11 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a child of God, a disciplined mind, a very present help in trouble, an abundantly available help, are not able to kill the soul, be of good cheer, both in the good and bad times, but of power love and a sound mind, call on God continually, don't be afraid of those who persecute you for your faith, endure to the very end with Christ, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, faith is only built through tough times, fear God, fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body, fear not them which kill the body, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, God is a refuge for us, God is our refuge and strength, God's sovereignty over life and death, halfway home, hands on the plough, he is my defence, He only is my rock and my salvation, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, I shall not be moved, In God is my salvation and my glory, in me ye might have peace, in the palm of his hands, in the world ye shall have tribulation, in time of trouble, Jesus Christ, Jesus defeated hell the death and the grave, light the candle at both ends, LOVE, mercy, my expectation is only from him, my refuge is in God, my soul wait thou only upon God, not turning back, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, pour out your heart before God, salvation, save from the ravages of this evil world, second wind day, Selah, set your soul free of fear, sons of Korah, thank God, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the importance of prioritizing God over human authority, the Lord God Almighty, the rock of my strength, therefore will not we fear, these things I have spoken unto you, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the mountains shake, though the water roar and be troubled, to a glorious future with Jesus, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, trust him at all times, truth, we know that all things work together for good, Wednesday Wail, who has authority over the physical and spiritual realms, wisdom
Psalm 46:1. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in time of trouble.
So it’s Wednesday my people, our second wind day. It opened bright and sunshiny and somewhat cool, but it’s warming up, and we on the late bus, because after church, I ran around and did a couple errands, then had to come home and rest before writing the Bit. Yuh know the ole fella’s not as young as he used to be, and unfortunately can’t light the candle at both ends again. (smile)
And today, as we witness all the strife, the anger, the carnage and all the other negative things that are so prevalent in our world, I believe this word from the Sons of Korah in Psalm 46, is a good scripture for us to hold close to our hearts. So please read with me: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in time of trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3)
Yes my fellow believers, that’s how strong our faith ought to be; winning out even in the most serious predicaments. That’s because the Lord God Almighty; our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present Deity has us in the palm of His hands and has promised to take care of us. Like Bruh Paul says in his letter to the Romans: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
So, though we will have problems in this ungodly world, the Lord’s promised that in the end He will work it all out for the good of those who put their trust in Him. And Jesus reinforces that promise when He says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And He certainly has, by defeating hell, death and the grave through His death and resurrection!
That means we ought not to be afraid of what man can do to us, but be more concerned about what the Lord Jehovah can do. As Jesus said: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 18:28) And what does all of the mean?
This commentary explains that verse thus: ‘Jesus encourages his followers not to be afraid of those who might persecute or kill them for their faith, as such people can only affect their physical body. The verse contrasts this with the fear of God, who has authority over both the physical and spiritual realms. The phrase “destroy both body and soul in hell” refers to the concept of eternal punishment, where the soul is also eternally separated from God. This verse highlights God’s sovereignty over life and death and the importance of prioritizing Him over any human authority.’
Now those are some things that we ought to take into serious consideration as we walk amongst all the evil and ungodly doings that are currently running rampant in our world. We all are human, and fear does come upon us at some time or other, but the important thing to remember is that God is sovereign over the entire universe, and as a child of God, you have His protection and ought not to let fear overtake you for any length of time. Remember these marvellous words of 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)
And if that doesn’t set your heart and soul free of fear, then listen to these most assuring words of Bruh David from Psalm 62, titled My Rock and My Salvation. He writes: ‘My soul, wait thou (silently) only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah’ (Ps. 62:5-8)
And if there’s one thing we can say about both Bruh David and Bruh Paul is that they not only talked the words of God, but they also walked them. They both had oodles of trials and tribulations, many more serious than any we will ever have, but they never once gave up on their faith, never once feared that the Lord would not come through for them. Now that’s the kind of faith we all need to build in these fearful and troubled times. However, unfortunately, faith is only built when we go through trials and tribulations, when we personally endure tough times.
We don’t need faith when the going’s good; but we surely need it when we don’t have the foggiest notion how to handle our tough situations. And that’s the time to call upon Almighty God for help, and believe that He will see you through! But more importantly, take a page from Bruh David’s book and continually call on Him. (smile) Bruh David constantly called on the Lord, even when thinks were good. That’s when we need to give Him praise and thanks for keeping our souls and lives together.
We can’t only know Him when things are rough. But sadly, that’s the only time many of us call on Him. No friends, the Lord God Jehovah must always be in our sights, be our times good or bad, for that’s when He knows that we truly care for Him, and are not only interested in what He can do for us. And with all that glorious information under our belt, (smile) let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail.
As one, in a 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 if you truly know the Lord, then you’ll know of the promise that those who endure right to the very end with Jesus, will have a future even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and make plans to endure right to the very end nuh, and so enjoy that glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…only in God…can we be truly safe…from the ravages of this evil world…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dry and cloudy day, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a woman of sorrowful spirit, all ye that labour, barren for many years, christianity, Christians, come unto me, covenant relationships, dance to God's music, day and night, divine help, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, faithfulness, feel lost and helpless, find rest unto your souls, for the help of his countenance, gentle and humble, go out like a lion, God is a refuge for us, God is the the wisest being in the universe, good riddance to you, Hannah, he is my defence, He only is my rock and my salvation, heavy laden, help in troubled times, holy spirit, hope thou in God, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am meek and lowly in heart, I shall not be moved, I shall yet praise him, I will give you rest, In God is my salvation and my glory, it takes two to tango, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep Jesus first and foremost, LOVE, mercy, my burden light, my expectation is only from him, my hope is only in God, my refuge is in God, my soul, my soul thirsts for God, my tears have been my meat, my yoke is easy, negative situations, obedience, Our Father, pour out your heart before him, poured out my soul before the Lord, praise Your Holy Name, pray, prosper us, raise up your faith, salvation, seek your face, Selah, severe ice storms, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerity, sinned and disobeyed your Word, spiritually or physically dark, sunshine peeping through the clouds, take my yoke upon you, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, the BIBLE, the everlasting truth, the God who heals, the great invitation, the last day of March, the mass confusion in our world, the most appropriate person to ask for help, the power to solve our many problems, the prophet Samuel's mother, the rock of my strength, the throne of grace, the wisest move, to shine a little light in our lives, truth, turn from our evil ways, turn to Almighty God for help, turn to God for guidance, ungodly times, wait thou only upon God, went with them to the house of God, where is thy God, who art in heaven, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with the voice of joy and praise, ye people
Psalm 62:8. Trust in him (the Lord) at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
And this last day of March, which began as a wet and miserable, dangerous Monday, has by midday, thankfully become a somewhat dry and cloudy day with a bit of sunshine peeping through the clouds. It’s been a tough weekend, what with the constant rain in most of the city and severe ice-storms on the outskirts, that left many people without heat and light for several days. And it’s definitely not a pleasant scenario when you have no heat or light, your food is spoiling, and when you look out, or venture to go out, all around you are trees, buildings and roads covered with dangerous ice.
Some people even complained about tree branches, laden by the weight of the ice falling on their houses and being incapable of doing anything about it. And the ice storms are infinitely more dangerous and problematic since you can’t clean them up as easily as the snow storms. So, it seems the month of March intends to go out like a lion, just as it came in. Well good riddance to you! (smile)
Ah friends, in such situations the wisest move is to raise up your faith and turn to Almighty God for help, with prayerful words like these from Psalm 62. ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.’ (Ps. 62:5-7)
Yes my people, when our world is dark, either physically or spiritually, or both, and we’re not sure what to do, our faith must be strong enough to automatically turn us to God for guidance and to shine a li’l light in our lives. And these words of Bruh David in the next verse of Psalm 62, exemplify exactly what we mean. He solemnly declares: ‘Trust in him (the Lord) at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62:8)
And that’s certainly the everlasting truth! For God is our Creator, He’s wiser and more powerful than us. Actually, He’s the wisest and most powerful being in the entire universe, therefore in times of trouble, He’s the most appropriate person to turn to for help. And there are a couple of perfect examples of troubled people doing just that.
The first one is Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother. She had been barren for many years and thus looked down upon as unworthy of being a wife, but one day she got her act together went into the temple and cried out to the Lord for a child. The priest Eli saw her mumbling and thought she was drunk. ‘And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.’ (1 Sam. 1:15)
Meanwhile in Psalm 42 -My Soul Thirsts for the Lord – Bruh David is having his problems, is hungering for God, and thus poignantly writes: ‘My tears have been my meat (food) day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday (a pilgrim feast). Why art thou cast (bowed) down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).’ (Ps. 42:3-5)
Yes my brethren, both Hannah and Bruh David poured out their souls to the Lord in their time of need, and He came through for them. Hannah got the son she desired, Samuel, and Bruh David eventually found the peace of mind he was seeking. So it’s very good advice to turn to Almighty God for help in troubled times. Furthermore, throughout His Word, the Bible, He’s promised on numerous occasions to help us when we feel lost and helpless, but we need to make the initial approach.
And what greater promise of help is there than Jesus’ Great Invitation? None whatsoever! He states with heartfelt sincerity: ‘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 in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Now, who else could make such an outstanding promise and also have the awesome power to keep it eh? Only our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to keep Him first and foremost in our lives.
So, since we’re all in a spot of trouble, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid in these crazy and ungodly times. Altogether: ‘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. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now friends, let’s remember that it takes two to tango, so therefore, if we need divine help, then we’ve got to do our part and dance…dance to God’s music of obedience, faithfulness, sincerity, etc. etc. Much LOVE!
…covenant relationships cannot be successful…if only one partner is keeping there part of the covenant…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an attitude of trust, because he is at my right hand, child's play, Christ has paved the way, clothed in forgiveness, delight in God's people, freedom from the bondage of sin, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I have set the Lord always before me, I shall not be moved, in thy presence is fullness of joy, Jesus will fulfiil all His promises, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, no one can take that from me, open our hearts to Jesus, praise for the Lord's counsel, satisfaction in God's gracious provisions, separation from idolatrous worship, share His love with the world, steadfastness in spiritual devotion, terminate in God's joyful presence, thou wilt not allow thy Holy One to see corruption, thou wilt show me the path of life, to see corruption, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, wallowing in the mire of sin, worry
Psalm 16:8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
It’s a chilly Tuesday morning, and I’m still having trouble accessing my E-mail account, for some mysterious reason that I can’t get a proper answer to, and when I do what they say to rectify it, I keep getting the run around. That means no e-mails of the Scrip-Bit have been going out for the last few days, but I have found a way to blog it and do the podcast, and I do hope my faithful readers will be guided, be enabled by the Holy Spirit to find it on one of those platforms.
And if you do know anyone who has been thus inconvenienced, please inform them that they can still find it, for I’m not going to stop writing it until the Lord specifically tells me to stop! It’s all in His hands now! Matter fixed!
And today, in these dangerous and uncertain times, I believe that we all need to turn to the Lord, seeking preservation and blessing like Bruh David did in Psalm 16. So please pray his faithful words with me. ‘Preserve (watch over) me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee (is nothing apart from thee);
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent (they are the excellent), in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintenest (uphold) my lot.’ (Ps. 16:1-5)
Oh friends, I sincerely hope that we all feel the same way; that the Lord God Jehovah is the ONE and ONLY God for us; the One who uplifts our spirits, who keeps us blessed and contented in these turbulent times! And for good reason too, because He is also the ONLY ONE who can perform that miraculous task!
Now let’s continue praying the immortal words of Bruh David. ‘The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a godly heritage (inheritance). I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins (heart) also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope (dwell securely). For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps. 16:6-11)
And isn’t all of that the everlasting truth! It surely is! In God’s presence and at His right hand there are eternal pleasures my faithful brethren! Now what does all we have said and prayed mean eh? Let’s see if I can paraphrase it from the scholars’ explanation.
