13 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all liars, as a bride adorned for her husband, be punished after many days, before his ancients gloriously, bound him for a thousand years, cast him into the bottomless pit, cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, characterized by righteousness peace and love, Christ's kingdom, coming down from God out of heaven, compassed the camp of the saints, deepen my breath, eternal punishment, faith, fire came down from God out of heaven, gathered together as prisoners in a pit, give thanks for another day of life, give unto him that thirsts, go out to deceive the nations, God himself shall be with them and be their God, God shall wipe away all tears, have their part in the lake, he shall be my son, he should deceive the nations no more, he that overcomes shall inherit all things, holy spirit, I am Alpha and Omega, I marvel to think, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, I will be his God, idolaters, if you believe the Bible then live according to it, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, laid hold on Satan, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, loosed for a little season., LOVE, mercy, more intent on getting intimate with Satan, murderers, neither sorrow, no more death, no more pain, nor crying, nothing more fulfilling and rewarding than intimacy with God, punish the host of the high ones, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, Satan shall be loosed from prison, set a seal upon him, sexually immoral, shut up inthe prison, slow my thoughts, sorcerers, thank you for this tenderness, the abominable, the beginning and the end, The Christmas season, the devil that deceived them, the fall of man, the fearful, the former things are passed away, the fountain of the water of life, the kings of the earth, the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, the Millennium reign of Christ, the moon shall be confounded, the new Jerusalem, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea, the second death, the sun ashamed, the tabernacle of god is with men, the unbelieving, they shall be his people, to get closer to God, tormented day and night for ever, truth, two ways to live this earthly life, wanting to spend more time with God, where the beast and the false prohet are, whoremongers, wisdom, yearn to know God better, you are here with me, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Revelation 21:7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Oh my people, let’s give thanks to our wonderful God for another day of life on His great planet earth, especially on this lazy-day Saturday in the Christmas season, where we don’t have to rush off to work, or anywhere else, and we can just relax and enjoy the warmth and comfort of our beds, or simply take our time and be comfortable with whatever catches our fancy, (smile) before getting into the busyness of the day, with stuff like Christmas preparations.
But before we get too comfortable or too busy, let’s offer op our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with sincere hearts and voices. Altogether: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Ah friends, it’s a simple prayer, but what I particularly like about it is that though simple, it still brings out, or highlights our wanting to spend more time with God, to get closer to Him and know Him better. And there’s nothing more fulfilling and rewarding that that in this entire world; for intimacy with Him, was God’s major purpose for creating human beings. But unfortunately with the fall of man and the rising of our sinfulness, we have lost that desire to get intimate with God and His righteousness, we seem to be more intent on getting intimate with Satan and his evil ways, which doesn’t say much for our intelligence and wisdom.
But please, let’s remember Satan’s prophetic destiny. The Bible says: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed (released) for a little season (while).’ (Rev. 20:1-3)
Yes my brethren, during Christ’s thousand years reign on earth Satan will be locked up and unable to tempt or deceive the people. And as the scholars tell us: ‘Any temptation to sin during the Millennium (the thousand year reign of Christ on earth) must come from within those people who are born after the kingdom begins. It must be assumed that all of Satan’s demons or fallen angels are also imprisoned at the same time (cf. Is. 24:21-23). And we’ll quote those verses to give us a better understanding of the scriptures.
Isaiah writes: ‘And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high (Satanic powers), and the kings of the earth upon the earth (earthly powers). And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall be visited (punished). Then the moon shall be confounded (disgraced, ashamed), and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients (elders) gloriously.’ (Is. 24:21-23)
So, after that Christ will reign on earth without opposition for a thousand years, and His kingdom will be characterized by righteousness, peace and LOVE. But remember that after the thousand years Satan will be released for a short while, as we see in the following verses. ‘And when the thousand years are expired (completed), Satan shall be loosed (released) out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed (surrounded) the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever.’ (Rev. 20:7-10)
Yes my people that’s the faith that will eventually befall the powers of evil. And for those who follow them rather than God, here’s their fate: ‘But the fearful (cowardly), and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers (sexually immoral), and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (eternal punishment).’ (Rev. 21:8)
Now please contrast that ending with this one. ‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev. 21:2-4)
Oh my faithful belieers, that’s what we have to look forward to when we endure with Jesus right to the very end. Listen closely as John tells it. ‘And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst (who thirsts) of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.’ (Rev. 21:6-7)
There it is in black and white my friends; the two endings to the two ways to live this earthly life. It’s up to each individual to make a decision, let’s hope and pray that we all make the right one. Much LOVE!
