14 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: bring all things to your remembrance, comfort ye my people, confidence for the upcoming week, faith, fellowship, gospel truth, He gave me wealth untold, he may abide with you for ever, He shall give you another Comforter, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, He's only a prayer away, holy spirit, I am the light of the world, I asked the Lord, I asked the Lord to walk with me, I count my blessings every day, I did not ask for riches, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, if ye love me keep my commandments, inclement weather, Jesus Christ, Jimmy Duncan, Johnny Lange, lift your cares away, LOVE, raising our passion for Christ, sacrificial praises, salvation, search for me with all your heart, the Holy Ghost shall teach you all things, the power to uplift hearts, the tender mercy of our God, to give light to them that sit in darkness, when darkness was all I knew, wisdom, ye shall seek me and find me
John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever.
Oh, come one, come all to the Lord’s house on this Sunday, His special day, where there will be worship, praise, exaltation, fellowship, and a whole lot of other good vibes! Please don’t allow the inclement weather to prevent you from enjoying all that good stuff, for when you leave, you’ll be totally refreshed, rejuvenated and filled with the Holy Spirit, so you can step out into the world with the utmost confidence in the upcoming work week. And all God’s people said a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’
Why? Because they know that’s the gospel truth! It’s exactly what happens when you visit the Lord’s sanctuary on His day. And we’ll start it all of with some worship, singing this favourite song, not quite an oldie, since it was only written around the middle of the last century, but certainly a goldie, written by prolific songwriters, Jimmy Duncan and Johnny Lange, respectively writers of hit songs ‘My Special Angel,’ and ‘Mule Train.’ No, the young ones won’t know those two songs, but they were big hits two generations ago, and still have the power to uplift hearts and move dancing feet.
But the Duncan and Lange song we’re going to sing today is simply but rather aptly titled, ‘I asked the Lord.’ So, without further ado, let’s offer up sacrificial praises to heaven in a mid-tempo, sincere and grateful version of the wonderful song. By the way, I added the last two verse from a rendition by one Linus Wee, because I thought they rounded out the song rather nicely. Now, singing: ‘I asked the Lord to comfort me When things weren’t going my way; He said to me “I will comfort you And lift your cares away.”
I asked the Lord to walk with me, When darkness was all that I knew; He said to me, “Never be afraid, for I will see you through.” I did not ask for riches, He gave me wealth untold- The moon, the stars, the sun, the sky, And He gave me eyes to behold. I thank the Lord for everything, And I count my blessings each day; He came to me when I needed Him – I only had to pray: He’ll come to you if you’ll ask Him to – He’s only a prayer away. I asked the Lord to lead the way, When each step was getting so rough, He said to me “put your trust in me, and I’ll direct your path.”
I asked the Lord to come inside And take all my struggles away. He said to me, “Cast your cares on me, and live each day by day.” I did not ask for riches, He gave me wealth untold- The moon, the stars, the sun, the sky, And He gave me eyes to behold. I thank the Lord for everything, And I count my blessings each day; He came to me when I needed Him – I only had to pray: He’ll come to you if you’ll ask Him to – For He’s only a prayer away. Yes… He’ll come to you if you’ll ask Him to – For He’s only a prayer away.’
And that’s a certainty my people! Our great God is only a prayer away, so we don’t have to go far to look for Him. For as he says through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13) So friends, communicating with our heavenly Father is simple, but it does take some effort and sincerity on our part. And having unintentionally begun at the end, (smile) let’s now go to the beginning of the song and check out some scripture references.
And right there in the opening verse we can find some potent scripture to back it up: ‘I asked the Lord to comfort me, When things weren’t going my way;…’ We’re talking about Jesus’ promise of a Comforter. He advises the disciples: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18)
Yes friends, our Saviour is indeed wonderful, promising not to leave us comfortless, but to send someone like Him, the Holy Spirit, which the world didn’t know, but the disciples did, because He was already with them in their daily lives. However, after Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit would then come and dwell in them, and also in every other believer. And that miraculous event happened at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the believers sitting in the upper room, with cloven (divided) tongues like of fire, and had them speaking in different languages. (Acts 2:1-14)
Jesus also told the disciples: ‘These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.’ (John 14:25-26) Yuh see mih bredrin, how important the Holy Spirit is in our lives. He not only comforts us, but also leads and guides and reminds us of all that Jesus taught.
And the second verse says: ‘I asked the Lord to walk with me, When darkness was all that I knew;’ And obviously the Lord promised to do so, as Jesus faithfully proclaimed: ‘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) Then we have these great verses from the second most popular prayer, Psalm 23, where Bruh David confidently asserts: ‘He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:3-4)
Oh my fellow believers, when we’re in the company of our God, there’s no need to fear anything, for the Good Shepherd always has us under His watchful eyes. Then we have these words from Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist: ‘Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (dawn, Messiah) from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1:78-79)
But yuh know what my people, there are so many wonderful scriptures I want to share regarding that song, but there’s just not enough time nor space today, so we’ll just have to continue it tomorrow. In the meanwhile, let’s just continue raising our passion for Christ, and do our best to live a Christ-like life, so that others will see Him through us and want to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour too! Much LOVE!
…comfort ye, comfort ye my people…saith your God… (Is. 40:1)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be the children of light, cleanseth us from all sin, cometh the wrath of God, darkness, feel the Lord's presence washing over us, fellowship, fellowship with one another, giving thanks for our many blessings, glorify our Father in heaven, God is light, have the light of life, I am come into the world, I am the light of the world, in the shadow of death, increase my awareness of you, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let no man deceive you with vain words, light, LOVE, mercy, quiet my soul, shine that men may see our light, slow my thoughts, the blood of Jesus Christ, the breath of life, the dayspring from on high, the prophet of the Highest, the true light, to bear witness of that Light, to give light to them that sit in darkness, truth, upon the children of disobedience, walk while ye have the light, what communion hath light with darkness, which lighteth every man, whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness, wisdom, your unceasing nearness
John 12:46. I am come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
And our lazy-day Saturday has opened damp and cloudy… What else is new eh? (smile) But it seems like we’re finally into the winter weather as we are now having snowfalls on a regular basis. Had a good sized one yesterday evening, with strong blustery winds that made it feel ever so chilly. Thankfully though, they have cleaned up the roads and some of the snow has melted away, but light snow is forecasted, and before I came downstairs to write the Bit, I saw snowflakes dancing down from the sky. So, if you can, it’s a good day to stay home, otherwise dress properly and walk carefully.
