Scriptures Christians Need to Know about Their Awesome Position and Power In God!

Romans 8:14.        ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God.

The bells are ringing on this beautiful but a tad cloudy Sunday morning my people! That means it’s time to join the joyful throngs heading to the Lord’s sanctuary to offer up praise, worship and thanksgiving and receive grace, mercy, forgiveness and strength to fight the good fight for another week. And opening today’s worship is a Christian contemporary song authored by Marijohn Wilkins and Kris Kristofferson, most appropriately titled, ‘One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus.’ And that’s all we can handle, even if we foolishly and selfishly wish for more. 

And today we’re going to offer up a rich, scintillating, Reggae version of the song, per Jamaican Gospel Artiste, Marvia Providence. So, let’s open our mouths and hearts and allow sweet sacrifices of praise to reach up to high heaven, beginning with the rocking chorus. Singing! ‘(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Give me the strength To do everything that I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time) 

I’m only human I’m just a woman (man) Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Oh show me the stairways I have to climb Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time. (Chorus) Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. There’s pushing and shoving And its crowding my mind So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time. 

(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything that I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time Oh help me today Show me the way One day at a time… One day at a time…Sweet Jesus…Teach me to take One day at a time…One day at a time…Lord help me today…Show me the way…One day at a time.’ 

And if you are sincere, He will help you to do just that. For remember we recently read in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus offered that exact wise advice, when He said: ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) That means, everyday has its own problems, that need to be handled right then, and although we should make some rough plans for the morrow, we ought to concentrate on what’s happening today, and not too much about tomorrow. 

For if we don’t responsibly handle the challenges and responsibilities of today, we might not even get to tomorrow. Yes, as the song says; ‘tomorrow may never be mine.’ But if we do see tomorrow, with God as our guide, we will be able to responsibly handle those troubles and problems it creates. That’s our Lord’s faithful promise.  But believe me, with all the confusion and otherwise that’s constantly happening around us, learning to take one day at a time is not always easy, that’s why the song asks for help to do it. 

We’re only human, frail and fragile beings, so we need help to believe in what we could be and what we truly are. And there are a few scriptures that can help us do just that beginning with this most encouraging scripture from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) That’s the first thing we must acknowledge; we’re not born to fear, but to faith. 

Then know who we are in Christ. As Bruh Paul writes the Roman church. ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.’ (Rom. 8:14-17) 

Ah my brethren, if we believe in Christ, we need to realize that He’s freed us from fear and eternal death, and thus caused God to adopt us. And if we are children of God, then nothing can harm us. ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) More ammunition for us to be strong and not fear, once we link up with Jesus. 

That brings us to this magnificent scripture, where the Lord Himself warned Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) Now that is scripture we should have at the forefront of our lives, every day! For it’s the backbone of our faith; the continual and everlasting presence of our wonderful and faithful God walking beside us all the time. 

As the prophet Isaiah further reminds us. ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) That’s the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit that indwells us, softly whispering to us as we daily try to walk in the footsteps of Christ. The problem though is that if we truly want to hear that guiding voice, we need to listen carefully, for it’s not a loud, invasive or intrusive one, but a gentle, comforting voice. 

And we cannot end without possibly the most important verse of scripture in the entire Bible; these marvellous, reassuring words of Jesus to Nicodemus: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) Now that shows just how much the Lord cares for His human creation. Therefore, let us stand strong in the Lord, and keep fighting the good fight for Christ, for that’s where our bread is buttered! Much LOVE!

…thy word is a lamp unto my feet…and a light unto my path… (Ps. 119:105)

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Wisdom of Living One Day at a Time, with Jesus as Your Faithful Guide!

Matthew 11:28.        Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

And so, we come to the first day of December, a Sunday, which means we’re also into the first day of the season of Advent. And what does Advent mean, and why do we celebrate it? This commentary gives us the basic idea. ‘The word ‘advent’ literally means ‘coming’ and it is a time of reflection on the coming of Christ into the world at his birth. It is also a time of preparation when Christians think about the second coming of Christ and what they need to do to be ready for his return.’ Yes friends, as always, everything is all about Jesus! 

And this other commentary delves a little further into the celebration. ‘It is the first season of the Christian church year. On each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas, an Advent candle is lit. The 4 candles of Advent names are hope, LOVE, joy, and peace, representing the virtues Jesus brought us.’ So, obviously today we’ll light the candle of Hope, that far-reaching, ever-expecting, never-say die attitude that we believers ought to have. 

And as we gather in the Lord’s house on this His day to worship and celebrate His awesome goodness and mercy to the underserving children of men, let’s open with a marvellous song of worship written by Marijohn Wilkins and the late departed Kris Kristofferson, aptly titled One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus. And today we’ll do a soulful, scintillating, inspirational, heart-stopping mid-tempo version of the song, allowing all the sincerity in our hearts and voices to pour out up to high heaven. (smile) 

So, opening with the chorus, let’s sing: (Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Give me the strength To do everything what I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time) I’m only human I’m just a woman (man) Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Oh show me the stairways I have to climb Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time. 

(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything what I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time) Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time. 

(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything what I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time Oh help me today Show me the way One day at a time… One day at a time…Sweet Jesus…Teach me to take One day at a time…One day at a time…Lord help me today…Show me the way…One day at a time.’ 

Ah friends, it’s certainly a song that draws us ever closer to Jesus as we cry out for His awesome help, just one day at a time. And that’s how it ought to really be; us taking one day at a time, because that’s all we ever have. It’s like Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ (Matt. 6:11) And that’s the same way the Lord fed the Israelites in the wilderness with just enough manna and meat for one day, except on the Sabbath day. 

And to tell the truth, one day is likely the most we can handle at any one time, what with all the craziness, the strife, anger, hatred and violence currently happening in our world. As the song so rightly says: ‘Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time.’  

And although I have a personal dislike of the statement because I heard it so often from one particular friend, (smile) it is the best way to live this life. Besides, today is the only day we’re sure of, for in the appropriate words of the song, ‘yesterday’s gone, and tomorrow may never be mine, So help me today, show me the way One day at a time.’ And yuh know what my people, I believe all of what the song is asking for is encapsulated in Jesus’ famous offer of comfort and care, that we call the Great invitation. 

And we all ought to know it and accept it, because there’s no greater offer or invitation in this entire world. Jesus throws out his arms in welcome as He says: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly (gentle and humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Now, tell me friends, who else can express those words and sentiments in all truth and sincerity but Jesus eh? Absolutely no one else! For He’s the master of the waves and the wind, the sun and the moon, the stars and all the other universal bodies! He’s also the Master of Life and Death; the One who can give life or take it as He sees fit! Satan can only take life; he can’t give it. That’s why we need to cling tightly to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Light, the Redeemer, the Judge and so many other things! 

So, on this first Sunday of Advent, as we think of Jesus’ first coming and the Christmas celebrations, let’s also allow the light of hope to burn brightly in our souls, bodies, minds and spirits, fully knowing that in His time, He will come back to get us, just as He promised. ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwelling): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.’ (John 14:1-3) 

And that’s the gospel truth my brethren, for Jesus has no cause to lie, and He has the power to keep any promise He makes. That means we don’t have to fret and worry about what’s happening in our world, just keep Jesus first place in our hearts and be obedient to His will, and He will see us through, one day at a time! Much LOVE!

…fret not over your troubles…just hold on tight to Jesus…stick to Him like white on rice…and you will be okay…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien