01 Mar 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: because I live ye shall live also, become more involved with Christ, Christ is the Good Shepherd, give God thanks, have life more abundantly, I am come that they might have life, I am the beloved of god, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, if you love me keep my commandments, LOVE, make Christ our Number One priority, New Year's resolution, share His love with the world, sufferation, that I may know him, the Holy Spirit, the power of his resurrection, the thief comes only to steal and destroy, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra
John 14:15. If you LOVE me, keep my commandments.
Oh my people, please give our great and wonderful God much thanks and praise for getting us safely and successfully through Monday, the most difficult day of the week! That means the rest of the week will be easy, comparatively speaking. (smile) And don’t forget thanks also for allowing us to see a brand new day, Tuesday, and a brand new month, March. Can you believe that we’ve already gone through two months of this new and rather confusing and turbulent year of 2022?
The question that now remains to be asked is if we have kept pace with our New Year’s resolution, that of becoming more involved with our wonderful Lord and Saviour Christ, if He’s become a greater priority in our lives…in fact the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY! Yes friends, I hope the answer is a resounding ‘YES!’ That’s because until He becomes our very reason for living, we will never completely enjoy the abundant life that he died for us to have!
Now, we all know the definitive scripture found in John 10:10, where Jesus summarily declares: ‘The thief cometh not, but (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ And what does that mean eh? Simply what He says; that unlike the deceitful and destructive enemy, He came to earth to save us, both physically and spiritually, so that we could enjoy our earthly lives as well as look forward to one in eternity with Him.
But we need to believe Him and live exclusively for Him, be His sheep, His dedicated followers, because He is the Good Shepherd and looks after His sheep like no other shepherd, including dying for them. As He said later on: ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck (snatch) them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.’ (John 10:27-30)
Ah my people, like the scholars say, that gives us the divine ‘assurance that all believers will be utterly safe from any creature that might wish to destroy them.’ And does any other supposed god or deity give us such assurance eh? No way! How can they when they are dead idols and images? However, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary for us, then rose again from the dead to live forever, so that we also can live forever…if we live for Him.
Please note His words when He spoke to the disciples re His leaving and promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, our future Comforter. ‘I will not leave you comfortless (orphans): I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.’ ( John 14:18-20) Oh friends, further assurance that those who believe in Christ are safe and secure in Him, and Christ is safe and secure in the Father! Wow!
No wonder Bruh Paul could write to the church at Rome with overwhelming confidence: ‘For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being (having been) reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (reconciliation).’ (Rom. 5:10-11) That is thoroughly logical. If we were reconciled to God by Christ’s death, then why shouldn’t we enjoy all that He is through His resurrected life? No reason whatsoever!
And in his second missive to the church at Corinth, Bruh Paul put it this way: ‘Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body…Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you…’ (2 Cor. 4:10, 14)
And he felt the need to be so much like Christ, that to the church at Philippi, he wrote: ‘That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death.’ (Phil. 3:10) Now that is what you call real longing for Christ and to be like Him. And the scholars say that verse can be paraphrased thus: ‘In order that I may personally know Him, that I might both experience His resurrection power and share His sufferings, and thus I will be more conformed to His death.’
Oh my fellow saints, that’s what we all should be after! And I know that we don’t want to necessarily experience the sufferings of Christ, and most of us won’t experience the ‘sufferation’ He was forced to endure for our sake, but we can all enjoy the power of His resurrection if we stay faithful to Him. And if we do, He’s promised never to leave us alone, to send the Holy Spirit to comfort and lead and guide us, then, when the time is right, He will come back and take us unto Himself!
And one of the many the wonderful things about Jesus, is that He puts His requirements so simply and clearly. Listen to this one that truly covers everything. ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) Now how can it get any clearer or simpler than that eh mih bredrin? It just couldn’t! And that’s why those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Jesus can boldly and confidently go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one voice 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!’
So, let’s go out now and do just that nuh, share Jesus’ amazing LOVE and friendship with those who don’t Him, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him, like we do! Much LOVE!
…simply living for Jesus…that’s what this life is all about…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
24 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a weekend of great indulgence, all is not lost, all things that I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, anxiety filled day, cannot be my disciple, cloven tongues, come after me, filled with the Holy Ghost, give you another Comofrter, hear our prayer, humble servants, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, if ye love me keep my commandments, indulgences of the carnal kind, Jehovah Rapha, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, not with Jesus in the mix, sincere repentance, teach all nations, teaching them to observe, the Great Commission, the kingdom of God, the Lord doesn't suffer promise breakers gladlyr, the one everybody loves to hate, tough love, trusted Jesus implicitly, whosoever doth not bear his cross, winning souls for Jesus, worth his salt
John 14:15. If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.
Ah friends, my most humble apologies for the Bit being so late today. I began it earlier on, but just wasn’t in proper functioning mode, so I left it until I felt capable of doing it justice. But here’s what I had written so far: (smile) Monday, oh Monday…how shall we describe thee eh? As the scariest or most anxiety-filled day of the week…the one everybody LOVES to hate, and doesn’t like to appear on their horizon, because it means work, travel, labour, etc. etc.…? That’s getting up off our fat, lazy, entitled fannies after a weekend of great indulgence, indulgences of the mostly carnal kind. (smile)
Yes, my people, Monday is the day that brings out the worst in us, when we need to be at our best, at our best in winning souls for Jesus! It gives us no break, no leeway, just a constant flashing of the figurative whip, ever so subtly, yeah, very subtly inviting us to get up and get a move on! Oh Monday… you are such a hard taskmaster! But any leader who’s worth his salt, must have some of the hard taskmaster resilience in them. And we find that in both Satan and Jesus, though the flashing whip of Jesus is coated with genuine caring, LOVE, mercy and compassion, while the devil is just full of evil, selfishness and greed.