…if you believe that the Bible is God’s Guidebook to man…then you’d better believe what it says…and live accordingly…
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
10 Apr 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things were made by him, by him all things consist, Christ is the image of the invisible God, divine help, Easter Monday, God hath spoken to us by his son, he hath appointed heir of all things, hear our prayer, humble servants, I am Alpha and Omega, In the beginning was the Word, in these last days, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus is the reason fro the season, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, ranks of angels, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, the beginning and the ending, the firstborn of every creature, the God who heals, the perfect fellowship between Father and Son, the Word was God, the Word was with God, wise guidance, wise people run to Jesus
Revelation 1:8.I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Well here comes Monday, Easter Monday, a public holiday in many places, and with no work to go to, it means the Easter celebrations will continue in full swing! And why not eh? It’s not every day that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ rises from the dead, so we have to make the most of it while we can. (smile) However, please let us not forget the real reason behind the celebrations, as we tend to do with a lot of our Christian celebrations, and that reason is Jesus! He is our be-all and end-all; our Everything! As He says to John in Revelation: ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev. 1:8)
Yes friends, those words show that our Jesus is God Almighty! They back up the opening verses of John’s gospel. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.’ (John 1:1-3) Wow! What a mighty Being is our Jesus! John characterizes Him as ‘the Word,’ and He was there every step of the way in the creation of the universe.
The scholars offer these explanations. ‘In the beginning…with God signifies the perfect fellowship between God the Father and God the Son in eternity. The Word was God: Just as the previous expression (the Word was with God) emphasizes distinction in the Godhead, this phrase stresses the essential unity. In the Greek text of this verse, ‘God’ is a predicate adjective (whatever that means), appearing without article and preceding ‘the Word,’ thus emphasizing Jesus’ divinity. John could not have expressed the full divinity of Christ more completely.’
I totally agree! (smile) And if like me, you’ve left school so long ago, that you don’t remember what a predicate adjective is, then listen to this definition. ‘Predicate adjectives are adjectives that modify or describe the subject of a sentence or clause and are linked to the subject by a linking verb. In the sentence The joke was funny, the adjective funny is a predicate adjective that modifies the subject joke and is connected to it with the linking verb was.’ Amen!
And if you still doubt Christ’s divinity, then read with me, as Bruh Paul writes to the Colossians, re the Pre-eminence or Primacy of Christ ‘Who (that’s Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (first in rank) of (over) every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in (on) earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.’ (Col. 1:15-17)
Oh my fellow believers our Lord and Saviour existed before the universe or anything else existed, and He was preeminent in everything that was created. And the scholars tell us that ‘Thrones… dominions… principalities…powers all refer to angelic beings (cf. Eph. 1:21; 3:10) “Thrones” refer to angels who sit on thrones as rulers; “dominions” refer to domains or kingdoms over which these heavenly beings reign, “principalities” refer to rulers, and “powers” refer to angelic monarchs who wield regal power.
Since Christ created these various ranks of angels, He is supreme over them. Striking a blow at the Colossian heresy advocating angel worship (2:18), this text forbids Christians to pay homage to angels and other heavenly beings created by God. By Him all things consist means by Him all things are held together. Christ now preserves all that He made in Creation.’ Matter fixed! (smile)
And if you still don’t believe, are not assured of Christ’s divinity and pre-eminence in the creation and control of the universe, then listen to these verses from Hebrews. ‘God, who in sundry times (in many portions) and in divers manners (many ways) spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds (ages).’ (Heb. 1:1-2)
And the scholars offer these comments. ‘The author immediately shows that Jesus Christ, as the agent of God’s revelation is far superior to the Old Testament prophets. Their message was fragmentary and incomplete. It came bit by bit through visions, dreams, and direct communication as men were ready and able to receive it. Christ’s revelation is climactic and complete, because He is the Son and because His is the message for the last days. His incarnation initiated the end time, and it will be fulfilled when He returns to earth to reconcile and restore all things, (cf. Acts 2:16-17; 3:19-21; 1 Pet. 1:20).’