‘Psalm 16. The attitude of the righteous man is described in life (vs. 1-8) and death (vs. 9-11). In life, his attitude is one of trust (vs. 1), gratefulness for God’s goodness (vs. 2), delight in God’s people (vs. 3),separation from idolatrous worship (vs.4; cf. Ex.23:13; Deut. 12:3), satisfaction in God’s gracious provisions (vs. 5-6), praise for the Lord’s counsel (vs. 7), and steadfastness in spiritual devotion (vs. 8)
In facing death, the righteous man rejoices and is hopeful (vs. 9). He is confident that God will preserve him from the decay of death and that death will not result in his corruption (vs. 10). Rather, he will travel down the path of life, that is the path leading to life, which will terminate in God’s joyful presence (vs.11). David’s confidence in his ultimate destiny is valid for him (and for all believers) only because Christ has travelled down that path and paved the way for all who believe in Him (Acts 2:25-28).’
Yes friends, that’s what it means to be in the fold of the Lord God Almighty and His majestic son, Jesus Christ! Oh we do suffer injustice and hard times, but through their strength and faithfulness we can walk safely through it all, clothed in forgiveness, freedom from the bondage of sin, in other words, salvation, while looking forward to the eventual promise of eternal life in their awesome presence.
Oh brother! What can be better than that eh? NOTHING! And no other supposed god is offering anything even close to what Jesus offers. That’s why it’s so important, so wise and wonderful to accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, for He has the best to offer!
And before I forget, (smile) that passage in the scholars’ explanation that mentions Acts 2:25-28, is where Peter, in his magnificent Pentecost Sermon, while talking of Jesus and His sacrificial death for us all, quoted verses 8-11 of Psalm 16, noting that it was because of Bruh David’s insight and confidence in his God, and Son Jesus Christ, he could make such powerful statements in the psalm.
And do we ever need those promises and reassurances more than ever in our current world predicament. That’s why I keep encouraging us to turn to the Lord for succour and divine help, because He is the ONLY ONE who can solve all of our problems, the same way He solved the problem of our sinful existence and gave us salvation through Christ’s sacrificial death.
It’s only logical to believe that if the Lord could wash away our terrible sins, that He could handle the less difficult problems that face us today. That would be child’s play for Him. But we have to go to Him in sincere repentance and ask for His help. And that’s where the whatever hits the wall. We are too proud, foolish, egotistical and stubborn to do it. So we unwisely keep wallowing in the mire of sin and suffering, ever-sinking down to the land of the dead, while solutions sit unused on our doorsteps, and all we have to do is open our hearts to Jesus. But I guess that’s what we call life.
Anyway, for those of us who have opened our hearts to Jesus and are confident in His promises, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. So, as one, in strong 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 the world. Amen!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do. Much LOVE!
…promises, promises, promises…Jesus will fulfill them all…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
10 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day to rejoice in the Lord, accept Christ as Lord and Saviour, be responsible and stay safe, because he is at my right hand, bring backsliders back to your fold, confusion and havoc of Covid 19, defeat the virus and the unrest, embrace your love and compassion, eternal death and damnation, every day with breath, Friday chant, from him that spoileth him, he hath delivered the soul of the poor, he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, I have set the Lord always before me, I shall not be moved, introduce a whole new flock, it shall rejoice in his salvation, life might be rough and tough, LOVE, my flesh shall rest in hope, my heart is glad, my soul shall be joyful in the Lord, no seeing without believing, omnipotent help, Praise ye the Lord, sing unto the Lord, stand strong and steadfast, suffer the Holy One to see corruption, the example your faithful believers set, the hand of evildoers, the poor and needy, this is the day the Lord has made, thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, through hell and high water, to save him from those that condemn his soul, trusting faith, we can do all things with Christ's help, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wise guidance
Jeremiah 20:13. Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul (life) of the poor from the hand of evildoers.
Oh friends, it’s such a beautiful day in God’s universe, and a Friday to boot, meaning that the work week is ending and the weekend is upon us! So let’s have a wonderful day nuh! Life might be somewhat rough and tough, but once we have Jesus planted deep in our hearts and souls, it’s still possible to enjoy ourselves in this evil world. Then let’s declare it nuh: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) And let’s not forget either that through Christ we can do anything He desires of us, because He is the very one that strengthens us, that enables us to do His mighty work down here on earth! Glory be my people!
And that’s why, this morning, we are going to do as Jeremiah did when He was sincerely trying to do the Lord’s work, and his enemies were constantly causing him problems, but he placed both enemies and problems in the mighty hands of the Lord and confidently declared: ‘Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul (life) of the poor from the hand of evildoers.’ (Jer. 20:13) Now that’s exactly what the Lord does my brethren, when we place our trust and faith in Him. Yes, there’s no way He will turn away from us, when we call out to Him for help!
And if you don’t believe Jeremiah, then check out these faithful and trusting words of Bruh David from Psalm 109 – titled, ‘A prayer for punishment of the wicked.’ To end the psalm, he confidently cries out: ‘I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.’ (Ps. 109:30-31) And Bruh David had enough dealings with the Lord to know what he was talking about.
That’s why he could also say in Psalm 35 – A prayer for recue from enemies. ‘And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: for it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and needy from him that spoileth (plunders) him.’ (Ps. 35:9-10)
Oh my people, my people, it’s the Lord faithful promise that if we turn to Him in all sincerity and truth that He will never leave nor forsake us. But the only way we can ever find out if He’s faithful is by first putting our faith and trust, surrendering our lives to Him. There’s no seeing without believing in His economy, and we just have to go by the faithful testimony of those who have gone before us and discovered that the Lord is indeed faithful to keep ALL of His promises. We just have to go on faith friends.
And if we can’t find anything better, nothing else to help solve our problems, then it’s simple common sense to give Jesus a try. And I don’t think we can get a better testimony than from Bruh David, who in complete innocence went through hell and high water in the Lord’s service, and even with his own serious mistakes, still enjoyed a blessed life, because he never turned away from the God of his forefathers. And if yuh want to hear real heartfelt testimony, listen to how he ends Psalm 16, as he seeks preservation and blessing.
‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead): neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps. 16:8-11) Oh friends, you couldn’t get any more confident than that in the Lord’s faithfulness, but it’s all based on Christ Jesus blazing the trail for us.
As Bruh David confidently declared: ‘neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One, (that’s Christ), to see corruption.’ Even way back then, though he didn’t see it in reality, in his prophetic nature, he believed in the promise of the Messiah, the coming of Christ to save all those who trusted and believed in Him. But now that we have seen it, the coming of Christ, what are we waiting for eh?