And we see the tough LOVE in Jesus, when He says: ‘If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren (brothers), and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’ (Luke 14:26-27) Yes friends, those are indeed hard words, but we know that Jesus did not mean we ought to truly hate our friends and families, but that His ministry, His will ought to be first and foremost in our minds, bodies, hearts and souls.
That’s just it! If our main intent is not to further the kingdom of God and His righteousness, despite the many problems we might face, then we are lacking in true discipleship. Jesus also declared to the disciples: ‘Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 15:15) And, ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) Now that’s the hallmark of any follower of any leader; to do what they command them to do, otherwise you are not a true follower. Which means that a lot of us supposed true believers are not really true believers, since we don’t do what Jesus says, we don’t keep His commandments.
But then, in typical Jesus fashion, after admonishing us to give up our will for His, to live our lives by His dictates, He turns around and promises: ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16-18)
Ah mih bredrin, what a wonderful Lord and Saviour is our Jesus! He lays down strong rules, but enhances them with mighty promises. And we all know He kept that promise of the coming of the indwelling Holy Ghost on that long ago Pentecost day, when the believers were in the upper room… ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
Jesus does keep His promises friends, although some of them might seem farfetched to our puny and finite minds. Yes, since that momentous day, upon receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour, every believer has been indwelt by the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them in their earthly walk with Christ. And let’s not forget what we call our Great Commission backed by a great promise, when Jesus instructed the disciples, and consequently ALL future followers:
‘All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:18-20)
Now that’s a tough commission to enforce, but the disciples took Jesus seriously because they trusted Him implicitly, and did it, obviously with His help, through the Holy Spirit. The problem right now though is that the current crop of believers is not pushing forward as powerfully and steadfastly as we ought to, that’s why Christ’s church is suffering and in much disarray. We’re not sufficiently keeping Christ’s commandments, not LOVING Him enough, not being His true friend, and thus we’re falling behind in our discipleship.
But all is not lost, it’s never lost when Jesus is in the mix! That means we can still make a substantial difference if we hunker down and do like we ought to. And since prayer, with thanksgiving is vital to our successful discipleship, let’s turn to our great and wonderful God right now in prayer, with thanksgiving, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, asking for divine strength and guidance.
Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, please remember that we’ve just promised to pray and seek the Lord’s face, so we had better keep that promise if we want to receive positive answers to our prayers, because the Lord doesn’t suffer promise breakers gladly. Much LOVE!
…only by keeping God’s commandments…can we ever hope to prosper and succeed…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
30 Dec 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a constant state of readiness, a Sunday evening walk in the park, according to his riches in glory, and lo I am with you always, as for me and my house, be ye also ready, courage, creativity, curse, even unto the end of the world, feel it in every fibre of our being, for in such an hour as ye think not, gain the whole world and lose his soul, good friends, good health, He shall give you another Comforter, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, if any man will come after me, if god be for us who can be against us, let him deny himself, LOVE, my God will supply all your needs, negative word, Omicron variant, one days is with the Lord as a thousand years, prosper, Seasonal Affective disorder, self-control, succeed, take up his cross and follow me, the Only Begotten Son, the Son of man will come, this is the day the Lord has made, through Christ Jesus, Thursday Blessings, to them who are called according to his purpose, to those who love God, watch therefore, we know that all things work together for good, we will rejoice and be glad in it, we will serve the Lord, what is a man profited, whosoever shall lose his life for my sake
John 14:18. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.
And it’s another one of those SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) inducing days, with a ballooning Omicron virus adding the finishing touches, as if we need any more problems in this already problem filled world! That’s why we need Jesus so badly in these turbulent times! Yes friends, the Only Begotten Son is the ONLY One who can promise us sustenance and succour in these ungodly times, and faithfully keep that promise.
And we need to use His Word, His promises to boost our self-confidence and help us retain our sanity. Words like: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! My God will supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus! If God be for us who can be against us eh? NOBODY! Yes mih bredrin, if the One and Only True Living God is for us, not a single soul can be against us! Consequently, we can then declare: ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!’
But we need to believe it all, to feel it in every fibre of our being! Especially this all-encompassing verse: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Oh, it does sound like a tough verse to believe, but it’s the basis of everything in our faith, knowing that despite the trials and tribulation we will endure in this evil world, that eventually the Lord will work it all out for our good!
Wow! What other deity can make that faithful promise eh? NONE! None whatsoever! Only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! I know that some of us unwittingly come to Christianity as an easy go, as a Sunday evening walk in the park, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth my people. Did Jesus have an easy walk in the park when He came to earth to save us from our sins and reconcile us to the Father?
Absolutely not! They gave Him a terrible time, ranging from disbelief, to slander, to physical punishment, and finally crucifixion, and anyone, who decides to take up their cross and follow Him will inevitably find struggles and possibly persecution, just like He did. Please remember these fateful words of Jesus, for they are the foundational authority to discipleship.
‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.’ (Matt. 16:24-27)
Yes my fellow believers, that’s what we have to look forward to if we sincerely follow Jesus. And it’s a promise that seems will be soon fulfilled the way our world is showing many of the signs Jesus gave for His second coming. But soon with us and soon with God, are too entirely different things. Peter tells us that ‘one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8) Now the early church thought that Jesus would soon return, but in our view, two thousand years have passed and He’s still not come back. However, that could simply be because to the Lord that’s only two days. (smile)
But please don’t be fooled, Christ’s return could happen at any time, that’s why He warned: ‘But of that day an hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, But my Father only… Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come…Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt. 24:36, 42, 44)
Oh my brethren, regardless of what signs we see or think we see, only the Father knows when the Son is going to return, that means we must be prepared, be ready for His Second Coming at any moment. That’s what those verses above are saying: ‘Be prepared!’ Are we prepared? Now that’s the big question. How many of us have set our house in order and are ready for if Jesus comes back today?
