09 Aug 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a thousand years as one day, a thousand years in thy sight, are but as yesterday when it is past, as a watch in the night, be not ignorant of this one thing, God is never late, God's timeline is different to ours, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I'm not what I do, in god's eyes, LOVE, one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, out of the belly of hell cried I, salvation is of the Lord, share His love with the world, the beauty of our Christian faith, they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, when my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord
Psalm 90:4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
So, as they say, if we see Tuesday, it means we have survived Monday! (smile) And all of us are seeing Tuesday, a somewhat cloudy day in my area, with the usual promise of rain, but we can’t put our trust in it, because if it even falls, these days it’s just a sprinkle, not enough to make any real difference to the earth’s thirst.
But that’s the beauty of our Christian faith, we don’t give up, we keep on hoping, eagerly expecting things to turn around, because that’s the promise of our heavenly Father, to work out all things for our good in His time. And He’s never late or absent. It’s just that His timeline is so very different to ours.
What does the Good Book say about it? Peter tells us: ‘But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8) And Moses, who certainly knew something about God, (smile) says in Psalm 90: ‘For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.’ (Ps. 90:4) That tells us that even if we live to a hundred years, it’s not even like a day in God’s sight.
So, sometimes when we are anxious about the timing of things, we need to remember that God’s timetable is not like ours, and it calls for the utmost of faith, trust and belief to wait on Him. And ofttimes it’s not easy, especially when the world is nipping at our heels calling for its pound of flesh. But I can assure you, from personal experience, that God is NEVER LATE! He might seem somewhat tardy,(smile) and often shows up at the very last moment, but He’s ALWAYS on time!
That tardiness is often to test our faith and trust, to see if we can back up our talk with actual and active faith, waiting without any serious qualms, fully knowing that He will show up on time and take us safely through whatever storm we’re facing. And we have a good example of that kind of faith with Jonah in the belly of the whale. Even though he knew that he had disobeyed God’s directive, and was being punished for it, deep down he understood about God’s goodness, mercy and second chances.
The Good Book describes it thus: ‘Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly. And said, I cried by reason (because) of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard (answered) me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.’ (Jon. 2:1-2) Yes friends, although Jonah was definitely in a kind of hell, all tangled up in the insides of the great fish, he was still cognizant enough to know where his bread was buttered; in the Lord God of his forefathers.
Consequently, his faith rose up. ‘Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again to thy holy temple.’ (Jon. 2:4) That’s what true faith is about my fellow believers. It’s like the cream coming to the top when things seem the least likely to happen. And I like how the scholars describe Jonah’s situation. They say: ‘Jonah’s prayer is poetic in form and has three movements, each beginning with a rehearsal of the prophet’s impossible situation, and each culminating in an expression of his faith in spite of his impossible circumstances. The first movement is in verses 2-4. The second movement is in verses 5-6. The third movement is in verses 7-9.’
How many of us in such a dire situation would ever have thought about praying poetically and in movements eh? (smile) Very few, if any. But such was the level of Jonah’s faith and also his repentance for disobeying God’s command. So, let’s hear the rest of his prayer found in the last two movements.
‘The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth (deep) closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms (foundations, bases) of the mountains: the earth with her bars was about me (closed behind me) for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption (the pit),
O Lord my God. when my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came (went up) unto thee, into thy holy temple. They that observe lying vanities (worthless idols) forsake their own mercy (LOVING-kindness). But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ (Jon. 2:5-9)
Oh friends, I hope you enjoyed those poetic lines and movements that Jonah assembled deep in the belly of the big fish, (smile) when his lights certainly looked like they were going out. But again, that’s what real faith is about; the never giving up, the always trusting in God though it seems futile, because it’s never over with our God until it’s over! Until we see Him face to face on the other side, we’re to always have faith in Him on this side.
And we can see that by the reaction that Jonah’s last minute prayer wrought. The Good Book details it thus: ‘And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.’ (Jon. 2:10) And please note that the Lord caused him to be vomited up on dry land, not in the water, so that he would still have to swim for his life to reach the shore.
That’s another wonderful thing about our God; He takes all the small but important details into consideration. (smile) And if you’ve been walking with Him for some time, I’m sure you’ll have noticed that. He introduces and makes provision for things that we don’t even think about. That’s why it’s ever so important to put our sincere and total faith and trust in Him, to surrender our whole life to Him, so that He can take charge and care of all that we are about, and make us become all that He’s planned from day one, for us to become.
