18 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a foundation for faith, a prayer for God, a soulful rendition, a source of comfort and assurance, abide with me, abounding in the work of the Lord, be able to comfort those in trouble, be ye steadfast unmovable, before my closing eyes, blessed be God, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, caring for the sick and needy, change and decay, christianity, comes down from the Father of lights, comforts flee, death is swallowed up in victory, defeat the evils of the world, do another good week's work, earth's joys grow dim, earth's vain shadows flee, every good gift, every passing hour, every perfect gift is from above, faith, farewell sermon, fast falls the eventide, fellowship, foil the tempter's power, God's immutability, God's promises and character remain constant, God's unchanging nature, grace to thwart Satan's power, great fervour, guide thee with mine eye, heaven's morning breaks, help of the helpless, Henry Francis Lyte, hold thou thy cross, I am the Lord I change not, I fear no foe, I need thy presence, I triumph still if thou abide in me, I will instruct thee, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ills have no weight, in death, in Jesus' name, in life, inspired, invigorated, it's glories pass away, Jesus Christ, Lord and Sovereign of the universe, Lord with me abide, LOVE, mercy, my grace is sufficient for thee, my guide and say can be, my strength is made perfect in weakness, neither shadow of turning, other helpers fail, point me to the skies, rebuilding faith, run our race of faith, salvation, sense of confidencere, shine through gloom, Sunday morning, sweet sacrifices of praise, teach thee in the way thou shall go, tears no bitterness, Thank you Jesus, thanks be to God who gives us the victory, the BIBLE, the darkness deepens, the Father of Jesus, the Father of mercies, the God of All Comfort, the great I AM, the stable nature of God, the sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law, the very essence of our God, thou who changest not, through cloud and sunshine, throughout life, to stay with the speaker, truth, tuberculosis, Victoria Day long weekend, what but thy grace, where grave thy victory, where is death's sting, who comforts us in our tribulation, who like thyself can be, wisdom, with thee at hand to bless, with whom is no variableness, ye shall ask what ye will, your labour is not in vain
John 15:7. ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’
Sunday morning, Victoria Day long weekend, celebrations in the air, though with the strong winds that are blowing again like yesterday, those celebrations may have to be mainly indoors. But first, fellowship with the Father and each other! Yes friends, that’s always the most important part of a Sunday, for without that we would not be invigorated and inspired to go out and do another good week’s work in Jesus’ name! And for that wonderful sense of confidence and faith rebuilding, we give Him much thanks and praise, of which He’s so worthy! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ’Thank You Jesus!’
Today we’ll open our fellowship session with a wonderful old hymn ‘Abide With Me,’ written by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) which captures that faith and trust we have in Almighty God. It appears that young Lyte was adopted from an orphanage at nine years old by an Irish Minister, Dr. Robert Borrows, who, although he already had five children put Lyte through school up to Trinity College in Dublin, where he won prizes and scholarships for poetry.
After graduating in 1814, he became an ordained Anglican Minister. Then it seems he threw himself into his work with great fervour, and with his wife Anna, spent his days caring for the sick and needy, which made him ill, he contracted tuberculosis and had to journey to France every winter to regain his health. But apparently in early September of 1847, he gave his farewell sermon which included the lyrics to ‘Abide With Me,’ and died shortly thereafter from his illness. So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful rendition of this marvellous hymn, one that’s basically a prayer for God to stay with the speaker throughout life and in death.
Singing: ‘Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where grave thy victory? I triumph still if thou abide in me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.’
Oh my people, what marvellous words and sentiments that catch the very essence of our God! What can be wiser than asking God to stay with you as the darkness falls, for He is the Great I Am; the Omnipotent One, the Lord and Sovereign of the Universe, and no one else can protect you better than Him! And what about these words? ‘When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.’ Our God is indeed the Help of the helpless and the God of all comfort,’ as Bruh Paul writes to the church at Corinth.
‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4) What a great scripture that is my brethren, and every time I read it, the very idea of our heavenly Father comforting us so that we can comfort others, touches something in me, raises my appreciation of our awesome God.
Then, while the joys of the world grow dim, its glories pass away through changes and decay, whom do we call on but ‘Thou who changest not.’ And the prophet Malachi tells it like it is: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And this commentary explains that verse thus: ‘It emphasizes God’s unchanging nature and His unwavering character. This immutability serves as a source of comfort and assurance, highlighting that God’s promises and character remain constant, providing a foundation for faith.’
James, Jesus’ brother also informs us that, ‘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.’ (James 1:17) There again we see the unchanging and very stable nature of our God, upon whom we can cast our complete trust. And do we ever need His presence every hour, for it’s only His grace can help us to thwart Satan’s power, and we clearly see that when Bruh Paul asks for the thorn in his flesh to be removed. The Lord simply informs him: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a)
As one commentary says: ‘This implies that when we are facing challenges or weaknesses, God’s grace is available to provide us with what we need to overcome them, even if the weakness remains.’ Glory be to the Most High God Jehovah! For whom else can guide and keep us like thee eh? As Bruh David says of the Lord in Psalm 32: ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.’ (Ps. 32:8)
And what confidence and trust these marvellous words and sentiments bring: ‘I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.’ Now that’s for sure my people! We will triumph because Christ has triumphed over, hell, death and the grave. As Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave (hades), where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 15:54b-57)
Now aren’t those all great reasons for wanting the Lord to abide in us? Of course! But there’s also another side to the coin, as Jesus puts it: ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’ (John 15:7) And the best way to do that is as Bruh Paul advises. ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:58)
And we could not get any better advice than that, so please, this Victoria Day Sunday, let’s take it and run our race of faith with it nuh! Much LOVE!
…only as we abide in Christ…and He in us…can we ever defeat the evils of this world…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook on life, a zone of comfort and security, adaptability to change is a key in mental health, Bible, change for change sake, change is difficult to handle, change must be constrained by God's Word, christianity, Christians, clear direction for my life, climate change, comparing existing things to the flow of a river, constant transition, curse, eventual destruction of the wicked, every good and perfect gift is from above, everything must change, faith, favour, fear of change leads to depression, freezing rain, God's character doesn't change, good family, good freinds, good health, Heraclitus, his compassions never fail, holy spirit, I am the Lord I change not, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, negative word, neither shadow of turning., nothing stays the same, one of those days, prosper, results in stagnation, salvation, succeed, talent, the Father of lights, the fear of cahnge, the inability to change, the inherent nature of constant flux, the instability of life, the only constant in life is change, the topic of change, the Unchanging God, truth, when you are finished changing you're finished, wisdom, with whom is no variableness, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, you could not step twice in the same river
Malachi 3:6. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Oh my people, as the song says, yesterday was just another one of those days, one where we see the ever-increasing action of climate change. First came the snow in the early afternoon, light, but then heavy, thankfully though not the 6 cm that was forecasted. Then came the freezing rain, and you could hear it hitting against the windows like it was trying to break them. So you can imagine the mess that weather situation caused in the evening drive home. Then came the rain, and that lasted for most of the night, only stopping sometime this morning.