Ah mih people, Christ is indeed El Numero Uno, the definitive Number One! No doubt about it! And if you don’t believe it, then that’s your problem, you’ll just have to pay whatever price is called for at the end times. True wisdom, however, dictates that you turn to Jesus and seriously and sincerely place your trust and your eternal salvation in His masterful hands. But that’s a decision you alone can make. I can only offer you the advice and the reasons that I believe it’s wise. ONLY with Christ can you enjoy eternal life; everything else leads to eternal death. So please think on it and act wisely, before it’s too late.
Now, for those of us who have already believed but are having a hard time staying on the straight and narrow path, let’s go to the throne of grace and through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, ask for divine help. As one 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, having said all of that, we need to put our houses in order, so that the Lord can help us, for remember, we can do nothing without Him. Much LOVE!
…wise people run to Jesus… and hold on tightly to Him…for all other options are disastrous…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
10 Apr 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a conquering hero., a name above every other name, a name written, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth, at the name of Jesus, became obedient unto death, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, Christ has universal sovereignty, church disunity, crown him Lord of all, every knee should bow, faithful and true, hail him who saves you by his grace, he hath on his vesture and on his thigh, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna to the son of David, I am Alpha and Omega, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, join the everlasting song, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, let angels prostrate fall, LOVE, no more tears sorrow pain, on his head were many crowns, out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, Palm Sunday, sacrifices of praise, strictly peace and love, the blessed and only Potentate, the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, the former things are passed away, the Messiah, the new heaven and earth, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, ye chosen seed of Israel's race, ye ransomed of the fall, your God is a God of gods
Revelation 19:16. And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Another Sunday has rolled around my people! And this is a very blessed and special Sunday in the Christian calendar. We call it Palm Sunday, recalling Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem two thousand years ago, the week before He was crucified, riding on a donkey, like the kings who brought peace, the fateful day when He officially offered Himself to the nation of Israel as her long awaited Messiah!
Wow! It was a marvellous day with the many visitors to Jerusalem thronging the streets to see Jesus, spreading their clothing and tree branches in His way, greeting Him like a conquering hero. The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.’ (Matt. 21:9-11)
Yes, it was a great day friends, but yuh know what, Palm Sunday also foreshadows Jesus’ return to earth to set up His millennial kingdom in Jerusalem. So, it’s both a triumphant day of the past and one that will again erupt with joy when Christ returns to rule the world. But enough talk, as we’re all looking forward to singing a wonderful song in Christ’s honour this Palm Sunday morning. And it’s indeed a popular hymn, so popular that it’s often called ‘The National Anthem of Christendom,’ and is aptly titled ‘All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.’
‘The lyrics were written by Edward Perronet (1721-1792) a prominent British Pastor at one time affiliated with the Wesley’s of the Methodist persuasion, but afterwards became a pastor of a dissenting congregation.’ Another sad instance of church disunity, that just keeps on increasing the enemy’s power and lessening its own. Anyway, we know all about that and are working diligently to correct it, and the best way to do that right now is to lift up our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise, letting heaven an all earth know how much we LOVE and adore our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
So, in a soulful, scintillating, mid-tempo, joyful version, let’s sing: ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall; Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race, Ye ransomed of the fall, Ye ransomed of the fall, Hail him who saves you by his grace, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.
Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball, On this terrestrial ball, To him all majesty ascribe, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. O that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall; We at His feet may fall; We’ll join the everlasting song, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.’
