30 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Annie sherwood hawks, as the hart panteth after the water brooks, bankruptcy of any inherent righteousness, be not far from me, Bible, bless me now my Saviour, christianity, come quickly and abide, come unto me all ye that labour, early will I seek thee, faith, fellowship, filled with the sense of nearness, god, God rested on the seventh day, hallowed it, holy spirit, how one could live without christ, I need thee every hour, I need thee oh I need thee, I will give you rest, in a dry and thirsty land, in joy or pain, in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life is vain, LOVE, make haste to help me, make me thine indeed, mercy, my flesh longeth for thee, my hour of sweet serenity and peace, my soul thirsteth for god, my tears have been my meat, no tender voice like thine, oh God my strength, our inconsolable loneliness, our utter poverty without Christ, out of fellowship with God, remember the sabbath to keep it holy, rest from our toil, Robert Lowry, six day shalt thou labour, so panteth my soul after thee O God, stay thou nearby, sweet sacrifices of praise, teach me thy will, temptations lose their power, the colossal truth, the comforting power, the great invitation, the hollow emptiness, the impotence of our own strength, the living God, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, the need for Jesus is undeniable, the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God, the shadow fell over my way, the world's godless gain, thou blessed Son, touched the great throbbing heart of humanity, trouble is near, truth, uplifting words, When shall I come and appear before God, when thou art nigh, where is thy God, wisdom
Psalm 42:1. As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
And then it was Sunday, the day on which we rest from our toil and labour, and instead go to the Lord’s sanctuary to praise and worship Him in the company of other believers. Now that was His idea not ours, as He said to the children of Israel when He gave them the law. ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work… For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it (made it holy). (Ex. 20: 9-11)
That’s why we’re in the Lord’s house on a Sunday to offer thanks and praise and receive His awesome blessings for the upcoming week. And as always, we begin the day’s proceedings with a song of praise, which today is one we all know and LOVE, one that’s ever so timely. It’s titled, ‘I Need Thee Every Hour.’ Now that’s the gospel truth friends! We need Jesus Christ…and badly too…every hour of every single day. The lyrics of the song were written in 1872 by American poet and gospel hymnist Annie Sherwood Hawks with her Pastor Robert Lowry adding the music.
Mrs. Hawks described the song and its origins thus: ‘One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, I Need Thee Every Hour, were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me…
I did not understand at first why this hymn had touched the great throbbing heart of humanity. It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace.’
Yuh see that my bredrin; the song was technically a prophetic gift from God, rather than one born of Mrs. Hawks own personal experience, and it was only long after, when she finally encountered a great loss, that she fully realized the worth and the magnitude of the hymn. So, knowing all of that, let’s finally raise our voices to heaven in sweet sacrifices of praise, in a mid-tempo, sincere, and heart-felt soulful version of the song.
Singing: ‘I need thee every hour, Most gracious Lord, No tender voice like thine, Can peace afford. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee.) I need thee every hour, Stay thou near by, Temptations lose their power, When thou art nigh (Chorus) I need thee every hour, In joy or pain, Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. (Chorus)
I need thee every hour; teach me thy will, and thy rich promises in me fulfill. (Chorus) I need thee every hour, Most holy one, Oh make me thine indeed Thou blessed Son. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee. I need thee, Oh I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee…I come to thee…’
Oh my people, are those ever true and uplifting words! And they echo the heartfelt cries of several psalms. For instance these words of Bruh David from Psalm 22 – A Plea for God’s Presence. When he finds himself alone and in trouble, he cries out: ‘I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help…But be thou not far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.’ (Ps. 22:10-11, 19)
And we all know this heartfelt cry from the Sons of Korah in Psalm 42 – My Soul Thirsts for the Lord. They declare: ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat (food) day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?’ (Ps. 42:1-3)
Then what about these faithful words of Bruh David from Psalm 63 – A Thirsting Soul, when he was in the wilderness running for his life from King Saul. He cries out: ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.’ (Ps. 63:1) And that’s how badly all of us need God in these angry and strife-filled days, where truth and justice don’t seem to amount to anything, while all the negative actions of Satan and his evil cronies rule the roost.
Now, here’s an excerpt from article on the hymn by Jon Bloom from the desiringGod.org website. He writes: ‘One of the sweetest refrains in English Christian hymnody is this: “I need Thee, O I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.” Thank God for Annie S. Hawks who wrote these lyrics and her pastor, Robert Lowry, who composed the music. The lyrics could hardly be simpler, and yet they capture one of our heart’s most profound longings and can be prayed in the sweetest, most sorrowful, or most mundane moments in life.
The prosody (the patterns of rhythm and sound) of the music, the way the melody and meter aligns with the wording, could hardly be more perfect. But it is not the skill of the hymn’s construction that makes it so powerful. It is the colossal truth it so beautifully expresses. O I Need Thee!
Yes, We need God. It is not until we feel in the depths of our souls our utter poverty without Christ, our bankruptcy of any inherent righteousness, the impotence of our own strength and self-sufficient planning, our inconsolable loneliness when we are out of fellowship with God, the pathetic pretentiousness of our pathological pride, the hollow emptiness of all the godless gain of the world, our utter helplessness in the face of personal, institutional, cosmic, and molecular evil, that we know just how much we need God.’
Ah my fellow believers, unfortunately it’s not until we are wallowing deep in the mire of sin and Satan, with the slime up to our necks, that we truly realize how much we need Almighty God. And we are certainly blessed to know that if we sincerely cry out Him even at that late stage, He will indeed help us. Because that’s the kind of gracious, merciful, forgiving and LOVING God we serve.
But please, let’s be wise nuh, and don’t wait until we’re drowning to cry out to Him for help. Instead, let’s take the proverbial bull by the horns and go to Him right now, regardless of what state we’re in, for He’s ready and waiting to welcome us. Don’t you hear Him calling: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28) So in wisdom, let’s accept that Great Invitation right now, and thus turn our lives and our world around, because there’s none greater than it! Much LOVE!
…the need for Jesus is undeniable…because that’s how we were created…to need Him…and ONLY Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a strong will, abundance, be not dismayed, Bible, blessed are ye, christianity, conditional promises, courage, creativity, curse, discipleship, even to the end of the world, faith, fear not, fear thou not for I am with thee, for my sake, god, great is your reward in heaven, heavenly blessings, holy spirit, I am thy God, I am with you always, I have called the by name, I have redeemed thee, I will be with thee, I will strengthen thee, Jesus, Jesus Christ, like the Son of God, LOVE, meditating on the scriptures, negative outlook on life, neither shall the flame kindle thee, our response to God's promises, persecute you, rejoice and be exceeding glad, say all manner of evil against you falsely, show our mettle, stand strong in Faith, stepping up to the plate, supernatural wisdom, talent, Thank You Lord, the form of the fourth, the help of God, they shall not overflow thee, they that strive with thee shall perish, thou art mine, thou shalt not be burned, through the rivers, unconditional promises, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, when men shall revile you, when thou pass through the waters, when thou walkest through the fire, wisdom
Isaiah 43:1b. O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name; thou art mine.
And then it was Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, a somewhat cool and cloudy summer’s day. It’s definitely not as hot as those of the last week, and neither is the wind as strong as it’s recently been. The beleaguered trees must certainly have sent up a ‘Thank You Lord Prayer’ for this break in the cruel wind dance they’ve been forced to perform for way too long. (smile)
But you know what friends, in this crazy and cruel world, oftentimes we are also called on to perform deeds we don’t want to perform, for long periods of time, and it’s only with the help of God, through His Holy Spirit are we able to hang on until a period of rest comes. And it’s of the utmost importance for believers to note and to remember that we have the assurance of our great God that He will enable us to hang in there, though our world seems to be falling apart at our very feet.
Listen to these comforting and reassuring words of God from the Book of Isaiah, as he let’s the children of Israel, and also we believers today, know that we have been chosen by Almighty God. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded (disgraced): they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.’ (Is. 41:10-11)
Yes my fellow believers, that’s a sure promise of our ever-faithful God for us to hold on to in these dark and very dangerous times. Now it won’t all happen automatically… No! We have to make our contribution to the situation by sincerely believing and having the faith that allows us to do what’s necessary while holding on the Lord’s promise. And those things are only attained by constantly meditating on the scriptures, putting them into action, praying and fellowshipping with other believers.
Remember, we are partners with God, and in almost every situation we have a partner’s part to play, for the Lord won’t do it all, every time. And, unfortunately, that’s why so many of us supposed believers don’t see the Lord’s hand at work in our lives; we don’t do our part, simply expecting the Lord to show up and make every thing right.
Oh, sometimes He will, but certainly not all the time, because He expects us to pull our weight. He’s given us the promises, some of which are unconditional, but many that are conditional, or depend on our coming up to scratch, stepping up to the plate. So, to avail ourselves of the Lord’s promises, it’s often necessary to show our faith, our mettle and stand up strong, do whatever it takes to make the promises come true in our lives.
Now here’s another interesting promise from the Lord through Isaiah, as He assures the children of Israel of their redemption. ‘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 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.’ (Is, 43:1-2)
And my beleiving brethren, we’ve seen those promises literally come to pass, like when the Hebrew teenagers, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fire for not bowing down to the idol made by the Babylonian king, but they came out untouched, not even smelling of smoke. (Dan. 3) The king when looking into the furnace even said that he saw four people instead of three in there… ‘and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God (a son of the gods) (Dan. 3:25)
You see friends, Jesus Himself was in there with those faithful teenagers. And it’s the same way He’ll be with us when we suffer trials and tribulations for His sake. Remember His words from the Sermon on the Mount. ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’ (Matt. 5::11-12)
And no, it’s not always easy to put up with false accusations and unjust persecutions while doing Jesus’ work, but unfortunately it’s all part of our discipleship. And while giving us the wherewithal to handle it, He will also stand beside us during the whole time of trial. For He’s also promised: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b)
Yes my fellow saints, life on this earth never was easy, and never will be, until Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom, but in the meanwhile He’s assured us of His awesome help by coming to earth and dying on the cross of Calvary to pay our sin debt in full, redeeming us like promised in Isaiah. Then rising from the dead and assuring us of that same resurrection if we believe in Him, then sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to lead, guide and comfort us in our times of trial, and finally to return and take us back with him, so that wherever He is, we might also be. We certainly cannot expect more from Him. No! The rest of it is up to us… providing we believe.
And God is so good to us that He’s also given us a bunch of undeserved heavenly blessings to do His earthly work. So let’s declare them so they can be activated in our lives. As one 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 made that declaration (yesss!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…God’s promised us a lot…but a lot depends on…our response to the promises…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a true and genuine love, as the heavens are higher than the earth, Bible, breathed into his nostrils, but can't tell where it comes from, but canst not tell whence it cometh, Christ died for us, Christ's sufferation, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, god, God commendeth his own love toward us, God created the heaven and the earth, God formed man of dust, God's love is vaster still, halfway home, hands on the plough, hell bound, help me find beauty in the unknown, holy spirit, in the beginning, In Touch Devotional, Jesus, Jesus Christ, like a midnight sky, live the Christian life, LOVE, love Christ with all our hearts, love whatever I glimpse of you, man became a living soul, moved upon the face of the waters, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are higher that your ways, not looking back, sacrifices, selfish emotion, so is every one born of the Holy Spirit, so much remains a mystery, the breath of life, the Lord's greatest gift- Jesus christ, the mystery of you God, the Spirit of God, the wind bloweth where it listeth, the wind blows where it wants, thou hearest the sound thereof, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, while we were yet sinners, wind dance, wisdom, you hear the wind but don't know where it comes from or where it goes
Genesis 2:7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
And it’s another warm, sunshiny but windy day in our neighbourhood. And I’m so sorry for the poor trees as they are forced to dance this continuous wind dance. (smile) But seriously though, for the last couple of years we’ve been having a lot of strong winds for no apparent reason, but this year it’s been the worst ever. Several days at a time the wind just keeps on tearing across the neighbourhood: sometimes hot, sometimes cool, but always in a hurry to go where no one knows.
As Jesus so correctly said to Nicodemus, the Jewish leader when teaching him about being born again in the Holy Spirit. ‘The wind bloweth where it listeth (wishes), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one born of the Spirit.’ (John 3:8)
And if you’re wondering what that all means, what’s the symbolism of the wind in the Bible, then this commentary gives a good explanation. ‘Wind is a Biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit. Like the wind, the Holy Spirit comes in suddenly and from seemingly nowhere – He whirls about the atmosphere and changes everything. The Spirit, like the wind, moves wherever He wants and is, at times, unpredictable. Breath is also a Biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit.’