Remember they also say He can come as a thief in the night, (1 Thess. 5:2) that’s unexpectedly, at any time, day or night, today tomorrow or even another two thousand years from now. But the important thing is for believers to be in a constant state of readiness for whenever that marvellous occasion happens, because we know, are very sure, that it will happen eventually, just not exactly when.
And the wonderful thing about Jesus is that just like He promised before He went back to heaven, He has faithfully done: ‘And I shall pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever… I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16,18) And at that first Pentecost after His ascension, (Acts 2:1-4) He did indeed send the Holy Ghost to indwell all believers, to keep us safe, to lead and guide us in the direction He desires, that is, provided we are willing to listen and abide by the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
Thus my fellow saints, the ball is now in our court! And our Jesus is ever so wonderful that He’s bestowed all kinds of blessing on those who believe that they can do His earthly work. And what a potent and plentiful set of blessings they are! We call them our Thursday Blessings, and since a blessing is not a blessing until it is declared out loud, let’s declare them right now nuh.
Altogether, in 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!’
MamaYo! What a magnificent set of blessings my faithful brethren! It now behooves us to put them to work in our lives and share them with others just as generously as Jesus shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…and, lo…I am with you always…even unto the end of the world… (Matt. 28:20b)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
06 Dec 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: another comforter, come boldly to the throne of grace, come to terms with the situation, divine help, enjoy the benefits of our hard labour, entertainment-oriented society, find grace to help in time of need, I shall pray the Father, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, Jehovah Rapha, LOVE, make a living, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, only in concert with Jesus, pray, renewing our spiritual selves, sincerely seek your face, stay on the straight and narrow path, step out on the good foot, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, that we may obtain mercy, the God of All Comfort, the God who heals, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the wheel of life, turn from our evil ways, we can't fight Satan alone
Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The wheel of life has been spun friends, and it has stopped on the number 1. That means it’s the first day of the workweek, that marvellous day we call Monday! And instead of a loud cheer, a great sigh rises up to heaven, because Monday means laying aside our weekend endeavours, or lack thereof, and getting up and getting a move on so we can make a living and enjoy the benefits of our hard labour. (smile)
Ah my people, it has been that way for a long while, but because we are now such a flaky, entertainment-oriented society, we cannot get used to it. And a further word of warning, it will continue thus for some time yet, so we might as well come to terms with the situation and stop making our lives miserable every Monday morning.
The simple fact of the matter is that we know it’s coming, so why not prepare for it, by renewing our spiritual selves with other believers, either at a physical church or through technology, then toning down the Sunday evening activities and getting a good night’s sleep, so we won’t wake up tired and grumpy to begin the new workweek.
It’s said that the first day of the week sets the tone for the remainder of it. And if that’s true, when we begin Monday on a less than stalwart note, then the rest of the week will probably follow suit. So, it’s to our advantage, as Brother James Brown would say, to step out on Monday on the good foot. (smile) And if we have Jesus in our lives, that should not be a problem, since getting us prepared to face each day is one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit. But we have to listen and pay attention to its guidance and direction if we want to benefit from its power.
Unfortunately though, too many of us fail to rely on the Spirit of God dwelling within us, thus our lives are not as joyful and contented as they can be. Remember Jesus words of comfort to the disciples: ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide in you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16-18)
And the scholars explain ‘Comforter’ thus: ‘The Greek word ‘parakletos’ literally means “one called alongside to help,” hence the idea of a comforter. The Holy Spirit is called another comforter because this is also one of Christ’s titles (1 John 2:1, translated “advocate”). Illustration: The Father is also known as the God of All Comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). Though those in the early church often endured persecutions, they found their comfort in the Holy Spirit (Act 9:31). Application: Today, Christians can find comfort in the Holy Spirit when trials come. (First Ref. John 7:37-39; Primary Ref. John 14:16-18)
Yes friends, the Holy Spirit is there to help and guide us through every aspect of our lives. And I’m wondering here if we don’t use the power of the Holy Spirit because we aren’t persecuted today like the early believers were. Remember, the scholars said above that in times of persecution the early church found comfort in the Holy Spirit. Maybe that’s why we’re so lackadaisical and reticent in using the third arm of the Holy Trinity that dwells within us; life is just too good, so we feel we don’t need Him.
But that’s a fallacy perpetrated by the enemy, my brethren. Once we are in this evil and ungodly world, we need the power of the Holy Spirit, every minute of every day, because that’s the only way we can consistently stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternity with Jesus. We definitely can’t do it on our own, so please don’t let the enemy lead us astray thinking that’s possible. If Jesus needed the help of the Father when He was here on earth, so too do we need heavenly help to solve our earthly problems. We can’t fight Satan on our own. He’s too deceptive and cunning for our small and finite human minds to overcome. Only in concert with Jesus can we do it.
Please, let’s remember that nuh, and don’t try to live life on our own, because the enemy will just blow us away without us even knowing it. That’s why we must never be too proud to ask for help, especially the divine kind. And with the numerous serious problems we are now experiencing, I think this is as good a time as any to do as the Good Book directs us: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16)
So, as one humble, but confident voice let’s offer up 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 now, if we truly want our land to be healed and our problems solved, then we need to pray, repent and turn from our evil ways. Much LOVE!
…it’s not wise to refuse divine help…when it’s readily accessible…when it dwells within us…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
24 Nov 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Christian bastion, and lo I am with you always, be not afraid but speak, cloven tongues like fire, even unto the end of the world, every day with Jesus is an adventure, He holds our hands when we are afraid, helps us over the rough spots, hold not thy peace, I am halfway home, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, LOVE, make disciples of all the world, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, not turning back, once more unto the breach, send you another Comforter, so glad to be alive, spake the word of god with boldness, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Holy Ghost is come upon you, the sound of a rushing mighty wind, the Spirit of truth, those who endure to the end, to a glorious future with Jesus, to speak with other tongues, Wednesday Wail, wonderful escapades, ye shall receive power
John 14:18. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.