Oh, certainly my fellow saints, Jesus must be crowned Lord of ALL, because He is indeed Lord of ALL! That’s what the Good Book says, and the Good Book doesn’t lie. Listen to how Bruh Paul explained it when he wrote to the church at Philippi. ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every other name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:8-11)
Mamma Mia! What power resides in our Jesus! For His undaunted obedience, the Father made His name the highest name therein all the earth and heaven, to whom all knees must bow and confess that He is Lord. Jesus Himself said it to the disciples before He gave them the Great Commission: ‘All power (authority) is given unto me: in heaven and in earth.’ (Matt. 28:18) Even the heathen king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, recognized the might and power of Almighty God, after Daniel revealed the secret of his dream. He said to Daniel: ‘Of a truth, it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.’ (Dan. 2:47)
Meanwhile in 1 Timothy, Bruh Paul tells the young preacher: ‘That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable (blameless), until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall show (manifest) who is the blessed and only Potentate (Sovereign Ruler), the King of kings, and Lord of lords.’ (1 Tim. 6:14-15) And if you still don’t believe, then let’s go right to the end of the story and get all the facts straight! (smile)
Right at the opening of John’s vision recorded in Revelation, Jesus said to him: ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which was to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev. 1:8) That set the scene for John’s later recounting of the rider on the white horse; ‘And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself…
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:11-12, 15-16)
Yes, all you beautiful saints of Christ, those mighty words describe our Lord and Saviour when He shall come in all His glory to rule the earth! As the scholars tell us: ‘He is the revelation of God Himself. In His first advent (coming) Jesus especially revealed the LOVE and grace of God. But in His second advent, He will reveal the holiness, justice and judgement of God. Christ will smite the nations, that is destroy all unbelievers, and will subject all nations to Himself, and destroy all His enemies. He has universal sovereignty. The many crowns mean He is King over all who call themselves kings, and Lord over all who call themselves lords.’ Glory Hallelujah my faithful brethren!
That’s how the story plays out; with Jesus the conquering Hero spreading God’s wrath far and wide, cleaning up the earth in anticipation of a time with strictly peace and LOVE, no more tears, nor death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things (the negative things of the previous world) are passed away. (Rev. 21:4) And that’s how it’s going to be people. Now let’s hope that we will all be amongst that marvellous crowd on that thrilling day. Much LOVE!
…will you be in the new heaven and earth…only if you sincerely believe in Christ Jesus…it’s glorious ruler…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
02 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all kindreds of the earth shall wail, behold he cometh with clouds, chnage our attitudes, every eye shall see him, following Jesus, God's eternality and sovereignty, halfway home, I am alive for evermore, I am Alpha and Omega, I'm not looking back, I'm so glad to be alive, if we endure to the end, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, one truth from the Bible, physical deterioration, suffers birth pangs, the beginning and the ending, the best thing we can do, the Book of Revelation, the breath of life, the things which are, the things which shall be hereafter, the time is at hand, the whole creation groaneth, to a glorious future with Jesus, towards God each other and the earth, walking the road of life with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, worth more than all the wisdom of man, write the things thou hast seen
Revelation 1:8a. ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,
On and on we go friends, walking down the road of life with our marvellous Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! You know, every day seems the same, but they are all different when you partner with Jesus, because He makes every day special, unique, in its own way. Now who else can do that for us eh? Nobody! Not a single soul can give us the joy, the hope, the peace, the LOVE, the salvation and friendship that we find with Jesus!
Wow! No wonder so many of have chosen, and are choosing to follow Him right down to the very end! And that decision is the wisest one we can ever make, for when we live for Jesus, our earthly lives may sometimes be rough, but our end will be great, greater than if we follow any other path. And why is that you ask? Well let’s hear some scriptures that ought to bring the true story to you and help you decide to live for Jesus.
The Book of Revelation, Jesus’ account of what’s to happen, as He revealed to His disciple John on the isle of Patmos tells us in the early verses: ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.’ (Rev. 1:3) And believe me friends, the time is truly at hand. The world is in such an ungodly and unstable mess, that even if God doesn’t put forth His hand to destroy it, it will implode soon, because of the inordinate strife, anger, sickness and inhumanity that’s permeating it right now.
Then, the terrible way in which we’re treating the earth, continually ravaging it for our greedy, selfish purposes, without any plans for replenishing it, there must come a time when there’s nothing left to be ravaged. And though Bruh Paul wasn’t referring to the physical earth when he proclaimed: ‘For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain (suffers birth pangs) together until now,’ (Rom. 8:22) we can certainly make a point for its continual physical deterioration through all the mining and deforestation and other bad treatment we inflict on it.
Then look at the number of volcanoes that are currently erupting all over the globe, many of which have been dormant for long periods. I don’t know if we have ever had so many erupting simultaneously as we do today. And when we add the other natural disasters that seem to be occurring more often, with greater intensity, there’s little hope for us, unless we quickly and completely change our attitudes towards God, each other and the earth.
Now, it doesn’t matter so much what happens to our physical bodies, but it’s of the utmost importance what happens to our spiritual selves when the physical body returns to the earth from whence it came. And I’m here to tell us that following Jesus is the best thing we can do for our spiritual lives, which shall live on for a long, long time after our physical bodies die.
