27 Feb 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adaptable human body, advertising entities, almighty god, another week of work, backsliding children, basement office, baubles and bangles, beautiful scenery, begging for money, bills, blessings, Bruh David, charities, chilly weather, City of Toronto, clamour, confidence, daily activites, daily grind and common task, desk top, fairy tale, fallible, fellowship, flowers, Friday chant, friends, fundraisers, generous help, give and you will receive, glorious kingdom, glory, glory hallelujah, God is a refuge, gospel truth, green trees, gullible, heavenly Father, holy spirit, In God is my salvation and my glory, in times of trouble, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, live for Jesus, Lord have mercy, LOVE, Lucifer, lusts of the world, my refuge is in God, new fangled ways, North country, pleas for assistance, psychological tools, refuge, rest, rocked my soul, rose to high heaven, salvation, secular, Selah, shock to the system, siphoned off, sky blue seas, snow, strength, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the children of Israel, the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and jacob, the real thing, the rock of my strength, the salvation of Israel, the weekend, there's no place like home, truth, weeping and gnashing of teeth, wisdom, working people
Psalm 62:7. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Well…and like it was suddenly Friday! And the clamour from working people all around the world rose up to high heaven. ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday yes, and we have the weekend to look forward to; to play and party and do whatever we want!’
But Friends, that’s not quite true. Regardless of time, place and opportunity, we still have to put our Creator and Provider, Almighty God FIRST! And to help us do that, let’s chant our Friday Chant.
All together now, with true sincerity. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Now that’s a little more like it ought to be. So let’s hope it alters our perception in a suitable manner. (smile) And Friends, you know there’s truly no place like home!
I got back to the cold North Country around 7 p.m last night and looking out over the city of Toronto from the plane, all I could see was white. Hn! And when I came out of the airport and the first blast of the chilly weather hit me, it sorta rocked my soul.
After a month of constant high twenties and low thirty degrees weather, the body was a bit shocked by the minus 17 degrees chill. Lord have mercy! But the human being is such a wonderfully made and adaptable body, that by the time I got home and settled in, it was just like I’d never been away.
And here I am once again down in my basement office tapping away at my old desk top listening to the furnace next door, instead of being on my verandah in Lowlands, on my laptop, looking out at the beautiful scenery of flowers, green trees and sky blue seas. Ah Chuh!
And this morning when I got up and looked out my bedroom window, all I could see was white…snow everywhere. It was a shock to the system. But life goes on, and I have to get on with the real thing, not the fairy tale one. So it’s back to the daily grind and common task.
I have a whole set of mail sitting on my desk to go through eventually, and I’m sure it’s a combination of mostly bills and charities begging for money. What a blessing that I haven’t had to deal with that for a whole month! Glory Hallelujah!
But I’m truly tired of these supposed charities begging all the time. And the worst mistake you can make is to give them one time, for after that they constantly bombard you with pleas for assistance.
And the sad part is that a lot of the funds received don’t get to where they are supposed to, they are siphoned off to pay the fundraisers, which is now a huge business, and for administrative purposes.
But the Lord says to give and you will receive, so we have to give some, just be careful of whom we are giving to and how much. End of sermon! (smile)
Now turning to our Bit, which again comes from Psalm 62 – God only is my rock and salvation. Bruh David proclaims it without any doubt or hesitation whatsoever. ‘In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.’
And that my people is indisputable, irrevocable, gospel and all other kinds of truth!
The Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is indeed our salvation as He has proven through the sacrificial death of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! He’s also our glory, our strength and refuge! The One to whom we look to for things mighty and majestic, for help in ALL our daily activities, be they big or small.
And He certainly is the One we run to when we can’t handle the trials and tribulations of this ungodly world, and where we certainly receive help and succour without any untoward questions asked! What a mighty and wonderful God is our heavenly Father! He is the ONLY ONE who can help and save us in times of trouble!
That’s why Bruh David wisely advises us in the next verse: ‘Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps.62:8) More wonderful words of heavenly wisdom and truth my brethren!
And the prophet Jeremiah said it this way: ‘A voice was heard upon the high places (bare heights), weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.
Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.’ (Jer.3:21-23).
Oh Friends, it’s uncanny how those same words are so pertinent to our situation in today’s world! For just like Israel back then, we in this current age have indeed forsaken the God of our fathers. That’s why there is so much weeping and gnashing of teeth all over the world.
When man turns away in droves from Jehovah God to foolishly follow the lusts of the world, what else can we expect eh? Granted that it is difficult to reject the worldly baubles and bangles and bright shining things of the world when they are constantly pounded in our ears, eyes and minds by the secular advertising entities, using all the psychological tools at their disposal.
That’s why my fellow believers it is of the utmost importance that we are very careful in whom and what we watch, read and listen to, for our weak and frail minds are very fallible and gullible to those new fangled ways of Lucifer.
And we’ll end with another true and wonderful and confidence building insight on the subject from Bruh David, from Psalm 3 – A prayer of confidence in God. ‘Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.’ (Ps.3:8)
Oh Friends, please let’s remember those insightful words, and all the others that we’ve spoken about today, as we journey forth into the evil, disgusting world to live for Jesus, for that’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!