Now it’s mostly cloudy with a ray of sunshine peeping through. However, they are forecasting heavy rain again for later, although the temperature is supposed to be in the high teens, and wonder of wonders, 9 cm. of snow for next Tuesday. And I’m not going to doubt them, because they have been right the last few times, except for the amount of snow we’ve received. (smile)
That brings us to this interesting topic of changes or changing. It’s been said that the only thing that doesn’t change is change. And this commentary tells us: ‘The saying “the only constant in life is change,” attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, highlights the inherent nature of constant flux and transition in the world and our lives.’ So, we’re to assume that everything and everyone changes , possibly several times during their existence. And furthermore, many of us find change, be it good or bad, very difficult to handle.
And this commentary by Arapahoe Tim from his arapahoelibraries.org website attempts to give us an even broader understanding of the topic. He begins by quoting the other Greek Philosopher Plato. “Heraclitus, I believe, says that all things pass and nothing stays, and comparing existing things to the flow of a river, he says you could not step twice into the same river.” Then he continues: ‘One constant since the beginning of time might be change, however, the fear of change is also a constant. Since times immemorial, humans have liked routine. It makes us feel in control of our lives.
When that fear of change becomes irrational our ability to control it becomes a phobia, particularly Metathesiophobia. A Metathesiophobe feels they have no control over their lives due to constant change. Metathesiophobes tend to live in the past and are unwilling to progress, which often leads to depression which can seriously impact their professional and personal lives.
If a society or country rejects change there is no growth, no progress. The inability to change, progress, or grow can result in stagnation. Stagnation rejects realizing one’s full potential. Stagnation is not a healthy flowing river; it is an idle and stale pond.’ Then the writer ends with this quote from the U.S President Benjamin Franklin. “When you are finished changing, you are finished.”
And there’s no doubt that change is good, but change just for the sake of change is not wise. If the change improves things, then it makes sense, but if it doesn’t, then why change eh? Meanwhile, this other commentary from Hope Gilette on the psychcentral.com website further explains: ‘Change is all around us. Some change is fixed, like the shift of one season to another, while other change is evolutionary and progressive, tossing new circumstances our way as time goes on. It’s natural to dislike change — it often requires you to come out from a zone of comfort and security. But adaptability, the process of reinventing your behaviors, thoughts, and emotions, can be a key protective feature in mental health.’
And there’s truth to it all, but there’s one good thing to be thankful for; that our wonderful God does not change, otherwise we’d be up the proverbial creek. (smile) All the changes in life would drive us crazy, if we didn’t have at least one solid and unchangeable entity to turn to in times of change. And He summarily declares it through the prophet Malachi: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) This commentary explains it thus: ‘This means he doesn’t change his character, his plan, or his mind. Frankly, with the instability of life, this is the security we all long for—consistent unconditional love. The Unchanging God.’
Now that’s certainly good news, for if God wasn’t steadfast and unruffled, He would have destroyed us long ago for all the disobedience and ungodly things we do. But because of His great LOVE for us, He’s stuck with His original plan of salvation, but certain eventual destruction of the wicked and their endeavours. And the prophet Jeremiah reminds us of that most salient fact in his Lamentations. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.’ (Lam. 3:23)
Then we have another couple reminders of God’s unchangeable nature. This first one from Hebrews that declares: ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb. 13:8) And last but by no means least, James throws in his two cents worth, when he writes: ‘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.’ (James 1:17) And do we ever have plenty of good and perfect gifts that the Father has bestowed on us, gifts to enable us to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, and it’s necessary to declare and thus activate them right now.
So as one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those perfect gifts, we’re now duty bound to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…change is a necessary aspect of life…but it must be constrained by God’s Word…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
16 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a foolish man, a profound understanding of salvation, all my hope and stay, all other ground is sinking sand, an anthem of testimony, at the last trump, beat upon that house, bolster our confidence, built his house on sand, built his house on the rock, Christ is our sole means of salvation, Christ is the rock, come with trumpet sound, counsel, darkness veils His lovely face, devious schemes, dressed in his righteousness alone, Edward Mote, egotistic, faith, fellowship, followers of the enemy, frustration, God's grace, great was the fall of it, handle Satanic attacks, hard tiems, his blood supports me, holy spirit, I am the Lord I change not, I rest on his unchanging grace, in every high and stormy gale, in the twinkling of an eye, in the whelming flood, it fell, it fell not, it wwas founded upon the rock, Jesus bore our sins at Calvary, Jesus Christ, Jesus' blood and righteousness, lean on Jesus' name, liken him unto a wise man, LOVE, meet in the Lord's house, mercy, my anchor holds, My hope is built on nothing less, my soul can move, narcissistic, never to leave nor forsake us, not earth nor hell, on Christ the solid rock I stand, our pilot in times of storm, persecution, power, power to resist and rebuke the enemy, praise, promise, regardless of the circumstances, renew our faith, rest upon his unchanging love, salvation, shortsightedness, stormy gale, the dead raised incorruptible, the evil antics, the floods came, the parable of the wise and foolish builders, the rain descended, the rapture of the church, the trumpet shall sound, the winds blew, topical nature, trials and tribluations, trust His righteous character, trust the sweetest frame, truth, unchanging grace, unchanging love, we shall be changed, whoever hears these sayings, wisdom, world of chaos, worship
Matthew 7:24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock:
And after another tough week of world chaos and frustration, we’re all glad to see Sunday roll around, so that we can meet in the Lord’s house, or anywhere at all, and in sincere fellowship worship and praise Him, while renewing our faith and bolstering our confidence which will enable us to handle all the Satanic influenced nonsense that the world is currently bombarding us with. What a sentence friends! I’m sure Bruh Paul would have been proud of its convolutedness (complicated, difficult to understand). (smile)
Anyway, let’s get on with the proceedings, and today we’ll open with a rather appropriate song for these times when our hope and faith are being seriously challenged by the evil antics and devious schemes being perpetrated by the numerous followers of the enemy, who are just basking in their newfound power. But in their foolish, narcissistic and egotistic shortsightedness, they don’t realize that we believers also have power, and a power that’s even greater than theirs, we just have to be wise and use it to rebuke and resist them.