And John vividly details, some verses later in his revelation: ‘Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds (the tribes) of the earth shall wail (mourn) because of him. Even so, Amen.’ (Rev. 1:7) Those words refer to Christ’s return to earth to establish His kingdom, not to the Rapture. There, everyone will see Him, including all those who rejected Him, and wanted Him dead and participated in His death, will then repent and mourn.
But hear what Jesus tells John. ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev. 1:8) The scholars tell us that ‘Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and refer to God’s eternality and sovereignty, and possibly to the fullness of God’s self-revelation.’ Now God revealing Himself to us should come as no surprise, for He’s done it right down through the ages through His prophets.
And I like how from heaven, just like on earth, when Jesus appears to John, who falls down at His feet as though dead. He tells him: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’ (Rev. 1:17-18) Yes friends, Christ is alive and well!
The scholars explain: ‘As God in the Old Testament is called “the living God,” so Christ is he that liveth. He became dead when He humbled Himself to die on the cross (Phil. 2:6-8), but then rose to live for evermore. Three tenses of Christ’s existence are emphasized: (1) His ever-abiding life; (2) his death as God-man; and (3) His resurrection to everlasting and authoritative life. He has authority over death and judgement and therefore has the keys of hell (hades) and of death (cf. 20:14).’
Then we come to this most pertinent instruction of Jesus’ to John. ‘Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.’ (Rev. 1:19) According to the scholars ‘This is the key verse of the Book. Revelation has three major sections: (1) the things which thou hast seen – chapter 1, especially the vision of Christ (cf. vs. 11 -: “what thou seest”); (2) the things which are – chapters 2 and 3, the conditions in the churches; and (3) the things which shall be hereafter – chapters 4-22, beginning with the judgements of the Tribulation period (cf. 7:1) – “after these things”).
Ah mih people, I know many of us don’t like or read, or understand the Book of Revelation, because it can be confusing and has some gory details that turn us off, but in truth, it’s the best Book of the Bible, because it tells us exactly what will happen at the very end to those who follow Jesus sincerely and those who don’t. It doesn’t mince words at all. However, I think we’ll stop here for today, since it will get much too long if I continue with it all at once. Tomorrow, God spare life, we will get into Revelation a little more, and hopefully, by the time we are finished, we’ll all have a better idea of what’s going to happen in the future.
So, for those of us who are totally interested in walking with Jesus, let’s go home now declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Him. Altogether now: ‘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 to further boost our enthusiasm, let’s remember that if we endure to the end, the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…one truth from the Bible…is worth…more than all the wisdom of man…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
12 Apr 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: answer our prayers, be not carried about with divers doctrines, behold I come quickly, cometh down from the Father of lights, Covid-19, do not err my beloved brethren, doing their own thing, every good gift, every perfect gift is from above, forgive us and heal our land, gone away from mine ordinances, humble servants, I am Alpha and Omega, I form the light and create darkness, I girded thee, I make peace and create evil, I will return unto you, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, merciful forgiving God, message to Cyrus, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my reward is with me, natural disasters, neither shadow of turning, racial strife, Return unto me, sincerely seek your face, the days keep rolling along, the First and the Last, the God who heals, the heart be established with grace, the only living God, the same yesterday today and forever, there is no God beside me, unchangeable God, wise guidance and direction, with whom is no variableness
Hebrews 13:8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Ah mih people, the days just keep rolling along, from one to the other, without any apparent recognition of mankind’s many problems. Some things change, while others remain the same, but throughout it all, we still need to deal with all sorts of controversial situations and upheavals, not knowing what will happen from one day to the next. But those ole days don’t seem to care at all, they just keep doing their thing; running changelessly into each other, detailing weeks, months, seasons, years, and even centuries.
But fortunately for us, there’s been ONE Being, that’s remained constant over the many topsy-turvy days of mankind, that’s our Creator: Almighty God. Yes friends, He’s been there from the very beginning…and wonder of wonders, He’ll be there right to the very end! And why is that eh? Because as He says in His word, He is unchangeable, immovable, immutable, irreplaceable, the ONLY Living God! So let’s hear some scripture that will remind us of our God’s omnipotence, omniscience, omni-presence, steadfastness, unchangeability and immutability.