It’s like how the Bible says of the Creation: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon (hovered over) the face of the waters.’ (Gen. 1:1-2)
So the Holy Spirit was there right at the beginning of creation, ready to perform whatever job was necessary. Likewise, it was the Holy Spirit that provided life in man. As the Bible tells it: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7)
Yes friends, like the proverbial potter, the Lord formed man’s body from the dust of the ground then breathed the breath of life or Spirit (Heb. ruach) into him, making him a living creature. So the Holy Spirit is indeed important and like the wind moves and grooves wherever it is needed, but most importantly, today it dwells within each believer to lead, guide and comfort us as we live the Christian life here on earth. And unless we pay close attention to the still, small voice that the Spirit usually speaks in, we will miss God’s amazing plan and purpose for our lives.
That brings us to this prayer from the Let Us Pray section of this month’s In Touch Devotional, which seems to jive rather well with what we’ve been speaking about, the mystery of God and His Holy Spirit. So please pray with me: ‘God, I know some things about You, but so much remains a mystery – and that often unsettles me. The mystery of You is like a midnight sky – so immense it could swallow me whole. But I know Your LOVE is vaster still. God, help me find beauty in the unknown, and to LOVE whatever I glimpse of You. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Yes mih bredrin, our God is great and full of mystery, and we’ll never understand the half of what and who He is. But that’s why He is God! His omnipotence, omniscience, and omni-presence is way above the ability of our finite, puny minds to comprehend. And He’s informed us of that in His word, through the prophet 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)
That’s it in a nutshell my people! We can never understand all that our God is, we just have to believe and have faith, because we see and experience His goodness towards us. And if we get close enough to Him, every so often He will give us a glimpse of Himself; of His imperial majesty, of His miracle working power, of His comforting Spirit, and of His unconditional LOVE.
But all of that is just window dressing, for He’s already given us the biggest and most important part of Himself, that’s His only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who came to earth and died as a propitiation, an appeasement for our sins. As one of my favourite Bible verses reminds us: ‘But God commendeth his LOVE (demonstrated his own LOVE) toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)
Oh my fellow saints, there could never be a bigger, heartfelt, genuine showing of LOVE than that! The Lord LOVED us so much that He broke His own heart to save us from eternal damnation and hellfire. And now, that’s where our eyes must be focused – on the Lord Jesus Christ. Living the way He desires, doing the things He wants us to do, making sacrifices for others like He did for us, but above all…LOVING Him with all our hearts, souls, bodies and minds.
And we’re talking about a true and genuine LOVE, not some wishy-washy, opportunistic, selfish emotion, because that’s exactly what He deserves after all the earthly ‘sufferation’ He endured for our sakes. Now, for those of us who are truly trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful, enviable and incomparable situation in Christ Jesus.
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 if we truly endure to the very end with Christ, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So see you there! Much LOVE!
…but for the Lord’s greatest gift…His son Jesus Christ…we’d all be hell bound…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a calmitous and fearful place, artificial intelligence, be not afraid, be of good cheer, be strong and of a good courage, Bible, but of power love and a sound mind, christianity, climate change, crapaud smoke we pipe, deception, faith, god, God has not given us the spirit of fear, heat waves, holy spirit, hurry, I am the beloved of god, i have overcome the world, if any man will come after me, in god's eyes, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, know the Word of God, let him deny himself, let not your heart be troubled, live the abundant life, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, misinformation, my peace I give unto you, natural disasters, neither be thou dismayed, not as the world gives, observe to do all that's written therein, Peace i leave with you, self-sacrifice, share His love with my neighbours, social media, sshall not depart out of thy mouth, take up his cross daily and follow me, that passes all understanding, the dustbin of history, the Father is with me, the Lord thy God is with thee, the peace of God, these things I have spoken unto you, thsi book of the law, tread very carefully, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, worry, yet I am not alone
2 Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.
And then it was Tuesday…another Monday lost in the dustbin of history! And some of you are saying, ‘Thank the Lord!’ (smile) Anyway, according to my computer it’s going to very hot in my area again today with another strong, warm wind blowing it’s way through. But that’s what we expect from summer…well, except the continual strong winds. Right now though, too many places around the globe are having unexpected heat waves and unexpected rainfall, and other natural disasters, like tornadoes, earthquakes and volcano eruptions, very valid signs of climate change.
And those things, in conjunction with the strife-filled disasters that we ourselves have wrought, do serve to make our world a very calamitous and fearful place. That means one has to tread very carefully and examine everything we see and hear in a thorough manner just to ensure that it’s the truth and we’re not being deceived, as deception is rampant nowadays. Yes friends, with all the new technology, things like social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) the stuff out there is very deceptive, slanted to either provide misinformation, or is often totally untrue.
That’s why believers must know the Word of God, so that they can protect themselves from the constant onslaught, the constant barrage of information being thrown at us in this Information Age. And the first thing we must know is that we’re not supposed to be afraid of engaging this world, for as Bruh Paul spells out in his message to Timothy, and consequently to us: ‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)
Now that’s a very powerful scripture for us to hold on to, because it drives away the constant fear that so many people right now posses in this turbulent and chaotic world. And then, to bolster those memorable words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, there are these wonderful soul-easing, reassuring words of Jesus, promising His divine peace, that He spoke to the disciples when telling them of the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, after He went away. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Please note friends, that the peace which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ gives us is not like what the world calls peace. No! His peace is a higher kind of peace; one that is above the understanding of mankind. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) Now that’s the kind of peace we have when we sincerely embrace Jesus and continually meditate on His word.
And I particularly like this promise of peace that He gave to the disciples later on just before His crucifixion. He said to them: ‘Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 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 16:32-33)
Wow! What reassuring and uplifting words from our Lord and Saviour! Though we will certainly have tribulation in this evil and ungodly world, we ought not to be fearful, but be of good cheer, because through His death and resurrection He’s conquered the world! And though Jesus knew that all His followers would desert Him in the upcoming rough days, He was assured of His heavenly Father’s company. Likewise my brethren, when we put our sincere and total trust in Christ, we can also be assured that whatever is happening to us in this crazy and disaster-filled world, we are not alone, but have His holy and reassuring presence right there with us, helping us to handle whatever is troubling us.