…let’s remember that our duty is to…LOVE our God…LIVE our Faith…and SPREAD His Word…
24 Feb 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: A journey of love, almighty god, anger, Another Country, be not conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, be ye angry and sin not, bitterness, care, Christians, compassion, darkness, disappointment, Ephesians, evil speaking, faith, faithfulness, five foolish virgins, fleshly lusts, friends, give place to the devil, God's little Acre, good and acceptable to God, gospel truth, Hades, heaven, holy spirit, introspection, James Baldwin, Jesus Christ, Lent, Lenten season, live for Jesus, LOVE, LOVE for God, Lucifer, lying, malice, memorable words of Jesus, nature, practical guidelines, prayer, promises, retrospection, rough and trying times, spirit of your mind, St. Therese, steadfast faith, surrender, the fire next time, the North Country, the prince of darkness, The Saint of the Little Flower, trust, truth, ungodly world, watch, wherein the Son of man cometh, wisdom, wrongdoing
Romans 12:2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ah Friends, it’s Tuesday, and we’re in the last days of our stay in Paradise! And as I gaze out at the wonders of nature, hear the birds and insects sing their songs of praise to their Creator, with the seas at high tide bashing against the rocky shore, I sadly realize that in another couple days I won’t be waking up to this beautiful panorama of God’s making, but to a scene of snow and ice, of cold and darkness.
Ah Lord eh! And the ole heart stutters and flutters as it comes to grip with the great seismic change. (smile) But you know the ole fella will take it in his stride, because that’s where the Lord has me based for the present time. This was only a vacation, a blessed change and reprieve from the uncomfortable aspects of winter in the North Country.
And if I claim to have faith and trust in our omnipotent God, and have surrendered my will to Him, then I have no choice but to grin and bear whatever He allows to come against me, trusting in His faithful promises that He won’t give me more than I can bear, neither will He leave nor forsake me, while working everything out eventually for my good.
Oh my people, what a good and mighty God we serve and worship! And I’ve been walking with Him long enough now to be fully aware and fully cognizant of His everlasting faithfulness. He’s brought me through enough rough situations before, so why should He stop now eh, especially when I’m more faithful to Him now than I’ve ever been?
So although there’s sadness and disappointment in my upcoming departure from God’s Little Acre, I am also bolstered by the fact that my God is able to do whatever He promises, and will provide for me in whatever situation I may be in.
Consequently, I’d like to share this prayer from a devotional titled ‘A Journey of LOVE – Walking with St. Therese of Liseux; the Saint of the Little Flower, who promised to spend her heaven doing good on earth, letting fall a shower of roses as her signature. However Friends, in these very rough and trying times, we shouldn’t wait till we get to heaven to do good on earth, we need to do that RIGHT NOW!
And what better time to begin than in this Lenten season of both intro and retrospection!
Please pray with me: ‘Lord, help me to live always in the light of your presence. Should any darkness challenge my belief and LOVE for you, dispel that darkness so that I might witness to your merciful and gracious LOVE. Grant me the wisdom to confront a secular and egocentric world with your message of care and compassion for all people. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.’
Yes my people, there’s so much darkness and evil in our current world that it’s only with the omnipotent help of Almighty God, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that we can ever hope to dispel and remove them from our lives. And it can ONLY be done through LOVE and compassion! So please let’s come together seriously nuh, and do what we know is meet and right for us to do.
The sad part of the situation is that we full well know what is right, but yet we allow the façade of the world’s false and short lasting beauty to lure us into wrongdoing and ungodly behavior. If we are truly children of God, then we desperately need to be walking according to the dictates of our Bit: ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’
That’s the gospel truth my brethren! And it reminds me of a quote of James Baldwin (1928-1987), the controversial African American novelist, playwright, poet and social critic, who continually reflected on his experience as a black man in white America, penning such insightful works as ‘The Fire Next Time and Another Country.’
Well James is reputed to have said: ‘The future is like heaven – everyone exalts it but no one wants to go there now.’ And that’s a very accurate reflection of Christians nowadays! We all want to live a godly life, but just not yet, first we want to enjoy the pleasures and lusts of the fleshly world.
But Friends we can’t afford to wait one minute longer to live for Jesus, because we don’t know when He’s coming back. It could be today or tomorrow. And if we’re found wanting when He returns, like the five foolish virgins who didn’t prepare for a long wait with extra oil for their lamps, (Matt.25:1-12) we’ll be simply excluded from His train of glory, and forced to spend eternity in Hades with Lucifer, the prince of darkness.
And as I keep reminding us, that my brethren is the worst thing that could ever happen to a human being! So let’s get to it nuh, let’s begin living serious godly lives, putting into effect these wise and true words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians: ‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth to his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath; Neither give place to the devil…
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:22-27, 31-32)
Oh my Friends, that’s how we’re supposed to live! Those are just some simple, every day, practical guidelines as to how we can put aside the ‘old man’ and assume ‘the new man,’ in our everyday lives. They’re definitely not very difficult to do, so let’s begin doing them seriously, diligently and Right Now nuh, so that we won’t be caught napping whenever Jesus comes.
Let’s put into effect these memorable words of Jesus. ‘Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt.25:13)
That’s heavenly truth and wisdom my fellow man, words for us to ponder today, and see if we’re ready to receive Jesus, just in case He returns today. Much LOVE!
…to create a better world…it’s essential that we put into effect…LOVE for God…for ourselves…and for our neighbours… plus sincere care and compassion for each other…
23 Feb 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: almighty god, aura of love, baubles and bangles, be not conformed to this world, be transfromed by the renewing of your mind, Christians, confidence, decisions, devotion, direction, eternity, glorious kingdom, God's Word, gospel truth, guidance, Hades, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, invincible, Jesus, Jesus Christ, living sacrifice, lord god almighty, LOVE, loving kindness, loyalty, meet the enemy in battle, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, rejuvenation of spirit, serve a useful purpose, spiritual armour, spirituality, St. Francis, steadfast faith, stop loving the world, sure conquerors, the will of God, trust, truth, ungodly world, wealth of this world, wisdom
Romans 12:2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
‘Monday, oh Monday, how beautiful you are to me! Monday, oh Monday, how I do LOVE thee!’
No Friends, I’m not under the influence of anything but life – life with Jesus, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and cool breezes blowing across Paradise, with the frothing waves rushing up to the shore as the tide comes in! (smile) The only sad part is that this is my last Monday on Paradise for a while. The cold North Country calleth.