It just shows that God’s promises are faithful and true, and if you don’t take Him up on them, then eventually crapaud going to smoke yuh pipe, you will be eternally separated from Him, suffering eternal death and damnation. And it won’t be a nice time…so I beg us, plead with us, let’s accept Christ as Lord and Saviour nuh, because it’s the only real and true answer to all our problems and worries.
Therefore, let’s go to Him right now in prayer, doing as He advises, casting all our cares upon him, for He cares for us. So, in all sincerity, let’s raise up our Friday Chant to heaven nuh. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible.
And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set.
Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And don’t forget that positive answers will only come, if we faithfully keep the promises that we make. Have a good day on such a beautiful day! Much LOVE!
…every day with breath in our souls…is a day to rejoice in the Lord…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
20 May 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundance, another day of life, at they right hand are pleasures evermore, Christ paved the way, comapssionate heart, curse, divine protection, faing eternal damnation, God's joyful presence, he is at my right hand, I have set the Lord always before me, I shall not be moved, in the fires of hell, in thy presence is fullness of joy, LOVE, my flesh shall dwell securely in hope, my glory rejoiceth, my heart is glad, negative word, no need to fear when waling with Christ, our attitude towards death, prosper, share blessings generously, succeed, suffer the Holy One to see corruption, summertime blues, talent, the attitude of the righteous man, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the nature of the beast, the righteous man rejoices and is hopeful, thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, thou wilt show me the path of life, Thursday Blessings, trust and spiritual devotion to God
Psalm 16:8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Summertime! Summertime! Summertime! I’ve got the summertime blues! Yes friends, all of us in the north country are just dying for the summertime to take strong effect, for it will at least get us of the house into our yards and patios and have fresh air circulating through our houses. Although, when the heat and humidity start hitting us, we going to complain: ‘Boy! It so hot eh! I wish I had air conditioning yes!’ (smile) But that’s just the nature of the beast, we LOVE to complain even when our basic needs are met and we living better than most of the world.
And today, since the Lord has seen fit to gift us with another day of life on His great earth, I am going to keep my promise of a few days ago and return to Psalm 16, finish talking about that most excellent Michtam or Contemplation of Bruh David, as he seeks preservation and blessing. Earlier on we dealt with ‘the attitude of the righteous man in life, which was to be one of trust (vs. 1), gratefulness for God’s goodness (vs. 2), delight in God’s people (vs. 3), separation from idolatrous worship (vs. 4), satisfaction in God’s gracious provisions (vs. 5-6), praise for the Lord’s counsel (vs. 7), and steadfastness in spiritual devotion (vs. 8).’
Oh my people, those are just a few of the things we need to concentrate on as we live this earthly life for Christ! Yeh, I know they seem plentiful and difficult, but in actual reality they are neither, because once you seriously and sincerely decide to live for Christ, He gives you all that you need to do it successfully, through the awesome guidance of His Holy Spirit and His amazing word filled with numerous promises. And if we stay steadfast, He will too. So the life situation is all taken care of there.
Today though, we’ll take a gander at what our attitude ought to be towards death. But first let’s hear some of those marvellous words of Bruh David as he broaches the subject. Now, having set his mind on spiritual steadfastness to God in his living days, he is able to proclaim. ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.’ (Ps. 16:8) Yes my fellow saints, if we want to be able to handle death properly, that is the first thing we need to acknowledge, overwhelming trust and spiritual devotion to Almighty God.
And why is that? Because, as Bruh David continues: ‘Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope.’ (Ps. 16:9) Mama, O Mama! Isn’t that a wonderful position to be in precious people; possession of a glad heart with awesome rejoicing and secure hope in Christ? It most certainly is! And then Bruh David lays it right on the line: ‘For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption.’ (Ps. 16:10)
Yes mih bredrin, when our hearts and souls are right with God, He will not allow our spirits to dwell in the place of death; but instead, they will be made full of life and dwell with Him in heaven eternally. And that’s why we should not be afraid of death if we are sincerely in tune with our Creator, for though our mortal bodies will return to the dust from whence they came, our spirits won’t ever see death. That’s because after we have taken our last breath here on earth, our spirit will take its next in heaven with Christ. That’s the promise to the faithful Christian!
And being persuaded and assured of all those things, Bruh David could therefore declare with a proud and certain heart. ‘Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps. 16:11) Now that’s good reason to shout for joy my people! When we walk sincerely with our heavenly Father, He guides and directs us down the path of life that leads directly to Him. And along the way, He also gives us His joy – for remember the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10).
You also know that there’s no other Being as generous as Him, so in His presence, we will be rewarded most generously for our steadfastness and endurance. Therefore, I don’t know why so many of us refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour nuh, because the only other option available, that of being with Satan in the fires of hell, facing eternal damnation, holds no fascination whatsoever!
Now here’s what the scholars say our attitude to death ought to resemble. ‘In facing death, the righteous man rejoices and is hopeful (vs. 9). He is confident that God will preserve him from the decay of death, and that death will not result in his corruption (vs. 10). Rather, he will travel down the path of life, that is the path leading to life, which will terminate in God’s joyful presence (vs. 11). David’s confidence in his ultimate destiny is valid for him (and for ALL believers) only because Christ has travelled down that path and paved the way for all who believe in Him (Acts 2:25-28).’ That’s where Peter includes Bruh David’s words in his powerful Pentecost Sermon.
Oh, how wonderful is all that eh friends! Very much so! That’s why it boggles my imagination when so many people, so stubbornly refuse to come to Jesus and accept His light yoke and awesome salvation, that leads to eternal life with Him in heaven! For as I said earlier, the only other option available, being with Satan in hell, is downright unacceptable.
So, now that we know how to face life and death, let’s go out and face it mano-a-mano, like Jesus did nuh. And, as Christ always does, He gave us some awesome tools with which to do His wonderful work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. Now, as one, in strong voice, let’s positively declare them nuh.