One more time unto the breach dear friends, one more time! Yes, we are facing the onslaught of another day in the life, but happily, because it’s not only a day that Jesus made, but because He’s also accompanying us on the day’s adventure! And believe me, every day with Jesus in your life is an adventure, because you don’t know what wonderful escapades He will dream up.
Yes my brethren, you can’t ask for a better life companion than Jesus! Why? Because He holds our hands when we are afraid or anxious, helps us over the rough spots and reassures us that we can do anything when He is with us. That covers everything! So you are never alone, never on your own when you choose to walk with Jesus. That ought to be very reassuring and comforting, especially in these days fraught with evil and danger.
Remember some of the last words Jesus said to the disciples before he ascended back to heaven? ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28b) Jesus meant every word too, as He told them earlier on. ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall send you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16-18)
That was the promise of the Holy Spirit, another one like Jesus, which would come to indwell them after He left planet earth. So, Jesus is always with us in the form of the Holy Spirit, our helper, comforter, guide, adviser and divine friend! It all broke forth on that fateful Pentecost Day when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like the ‘sound of a rushing mighty wind,’ and it filled all the house where the believers were sitting waiting for it in Jerusalem like the Lord had told them to.
‘And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (languages), as the spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts. 2:2-4) Yes my people, that fulfilled Jesus’ promise when He said: ‘But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8)
And that directive still stands today my fellow believers, because we were all baptized with the Holy Spirit when we first believed, so that we can go out and make disciples of all the world, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.’ (Matt. 28:20a) So it’s no fluke that we are all imbued with the Holy Spirit. It was Jesus’ plan to be with us through His Spirit all along, so that He could comfort and mentor each one of us individually, since not all would be at the same level, or have the same needs.
Now I surely like this verse in Acts when Luke talks about believers having all things in common. ‘And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.’ (Acts 4:31) Oh my fellow saints, how I do wish that the majestic power of the Holy Ghost could come upon us with such force to make us speak the word of God with boldness, instead of with fear and anxiety like we’re currently doing!
And yuh know what, in terms of persecution and such stuff, we have it very easy in our society, so I don’t see why the fear of speaking God’s word if we truly believe it. In some other societies I can understand the fear, because it is met with deathly persecution. But ours is supposed to be first and foremost a Christian bastion! Unfortunately, we have allowed the infidel to turn it around into a chaotic situation, where too many of us are now afraid to proclaim that we are believers in Christ Jesus.
What would we have done if we were in Bruh Paul’s shoes eh, where he was threatened with beatings, imprisonment and death in many places that he went preaching the Word? But he did not succumb to the fear he must have felt, especially when he had reassurances from the Lord like this one in Corinth. ‘Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace (do not remain silent): for I am with thee, and no man shall set on (attack) thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.’ (Acts 18:9-10)
Wow! But it’s the same thing the Lord is saying to us today friends! Don’t be afraid to speak, stop holding your tongues, but speak the word boldly, for He has many people around us to guard and protect us. And as we all know, it’s only the word of God that can save this messy world in which we’re currently living. So, for our children, and our children’s children, let’s up the level of our faith nuh, and get out into the world and boldly confess Christ as Lord and Saviour, as we promised to when we first believed!
And for those of us who have taken the plunge, and will continue to believe and speak boldly, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful and enviable position in Christ Jesus. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And please remember the magnificent rewards in store for those who endure unto the end! Much LOVE!
…to live sincerely for Jesus…and boldly proclaim His word…takes the power of the Holy Spirit working in you…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
20 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deeper unserstanding, a good-looking autumn day, a new heart also will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you, a resnetment, a seething rebellion, an ugly jealousy, another comforter, as of a rushing mighty wind, as the spirit gave them utterance, began to speak in tongues, cloven tongues like fire, despeate enough to trust the Holy Spirit, endure to the end, engage with the Holy Spirit, enough to quell our darkness, filled with the Holy Ghost, give it all to God, give you a new obedient heart, He shall give you another Comforter, I am halfway home, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, I will take away the stony heart, I'm not turning back, I'm so glad to be alive, if you love me keep my commandments, It Happened to Me, life happens, LOVE, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, no happy expectations, no recharge of joy, no sense of fulfillment, of God's will for your life, One Year Book of Bible promises, Ruth Harms Calkin, spiritual light from Jesus, take out your stony heart of sin, thank God, that he may abide with you for ever, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Spirit of truth, there came a sound from heave, to a glorious future with Jesus, to live a full Christian life, Wednesday Wail, willing enough to open their hearts, your heart feels empty, your soul feels weary
John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide in you for ever.
Another good-looking autumn day in my area! It’s so good when we wake up and see the sun shining along with the spiritual light that we get from Jesus. That just gives us a full house! (smile) So let’s hope that your house is also filled with light this Wednesday morning in the latter part of October, in this crazy year of 2021. And even if you don’t have physical sunlight, just remember that the light from Jesus is more than enough to quell all our darkness, all our fears and anxieties.
And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this overwhelming story from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, which I believe proves our point. It is titled ‘It Happened to Me.’ Please read with me: ‘It may be a question you’d rather not face. You’ve struggled with it for so long. A resentment perhaps, or a seething rebellion…or an ugly jealousy that keeps churning. There may be someone you haven’t forgiven, despite a whole string of resolutions. Day after day, in fact week after week, you live with no sense of fulfillment, no recharge of joy, no happy expectations. You long for a deeper understanding of God’s will for your life.
Your heart feels empty, your soul feels weary. Do you wonder if there is a way out? If other Christians have found the secret? Oh yes! Assuredly YES! Let me tell you when! When they were desperate enough to trust the Holy Spirit to do what they could not do. When they were simple enough to trust God’s promise. “I will put my Spirit within you.” When they were willing enough to open their hearts and give it all over to God. Do you wonder why I am so joyfully sure? It happened to me!’