Now, for those of us who truly believe and are doing our best to live for Him, let’s go home declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and share that amazing friendship and LOVE of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Christianity…it’s simply about faith and trust in Christ Jesus…nothing more…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
24 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a God of justice, a personal relationship with jesus, according to the multitude of his mercies, alive and kicking, be of good courage, every tongue that rise against thee, glory hallelujah, God assures us the victory, God is on the throne, God's abiding love, God's never late, great is thy faithfulness, he shall strengthen thine heart, his compassions fail not, hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, I am the beloved of god, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I had fainted, I will be an enemy to your enemies, I will oppose those who oppose you, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, in God'seyes, in the land of the living, it is good that a man, It is of the Lord's mercies, Jesus Christ lives and owns the future, keep us on an even keel, LOVE, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, share His love with the world, spiritual blessings, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, the Lord is my portion, the Lord will not cast off for ever, the straight and narrow path, therefore have I hope, they are new every morning, this I recall to mind, this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, thou shalt condemn, though he cause grief, to see the goodness of the Lord, to the soul that seeketh him, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unless I, wait in faith on the Lord, we are not consumed, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, yet will he have compassion
Lamentations 3:21. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Yes friends, it’s Tuesday; another beautiful summer day in the life! And it’s not only the day itself that’s beautiful and encouraging, but also all the other unseen things like the many spiritual blessings which have been bestowed on us. As the Good Book reminds and reassures us: ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:21-23)
Oh my people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! Imagine that nuh: Everyday He makes us brand new mercies and compassions! And why is that eh? I guess because He LOVES and cares for us so much. Remember we are His creation, and He doesn’t want to lose even one of us to the enemy, so that’s one way to keep us on an even keel, along the road to righteousness, that difficult, but oh so rewarding, straight and narrow path.
And don’t forget that it was during an especially rough time in his life that the prophet Jeremiah wrote these lamentations. And that’s one of the basic purposes of the word; to give us courage and reassurance, to help us get through the hard times with the hope and faith that those rough times too must pass, because our omnipotent God is on the throne and will not allow them to overcome us. Instead, He will cause us to overcome whatever comes against us.
That’s why the prophet Isaiah so assuredly stated: ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) Wow! What a powerful reassuring scripture my brethren!
And I found this interesting commentary by one Heather Adams on the biblestudy tools.com website. She says: ‘Life presents us with many challenges, but thankfully encouragement can be found literally at our fingertips. Reading God’s Word might not change circumstances in the moment, but our strength can be renewed and our attitude can be adjusted while we walk through a trial. God made a powerful declaration and promise here. He was reminding His people of His might and sovereignty, as well as His abiding LOVE for them.
The idea actually echoes an assurance the Lord gave the young nation of Israel: “…I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you” (Exodus 23:22). Though it evokes images from an older age, this verse has meaning for us today in our struggles, whether small and large. Simply put, God was stating that anyone who is seeking to do evil against believers will fail. Though for a time it may seem that we are defeated in a situation, God assures us the victory.’
And we do have the victory, because our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ lives and owns the future! He’s given us the victory through His death on the cross at Calvary, His resurrection and ascension back to heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father advocating on our behalf! Glory be mih bredrin! And once again I have to declare, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! But like so many other things in this world, regardless of how much someone might rave about it, you can only know the reality, the true experience by undergoing it yourself.
That’s why, with Jesus, you can only truly know him by accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour, inviting Him into your heart and asking Him to take away your sin, your pain and sorrow. This is a personal relationship; an individual thing, and the numerous witnesses to His wonderful relationship only adds strength, encouragement and flavour, that’s salt (smile) to the abundant light He brings to it. So, life is indeed worth living when you live for Jesus!
But like every wonderful advertisement, it does come with some caveats, with some conditions attached. (smile) And I just want to list one important condition here, that of waiting on the Lord, as so well said by Jeremiah during his rough spell. He rightly declares: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord… For the Lord will not cast off for ever. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.’ (Lam. 3:24-26, 31-32)
Yes friends, though the Lord may allow us to go through rough times, for whatever reason, and they are usually good ones, though we may not think so at the time, He will eventually bring us out of those trials, and much stronger and wiser too. That’s because in the overall scheme of things, His LOVE, His mercies and compassions will eventually outweigh everything else! That’s’ why He also sent His One Son Jesus, to die on the cross to pay our sin debt in full and reconcile us back to Him! It’s all about the Lord’s LOVE, forgiveness, mercy and compassion friends. And we’d be oh so foolish not to accept it.