‘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 what are we supposed to do with all them amazing blessings eh mih people? Go out and share them just as generously with others as Christ shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…there is no need to fear either life or death…when walking sincerely with Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
02 Sep 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a benevolent young couple, a privilege and honour, all knees must bow, Alpha and Omega, at thy right hand, clothing, compassions, crowded city of New York, difficult is the way, felt cheated, food, give thanks, go a whoring from God, God's LOVE, gospel truth, halfway home, hasten after another god, he is at my right hand, He is enough, how narrow is the gate, I ask forgiveness, I shall not be moved, I will bless the Lord, idolatrous worship, in Him there is enough faithfulness, in thee do I trust, in thy presence is fullness of joy, in whom is all my delight, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my great enough, my hands are fixed, my limited concept of God, never enough of anything, new upon us every day, nothing apart from thee, One Year Book of Bible promises, pleasures for evermore, Ruth Harms Calkin, satisfy the longings of my heart, securely on the plough, shelter, the attitude of the righteous man, the breath of life, the Lion of Judah, the name above every other name, the path of life, the Prince of Peace, the question of faith, there is none like our Lord, thou wilt show me the path of life, to a glorious future with Jesus, to God the Father, vast expanse of water, warmth, Wednesday Wail
Psalm 16:11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Well another day of God’s LOVE, mercy and compassions are new upon us! Glory be! What a privilege and honour to have Him refresh our lives each and every day. That’s why we say there is none other like the Lord our God, our Jesus! He is the Alpha and the Omega; the Frist and the Last, the Prince of Peace, the Lily of the Valley, the Lion of Judah, the Rose of Sharon…and so many other things, like the name that’s above every other name, and the One to whom all knees must eventually bow and give thanks through Him to God the Father!
Wow! Isn’t He loverly…isn’t He wonderful? Most certainly! And that leads us quite nicely into this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, titled ‘He Is Enough.’ Bless His holy name! Please pray with me: ‘She lived in the most deprived section of the crowded city of New York, where there was never enough of anything – never enough food or clothing, never enough warmth or shelter, never enough compassion.
But one day a benevolent young couple invited her to spend a week at the seashore, to experience a piece of life she had never known. Hour by hour she breathed deeply as the crashing waves brushed against her small frame. She looked at the vast expanse of water – and then, without warning she began to sob. For the first time in her life she saw something of which there was enough!
Today I ask forgiveness for my limited concept of God. At times I’ve secretly felt cheated – as though somehow He was not enough to satisfy the longings of my heart. I need to learn and relearn that in Him there is enough faithfulness, enough LOVE, enough grace, enough joy! May I never forget that God Himself in now and forever my Great Enough!’
And that is the living truth my people: our great God is more than enough of everything for everyone He’s ever created! But until we learn that most important point – I’ll repeat it (smile) God is more than enough for all of us, we will never be satisfied, or joyful in this evil world! And that’s where the question of faith comes in. The more faith we can muster the less doubts and anxieties will plague us, and the more joyfulness and assurance we will feel and exhibit in the Great I AM!
And that’s why Bruh David could write these immortal words in Psalm 16, as he seeks preservation and blessing. ‘Preserve (watch over) me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee (is nothing apart from thee). But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent (they are the excellent), in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.’ (Ps. 16:1-4)
Yes friends, if we go a whoring after other supposed gods our sorrows will be seriously multiplied, for we are nothing, apart from the Lord our God! Jesus said it quite plainly: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5b) And Bruh David learned this at a young age, possibly from being alone in the wilderness caring for the sheep with only God to help Him. He certainly had to rely on God more than if he was doing a regular 9-5 job in safe surroundings. (smile)
Hear how he puts it: ‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou manintainest (upholds) my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage (inheritance). I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins (heart) also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (Sheol; the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps. 16:5-11) And that’s all gospel truth my precious saints of God! But until we learn and accept that being in God’s presence is the greatest thing that could ever happen to us, we’ll never be satisfied or fulfilled. And that last sentence is also the Bible Promise for our poem above.
Now listen to the scholars: ‘Psalm 16. The attitude of the righteous man is described in life (vs.1-8) and death (vs. 9-11). In life his attitude is one of trust (vs. 1), gratefulness for God’s goodness (vs. 2), delight in God’s people (vs.3), separation from idolatrous worship (vs. 4; cf. Ex. 23:13; Deut. 12:3), satisfaction in God’s gracious provisions (vs.5-6), praise for the Lord’s counsel (vs.7) and steadfastness in spiritual devotion (vs.8).
In facing death, the righteous man rejoices and is hopeful (vs.9). He is confident that God will preserve him from the decay of death and that death will not result in his corruption (vs.10). Rather, he will travel down the path of life, that is, the path leading to life, which will terminate in God’s joyful presence (vs.11). David’s confidence in his ultimate destiny is valid for him (and for all believers) only because Christ has traveled down that path and paved the way for all who believe in Him (Acts 2:25-28).’ And that’s why Christ could truthfully say, without Him, we are nothing.
Now for those of us who truly believe that, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, telling all and sundry of our wonderful position in that most wonderful person, Jesus Christ. All together now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if you truly believe, then you’ll know that if you endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious than you ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…think on this…how narrow is the gate…and difficult is the way…which leads to life…and there be few that find it… (Matt. 7:14)
26 May 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blessing is coming your way, a bone of contention, a goodly heritage, a minute with God, always before me, bars and clubs expanding, beloved of God, between a rock and a hard place, could end up a ghost town, cry for attention, dehydrated, difficult to walk with God, don't pray, drink plenty water, easy to worship a celebrity, friend of Jesus, he's at my right hand, heaven, hot as hell, hurry, I have set the Lord, I love you, I shall not be moved, I will always bless you, I will bless the Lord, in god's eyes, inheritance, just praise, of ine inheritance, on which side his bread buttered, prayers getting shorter, quick to turn to God, quiet time, share His love, some kind of stop gap measure, suffer thine Holy One, the Lord is the portion, thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, to see corruption, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, worry, you hardly have time for me
Psalm 16:8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Ah friends, the hot and humid day yesterday taught me a valuable lesson; drink plenty water! I went out yesterday afternoon and came back dry like chip and feeling lousy and wondering why, until I theorized that I was dehydrated. Oh I’m drinking water all the time, or rather sipping it, (smile) but it seems that whatever it adds up to is not enough for a day like yesterday. And taking water pills twice a week doesn’t help the situation either.