And that song is the popular and well-known uplifter of faith, titled ‘My Hope Is Bult On Nothing Less.’ It’s supposedly the only hymn that the English author Edward Mote ever wrote. It was published in 1837 and soon became a favourite amongst believers because of its true and topical nature. And believe me, it is still true and topical today, maybe even more so than when it was written, since believers are undergoing so much more hard times and persecution.
So, as always, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise with all sincerity and truth in an up-tempo but soulful, scintillating, heartfelt rendition of the song. Singing: ‘My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. (Refrain: On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.)
When darkness veils His lovely face I rest on His unchanging grace In every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil. (Refrain) His oath, His covenant, His blood Supports me in the ‘whelming flood When all around my soul gives way He then is all my hope and stay. (Refrain) Not earth, nor hell, my soul can move; I rest upon His unchanging LOVE. I trust His righteous character, His counsel, promise, and His pow’r.
[Refrain] When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain: On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.’ Oh thank You Lord…You solid rock… for all other ground is merely sinking sand…’ Yes my people, that was an awesome rendition of a truly biblical song! Heaven surely knew that we meant every word of it.
And one commentary tells us: ‘From what we know of the author’s life, “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” was just as much an anthem of his own testimony as it has become for believers all over the world. Having grown up knowing nothing of God or His existence, Mote first attended church and became a Christian as a young adult. While still a new believer, he was compelled to try his hand at hymn writing. Thus, Mote wrote from a basic, yet profound understanding of his salvation.’
And hopefully, all of us modern day believers will acquire and/or achieve that profound understanding of our salvation for it’s what enables us to withstand the trials and tribulation of this evil and ungodly world. And the elements of that song did make a difference in Mote’s life, for he spent the last 26 years of his life as a Baptist Minister.
Now let’s look at a few of the biblical references in the song. First off, we know that the chorus ‘On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, refers to Jesus’ Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders, using the analogy of Christ as a rock with a firm basis in scripture.
Jesus said, ‘Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a (the) rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.’ (Matt. 7:24-27)
That just goes to remind us friends, that we ought to build our lives on the sayings of Christ because they are strong and true. In other words, Christ is our sole means of salvation, He is our only hope. Anything else is sinking sand or worthless. The opening of the song is based on God’s grace, then it continues with the practical application of that grace in troubled times. It tells us that ALL HOPE is built on Jesus’ shed blood because that’s the source and foundation of our salvation.
And Jesus is the ONLY One we can trust: ‘I dare not trust the sweetest frame (the best person or human you can find),’ because humans are fickle and unfaithful, while Jesus is faithful, strong and true, as He proved when He bore our sins at the cross of Calvary. Therefore, we can depend on His unchanging grace, for He doesn’t change, as He says in Malachi: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And are we ever thankful for that! (smile) That’s why the author could also trust in His unchanging LOVE.
And I like this line: ‘I trust His righteous character, His counsel, promise, and His pow’r.’ Now that’s showing true and undeniable support for all that Jesus is! And if He’s our pilot in every storm, then we know that our anchor will hold, we will not be moved or shaken, because He’s promised not to leave nor forsake us, regardless of the circumstances. And you can find that promise in both Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5.
And the last line of the song ‘When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne,’ is a fitting ending, for it corresponds with when Jesus returns for His church in the Rapture, as outlined by Bruh Paul in 1 Corinthians. ‘In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (trumpet): for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ (1 Cor. 15:52)
Oh my fellow saints, please, let’s live sincerely for Christ, so that we will be amongst those who are risen and changed at the sound of that last trumpet. Much LOVE!
…in this sinful, ever-changing, deceitful, corrupt and ungodly world…Jesus is the ONLY ONE…who stands tall, strong and true…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a boost to our collective spirits, a formula for achieving peace, a much needed break, a set of wusses, a solid foundation, as the light, be not envious against, Bible, birds chirping, blessed are the meek, bring forth thy righteousness, cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, cease from anger, commit thy way unto the Lord, confidently trust in the Lord, delight themselves, delight thyself also in the Lord, do not fear, don't be jealous, duty bound, easy living, entitled to the good life, evildoers shall be destroyed, faith, for ever and ever, for faith and hope, forsake wrath, fret not thyself because of evildoers, get up the gumption, give thee the desires of thine heart, God's intervening hand, God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, he shall bring it to pass, holy spirit, hurry, I am the Lord, I am the Lord I change not, in due time, in god's eyes, in the face of the wicked's prosperity, ineffectual people, Jesus Christ, justice, keep the devil at bay, keep the Lord in first place, like white on rice, LOVE, mercy, of the prosperous evildoer, power to resist the devil, prosperous times, resist the devil, Rest in the Lord, ruling the roost, salvation, shall inherit the earth, share His love with my neighbours, soon be cut down like grass, spring is near, the abundance of peace, the Beatitudes, the beloved of God, the man who brings wicked schemes to pass, the meek shall inherit the earth, the tools we need, the tough winter, the unchanging nature of God, the whole wide world, the workers of iniquity, those that wait upon the Lord, thy judgement as the noonday, tormented day and night, trust in the Lord and do good, trust my freind Jesus, truth, wait patiently for him, we'll all get our comeuppance, wisdom, with all of life's problems, wither as the green herb, without lifting a finger, worry, wrath only causes harm
Psalm 37:1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Oh friends, it’s another beautiful, sunshiny day in my area, with temperatures supposedly around plus 7 degrees. Wow! Now, yesterday it was also supposed to be around the same temperature, but it surely didn’t feel that warm. Thankfully though, most of the snow has now melted, and if this warm weather continues, then it shall soon be all gone.
And by the way, I heard some other good news this morning; some birds chirping outside my bedroom window. Was I ever surprised. Birds chirping in the second week of March? It’s either they didn’t go south for the winter, or they believe that spring is near, so they came back. And when I came downstairs just now and looked out the kitchen window, I saw a couple of them frolicking in their usual fashion out there. It would surely be a boost to our collective spirits if spring was right around the corner, giving us a much-needed break from the tough winter that we’ve now become unaccustomed to. (smile)
Yes, we’ve gotten so accustomed to the easy living of these modern and prosperous times that what in earlier times would have been a normal winter, has now become a winter of huge proportions. What a set of wusses, that’s weak, shallow, ineffectual people we’ve become! No wonder we feel so entitled to living the good life without even lifting a finger to make it happen. But do not fear, we will all get our comeuppance in due time. The Lord’s promised it, and we know that whatever He promises will come to pass…in His good time. (smile)
And what’s on tap for today, you ask? Well, I just opened the Good Library, and this most interesting and most relevant psalm jumped out at me. It’s Psalm 37, where Bruh David writes about Trust In the Lord. So let’s read it together nuh, and see what good and useful information we can glean from it. He begins: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps. 37:1-2)
And right there in the opening verses my people, we have some very important and reassuring words. Don’t be jealous and envious of those who do evil and seem to prosper, for their undeserved prosperity will eventually be diminished by God’s intervening hand. Now, those words of reassurance have never been needed more than in these very evil and ungodly times, where Satan’s rule is at it’s highest. And how do we counter Satan’s attempts to inveigle us into his evil doings.
Bruh David lays it our very plainly in these following verses of the psalm. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on God’s faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:3-6) Yes my brethren, those are the basic ways to keep the devil at bay and the Lord in first place in our lives, so that He can uplift and exalt us in due time.
And we all know that sticking to the Lord like white on rice is not easy in these very turbulent and chaotic times, but He’s given us all the tools we need to do it, we simply have to get up the gumption to use them, and not let the seemingly pleasurable things of the world get us off track, like Beelzebub is trying so hard to do. And if we do that to the best of our ability, here’s what Bruh David says will happen. ‘And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps. 37:6) For sure! The Lord will ensure your justice and righteousness, if you make Him number one in your life.
Then Bruh David adds a li’l langniappe, or extra for good measure, when he continues: ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who propsereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place (look diligently for it), and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Ps. 37:7-11)
Oh my fellow saints, the wicked are ruling the roost right now, but we know that eventually the Lord will cut them down like the grass withers at high noon, so we should encourage ourselves and each other not to give up, not to let the worthless baubles and bangles that the enemy flashes in front of our faces to lure us into his evil trap. The Lord’s promised, and He’s faithful. So let’s stand strong and wait on Him. He knows what He’s doing. Remember His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, that we cannot even begin to understand them. (Is. 55:8-9)
Remember too, that Satan is a created being just like us, and his power is nonexistent in our lives, unless we allow him to use it. And the Bible tells us that when the Lord’s ready, He will get rid of him forever. ‘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 and ever.’ (Rev. 20:10) So friends, it’s certainly within our power to resist the devil, but we have to use the tools provided, if we wish to do it successfully.
And I like how the scholars explain it. ‘The psalm also contains a simple formula for achieving peace of mind in the face of the wicked’s prosperity: fret not…neither be thou envious (vs. 1), trust…do good (vs. 3), delight thyself also in the Lord (vs. 4), commit thy way…trust (vs. 5), rest…wait patiently…fret not (vs. 7), cease from anger…forsake wrath…fret not (vs.8). All of these exhortations urge the believer to confidently trust in the Lord with all of life’s problems. The psalm concludes appropriately with an undying affirmation of faith and trust in the unchanging character of God.’
Yes friends, our God is immutable, unchangeable! And we see the Lord saying that in Malachi: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) ‘That implies that God’s character and eternal purposes do not change, which gives a solid foundation for his people’s faith and hope.’ Amen!
Now let’s go home with boosted faith and spirits, declaring 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 (steups!!!) we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus reaffirmed Bruh David’s promise in the Beatitudes…blessed are the meek…for they shall inherit the earth… (Matt. 5:5)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, a simple life, acknowledging God, activities curtailed, artificial intelligence, be not wise in thine own eyes, Bible, bring backsliders back to your fold, Cloudstrike, crying out for help, depart from evil, despise not God's chastening, disaster mode, energy, enthusiasm, faith, fear not neither be dismayed, fear the Lord, Friday chant, go to God in prayer, god, God is not a man that he should lie, God's omnipotent help, health to thy navel, honour the Lord with thy first fruits, honour the Lord with thy substance, I am the Lord I change not, Information Technology, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the same yesterday today and for ever, lean not unto thine own understanding, LOVE, marrow to thy bones, monstrous problems, negative circumstances, problems escalating, raise their voices in praise, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the error of their ways, the Lord will not fail nor forsake thee, the perfect Christian life, the throne of grace, thy barns shall be filled with plenty, thy presses shall burst out with new wine, tremendous reliance on technology, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, unexpected storms, wake up and smell the coffee, whom the Lord loves he chastens, wisdom
Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
And then it was Friday… but the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! were not as loud or as plentiful as they usually are because many people are still in disaster mode and don’t have the enthusiasm, energy or faith to raise their voices in praise. But raising out voices in praise is exactly what we ought to do in dire situations because acknowledging God raises our levels of energy, enthusiasm and faith, despite our negative circumstances.
And to make matters worse, this morning there’s been a technological breakdown with a computing firm called Cloudstrike, which has paralyzed systems and events all over the world. It’s not a hacking or invasion of the system but a technological problem and hopefully by day’s end it will be corrected. But in the meantime many institutions, both large and small cannot carry on their business as usual. Consequently, a large portion of the population has also had their activities curtailed by the outage.
It just shows the tremendous reliance we’ve placed on technology and the worldwide difficulties it causes when something goes awry. But that’s the way of our current world, Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are now ruling the roost. And we’re now experiencing what can happen when we place all our eggs in one fragile basket, for though technology is wonderful when it works properly, but the smallest wrinkle can cause monstrous problems.
We just have to learn to handle those times when technology lets us down. And the first thing we should always do when unexpected situations arise is go to God in prayer for wisdom and strength to handle them. He is our guide and protector and will NEVER lead us down the wrong path. And we have God’s faithful promise of that from way back when Moses said it to the Israelites: ‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:8)
Yes friends that’s the Lord’s ever-faithful promise! And since He does not change, as this commentary tells us: ‘Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.” When everything else shifts and changes, you and I are still standing on a solid, unchanging foundation.’ Wow! What assurance we have my brethren!