But like another great man of God, Bruh David advised. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13-14) Oh my fellow saints, you won’t find truer words than those anywhere. We must expect to see the goodness of God in this life, because that’s why Jesus said He came, so that we could have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
However, at the same time, we need to live by faith and wait, wait patiently, quietly and expectantly on the Lord’s timing, since He does everything in His own time. He’s the Boss and therefore that’s His prerogative. And believe me, He does use that prerogative, (smile) as so many of us have found out. But He’s NEVER LATE! That I can personally testify to, though His timing usually drives me crazy. (smile)
So, all in all, our God is great! There’s none other like Him! He’s wonderful, merciful, LOVING, and compassionate, but because He is also just, that’s a God of justice, He doesn’t put up with foolishness. That means, when you come to Him, you have to be serious. Oh, He does have a sense of humour, but He doesn’t take pleasure in fools! And having sang the praises of our wonderful God, let’s go home now declaring (steupsss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra that contains even more of His praises. (smile)
Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Now it’s our bounden duty to go out and share that wonderful LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know His amazing person! Much LOVE!
…today looks like a smiley kind of day…and why not eh…God is on the throne…and we are alive and kicking…Glory Hallelujah…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
20 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things are become new, as far as the east is from the west, Chirst died for us to have, come unto me all ye that labour, enjoying the abundant life, God is omniscient, God's goodness and mercy, he is a new creature, I am come that they might have life, I am the beloved of god, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I will forgive their iniquity, I will give thee rest, I will remember their sin no more, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, if any man be in Christ, in god's eyes, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, no one can take that from me, not as the world giveth, old things are passed away, Peace i leave with you, share His love with the world, so far hath he removed our transgressions, sufficent unto the day is the evil thereof, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, the morrow shall take thought for itself, the peace of Christ, the thief cometh but to steal, they might have it more abundantly, this is the day the Lord has made, to kill and destroy, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, we will rejoice and be glad in it
John 10:10b. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
And as we move on through life with another new day, I do hope that we are appreciating and enjoying the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. What? You don’t know anything about the abundant life Christ died for us to inherit. Oh, poor souls! Please listen to Jesus, as He talks about His role as the Good Shepherd. ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10)
Yes friends, Jesus didn’t die only so that we could go to heaven, but that we could also enjoy life down here on earth. Our heavenly life doesn’t begin when we physically get to heaven, but when we receive Jesus. That’s when all the good things kick in, like the entrance of the Holy Spirit and all its wonderful fruit and God’s goodness and mercy that He lavishes on all believers in His Son Jesus Christ.
So, although life on earth can be rough, with Jesus in our hearts and souls, we can still enjoy what we have down here, boosted by the promises of what awaits us in heaven. Why do you think the psalmist wrote these marvellous words way back when eh? ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) Because God gives us a new day every 24 hours so that we can awaken fresh and bright and enjoy it. He wants us to leave the old day behind and enjoy the new one.
Why yuh think Jesus told His listeners: ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow); for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof. (Matt. 6:34) That’s because we ought to concentrate on the day in front of us, today, for everyday has its own problems, most of which you can’t control, or even know about until you come to it. So, we should not place as much emphasis on tomorrow as we do on today.
And just a gentle reminder; (smile) you know tomorrow never comes, because we call every new day ‘today.’ That means we are always living in today, the present, not yesterday, or tomorrow. That’s why the Lord only allows us to live one day at a time. We can barely handle today, much less to worry about tomorrow, or be overly concerned about yesterday, which we can do absolutely nothing about, since it’s already long gone.
But that doesn’t stop so many of us living in the past, allowing the things that have already gone and been forgiven and forgotten by the Lord to haunt us, make us miserable so that we cannot enjoy today. Remember the words of Isaiah on the Lord’s behalf: ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ (Is. 43:25) And Psalm 103 graciously informs us: ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he (God) removed our transgressions from us.’ (Ps. 103:12)
So why can’t we remove our own sins too eh, instead of allowing them to cloud and clog our hearts and souls and stop us from enjoying the abundant life Christ died for us to have? And remember too, God’s promise through Jeremiah of a new covenant, to put His law in the hearts of the people, so everyone will know Him and turn to Him: ‘For I will forgive their iniquity, and will remember their sin no more.’ (Jer. 31:33-34)
And that’s what God did when He gave His Son’s life for us, made Him pay for our sins, then placed the Holy Spirit in the lives of all those who choose to believe in Him, that they could have close and intimate communion with Him. What’s the purpose then of Christ dying on our behalf, if we refuse to enjoy the things He died for us to have eh? None whatsoever!