But Friends, we have to like Mondays, because it means that we’re out and about for another week, intermingling with others; other believers, as well as unbelievers, who are ideal, fertile soil on which to sow good seeds for Jesus!
That’s how we ought to be looking at Mondays, or any other day for that matter, instead of being foolishly and selfishly caught up in our own problems, re getting up and making our way to work. Please remember too that in these trying and poor economic times, a whole lot of us don’t have jobs, and thus are suffering serious deprivation and want.
So those of us who have jobs, ought to be very thankful and grateful that we do, rather than indulge in the morbid self-pity that we tend to indulge in on Mondays. Again, I want to remind us that if we treat Sundays, the Lord’s Day, as it is supposed to be treated, then we won’t have any problems rising and shining on Mondays.
But enough with the preaching now, (smile) because many of us still aren’t listening, aren’t buying it, and are yet allowing the wicked ways of the world to hold sway over us. Let’s get to our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our adrenaline running. In loud, harmonious voice now, like the congregation at St. Francis down here does it.
‘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 my people! The St. Francis congregation would be proud of us. (smile) Jesus was clapping and tapping too, looking at the Father and smiling, intimating with His look; ‘Yuh see how mih people bright and energetic this Monday morning?’ The Father answered with an indulgent smile, nodding His head in assent.
But He knew that as soon as we got out into the world, we’d allow the ways of the world to confound us. We won’t be following Bruh Paul’s advice in our Bit, as closely as we should. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’
Yes my people, it’s not all fun and games in this crazy, dangerous and evil world. But we, as believers in Jesus Christ, fortified by His strength, power and guidance can handle whatever comes against us. We just have to keep Jesus at the forefront of our lives.
Now hear this explanation from the Scholars, re ‘Dedication to the Will of God.’ ‘12:1-2. God’s will refers to His purpose for the life of the believer. It implies His guidance or direction in all of life’s decisions. Dedication is an act of surrender or submission to His will for our lives whereby we become a “living sacrifice.” Daily dependence on God results in our transformation into the image of Christ.
Illustration: When we seek to discern the will of God we must also be committed to doing the will of God as it is revealed in the Word of God (John 7:17). Application: The believer should evaluate EVERY decision on the basis of biblical principles, knowing that obedience brings God’s blessing. (First Reference, Gen. 22:12; Primary Reference, Rom. 12:1).’
Yes Friends, ALL the decisions we make should first be tested against God’s Word, regardless of whether they are very big or very small! Remember too that oft times it’s the small, seemingly unimportant decisions that start our trending away from God’s Word and His Will for our lives.
And we’ll end with these immortal words of gospel truth from John. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17)
And here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘2:15. LOVE not the world is a command implying that action now in progress must cease: “Stop LOVING the world!” There is, of course, one sense in which Christians should LOVE the world, since God Himself did and does (John 3:16). But in the sense of pledging personal loyalty and devotion of one’s whole being and means, Christians are to “LOVE” God first and foremost (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:30).’ ‘2:16. World for John signifies the evil desire and sin so much a part of human existence.’
What else can I add to all that eh mih bredddren? Nothing really. Except to tell us to pay serious attention to all that’s been said, if we truly want to dwell with Jesus in eternity. Much LOVE!
…the baubles and bangles, the wealth of this world…are of NO use even in Hades…much less in heaven…
16 Feb 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cool breeze, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, aches and pains, adrenalin flowing, aura of love, be generous, bless, blessings, bondservant, Carnival Monday, cold weather, confidence, conquerors, Cousin Sol, Crown Point, curse, cut to the chase, doing it like a boss, don't fool yuh fat, enthusiasm, eternal life, every man shall give as he is able, evil, glorious kingdom, God's little Acre, God's LOVE, godly, gospel truth, greedy, heat, holy spirit, hot like hell, humble servants, increase, invincible, J'ouvert, Jesus Christ, joy, li'l bit, lies, LOVE, Lucifer, Machel Montano, mas, miserly, Monday Morniing Battle Hymn, New Orleans, North country, Oh Lord God Almighty, Paradise, poverty, Proverbs, ramped to the gills, rejuvenation of spirit, Rio, Roxborough, Scarborough, scatter, smile, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, Store Bay, T&T, therapeutic treatment, tinnitus, trust, truth, wisdom, withhold
Deuteronomy 16:17. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.
Well Friends, it’s Monday once again, but a Monday unlike any other, because while most of you around the world have to get up and go out and labour, in places like Rio, New Orleans and T&T, where I am, it’s supreme party time; Carnival, with all its attendant street parades filled with costumed bands, pounding, blasting music and revellers everlasting!
Yes Friends, in T&T it was J’ouvert morning, or the opening ceremonies for the party on the road. I got up about 3 a.m. having slept through most of the night, and after having a cup of caffeine, went down to the j’ouvert parade with the duchess.
The main road was blocked off by the police so we had to go through the back road. We found a decent spot on the grass shoulder to park, right down Crown Point, next to Store Bay, then went walking along the road back towards the Main Road.
This was about four o’clock and still dark, but the place was already hopping with people, ordinary revellers as well as those playing mas, with music blasting out from business places and trucks ramped to the gills with big speakers.
Brother! I had to get out of range of most of them, for when they passed you, or you passed them, you could feel your soul tremble from the loudness! (smile) Is a wonder I don’t have tinnitus, the music was so loud on my ear drums.
But the duchess seemed to be enjoying herself, taking pictures and grooving to the music, while I was somewhat sour because the music was so loud and nothing was happening to get the parade underway. I thought it was supposed to start at four, but it didn’t get underway till five.
