30 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a continuous drizzle, a genuine and unfeigned love, a sense of shame or remorse, a shared commitment to christ, a short downpour, a volitional caring for others, abhor that which is evil, abundance, as much as it depends on you, as much as lieth in you, as your Father in heaven is perfect, associate with the lowly, avenge not yourselves, be kindly affectioned one to another, be not wise in your own conceits, be not wise in your own estimation, be of the same mind one toward another, be ye therefore perfect, bless and curse not, bless them that curse you, bless them which persecute you, brotherly LOVE, cleave to that which is good, come to know and love christ like we do, compassion, condescend to men of low estate, creating havoc, curse, disharmony, distributing to the necessity of the saints, disunity in Christ's church, don't set your mind on high things, duty bound, even the publicans the same, faith, favour, fervent in spirit, give place unto wrath, given to hospitality, giving preference to one another, God spared our lives, God's supernatural wisdom, goes agins the grain of our culture, good friends, good health, great family, greet your brethren only, grounded in humility, harmony, have regard for good things, heap coals of fire on his head, holy spirit, Hurricane Melissa, hypocrisy, hypocritical posture, if he thirst give him drink, if it be possible, if thine enemy hunger feed him, in honour preferring one another, in the sight of all men, infighting in the church, Jesus Christ, Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, kindness, lagging in diligence, let love be without dissimulation, like-minded purpose, live peaceably with all men, LOVE, love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy, Love your enemies, mercy, mind not high things, negative word, no questioning of Christ's directives, not slothful in business, patient in tribulation, persevering in tribulation, petty differences, positive outlook on life, promotion, prosper, provide things honest to all men, recompense to no man evil for evil, rejoice with them that rejoice, rejoicing in hope, salvation, self-discipline, serving the Lord, sincere love, slef-control, steadfast in prayer, succeed, talent, the originator and perfecter of our faith, truth, unity, use those blessings to help others, vengeance is mine saith the Lord, weep with them that weep, what reward have you, wisdom
Romans 12:18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men.
It’s raining, it’s raining, on this Thursday morning! But it’s merely drizzling, as it’s done the last couple of times. And although a continuous drizzle can be just as bad as a short downpour, when I think of rain it evokes a sense of more than a drizzle. (smile) But unfortunately all the rain might now be centred in the Caribbean in Hurricane Melissa where she’s created untold havoc in places like Jamaica and Cuba…and might not be done just yet as she flies northward in search of more prey.
And unfortunately too, in those circumstances, all we can do is pray and offer whatever physical help we can afterwards. So please, let’s keep those unfortunate people in our prayers, and help however we can, for we never know when our circumstances might turn bad, and we’ll also need help. And since God seems to have spared our lives today, let’s turn to His Word as promised and check out some more scriptures that deal with unity, harmony and likeminded purpose. Or, as that commentary yesterday so nicely put it: ‘passages that emphasize unity in purpose, LOVE, and harmony, grounded in humility and a shared commitment to Christ.’
Now reading that just makes me feel so sad about the state of Christ’s church with all the disunity and infighting. And we’ll begin today with more words on Christian unity and compassion from Bruh Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome. He writes: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring one another (giving preference to another). Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent (boiling over) in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the lowly). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head (a sense of shame or remorse). Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:9-21)
Ah mih people, Bruh Paul just laid out the basics of our Christian faith. To LOVE each other with a sincere LOVE, not a hypocritical posture, treat others with kindness and compassion, don’t resort to evil, but to replace it with good, and even when wronged, don’t resort to your own vengeance for the Lord says that is His prerogative. Also to feed your enemies, which might cause them to be ashamed and turn to Christ through your kindness. And as per the scholars: ‘The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional caring for others (done of one’s own free will), LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’
Now, if we could only have more of that in the church than the hypocrisy and strife that’s currently deep seated in it, our lives and that of the world would be so much better. I don’t think we fully realize that it’s we Christians who are expected to make the world a better place, for the evil doers will not. It’s not on their agenda, but it’s on ours. And it’s like Jesus said: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye LOVE them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) the same? And if ye salute (greet) your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) do so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:43-48)
And if Christ, the originator and perfector of our faith says that’s how it should be, then that’s what we ought to do. So, if you consider yourself His true disciple and follower, then there’s to be no questioning of His directives. But because some of the things Jesus desires us to do seem difficult and run against the grain of our culture and religious denomination, we tend to question and shy away from doing His bidding. And that’s why His church is in such a mess; awfully divided, in disharmony, with many petty differences keeping it from being united.
Ah friends, it’s a sad day when you look at our world and see the turmoil it’s in, and know that with a little effort on our part we could help to make it better. But for whatever reason(s) we refuse to make that effort. Even with the amazing, undeserved blessings that we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. But nonetheless, with great hope and faith in our hearts, let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they can also come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…unless there’s first sincere LOVE and unity in Christ’s church…our world will never see peace…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a balmy spring day, a genuine and unfeigned love, a hunger for power, a sad reflection of today's world, abhor that which is evil, admonishments, associate with the humble, basic foundation of Christianity, be kindly affectioned one to another, be not wise in your own conceits, be of the same mind, Bible, bless and curse not, bless them which persecute you, boiling over, brotherly LOVE, Christian denominations, christianity, Christians, church hierarchy, church unity, cleave to that which is good, cliques, condescend to men of low estate, cry tears of sorrow, despite the response received, difficuly in expressing unity, distributing to the necessity of the saints, divorce, don't set your mind on high things, endure to the end, enjoy it while we have it, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fervent in spirit, getting on in age, given to hospitality, giving preference to one another, halfway home, hands on the plough, holy spirit, hope, hypocrisy, incomparable position in Jesus, Jesus Christ, lagging in diligence, let love be without dissimulation, LOVE, Love makes the world go round, loving faithfully, Martin Luther, mercy, mind not high things, negative vibes, not slothful in business, not turning back, patient in tribulation, persevering, personal faith, petty differences, Protestantism, real love in the church is lacking, Reformation, rejoice with those who rejoice, rejoicing in hope, rfits in the Catholic Church, selfishness, serving the Lord, solidarity, steadfast in prayer, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unworthy gossip, voluntary caring, weep with those who weep, wisdom
Romans 12:9. Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Aye friends, it’s almost like a balmy spring day in my neighbourhood this Wednesday morning! It’s around plus 5 degrees, and the sun’s mostly overpowering the clouds, and one can walk around without too much fear of icy patches on the ground. However, although the snow has melted some, and thankfully slowly, the mounds are still there, not as big as they were, but big enough to remind you of what we recently went through. How long this comparatively balmy weather will last is anyone’s guess, so we’d better enjoy it while we have it.