Now here is an interesting question, one commentator asked. ‘Does God really forget our sins?’ The answer is not so much He forgets, but more like He chooses not to remember. God is omniscient, so He knows everything, and truly forgets nothing. He just chooses to forget our sins because Christ has already paid for them. Just like when we forgive, we choose not to remember the wrongs committed against us. But until we learn to let the past that currently burdens us, dwell in the past and live in the present with great hope for the future, we will never be able to enjoy what Christ has died to provide us.
Oh my people, our great and wonderful God desires great and wonderful things for us in this earthly life, but we have to let go of the old things before we can get those new ones. We need to take these words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth very seriously. ‘Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17)
Yes friends, when we come to Christ, we need to become a totally new person, throwing away old bad habits and taking up new godly ones. And that’s the job of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, but He cannot do anything on His own, He needs our participation to bring about those new godly changes. And they don’t happen overnight either, that means patience is necessary. But it’s most definitely time to be wise and begin throwing away all the baggage that’s weighing us down. And we can do that if accept Christ’s invitation: ‘Come unto me, all ye that are labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28)
That’s right precious people, Christ is the answer to whatever ails us this Tuesday morning, and if we sincerely turn to Him, He will indeed give us rest from our problems. And the great thing about Christ is, that although our problems might not disappear, we can still have His peace in the midst of the mightiest storm! Hear His awesome promise: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Oh mercy, mercy me! And that’s the gospel truth! With the peace of Christ circulating in your body and soul, you can be peaceful even amid serious calamity. But to get it, you have to go to Him and ask for it. It won’t come to you by osmosis or simply wishing for it. (smile) Now, for those of us who have accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour and are revelling in His constant communion, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are.
Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ Glory be mih bredrin!
And it now behooves us to go out and share that awesome friendship and amazing LOVE of Christ, so that others will want to know Him by the good example we set. Much LOVE!
…when you become a new creation in Christ…life becomes…oh so exciting and adventuresome…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
27 Apr 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day of judgement, a humble and Christ-like day, a thousand years as one day, as far as the east is from the west, be incredibly grateful, coming down from God out of heaven, do the right thing, don't have to hurry, don't have to worry, God doesn't make idle promises, God shall wipe away all tears, holy conversation and godliness, I am the beloved of god, I will send mine anger upon thee, I'm not what I do, in god's eyes, judge thee according to thy ways, LOVE, makes countless thousands mourn, man's inhumanity to man, no more death, no more pain, no more sorrow, No more tears, not what I have, not what people say about me, only believe, perdition of ungodly men, recompense upon thee, repay you for all your abominations, reserved unto fire, righteous and blameless, share His love with the world, the end is come upon the four corners of the land, the final apocalyptic judgement, the former things are passed away, the new Jerusalem, the tabernacle of god is with men, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, what manner of persons ought ye to be
Ezekiel 7:2b. An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.
It’s Tuesday friends, that means there’s cause for much celebration, because we’ve been given that awesome thing called life for at least one more day! It’s a blessing that many others did not receive today, so we need to be incredibly grateful and show that appreciation by the way we live today.
That means living a good, clean, righteous, compassionate, generous, thankful, humble and Christ-like day. For who knows if we don’t live that way, if we’ll see another tomorrow turn into a blessed today. Yes, living that kind of life was never easy in this evil world, and it will never be, until Christ comes back to claim His throne.
However, what our heavenly Father expects of us is not perfection, but a sincere and diligent effort to do the right thing by our fellow man. And yuh know what mih people, living right and kind is so wonderful that I don’t understand how anybody can live in evil, anger and the disgusting and disgraceful inhumanity in which so many of us spend our entire lives.
No wonder we have the saying that man’s inhumanity to man makes thousands mourn. And unfortunately, we need to change it from thousands to millions, because our inhumanity seems to be getting worse by the day. I’m sure the Lord must be sitting on His throne in heaven, shaking His head and wondering where He went wrong, what kind of monster He made as His most precious creation, why there’s so much evil and wrongdoing in His universe?