And furthermore God doesn’t lie, as the Bible assures us: ‘God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19) That means whatever He promises, or says He’ll do, it will be done! Matter fixed! And when it comes to seeking godly direction, these wise words from the wisest man who ever lived, Cousin Sol, should be our guiding light.
‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy way acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastisement of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: for whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:5-12)
Oh friends, those are verses to live by! Why? Because they encompass all of what God expects from us! Trusting in Him, and not in ourselves; having a reverential fear of Him and not engaging in evil; honouring Him by being generous in our relationships, first to him, and then to our fellow man; and not despising His correction when we do wrong. If we follow those basic desires of God, then our paths will be straight, our bodies will be strong and healthy, our lives will be prosperous; overall, the Lord will cause His face to shine upon us.
But yuh know what? Our intelligence and information levels have risen so much in the last century, that we no longer focus on the simple things in life, everything now needs to be more sophisticated and complex, otherwise it’s not worthwhile. But friends, the simple things have always been, and will always be the best way to go. And we’ve said that to point out the simple commands that Cousin Sol lays down for the perfect Chrisitan life, but we try to make it much more complicated than it ought to be. And hopefully, this time around, those simple directives will stick in our minds and we’ll put them into action and thus simplify out much too complicated lives. (smile)
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant to help with our earthly problems. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And if we truly desire divine aid, then we’ve got to set a better example as believers in Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!
…Jesus lived a simple life for a reason…it was the easiest and best life to live…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: every good gift, every perfect gift is from above, faith, God is ever-faithful, God never changes, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, I am the Lord I change not, I may know you all the more, increase my awareness of you today, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, Jesus christ the same yesterday today and forever, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, mercy, quiet my soul, rock of ages, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, the abundant life, the Father of lights, the firstfruits of his creatures, the Immutability of God, the Lord's presence, the Unchanging God, thou art the same, thou O Lord shall endure for ever, thy years shall have no end, truth, unconditional LOVE, wisdom, with whom is no variableness, your love both surrounds and fills me
Hebrews 13:8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Ah friends, I don’t know what to say about our recent weather patterns nuh. Remember, yesterday I said how it was so wet and cloudy in my neighbourhood and we couldn’t hope for much of a change. Well, lo and behold, when I went back upstairs a couple hours later, I was greeted by brilliant sunshine and almost dry streets. And though the brilliant sunshine did not stick around for the rest of the day, it certainly made it’s presence known and the place remained dry. And by the way, just for your information, on this lazy-day Saturday, the last one in the month of January 2024, it’s damp and cloudy out there right now. (smile)
But thankfully, that is immaterial at present, for we have God with us, so let’s get to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and appeal to our heavenly Father with true conviction. As one sincere 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 with those words of prayer floating up to heaven, we find the Lord’s presence floating down to us, in such abundance that we cannot handle it. But that’s the generous kind of Deity we serve. The more you LOVE Him, the more LOVE He bestows. Ah Lord eh! What would we do without Him eh? Just crumple up and die, I suppose. For who truly knows what to expect from anything or anybody in these confusing and convoluted days? The ONLY person we can be sure of is our great and wonderful God Jehovah!
Yes my people, it’s only God we can trust because He is ever-faithful and reliable, He never changes, remains the same all the time. Please beleive it my faithful brethren, our God is unchanging. The Bible tells us so. The prophet Malachi says it thus: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And are we ever thankful for that, because if He was liable to change and wishy-washy like so many of the other false gods, we would have been destroyed long ago. As Jeremiah so aptly says in his Lamentations. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.’ (Lam. 3:22) Words of indisputable truth!
Meanwhile the author of Hebrews reminds us: ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb. 13:8) That means ‘While everything around us is changing, we can depend on God continually showing us His grace, LOVE, and compassion.’ How awesome is that eh! And this commentary puts it nicely into perspective. ‘What does it mean that God doesn’t change? We call this attribute immutability. This means He doesn’t change His character, His plan, or His mind. Frankly, with the instability of life, this is the security we all long for—consistent unconditional LOVE. The Unchanging God.’
It couldn’t get any better than that friends! With God being the same all the time, we know exactly what to expect from Him, no hemming and hawing or constantly changing His mind, but a steadfastness and reliability that no one or nothing else can ever match. That’s why James could write these encouraging words to his readers. ‘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 1:16-18)
And so it should be, now and forever! God is good – ALWAYS GOOD – and doesn’t change, and we the redeemed, are the first step in His redemption of all creatures. Now if you want to find more information on that last aspect, the scholars give a reference to Romans 8:18-27. And it might not be a bad idea to check out that scripture, because it does deal with some interesting stuff. (smile) Finally, turning to Psalm 102, we find the unknown psalmist writing about the ‘Lonely Soul,’ and making some profound statements re the everlasting and unchanging nature of our most marvellous and magnificent God.
He writes: ‘My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. But thou, O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations…. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure (continue): yea, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.’ (Ps. 102: 11-12; 24-27)
Oh my fellow saints, I don’t know about you all nuh, but being reminded of all that stuff, I do feel refreshed and revitalized knowing that our God is good and generous, He’s unchangeable, is compassionate and LOVING, and will endure forever with the redeemed of His people! Now isn’t that wonderful news? It certainly is! So let’s accept it with opened arms and enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. Otherwise it doesn’t make any sense being a Christian, reconciled, justified and set apart by Almighty God! Much LOVE!
… in this ever changing and unstable world…it’s good to know we have a stabilizing and unchanging rock of ages…Jesus Christ…to rely on…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Aug 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a predictable life is one without flavour, and the truth shall make you free, and ye shall know the truth, everything will work out for good, flaunt your boldness in life's face, I am the Lord I change not, I am the way the truth and the life, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, if ye continue in my word, Jesus is the same yesterday today and for ever, lazy day Saturday, LOVE, pundits, reality is a hard task master, sad era of many truths, soothsayers, then ye are my disciples indeed, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future, we all need help in living life, woke up to reality, you must first live life before you can write about it
John 8:31. If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed;
And then it was Saturday – our lazy day, where some of us have options as what to do with the day. And believe me, I had to force myself to get out of the bed this morning, because it felt so good just to lay there and do nothing but doze in and out of sleep and think dreamy, heavenly thoughts. (smile) Unfortunately though, I eventually woke up to the reality that I had work to do, that others were expecting words of wisdom from me re the quotes that our friend Anselm had sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow.