Now, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and offer it up to heaven with sincere hearts and voices. As one voice: ‘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!’
And if we were truly sincere, then we can feel the Lord’s presence washing over us and His peace and LOVE enfolding us in a warm embrace. No friends, it couldn’t get any better than that this lazy-day Saturday. So let’s just lose ourselves in that awesome peace and LOVE, while giving thanks for all our many blessings, for that’s what our wonderful God desires of us.
Now, yesterday we were talking about the song that says that Jesus is a Way Maker, Promise Keeper and Light in the Darkness, but we were only able to talk about the first two attributes, while promising to consider the third attribute today, if God gave us the breath of life. And since, in His overwhelming mercy and compassion He’s obviously done that, then it’s our duty to talk about Jesus being the Light in the darkness. (smile) And friends, there are so many scriptures that proclaim that Jesus is the bringer and giver of light to this dark and evil world it’s not funny!
But before we start let’s get some idea of the scriptural difference between light and darkness. Basically, in scripture, Light refers to truth and righteousness, while Darkness refers to falsehood and evil. And as Bruh Paul says in 2 Corinthians. ‘Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship (in common) hath righteousness with unrighteousness (lawlessness)? and what communion (fellowship) hath light with darkness? And what concord (accord) hath Christ with Belial (Satan)? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel (unbeliever)?’ (2 Cor. 6:14-15)
And those are very good questions my people. The answer to all of them being ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! That tells us that darkness and light cannot exist together, one will overcome the other, and the more powerful of those two elements is obviously light; the Light of Jesus. Now, the first scripture we’re going to quote is that most important one from the opening statements of John’s gospel. ‘There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He (John the Baptist) was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:6-9)
Yes my brethren, we all know that John the Baptist came to inform us of the coming Light of the world, that’s Jesus Christ. Meanwhile at the celebration of John the Baptist’s birth, his father Zacharias waxed eloquently on John’s purpose, saying: ‘And thou child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins. Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (Dawn, Messiah) from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1:76-79)
And Jesus himself made that very clear when He proclaimed: ‘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 that’s the gospel truth my people! If we sincerely and faithfully follow Christ, we will not walk in the darkness that right now threatens to completely engulf our world. In these turbulent and dangerous times, darkness is fighting for it’s very life, and we cannot afford to let it win. That’s why we desperately need to do as Jesus so wisely advises. ‘Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be (become) the children of light.’ (John 12:35-36)
And unfortunately, there are many supposed believers who are walking in the darkness of Beelzebub instead of the light of Christ, for they are allowing the negative things of the world to take over their minds, bodies and souls. But then again, we quote these wise words of Jesus. ‘I am come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.’ (John 12:46) Oh friends, I wish I knew how to get us to become true children of light and to stop fooling around with the things of darkness.
Hopefully this admonishment from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians might help some. ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ (Eph. 5:6-9) And please remember that this is the year of the LOVE Revolution, and you cannot have a revolution of LOVE while living in darkness. Light is absolutely essential for LOVE to conquer all!
Now, let’s close with these wise and wonderful words of John from His first epistle. On the subject of light, he writes: ‘This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that 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)
Yes my fellow saints, it is absolutely essential that in these overwhelming times of darkness, we walk as children of light, the light being that of Jesus Christ who brought His awesome light into the world so that we could be released from the dungeons of darkness in which we were hitherto living. That’s why He gave His life for us on the cross of calvary, and consequently expects us to use the light He’s given us to overcome the darkness of the enemy. Please, let’s not disappoint Him! Much LOVE!
… we are the current light of the world…let’s therefore shine brightly…that men may see our light…and glorify our Father in heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
04 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, after one time is two, curse, exposes its evil soul, faith, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, holy spirit, I am the good shepherd, I am the light of the world, I am the resurrection and the life, In the beginning was the Word, Jesus Christ, jumping for joy, light pierces darknessto its very core, LOVE, negative word, only Christ can guide us through tough times, prosper, shall have the light of life, succeed, supernatural wisdom, take sunshine for granted, the darkness comprehend it not, the darkness of sin, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the guiding light of Christ, the life was the light of men, the light shineth in the darkness, the Son of God, the sun is shining, the Word was God, the Word was with God, Thursday Blessings, truth, what ain't meet you ain't pass you, whoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, wisdom
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Well, well, well! If it isn’t the sun! Brother, I was almost blinded earlier on when I peeked through my window blinds and saw bright sunshine! Imagine that nuh! After two weeks of nothing but dark, damp, wet, cloudy weather with a li’l snow thrown in for good measure, Father Sun has finally condescended to grace us with His presence. In my entire life, I’ve never gone two weeks with out seeing the sun, not even an occasional touch of it peeking through the clouds. But as the ole people would say, after one time is two, and what ain’t reach you ain’t pass you. (smile)
And it’s surely been an interesting though somewhat discombobulating experience when all through Christmas and New Year’s it’s only dark, damp, wet and cloudy weather. At least we had a somewhat white New Years…but even then the sun was noticeably absent, for usually when you get a new snowfall, the sun comes out bright and shiny the next day, even if it’s cold. So, the moral of the story is that we never know what we have until we lose it. We have always taken sunshine for granted, but I guess now we know better, and will appreciate it even more when we receive it. End of monologue! (smile)
Now that’s why I have to warn us of the importance of having Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, for it’s only with His comfort and perseverance that we can make it through such uncomfortable times. He is the ONLY ONE who can, and will guide us with a LOVING hand through the auspices of His Holy Spirit which indwells us. Satan won’t do it. In fact he’ll be glad, jumping for joy when we go through those periods of darkness, both literally and figuratively, because he is the prince of darkness and that’s all he wants us to experience, not the bright light that’s Jesus.