Then, to make matters worse, the house, at least upstairs in my bedroom, was as hot as hell! When yuh hear that I eventually put on the A/C without a peep of dissension from the Duchess – it’s always a bone of contention between us – you must know it was really hot! (smile) So please all, let’s get wise and start drinking lots of water nuh, especially you ole fogies like myself.
And here’s something else that’s even more important for us to do. It’s something I got yesterday from one of my church friends. Some of you might also have received it, but it’s certainly worth hearing again. (smile) It’s titled ‘A Minute with God. I spent a minute and hope you do too. I LOVE the opening sentence. With what is going on in the world today, heaven could end up a ghost town? My name is God. You hardly have time for me. I LOVE you and will always bless you. I am always with you.
I need you to spend sixty seconds of your time with Me today. Don’t pray, just praise. Today, I want this message to go around the world before midnight. Will you help? Please do not delete it, and I’ll help you with something you’re in need of; even if it’s just quiet time. Just dare me! A blessing is coming your way. Please drop everything and pass it on. Why are prayers getting shorter, but bars and clubs are expanding? Why is it so easy to worship a celebrity, but so difficult to walk with Me? Think about it.
Will you offer a prayer just now, or are you going to ignore doing so, because you don’t have time for Me? Consider forwarding this to all your friends. 80 % of you won’t. I have said, if you deny Me before your friends, I will deny you on Judgement Day. What I say, I keep. When one door closes, I open two more. If I have opened doors for you, send this message along to others, bless them for me. Thanks! God’s been good to me, so I’m forwarding.’
Ah mih people, God’s been good to so many of us, yet we still ignore Him, letting the foolish and unimportant busyness of this world devour all our time. Yes, if we ask a crowd of people why they don’t pray and worship Almighty God more, the first and most oft answer will be they’re too busy. Steups! Too busy doing what eh? The foolishness that the world considers important! But yuh know what? When the heifer dust hits the fan, like right now, when we’re caught between a rock and a real hard place, we quick to turn to God and beg for mercy and help! Hn!
And this pandemic time is a very good example of that! I haven’t seen as many prayers floating around as are floating around now. And everybody seems to be remembering God because we can’t make the virus go away through our own efforts. But friends, God is not some kind of stop gap measure, to whom we only turn when we can’t fix the problem. He’s our Creator, Our Provider, Our Life Director and desires us to be always in sincere contact with Him! That’s how we receive the abundance of wonderful blessings He has in store for us. Not just running to Him when things bad with us!
Listen to these moving and heartfelt words of Bruh David from Psalm 16 nuh, as he sincerely seeks preservation and blessing? ‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest (uphold) my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage (inheritance). I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins (heart) also instruct me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One (Christ) to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps. 16:5-11)
Oh my people, how can it get any better than that eh? NO WAY! And it’s not like Bruh David didn’t have problems, he had plenty, more than most of us, but because his heart and soul were focused on the Lord, the God of his forefathers, he was able to withstand and overcome everything that came against him. He was smart enough to know on which side his bread was buttered!
And all the Lord is simply saying to us is: ‘I am your Creator, your Provider, I LOVE you… LOVE you so much that I even gave my first born Son as a sacrifice for you. and all I want to do is bless you and spend a li’l quality time with you!’
And that’s the basic reason why this pandemic is upon us right now…the Lord is lonely…He made us to fellowship with Him, and we’re not doing it, so He’s just drawing our attention to that most salient fact. I don’t know what else to say nuh friends. The Lord is bending over backwards to meet us, but unfortunately we’re not responding positively to His cry for attention. So what else can we expect but calamity eh?
But for those of us who are sincerely trying to reach out to Him, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting this evil world know who and whose we are. All together 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!’ It now behooves us to go out and action those statements! Much LOVE!
…how can the created ignore its Creator eh…that’s not wisdom…
11 Feb 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: always before me, antidote, aura of love, awesome love, confidence, Day of Pentecost, death, disobedient children, encouragement, enthusiasm, ever-faitful Deity, evil, faithfulness, foothold, friends, full of mouth, hardhearted, he is at my right hand, hell, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, I have set the Lord, I shall not be moved, immersing ourselves, in thy presence, invincible, is fullness of joy, Jerusalem, Jesus, joy, lies, LOVE, meditation, Monday blues, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my flesh, my glory rejoiceth, my heart is glad, Peter, prayer, prophecy, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, sacrifice his son, Satan, satanic majesty, see corruption, shall rest in hope, speaking the word, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, stubborn, taunts, the cross at Calvary, the grave, the Lord's help, the path of life, the Word of god, thine Holy One, trust, truth, unconditional LOVE, ungodly world, wisdom, wrecking ball
Psalm 16:8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Yeh mih breddren, I know Monday has rolled around again, and with it has come those dreaded Monday Blues; thoughts and worries and concerns released into our systems by our macabre enemy to steal our joy, our hope, our strength and our wonderful faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
He knows that if he can just instill some doubt and insecurity in our souls and spirits he will be able to get some sort of foothold in our lives.
However friends, we need to deny the devil that touch of victory, deny him any victory at all! And the only way we can do that is by immersing ourselves in the Word of the Lord, in prayer and meditation and speaking that Word out loud to rebuke his satanic majesty.
We all know that Satan is only full of mouth, and once we stand up to him, with Jesus by our side, he runs and hide, because he knows he can’t win any battles involving Jesus. In fact he’s already been defeated in the war over death, hell and the grave!
Wow! Our Lord and Saviour Jesus won it hands down when He rose majestic and victorious on Easter Sunday morn! Glory to the Father for His most wonderful and unconditional LOVE for us His stubborn, hardhearted and disobedient children, which caused Him to sacrifice His ONLY Son on our behalf!
Oh friends, our God is a great and ever-faithful Deity yes! And I say that as I chuckle here, because when I came to write, I had no idea of what I was going to write, not even how to open the Bit. But as you can see from the above stuff, with the Lord’s help and encouragement the words and ideas just flowed! (smile)
So how can I ever doubt Him eh? And I’m offering you the glorious opportunity to also have Him be a major part of your life, so that you too can personally experience, His awesome LOVE and faithfulness. And we’ll show you some of that faithfulness as we come to Him and ask Him to drive away those awful Monday Blues and enliven our souls and spirits once again.