And we’ll begin with His message to Cyrus the pagan king, through the prophet Isaiah. ‘I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me. That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west (to its setting), that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil (calamity): I the Lord do all these things.’ (Is. 45:5-7) And yes, the Lord does create physical evil or calamity, not moral evil or sin. And yes, the Lord did use pagan kings, like Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar as conduits to fulfill His eventual will.
Moving on, we come to Malachi, where through that prophet, the Lord confronts His people Israel about turning away from Him and their lack paying tithes. He says: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?’ (Mal. 3:6-8)
Oh friends, that’s the exact thing the Lord is saying to us today, and the very same answer we are giving Him. We have turned away from Him, and instead of returning to Him like He desires, we are trying to turf Him and His ordinances out of our society. So what can we expect but calamity eh?
Now listen to the author of Hebrews, as he talks of service well pleasing to God. ‘Remember them which have the rule over you (who lead you), who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end (outcome) of their conversation (conduct). Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers (various) and strange doctrines (teachings). For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats (foods), which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.’ (Heb. 13:7-9)
But do you think we have followed, or are following that directive? Oh no sir! Instead, we are being led away by a whole set of strange teachings and proceedings that don’t profit those who practice them. Steups! How sad it is my people! And then we wonder why our world is in such a mess.
So, let’s now consider James words on the subject. ‘Do not err (be deceived) my brethren. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variations, unexpected, unforeseen changes), neither shadow of turning. Of his own will he begat us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:16-18)
Oh my people, our God created everything that exists, and mankind as the jewel of His creations, that’s why He so desires to redeem us all, and not lose any to the enemy. And he gave us His holy word that we should walk in it. But being the disobedient, stubborn, hard-headed creatures we are, we have refused to do so, with disastrous consequences to our ungodly actions.
Now here is the last scripture from John the Revelator, from the mouth of Jesus Himself. ‘And behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.’ (Rev. 22:12-13) All I can now say friends is that wisdom dictates that we return to the waiting arms of our Creator. And if you agree, then please join me in offering up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in heartfelt prayer.
As one sincere and humble voice now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the many natural disasters that now seem more prevalent than ever.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have 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, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control.
And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, 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 let us go and keep our solemn vows to our wonderful, forgiving and LOVING God! Much LOVE!
…God is the ONLY thing in this universe that has NOT changed…and will NEVER change…whether you believe it or not is immaterial…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
08 Mar 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all compassion, at liberty, casting of the crowns, end of faith, eternal death, every trembling heart, faithful mercies, fire and brimstone, freely, from glory to glory, glory and honour, Godhead, him who thirsts, Holy Trinity, I am Alpha and Omega, idolaters, inherit, interact with fellow believers, it is done, lake of fire, lifestyle of sin, lost in wonder, LOVE, love divine all loves excelling, loving spirit, new creation, perfect love, persevering faith, personal touch, praise, provision, rebellion against God, sanctification, second death, service on television, set our hearts, sinners, son of god, source of all life, Sunday, sustenance, the beginning and the end, the fountain of the water of life, the great invitation, the Lord's Day, the love of sinning, the New Covenant, the same image, the Spirit of God, the Word of god, thou art worthy, transformation, troubled breast, whoremongers
Revelation 21:6. It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst (who thirsts) of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Well it will be good to darken the church doors once again today, after a two week hiatus. Watching service on the tube is fine, but definitely not the same as actually being there in body and soul. The former lacks the personal touch where fellowship is concerned. And since I am an 18th century man, the technological aspect with television worship doesn’t thrill me as much as the personal interaction in a physical sanctuary. (smile) But be that as it may, it’s Sunday, the Lord’s Day, and we all ought to find our way to His sanctuary sometime today to personally interact with fellow believers to praise and sing and worship Him and receive the awesome power of His Word in return.
What a moving time that can be in a believer’s life, bringing him ever closer in His relationship to His Lord and His God! So let’s begin the proceedings as usual with a song of praise and worship. And today’s sacrifice of praise is an old but highly favoured one by the master of hymn writers, Charles Wesley, titled ‘LOVE Divine All LOVES Excelling.’ We all know it so let’s get serious and soulful, and in strong, harmonious and melodious voice (smile) offer up our song of praise.
‘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.’