By the way, let me apologize for an incorrect reference yesterday. I mistakenly referenced the verse that our poem was based on, as Rom. 3:12. It should have been Rom. 12:3. I don’t know if I was in a rush or simply forgetful, but you have to excuse the ole fella sometimes for those mistakes, because He’s getting on in age and possibly not all of his faculties are functioning properly. (smile)
And yuh know what, today I think we should just continue with Bruh Paul’s words to the Romans in the rest of Chapter 12, beginning with this ever so important admonishment about church unity. So please read and inwardly digest with me: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.’ (Rom. 12:9)
And right there we have the basic foundation of our Christian faith, especially to our church brethren. Or as the scholars explain: ‘The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional (voluntary, on purpose) caring for others, LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’
Now, that makes me want to cry tears of sorrow because the basic or real LOVE in Christ’s church is almost non-existent, and what little there is, is oftentimes hypocritical. We speak and talk kindly to each other, but underneath there are so many negative vibes, with cliques and unworthy gossip floating around, that it destroys the little good there is. And this most important failing isn’t only exhibited in the local churches, but in ALL of Christianity! Just look at the petty differences that are keeping one supposed denomination from working sincerely and faithfully with each other.
A 2024 worldwide survey has estimated that there are more than 45,000 Christian denominations worldwide. Wow! Now why should there be a need for so many eh, when we’re supposedly teaching the same gospel and worshiping the same Triune God? It’s basically because petty differences have gotten in the way over the years, plus selfishness and a hunger for power. That recalls the serious rifts in the Catholic Church which was then the main body of Christianity.
Some happened in the fifth century, but very notable is the one where England broke away because King Henry V111 wanted to divorce his current wife and the church would not allow it. So, He broke away and formed the Protestant Division. That was further split during the 16th century when German priest, Martin Luther began what we call the Reformation Movement by writing his 95 Theses. His theses emphasized personal faith and the Bible as the ultimate authority, rather than the church hierarchy.
And so it goes on, even today. Every day you hear of some congregation splitting up and becoming two rather than one. And just for our information, a Christian denomination is noted as a religious organization that combines local congregations into a single administrative body. Members of the same denomination share similar beliefs, worship practices, and work together to preserve shared enterprises.
And what are some examples of Christian denominations you ask? These are some of the largest; Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Apostolic, Methodist, Anglican, Moravian, Plymouth Brethren, and Quaker. However, each one can have different cliques and groups operating under the overall umbrellas of those names but doing some different things in the way they worship. And there are also a lot of Independent Churches, which don’t come under any of the basic Christian headings, simply doing their own thing.
Therefore, with that kind of unilateral, autonomous, independent behaviour, it’s no wonder that down through the ages Christians have had much difficulty in expressing unity and solidarity. And that’s why Bruh Paul was so adamant about our volitional caring behaviour to each other. He then continues thus: ‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another. Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent in spirit (lit., boiling over); serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality.’ (Rom. 12:10-13)
Yuh see friends, that’s basically how Christ’s church ought to operate, at least on the local level. But most of us would agree that even in the local churches that tight reign of brotherly LOVE seldom exists. Therefore, how can we expect it to exist on the higher levels eh? And Bruh Paul’s not done with his admonishment nuh. He continues: ‘Bless (speak well of) them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation).’ (Rom. 12:14-16)
There again my brethren, we’re taught not to think too highly of ourselves, which in itself, is a sad reflection of today’s world. Now Bruh Paul goes on to say more, but we’ll leave that until tomorrow, if God spares life, because it would just make today’s Bit too long, and we have enough fodder today to contemplate and meditate on. (smile) So let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry and sundry know of our wonderful, incomparable position in Christ Jesus.
In 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 isn’t that just dandy? It surely is, but it gets even better, because we’ve also been promised that if we endure with Christ right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! So, let’s do our best to stay the course nuh, so that we can enjoy that everlastingly glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…LOVE makes the world go round…that’s our heavenly Father’s greatest desire…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Feb 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a God-given solution, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, confounded their language, endure to the end, flex their manly muscles, freedom of choice, giveth wisdom unto the wise, glad to be alive, God's endless compassion grace and mercy, he knoweth what is in the darkness, He revelaeth the deep secret things, hidden gme, hypocrisy, I am halfway home, in Christ alone is there hope for the future, knowledge to them that know understanding, looking straight ahead, LOVE, my hands are on the plough, neither hid that shall not be known, not looking back, proclaimed upon the housetops, raise our passion for Christ, removeth kings and setteth up kings, shall be heard in the light, spoken in the ear in closets, stubborn stiff-necked people, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the darkness hideth not from thee, the light dwelleth with him, the Lord changeth the times and seasons, the Lord gives power to get wealth, the tower of babel, there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, there's nowhere to run nor hide from God, this is the day the Lord has made, to a glorious future with Jesus, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, whatever is spoken in darkness, whither shall I flee from thy presence, whither shall I go from thy spirit, wisdom and might are the Lord's
Luke 12:2. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: neither hid, that shall not be known.
And what shall we say this cold and sunny Wednesday morning, the first day of February in this watershed year of 2023 eh? What else but ‘This is the day the Lord has made; we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) Nothing else but thanks and glory to our heavenly Father will do, because He’s the One who created us and keeps us alive until He is ready to take us home. All we do and have flow from Him and His endless compassion, grace and mercy.
Remember yesterday we saw where Cousin Sol reminded us that keeping God’s commandments is a big factor in our health, peace and longevity. (Prov. 3:2) And Moses warned the Israelites in the wilderness thus, re getting too big for their britches after becoming prosperous in the Promised Land. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut. 14:8) But we all know that the Israelites didn’t listen, for they were a stubborn, stiff-necked people, and they paid dearly for their rebellious ways.
And the same thing goes for us today; we’re stiff-necked and stubborn and are paying dearly for our rebellious ways with all the tragedy and disaster currently engulfing our world. It amazes me though, that we try every man-made solution to solve our problems without any success, but refuse to try the ONLY thing that will work for us, that’s a God-given solution. Just take a ‘Selah’ moment and think about it nuh. Our world is both literally and figuratively falling down around us, and we can’t seem to find a way to stop it.
But yuh think anybody amongst the powers that be are really concerned about turning to God for a solution? No sir! They are all looking for manmade solutions, in other words, tripping over each other looking for dictatorial powers. That’s the latest plum in the political sphere; to be a dictator and rule as you see fit. And one of those desires is to remove God from our society. Which is possibly the biggest pipe dream that mankind has ever had.