Oh friends, Jesus never said that following Him would be easy, in fact He knew and said that it would be difficult. Just listen to the requirements for being one of His disciples nuh. ‘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) Now that’s indeed a rough row to hoe; being always ready for self-sacrifice and daily bearing one’s cross. But just as the Father never left Jesus alone in His earthly tribulation, Jesus will never leave us alone in ours, but will always help us to do His will.
And that’s where our faith comes in. All that we’ve spoken so far does not become real from little faith, but needs strong faith to carry them through. That’s why we need to spend much time in the word of God, also praying and talking to Him, so that our faith can be bolstered. And there’s no better direction on that than these words of the Lord to Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. In no uncertain terms, the Lord said to Joshua:
‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall constantly be in) 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. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9)
Oh my fellow believers there could be no better encouragement than that! But it’s up to each one of us to take it and work with it to achieve the plans God has for us, otherwise, crapaud smoke we pipe! It’s as simple as that! Now for those of us who are actively trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) 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, it now behooves us 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!
…only by meditating on God’s word…then actioning it…can we truly live the abundant life…that Christ died for us to have…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Andrae Crouch and the Disciples, be not conformed to this world, be transformed, become unfruitful, Bible, blessed are they, broad is the way, choke the word, christianity, dry my weeping eyes, enter ye in at the strait gate, faith, feel so far from you Lord, fellowship, few there be that find it, fickle and faithless times, fills the hungry soul with goodness, god, he satisfieth the longing soul, holy spirit, I first believed, I first received you, I hear you calling me, I need your help Lord, inner satisfaction, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lost faith in God, LOVE, meditating on god's word, mercy, mirrors the state of Christ's church, my soul'd not satisfied, narrow is the way, renew my faith, restore my joy, sincerely seek God, take me back, that leads to destruction, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the good acceptable and perfect will of God, the renewing of your mind, the simple things, thoughts that don't line up with scripture, thy word is truth, to make it home, truth, trying to make it on our own, unhealthy thought patterns, which leads to life, wide is the gate, wisdom
Matthew 5:6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Hello Sunday! So glad to see you, because you bring the joy of going to the Lord’s sanctuary to worship and fellowship with other believers; a joy that nothing in this world can surpass. For when we worship our sovereign God, when we give Him the thanks and praise He so rightly deserves, then our hearts are opened and refreshed, as His goodness and mercy float into our spirits and raises the levels of our confidence and spiritual maturity, which gives us the strength, wisdom and patience to carry on with the Lord’s work in this evil and ungodly world.
And our opening song of worship this morning is a relatively young one, only about three decades old. (smile) Its that famous gospel soul tune done by the then popular gospel group, Andrae Crouch and the Disciples, titled ‘Take Me Back Dear Lord,’ from the album of the same name. Many of you might not know it, and I only rediscovered it myself a few weeks ago. I’d completely forgotten how sweet and soulful it was, and how the lyrics resonated especially well for these sad times of lessening and lost faith in Almighty God.
So let’s raise our voices in sacrificial praise, in a sweet, soulful, heartfelt and harmonious version of the song. And we begin with a double dose of the haunting chorus: ‘(Chorus: Take me back, take me back dear Lord, To the place where I first received you. Take me back, take me back dear Lord, to where I first believed) (twice) I feel, that I’m so far from you Lord, But still I hear you calling me. Those simple things that I once knew, The memories are drawing me. I must confess, Lord I’ve been blessed, But yet my soul’s not satisfied. Renew my faith, restore my joy, And dry my weeping eyes.
(Chorus ‘Oh Lord, Oh Lord Take me back…) (Bridge:) I tried so hard, To make it all alone. I need your help Lord, Just to make it home. (Chorus: Take me back, dear Lord, Please take me back, to the place where I first received you. Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I first believed. Ohhh Take me back dear Lord, Take me back, I’m pleading dear Lord, I’ve got to get back there, to the place where I first received you! Take me back, dear Lord, Back to the place where I first believed.’
Ah friends, it’s a simple song, but it says oh so much. And right now I believe it mirrors the state of Christ’s church in these fickle and faithless times. It calls, it cries out for a strong renewing of our faith. For us to go back to the time when we first received Christ. How we were excited and overjoyed to be His disciple, to do His work. Not like we currently are, lazy, cynical, and joyless. Yes my people, we need to get back to those times when we truly believed in God. For as the song says, so many of us feel so far from God, but we still hear Him calling us; the memories keep drawing us back to Him.
And to truly find ourselves, we need to get back to the simple things we once knew. For, although we know we’ve been blessed, yet there’s still dissatisfaction in our souls because with all the confusion and temptations in this world, we’ve strayed from the path God set us on. Remember what Jesus said: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt. 7:13-14)
Yes my people, many of us have unfortunately strayed from that straight and narrow path where life is found, and we desperately need to get back to it, so that our faith can be renewed, our joy restored and our tear-filled eyes dried. We’ve become like Jesus said in the parable of the Sower: ‘He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care (cares) of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.’ (Matt. 13:22)
It’s sad, but true that we’ve fallen prey to the pretty baubles and bangles that the world advertises and we’ve forgotten God and been trying to make it on our own. But that’s a total impossibility. We can NEVER make it on our own. No! Never without the Lord’s help. And how do we get back to where we began? I believe the first thing is to remember these encouraging words of Jesus from the Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6)
Yes friends, we need to regain that deep desire for personal righteousness. We need to realize our spiritual poverty and hunger and thirst for that inner satisfaction which only God can give. As the psalmist so rightly says in Psalm 107: ‘For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’ (Ps. 107) That’s the gospel truth! And how do we do all of that you ask? I guess we can begin with these words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘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.’ (Rom. 12:2)
And what does renewing your mind mean, and how do we do it in practical terms? This simple commentary explains it in a down to earth manner. ‘Renewing your mind means doing away with unhealthy thought patterns and replacing them with true, godly ones. You take notice of thoughts you have that don’t line up with scripture (truth), and when that thought comes up, choose not to keep thinking that thought.’