And that’s even after He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for our sins, and cast away our abominable iniquity as far as the east is from the west. And I’m chuckling here friends, but I’m also concerned, because I just happened to look at the scripture passage where the Good Book opened today, in the book of the prophet Ezekiel, and it read thus about the judgement of Israel. ‘Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.
Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee (repay you for) all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.’ (Ezek. 7:1-4)
And if it’s one thing we know about our great God is that He doesn’t make empty promises, and Israel did feel the might and power of His awesome hand when they went astray, and He’s also promised that there will a day of judgement when He wraps up this old, evil earth as the apostle Peter tells us in his second epistle, re living in the hope of the Lord’s coming.
He first reminded believers of the day of the great flood, when the Lord destroyed the earth and all therein, except Noah and his family, because of the wretched sinfulness of its inhabitants. ‘Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against (until) the day of judgement and perdition (destruction) of ungodly men.’ (2 Pet. 3:6-7)
Yes friends, that day of judgement is certainly coming. And let’s be clear, we are not talking about the Rapture, but that day when Christ returns in judgement, the final apocalyptic judgement. And you can read the descriptions of that fiery judgement in Revelations 17-19. So please don’t get all uppity and know-it-all, and question with a sneer, as so many do, why it hasn’t come as yet.
Peter though, gives a good answer to that question. ‘But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:8-9)
We see then, that the way God looks at time and the way we do are totally different, and furthermore, He’s giving us time to come to salvation because He doesn’t want any to perish. And Peter continues: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief (robber) in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 3:10)
So we don’t know when all of this will happen, that means we need to be ready for whenever it comes. ‘Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness, Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.’ (2 Pet. 3:11-14)
Ah mih people, regardless of what you believe, those things are going to happen. And when they do happen, we need to be found righteous and blameless. Then the scholars tell us that ‘the heavens that shall pass away with a great noise are the atmospheric heavens. The elements shall melt with a fervent heat certainly could refer to a nuclear holocaust. Thus, Peter urges his readers to look beyond this present world to the new heavens and a new earth characterized by righteousness.’ And the turmoil and upheaval our world is currently experiencing, certainly makes nuclear warfare a dreaded possibility.
Remember too, John’s words in Revelation. ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev. 21:1-4)
Oh my people, that’s what we have to look forward to when we believe in God, through His awesome Son, our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus! There’s nothing more I can say, for the Word of God speaks very clearly on its own. So, for those of us who accept it, then let’s go home declaring (chuh man!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are.
As one 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!’
Now, let’s go and share that wonderful friendship and awesome LOVE of Christ with those who don’t know Him nuh, for that’s what He expects of us! Much LOVE!
…only believe…only believe…in Christ Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
20 Apr 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a person who's not afraid to feel, an awesome blessing to know Jesus, be ye reconciled to God, call on Jesus anytime, called on to do something unique, caught up on the fast track., challenges you to keep prayed up, don't have to worry, full of the Spirit, getting to know Jesus, give people a sample of god, God working in people's lives, I am the beloved of god, I don't have to hurry, I'm not what I do, in Christ's stead, in god's eyes, In the Midnight Hour, Jesu has conquered the evil one, Jesus is the only one we need, LOVE, my fellow saints in Christ, no one can take that from me, not afraid to express what's going on inside, representing heaven, share His love with the world, something different is going on in your life, take people for granted, translated into the kingdom of God, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unsurpassable gift, we are ambassadors for Christ, we pray you, your mission
2 Corinthians 5:20a. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
Another wonderful day to enjoy on God’s great earth my people! Wow! He’s so good to us that we can never really appreciate all that He’s done for us! Especially for that most excellent, indescribable, unsurpassable gift of His precious, sinless Son, Jesus! Glory be mih bredrin! What an awesome blessing and advantage it is to know Jesus!
As the song says: Who can bring you joy, who can bring you LOVE, who can heal your body, who can help you to hold out a little longer? Nobody but Jesus! He won’t ever let you down, He’s promised to be with you right to the very end, unto the end of the world, and His promises are never broken. His LOVE’S the power and the glory of this life, both earthly and heavenly! He’s the one who can turn your life around, who can pick you up when you fall, who’s always beside you!
Yes friends, none other but JESUS, can do all of those wonderful things! That’s why He’s the ONLY ONE we need! Once we’re under His mighty protection, no one, or nothing, can ever touch us, for He’s conquered the evil one, the world and all its lusts and temptations. But we still have a part to play my brethren. That’s the part of sincerely believing in Him and doing the work He desires of us, which is basically being a good example of His LOVE, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, all of which will eventually lead others to Him, to also accept him as their Lord and Saviour, and thus enjoy those wonderful benefits we already enjoy.