Remember the opening words of John’s gospel? ‘In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), 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. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.’ (John 1:1-5) Yes friends, Jesus brought light to the children of men, who, unfortunately, did not understand or accept it.
Even when He personally declared (yesss!!!) to those around Him: ‘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) They still did not believe Him, and the Pharisees even disputed His authority, because He witnessed to Himself. But who else was going to witness for Jesus in this dark and sinful world eh? Nobody! Not until some of us saw His miraculous works and believed that He was indeed the light of the world.
And what does Jesus being the light of the world really mean? This commentary puts it quite nicely and concisely. (smile) ‘We can’t see our future, direction, or destination, but Jesus can. Like the lighthouse guided the ship, Jesus directs us toward God’s light. The light of Christ guides us through the darkness of sin, life, and struggle both spiritually and literally.’ And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Without the guiding light of Christ we cannot make it successfully through this evil and sinful world!
And sadly, those who don’t believe that Jesus is the light of the world and adhere to His desires and dictates will only find themselves living marginalized lives down here on earth and eventually being eternally separated from God when this life is over. I truly don’t know why we keep on listening to Satan and believing all his lies, for just like he deceived our forefathers Adam and Eve in the Garden eon’s ago, that’s still his heartfelt purpose to this day. He’s only using us as bait, trying to get revenge against God for kicking him out of heaven when he tried to overthrow Him, and takes great pleasure when we rebel against God.
But please listen to Jesus on the subject of Satan’s vengeful desires. ‘The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.’ (John 10:10-11) Yes friends, Christ showed His sincerity by sacrificing His sinless life for us on the cross of Calvary, so that we could have the option of eternal life. But Satan is nothing but a liar and a cheat, with nothing but destruction on his mind, while Jesus is about bringing life and light to all!
Now which one would you rather serve eh? The deceiver and the destroyer, or the Giver of life and light? Wisdom would dictate that you serve the latter, Jesus Christ, because He’s the One who appears to LOVE and cherish those who follow Him, and even more importantly has the power of eternal life in His resurrected body. As he said to Martha, Lazarus’ sister, when she was admonishing Him for not coming sooner to save her brother. ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live. And whoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
Oh friends, that’s a very good question, and one which we should also ask ourselves at this present time, and for our sakes, sincerely fashion an answer that resembles Martha’s. ‘She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.’ (John 11:27) And with those fateful and faithful words ringing in our ears, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Thursday Blessings, activating undeserved blessing generously bestowed on us by God to do his earthly work.
As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, it’s our duty now to go out and use them, just as generously, to help others come to the light and life of Christ! Much LOVE!
…darkness tries to hide from light…but it can’t…for light pierces darkness right to its very core and exposes its evil soul…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
06 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a biochemical imbalance in the brain, a light unto my path, a peculiar people, all who do evil hate light, breathed the breath of life, came unto his own, children of light, Christmas Season, circadian rhythm, consequences for our behaviour, dwell in the land, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, glad to be alive, glorify your Father which is in heaven, hands on the plough, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, his own received him not, I am the light of the world, in him was life, Jesus Christ, let your light so shine, light is stronger than darkness, LOVE, men loved darkness rather than light, not turning back, SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder, see your good works, seen a great light, sent to bear witness of that light, shall have the light of life, spiritual darkness, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the life was the light of men, the peaople ath walked in darkness, the true light, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to a glorious future with Jesus, to bear witness, truth, upon them the light hath shined, Wednesday Wail, winter blues, Ye are the light of the world
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
And Wednesday, our second-wind day, has opened somewhat cloudy and chilly. Oh, the sun is trying valiantly to have a say in the matter, but I don’t think he’ll prevail today, because the clouds do look rather raunchy and in a bad mood. (smile) But we true believers in Christ can handle a li’l cloudiness every now and then. It’s when the cloudiness gets to be a regular occurrence and we don’t see the sun for days on end, that we get a bit miffed and grouchy, and exhibit the tendency to fall into what we call SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. That’s a type of depression that happens most often in winter, when we don’t get enough sunshine or light in our bodies and souls.
This commentary tells us: ‘SAD is more than just “winter blues.” The symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming and can interfere with daily functioning. However, it can be treated. About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. It is more common among women than men. SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in winter. As seasons change, people experience a shift in their biological internal clock or circadian rhythm that can cause them to be out of step with their daily schedule.
SAD is more common in people living far from the equator where there are fewer daylight hours in the winter. SAD can be effectively treated in several ways, including light therapy, antidepressant medications, talk therapy or some combination of these. While symptoms will generally improve on their own with the change of season, symptoms can improve more quickly with treatment.’
And that’s the medical lesson for today! (smile) But then we have the spiritual lesson to help conquer the medical infirmity. That’s acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, for as He proclaimed in His fleshly walk on earth: ‘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) Now that says it all my brethren! If we desire to not walk and live in spiritual or even physical darkness, we desperately need to hook up with Jesus asap, for he is the ONLY One that can keep shedding light into our souls, hearts, spirits and minds!
And we all know that light is a big deal in the Word of God; the Bible. There are so many references to it that we can never exhaust them, no matter how hard we try! So, let’s check out some of them nuh, to help us ward off things like SAD and the evil works and temptations that the devil tries to send against us. And I believe the best scripture to begin with is this one from the gospel of John, where he talks about Jesus’ background.
He says: ‘In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:4-9)
Yes friends, Jesus is the LIGHT of the world, and He imbues all who are born into this world with the capacity to embrace His life saving light, although once we get here, the devil muddies our souls and spirits and tries to get us under his spell of darkness. And he does succeed to a great extent. That’s why when Jesus came, John states: ‘He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. he came unto his own (His own things or domain), and his own (His own people) received him not.’ (John 1:10-11)
Oh my people, Jesus came bearing light for those lost in the darkness, but He was rejected by the world in general, and by His own people, the Jews, in particular. What a sad state of affairs, that still exist even to this day. But we’re here to talk about light, so let’s do that nuh. (smile) And the prophet Isaiah said this of Jesus several centuries before He was born. ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light hath shined.’ (Is. 9:2) And we certainly saw the light in the person of Jesus, born unto the virgin Mary at this Christmas season of the year.