But then, to do that means you have to know the truth, for as Jesus said, ‘…thy word is truth.’ Now that in turn means meditating continually on the Word, so that it’s truth can fill you, and you have it right there to use when needed. And believe me, it’s always needed in these turbulent times. So let’s get serious about our faith and turn back to God, hungering for His righteousness, renewing our minds and meditating on His Word, so that we can faithfully walk the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal! Much LOVE!
…only as we sincerely seek God…will we find Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be careful for nothing, Bible, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, cherish each day, christianity, cleanse any infection, created me from nothing, don't give up on prayer, draw the breath of life, every breath I wake, faith, for the rest of my life, God is not a doting grandfather, got a zeppo, holy spirit, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I live under your power, I may serve you, I'm not what people say about me, in every thing, in mind body and spirit, In the eyes of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, let your requests be made known unto God, lost and forgotten, LOVE, make new any unhealthy areas, my body will function, prayer, remove all inflammation, restore me to full health, share His love with my neighbours, the annals of history, the foundation for our walk of faith, the healing power of your Holy Spirit, the motto for Christian living, the peace of God, the power of prayer, the warmth of your healing love, the way you created it ti function, to a godly limit, to them that love God, touch me with that same power, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, we know that all things work together for good, which passeth all understanding, who are called according to His purpose, wisdom, worry
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.
And then it was Tuesday, with Monday lost and forgotten in the annals of history! So, if we can forget Monday so easily and so quickly, after all the anxiety it causes us as it approaches, then we need to welcome and cherish each and every day that we draw the Lord’s breath of life. Therefore, let’s do the right thing and fully enjoy this Tuesday, not going overboard, but to a godly limit. (smile)
Now, today, I want to share a prayer that a friend shared with me some time ago. It’s one I say every day before I begin writing the Bit. I truly don’t know or remember how that came to be, but that’s how it is. And I believe that I’ve shared this prayer before, but just now as I offered it up, I got a zeppo that I should share it again today. (smile)
So please pray with me. ‘Heavenly Father, I call on You right now in a special way. It is through your power that I was created. Every breath I wake, I live under your power. Father, I ask You now to touch me with that same power. For if You created me from nothing, You can recreate me. Fill me with the healing power of Your Spirit. Cast out anything that should not be in me. Mend what is broken. Root out any unproductive cells, open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection. Let the warmth of your healing LOVE pass through my body to make new any unhealthy areas so that my body will function the way You created it to function. And Father, restore me to full health in mind, body and spirit so that I may serve You for the rest of my life. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.’
Oh friends, I don’t know about you all nuh, but at my advanced age and all the things that can and will go wrong, or rather that are currently wrong with my unpredictable body, I do need a prayer like that everyday to keep me moving on and being able to fight the good fight in Jesus’ name. And many of you, like me (smile) also need the benefits of this prayer, so please copy it and use it to your advantage. And yes, some of the younger believers might laugh at and deny the power of prayer, but give them time, for it’s only when you become a more experienced believer, that you truly realize its awesome power and truly value it.
Let’s remember that in its simplest form, prayer is merely communication with our heavenly Father, and like we share so many of our joys and sorrows with our earthly fathers, likewise, we ought to share all of our joys and sorrows with the One who created us to be His LOVING children, for that’s what He desires of us. And like a true Father, He’s always there to help us, to lead and guide us through the power of his Holy Spirit that indwells all believers. And since He’s so much more powerful and affectionate and compassionate than our earthly fathers, it’s obvious that we should be going to Him for much more help than our earthly fathers.
But please, let’s remember that the Lord is not a doting grandfather who gives us whatever we want, when we want it. No, He is the sovereign Lord of this universe and our desires must align with His holy will, and even when we don’t get what we desire at the time we desire it, or never get it at all, we must keep our faith by remembering His awesome promise found in Bruh Paul’s letter to the church at Rome. ‘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.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Now that, my believing brethren, ought to be the underlying foundation for our walk of faith with Christ. That’s because with all the confusion in the world, and God’s holy will, things won’t always work out the way we want them to, but be assured that in the long run, God will use everything and in the end, bring it all together for our good. That’s His faithful promise. And if you’re a true believer, and not one of those wishy washy ones, who selfishly want what they want when they want it, then you’ll accept the fact that because of the Lord’s omnipotence, His far superior knowledge and power, He knows what’s best for us.
However, that should deter us from going to our heavenly Father in prayer, for we know not when He might say yes to our most outlandish prayers and requests. (smile) That’s the beauty of walking with the Lord; He surprises us at every turn. That’s why we ought to listen to and activate in our own lives, Bruh Paul’s entreaty and exhortation in his epistle to the Philippians, namely: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6)
Yes friends, that’s the basic motto of Christian living. In EVERYTHING, give thanks and praise and communicate ALL of our desires to the Lord! And though our problems might not be solved, one thing is for sure: ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) Wow! What an awesome promise my fellow believers! Though our circumstances may not improve, our minds will certainly be free from worry, because they will be filled with the peace of God which mankind cannot understand, but which is ever so powerful and useful in our earthly lives.
And now with all that ammunition under our belts, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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!’
Now, having made that declaration (awright!!!) it’s 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!
…don’t ever give up on prayer…or be afraid to pray…because it’s meant for our good…and we can never go wrong by praying….
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a kind of first fruits, a kingdom destination, a refreshed Spirit, acknowledge our gratitude, Ah cyar leave Him, begat us with the word of truth, Bible, christianity, chutney soca, Denyse Plummer, every good gift, every perfect gift is from above, faith, fellowship, for God I go dead, For God man I living, from hell bound to holiness, from revelry to righteousness, from sin to salvation, full of life but so empty, go tell my enemies, god, he is my shelter, He loves me and he cares, He's my King of Kings, holy spirit, I am a light into the world, I am Alpha and Omega, I am the way the truth and the life, I am under the rock, I found the truth, I saw the light, in his arms you'll find me there, in times of storm, Jahovah, Jahovah hides me, Jesu is the best upgrade, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the cause, LOVE, mercy, miracle worker, Na Leaving, never condemn or forsaken me, no shadow of turning, no variableness, of his own will, on my way to a fiery end, rose up just like a boss, salvation, should not abide in darkness, sing God's praises, someone told me about a Saviour, Sunday, the amazing transformation Jesus brings, the beginning and the end, the Father of lights, the First and the Last, the greatest decision, the reason I'm still living, the rock is higher than I, truth, wallowing deep in a pig pen, when yuh see me smiling, whosever believeth on me, wisdom, with God all things are possible, worth much more than silver or gold, Yahweh, Yeshua
John 12:46. I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Sunday, oh Sunday! What a blessed day! One for joining in fellowship and worship with other believers in the Lord’s sanctuary, to offer thanks and gratitude and receive a refuelled and refreshed Spirit from our heavenly Father. Or as James puts it: ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning. (Who) Of his own will begat us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:17-18)
Yes friends, that’s how important we are in the creation of the universe; we rank first! And that’s why it’s also important for us to join other believers at least once a week, if possibly on Sunday, the Lord’s day, to acknowledge our gratitude and sing His praises. And our song of praise and worship today certainly exemplifies how important our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is in our every day lives, for we going down south for the music, some sweet chutney soca from T&T; the beautiful meshing of African and East Indian riddims. It’s title says it all: ‘Ah Cyar Leave Him!’