Oh my faithful brethren, as Bruh Paul explained to the church at Corinth: ‘Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray (implore) you in Christ’s stead (behalf), be ye reconciled to God.’ (2 Cor. 5:20) Those fateful words still apply today friends! We need to be reconciled to God. And once we do that, then we become His ambassadors here on earth. That means we represent Him and His heavenly kingdom here on earth. And it’s through us, that others will come to know and accept Him.
So we have to show the world what the kingdom of God has to offer, and that it’s better than what they can get in Satan’s kingdom. But that also means we have to know what the kingdom offers, which further means we have to learn and grow, by reading the word, praying and getting closer to Christ. That’s the only way we can represent Him properly.
And I like how this message from the Worship Centre Website explains it. ‘When you give your life to God, you become a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Bible says that we are at that moment “translated into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son.” So, the rest of your time here on earth, you’re not just here for your own plans or interests, but you’re representing Heaven to those around you. Matter of fact, you’re the only real sample of Heaven most people will ever see. What they’ll know about God’s working in peoples’ lives, they’ll get from watching YOUR life. Pretty scary? Maybe.
On the other hand, it means you’re not limited to YOUR resources, because you’re not out there representing yourself. Since you’re representing God’s government, and HIS abilities, you have access to all the best that He has to offer. Remember, your whole mission is to give people a sample of what it is to have God at work in a person’s life. That’s what will make them want to get to know Him for themselves. They HAVE to be able to tell that something different is going on in your life. Something that just isn’t the way it happens for the average person.
How do they know? For one, you TELL them! You let them know what’s going on inside you and in your life! That’s right, you let people into your life! You bring your family, friends and co-workers into your inner circle, and let them share your experiences, your hopes, dreams, successes and failures. You tell them about answers to prayer, and God’s goodness to you. That’s part of being an ambassador for Christ. Being an ambassador for Christ means there’s learning and growing – getting to know the One you’re representing, and learning His ways. You’re called on to do something unique, and something incredibly hard; to represent someone to people in a way that they want to get to know Him for themselves.
They HAVE to be able to tell that something different is going on in your life. Something that just isn’t the way it happens for the average person. How do they know? For one, you TELL them! You let them know what’s going on inside you and in your life! That’s why they keep looking at your life, and checking you out to see if you’re really what you say you are. But, guess what? That’s good for you! It challenges you to keep prayed up and full of the Spirit. When you’re prayed up and full of the Spirit, you become a person who’s not afraid to feel, and not afraid to express what’s going on inside.
Most people try so hard to keep from hurting, and to harden their hearts so that nothing hurts. They do it so well, that not only does nothing hurt, but nothing helps anymore! By avoiding being hurt, they also can’t feel hope, joy or love. They become stiff and zombie-like, emotionally. That’s where you come in, you’ve been healed of that. You’re not deadened to your friends, co-workers and family. You’re no longer caught up on the fast track that you take people for granted. No, you’re incredibly alive, aware, caring and full of joy. Jesus gave us His words, as He said, “that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11).’
Oh my fellow saints in Christ, I certainly could not have done a better job of explaining our ambassadorial role for Jesus! So let’s allow those fateful words and noble dreams and ideas to sink into our hearts, minds and souls nuh, and be our joyful guide as we go out to represent our Lord and Saviour, Jesus!
Now, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
So, as true ambassadors, we must now go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others. Much LOVE!
…you can call on Jesus…at any time…in the morning, the evening, even the midnight hour…and He’ll come to your rescue without question…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
13 Apr 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a little child shall lead them, a warrior king, centuries of war greed and lust, faith without works is dead, give thanks and praises to our wonderful God, glorious words of wonder, God's timing, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I'm not what I do, I'm not what people say about me, in god's eyes, indulgences shamelessly practiced, it will not tarry, it will surely come, jealousy and abuse, looking forward to God's promise, new heavens and a new earth, One Year Book of Bible promises, Only Goodness, only goodness and mercy, out of the stem of Jesse, peace and harmony, please hurry a little, Ruth Harms Calkin, share His love with the world, smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, the Apostle Peter, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, thee wolf will dwell with the lamb, this godless and evil world, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, wait for it, where there will be only goodness, whimpering cries from starving children, with righteousness shall he judge, worry, your promise is your guarantee
Isaiah 11:3. The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Oh friends, it’s Tuesday! Give thanks and praises unto our wonderful God that He has blessed us with another beautiful and bountiful day on planet earth; His beautiful universe! What a wonderful God we serve my faithful brethren! There’s no other deity like Him in this evil and godless world, and every day He gives us the strength to do whatever He needs us to do. No other supposed deity does that either.