However, as Jesus so sadly puts it to His listeners: ‘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 deeds should be reproved (exposed, made public). But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:19-21)
And therein lies one of the greatest truths my brethren; men LOVE darkness, for their deeds are evil, especially in these terrible times of sin and ungodliness; therefore they refuse to come to the Light, that’s Jesus, because they know that their evil deeds will be exposed and they will have to suffer the resultant consequences. For never forget my people, there are consequences for wrong doing. The Lord will pardon sin, offer forgiveness, but continual sin will bring down serious consequences on us.
Now, a couple of short scriptures, as we are running out of time and space. Peter says of us: ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (God’s special people); that ye should shew forth (proclaim) the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ (1 Pet. 2:9) Then Bruh Paul said to the Thessalonians: ‘Ye are all the children (sons) of light, and the children (sons) of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober.’ (1 Thess. 5:5-6)
Then John informs us in his first epistle: ‘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 1:7) Meanwhile Psalm 119 reminds us of these most pertinent facts: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And isn’t that the everlasting truth? It certainly is.
That leads to these discipleship words of Jesus: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14-16). And I couldn’t think of a better scripture for us to end on today my fellow saints. So let’s remember it, and do our best to put it into action as we go about our daily lives.
Now lets’ go home declaring (yes!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 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 let’s not forget the added promise that anyone who endures right to the end with Jesus will be greeted, most amazingly astounded, by a future even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, please, let’s all stand with and for Jesus right to the very end, so that we can enjoy that amazing future together! Much LOVE!
…light is stronger than darkness…for even a small amount of light…can easily penetrate a great darkness…
P.S. Yes, it’s long, but LOVERLY…! (smile)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
02 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a man sent from god, actions speak louder than words, calls men to accountability, courage, curse, death and eternal damnation, eternal life, faith, favour, free will, freedom comes with consequences, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, holy spirit, How high Lord, I am the light of the world, I am the resurrection and the life, in him was life, Jesus Christ, Jesus' revelation of God, John the Baptist, LOVE, negative word, positive outlook on life, prosper, salvation, salvation is not automatic, salvation is universally available, shall have the light of life, succeed, that all men through him might believe, that cometh into the world, the devil's highway, the life was the light of men, the option of salvation, the straight and narrow path, though he were dead yet shall he live, Thursday Blessings, to bear witness of that Light, truth, which lighteth every man
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
And the days move along as the Lord planned them; after Wednesday comes Thursday and so on and so forth! (smile) But ours is not to question how the Lord runs His universe, ours is just to accept His dictates and when He says jump, to obediently ask; ‘How high Lord?’ Yes friends, we do have free will, freedom to choose whatever we want, but please note that freedom comes with many serious consequences. The Lord wants us to use that free will He’s given us to choose His straight and narrow way, not the devil’s highway that only leads to death and eternal damnation.
Now, let’s hope that this Thursday morning in early November, we have indeed chosen God’s path. That’s why He sent His only Son, Christ Jesus to earth, to die on the cross and give us the option of salvation and eternal life with Him. And only the foolish and unwise will reject that marvellous option so painstakingly earned for us by Jesus.
And before we were waylaid by the Holy Spirit yesterday and made to change tack, (smile) we were looking at the amazing word picture that John draws of our Lord and Saviour in the opening chapter of his gospel. So let’s get back to that nuh, because it’s ever so important to understand as much as possible about Jesus, if we truly intend to be His disciples. And yesterday we understood that Jesus was the Word of God, was with God from the beginning of time, and was also God, therefore He had a hand in making the entire universe. (John 1:1-3)
Then John continues: ‘In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not.’ (John 1:4-5) Oh friends those few words contain so much important information about Jesus. He had the spirit of eternal life, the light that shone in the darkness of men’s lives. He came to share that life and light with mankind, but mankind was so dark and evil that they refused to accept the light and life He offered. And the scholars explain: ‘In John’s writings, life represents salvation and deliverance through Christ, and light denotes Jesus’ revelation of God which calls men to accountability.’
Thus John was able to continue: ‘There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:6-9) Please note how John the disciple and gospel writer ensures that his readers understood that John the Baptist was not the true Light, but just a prophet sent to bear witness of the true Light that was to later come into the world.
And the scholars tell us that the phrase ‘Lighteth every man means that God’s revelation is universally available. It does not signify universal salvation (cf. vs. 12; 3:18,36)’ That means salvation is not an automatic occurrence, but it’s available for all and sundry to accept. And I think it’s time we get down and dirty with some scriptures that prove John’s contention about Him being the light and life of the world. And they all come from Christ Himself. Please listen closely as Jesus declares (yesss!!!) some divine truths.
After forgiving an adulterous woman in front of the hypocritical Pharisees, he said to them: ‘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) Obviously the Pharisees disagreed, contending that He was tooting His own horn. But He put them in their place as usual, explaining things they could not, or refused to understand. Later on, Jesus passed a man blind from birth, and the disciples asked who had sinned to cause him to be blind from birth?
‘Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in (revealed through) him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ (John 9:3-5) And yuh know what means my fellow believers; while Jesus was here on earth, He was the light of the world, but once He returned to heaven, that job fell to us believers.
Yes, we are supposed to be the light of the world and show that light, the salvation of Jesus to all those who live in darkness, in unbelief! However, it seems like we’re not doing such a good job because instead of getting brighter, our world is getting darker and darker with each passing day. That means we need to seriously evaluate ourselves and make the necessary changes so that we can improve our discipleship.