Oh, reality is such a hard task master, but I knew that with God’s help, with His awesome faithfulness, I would be able to pen something worthwhile. ‘So Lord, I’m invoking your help, your faithfulness right now! Please show me what you want me to write on this most recent bunch of quotes. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.’
And the first one says: ‘In order to write about life first you must live it.’ And that’s the gospel truth! You can’t write about what you don’t know. Although many of us are doing just that nowadays in this sad era of many truths, of fake news, of amazing levels of dissension and deception, with the social media platform that allows us all to be pundits and soothsayers and know it alls. That’s one of the main reasons why our world is in such chaos; too many of us don’t know a blooming thing about life, having not lived long enough or experienced enough of it to make useful comments, but we voice our opinions on everything anyway and add to the worldly confusion.
And as life gets more confusing, it’s becoming even more important to look to the Good Book for the real truth in every situation, for it’s the ONLY unchangeable aspect in our lives these days. Everything else seems subject to change, but our God does not change. He said so in Malachi. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And let’s be glad that He doesn’t change, otherwise we’d be long ago removed from the scene. (smile)
And why would He want to change eh, when He is perfect in all His ways. So, whatever He’s said or caused to be written is written in stone for our benefit. That’s why Jesus is also the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb. 13:18) And He’s also the source of ALL truth. ‘I am the way, the truth and the life…’ (John 14:6) Therefore if you want to know truth, you must get in agreement with Jesus, learn His word and put it into action. As He said to the disciples. ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) Glory be my people!
So, we realize right away that if we want to have a safe, constant and stable life, our best bet is living through our unchanging God and His unchanging Word. That brings us to this next quote. ‘The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.’ More gospel truth my fellow believers! For if you are a believer in Almighty God, then you will know that He has a plan for every life He creates. Jeremiah said it for Him. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11)
It’s therefore obvious that God has good plans for us, but to find them out, we must go to Him in all sincerity and truth and ask about them. Now, finding out our destiny or God’s plan for our life is possibly the easy part of the quote, the doing it, is where things get somewhat sticky and difficult. Why you ask? Because of the unpredictability and changing nature of this earthly life. And the next quote speaks to that matter as it tells us: ‘If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.’
I guess we can’t deny that, because it’s the unpredictability of life that turns us on, that excites us and causes us to want to live. That’s why we’re always looking for something new, something exciting, something that will get our adrenalin flowing, despite the danger and misfortune that might lie in it. Excitement, unpredictability, newness, spiciness, are the flavours that we seek in life, not sameness or same old, same old. (smile) And believe me, living for, and walking with Jesus is the most unpredictable and exciting, yet encouraging and reassuring thing we could ever do.
Yes friends, Jesus indeed provides an unpredictable though very safe environment for us to work in. Remember, He promises that though the world is full of trials and tribulations, all of which we cannot escape, we won’t be allowed to handle more than we can bear, (1 Cor. 10:13) and that everything will work out for our good in the long run if we stay under His protective umbrella. (Rom. 8:28)
However, the following quote adds another dimension to the subject, when it says: ‘The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.’ Now there’s a whole lot of truth to that statement, because if you live life like a scaredy-cat, it definitely will not be enjoyable. But you also have to be responsible, you just can’t flaunt your boldness in life’s face, because it will have you flat on your back in no time at all. Life likes, and expects you to stand up to it, but it doesn’t take kindly to us trying to put it down, make it look foolish.
And you can only have the power and the wisdom to handle life properly if you are a true believer in Christ Jesus and put His words into action in your life. That’s because true wisdom is only found in Him, as James says: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting)…(James 1:5-6) And then we must also remember that ‘God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind. (2 (Tim. 1:7)
So you see friends, the only wise way to live this God created life in this God created world, is in a God dictated manner. (smile) And this last quote adds yet another dimension to the whole experience. ‘Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing.’ Now that’s ever so true! How well, how godly, how genuinely, and respectfully we live this life is way more important than how long we live it.
Yes, although you may not believe in God, it’s still very important that you live, a kind, honourable, generous and humble life, for those are the things that cause others to be good to you in return and help you along the rough and rocky road that earthly living entails. And the truth is, we all need help in living life. Much LOVE!
…how you live life…is how life will respond to you…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
08 Jun 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a refuge in times of trouble, a wise man which built his house house on a rock, all of them shall wax old like a garment, an Everlasting God, climate change, contrary weather, endure to the end, every good and every perfect gift is from above, God is an unchanging God, God is not a man that he should lie, God's laws are written in stone, halfway home, hands on the plough, I am the Lord I change not, Jesus Christ, looking forward to a glorious future with Jesus, LOVE, no shadow due to change, no variation, not looking back, only one road to glory- through Jesus, renounce the sovereign authority of God, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Father of lights, the heavens are the work of thy hands, the Immutability of God, the Lord shall endure for ever, the same yesterday today and forever, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, tithes, Wednesday Wail
Hebrews 13:8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
And so Wednesday has opened bright and sunny, though somewhat cool, because it’s still officially spring. The problem though is will it stay bright and sunshiny all day long? Unfortunately, these days of climate change have the days being very contrary, beginning one way, then changing to something else, sometimes even changing back and forth within the same day. So, you can never trust what you see when you open your eyes on a morning to be the same throughout the day. But praise the Lord that our great God is an unchanging God!
Yes friends, that’s one thing we’re very sure of! How do we know that? Because it says so in His Word, very often too. And His Word does not lie! Of course not! As explained in this scripture from the Book of Numbers. ‘God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.’ (Num. 23:19-20) And that from the false prophet Balaam, whom Balak, the king of Moab, had hired to curse the Israelites.
So, let’s look at a few of the scriptures that talk about the unchanging nature of our God nuh. As one commentator says: ‘God does not change. Why would He? God is perfect in all His ways. You can’t get better than perfect! God’s laws don’t change, they are written in stone for a distinct purpose.’ And that’s so His people can have a strong and steadfast way of life, not one like the weather we’re currently having; wishy-washy, and constantly changing.
As James, Jesus’ brother writes: ‘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.’ (James 1:17) And that’s the gospel truth! One translation puts it thus. ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.’