And then there weren’t too many bands; most of them small, with a couple of them between fifty and a hundred participants, one of those being the white people’s band. And don’t fool yuh fat, the white people, both local and foreign, enjoy their mas. Numerous white tourists were also mixed in with the crowd.
Anyway to cut to the chase, when the bands began moving we went back towards where the car was parked since that was where the judging of the bands was taking place. We finally sat down in a bus shelter, just getting up to see the bands when they entered the park. And would you believe it, the ole fella’s body was aching all over from the little exertion.
All told we hadn’t walked more than a quarter of a mile, and I hadn’t been doing any jumping, yet my thighs, my knees and my back were aching, while the duchess was standing strong and partying, especially when she heard her favourite song, ‘Doing it like a boss’ by Machel Montano. That probably will win the Road March title for the tune most played on the road during the two days of carnival.
Anyway, by seven o’clock everything seemed quiet, so we left and came home. As we were leaving, we spoke to a policeman about the situation, and he said that mas in Tobago, in particular Scarborough and Crown Point had seriously deteriorated over the years, and if I wanted to see any of the older stuff, I had to go to Roxborough, where the real mas apparently now takes place.
Anyway I came home, had breakfast then went back to bed and woke up a few hours later, aching all over. I guess the Lord’s sending me a message that I’m not as strong as I think. That means I have to go to the beach later to get some more therapeutic treatment. (smile)
But enough about my aches and pains, let’s sing out our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with as much enthusiasm and verve as we can manage. Altogether now: ‘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!’
Ah mih people, that wasn’t such a hot rendition nuh, but it at least got our adrenalin going, and I’m sure the Lord will understand, for He is very good that way. So there’s no excuse for not doing as we just sang, especially when we add our Bit to the sentiments. ‘Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.’
Oh my people, if we are truly children of Jehovah God, then we should be living to give, to give generously and of a free will, for that’s what is expected of us. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Cousin Sol from Proverbs.
‘There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet (right), but it tendeth (leads) to poverty. The liberal (generous) soul shall be made fat (rich, prosperous): and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.’ (Prov.11:24-26)
And the scholars give an excellent, succinct explanation to all of that. ‘11:24. Scattereth means to be generous in your giving. It can lead to prosperity, but miserliness can lead to poverty.’
And that my brethren is nothing but gospel truth! So therefore I once again encourage us to be generous, share whatever we have with others less fortunate. And regardless of how little we have, there’s always somebody with less than us, so we can’t use the excuse that we only have a li’l bit.
Anyway Friends, that’s it for today. Blessings and God’s LOVE from Paradise, where it’s about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with the sun truly blazing down. But I guess most of you in the North Country would trade your extremely cold weather for this extremely hot one any time. And I wouldn’t blame you. It’s hot like hell, but a cool breeze is always blowing here on God’s Little Acre which minimizes the heat! (smile) Much LOVE!
…to give generously is godly…but to be greedy and miserly is to be Lucifer’s bondservant…
02 Feb 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chance to serve Jesus, Absalom, against mine enemies, anxiety, asthma, aura of love, blessings, Bruh David, Comforter, confidence, encourager, eternal life, evil, faith, fear, fellowship, glorious kingdom, God's promise, God's protection, Guide, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, I am the Lord thy God, I will be with thee, I will not be afraid, if God is for us who can be against us, invincible, Isaiah, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lies, lord god almighty, LOVE, loving kindness, Monday Morning, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, Oh Lord God Almighty, Panaorama, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, saints of Jesus, sense of purpose, spiritual armour, spirituality, steadfast faith, Super Bowl, tarred and feathered, the fire shall not scorch thee, the Holy One of Israel, the only redeemer, the rivers shall not overflow thee, thou wilt revive me, though I walk in the midst of trouble, thy right hand shall save me, ungodly world, when thou passest through the waters, while there is life there is hope, wisdom
Psalm 138:7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
And so it is Monday once again Friends! That beautiful day that we are all beginning to like, (smile) because we finally realize that it is a big day in our lives, with a return to work and also an expanded chance to serve Jesus; to tell others about Him, and to show the wonderful things that He stands for, by the way we behave and react to the outside world.
All glory be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Yes my people, it’s a brand new day, with brand new blessings and mercies specifically prepared and planned for today, so let’s gratefully accept them, so that they can enable us to be useful ambassadors of Christ, because that’s one of the reasons they’ve been granted to us.
Let’s go out today without too much grumbling and complaining, and don’t forget to put on our spiritual armour so that we can stand strong against the enemy.
And as we do every Monday morning, to get our motors running, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with full, sweet and strong voices now. ‘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 decent friends, good enough to get the adrenalin flowing, so let’s get up and get a godly move on nuh. As the song on the radio’s saying: ‘I’m going to have a good day, be glad, and have a good day!’ And that’s a fact!
As per adventures, the ole fella didn’t do much yesterday. We went for lunch at the Magdalena Grand, where I did better justice to the food than a couple days before. Then we came back home and rested. Was I ever glad to get back inside because of the heat and the asthma nonsense!
But praise the Lord, this morning the ole chest is not as tight and I’m feeling better. And for that I have to burst into song: ‘Oh I’m getting better! Thank the Lord, I’m getting better!’ (smile) But it’s true Friends! Yeah, it’s taking an inordinately long time by my reckoning. But remember in the Lord’s eyes, it’s merely a blink, for a thousand days is like a single one to Him.
The duchess went in the pool and hung around the deck, while poor me rested in air conditioned comfort, wheezing like an old accordion. (smile) In the evening we watched the Panorama Steelband Competition Semi-finals from the Queen’s Park Savannah in Trinidad, in conjunction with the Super Bowl.
For once it wasn’t a bad game, but that last passing play call, with the Seahawks driving for the winning touchdown, almost at the Patriots goal line with less than a minute left in the game… Steups! Pure foolishness! It had a right to be picked off.