Remember the tower of Babel? That’s where after the Flood, mankind decided to build a city and a tower reaching up to heaven, and to make a name for themselves. But the Lord nipped the idea in the bud, by coming down and confounding their language, which at that time was all one, so that they could no longer understand each other, then scattered them all over the earth. (Gen.11:1-9) So friends, whatever might happen in these upcoming dark and evil times, Almighty God WILL NEVER allow His Holy Name to be removed from the earth! Let’s all get that straight.
And while we’re doing that, let’s remember the words of the prophet Daniel when the Lord revealed the secret of the Babylonian king’s vision. ‘Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up (raises up) kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding. He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.’ (Dan. 2:20-22)
Oh my people, the Creator of this world is in total control of it all! Please believe that. He might allow all sorts of unfair and unjust stuff to happen but that’s all a part of His plan to bring the world to justice. So don’t for one moment think that the foolish men who are trying to seize power are really running things. The Lord’s just allowing them to flex their manly muscles until He is ready to raise them up or tear them down.
And it’s strange that we talk so much about the omnipotence, omniscience and omni-presence of our great God, but it’s really only talk. We don’t truly believe it, otherwise we wouldn’t be still trying to hide and plot and do the evil things we do, foolishly believing that God doesn’t know or see all that we try to hide in the darkness.
That reminds us of Bruh David’s famous words in Psalm 139: ‘Whither shall (can) I go from thy spirit? or wither shall (can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover (fall on me); even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.’ (Ps. 139:7-12)
Yes friends, there is absolutely NOWHERE, we can run to or hide from the Lord, be it in the earth, the heavens, or the seas! So why don’t we just stop fooling ourselves eh and simply and wisely become obedient to His holy will? It’s really the easiest and simplest solution to all our worries and woes. And please remember also what Jesus said about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and the trying to hide stuff in dark places. He strongly warned: ‘Beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light: and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets (inner rooms) shall be proclaimed upon the house tops.’ (Luke 12:1b-3)
And yuh know what my brethren, that doesn’t necessarily mean that our secrets and evil deeds will only be revealed in heaven, but a lot of them will also be brought to light right down here on earth. So, I really don’t know why we are still trying to do stuff in secret and hope that they won’t get out. Just look at the number of whistle-blowers we have nowadays, just letting out secrets, some of them hidden for a long time, but nonetheless, they are eventually seeing the light of day. But the Lord in His wisdom, gave us free will, (Hn!) so all I can ask of us is to use that freedom to be wise and sincerely make Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, for without Him, like the proverbial snowball in the fires of hell, we don’t stand a single, solitary chance of making it on our own. End of Sermon!
Now for those of us who believe that, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) 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 let’s not forget this li’l hidden gem. If we endure right down to the end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s use that as fuel to raise our passion for Christ nuh! Much LOVE!
…in Christ alone…is there any worthwhile future…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
08 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit, as he thinketh in his heart so is he, beneficial to Christ's kingdom, beware of false prophets, by their fruits you shall know them, come to you in sheep's clothing, cracks to be patched, do not worry, don't meet God's criteria, every good tree brings forth good fruit, expect a different result, hypocrisy, let go of anxiety, listen more, make them a reality, negative thinking doesn't help, not looking for flaws but potential, our friend Anselm, positive thinking, pray, ravenous wolves, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, separate worries from concerns, sit on your ego, strife-filled ungodly world, take your fantasies, talk less, travel the distance to their goal, walk through the rooms of our lives, we attract what we think about
Matthew 7:20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Three days straight of cold but decent sunshine…Now that’s indeed a record! Many of us might not have noticed it as yet, because we’re still abed this Saturday morning, enjoying the lazy pleasures of not having to get up and go out to labour. That’s provided we have jobs, what with the new Covid restrictions put in place this past week due to the quickly spiking cases.
And since it’s Saturday, let’s turn to the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he wishes us a Happy New Year. Now this first one is long and complicated, (smile) but certainly something we can entertain to our benefit. It says: ‘We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.’
That’s a very interesting statement, because too often we seem to concentrate on our flaws and mistakes rather than our potential and successes. And that’s not a healthy situation. We need to be concentrating on our God-given potential if we expect to make godly headway in this current confused, strife-filled and ungodly world.
And to help us generate that kind of thinking, Anselm offers these ‘Things to think about for 2022: 1. Talk less; listen more; 2. Remind yourself you are not the General Manager of the Universe; 3. Sit on your ego; 4. Take one day at a time; 5. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it; 6. Pray; 7. Do not Worry.’
Now all of those are godly, life enhancing recommendations, and we would be wise to embrace them, which I believe starts with doing what Jesus advises: ‘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, we cannot, or must never lose sight that our aim, our number one priority is the kingdom of God and His righteousness, because it’s only then that we truly find God and begin to enjoy the life He has destined for us.
That leads us to this next quote: ‘We attract what we think about, that which we lust after and that which we fear. Anything that consumes our thoughts get manifested in the real world.’ Now that’s the awesome truth! That’s just the way the universe is set up; what consumes most of our thinking will eventually manifest itself in our lives. Thus, if we fixate on lustful, carnal, or fleshly thoughts, like the world suggests, then it’s lustful, carnal and fleshly things that will occur in our lives.
Cousin Sol warns us in Proverbs: ‘Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye (is a miser), neither desire thou his dainty meats (delicacies): For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.’ (Prov. 23:6-7) Yes my people, we have to be very careful of what others say to us, and consequently, what we say to others, because very often, what comes out of our mouths does not mesh with what’s in our hearts. And the heartfelt stuff is what truly guides us.
That’s why Jesus warns: ‘Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.’ (Matt. 7:20) We can always tell what kind of tree we are looking at, by the fruit it bears. What, or who we really are will eventually show in our actions, because we are truly guided by what’s in our hearts, not what comes out of our mouths. That’s called hypocrisy. And unfortunately, we are all hypocrites to some degree, because it’s not always what we say we mean.
But let’s move on to the next quote. ‘Acknowledge that negative thinking has not been helping you. Unless you replace them with positive thinking, you will keep getting the same outcome.’ And that’s oh so true! If you keep thinking one way, mostly negatively, and you’re not getting the results you want, then common sense dictates that you change your way of thinking, try the positive kind. It’s basic logic: you can’t keep doing the same think and expect to receive a different result.
So please, let’s begin this new year by checking out our way of thinking, and making the necessary changes that will enable our lives to come together and produce positive results. And the best way to do that is by coming to Christ and asking for His divine help. And don’t be afraid, because He NEVER turns down anyone who sincerely comes to Him for help.
Meanwhile, the last quote tells us that: ‘A fantasy noted down with a date turns into an objective. An objective partitioned into ascertained strides turns into an arrangement. An arrangement bolstered by activities makes your fantasies work out as expected. So this New Year, take your fantasies, travel the distance to their goal and make them a reality.’