So why shouldn’t we praise and worship and glorify Him eh, since we know from practical experience that He’s a great and good God? No reason whatsoever! That’s why I think this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin is ever so appropriate for today, any day really. (smile) It’s titled‘Only Goodness.’What a wonderful title!
So please pray with me. ‘What glorious words of wonder Come from the Apostle Peter. He wrote, “But we are looking forward To God’s promise of new heavens And a new earth afterwards Where there will only be goodness.” (2 Pet. 3:13) O dear God “Where there will be only goodness.” After centuries of war, greed, and lust After indulgences shamelessly practiced After hatred, hostility Jealousy and abuse. Murder and martyrdom Crime and cruelty Curses and rebellion. After whimpering cries from starving children After tragedy and catastrophe Loneliness and despair At last…at long last “There will be only goodness.” O dear Lord Your promise is Your guarantee But please hurry a little.’
Yes, my fellow saints in Christ, one fine and glorious day, our Lord would have had enough of this sinful world and replace it with a world where there is only goodness. He has promised it, and we know that His promises are ever faithful, so it’s only a matter of time. And yes, I know that some of us are rather impatient, we can’t wait for that day to come, but as always, it’s in God’s timing, whenever He is ready, and He’s never in a rush like we are, neither is He ever late. I can testify to that!
And it’s not a new promise nuh mih bredrin. From since the days of the prophet Isaiah, the Lord faithfully promised: ‘And there shall come forth a rod (shoot) out of the stem (stock or trunk) of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow (bear fruit) out of his roots. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding (his delight shall be in the) fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes (by what he sees), neither reprove after the hearing of his ears (decide by what he hears):
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity (decide with uprightness) for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite (strike) the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle (belt) of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins (the belt of his waist).’ (Is. 11:1-5)
Yes, friends, that was the Lord’s promise of the Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom to His people Israel. But they misunderstood the whole thing. They expected a warrior king to come and release them from the bondage of Rome and were very disappointed when He came as a quiet, peaceful, LOVING rabbi. In any case, that particular promise was not supposed to happen in His first coming, but in the second. As John describes it in Revelation 21; the scripture promise on which our poem is based.
‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst (who thirsts) of the fountain of the water of life freely.’ (Rev. 21:1-6)
Oh my people, that’s what the faithful of God have to look forward to! It may not happen for a while yet, but we can be sure that it will happen when the Lord decides the time is right! That means we have to hang in there, keep being faithful even during these evil and godless times, because the promise is not for little while, but for eternity, which is forever! And as the prophet Habakkuk so rightly declared: ‘For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.’ (Hab. 3:3)
Yes friends, the time will eventually come when ‘the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.’ (Is. 11:6) Oh what a beautiful picture of peace and harmony! Those shall be the characteristics of Christ’s eventual kingdom! Glory be mih people! No more predatory stuff, no sin, no evil no pain and sorrow, only goodness and mercy, dwelling with our Triune God, till the end of time!
Wow! What a glorious time to look forward to! And for those of us who are eagerly looking forward to it, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. In strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Now it’s time to stop talking and go out and share Jesus’ LOVE and friendship with those who don’t know it. Much LOVE!
…faith without works is dead… (James 2:26)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
06 Apr 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: as the hart panteth after the water brooks, awe inspiring god, awesome benefits, Buccoo, Controller, cultivate an intense longing for God, deliverer, Easter Tuesday, for the help of his countenance, forgiveness, friendship of Jesus, Goat races, grace, hope thou in God, I am the beloved of god, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I shall yet praise him, I went with them to the house of God, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, in god's eyes, in the night His song shall be with me, LOVE, my giver of salvation, My god is awesome, my soul thirsteth for god, no one can take that from me, omnipotent power of God, our Maker, provider, sad lament and dejection, share His love with the world, so panteth my soul after thee O God, sure confidence in God, sweet Tobago, the health of my countenance, the in-crowd place, the ingenuity of my people, the Lord allows us to get wealth, the Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytiem, the sons of Korah, trust and reassurance, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unconditional LOVE, where is thy God, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, will for our lives, with the voice of joy and praise
Psalm 42:5b. Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).
