meaning blood, sweat and tears…like Jesus did…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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