So let’s declare (right ho) our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, the antidote, the wrecking ball for those tired and listless feelings with full sincerity and a true sense of purpose, because, without those two elements, it won’t work.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh yes my people, our God is good! And I know that you are feeling that rebirth, that refuelling of the Holy Spirit in your lives, because I too am feeling it in mine! Glory to God! So now we can truly get out into that evil world and fight a good fight in Jesus’ name, like we’ve been destined to do!
And I was also led to some most appropriate scripture to go along with all the other aspects of our Bit. Listen to these words, heart-stopping, sincere, and ever so wise words from Bruh David, as he seeks preservation and blessing from the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell) in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (Sheol, the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps.16:8-11)
Oh friends, all of that is oh so true because Jesus came and did it all! He won the victory over hell, death and the grave, and showed the path of life, letting us know that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, as well as the everlasting Light that engulfs God’s universe, and that ONLY through Him can we ever come to the Father. And when we partner with Him, there is everlasting joy and pleasure, earthly and heavenly, waiting for us.
Now what can be better than all that eh friends? Who else can provide all of that in ONE body eh? Only Jesus Christ! So there is much wisdom in coming to know and adore, admire and live for Him.
And besides, to prove that those words of Bruh David weren’t empty words, Peter preached them in his great sermon on the Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2:25-28) letting the people of Jerusalem and all its visitors know that Jesus Christ had indeed brought that prophecy to fruition by His selfless, once and for all sacrifice of Himself on the cross at Calvary.
So please friends, today, let’s take heart, courage and strength from the wondrous works of Jesus as He full well desires us to do. Much LOVE!
…to receive all that heaven offers…one must give all of oneself to Christ…
08 Jan 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a living hope, abundant mercy, action those words, Alexandre Dumas, all human wisdom, any man should boast, believe in Him, believing, Blessed is the man who trusts in God, by grace ye are saved, Christ's promises, depresses, dwell securely, eternal life, face each day, faith, filled with joy, friend of Jesus, gifts, gospel truth, hope, hope and wait, I shall not be moved, Jeremiah, Lamentations, maketh the heart sick, my hope is in thee, not works, now Lord, obedience, on our own strength, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, perseverance, pick sense from nonsense, queitly wait, rest in hope, rich in mercy, rise from the dead, salvation, saved by hope, share it, sound of the trump, summed up in two words, the beloved of God, the best possible attitude, the gift of God, the last day, the Lord is at my right hand, the resurrection of Christ, through faith, trust his love, Tuesday Mantra, what I do, what wait I for, wise, with patience wait for it
Psalm 39:7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.
Well it’s a wet and bright morning in my neighbourhood – bright possibly because I got up later than usual, – also went to bed later than usual. (smile) But anyway, I’d like to welcome us all back to the daily grind and common task, the banal, often boring existence we call everyday life! (smile) Yeh friends, no more celebrations until Valentine’s Day down in February. It’s mostly home and work and pay the bills until then.
But some of us manage that quite well, possibly because we have the Hope of Jesus in our lives. And in the words of the renowned French writer of works like the Count of Monte Cristo, Twenty Years After, Ten Years Later and The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) – real name Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie; ‘All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope.’
And that is the gospel truth my believing brethren! What else is there in this life eh, but to hope for what we want and then to wait patiently for it? Without either hope or patience we’re like a duck out of water. (smile) As Bruh Paul wrote to the Roman church so long ago: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25)
And that’s simple logic; why hope for something when you already have or see it eh? But friends, nobody personifies those qualities of hoping and patiently waiting more than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because He promises the best and greatest gifts of all time; salvation and eternal life, which He sacrificially and selflessly died to provide for us! And freely too, because it’s through the grace of God, we’re saved.
As Bruh Paul points out to the Ephesians: ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are (have been) saved…For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not works, lest any man should boast.’ (Eph.2:4-5, 8-9).
Ah mih people, Bruh Paul makes it abundantly clear that salvation and eternal life are not ours to attain on our own strength, but through hope and faith and patience and perseverance and obedience in Christ and His will and His wonderful promises. As He says, all we have to do is believe in Him! But some of us find that too simple and easy, and anything that comes to us too easily is no good; if we don’t struggle for something, then it’s not worthwhile.
But with Jesus, my friends, it’s different. The first part, believing is the easy part, for after we believe then comes the oftimes hard part of being obedient. (smile) Anyway, all I really wanted to do this morning was to talk some about hope, and help us build it in Jesus this new year of 2019. But somewhere along the line I got lost and confused, (smile) so let’s get to some scriptures that encourage us and build our hope in Christ.
And where better to start than with these most reassuring words of Bruh David: ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope.’ (Ps.16:8-9)
Oh my people, when our hope is sincerely placed in the great living God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, then we’re not afraid of life, or whatever it brings against us, and we can rejoice and be safe and secure in His LOVING care! And Bruh David states it plain and simple and assured in this verse, our Bit for today: ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.’ That’s exactly how we ought to also put it my people!
And Cousin Sol has an interesting verse in Proverbs: ‘Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.’ (Prov.13:12) And the scholars explain that thus: ‘13:12. Hope deferred depresses, but its fulfillment revitalizes.’ Yeh mih breddren, when we hope for stuff, we often feel depressed having to wait for it, but when we get what we’ve hoped for…Brother! Are we ever filled with joy!
Now hear the lamenting prophet, Jeremiah: ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.’ (Jer.17:7) And if Jerry could make such a statement, after all the hardship he went though on the Lord’s behalf, then there must be a whole lot of truth in it. Oh friends, there are so many wonderful scriptures on hope in the Good Book that I’m having a hard time to determine what to use.
Anyhow, hear these last two: the first from Jeremiah in his famous Lamentations, one we all know and LOVE to quote, but don’t action so well. ‘It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:26) And this verse from Peter is a most wonderful one to end with: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ (1 Pet.1:3)
Yes friends, because Jesus rose from the dead, we too have the hope that those who believe in Him will also rise at the sound of the trump on the last day! Glory be! Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday mantra, loud, bold and sincere, letting the world know who and whose we are!