You had a running back, Lynch, just running wild all game, and now, with a couple yards to go, you refuse to put the ball in his hands. Chuh! The Seattle coach or coaches who made that call should all be tarred and feathered though town!
Anyhow, all that nonsense is now over for another year. It’s time to get on with constructive stuff. And our Bit is a perfect guide, comforter and encourager for that purpose: ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.’
Ah Friends, Bruh David is speaking there from personal experience, and if we are obedient to God’s will, we will be able to say the same thing. Therefore it’s something to which we should all gladly aspire.
Yeh mih brethren, Bruh David was so confident in God’s protection that even when he ran from his rebellious son, Absalom, he was still able to declare: ‘I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3:6) Now that is what yuh call confidence mih people!
Meanwhile, Isaiah tells us of this wonderful promise of the Lord, the only redeemer: ‘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 shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle (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.43:2-3)
Ah Friends, with strong, faithful promises like those we should not face the cruel and evil world with fear and anxiety, but with a strong confidence and sense of purpose. Remember Bruh Paul’s contention to the Roman church. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31)
And the answer to that question is an unequivocal ‘NOBODY!’
Let’s remember that, and go home with these refreshing, encouraging and comforting words of Bruh David from Psalm 16 – when he sought preservation and blessing, just like we are doing today.
‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope.’ (Ps.16:8-9)
Yes Friends, wonderful words of hope and wisdom! Please let them guide us as we continue our pilgrim’s journey today. Have a safe and blessed day, all you saints of Jesus! Much LOVE!
…while there is life…there is always hope…in Jesus Christ…
26 Jan 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: almighty god, aura of love, confidence, counsel, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, faith, fellowship, forgiveness, friends, gospel truth, holy spirit, hope, Jesus Christ, lies, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, peace, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, righteousness., saith the Lord, salvation, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, understanding, ungodly world, wisdom
Proverbs 21:30. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.
Well Friends the second most important day of the week is here. Yes, unfortunately it’s Monday, the day we all despise so much, because it means we have to go out and labour once again. But what else can I say mih people, but that’s life! (smile) Yeh, we got to work for the worldly things we need, not necessarily those we just desire through our natural lustful nature.
But that doesn’t mean we have to go overboard on either side of the continuum – too much or too little work. We have to find the right balance, with the things of God prominently featured in the mix. But I’m not in a preaching mood this morning (smile) because the old cough is acting up. Right now I’m afraid to cough; I’m holding it back as best I can, since every time I cough, it feels like my chest is tearing apart with a racking pain. All the stuff I’m taking doesn’t seem to helping much at all. But once again, that’s life!
So without further ado, let’s get to our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for I know that we still need it to get our motors started and our engines revved up. Now let’s have a wonderful rendition, one that will stir up the inhabitants of heaven, including our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father.
On three: one, two three! ‘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!’
Oh mih breddren, that was a classic! All work stopped in heaven as the sweet and harmonious strains of our prayerful music rose to those blissful heights! Jesus was clapping and singing along with us, while smiling at the Father who couldn’t help tapping His toes and keeping the beat with His hands on the arms of His throne. Wow! And after writing that, I began chuckling and had to quickly stifle a coughing spell that wanted to break forth.
Yes Friends, that’s the way we need to operate, so that we can go out and do Jesus proud. Yuh see how we had Him clapping and singing there just now, that’s exactly how we need to have Him all day long, with a broad, contented smile on His glorious face, and a song of joy in His heart, because His people on earth are effusively and diligently doing His will. So let’s get to our Bit, a rather interesting statement by Cousin Sol.
Oh Friends, I just had a coughing bout that I couldn’t stifle. Steups! And it did feel as though my chest was tearing apart. Anyway, here’s our Bit: ‘There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.’
And isn’t that the awesome truth my people! There is no one who can reason with the Lord, for His wisdom and understanding are way above those of man. How did He put it in Isaiah: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is.55:8-9) And there’s no disputing that Friends, for since when can the created become wiser than the creator eh?
And Jeremiah, in relating that knowledge of God is man’s glory, puts it like this. ‘Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise LOVING-kindness, judgement (justice), and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.’ (Jer.9:23-24)
Ah mih people, we can’t fight with that, because it’s the gospel truth! The Lord is El Numero Uno in everything!
And here is a brief note on those verses from the scholars. ‘9:23-24. Having lamented the folly of his faithless people, Jeremiah turns their attention to the true source of wisdom – the Lord Himself (9:23 -10:25). True wisdom was to be found in the consistent following of three central qualities of spiritual life. LOVING-kindness (the exercise of true covenant loyalty), judgement (the consistent application of true justice for all), and righteousness (the maintenance of what was right in the sight of the Lord in all of life).’
All of that also applies to us today my brethren. And we’ll close with these wise words from Cousin Sol in his role as the Preacher, that seal the deal. ‘I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.’(Eccl.9:11)
Yes Friends, man’s wisdom etc. cannot guarantee results in any area because time and chance crop up in everyone’s life when we least expect them to, and drop a spanner in the works. The only sure wisdom is of the Lord! Let’s remember that as we go out today and fight for Jesus! Much LOVE!
…stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
23 Jan 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bed of roses, a roof over our heads, all over the world, all things work together for good, almighty god, assurance, attitudes toward work, cacophony of sound, communications technology, confident, divine perspective, ease up the pressure, equal rights, evil, faith, faithful work, fellowship, followers of Jesus christ, food on our tables, forgiveness, Friday chant, friends and neighbours, generous help, glorious kingdom, good news, good news of Jesus christ, grace, great commission, harmony, holy spirit, human perspective, in Jesus' name, Jesus Christ, justice, lasting joy, living for Friday, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, omni-present, omnipotent, omniscient, passing happiness, peace, proactive outlook, purpose in life, relationship with Jesus, relaxation, rest, right this fallen world, salvation, sense of purpose, slave labour, spinning out of control, surrender, take up our cross, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the called, the characteristics of Jesus Christ, the elect, the message, the weekend, tired and hurting, to the ends of the earth, to them called according to His purpose, to them that love God, truth, turst, ungodliness, work, work keeps us going, worldly attitude
Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Well my fine Friends and neighbours, please don’t all gladly shout out at the same time, but it’s that magical day called Friday!