And per the Immutability of God, the scholars say: ‘Since all changes are either for the better or for the worse, God is unchanging because He is perfect and cannot get better nor become worse. The Scriptures describe God’s nature, will, and character as immutable or unchanging. Illustration: To be immutable, however, does not mean to be immobile. God also has the qualities of personality and can act, think, create, and make decision. Application: God is unchanging; therefore Christians can depend on His LOVE and power because God has not changed since biblical times. (First Ref. Ps. 9:7; Primary ref. James 1:17; cf. Lev. 19:2.)’
Yes my brethren, the Lord’s our Creator, thus He is much more stable than we could ever be. And as Bruh David declares in Psalm 9: ‘But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgement. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness. The Lord also will be a refuge (stronghold) for the oppressed, and a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ (Ps. 9:7-10) Now, if our God can be all those things for those who seek Him, then He must be strong, stable, steadfast and just!
And I like this verse about God’s unchanging nature from the book of Malachi, when he talks about the nonpayment of tithes. He solemnly declares: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And nothing has really changed since then, for many of today’s churchgoers are doing the same thing; not giving their tithes to God. We give money to all sorts of other worthless and fraudulent causes without a murmur, but to give a penny to God’s church it’s like pulling teeth without anesthetic.
As the scholars explain. ‘These Israelites have done what no man should presume to attempt, namely, to defraud God in tithes and offerings. The payment of tithes and heave offerings was a recognition of their subjection to God and that He owned them and all that they had. To withhold the tithe is to renounce the sovereign authority of God and to be guilty of the same sin as Lucifer in the beginning.’ And there’s no doubt that our current society has renounced the sovereignty of God over it, and thus are guilty of the same sin that Lucifer (Satan) was kicked out of heaven for; abominable pride which led to foolish rebellion!
But I’m getting off course here, (smile) so let’s move on to the next scripture on God’s unchanging nature, which comes from the book of Hebrews. And it simply but quite clearly and confidently states: ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb. 13:8) And if all it says about Jesus in the Good Book is true, then He must be a stalwart, unbreakable, unchanging foundation for us to build on.
That’s why Jesus characterized Himself as the rock to build on when he told the people. ‘Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not: for it was founded upon a (the) rock.’ (Matt. 7:24-25) Oh my fellow saints, when we build our houses on the rock, the foundation that’s Jesus, nothing in this whole wide world can ever beat or break it down, for Jesus is the solid, rock-like foundation of the world! Give Him some much deserved thanks and praise!
And then there’s this marvellous scripture, the last one, we have time and space for. It comes from Psalm 102 – A cry in distress – and it declares: ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure (continue): yea, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and the years shall have no end.’ (Ps: 102:25-27) Now that’s the indisputable truth: the world will grow old and change, even be destroyed, but our God will last forever, because that’s his name and nature… an Everlasting God!
And for those of us who sincerely believe and are doing our best to live for Him, let’s go home declaring (yeah!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus! As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And a last word of encouragement and reassurance, (smile) please remember that if we endure to the very end, then that future will indeed be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…there is only one road to glory…that’s through Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
07 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: acquire a true reverence and love for God, all that do wickedly, all the proud, and share His love with the world, ashes under the soles of thy feet, don't have to hurry, don't have to worry, fat like stall fed calves, God is a keeper of His promises, grow up as calves of the stall, I am the beloved of god, I am the Lord I change not, in god's eyes, in sincerity and truth, living an ever-increasing sinful lifestyle, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, not what I do, not what I have, not what people say about me, our chickens are now coming home to roost, our worst nightmare, separated from God, shall be stubble, shall leave them neither root nor branch, shall the Sun of righteousness arise, summer's done, that shall burn like and oven, the day cometh, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, the one constant in our ever-changing lives, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, time to turn back to God, tread down the wicked, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, turn from our evil ways, unto you that fear my name, walk the earth in shame and disgrace, with healing in his wings, worship and reverence God
Malachi 3:6. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Well, the summer’s done now: school’s open once more, adults back to work, whatever can open is open. But unfortunately, many of our problems are still there; the virus and its ever-expanding family, the strife, the natural disasters and their consequent fall out…and all the other negative activity that’s choosing this particular time to come against us! And sadly, we don’t seem to be handling the situation properly, for there’s no unity, no agreement on how to go about solving our problems, thus our efforts are unsuccessful.
But friends, let’s be thankful for the one constant in our everchanging lives and world: that’s Jehovah God, our Creator and Provider! Let’s be thankful that He doesn’t change…and it’s not me who says so, but the Lord Himself. Yes, He declared it long ago, through the prophet Malachi. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And it’s only through His awesome grace, mercy and great LOVE for us that we have not already been destroyed, since we have delighted in moving away from His ordinances and living an ever-increasing sinful and evil lifestyle.
And I believe that our chickens are now coming home to roost in these strange, unexpected and trying times. And if we ever hope to be rid of our many problems, or even lessen them significantly, then it’s absolutely time for us to turn back to the God of our forefathers, for He is the ONLY One who can help us solve them. The sad part is that many of us are very aware of that fact, but yet we hem and haw and find all sorts of excuses not to turn back to Almighty God, to worship and reverence Him in sincerity and truth.
I don’t know what we are afraid of. Are we putting the foolish and short-term pleasures of this wicked world above the eternal and everlasting benefits and security of our souls? It certainly seems so, since many of us, in this time of tribulation, are turning away from God, rather than turning towards Him, the God of our salvation. Now listen to some more interesting words from the prophet Malachi, re the coming day of the Lord, which the scholars tell us refers to the time of the Great Tribulation, ‘which is in view as the birth pangs for the millennial kingdom.’
Malachi declares: ‘For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.’ (Mal. 4:1) Now I think that says quite clearly that the proud and wicked will suffer irreparable harm when the Lord comes. But for some reason, many of us believe it when the Lord says that He will do good, but then erroneously think that because the Lord is good and LOVING and all that, He won’t really destroy the proud and the wicked.
Friends, that’s a rather foolish theory, because you’ve seen down through history how God has indeed destroyed the wicked. Just look at what He did to the Israelites, His chosen people, in the wilderness when they began complaining and behaving foolishly, hating the manna that they were being divinely given and wishing they back in bondage in Egypt. The Good Book says: ‘And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.’ (Num. 21:6)
Yes my people, whatever the Lord says He will do, He will do, be it good or bad in our eyes, for there is always good reason for His actions. He has been warning us since the beginning of the Good Book that the wicked will be destroyed and the faithful saved, but we obviously don’t take His warnings seriously otherwise our world would never be as sinful and evil as it currently is.