Then, when Jesus eventually came to Bethany after the death of His friend Lazarus, and Martha was taking issue with Him for not coming sooner, because He could have saved Lazarus. Jesus said to her: ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
Oh my people, that is the very question that Christ is asking each of us this Thursday morning in November 2023: do we sincerely and truly believe in Him; in whom He says He is? It’s a question we ought to spend some time today seriously pondering, because many of us say we believe, but that’s only with our mouths, for our hearts and actions give a totally different picture, and that’s also why our lights don’t shine as brightly as they should, neither is our salt as flavourful as it ought to be!
Yes my fellow saints, we need to grab that baton that Jesus passed on to us when He returned to heaven and keep running the strong race that He set as an example for us, so that when He returns He’ll find lots of faith here, more light than darkness because of our magnificent efforts. Please, please, let’s get together and do better nuh. After all that Jesus suffered on our behalf, we simply cannot let Him down by doing so much less than we are capable of. And He’s so generous that He’s even given us blessings that we don’t deserve to help us do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s activate them by declaring (steups!!!) them out loud right now!
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!’
Oh friends, with all those marvellous blessings at our command, it’s our duty now to go out and put them to work on Jesus’ behalf, just as generously as He bestowed them upon us! Much LOVE!
…simply talking faith is useless…for actions speak louder than words…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 May 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a lazy day Saturday, and glorify your Father in heaven, be trodden underfoot of men, caricatures of our former selves, Christ's love Revolution, climb higher up the hill, dirty lampshades, evil and ungodly world, good for nothing, has all the bases covered, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, how the cookie crumbles, I am the light of the world, if the salt have lost it's savour, Jesus directs us towards God's light, lackadaisical attitude, Let your light so shine before men, LOVE, our lighthouse work, our zest for life, renew our commitment to Jesus, resuscitated life, shine even brighter that we're doing, the Great Commission, the purpose of living life, the truth in spades, they may see your good works, unadulterated sunlight, Ye are the light of the world, ye are the salt of the earth
Matthew 5:14a. Ye are the light of the world.
I don’t like it friends. It’s a lazy-day Saturday and yet I’ve been up and about for a while now. What’s happening eh? Why didn’t I just lie in bed and laze around? And it’s not like I went to bed so early that I could afford to get up early. But unfortunately, that’s how the cookie crumbles. I guess the Good Lord figured I should be up and about His business early on such a beautiful sunshiny day. And if the sunshine holds, it will be the fifth day straight of pure, unadulterated sunlight.
That brings us to the message of Christ’s followers being lights in this dark, evil and ungodly world. And after forgiving the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11) Jesus said in no uncertain terms: ‘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) Yes my brethren, Jesus came into the world to give us light, so that we can see in the darkness, and resuscitated life that we could live in His light.
One commentary states: ‘We can’t see our future, direction, or destination, but Jesus can. Like the lighthouse guides the ship, Jesus directs us toward God’s light. The light of Christ guides us through the darkness of sin, life, and struggle both spiritually and literally.’ And is that all ever so true! That’s exactly what Jesus does for us when we dedicate our lives to Him, trust and fully surrender to His guiding light.
Then later on, after healing a blind man, Jesus again claims to be the light of the world, saying: ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ (John 9:5) Now, that raises an interesting question: while He is on earth, He is the light of the world, but what happens when He isn’t here on earth eh?
Don’t worry about that, for Jesus in His awesome wisdom also made allowances for it by saying in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ (Matt. 5:14a) Meaning, that when He leaves Mother Earth, His followers will then be the light of the world. So yuh see, he has all the bases covered. (smile)
Now, being the light of the world is an enormous task, one that we are not doing so well at, because our light is not shining as brightly as it ought to. Jesus said that: ‘A city set on a hill cannot be hid.’ (Matt. 5:14b) And that’s the indisputable truth. But unfortunately, too many of us supposed believers are not set on a hill, so that whatever light we are exuding is not being seen far and wide. And that’s a major problem, for the light is only valuable as far as it can be seen.
That means friends, we have to do much better in our lighthouse work. That’s climb higher up that proverbial hill and shine even brighter than we’re currently doing, because the light of Jesus is very critical in today’s dark, unbelieving and evil world. And Jesus further explained about the purpose of light. ‘Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt. 5:15)
That tells us we’re not supposed to be hiding our light, like so many of us are doing, instead of spreading it forth, so that as many people as possible can see it and thus come in from the darkness of Satan’s evil world into the bright light of Jesus’ magnificent kingdom! Wow! That’s our bounden duty! Consequently, Jesus exhorted His followers. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16)
Now that’s exactly what is so badly needed from Christians today; showing the world their light through their good works and true Christian living; not the half-hearted, lacklustre and lackadaisical attitudes and efforts we are actually putting forth. The fact is that too many of us are either afraid of what the world will say if we totally engage in the will of Jesus, or are simply lazy and uninterested in doing His will.
And that’s why so many unbelievers are not turning to Jesus, and many former believers are turning away from Him. Too many of us are walking around with dirty lampshades, full of black soot, that only keep the light contained within the shade. But my people, we desperately need to clean our lampshades so that they can allow the brightness behind them to explode into this dark, ungodly world! That’s the only way the unbeliever will see the benefits of following Jesus and thus desire to know Him.
Now let’s not forget either that in Jesus’ eyes, we are also the salt of the earth. Yes, my faithful brethren, we’re also supposed to act like that marvellous substance that provides taste and flavour, as well as be a preservative, melt coldness and heal wounds. Jesus advised us thus in the same Sermon on the Mount. ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ (Matt. 5:13)
And that’s the truth in spades! But sadly, it also applies to too many supposed believers today. Too many of us have lost our tasty flavour, our zest for life, for Jesus and His kingdom work, and are now mere caricatures of our former selves. But thankfully there is always hope in Jesus, and in these cruel and evil last days, it is imperative that ALL believers renew their commitment to Jesus and His kingdom work, so that all over the world, we can forward His Name and the good news that He brings.
It’s ever so necessary that we begin a spiritual revival, put new oil in our lamps, clean up our lampshades, and get back our salty taste so that we can add the marvellous flavour and light of Christ to this dark and tasteless world! Oh friends, it’s high time to reimplement Christ’s Great Commission, so that we can further His LOVE Revolution! And that’s my fervent prayer for us today! Much LOVE!