Oh yes, it’s the reworked soca hit of the late departed Queen of Soca, turned Gospel Chanteuse, Miss Denyse Plummer. The original was titled ‘Na Leaving,’ which celebrated all the good things those who were leaving T&T would miss. Now, ‘Na Leaving’ was always one of my favourite soca songs, both for the lyrics and riddim, so you can imagine when she changed the lyrics to gospel it immediately became one of my favourites. But enough talk, I can’t wait to sing this wonderful song. So, lets raise our sweet voices in a sacrifice of praise in a scintillating, up-tempo down south, passionate version, remembering both Jesus Christ for His life saving work on our behalf, and Miss Plummer for giving us this beautiful piece of music with which to uplift Him.
And as the sweet, easy rocking chutney soca music starts, we hear a couple bars, then we shout out ‘Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah! From revelry to righteousness…Cyar leave Him. From hell-bound to holiness…Cyar leave Him. From sin to salvation…Cyar leave him. A kingdom destination…Cyar leave Him. There I was, in my glee, wallowing deep in a pig pen, full of life, but so empty, on my way to a fiery end. But someone told me about a Saviour, who said He LOVES me and He cares. In times of storm He is my shelter, so in His arms you’ll find me there.
Yuh see ah cyar live life without Him, He is my King of Kings, He’s the reason I’m still living. Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. Never condemn or forsaken me dread…Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. For God man I living, For God I go dead. There are so few, who made it through, and come from the darkness of this world. But I saw the light, I found the truth. I have more than silver, more than gold. I gave my life over to Jesus, the greatest decision I’ve made. Boy I recommend you try Him, Jesus is the best upgrade.
He came to earth and died on the cross, rose up just like a boss, when yuh see me smiling, He’s the cause. Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. Never condemn or forsaken me dread…Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. For God man I living, For God I go dead. I am under the rock. The rock is higher than I. Jahovah hides me. I am under the rock. Go tell my enemies, that I am under the rock. Jahovah hides me, I am under the rock. I am under the rock.
The rock is higher than I. Jahovah hides me. I am under the rock. Go tell my enemies, that I am under the rock. Jahovah hides me, I am under the rock. From revelry to righteousness…Cyar leave Him. From hell-bound to holiness…Cyar leave Him. From sin to salvation…Cyar leave him. A kingdom destination…Cyar leave Him. Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah! (And we shout again) Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah!’
Wow mih bredrin! What sweet worship! And yuh better believe that is the kind of difference, the amazing transformation Jesus performs in our lives when we surrender our all to Him! And yuh know what? Once we get with Him, it’s impossible to leave Him! No, we just cyar leave him at all, at all, at all. Mama Mia! Such is the LOVE and inspiration He inspires in us! And why won’t we be ecstatic eh, when we moving from ‘unholy revelry to righteousness… from hell-bound to holiness…from sin to salvation…a kingdom destination…’ We ought to if we’re wise, because then we’re moving in the right direction.
And yuh see what happens when we tell others about Jesus? They stop wallowing in a pig pen and come to the One who LOVES and truly cares, as He so definitely showed when He gave His sinless life so selflessly on the cross of Calvary to settle our sin debt in full. In times of storm He is definitely our shelter. And glory to God, He never condemns nor forsakes us! What a wonderful Saviour is our Jesus! And when you find Jesus, you indeed find the light and truth of it all, for He is the light of the world, as He says: ‘I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.’ (John 12:46)
And as per the truth, He let’s us know in no uncertain terms: ‘I am the way the through and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) Yes my people, you’ll never see, much less enter through the pearly gates of heaven unless you accept Christ as Lord and Saviour! That’s for sure!
And believe me, when you have Jesus, not only is it the best decision you’ll ever make, but you also have much more than either silver or gold, for seeing that He is the Creator and Controller of the universe, everything in the world belongs to Him, and He’s able to protect you from your enemies. He’s bigger than your biggest problem. What’s impossible for man, is not for God, for with God, all things are possible. (Matt. 19:26) So you have nothing whatsoever to fear when you have Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
And I like how the song puts it; He’s the best upgrade. And you can’t deny that, for once you have Him on your side you’ll never need to make any other improvements. For as He so rightly says: ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last!’ (Rev. 22:12) Now whom else do you need when you have that amazing, compassionate miracle worker in your life eh? NOBODY! So please, if you haven’t yet chosen Jesus as your be all and end all, I’d strongly advise that you waste no more time and do it today! Much LOVE!
…with Jesus in your corner of the ring…you need no seconds…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a condition of the soul, a modicum of circumspection, a strong will, all god does is for our benefit, an attitude of total trust, at the end of ourselves, begging for mercy, Bible, both hope and wait, christianity, commit thy way unto the Lord, consistent and responsible service to God, curse, disobedience, faith, faithfulness, favour, gad about free and easy, give thee the desires of thine heart, god, great is thy faithfulness, hardship, he cannot deny himself, his compassions fail not, hold our heads and bawl, holy spirit, hope, is humbled in me, it is good that a man, Jesus Christ, Lamentations, LOVE, marked by a stable character, mercy, my soul hath them still in remembrance, negative word, never lead us astray, never lose hope in God, new every morning, pain, real faith, remembering mine affliction, salvation, seek ye the kingdom of God, self-discipline, sin, the Lord is good to them that wait for him, the Lord is my portion saith my soul, the Lord's mercies, the salvation of the Lord, the wormwood and the gall, therefore I have hope, therefore will I hope in him, this I recall to mind, Thursday Blessings, to the soul that seeketh him, trust in the Lord and do good, unconditional LOVE, we're not consumed, wisdom, yet he abideth faithful
Lamentations 3:24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
It’s Thursday friends! One more day and it will be Friday, and the weekend will be here! Give the Lord thanks and praise! (smile) Ah, we do LOVE our weekends, especially the summer ones, where we can gad about free and easy and enjoy the hijinks of the summer season. However, though it’s good to be free and easy, let’s remember that when too many free and easy things are overdone, they eventually bring hardship and pain, and then we hold our heads and bawl, saying why didn’t I think about it before I did it.
And yes, we have to do some of that to learn what life is truly all about. But the earlier we learn to have a modicum of circumspection, the better off we’ll be. Now, having expounded such wonderful advice, I’m at a loss for something to talk about today. So let’s see where the Good Library will lead us nuh. (smile) I’m sure it will never lead us astray.
And lo, and behold, it opened unto the Book of Lamentations, where the prophet Jeremiah shed tears for both himself and his people. But then, he remembers the Lord’s faithfulness in all the negative situations that he and his people had faced. Then he laments: ‘Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope.’ (Lam. 3:19-21)
Yes friends, though we go through tough times, experience the bitterness of wormwood-like stuff, it is essential that we never lose hope in our wonderful God. For He only tests or chastens us for our own benefit. And as Jeremiah so wisely and rightly continues: ‘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.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) And that’s the gospel truth my people. If it wasn’t for the Lord’s mercies, LOVE and compassion on us, we’d be wiped off the face of the earth long ago. He is ever so faithful to us, although we don’t return the faithfulness.
As Bruh Paul said to Timothy. ‘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 (are faithless), yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ (2 Tim. 2:11-13) Yuh see mih bredrin, the Lord’s faithfulness is so embedded in Him, that even if He wanted to, He could not be unfaithful! And we’d better be thankful for that, with all the nonsense, all the sin and disobedience we commit, when it’s also a requirement for us to be faithful in our lives and service to God.
But then, when things get hard, when we find ourselves at the end of ourselves, we run crying to Him, begging for mercy and He hears us and offers His mercy, compassion and unconditional LOVE! And it’s interesting to hear what the scholars say about real faith. ‘Real faith is more than inner belief, even more than whole-souled committal. It is a condition of the soul marked by such a stable character and an attitude of total trust that the believer’s whole life is imbued with consistent, responsible service to God. (cf. 1 Sam. 26:23; Ps. 37:3-6). From the biblical standpoint, true faith results in faithfulness in one’s life.’
And we admit that that’s not easy to do, with all the temptations and negative situations we encounter, but we have the help of the Holy Spirit, and I’m sure we can do much better than we’re currently doing, if we only paid greater attention to His still small voice that leads and guides us. And these words from Jeremiah’s lament point the way to where our hearts ought to be steadfastly directed. ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:24-26)
The question is my people, do we feel as strongly about those words as Jeremiah did? Obviously not. For if we did, then we would not be so disobedient and rebellious, and would show much more faithfulness, more discipleship, be full of salt and light in our daily lives. Remember that though our God is faithful, merciful, LOVING, and all those good things, if we claim to be believers, yet continue to be unfaithful, we will eventually pay a high price for it.
That’s why the scholars referenced above, these wise words of Bruh David. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto he Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps. 37:3-6)
That’s all we have to do friends; trust in the Lord, and do good; delight ourselves in him, and commit our way to Him. He will do the rest. As Jesus said: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) The same thing goes for if we trust and delight in God and commit our ways to Him. Now let’s declare (chuhhh!!!) our Thursday Blessings so we can activate them. Those blessings so generously bestowed on us so that we can do God’s earthly work.
As one: ‘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!’
Now, let’s go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…faithfulness is a requirement…to whatever cause we hold dear to our hearts…
05 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a snowball's chance in hell, against forces of spiritual wickedness, an individual and corporate matter, avail ourselves of God's provision, Bible, christianity, Christians should never quit, deliver us from this present evil world, departed from him for a season, developed evil to a high science, endure to the very end, faith, fighting a spiritual battle, fully clothed in the Lord's armour, god, God's breath of life, grace be to you, halfway home, hands on the plough, having done all to stand, holy cahracter, holy spirit, Jesus Christ, knowledge of the truth of God's Word, LOVE, moral conduct, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not looking back, our Lord Jesus Christ, peace from God the Father, praying always with all prayer, put on the whole armour of God, quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, rebuking the enemy, salvation, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, thank God, the breastplate of righteousness, the devil never quits, the helmet of slavation, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the protective armour of God, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the wiles of the enemy, the Word of god, to a glorious future with Jesus, to successfully navigate this evil world, to whom be glory for ever and ever, truth, until an opportune time, watching thereunto, Wednesday Wail, who gave himself for our sins, willing to advance against the enemy, wisdom, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints, ye may be able to stand, your feet shod, your loins girt about with truth
Ephesians 6:11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.
Well a good Wednesday morning to all you my Scrip-Bit friends and family out there in this crazy and turbulent world! And I do hope we all are handling our trials and tribulations in a calm and godly manner. Now, as Bruh Paul was won’t to greet the churches in his letters, and this particular one to those in Galatia: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age) according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Gal. 1:3-5)
Yes friends, do we ever need the grace and peace of our Triune God if we’re to successfully navigate this evil and lawless world. And if Bruh Paul thought his time was bad and evil, he should be living now, when we’ve developed evil to a high science. And the only way to navigate this evil world successfully is as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians. ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:11)
Oh my brethren, if we’re not fully clothed in the Lord’s armour, then we don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of rebuking the enemy. Let’s understand that from the get-go. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts) of wickedness in high places.’ (Eph. 6:12) That means we’re not fighting a physical but spiritual battle, against forces of spiritual wickedness: ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up, put on) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph. 6:13)
Ah mih people, it’s a tough fight in which we’re involved, one to the death, for the enemy is not going to give any leeway, neither should we. And we can’t do that, we can’t stand our ground, without being fully clothed in God’s armour. The scholars explain that last verse thus: ‘Wherefore means “because of this,” that is, because we face such a formidable foe, we must avail ourselves of God’s provision lest the enemy destroy our Christian witness and ministry. The evil day refers to the periodic demonic onslaughts and Satanic assaults. Having done all includes both dressing oneself in God’s armour and resisting Satan. Having done all these, be ready, for the devil will attack again and again.’