Now generally speaking that’s how a plan works: we begin with the seed of the idea and build upon it. However, the important thing in a believer’s life is the seed that we intend to plant. Is it an idea that God will approve, is it in His will for our lives? Those are things we need to ascertain before we begin planting or building. That brings us back to Jesus’ words on the tree and its fruit.
‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening (ravenous) wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil (bad) fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil (bad) fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.’ (Matt. 7:15-18)
Oh my fellow saints, it means that as followers of Jesus we need to come up with good ideas, plant seeds that bear good fruit, fruit that will be beneficial to Christ’s kingdom. The process of growth and bringing plans to fruition are always the same, building, or growing one step at a time, the important aspect is therefore the seed that we’re planting, and the plan that we expect to realize, are they worthwhile in God’s sight?
And many of us have all kinds of exciting plans for this new year of 2022, but please, let’s stop and consider if they fall into the category of good and timely fruit before we begin to execute them nuh, because if they don’t, the Lord will not allow them to come to fruition. Much LOVE!
…each new year… many plans are born…but most fall by the wayside…because they don’t meet God’s criteria…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
22 Nov 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guide for earthly living, a light unto my path, bask in the eternal light of Jesus, be in the world but not of the world, brash and confident, chomping at the bit, find a light to guide them, forgiving and gracious God, have the light of life, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, humble servants, hypocrisy, I am the light of the world, Jehovah Rapha, lost and floundering in the darkness, LOVE, men loved darkness rather than light, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, refreshed and renewed, Satan's evil and deadly influence, shame disgrace and destruction, sincere repentance in our hearts, the God who heals, the light is come into the world, the plight of the wicked, the strength and light of Jesus, their deeds were evil, this is the condemnation, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, trudging alone without hope, turn others to Jesus, unprecedented times, wise guidance and direction
Psalm 119:105. ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’
So friends, are we ready? Are we bright, brash and confident to face this Monday morning? Is the strength and light of Jesus just waiting to burst forth from us as we go out to meet the enemy on the opening day of this new work week? Were we refreshed and renewed yesterday in our worship, with strong commitment and faith that has us just chomping at the bit, dying to get out into the world and turn others to Jesus?
I certainly hope so, because many, many persons out there desperately need Christ to be a part of their lives. They are lost and floundering in the darkness of the world, especially in these unprecedented times, trudging alone without hope, not knowing whether they are coming or going, anxious and afraid of what might become of them if they can’t find a light to guide them. And that’s where we come in; where we shine our light and point them to the Light of the world; Jesus Christ, where they can find succour and hope, peace and wise guidance, by accepting Him as Lord and Saviour and studying His Word.
Note Jesus’ divine declaration: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And the scriptures further tell us about walking in the light of Christ, when they explain that ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105)
Yes friends, God’s word is indeed a guide for earthly living, and if we follow it, we will not get lost in the darkness of this world but instead, bask in the eternal light of Jesus! Wow! How can anything be better than that eh? Basking in the eternal sunshine, the eternal light that Jesus provides is the only way to go my people! So I don’t see why so many of us are still holding on to the darkness that’s Satan’s territory. All he’s doing is leading us astray with lies and deceptions.
Unless, what Jesus said to Nicodemus, was and is true. ‘And this is the condemnation, that (the) light is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (exposed)’ (John 3:19-20)
Now that’s a very interesting contention my brethren. Are we refusing to come to Jesus, purposely staying clear of Him because our deeds are evil, and we know that if we come to His light, those evil deeds will be exposed, bringing shame, disgrace and destruction upon ourselves and those around us, for that’s the plight of the wicked? No doubt that’s very true of some of us, but others are just innocently lost, don’t know anything whatsoever about Jesus. Those are the ones we desperately need to get to, so they don’t fall completely under Satan’s evil and deadly influence.
And how do we do that eh? Firstly, by being in the world, but not of the world. That’s not allowing the ways of the world to spoil Jesus’ influence in our lives, that’s to corrupt us, have us running behind the things it says are important and necessary. In other words, doing as Jesus says: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
That means we don’t run behind riches, power and possessions, as the world encourages, but look first towards Jesus, and all that we need will be provided. That includes wealth, possessions and power if He thinks we deserve it. The difference there is if we get it through the Lord’s grace and mercy and not our striving, then it will last longer, be more secure and also more of a blessing to us than a curse.
Then we ought to tell others about Jesus since we are His earthly agents and ambassadors. However, in that telling, we must ensure that what we tell them is also shown in the way we live our daily lives. That’s because the biggest turnoff from Jesus is our hypocrisy. We can’t tell people one thing, like the Pharisees did, and then live the exact opposite way. We need to be the true reflection of Jesus in this depraved and failing world; the salt and light that He requires others to witness in our lives, so that they can know the truth, and then let the truth set them free, like it’s done for us.
And with the mess that the world’s currently in, it’s going to take a lot of courage and gumption from us to make a positive difference, but we can do it, if we get serious and invoke the Lord’s help. So, let’s do that right now nuh, go to Him in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking the will and the way to make Monday morning victorious in His name.
As one confident voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now please remember my fellow saints, we’ve just made certain promises, and the Lord will only answer our prayer if we keep those promises. Much LOVE!
…the Light…the Light…oh how I LOVE the Light…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
18 Jul 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bed of roses, a better tomorrow, a continuous process, a negative emotion, a series of small things, a small leak will sink a big ship, abhor that which is evil, aspires to inspire, busy, capable of saving, Christ's church very leaky, Christians, cleave to that which is good, cliques, different functions, distracting quality of social media, divisions over petty stuff, excellence, faithfully care for each other, focus on being productive, Friend Anselm, genuine, gossip, great things, have a gander, Help Lord, hypocrisy, I came down from heaven, I had fainted, Joyce Meyer, let love be without dissimulation, LOVE, many members in one body, no belly and/or backbone, not to do mine own will, ONE body in Christ, our physical bodies, pandemic of Covid 19, physical distancing, resentment, saints in Christ, social media, the Father's will, the human body, the land of the living, the One who died, the seed that falls on barren ground, the will of him that sent me, to save our spiritual selves, to see the goodness of the Lord, tweeting, unfeigned, unless I had believed, vein of evil, walking with Christ, worry is like a rocking chair
Romans 12:9. Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.
Wow! Another beautiful day in the land of the living! And who says life isn’t great eh? It might not be easy, but it sure is wonderful! (smile) No wonder Bruh David could confidently write in Psalm 27: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) Yeh friends, we need to believe if we’re going to see God’s goodness in and on our lives!