Oh friends, what a true and wonderful story! And I hope it soon happens to you if you are suffering from any of the frustrations and human limitations listed above. I can understand, because it also happened to me. But it’s oh so true that when you give it all up to the Holy Spirt, which is in you, if you are a Christian, then the load, whatever it is becomes bearable, because you don’t have to carry it all by yourself.
Remember, the Lord promised this way back in the Old Testament to the children of Israel through the prophet Ezekiel, saying: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (take out your stony heart of sin, and give you a new, obedient heart). (Ezek. 36:26)
And we know that the Lord keeps ALL of His promises, and after Jesus came, He kept that one. We know that on the first Pentecost day after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers seated in the upper room in Jerusalem. The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
The scholars explain: 2:2-3. On the Day of Pentecost God provided two symbols of the Spirit’s presence, the wind, which was associated by the Jews with the Spirit (Ezek. 37:9-14; John 3:8) , and the fiery tongues which divided and rested upon each one, showing that the Spirit’s baptism included ALL. The purpose here for the sign gift of tongues was not to make possible the hearing of the gospel but to seize the attention of all, so they would listen.’ And from that time forth, all those who believe and place their trust in Christ Jesus are imbued with the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and comfort them.
Yes friends, those are some of the things the Holy Spirit of Christ is supposed to do in our lives, but as with everything else, we do have to LISTEN to Him, if we are to receive the benefits He has to offer. And that’s where so many believers fall down. We either don’t listen to the Spirit’s guidance, or we hear it and don’t follow it, then wonder why our lives are so miserable and muddled.
Let’s remember some of Jesus words re the Holy Spirit nuh. First, He promised it. ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide in you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive , because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18)
Yes my brethren, the Holy Spirit is another comforter, just like Jesus is and was. And unlike the Old Testament, where the Spirit occasionally fell on believers, after Jesus, He indwells ALL believers. He is a constant companion. That’s the Spirit of Jesus in us working on our behalf. And hear Jesus again on the Holy Spirit. ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ (John 15:26-27)
And this note from the scholars follow those verses. ‘15:26-27. The Comforter refers to the Advocate beside us as we bear witness to Christ (cf. 14:15-16) (which we spoke of earlier). The action of the word translated “proceedeth” is “in the process” – “continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son.
This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit. This in no way suggests the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the Trinity. Illustration: Just as Jesus came to do the will of the Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Christ (cf. 16:13) Application: In this sense the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father who has been given to every Christian (Acts 1:4: 2:39).’
In plain and simple everyday language, I like to say that the Holy Spirit is the work horse of the Holy Trinity! (smile) He actions the promises and intents of the Father and the Son. So friends, it’s ever important that we consider the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, if we claim to be believers in Christ Jesus. You can’t be a true believer without engaging with Him. So hopefully from now on, since we have a better understanding of what He’s all about, we will embrace Him more faithfully and consistently.
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Jesus Christ. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And let’s not forget, that if we endure to the very end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. Much LOVE!
…to live a full Christian life…one must engage wholeheartedly and faithfully with the Holy Spirit…
P.S. Sorry the Bit’s so late, but you know…life happens. (smile) Much LOVE!
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
24 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bed of roses, a lot of other lemmings, a sound from heaven, as a means of restoring faith in you, as of a rushing mighty wind, back to your fold, band yuh belly, be responsible and stay safe, began to speak with other tongues, bring a lot of backsliders, Covid 19 virus, embrace your love and compassion, fighting for what you have, filled with the Holy Ghost, Friday chant, guide you through the storms of life, He shall give you another Comforter, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, if ye love me keep my commandments, in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria, introduce a whole new flock, John truly baptized with water, keep our promises, like as of fire, live the easy life, LOVE, miserable humans, more responsibility to face, mortals are so impatient and lazy, omnipotent help, our sinful world, Pentecost day, serious and unexpected storm, show them the error of their ways, that he may abide with you for ever, the anxiety confusion and havoc, the higher you rise, the Holy Spirit of God, the more complicated and difficult life becomes, the sincerity of our motives, the Spirit of truth, there appeared unto them cloven tongues, trusting faith, unfaithful too, unto the uttermost parts of the earth, use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, wise guidance and direction, ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, ye shall be witnesses unto me
John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
Friday, oh Friday, why have you taken so long to come eh? Didn’t you see us struggling to get through this wretched week? But Friday was having none of it. Uncharacteristically, he lashed out. ‘What do you miserable humans expect of me eh? I am only a day yuh know, just like the other six. I can’t speed up or slow down or do anything at all, except go at the pace that my Creator set for me. So please stop this foolishness of praying for me to go faster and get here quicker! And don’t you realize, that if I got here any sooner, it also means that Monday, which you hate, will also get here quicker too?
Chuh! You mortals are so impatient and lazy! You would do anything to get out of a li’l bit of work! Not only that, but all yuh also blooming unfaithful too, because all yuh have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in all yuh, the same Holy Spirit who promised to lead and guide you through all the storms and tough times of life. But all yuh can’t wait for Him to do that. In fact, all yuh don’t want to go through no storms or tough times at all, yuh just want the easy life like a bed of roses. But that’s never going to happen nuh, so you all better band yuh belly and prepare yourselves, because it have plenty rough and tough times coming up ahead!
And sadly, all that Friday says is true. We feel that because our society has reached a certain level of development, life should keep getting easier and easier. But that’s not the reality of the situation, for the higher you rise, in all walks of life, the more complicated and difficult life actually becomes, You have more stuff to look after and more responsibility to face. Please note that the leaders of any organization or society always have more responsibility than the lower members. It’s their responsibility to keep the society or organization running smoothly and progressing along the stated pathway. And that’s definitely not an easy task!
So this idea we have of rising higher, so that we can live the easy life, is not truly borne out by life at all, since the higher you rise, the harder you have to work to stay at that height, because a whole lot of other lemmings are fighting for your position and what you have. But as Friday so wisely says, we believers in Christ Jesus have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within us to lead and guide and comfort us throughout our earthly journey. But we must listen to Him and take His advice if we are to prosper and enjoy our days down here. Why do you think Jesus placed such emphasis on the Holy Spirit while He was on earth eh? Because He knew its importance.