That reminds us of this scripture from Luke after the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. ‘And when the devil had ended all the temptation (testing), he departed from him for a season (until an opportune time.’ (Luke 4:13) Yes mih bredrin, the devil never quits. If you successfully resist for a time, then he will go away, but be sure that once you’re breathing God’s breath of life, he will surely come back at a later date, with more evil schemes to test you. That’s why we have to stay always dressed in that protective armour of God. And what’s this protective armour you ask?
Well let’s refresh our memories. And to help us better understand Bruh Paul’s words, I have embedded some of the scholars’ explanations in the verses. He writes: ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; (or your waist girded with a knowledge of the truth of God’s word), and having on the breastplate of righteousness (that’s a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the “truth” known produces a godly life (righteousness). And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (that’s eagerness that comes from the gospel of peace, or a willingness to advance against the enemy and take the fight to him. The gospel gives peace to the believer freeing him from anxiety, though he advances against a powerful opponent).
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (one). (And that shield of (which is) faith means taking God at His word by believing His promises. Such trust will protect one from doubts induced by Satan.) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (This helmet is the hope of salvation, the certainty (assurance) of salvation. And the sword of the Spirit is God’s word, possibly referring not to the whole Word of God, but to certain portions or selected verses of scripture). Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for the saints.’ (Eph. 6:14-18)
Oh my people, those first six parts of armour are important to keep us from the devil’s evil schemes, but they are of no use without the mammoth assistance of prayer. As the scholars say: ‘Without prayer God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Prayer is indispensable. Always means on every occasion that Satan attacks. In the Spirit signifies that with the Spirit’s help such prayer for divine aid is to be made. Watching thereunto means “being vigilant in this very matter” of prayer. They are to pray not just for themselves but for all saints; spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’
Oh my fellow saints, let’s hope that that revision of how to protect ourselves from the evil schemes and temptations of Satan are timely, and that we renew our vigilance and understanding of God’s armour, of His provision for our protection, and that we faithfully put it on and stand. Yes, that we stand strong against the evil forces of this world of darkness. And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
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 if we endure with Christ to the very end, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and plan to meet at the very end and enjoy that more than glorious future nuh! Much LOVE!
…no soldier goes into battle without the proper protective armour…neither should Christians…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a form of godliness, abideth for ever, adrift on a stormy sea, artificial intelligence, Bible, blasphemers, boasters, chaos, checks and balances, christianity, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, covetous, disobedient to parents, enjoying life, evil ways, faith, forgive our sins, forgiving God, god, God is light, gracious, he that doeth the will of God, holy spirit, humble servants, in him is no darkness, in the last days, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lawlessness, leads to Satan's lair, LOVE, love not the world, lovers of their own selves, make it safely home, merciful, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, neither the things that are in the world, perilous times, proud, self-interests, strong faith in Christ, the devil's own, the directionless road, the God who heals, the love of the Father, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, the rule of law, the world passeth away, traitors, truth, unholy, usurps our weekend, walk in darkness, walk in the light of Jesus, walking the straight road to heaven, wisdom, wolves in sheep's clothing
1 John 2:15a. LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
It’s here friends, right on schedule…Monday…that day so many of us detest, because we believe that it usurps our weekend. (smile) But Monday is just keeping us on the straight and narrow path, reminding us that working for a living is as important, if not more important than just hanging around doing nothing productive, or what we call enjoying life. Without Mondays to wake us up to the reality of life, so many of us would be lost and adrift on a stormy sea of lawlessness and chaos.
So instead of disliking Mondays, let’s tell it thanks for bringing us back into the real world every week. (smile) And it’s especially important for we believers in Christ Jesus who need as many checks and balances as we can get to keep us walking the straight road to heaven and not the directionless one that leads to Satan’s lair.
For as Bruh Paul warned Timothy and by extension us: ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers (irreconcilable), false accusers (slanderers), incontinent (without self-control), fierce (brutal), despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady (reckless), highminded (haughty), lovers of pleasures more (rather) than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-5)
Ah mih bredrin, I don’t know if these are really the last days or not nuh, but I do know that those traits Bruh Paul outlined to Timothy are now sweeping our world with an intensity and viciousness like we’ve never seen before. The rule of law is being overturned in numerous places, only to be replaced by strife and chaos. Likewise the rule of God is disregarded as if it never existed. That means apostasy, or turning away from God is a major casualty in these turbulent times.
We also have a warning from John in his first epistle about the chaotic situation that’s in progress in our world. He says: ‘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 (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interests), 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)
Now that’s a plain as day. All the stuff that’s happening in the world is not of God, and as children of God we ought to stay away from it. And let’s not forget the ongoing problem we have of false teachers, who are also out in great numbers. They preach their own version of the Bible, slanted towards their own aggrandizement and though it seems that they are in tune with God, in actual fact they are the devil’s own, like wolves in sheep’s clothing, and thus have God’s people unknowingly going astray.
That’s why it’s ever so important for believers to truly know God’s Word, so that they can compare what they hear and see to what the Word says, because there are so many unscrupulous people out there taking advantage of those with little or weak knowledge of God’s Word. Christianity is definitely not an easy path to tread these days, since there are so many pitfalls being laid out to capture the weary, the gullible and those who simply don’t know any better.
And with all the new technology, like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the social media platforms, falsehood and deceit are running rampant and will only get worse as our areas of expertise and knowledge widen. Thus we believers ought to exert every effort to do as John advises: ‘This then is the message which we have heard of him (Jesus), and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not (practice) the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.’ (1 John 1:5-10)
That my fellow saints is the style of life we need to adopt; walk in the light of Jesus and do our best not to be entrapped by the profusion of sin and temptation that’s currently in the world. However, if we do become ensnared by it, then we must not deceive ourselves or be ashamed, but be big enough to admit it and go to the Father in repentance for forgiveness and cleansing. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for help to keep walking the straight path in these very dangerous and ungodly times.
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!’
Let’s not forget the importance of turning from our evil ways, if we truly desire divine assistance. Much LOVE!
…the road may be rough and rocky…but we have all we need to make it safely home…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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