And do you think they listened to my plea? Steups! No way! For immediately a cacophony of sound erupted in my ears.
‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday yes! The week’s been a li’l rough, and we need a break from the slave labour right about now! Thank the Good Lord it’s finally Friday oui, and the weekend soon here to ease up the pressure!’
Ah mih people, I know that some of us are tired and hurting, and just dying for the weekend to come. And nothing’s really wrong with that, because we all deserve a couple days off after several days of labouring.
But we shouldn’t just have this worldly attitude of living for Friday and the weekend to come around. We ought to have a higher and deeper purpose in life.
The message we’ve been enjoined to share as followers of Jesus Christ is one LOVE, peace, harmony, justice, equal rights, truth, trust, surrender to and faith in Almighty God through His most wonderful son, Jesus Christ!
That’s the message we need to share with, reveal to the world, not just a bout of passing happiness on a Friday, because we’ve gotten a break from work. As true believers, we have to rise to a higher level than that.
Work should not be our enemy, but our friend, because it’s what keeps us going, gives us the broad and varied interaction with others that we need to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. And it also keeps food on our tables, as well as a roof over our heads.
So work should play an important part in our lives. We have to look at it not as the same old, same old, mundane way of life, that’s just a revolving circle with no end. Instead, we have to develop a bigger, brighter and better sense of purpose; one that will bring us the lasting joy that we so desperately need and desire, every day, rather than just on the weekends.
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant, which helps us to have a better perspective on the use of the weekend. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes Friends, it’s short, but to the point! Let’s hope that it will cause us to look at our individual attitudes towards work and the weekend, and encourage us to come up a bit higher in the overall scheme of things.
And talking about purpose Friends, there’s no better scripture to call to mind on the topic than our Bit. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’
And there’s no disputing that statement my people, because that’s exactly what our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God does! He works out everything for good to those whom He has called, and who have responded with a deep and sincere LOVE for Him.
And I can personally testify to that, because since He’s called me to do His work, some eight years ago, my life has improved in numerous ways. Now it’s not a bed of roses, for I still have my human and earthly ups and downs.
But with His assurance and faithful work in my life, I now go about with a more confident and proactive outlook. And He can do the same for you, if you’ll only look to Him with sincere trust and faith.
Now let’s get some explanations on our Bit from the scholars. ‘8:28. To them that LOVE God is the human perspective. God is working all things together for good, but those who LOVE God are best able to appreciate that fact because they LOVE Him no matter what. (cf. Job 13:15) To them who are the called is the divine perspective. Scripture often refers to believers as “the called” or “the elect.”
Yes my brethren, we are indeed “the called, the elect” who are supposed to bring a brighter and better perspective to the world, one that reflects the characteristics of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
But are we doing that? To some extent, I suppose. But certainly not enough, for the world’s spinning further and further out of control, getting deeper and deeper into evil and ungodliness. And we, the followers of Jesus Christ, are the only people capable of stopping and righting it.
And that’s our basic purpose Friends; to right this fallen world of ours. That’s what Jesus died for. He gave His sinless life as a sacrifice to bring us into His fold, so that we can have fellowship together and a wonderful relationship with Him.
But once we’ve found that grace, mercy and forgiveness that He pours into our hearts, we’re also supposed to tell others about it, so that they too can find the joy, the peace and LOVING-kindness that comes with being a believer. Remember Jesus’ last words to the disciples were to go and spread the good news of His salvation all over the earth. (Matt.28:19-20)
Now my people, that Great Commission has been passed down to us. This is our time to spread the Word. And more than any other generation before us, we have the tools to do so with the recent explosion in communications technology.
So please, let’s get ourselves together nuh, in peace and harmony, as Jesus desires, and live up to our purpose as “the called, the elect” of God. That’s the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
…it’s time to take up our cross and follow Jesus…wherever he may lead…even to the ends of the earth…
P. S. It’s late because I had a bit of a struggle this morning, both physically and mentally. And just as I was about ready to send it out, the finicky computer froze on me. Ah Lord eh! But as you can see, the Lord eventually worked all things out for good as He promised. (smile) Much LOVE!
19 Jan 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a standing O, Absalom, ask not what your country can do for you, assured of salvation, aura of love, Bruh David, childish behaviour, confidence, confidence in God, enthusiasm, eternal life, faithful walk with God, first day of the workweek, further God's glorious kingdom, give their eye teeth, gospel truth, grumbling, help, holy spirit, Jesus Christ, joy, keep a roof over their heads, learn to be content, LOVE, moaning and groaning, Monday Morniing Battle Hymn, Monday Morning, Oh Lord God Almighty, peace in our souls, perseverance, petty, promises, prosperity, salvation, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, Selah, spiritual armour, spirituality, steadfast faith, strength, succour, surrender, the desires of your heart, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Lord sustained me, the world owes us a living, thy blessing is upon thy people, ungodly world, week of work, wisdom
Psalm 3:8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Well my dear Friends, the news is sad but very true: the weekend is over, it is now Monday morning, time to begin another wonderful week of work! (smile)
And I know that some of you are chuckling, while many are not too thrilled at either it being Monday, or me reminding you of that fact. But as I keep saying, we will never be contented, have a reasonable amount of peace in our souls, until we learn to accept and welcome Monday for what it is – the first day of the work week, a day to go out and labour.