Remember, He never said that life would be easy, but faithfully promised to be with us every moment of every day and help us get through all our difficulties. The problem is that many of us seem to think that once we start walking with Christ, life will just be a bed of roses…
Hn! But I have news for you…ofttimes it gets harder before it gets better! That’s why so many of us turn back before we can encounter the real treasure of following Christ, like the seed that’s fallen on barren ground and betwixt thorns and weeds. No backbone and/or belly! But please remember that walking with Christ is not for the faint of heart, but He does strengthen and enable you if you step out in faith! End of monologue! (smile)
And since it’s Saturday, let’s have a gander at the quotes our fine friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. Let’s hope I can do them justice. And the first one declares (awright!): ‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.’ And that’s generally true! Just look at all the wonderful inventions in our world; very few of them come in one piece, but are made of several, if not many small pieces melded and welded together to make one big whole.
That’s just like the human body. How did Bruh Paul put it? ‘For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office (function): So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one (individually) members one of another.’ (Rom. 12:4-5) Yeh friends, it takes many small parts of different functionality to make a great whole, like we of many people, creeds and races are one big body of Christ!
But the next quote is even more vital and important for great things to run properly. ‘Watch the little things; a small leak will sink a great ship.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth! Comparatively speaking it wasn’t a big leak that sunk the Titanic. But sink it, it did! And it’s even more important with us, the body of Christ, His church, which is very leaky these days, with all the gossip, divisions over petty stuff, the resentment, the many li’l cliques and the vein of evil that unfortunately can be found within it.
No wonder the body of Christ is so disjointed and not moving together as one big, great, smoothly working machine! That’s why Bruh Paul pointedly said to the church at Rome: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.’ (Rom. 12:9) That means Christians must faithfully care for each other in spite of the circumstances and responses. The caring must be genuine and unfeigned.
And having said all of that, we come to the next quote: ‘Worry is the most wasteful thing in the world.’ I don’t know if it’s the most wasteful thing, but I do know that it’s up there amongst the top wasteful things. Consequently we can’t worry about what’s happening in our lives, our church or our world, because worrying won’t help in the least bit. It only makes things worse by taking away what li’l positivity we have left to use on righting the ship. As Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say. ‘Worry is like a rocking chair, you can sit and rock in it all day and still not move anywhere!’
And that’s so true, since worry is a negative emotion that only keeps you back from seriously tackling your problem. It’s also why this next quote is ever so timely: ‘Focus on being productive, instead of busy.’ And isn’t that the living truth! It’s the best advice our world can have and take right now! Why? Because we all talk about being so busy – busy doing what eh? It’s the first excuse that we come up with nowadays. We’re too busy to call each other, too busy to get together, too busy to read God’s Word and spend time with Him, etc. etc.
But what the hell are we so busy doing? Not a darm thing! Except if you want to call the anemic pandemic of texting and all the other unnecessary foolishness that goes on social media, which is our go to for all of our needs these days. Hn! Just imagine how important social media has become when the most powerful leader in the world does most of his business there, spends more time tweeting than reading his briefings. (grimace)
But that’s the new normal…and with the current pandemic of Covid-19, with physical distancing being such a big thing, it’s become an even bigger part of our lives, and thus also a bigger and more important tool for those who wish to spread evil and lies and stir up unnecessary disturbances.
That brings us to this last quote: ‘Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident.’ Oh so true my people, oh so true! A life of excellence is the ONLY thing that we should all aspire to. And you’ll note from the quote that it’s a continuous, life- long process, and it doesn’t happen by accident, we have to consciously seek it and pursue it. It’s like true, divine peace, and the righteousness of God. And if you are, or want to be a true follower of Jesus then you need to embrace the word ‘excellence’ and all that it stands for, because that’s Jesus watchword! While here on earth, He followed the Father’s will diligently and with excellence.
You’ll note that He never did anything on His own, or took credit for anything, but it was always the Father’s will, and likewise the credit. As he said so plainly: ‘For I came down from heaven , not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.’ (John 6:38) And He did a bang-up, most excellent job my brethren! That’s why the Father gave Him the highest name possible, to whom all knees must bow and all voices declare that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
So my fellow saints in Christ, on this Saturday morning when we are surrounded by all sorts of known and unknown predicaments and circumstances, let’s not be fearful or worried, but let’s sincerely turn to the One who died to save our spiritual selves, Jesus Christ, for He is also capable of saving our physical bodies. That’s what He’s there for: for us to cry out to Him in times of desperate need: ‘Help Lord!’ Much LOVE!
…who is the ONLY ONE that can help us…JESUS CHRIST….
P.S. Just to prove my point about the distracting quality of social media. The Bit is partially late because early on I was interacting with three different people at the same time. (smile) Much LOVE!
07 Apr 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a friend of God, a ground of boasting, a man after God's own heart, a position of unmitigated fear, a shepherd of the sheep, a spirit of fear, a strong mind, anxiety, calamitous time, confession, Coronavirus, courage, courageous words and promises, Covid-19, David taking a census, disciplined mind, discredit the believer, do good, dreaded and deadly virus, fear, for our good, friend of Jesus, god is still in control, God will work out everything, Godth hat not given us, growing pride, half-truths, His Holy Spirit, his mercies are great, hurry, hypocrisy, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, in god's eyes, it is better to trust in the Lord, lies, LOVE, Nebuchadnezzar's boast, not possible to serve the Lord, of power, pandemic, panic, primary task, proactive stuff, provoked David to number Israel, put confidence in princes, repentance, Satan stood up against Israel, sent a plague into the land, share His friendship, sincere prayer, stay His hand, than to put confidence in man, thanksgiving for the Lord's salvation, the believer might grow, the beloved of God, the forefront of our lives, the Good Book, the number one requirement, total trust in the Lord, trust, Tuesday Mantra, victories in life, what people say about me, whom do you trust, worry
Psalm 118:8-9. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
Prologue: Yeahhh! I got it right this time! Just want to apologize for the length and lateness of the Bit, though you all already know my penchant for late nights and many words. (smile) I want us though to take what’s written very seriously, because it could have a serious effect on the eventual status of our world. Much LOVE!
And the calamitous time continues; more contraction of the Covid-19 disease and more deaths. And it does seem that the situation will get worse before it gets better. But that’s normal in many cases of unexpected disaster. However, we will not dwell on the actions and results of the Coronavirus this morning, because talking about it too much only increases the fear, anxiety and panic associated with its disastrous run through the world. Today though we’re going to focus on more proactive stuff like courage and trust.
And the first word comes obviously form the Good Book, Bruh Paul’s encouraging words to Timothy and also to us in these most trying times. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (His Holy Spirit), and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Right there friends is a most important bit of scripture for us to use in the fight against this dreaded and deadly virus that’s causing fear and alarm all over our world. Our first reaction must be to take courage; that’s if we believe that our great and wonderful God is still in control and will work everything out for our eventual good.