And we obviously have lost a lot of our brain power, or logical thinking as we have evolved down through the years, for the Israelites when they found themselves in hard times because of their sinful behaviour, quickly repented and returned to the God of their forefathers, like they did with that snake attack. They ran to Moses and repented and asked him to pray for them, and the Lord told Moses to make a brass serpent and hang it upon a pole, and whoever got bit by a snake could look upon the serpent and live.’ (Num. 21:7-9)
But we brainiacs of this modern world, think we invented ourselves and we don’t need God, thus we try to push Him out of our society. Well good luck with that! It won’t ever happen! Because the Lord won’t allow it to. Why can’t we learn from the fall of the very fool we follow in our wicked and sinful behaviour nuh? Lucifer the archangel had great hopes of becoming El Numero Uno and overthrowing Almighty God his Creator. So, he and some other foolish heavenly creations rebelled. And what happened to them? They were ungraciously kicked out of heaven to walk the earth in shame and disgrace and to eventually be destroyed.
But still, knowing the lying, deceitful and wicked nature of those rebellious creations, we listen to them and follow them, going against the dictates of our Creator. And yet, we don’t think that we will be eventually destroyed, just like them, if we don’t turn from our evil ways before the end of our mortal lives. Hn!
The problem here my people, is that we don’t know when our mortal lives will end. It can happen at any time, and very often the grim reaper gives us absolutely no warning. That makes it necessary for us to be always prepared. For if we die without accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we will end up separated from God, our worst nightmare. Only thing is, it won’t be a nightmare then, but a stark and frightening reality!
However, if we wisely turn back to the Lord, listen to His promise through Malachi. ‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall (grow up fat like stall fed calves). And ye shall tread down (trample) the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal. 4:2-3)
And He did it friends, when He sent Jesus Christ (the Sun of righteousness, the Messiah) to earth to die in propitiation for our sins. So please believe that God is a keeper of His promises, be they in our favour or not, and let’s wise up and realize that the many problems we and our world face will not be solved or even lessened until we once again acquire a true reverence and LOVE for Almighty God!
Now, for those of us who have already done that, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are, who we belong to lock, stock and barrel. (smile) Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And having made those significant statements, it now behooves us to go out and share that awesome friendship and LOVE of Jesus with others who don’t know Him. Much LOVE!
…these times are…the beginning of sorrows…(Matt. 24:8)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
16 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a merciful forgiving gracious God, divine help, Dr. Charles Stanley, God cannot lie, God is not man that he should lie, God is truth, grab the baton, hath he spoken and shall he not make it good, humble servants, I am the Lord I change not, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, Jehovah Rapha, keeping our promises, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, neither the son of man that he should repent, obey God, right motives of our hearts, show this evil world, sincere repentance, stubborn and unrepentant heart, take the bull by the horns, the God who heals, the Immutability of God, them's the breaks, thoughts of peace and not of evil, thy hardness and impenitent heart, to give you an expected end, turn from our evil ways, wise guidance and direction, ye sons of Jacob
Numbers 23:19a. God is not man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:
These weeks passing too quickly for me yes friends! We are already into the middle of August, and we just finish celebrating the 1st of August long holiday weekend. (smile) That means fall, or autumn is just around the corner. But them’s the breaks, time waits on no one, and we must therefore conclude that this Monday in the middle of August is another excellent opportunity for us to take the bull by the horns, grab the baton and run with it, put into motion, the amazing plan that our wonderful God has designed for us from time everlasting!
And yes, we have used a lot of clichés back there, but yuh know what, things become clichés because they are either the truth, or help us to understand the truth better. And the greatest truth in this universe is the Word of God found in His holy book, the Bible, our blueprint, our guide, our map for earthly living! So when we read in it, things like: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11)
We know, we are totally assured that we are hearing the honest to goodness truth., because it comes from the Word of our God. Our Creator has good plans for each one of us, plans He created us to fulfill. And you are even further empowered to believe His Word, when it says: ‘God is not man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19)
What a confidence builder that verse is my brethren! Our God has no need to lie, because He is omnipotent, possesses the power and the ability to do whatever He says He is going to do! As Jesus said to His disciples, talking about a camel passing through the eye of a needle: ‘With men, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) And we need to remember that most salient fact my people. Nothing is too big or too small for our God to do! He can do anything and everything! Therefore, there’s no situation He cannot put us into or take us out of.
But I want to go back to that verse from Numbers about God not lying, because the scholars offer an interesting explanation of it. ‘23:19. The immutability (unchangeability) of God is stated. The word repent is parallel to lie and is coloured in tone by this very association. Here His repenting is related to falsehood. The concept of the truth of Yahweh is related to immutability (His unchanging nature). Since God is truth, He does not lie; in fact, He cannot lie: He is unchanging. God is utterly different from man. Something that comes far too easily for many men is impossible for Almighty God. He cannot lie (cf. Is. 31:2; 51:6,8; Jer. 4:28; Mal. 3:6).’
Oh friends, those are some good verses for you to look up, I just did, and they are all interesting, revolving around the Lord’s unchanging nature and the keeping of His word. But I will only spoon feed us the last one from Malachi, (smile) which we all ought to know anyway. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And we better had be thankful for that yes my people, because just like the Lord’s mercy and LOVE are overwhelming, so is His wrath, and you definitely don’t want to feel it.
And His wrath is not just vengeful anger, but as Romans 2:5-6 says: ‘But after thy hardness (stubborn) and impenitent (unrepentant) heart treasurest up (stores up) unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God (when His righteous judgement will be revealed); Who will render to every man according to his deeds.’ (Rom. 2:5-6)
So wrath is basically God’s justice for disobedience and thus rounds out His basic attributes of Mercy, LOVE and Justice, or as one commentator asserts: ‘A God who didn’t have wrath towards sin would not be a God of LOVE, because how could a God of LOVE allow sin to go unpunished?’ Good question that my people. And believe me, it will not! However, our ever-LOVING God, has also ‘provided a way of redemption; faith in the atoning blood of his Son.’
Anyway, it’s the start of our work week and many of us have fears, anxieties and concerns, re the state of our lives and our world, weighing heavily on our souls and spirits, so let’s take this opportunity to carry them to the throne of grace in prayer nuh. As one strong, confident but humble voice, let’s declare our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
‘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!’
And as always, the answer to our prayers depends on keeping our promises and the right motives of our hearts. Much LOVE!
…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him… (Dr. Charles Stanley)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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