Yuh know how many people around the world right now, many of them right in our own neighbourhoods, would give their eye teeth to have a job this Monday morning, any kind of job at all, once it will pay a few dollars so that they can keep a roof over their heads and provide for their families! But we, the lucky ones with jobs, carry on with such petty, childish behaviour, grumbling, moaning and groaning, as though we are entitled, as though the world owes us a living.
Well for your information my Friends, the world owes us nothing whatsoever! We possibly owe the world something; the constructive and diligent effort to make it a better place. As President Kennedy said many years back, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.’ And being a productive worker is one of the things you can do to help your country.
And furthermore, I’ll put it to us this way; if you don’t like your job, or don’t want to get up and go to it, then simply quit it. But please stop complaining about being tired and exploited and otherwise when a Monday morning rolls around. Just make up your mind, tell yourself that you don’t have a choice in the matter and like Bruh Paul, learn to be content in whatever state you are in. (Phil.4:11) That will save you oodles of heartaches, anxiety and worry.
But enough with the sermonizing now, (smile) instead, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with enthusiasm and sincerity. All together now: ‘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!’
Not bad, Friends, not bad at all! But not enough to make heaven rejoice and call out for a standing ‘O’, and that’s the standard we want to set. (smile)
Now let’s turn to our Bit, which comes from Bruh David’s prayer of confidence in God, written when he fled from Absalom his son, who rebelled against him. Read the unfortunate story in 2 Samuel 15. ‘Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.’ And that’s a truth that’s not disputable my brethren!
And Bruh David was so confident of that fact that earlier on in the psalm he declares: ‘I laid me down and slept: I awaked: for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3:5-6) Oh my people, Bruh David could only utter those words of confidence because he had supreme trust and faith in the God of his fathers!
The abiding question today though, is do we have that same trust and confidence in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so that we can make that same declaration? For our sake, I surely do hope so, because that is the only way we will ever find some lasting semblance of peace, joy, strength, wisdom, perseverance and prosperity on this evil and ungodly planet earth.
Bruh David could make those statements above, because of this next verse. ‘Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten (struck) all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.’ (Ps.3:7)
Yes my fellow believers, during Bruh David’s long and faithful walk with God, his enemies had consistently fallen by the wayside through God’s mighty hand, thus when his son Absalom revolted, he was confident that the Lord would also provide relief from the usurper, ungrateful child of his very own loins.
Oh Friends, it’s the same way that the Lord will bless us with help and succour if we walk obediently in His will, for we know that He faithfully keeps His promises. And if He has helped us previously, there’s no reason for Him not to continue doing so.
That is one of the many mistakes we make; in times of trial, we forget that the Lord has brought us through other serious and troubled times and we become anxious and worried. But that`s exactly when we need to remember the Lord`s previous help, and be assured that it will be forthcoming on other occasions.
And we`ll close with this bold proclamation of God, made through His servant Isaiah: `I, even I, am the Lord: and beside me, there is no saviour.` (Is.43:11) And that`s gospel truth my people!
So please, let`s remember that in these turbulent and distressing times, hope, faith, trust and surrender to Almighty God is the ONLY wise and sensible way to go. Therefore, let`s embrace the Most High with all our hearts, minds and souls, so that we can be strengthened and assured of our salvation. Much LOVE my fellow believers in Christ!
…trust in the Lord…wait patiently on Him…and He will give you the desires of your heart…
12 Jan 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a refuge, aura of love, blessings, Bruh David, busyness, confidence, death, enthusiasm, faith, for we walk by faith not by sight, further God's glorious kingdom, heart attack, holy spirit, humble servants, I hope in thy word, invincible, Jesus Christ, lies, longevity, LOVE, loving kindness, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, rejuvenation of spirit, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God, Selah, six feet under, songs of deliverance, sons of Korah, spiritual armour, spirituality, steadfast faith, stress, stronghold, taunts, things of the world, thou art my hiding place and my shield, trust, we will not fear, wiles, wisdom, words of faith
Psalm 119:114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
Well hello there mih breddren! The big, beautiful day called Monday is here! (smile) That means it’s time to be up and about Jesus’ business. If you rested over the weekend, as you were supposed to, then getting up and out should be no problem.
Oh I know it’s not as easy as it sounds with all the busyness that our world now contains, but that’s why it’s even more important for us to control that busyness and get sufficient rest and rejuvenation.
Ah mih people, though I tend to be a bit lighthearted about it, looking after ourselves is no joke, it’s a very serious matter. It’s a proven fact that being on the go continually with insufficient rest and relaxation and improper eating habits produces stress, and stress is one of the biggest killers nowadays.
And unfortunately it’s no respecter of people, so whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, if you don’t look after yourself properly, you are a very high risk candidate for stress related problems. Now those problems can range anywhere from a mild headache or tiredness to numerous other health problems, even to a heart attack and sudden death.
And the sad part of the matter is that a lot of problems diagnosed as one illness or another, generally originate from stress. It’s also been proven that this generation gets much less rest and is much busier than any that’s gone before it. So please let’s get serious about the matter and do something constructive about it nuh.
Very few of us really like to get up and go to work on Mondays, but we just have to, because that’s the nature of our society. Therefore Friends, let’s be wise and give ourselves the best chance possible chance of longevity, for success by the world’s standards are not really all that they are advertised to be.
And furthermore, when we’re hospitalized, or six feet under, those worldly things that we’ve literally killed ourselves to get, will be of no use to us. We cannot take them with us to the hospital or to the grave. Remember what our Lord and Saviour Jesus said; ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33)
Yes Friends, seek the things of God first, and He will bless you with the things of the world that you need. End of sermon! (smile)
Now, since many of us are suffering from the ill effects of the weekend, let’s raise our spirits by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with as much gusto as we can generate.