It’s not possible to serve the Lord from a position of unmitigated fear! So let’s stand strong by putting all the courageous words and promises found on the subject in the Good Book in the forefront of our lives nuh. That’s the first requirement… And the second – it’s like the first (smile) Put out absolute trust in Almighty God, not in man nor machines. And there are so many scriptures that tell us to trust in God and not man that you could possibly spend a whole day just reading them. (smile) They are especially popular in the Psalms, like these verses from Psalm 118 – Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Salvation. ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’
Now my people, that says it in black and white. And during this pandemic we’re seeing a lot of instances where we can’t put trust in normal man or even princely men, for all sorts of hypocrisy and lies and half-truths are flying around and people are not keeping their promises, especially in a time like this when trust is so necessary. And right now I’d like to share the Quote of the Week from a message that a friend sends me. And is it ever so apropos to our current situation.
Please read with me. ‘God always requires total trust in Him alone for our victories in life. Throughout Scripture we are cautioned not to place our trust in the strength of horses, other men or our own abilities. In 1 Chronicles, David’s decision to take a census was a failure to keep his trust totally upon the Lord. David’s purpose in counting his population was to assess his military strength. David’s commander evidently recognized the grave error that his king was about to make.
Joab was right — the census displeased the Lord. David was falling into the temptation of trusting in the size of his army rather than in the Lord. In consequence, God punished David and reduced his forces by bringing a plague that killed 70,000 men. How do you avoid placing your trust in God today? Do you trust your bank accounts, your skills and the security of your workplace? When you begin to place your faith in these things instead of in the Provider of these things you get into trouble with God. What a lesson this is for each of us. Today, let’s place our total trust in the Lord for all of our needs.’
I couldn’t have said it any plainer or better my fellow believers! Total trust in the Lord is the NUMBER ONE requirement in life, especially when we’re under heavy duress like now! And we can see how Bruh David seemed to get too big for his britches from the first verse of 1 Chronicles 21. ‘And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked (moved) David to number (take a census of) Israel.’
And the scholars put forth a very interesting explanation from 2. Samuel 24:1, which also deals with the situation. ‘24:1. Taking a census was not the wrong thing to do per se. God Himself had previously ordered Moses to make two censuses (cf. Num. 1:2-3; 26:2). However, in this case Satan (cf. 1 Chr. 21:1) seized upon the growing pride of David’s heart (vs.2-3) to incite him into taking a census, so the king might have a ground of boasting (cf. Dan. 4:30 – Nebuchadnezzar’s boast). God, the controller of all things, allowed the deed to be done so as to bring David to a place of humility and reality (vs.10). God and Satan are often involved in the same event, but for different causes (cf. Job) – God, so that the believer might be instructed and grow, but Satan, to discredit the believer and therefore, God Himself.’
Ah friends, the same way Nebuchadnezzar ended up going crazy and living like a beast for seven years after boasting about His might and glory, same way Bruh David received chastening before the Lord. The Good Book says: ‘And David’s heart smote him (his conscience bothered him) after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.’ (2 Sam. 24:10)
And that’s why Bruh David could be called a friend of God and a man after His own heart! He had a heart for God, and God knew that, but being a man, and thus by nature sinful, he obviously made mistakes. But once those mistakes were made known, he never hesitated to fall before the Lord in sincere prayer and repentance. That’s why the Lord, though he punished him for his mistakes, still never took away his special place from him. And I think we all should read what happened after Bruh David took the census. That’s found in 2 Samuel 24:10-25. Here’s a brief synopsis (smile).
The Lord sent the prophet Gad to Bruh David…and wonder of wonders, He gave him the opportunity to decide his own punishment. Did He ever LOVE Bruh David! The choices were: seven years of famine, him fleeing for three months before his enemies, or three days pestilence in the land. ‘And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait (great distress): let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.’ (2 Sam 24:14) So the Lord sent a plague into the land – just as He is doing to us right now, and some seventy thousand men died. And many have died, and many more will die, until we come to the Lord with sincere confession and repentance.
Then, like the Lord did with Israel, He will stay His hand and the deaths will stop. (2 Sam. 24:16) Then David repented and made his peace with God. (2 Sam. 24:17-25) As the scholars say: ‘24:17. God’s chastening had achieved its desired effect. David recognizes that as the king of Israel his primary task was that of a shepherd with his sheep. He manfully and humbly repents of his sin and pleads for his beloved people. Despite his oft-besetting sins, David had a tender heart toward God and God’s people. Accordingly, David is commended as a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22).’
So friends, I do believe that the Lord will deal the same way with us, if we bow down and repent and turn back to Him, for there’s no denying that our world is so steeped in sin and wickedness that most of us don’t have a clue as to what’s really going on. And for those of us who recognize the seriousness of the situation and are tuned into the Saviour, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are.
In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And the next action is to truly communicate and share God’s LOVE and friendship with others, any way we can, in these really tough and trying times! Much LOVE!
…trust in the Lord…and do good…regardless of the circumstances…
16 Aug 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, behind closed doors, beware ye of the leaven, bitter for sweet, comprehends it not, condemnation, darkness, farse, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, further your glorious kingdom, futile, generous help, God is light, gratitude, hidden motives, hypocrisy, in him is no darkness, in Jesus name, laid bare by God, light, light is come into the world, LOVE, men loved darkness, nosy people, nothing covered, piety, practice the truth, proclaimed upon the housetops, put darkness for light, refreshed, rejoice and be glad, relaxation, renewed, rest, shall be revealed, shineth in darkness, spoken in darkness, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the Ex. CNE grounds, the light of Christ, the Lord is my light, the ordinary workingman, the Pharisees, the sake of appearance, the straight and narrow, their deeds are evil, them that call evil good, thy word is, walk in darkness, we lie, week of work, woe
John 1:5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not.
Welcome to a glorious Friday friends! And it’s all the Lord’s doing on our behalf! All praise and glory to His holy name! So please, let’s make the effort, show the necessary gratitude and rejoice and be glad in it nuh! That’s the only wise and sensible thing to do in light of His wonderful gesture. But yuh know, sometimes it seems that the unbelievers are more grateful for the good days they enjoy than we believers.
Listen to the ordinary workingman, as he sings his Friday song nuh. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! My most favourite day, because it heralds the start of the weekend, where my time is my own, to do with as I like and please. And I can tell anybody to go jump in the lake if I don’t like their suggestions for how I’m spending, or planning to spend my time!