…what’s the purpose of living life…if it’s dark and tasteless…none whatsoever…so let’s make it bright and tasty nuh…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
04 Apr 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, All to Jesus I surrender, as the bright shining light, be like lighthouses, be made the righteousness of God in Him, but the will of the Father who sent me, faithful believers in Jesus, fighting to shed Jesus' awesome light, God hath made him to be sin for us, harmless and blameless, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I am the light of the world, I will ever love and trust you, in god's eyes, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, in your presence daily live, Jesus rises triumphantly from the grave, LOVE, not my will but thine, rejoice victoriously on Easter Sunday, share His love with my neighbours, that snineth more and more, the path of the just, to guarantee His promise of everlasting life, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unto the perfect day, worry, Ye are the light of the world, ye shine as lights in the world
Matthew 5:14. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
It’s a wet and cloudy Holy Tuesday morning, but like all good Christians, the sun is valiantly fighting to shine its light on this dark and evil world. Oh friends, I do hope we can all be numbered amongst that group of good and faithful believers in Christ Jesus who are desperately fighting to shed His awesome light, through our witness and discipleship, over this ungodly, resentful and selfish society in which we currently live.
Remember, that was one of His most ardent desires in His Sermon on the Mount, where He laid out His world-changing philosophy. He said, in no uncertain terms: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.’ (Matt. 5:14) And that’s what His faithful followers ought to be like, a city set on a hill, whose bright light is shining all around, for all to see. In other words, we are to be like lighthouses, shining for miles and miles around, giving light to all the human ships that are navigating the dark and evil waters of this ungodly human existence.
That brings us to the words of Cousin Sol, who, as the wisest man ever, had a word on every topic. (smile). He wisely opined on the topic of light: ‘But the path of the just is as the (bright) shining light, that shineth more and more (ever brighter) unto the perfect day.’ (Prov. 4:18)
Oh my people, that’s exactly how our light for Jesus ought to shine in this dark and evil world; brighter and brighter, especially in this Holy Week when we are about to celebrate one of our lowest days in Good Friday, when Jesus is crucified on the cross at Calvary to pay for our sins, though we will rejoice victoriously on Easter Sunday, when he rises triumphantly from the grave to guarantee His promise of everlasting life to all who believe in Him!
Wow mih bredrin! How awesome is our Jesus! What a prize fighter He is! No one, or nothing can stop His ever-rolling course to glory and His magnificent kingdom of the ages that He’s so faithfully promised to all who faithfully believe in Him!
And why does Jesus want us to be lights in this dark world? Because if we are His followers, then we ought to follow His example, and He categorically stated during His time here on earth: ‘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 if you believe in Jesus, then you will follow Him and be a light in this darkness that we’re living in, like He was a light for us when He came to earth to show us the true glory of God!
And as Bruh Paul concurs when he writes to the church at Philippi, re shining as lights in the world: ‘That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’ (Phil. 2:15)
Yes my fellow believers, our witness for Christ ought to be shining and without fault. Now that doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes, because we are frail and fragile humans, and that’s a normal part of our nature, but when we give out for Jesus, there’ll be substance, sincere action to our words, meaning that people will see the good fruit that we bear, through the Holy Spirit of Christ.
For as Jesus continued in His sermon on the Mount: ‘Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand), and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your heavenly Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:15-16)
Oh friends, please note Jesus’ desire there was for us to glorify our heavenly Father, not Him, because that’s all He was about here on earth; listening to the Father and doing the Father’s will. As He said: ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just (righteous), because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ (John 5:30)
Yes my people, we often forget that it was because of the Father’s desire to save His human creation that Jesus came to earth to suffer and be eventually crucified. That’s the high level of LOVE and obedience that He had towards the Father. And it could not be more ardently and stoically declared (awright!!!) than when Jesus was going through that tough time in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His crucifixion, when His soul was sorrowful and His heart heavy, and He unsuccessfully sought a reprieve from the Father, but obediently concluded: ‘nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.’ (Luke 22: 39 b)
Oh, how I wish that our level of LOVE and obedience could be that high towards Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour, who so selflessly, altruistically and generously gave His sinless life to save our sinful ones. Please, please my fellow saints, let’s never forget these heartbreaking, but also joyful words that Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. ‘For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21)
And that was no easy burden to bear, but Jesus bore it stoically for our sakes, so let’s see if we can’t show Him some honour and glory for His selfless deeds on our behalf, by doing what He desires, being a bright and shining light in this dark world. Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) let’s go out now and indeed share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
… All to Jesus, I surrender…All to Thee I freely give…I will ever LOVE and trust You…In Your presence daily live…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
04 Dec 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: built his house upon a rock, he is my light my strength my song, here in the power of Christ I'll stand, I am the light of the world, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, In Christ Alone, living hope, LOVE, my hope is found, no fear in death, no guilt in life, of whom shall I be afraid, prepare him an habitation, shall not walk in darkness, the chief cornerstone, the light of life, the Lord is my light and salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, the Lord's Day, the stone the builder rejected, this cornerstone this solid ground, whom shall I fear
Psalm 27:1. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Oh friends, this Sunday morning reminds me of Bruh David’s heartfelt words in the opening verse of Psalm 122: ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ (Ps. 122:1) Consequently, I want to offer us that same marvellous opportunity today. So please, let us be glad on this the Lord’s Day and go into His house this morning filled with much thanks and praise for being alive and being a valued member of His flock, a joint heir with His Son Jesus Christ and therefore partakers of all that He has given to Christ. Nothing could be better than that my faithful brethren because it means the whole universe is our inheritance. Glory be!
And since our bountiful inheritance all came about through Christ’s selfless work, it’s only right that we should offer up heartfelt gratitude and praise to His holy name. And we’ll do that today by opening our proceedings with a song most appropriately titled, ‘In Christ Alone,’ written in 2002 by Stewart Townend and Keith Getty. The writers wanted to encapsulate the theme of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, plus its implications for us, and they certainly have done that. So, let’s raise our harmonious voices in sweet sacrificial praise in a rousing, but soulful, mid-tempo version of this beautiful song.