While Jesus himself could only be in one place at one time, the Holy Spirit could be all about, all the time, dwelling and working simultaneously in each believer’s heart. As He told the disciples: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18) What a wonderful promise my fellow believers!
And before Jesus ascended back to heaven He met with the disciples and ‘commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John (the Baptist) truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence… But ye shall receive power after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.’ (Acts 1:4-5, 8)
And so said, so done! We all know the Holy Ghost came upon the believers on that fateful Pentecost day, as they sat in the upper room. The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
Yes friends, our mighty God doesn’t do things in a puny way! (smile) And since that day of Pentecost, ALL believers have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Christ, enabling them to do and see things that unbelievers cannot do or see. And that’s why our lives can be better and more joyful than the heathen… But we must make the Holy Spirit a major part of our daily living for that to happen, because it does so many useful and wonderful things for us.
In a nutshell, it comforts us when we are lonely, and helps us to comfort others in their rough times, it leads and guides us when we don’t know where to turn or go, intercedes for us, or reads our hearts when we can’t find words to communicate with our heavenly Father. It’s exactly what it’s called, Our Helper! But we must allow it to help us and not ignore all its warnings and directions like so many of us do.
And now it’s time to ask the Holy Spirit to help us sincerely come to the Lord in prayer, through our Friday Chant. So as one voice, with the Spirit’s awesome intercession, let’s pray. ‘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!’
Now let’s not forget, that the answers to our prayers will depend on the sincerity of our motives, and the way we keep our promises. Much LOVE!
…there’s no better helper or assistant than…the Holy Spirit of God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
19 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, Advocate, believe on Jesus, curse, Day of Pentecost, deviation from the Spirit's guidance, divine protection, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words, God is a Spirit, God is immutable, God is light, God is LOVE, God is self-existent, God's supernatural wisdom, he may abide with you for ever, He shall give you another Comforter, help in time of trouble, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, if ye love me keep my commandments, it is the spirit that quickeneth life, negative word, nothing is impossible for God, produce unwanted problems, promotion, prosper, succeed, the flesh profiteth nothing, the Holy Spirit is a person, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the Triune Godhead, Thursday Blessings, words taught by human wsidom, words taught by the Spirit, worship Him in spirit and in truth
John 14:18. I will not leave you comfortless (orphans): I will come to you.
Well come on down Thursday, the day before Friday! Are we ever so glad to see you, because it means that Friday is one day closer and the end of the work week is winding down nicely. The only problem is that we still have to deal with you Thursday, before we get to Friday. But with Christ Jesus leading and guiding us through His Holy Spirit, it’s a cinch that we will get it right! (smile)
However, that totally depends on our obedience to the prompting of the Spirit. Any deviation from His guidance will definitely produce unwanted problems, that will only make our lives more difficult than they already are. Consequently, we must understand the great importance of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.
So let’s check out a few scriptures on that subject nuh. And we going to start right at the beginning where Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob: ‘God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him spirit and in truth.’ (John 4:24) That’s the first thing we must realize when we come to God; that He is a Spirit Being and worshipping Him entails doing it spiritually, not in flesh and blood.
And the scholars offer this explanation re, the Definition of God. ‘4:24. John gives three descriptions of God. He is Spirit (John 4:24), LOVE (1 John 4:8), and Light (1 John 1:5). God is a spiritual being who is invisible and without a body. He is a divine person who reveals Himself in perfect intellect, emotion, and will. He is the source and personification of all material and spiritual life.
He is self-existent; He is eternal in relationship to time. He is unlimited in relationship to the immensity of space; He is immutable (unchanging) in His nature. He is the unity of all existence; and He is consistent in His being – that is, He corresponds in actual fact to His nature and attributes as they are revealed to us. (First Ref. Gen. 1:1; Primary ref. John 4:24).’
Yes friends, our God is a Spirit Being, but nonetheless, He is the source of all that exists, both spiritual and material. And sometimes our problems derive from the fact that our mortal minds cannot conceive of, or comprehend the real immensity of the God we claim to worship, thus we tend to underate His size and power, and though we say it, we don’t truly believe that nothing is impossible to Him.
And that first verse of His Word says it all: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ (Gen. 1:1) It’s speaking of ‘the absolute beginning of the temporal and material world, when God created the original heaven and earth from nothing.’ Now you can’t truly believe in God unless you believe the Creation Story and all it entails, otherwise you will end up minimising the great God you claim to serve, and that means also minimising the benefits and blessings you can receive from Him.
And I’m chuckling here because I never intended to veer off like I did, but it just seemed so relevant that I could not pass it up. (smile) So, getting back to the doings of the Holy Spirit, the third aspect of our Triune God… Oh that’s another important thing to realize, that the Holy Spirit is a person, a part of our Godhead. I guess you can say it’s the workhorse of the Godhead. He carries out the actual decisions made by them.
Now hear Jesus again on the subject of spiritual matters. ‘It is the spirit that quickeneth (gives life); the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.’ (John 6:63) Yes my people, spiritual things are more important than fleshly or material stuff, for the body dies, but the spirit lives on. That’s where our real life is found, in our spirit-person. The body is just a temporary cover for it. And that’s why our God communicates through our spirit, why the Holy Spirit is so important in our lives.
As Bruh Paul says to the Corinthians re Spiritual Wisdom: ‘We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.’ (1 Cor. 2:12-15)
What we are seeing here is that the natural or unspiritual man is unreceptive to the truth of God because it is delivered through His Holy Spirit. However, the spiritual man, who ‘has founded his faith on God’s revelation is able to receive the truth of God’s Spirit. He can judge now both earthly and heavenly things. He can discern what is and what is not of the gospel and salvation, and whether a man truly preaches the truth of God.’