Oh friends, that was indeed a great rendition and heaven received it with great joy. Jesus, as always, blushes when we sing His praise, the Father smiles, and the Holy Spirit is the One working so astutely in us to get us singing with the right motives. And the song itself is like a compendium of Biblical quotes and attributes to our Three in One Godhead. Let’s see if we can pick out a few of each. It opens with Jesus being referred to as the ‘expression of divine LOVE.’ Then it talks about His compassion, His salvation, and the urgent need for His Second Coming so that our change to a new creation can be completed, and at last be sinless and finding the promised rest in Him.
That possibly alludes to Jesus Great Invitation in Matt. 11:28. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ The new creation obviously refers to Bruh Paul’s words to the Corinthians. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17) Yes friends, when we come to Christ we have to become new, changed, and give up some of the old things in our lives which don’t fit into Christ’s will.
Then the Holy Spirit is cast as ‘the agent of sanctification,’ in the second verse. And the Father, the ‘source of life’ in the third verse. Meanwhile the casting of the crowns before God’s throne comes from Revelation 4:10-11 ‘The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns down before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created (for your will and pleasure they exist.’ And isn’t that the living truth! The Lord created the universe and all therein for His pleasure and purpose!
So then we are gradually changed from glory to glory: ‘But we all, with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18) ‘The believer himself “reflects” the glory of the Lord, just as the face of Moses reflected the glory of the Lord. For Moses the glory eventually faded away, but under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of the Spirit of God.’
And then we come to Alpha and Omega. As Christ says to John in Revelation: ‘It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst (who thirsts) of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful (cowardly), and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers (sexually immoral), and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.’ (Rev. 21:6-8)
And the scholars offer some interesting explanations. ‘21: 6-8) It is done: The eternal purpose of God to gather a holy, devoted people for Himself has now been accomplished. Alpha and Omega: (see 1:8; 22:13. Beginning: God is the origin and source of all things (cf. Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12). End: He is also the goal or aim of all things. (cf. Rom.10:4).The water of life represents eternal sustenance and provision (cf. 22:1; Ps. 36:9; Is. 55:1; Jer. 2:13; John 4:14), available freely by faith (22:17).
He that overcometh is the one who has genuine, saving, persevering faith (cf. 2:11; 3:5; 1 John 5:4-5). He will inherit all that belongs to him as a son of God (cf. John 1:12; Rom. 8:16-17; Gal. 3:29; 4:7). But sinners, who have shown their rebellion against God by their lifestyle of sin, have already been cast into the lake of fire (20:12; cf. 22:15). The second death is eternal death (cf. 20:14).’
Brother was that ever hard to copy, but I did not want to deprive you of the references which can be an important part of understanding the scriptures. And now that we’ve all got it straight, it’s time to put it into serious operation, so that we’re not cast in the lake of fire to eternal death, obviously with the Lord’s help. Much LOVE!
…The Holy Trinity was there long before us…and will be there long after us…
10 Dec 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a well of water, a whole lot of sense, bane of our current world, born incarnate of the Virgin Mary, Christmas, competition, competitors, death, despair, down through the ages, drink of the wine I have mixed, eat of my bread, eternal separation from God, even paths, everlasting life, feast of Tabernacles, fellowship, for all eternity, free, friends, glorified, God's age old invitation, gospel, halfway point home, Harold Kushner, holy spirit, human creation, humanity, I am Alpha and Omega, individual goals, it is done, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jubilant cry, life is not a contest, life with Jesus, losing, LOVE, option, our Lord and Saviour, our spirits will soar, personal race to run, preached the gospel, process, references, rivers of living water, Samaritan woman, sensible way to live, source of new life, spiritual experiences, Thank you Father, Thank you for Jesus, the beginning, the end, the goal of life, the heavenly realm, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, the lustful pleasures of the world, the water of life, the well of Jacob, this earthly life, threats to our happiness, topsy-turvy, understand the scriptures, warm and cuddly, Wednesday, winning, Wisdom's invitation, worldly pleasures
Proverbs 9:5. Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled (mixed).
And then it was Wednesday – the halfway point home my people! So please keep on keeping on, because the sun, the light of Jesus Christ will soon appear over the horizon. It’s also the tenth of December, which means we’re two weeks away from that fateful day, Christmas, the day when our wonderful Lord and Saviour was born incarnate of the Virgin Mary.