In unison 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 if we truly believe, then we’ll go out and graciously action those words. Much LOVE!
…HOPE renews me…and lets me face each day…with the best possible attitude… (From One More Day -Daily Meditations for People with Chronic Illness by Sefra Kobrin Pitzele)
P.S. It’s long and late, and I hope it all makes sense, but if it doesn’t, I know you all are wise enough to pick sense from nonsense! (smile) What a nice smiley day! Much LOVE!
24 Jan 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundant, actively involved, adversity, always before me, another one bites the dust, at thy right hand, attitude of the righteous man, back roads of Kingston, calamity, Christ has paved the way, Christian, confidence, conviction, corruption, crazy life, delight in God's people, destiny, dwindling of friends, earthly sorrow, Emmanuel Griffith, free to roam, friends, fullness of joy, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God will preserve him, God's goodness, God's gracious provisions, good memories, gratefulness, hands on the plough, he is at my right hand, hijinks, hindsight, I shall not be moved, idolatrous worship, in thy presence, inevitably crop up, joyful life, judge, lady friend, leave my soul in hell, lime, looking forward, loud, loved life, meet again, Mona campus, my flesh, my glory rejoiceth, my heart is glad, naively, naively a lady friend, night excursions, not looking back, pain, party, path leading to life, Pentecost day, Peter, pleasures, pranks, Psalm 16, rejoices hopeful, revelations, set the Lord, shall rest in hope, suffer, surrender, talkative, that's life, the breath of life, the decay of death, the halls of heaven, the Lord's hand, the path of life, the righteous man, the wild blue yonder, thine Holy One, to a glorious future with Jesus, to see corruption, trust in God, truth, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, worthwhile
Psalm 16:8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
And another one bites the dust! Yeh people, another of my associates from university days in Mona, Jamaica, has apparently gone home to the Father. Dr. Emmanuel Griffith M.D. passed away yesterday in a nursing home in South Trinidad. He’s been sick, partially paralyzed for a number of years, initially felled by a stroke, and another stroke carried him home.
One thing’s for sure; Emmanuel Griffith, better known as ‘Griff,’ a Trini South Boy, LOVED life. Tall, dark and full-bodied, with his thick black frame glasses, he was loud and talkative, but friendly, and was always ready for a party or a lime. He was good people. Once he became your friend, he’d do anything for you. Some of you who read the Bit knew Griff, possibly even participated in some of his hijinks, because he also liked his pranks.
But that’s why it is important to make good memories in your young days. And Griff mih brother, we certainly made some good ones back in those youthful times. I can look back now and chuckle at the many nights you had me walking the dark, back roads of Kingston, after the busses had stopped running, trying to get back to the Mona campus, because I had naively allowed you to talk me into accompanying you to see a lady friend.
But in hindsight now, it seems that even back then, the Lord’s hand was actively involved in my life, because it’s on one of those night excursions that I initially got involved with the lady who would eventually become my wife. Brother! I can’t believe I’m talking about 50 years, a half century ago.
I know we lost touch once I left the Mona campus and returned to T&T, and by the time you came back to T&T, I had migrated to Canada. But over the years through a mutual friend, I’d occasionally hear revelations of your still crazy life. But who am I to judge you eh brother? I haven’t been the greatest either.
And now your body will be returned to the dust from whence it came, free of all the pain and earthly sorrow, but thankfully your spirit will be free to roam the halls of heaven. I know that you will enjoy that! Happy roaming my friend! My condolences go out to your family and friends, left behind to mourn and celebrate your life.
Yeh people, it’s a fact that as you get older you find your friends slowly dwindling. Over the last few years I can count at least six of my friends going home to be with the Lord. And just this past week an older friend and I were discussing the situation, because he had just come from the funeral of one of his already few friends.
But that’s life! We’re only here for a short time, and hopefully we’ll all meet up again in the wild blue yonder when Jesus comes back for us. But until then, we just have to grin and bear what ever befalls us on this evil earth.
And the wisest way to do that is by leaning on Jesus, as Bruh David says so eloquently in our Bit, while seeking preservation and blessing. ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.’ And that my friends is not only the absolute truth, but also indisputable wisdom! Glory to God!
Whenever we sincerely look to, partner with Almighty God, we place ourselves in the very best position to have an abundant and joyful life, despite the adversity and calamity that will inevitably crop up on occasion. Nobody faced more adversity than Bruh David, but when he placed his sincere trust in God, after our Bit, he was able to say with great conviction:
‘Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One (Jesus Christ) to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps.16:9-11)
What absolute confidence and trust in Almighty God, Bruh David shows there my fellow believers! That’s the kind of trust and surrender and confidence each and every Christian ought to have. And I think I’ll just order the reading of Palm 16, as today’s homework, (smile) so you can understand the scholar’s explanations thereof.
‘Psalm 16. The attitude of the righteous man is described in life (vs.1-8) and death (vs.9-11). In life, his attitude is one of trust (v.1), gratefulness for God’s goodness (v.2), delight in God’s people, (v.3), separation from idolatrous worship (v.4; cf. Ex.23:13; Deut. 12:3), satisfaction in God’s gracious provisions (vs.5-6), praise for the Lord’s counsel (v.7), and steadfastness in spiritual devotion (v.8).
In facing death, the righteous man rejoices and is hopeful (v.9). He is confident that God will preserve him from the decay of death and that death will not result in his corruption (v.10). Rather, he will travel down the path of life, that is, the path leading to life, which will terminate in God’s joyful presence (v.11). David’s confidence in his ultimate destiny is valid for him (and for all believers) only because Christ has travelled down that path and paved the way for all who believe in him (Acts 2:25-28).’
Oh friends, it could not be said any better. So if we’re wise, we’ll try and live that lifestyle, as it’s the optimum one available here on earth. And by the way, Acts 2:25-28 is only Peter’s paraphrasing of vs.9-11 in his big sermon on Pentecost day. Now let’s go home declaring our stellar position with Christ Jesus.
In all sincerity and truth now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we truly believe, then we know that there is indeed a glorious future ahead with Jesus Christ for all those who believe in and obey Him! Much LOVE!
…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…
P.S. Yeh, it’s long and late, but nonetheless very worthwhile! (smile)
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