Singing: ‘In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song; This cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of LOVE, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My comforter, my all in all—Here in the LOVE of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe! This gift of LOVE and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied; For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain; Then bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me; For I am His and He is mine— Bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death— This is the pow’r of Christ in me; From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home— Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand. Yes, Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.’
Oh my people, that was a wonderful rendition, and all heaven was singing with us! And as I look at the words and sentiments expressed in the song, I can’t help but see the truth of it all. Christ is the ONLY ONE who can be at the same time, our hope, light, strength, song, cornerstone and solid ground. And we can find scriptures that personify all of them through Him.
Listen to this one on hope from the pen of Peter. ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ (1 Pet. 1:3) Yes my fellow believers, it’s only through Christ’s resurrection that we can have a true and living hope of eternal life!
And as per our light, Jesus Himself said it thus: ‘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 there’s no disputing that claim because it’s what He came to do; to bring the freeing light of God to a dark and sin enslaved evil world!
Then as regards our strength… Oh, we all know that magnificent verse of scripture written by Bruh Paul to the Philippians: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!’ (Phil. 4:13) And that’s more gospel truth friends, because it is only through Christ’s strength, His empowerment, that we are able to stand strong and steadfast against the enemy and all his evil wiles and temptations. And Bruh David said it so well in Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1)
And if you didn’t know about Christ being our song, (smile) Moses declared it long ago when he and the children of Israel sang: ‘The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation (praise Him); my father’s God, and I will exalt him.’ (Ex.15:2) And that verse was so important and sweet, that the psalmist gave it further exposure in Psalm 118:14.
Now, it’s no secret that Jesus is our cornerstone! He is our foundation, our measuring stick or example, the promise of God to His people! No ifs ands or buts about that, for without Him we’d be cast aside for ever. Isaiah said it long ago: ‘Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone. A tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.’ (Is. 28:16)
And Peter corroborates that the scripture was fulfilled, when speaking of Jesus: ‘Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, The stone which the builders disallowed (rejected), the same is made the head of the corner (chief cornerstone).’ (1 Pet. 2:7) Yes friends, Christ’s church is the work of a Master Craftsman, and He is the solid, rocklike foundation on which it’s built.
And we all know what Jesus said about the man who built his life on Him. ‘Therefore whosever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a (the) rock.’ (Matt. 7:24) And that rock is Jesus, who no flood or strong wind or natural disaster can destroy, because He’s solid like a rock!
And we’ll end with this most appropriate commentary on the song. The writer sincerely entreats: ‘Lord, who am I, that you should desire so much to be LOVED by me? And who shall I LOVE, if I don’t LOVE You, my Jesus? Make me all Yours for the rest of my days. Give me Your LOVE; I ask for nothing more.’ Now, my fellow saints, please let that be our prayer for today! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the ONLY sure hope in this world…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
19 Nov 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better tomorrow, a vulnerable strength, able to reach our destiny, aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow, be not wise in thine own eyes, beacons of humility, buy into God's plan, depart from evil, direct thy paths, eternal state of life, fear the Lord, God has a plan for every life, God's presence, going the extra mile, have the light of life, he that followeth me, health to thy navel, hellfire and damnation, I am the light of the world, I want to be in their number, in all thy ways acknowledge him, lazy Saturday, lean not unto thine own understanding, LOVE, marrow to thy bones, meekness doesn't mean weak, not fearful of being hurt, on the wrong side of the fence, one more excuse, redeemed people, shall not walk in darkness, steps into the fray, strength under control, the former things are passed away, the tabernacle of God, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, turning the other cheek, wipe away all tears
Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Saturday, oh lazy Saturday, so glad to see you! And the good thing about Saturdays in the winter time, is that you don’t go out unless you really really have to! (smile) Especially if, as my computer tells me, it’s snowing now, which it isn’t in my area, although it might be in some other area, but that’s just one more excuse to enjoy a lazy Saturday. (smile) Anyway, enough laziness, let’s get to the Lord’s business and see what we can make of the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow.
Now, he only sent us three quotes, so today’s Bit ought to be short…Hn! I wouldn’t count on it, with my penchant for being long-winded. (smile) And the first quote says: ‘Being vulnerable is a strength, not a weakness.’ And that’s the gospel truth! For although the word ‘vulnerable’ is defined as ‘susceptible to, or able to be easily physically or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked,’ in another sense, when one is vulnerable, one isn’t fearful of being hurt or abused, but steps into the fray in spite of one’s vulnerability.
And that comes out most forcefully in the emotion of LOVE, for when one LOVES, one is open to all kinds of negative things, but it doesn’t stop one from LOVING. And I think we also see a vulnerable strength in the word ‘meek, or meekness.’ Used in a negative manner it means weak and/or submissive, but used in a positive or biblical manner it means strength under control. And who are more vulnerable than Christians eh, if we truly follow Christ’s advice, like LOVING our enemies, going the extra mile, turning the other cheek, etc. etc.
As Bruh Paul quotes Ps. 44:22 to the Roman church. ‘As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom. 8:36-37) Yes, believers may seem vulnerable, but that doesn’t mean they are weak. In fact, we are the strongest group on earth, as we fight the devil and his iniquity workers with goodness not evil. Just look at the Beatitudes, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. His descriptions of those who are heavenly blessed all seem to be weak, passive and very vulnerable, but in fact they show an active strength clothed in humility, peace and godliness.
Listen to this Beatitude from Jesus: ‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ (Matt. 5:5) He didn’t mean blessed are the physically or spiritually weak, but blessed are those who have humbled themselves before the Lord God Jehovah! And to be truly humble, one must have a strong spirit, because by nature humans are not created as beacons of humility, especially in this age of greed, selfishness and advantage taking.
As ‘Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said: “Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash.’ In other words, to be vulnerable means to not be afraid of being human, of living for Christ.