And it sure feels good when you can tell some farse or nosy somebody to mind their own business! Too many people in this world today don’t have no business of their own, or just like to mind other people’s business! Chuh! I don’t mind theirs, so why they have to bother with mine eh? But enough about them yes! Today is Friday, and it bright and sunshiny, so me and mine going to enjoy it to the fullest.
I’m even going to take a half-day off from the slave master work – tough if he doh like it – and go home and spend it with the children. Might even take them down to the Ex; that big country fair down by the CNE grounds on the Lakeshore. They would certainly enjoy that! But let’s see how the day plays out nuh, before we make any firm commitments. We’ll just be thankful that it’s Friday and the start of the weekend! Praise God for that yes!’
Ah mih fellow saints, how many of us get so excited about another supposed ordinary day eh? Not too many of us, who are supposed to be the most joyful people in the world. But we not going to preach on the subject (smile), let’s just chant our Friday Chant, sing our weekend song.
As one, strong voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’
Yeh, it’s not as enthusiastic and colourful as the workingman’s offering, but it sure does keep us on the straight and narrow. And today, I want to share the scriptures I had planned to share yesterday when the Lord guided me in a different direction. It’s the same Bit: ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not.’ And unfortunately that hasn’t changed much since John wrote that some two thousand years ago. And why is that eh?
Possibly because as Jesus explains: ‘And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deed should be reproved (exposed).’ (John 3:19-20) And isn’t that the awesome truth my fellow believers? We hide what we don’t want others to see in the darkness, behind closed doors.
But please remember Jesus’ warning: ‘Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets (secretly in inner rooms) shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.’ (Luke 12:1b-3)
Oh my people, all the things we hide and do in the darkness will one day be revealed publicly! And besides the Lord sees them when we do them now, so what’s the purpose of hiding eh? As they say, our true self is reflected in what we do in darkness, behind closed doors, when no one else is around. So anything else we do differently in the light is pure hypocrisy.
As the scholars explain: ‘12:1-2. Hypocrisy, piety just for the sake of appearance is futile; for even hidden motives will one day be laid bare by God.’ Please believe that my people, and let’s try our best to only deal with true and godly motives, it will pay big dividends for us in the long run. Now let’s see how many of those original scriptures on light we can get in now, because the Bit’s again gone in a slightly different direction than I had planned. (smile)
And I guess the best one to begin with is Bruh David’s proclamation in Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?’ (Ps.27:1) Not a single soul my people! Then in Psalm 119, the psalmist declares: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps.119:105) So true friends, the Lord’s Word is our guidebook for earthly living!
And Isaiah declares: ‘Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.’ (Is.5:20) Yuh better believe it! And what better way to end than with John’s poignant declaration:
‘This the 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.’ (1 John 1:5-7)
Please friends, let’s ponder on those oh significant and important words today nuh, and see if we’re truly walking in the light or just fooling ourselves, and actually walking in darkness. But whatever answer we get, please let’s also ask the Lord for His awesome help to truly walk in His Light. That’s wisdom of undeterminable proportions! Much LOVE!
…you can’t truly walk in the Light of Christ…and in the darkness of Satan…at the same time…
11 Nov 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 100 Anniversary, a sovereign God, all loves excelling, Alpha and Omega, amid the guns below, an empty religious profession, be more ready to hear, be not rash with thy mouth, bravely singing, break faith with us, breathe thy loving spirit, by rote, Charles Wesley, compassion, crosses, democracy, faithful followers, faithful mercies crown, felt dawn, fly, freedom, from failing hands, give the sacrifice of fools, go to church, God is in heaven, gratitude, hold it high, humble dwelling, hypocrisy, In Flanders Field, in the sky, inherit, into every troubled breast, John McRae, joy of heaven, keep thy foot, Lest we forget, let not thine heart be hasty, let thy words be few, like robots, LOVE, love divine, loved, make vows, mark our place, not let it happen again, now we lie, poppies, promised rest, promises, Remembrance Day, row on row, saw sunset glow, scared heard, sincerity, song of praise, take up our quarrel, the folly of, the Great War, the house of God, the larks, thou upon the earth, thy salvation, to utter anything before God, unbounded love, unnecessary wars, Veterans Day, walk prudently, we are the dead, we lived, we shall not sleep, we throw the torch, with the foe, without having lived life
Ecclesiastes 5:2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Wow Friends, these Sundays come around so quickly that sometimes you don’t even have time to think! (smile) We just get up and go to church by rote, like robots, without preparing properly for it. And though it’s good to go to the house of the Lord and worship with fellow believers, I believe we should pay careful attention to these words of Cousin Sol writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes:
‘Keep thy foot (walk prudently) when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few.’ (Eccl.5:1-2)
Yeh friends, we have to be careful when we go to church, not to get too caught up in the moment and make vows and promises we can’t or won’t keep. The scholars offer this explanation on the verses. ‘5:1-7. The emphasis on the passage is on the folly of an empty religious profession before a sovereign God: God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth. God expects sincerity and meaningfulness in worship. He is not impressed with foolish vows.’
And sadly many of us don’t take worship seriously enough. But please, let’s not do that today. Instead, let’s lose the empty religiosity, and gather together with the sincerity and meaningfulness that our God expects of His faithful followers. And let’s begin by showing it in our song of praise, which today is possibly one of the master hymn writer Charles Wesley’s most popular: ‘LOVE Divine, All LOVES Excelling.’
As one harmonious and melodious choir, let’s put our hearts and souls into it. ‘LOVE divine, all LOVES excelling, joy of heav’n, to earth come down, fix in us thy humble dwelling; all Thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion; pure, unbounded LOVE Thou art; visit us with Thy salvation; enter ev’ry trembling heart. Breathe, O breathe Thy LOVING Spirit into ev’ry troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit; let us find the promised rest. Take away the LOVE of sinning; Alpha and Omega be; end of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty. Come, Almighty, to deliver; let us all Thy life receive; suddenly return and never, nevermore Thy temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing, serve Thee as Thy hosts above, pray and praise Thee without ceasing, glory in Thy perfect LOVE.
Finish then Thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be. Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee. Changed from glory into glory, till in heav’n we take our place, till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, LOVE, and praise.’
What a marvellous hymn my brethren! And we sang it with much fervour and sincerity too! I’m sure heaven was deeply touched! (smile) Now here is a brief explanation of the hymn from Wikipedia: ‘Like many hymns, LOVE DIVINE, is loosely Trinitarian in organization: Christ is invoked in the first stanza as the expression of Divine LOVE; the Holy Spirit in the second stanza as the agent of sanctification; the Father in the third stanza as the source of life; and the Trinity (presumably) in the final stanza as the joint Creator of the New Creation.