And all God’s people sent up a loud and jubilant cry of ‘Thank You Father! Thank You for giving us Jesus! Giving us Jesus as a baby! Thinking of Him as a baby, we can lavish all the LOVE on Him that we normally lavish on babies. He is so wonderful, so warm and cuddly. We embrace Him with all our hearts, souls, minds and bodies! Thank You again for Jesus heavenly Father!’
Ah Friends, the Father must be chuckling at that prayer, as I was while I was writing it. But there’s nothing wrong with it. It might just seem a little different from normal prayers, but it’s well within the borders of overall prayer. The same way we pray for our babies, the same way we can be thankful for Jesus as a baby to cuddle and snuggle Him.
Now here’s an interesting quote from the prominent American Rabbi, Harold Kushner (1935-) which I believe I have shared with you before, but it is one of those which needs repeating as often as possibly in this confused world. And it simply states: ‘To see the goal of life as “winning” forces us to see other people as competitors, threats to our happiness. For us to “win,” they have to “lose.”
And that my people is the bane of the current world we’re living in; everything is based on competition, on someone winning and some one losing. But that’s not a sensible or godly way to live. We need to understand that life is not a contest, it’s a process. One by which we establish our individual goals and work towards them. If we keep putting ourselves up against others, for whatever reason, we will bring too much despair into our lives when we lose one of those competitions, and our lives will constantly be topsy-turvy, up and down, up and down.
We need to have smooth, fairly even paths in our lives, and that certainly doesn’t come from judging life as a competition. Each individual has a personal race to run. As Bruh Paul says: ‘let us run the race that is set before us.’ (Heb.12:1) That’s just our race Friends, God’s plan for our lives, not a competition between us.
And all of that brings us to our Bit; Wisdom’s Invitation to: Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled (mixed).’
Yes my brethren, that’s God’s age-old invitation to His human creation! But unfortunately, down through the ages, not too many of them have accepted it, preferring the lustful pleasures of the world. But I can assure us that those worldly pleasures will not get us far, merely to the end of this earthly life.
But what happens after that eh Friends? What happens to the spirit that dwells with us? If we only hold on to the earthly stuff, then we’ll suffer the earthly consequences; death and eternal separation from Almighty God! However, if we accept wisdom’s invitation, which you’ll note in passing, is completely free, then after the return of our earthly bodies to the dust from whence it came, our spirits will soar in the heavenly realm with the Holy Trinity for ever and ever, throughout all eternity. Now I put it to you Friends, that is a much better option than the earthly one.
And we have so many instances where that invitation has been offered, and yet we refuse to even consider it, much less accept it. Let’s look at a few of those instances. Jesus, when talking to the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob, painstakingly informed her: ‘Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well (fountain) of water springing up into everlasting life.’ (John 4:13-14) Oh Friends, what a powerful invitation! And that Samaritan woman was smart enough to accept it.
Meanwhile, ‘In the last day, that great day of the feast (feast of Tabernacles), Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly (heart) shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39) There again my people, that great, free invitation to come and have a wonderful life with Jesus.
And the scholars explain that all, re the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. ‘7:39. One of God’s purposes since the beginning has been to dwell with humanity and enjoy fellowship with us. He does it in this dispensation through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1) occurs automatically when a person is saved; (2) is not an “experience,” but produces spiritual experiences; (3) remains permanently; (4) is the basis of all other ministries of the Holy Spirit; and (5) is the source of new life in the believer.
Illustration: When Paul met 12 disciples of John who did not know of the Holy Spirit, he knew they needed to be saved. So he preached the gospel to them (Acts 19:1-5). Application: The Holy Spirit’s indwelling should motivate the believer to be careful not to harm his body nor indulge his body in sin (1 Cor. 6:19-20). (First Reference, Ex.35:31; Primary reference, John 7:37-39; cf. 1 cor.12:13.)’
Ah Friends, please check out those references, for they will help us to better understand the scriptures. And remember, it makes a whole lot of sense to come to Jesus, to accept wisdom’s invitation, rather than the foolishness of the world. Much LOVE!
…And he said unto me…it is done…I am Alpha and Omega…the beginning and the end…I will give unto him that is athirst (who thirsts)…of the fountain of the water of life freely…
SCRIP-BITS 