And then we come to Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14: 15-18)
Oh friends, what a glorious promise! One which Jesus kept by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers after that fateful Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). And yes, the Holy Spirit is also our Comforter, our advocate, our help in time of trouble. But whereas, Jesus, as a man on earth, could only be at one place at one time, the Holy Spirit can be all about in each believer, all the time! Glory be my people!
And one of the mighty jobs that the Holy Spirit does is bestowing God’s blessings upon us, what we call our Thursday Blessings, so that we can do His earthly work. Let’s declare (chuh!!!) them now nuh, to give them light and life in our souls and spirits. As one strong 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 now, to indeed be true followers of Christ, we need to go out and use and share all of those wonderful blessings with others, just as unselfishly and generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…only believe on Jesus…and the Holy Spirit automatically indwells you…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
19 Mar 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a manifestation of his love for us, a two way street, an expression of our love for him, as a means of restoring faith in you, avoid serious setbacks, back to your fold, bring a lot of backsliders, Covid-19 virus, defeat the virus and the unrest, embrace your love and compassion, Friday chant, God's commandments, he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, I will not leave you comfortless, if ye love me, if you want my help, infringement on our personal freedom, introduce a whole new flock, keep my commandments, Mother Nature, obedience to his commandments, oh heavenly Father, one stop shopping, our sinful world, racial strife, rebel against God's rules, security in Christ, show trust towards our Triune Godhead, springtime, stand strong and steadfast, swallowing our foolish pride, the Holy spirit indwells us, the Son is our Redeemer, then keep my commandments, trusting faith, use this pandemic, wake up and smell the coffee, wise guidance, with your omnipotent help
John 14:15. If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.
Welcome my Scrip-Bit friends and family to a glorious sunshiny Friday morning! Springtime is almost here in the northern climes, but I certainly don’t trust Mother Nature, especially in these days of climate change. I won’t put it past her to drop another rough snowstorm upon us…just for good measure, just so we can remember her for the rest of the year. (smile) But until we see and experience it, let’s just fill our hearts, minds, bodies and souls with Jesus nuh, for He is the answer to our every problem, our every wish, our every desire! Glory be my people!
Jesus is indeed what we call today; one stop shopping! Whatever our needs and wants, He can meet them. In fact He is the ONLY one who can do that! But there’s something we must do so that He can help us. We have a responsibility in this wonderful partnership, and it’s a simple, but at times quite difficult rule to follow. Jesus said it this way: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) Yes, it is a simple rule, but in this evil, aggressive, strife-filled and hateful world it’s not always easy to follow it, although when we sincerely come to Jesus, He will enable us to follow it through the workings of His Holy Spirit that indwells all believers.
As one Bible commentator says: ‘God’s commandments are a manifestation of His LOVE for us, and obedience to His commandments is an expression of our LOVE for Him.’ And that’s the glorious truth my people! God gives us rules to protect and guide us, just like we have rules and regulations for our children’s safety. But as our children often rebel against our rules, feeling that they are somewhat onerous and restrict their personal freedom, we also often rebel against God’s rules for the same basic reason; infringement on our personal freedom.
But my people, as we reach out to God, dig deeper in His word, try to understand what He’s really all about, we realize that those rules and regulations are actually for our safety and protection and they are all linked up to LOVE, the same way our rules for our children are based on our LOVE for them. John puts it this way in his first epistle. ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome).’ (1 John 5:3) As the commentator above says, His LOVE for us, and our LOVE for Him.
It’s a two-way street friends. But, unfortunately, we only recognize that as we grow in faith, as we mature in our Christian belief. And that can’t happen until we begin to show greater trust towards our Triune Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who each have a different but vital role in our lives and our growth. Technically speaking, the Father sets the overall agenda; the Son lays the foundation, and the Holy Spirit enables, leads and guides the builders in the task of building the magnificent memorial!
But we need to implicitly trust each of them as they do their part in our lives, otherwise the glorious memorial in which we are involved in building won’t turn out right. And that basically means acknowledging that the Father is the Creator and Controller of the universe; the Son is our Redeemer who died to save us from our sins, and the Holy Spirit is the one who indwells us to show us the way to obedience in Christ Jesus.
Notice what Jesus said to His disciples after He told them our Bit. ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide in you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.’ (John 14:16-17) Yes friends, Jesus was there stressing that though He had to go away and leave them, the Holy Spirit would come and replace Him, dwell in them permanently. But most importantly, He’d be just like Jesus, a Helper and an Advocate; to lead and guide them in righteousness on their earthly journey.
And hear His awesome promise nuh. ‘I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.’ (John 14:18-20) Wow mih bredrin! That’s a promise of our security in Christ; everlasting security for all believers. We are secure in Christ, and Christ is secure in God! It couldn’t get any better than that!
But I like how Jesus never leaves us without a gentle reminder on whatever topic He’s talking about. ‘He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that LOVETH me, and he that LOVETH me shall be LOVED of my Father, and I will LOVE him, and will manifest (reveal) myself to him.’ (John 14:21)
So the question now is, have we kept His commandments and thus shown our LOVE for Him? And the obvious answer is a big NO! And consequently, our world is in a thorough mess, with sickness and strife and what have you. But now we’re tired of the current situation and want some relief from it, and belatedly realize that Almighty God is the ONLY source of the kind of help we so desperately need. That means swallowing our foolish pride and going to Him in prayer and asking for His help.
And we can do that right now through our Friday Chant. So, as one sincere voice, let’s pray: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. Yuh know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife causing. We not accustomed to that kind of life Lord, and it really telling on us. And we know we can’t handle it on our own, that 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 sure and 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, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. 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 the simple message is like it’s been from the very beginning; ‘If you want my help, then keep my commandments.’ It’s now up to us friends to keep our vows to God. Much LOVE!