Like many hymns, too, this one is a tissue of Biblical quotations, including “Alpha and Omega” (st.2) as an epithet of Christ, from Revelation 21:6; the casting of crowns before God’s throne (st.4), from Revelation 4:10; the promise that Christians shall be “changed from glory into glory” (st.2 and 4), from 2 Corinthians 3:18; as well as other, more general allusions.’
Whew! That’s what you call a brief, in depth, general explanation! (smile) But it all makes sense. Ah friends, today is also the day we celebrate as ‘Remembrance Day,’ in the British system, and ‘Veteran’s Day’ in the U.S. The day we remember all those who died fighting for our freedom and democracy. And believe me many many gave their lives on our behalf. So today we honour them with marches and speeches and memorials and services at their gravesites, etc.
And this year it’s the 100 Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty that ended the first Great War. But we never learned from it, and unfortunately the celebrations are somewhat tainted, because those who survived all our wars, and the relatives of those who died, are finding it very difficult to get the monetary benefits, housing and medical attention that they deserve. Our governments talk a good talk on days like these, but when it’s time to get down into the trenches, it’s all hypocrisy.
Just this past week the Canadian Government finally allocated a hundred and something million dollars that should have been paid to the veterans some time ago. And even with that allocation, who knows how long that will take to filter down to those in need. It’s the same poor attitude in the U.S. However, although we don’t treat the vets and their families as well as we should, at least we remember them in our prayers and ceremonies.
And we’ll close with that ever-popular poem ‘In Flanders Field,’ written in their honour by Lieutenant Colonel John McRae: ‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, LOVED and were LOVED, and now we lie In Flanders Fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.’
Ah friends, so many young men died in those unnecessary wars without having even lived life…But we thank them for their sacrifice and today we remember them, with LOVE and gratitude. Much LOVE!
…besides saying…lest we forget…what about saying…we won’t let it happen again eh…
07 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a daisy bouquet, awesome embrace, be joyful, be obedient, cascading down from heaven, coincidence, disciples, drought-stricken earth, empty promises, epitome, for our sins, friend of Jesus, God's creation, God's Holy Will, he first loved us, hinges on, hug you more often, hugged me, hugging yourself, hurry, hypocrisy, I love you, lightning, living God, LOVE, love his brother, loves to love, mirrors God's love, mistake, no discernible reason, nourish, One Year Book of Bible promises, practiced my lessons, real love, Ruth Harms Calkin, share His love, showers of blessings, slow down, soothing to the ears, Thank You Lord, the beloved of God, the centrepiece, the propitiation, thunderstorms, to the soul, too busy, trust Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, ulterior motives, waiting in the wings, we love God, weather reporters, Who Me, wonderful god, worry
1 John 4:19. We LOVE him, because he first LOVED us.
Thank You Lord…thank You, thank You, thank you! And you all must be wondering what I’m thanking the Lord so profusely for eh? Well it’s for finally sending showers of blessings on my area yesterday. After a couple weeks of empty promises from the weather reporters about thunderstorms etc., yesterday afternoon they finally delivered.
And I have to chuckle, as at one stage I went out on my front porch to witness the phenomenon, (smile) and was promptly driven back inside by two brilliant flashes of lightning. Then later in the night we got a couple of good showers, so much so that the ground is still wet this morning.
And yuh know friends there’s no sound as soothing to the ears and the soul as that of showers of blessings cascading down from heaven to nourish the drought-stricken earth. And that didn’t happen by mistake or coincidence, but was planned by our wise and wonderful God. How great and thoughtful is He eh!
And here is another instance of how great and wonderful and caring our God is. Check out this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s simply titled, ‘Who Me?’
‘Lord All of a sudden today You picked me up And hugged me And hugged me For no discernible reason. I was puzzled. After all – I hadn’t picked up my toys Or practiced my lessons Or brought You a daisy bouquet – Hesitantly, I asked why. You smiled and said: I LOVE you, that’s all. Then you added: I long to hug you more often. Why don’t You Lord? You are too busy. Too busy, Lord? Too busy hugging yourself.’
And isn’t that the awful truth my brethren? We’re too busy hugging ourselves and going about our business to notice that the Lord is waiting in the wings to just take us up in His awesome embrace and shower us with some of His most wonderful LOVE, so that we can be joyful here on earth and be obedient to His holy will.
And He doesn’t have any ulterior motives. He just LOVES us because we’re his awesome creation! Don’t we all hold dear the things we create? Of course! And so does our living God! Remember what the Good Book says? ‘And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.’ (Gen.1:31)
Yes friends, God admired His handiwork, of which we were the most important aspect, so it’s just natural that He LOVES to LOVE us…if we’d only slow down and allow Him to. And the Bible Promise for that poem is also our Bit for today: ‘We LOVE him, because he first LOVED us.’
Aw my fellow believers, such touching, heartwarming and truthful words! Our Creator LOVED us from the moment He made us, before we were even aware of the emotion. He placed that emotion of LOVE in us as the centerpiece of our very existence.
And John earlier explains the whole scenario in these few choice words of gospel truth. ‘Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’ (1 John 4:10) Now that’s what you’d call REAL LOVE!
And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘4:10. No human LOVE is the standard for understanding God’s great compassion, but God’s own action on man’s behalf.’
Yes my brethren, our puny and finite minds cannot understand God’s action, of sending His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to die on our behalf, piling our sins on Him as the great scapegoat, so that we could be reconciled to Him, have fellowship with Him, and once again become righteous in His holy eyes. But nonetheless, it is the standard to which faithful believers and followers of His marvellous Son, Jesus Christ are expected to follow.
As John says: ‘If a man say, I LOVE God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that LOVETH not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he LOVE God whom he hath not seen?’ (1 John 4:20)
Now that’s a very good question my people. How can we LOVE something or someone we’ve not seen, and hate what or whom we’ve seen? In this context about LOVING God, it’s just impossible! But we do it nevertheless and unfortunately show ourselves to be hypocrites of the highest order.
But here is the final word on the situation as John tells it. ‘And this commandment have we from him, That he who LOVETH God LOVE his brother also.’ (1 John 4:21)
And the scholars spell it out in simple language for us: ‘4:19-21. Our LOVE, if it exists and mirrors God’s LOVE at all, is not our own but God’s doing. The epitome of hypocrisy is the claim to LOVE God while withholding LOVE from others. For Jesus Himself commanded that he who LOVES God is to demonstrate this through LOVING others.’
And with that reminder tugging at our heartstrings my precious people, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, proudly letting the world know who and whose we are.
Now, in strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And if we truly believe that, then we need to go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others. Only then will we be His true disciples! Much LOVE!
…in God’s universe…everything hinges on…LOVE and LOVING…
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