Now, the next quote says: ‘We have to let go of who we think we should be and embrace what is.’ I don’t know about that nuh. We should certainly live in the present, but the important question is what’s our present life like, is it intertwined with Christ, or is it just running loose and lustful like the world? Remember, God has a plan for each and every life He creates, and if we’re not living in His will for our lives then we’re on the wrong side of the fence. The truth of the matter here is that we should first ascertain from our heavenly Father His will for our life, then put it into action, not do what we think we should in our own strength, or meekly (negative use) follow the world.
And Cousin Sol wisely warns in Proverbs: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear (reverence) the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov. 3:5-8) Yes friends, it’s only when we buy into God’s plan for our lives that we truly blossom and are able to reach our destiny.
And the last quote tells us: ‘In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.’ I guess there’s truth to that statement for we cannot discern light unless darkness is first present. That brings us to Jesus, who is the light of the world. He said it Himself: ‘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)
Oh my people, isn’t that wonderful? It surely is! Jesus came to earth so that we could have the option of eternal life in the light of His heavenly Father and not merely the option of succumbing to the darkness and evil of Lucifer, the fallen angel, and ending up in hellfire and damnation with him. Unfortunately though, that darkness is covering our world right now with an overwhelming black cloud of sin and ungodliness, and it’s only as we accept Jesus and His bright shining light that the darkness of our world will lessen, for darkness is inherently evil, while light shows up goodness and godliness.
And what better way to end today than with the words of John the Revelator, as he saw the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven in his vision. He joyfully declares: (yesss!!!) ‘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. 21:3-4)
What a marvelous, bright and shining day that will be my fellow saints, when the very presence of God will be with us, His redeemed people. And from thence, He will forever dwell with us in the eternal state of a life without pain and sorrow, just joy and gladness in His shining light. So, let’s wake up and reach for that glorious goal nuh my brethren! Much LOVE!
…oh when the saints go marching…I want to be in their number…oh when the saints go marching in…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ
31 Oct 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crown of life, be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers, blessed is the man that endureth temptation, every good and every perfect gift is from above, fruit of the Spirit, God's unmerited favour, Halloween Day, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, heal our land, humble servants, I am the light of the world, I am the way the truth and the life, Jehovah Rapha, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, neither shadow of turning, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, shall have the light of life, sinned and disobeyed your Word, strong faith in Christ, the gift of God is eternal life, the God who heals, the wages of sin is death, through Jesus Christ our Lord, trick or treat, turn from our evil ways, what communion hath light with darkness, what fellowship hath righteousness and unrighteousness, whenhe is tried
Romans 6:23. The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ah friends, can you believe it’s already the last day of October; what we term Halloween Day, a pagan ritual to darkness, evil and the making of money! Yes, the dark night will be filled with young children going around their neighbourhood dressed up in ghoulish, ugly costumes, crying, ‘Trick or treat!’ hoping to get some candy from the house owners. At one stage it also involved fruits, but then wicked people began putting things like razor blades and other sharp, harmful objects in the fruits, so now it’s mostly a candy-based operation.
Remember how once upon a time the dentists would caution us against too much candy? But apparently those days are over, for the dentists, like the retailers, also seem to welcome the brisk business they get from Halloween. Hn! It’s all about the money, and any evil or foolish scheme that will fill the coffers is fair game. But as true believers, we have to resist the devil and his deceitful schemes and instead of accepting his darkness and lies, seek, accept and nurture within our souls the light and truth that’s Jesus Christ!
And He said it out loud and clear. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6). Then there’s this other concrete pronouncement to the unbelieving Pharisees. ‘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) Thus, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is ‘the way, the truth, the life and the light’ of this troubled world. If you want to come out of the darkness and into the light, and find the way, which is based on truth, that leads to eternal life, then He is the answer!
Now, that’s why Bruh Paul warned the Corinthians thus: ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship (in common) hath righteousness and unrighteousness (lawlessness)? And what communion (fellowship) hath light with darkness?’ (2 Cor. 6:14) Now those are very good questions, but the answer to both of them is absolutely nothing in common! Although light and righteousness should be always trying to invade darkness and turn unrighteousness around. That’s one of our jobs as a disciple of Christ. We don’t hook up with those who don’t believe in hope and goodness, don’t let their toxic energy cannibalize our godliness, but do our best to turn them around.
And these words of Bruh Paul to the church at Ephesus also remind us of the great care we need to take regarding darkness and unrighteousness. ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk therefore as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit (Light) is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.’ (Eph. 5:6-10)
Excellent words for us to remember and live by! And the scholars offer these explanations. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’ ‘5:10. Because of constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.’
Then these words of James anchor us even more to the truth and the light. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (has been proven), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desires), and enticed.
Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death. Do not err (be deceived) my beloved brethren. 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. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:12-18)
Yes friends, the unchangeable Father of lights made us with the word of truth to be the shining light of His creations. But the devil, the prince of darkness tries to mess up our witness with his evil temptations, not God. And please note that the temptations that James is speaking of here are different from the ones in verses 2-12. In our verses ‘the source is identified as internal, from one’s own lust, and the outcome is death.
In verses 2-12 the “temptations” or trials have an external origin in that they fall on man. Those trials cannot be avoided, so believers are encouraged to endure them, and mature as a result. The temptations of verses 13-15 must be avoided, according to God’s express commandments (Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). The progression of sin, from temptation to death, has an analogy in the physical life cycle: conception, birth, maturity, and death.’
Wow! Isn’t that last sentence rather interesting? It surely is! That’s why Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome: ‘The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom. 6:23) In other words: ‘Wages: Emphasizes what we deserve. Gift of God: Emphasizes God’s unmerited favour.’ And sadly, right now our world is in a terribly sinful state, so you know what we are looking at; death, rather than life. But there is always hope when you believe in Christ, so let’s call on that hope right through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
Altogether now: ‘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 it’s time to turn from our sinful ways, keep on praying and asking for forgiveness, so that we receive eternal life and not death. Much LOVE!
…only two options in eternity…life…or death…your choice…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ
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