…we can’t be disobedient to God’s commandments…and yet expect His divine blessings…
P.S. The ordinary workingman refused to speak to us today because he was real angry about the continuing confusion and negativity of the pandemic situation. (smile) Much LOVE!
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
06 Oct 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a joyful and abundant life, Albert Camus, an active act or expectation, an invincible calm, an invincible love, an invincible smile, an invincible summer, another comforter, baptized with the Holy ghost, believers in Christ, Celia Davidson Francis, changed for the better, Day of Pentecost, hearing, I am the beloved of god, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I shall pray the Father, I will not leave you comfortless, if ye love me, in god's eyes, in the midst of chaos, In the midst of hate, in the midst of tears, in the midst of winter, Jean and Dinah, John baptized with water, keep my commandments, lead and guide into all righteousness, let's be upbeat, let's rejoice in it, listen to the Holy Spirit, listening, live godly and rightesous, LOVE, no matter how hard the world pushes, no one can take that from me, not what I do, not what I have, not what people say about me, obey, pushing right back, rejoice, shall hear a word behind thee, share His love with the world, Sparrow's famous kaiso, strong and steadfast, the living truth, the New Covenant, the Spirit of truth, the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, there was within me, there's something stronger, thine ears, this is the day the Lord has made, this is the way, tough people do, tough times don't last, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, walk the straight and narrow path, walk ye in it, we have to activate it, when ye turn to the left, when ye turn to the right hand, with the coming of Jesus, within me
Isaiah 30:21. 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.
Wow! It’s Tuesday already? Yes mih bredrin, Monday done, and Tuesday take over now! Reminds me of Sparrow’s famous kaiso – Jean and Dinah – ‘The Yankees gone, and Sparrow take over now.’ So we have to forget Monday and concentrate on Tuesday, because we can only live one day at a time, for that’s all we get, all the Lord’s given us; one day at a time. So let’s be upbeat as we declare that this is the day the Lord has given us, and then let’s rejoice in it, because it’s been given to us by the Lord for that exact purpose!
Yeh, it might be a li’l confusing, but you know what I mean. (smile) Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice! That’s what the people of God do, for they have seen the light in the darkness, and that light, that bright, shining light, whose name is Jesus, is oh so good! Give Him thanks and praise my people!
Now here’s an interesting quote that the Director of Alumni Relations of the University of the West Indies, Celia Davidson Francis, recently shared in her news update, as an encouragement to us all in these trying times. It comes from the work of the French-Algerian, author, journalist and philosopher, Albert Camus (1913-1960).
He said: “In the midst of hate, I found, there was within me, an invincible LOVE. In the midst of tears, I found, there was within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found, there was within me, and invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found, there was within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
And that’s the living truth my people! We all have that little space within us that’s been set there by our Creator, that can come up strong when things get tough. The only problem is that we have to activate it for it to come to life and help us stand strong and push back at our enemies. And for us believers in Christ Jesus, it’s His Holy Spirit that helps us activate that push back. But again, we have to listen to the prodding and pushing and pleading of the Holy Spirit, as it leads and guides us, else nothing positive will happen.
And my fellow believers, do we ever need the wisdom and advice of the Holy Spirit in these turbulent times to help us be strong and steadfast and walk the straight and narrow path as we ought. And we can outlast these tough times by listening to the Holy Spirit that dwells within each one of us. That’s why Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) could say without any hesitation: ‘tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’ That’s because the Holy Spirit of God enables us to be tough and withstand the tough times.
And do I ever get a high from, and have to chuckle at the mysterious ways and the faithfulness of our wonderful God! Yeh friends, I just decided to stop and look for a scripture to corroborate what I’ve been saying, so I turned to the opened Good Book next to me. I hadn’t looked at it before, just saw that it had opened at Isaiah when I opened it earlier. And lo, and behold, what do you think I espied with my own two little eyes eh? (smile) This most amazing and encouraging verse that so deftly describes the actions of the Holy Spirit in our lives. ‘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)
Oh my people, that’s what Isaiah said to the Israelites many moons ago when he appealed to them to turn to the Lord for help. But thankfully that has all changed for the better, because with the coming of Jesus and the New Covenant, each and every believer, as soon as they accept Christ as Lord and Saviour receives the Holy Ghost as well, who comes to dwell within them to lead and guide them into all righteousness!
Glory be mih people! How blessed are we to have the Holy Spirit of God Himself dwelling within us, showing us the way to live a godly and righteous, a joyful and abundant life! Mama Yo! We couldn’t ask for anything more or anything better! Our big problem though is that we don’t listen, and/or we don’t hear.
Now listening and hearing are two entirely different things. The first means an active act or expectation of hearing something at some time or other. It’s like faith, so we’re paying attention, waiting with great expectation. Meanwhile, hearing is basically anything and everything that’s going through our ear-waves, stuff that we’re not necessarily expecting or paying particular attention to, stuff that we can ignore or do with as we please. However, as believers, we are supposed to listen to, to expect that still, small voice that’s the Holy Spirit to talk to us, to lead and guide us in the way we should go.
Now too many of us don’t listen for that still small voice, or if we do, when we hear it, we ignore it’s advice. So what else can we expect but unwise doings then eh? Remember Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to the disciples? ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-17)
And Jesus did fulfill that promise at the first day of Pentecost after He ascended back to heaven. That day all the disciples were sitting together in a room ready to enjoy the feast day; ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
Oh mih people, what a glorious day that was; the day when believers were first baptized with the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised in Acts 1:5. ‘For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And from that day onwards, all believers receive the Holy Ghost to indwell them, when they accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour! What a magnanimous and magnificent Deity we serve and worship my brethren!
So let’s go home now letting all and sundry know who we are, and to whom we belong, by declaring (awrightttt!) our Tuesday Mantra. In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘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 show that trust and spread that wonderful LOVE with those who don’t know Christ. Much LOVE!
…you can’t hear…if you don’t listen…and you can’t be successful…if you don’t obey…
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