As one harmonious body now: ‘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!’
Ah Friends that wasn’t bad, but not as good as it could be if we had rested properly. (smile) But the Lord won’t hold that against us, because He LOVES us however we are.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, a beautiful and encouraging verse from the longest chapter in the Good Book; Psalm 119. ‘Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.’
Oh my people, so many others have uttered sentiments of that nature that they must be substantial truth to it. If the Lord is our God, our Creator and Provider, then it stands to reason that He is powerful and of a generous nature, so what better place to look for help and succour eh?
Not to mention that His Word encourages us to come to Him for all our needs. And who should know that better than Bruh David eh, with all the problems he faced, but was wonderfully provided for by the Lord?
Let’s listen to some of Bruh David’s words on the subject, beginning in Psalm 9 – Praise for God’s justice. ‘The Lord also will be a refuge (stronghold) for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ (Ps.9:9-10)
Strong and true words my brethren! Now hear this gem of faith from Bruh David’s Maschil (contemplation) – The blessedness of forgiveness. ‘Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about (surround me) with songs of deliverance. Selah.’ (Ps.32:7
Note Friends, Bruh David is talking there from personal experience, not hearsay. And this now from the sons of Korah: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (the heart) of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps.46:1-3)
Powerful words of faith my people! And the good thing about it is that it’s all true, because our great God has proven it time and time again, and will continue to do so even through to eternity!
It is therefore in our best interest to come to serious and mature faith in the Lord God Almighty if we desire the kind of protection that the Old Testament people had, and Jesus died to give us even more. You can never have too much of a good thing! Now may the Lord bless and keep us safely as we go out today to do His work in faith, trust, truth and LOVE!
Much LOVE!…for we walk by faith…not by sight… (2 Cor.5:7)
05 Jan 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, blessings, Bruh David, confidence, enthusiasm, eternal life, faith, he delivered me from all my fears, holy spirit, hope, I sought the Lord, invincible, Jesus Christ, La Belle Provence, lies, loving kindness, mercy, Monday Morning, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, renewed vitality, rest, spiritual armour, spirituality, steadfast faith, ungodly world, wisdom
Psalm 34:4. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Ah Friends, the party’s finally over for this year! The Christmas celebrations are winding down and it’s time to go back to work now. And what a disastrous day it’s looking to be, for the weather is acting up right across the country. Who hasn’t already been inundated with snow or freezing rain will soon get some version of bad weather.
La Belle Provence (Quebec) has already been laid low by a wicked ice-storm; thousands of people are already without power. Hopefully this one is not as bad as the one they suffered back in 1998. That one was a real doozy! And I can tell you from hard experience that an ice storm is definitely not nice, since we had our own doozy in Southern Ontario last year.
Oh Friends, I’ll take the snow storm over the ice variety any day. At least you can clear the snow, but the ice just clings tenaciously to everything, then eventually its weight simply breaks everything…and it’s much colder too in the ice storm. Hopefully, whatever precipitation occurs in my area won’t be too bad – I can already hear the wind howling outside.
Ah Lord eh! But for sure it’s going to be real cold, the temperature is already plummeting, and with the rain we had yesterday, that’s just going to make for lots of icy roads this Monday morning. What a terrible way to begin this first week of work in the new year! But them’s the breaks, mih people! We just have to battle through it all, and with God’s help we will have a successful outcome.
So please be careful on the roads this morning. Give yourselves lots of time to get to work; don’t worry, don’t be afraid, just put it all in God’s safe and secure hands! And to help us do that, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with as much chutzpah as we can muster. (smile) I know that the work ethic is pretty low this morning after all the holiday celebrations, but it’s time to get back to reality, to the daily task and common grind.
So let’s sing as one loud, harmonious choir now. ‘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!’
Ah mih people, there were a lot of hoarse, scratchy and out of tune voices in that rendition! (smile) But the Lord understands, and the important thing is not really the quality of the voice, but that the sentiments expressed truly come from our hearts. So with the adrenalin running and the Spirit of Jesus revving up within us, let’s go out and give the evil world a redeeming shot of Jesus, His saving grace and undying LOVE!
That brings us to our Bit, a very true and very encouraging scripture, the kind of stuff we need to face these tumultuous times. Listen to Bruh David’s testimony: ‘I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’
Ah Friends, we all know Bruh David’s story, his continual seeking of the God of his fathers, is the consistent thread that runs right through it. That ought to encourage us to do likewise, since Bruh David was marvellously rewarded for his faith in Almighty God, in spite of some rather sinful behaviour, for which he paid a hefty price.
The point though, is that whenever he came upon any problem that caused him to be fearful, he gladly called upon His God, who calmed his spirit and enabled him to meet the problem head on. Note, the Lord did not necessarily take away the problem, but helped him to stand strong and face it.
And since time and space are running out on us, we’ll just quote two bits of scripture to back up our contention. The first comes from Bruh David from Psalm 9 – Praise for God’s justice. ‘The Lord also will be a refuge (stronghold) for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ (Ps.9:9-10)
And in 2 Chronicles15, the Good Book tells us: ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.’ (2 Chr.15:1-2)
Oh my people, what an inspiring and encouraging message! And the same thing holds true with us today too. If we sincerely seek the Lord God Jehovah, we will find Him, and he will hear our praise and supplications. But if we forsake Him and seek other false gods and idols, then crapaud smoke we pipe; we’ll be left all alone to paddle our own canoe. And you know that there’s not a whole lot we can do without God’s help.
So please, let’s be wise, right from the start of this year, and seek God sincerely and continually, so that we will be richly blessed through His mercy and LOVING-kindness. That’s the only wise and fearless way to go in this evil, deceitful world. Much LOVE!
…just a closer walk with thee…blessed Jesus let it be…always walking close to thee…blessed Jesus…please let it be…
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