Welcome to Easter Tuesday friends! And the in-crowd place to meet today is in the town of Buccoo, in sweet Tobago, where Goat Races are the featured event of the day…and has been for many, many years! It’s become so big, that they even built a stadium just to hold it! Awesome! But who knows if it’s going to be happening in this pandemic time, with the lockdown that’s currently in place?
However, given the ingenuity of my people, I wouldn’t vote against it happening, though in some reduced form and fashion, especially since I understand that Tobago is now the new playground for Trinidad, as the citizens can’t go further afield. Yes people, when it comes to partying, you can’t beat a Trinbagonian to find unique ways and means to bring it to fruition!
But what we all need, so much more than partying is to cultivate an intense longing for Almighty God, our Maker, Controller. Deliverer and Provider! That’s because He’s so awesome, so LOVING and compassionate, so protective of His people, hides us from the rain, heals us when we’re broken…! What else do I need to point out for us to understand that our God is great and greatly to be praised eh? And that the number one purpose for which we were created is to praise and worship Him, to have a most excellent communication between the Creator and the created!
Wow! My God is awesome! He’s the giver of salvation, author and finisher of our faith, high priest of our church…and so many other wonderful things! And instead of partying in the evil sense of the word, we ought to be rejoicing in the righteous way that speaks of Jesus; of His most awesome deliverance of sinful man in this Easter Season! No one else could do the miraculous deeds that He’s done. So we ought to celebrate His mercy, holiness, His forgiveness, grace and wonderful, unconditional LOVE for us, instead of bowing to the evil fool Satan and desiring to enjoy the pleasures of sin, instead of the righteousness of God!
So what we should be doing, as I said earlier on, is cultivating an intense longing for our awesome God! In these trying and troubled times of worldwide sickness and strife, only a return to God in true and sincere repentance can solve them! Yes my brethren, like the Sons of Korah sing in Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God – let’s do the same nuh, let’s celebrate and worship our graceful, merciful and awe-inspiring God. So let’s lift our hands, as we lift our voices in prayer.
‘As the hart panteth after (the deer longs for) the water brooks, so panteth (longs) my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat (food) day and night, while they continually say to 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).’ (Ps. 42:1-4)
Yes friends, in earlier times we would go to the Lord’s sanctuary and praise His holy name in song and prayer. But then, as we became successful and prosperous, we began moving away from the very source of our success and prosperity. We forgot that it is the Lord who allows us to get wealth and prosperity, and instead began trying to turf Him out of our society. And now that immense strife and sickness have befallen us, we’re wondering what happened, how such a plague befell us? And the simple answer is that we turned away from God and began praising the devil instead. So now that we can’t find remedies for our awful predicament, we’re wondering what to do.
But like the sons of Korah asked so long ago: ‘Why art thou cast (bowed) down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted with me?’ (Ps. 42:5a) Today friends, the correct answer to the problem is still: ‘Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).’ (Ps. 42:5b) Yes my people, that’s the only sensible answer there is to our current troubles…hope in the God of our forefathers!
Hear the sons of Korah continue with their praise nuh. ‘O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill (the mount of) Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts (waterfalls): all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
Yet the Lord will command his LOVING-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones (the shattering of my bones), mine enemies reproach (revile) me; while they say daily (all day long) unto me, Where is thy God?’ (Ps. 42:6-10)
And yes, my fellow believers, the heathen are at our throats every day with that question. And that then leads us to ask ourselves: ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me?’ And what’s our reply? ‘Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance (my giver of salvation) and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11) Oh friends, let’s praise His holy name! Let’s look back over our lives and see where the Lord has brought us from, the mighty and magnificent things He’s done for us, and realize that He can, and will do the same things for us, once we are obedient to His word and will!
And I like this explanation from the scholars about the overall effects of psalms 42 and 43, which in some Hebrew texts are joined together. ‘Using the refrain Hope thou in God as a marker, the poem yields three stanzas. First, the psalmist expresses his deep longing for God (42:1-5); second, his sad lament and dejection before God (42: 6-11); finally, his sure confidence in God (43:1-5). The three stanzas reveal the changing moods of the psalmist: from longing and regret to perplexity, then to trust and assurance. If only every downcast soul could end up in that third stanza!’
And there’s no real reason why all of us can’t find true trust and reassurance in our great and mighty God! We all know His amazing, omnipotent power, and have all experienced some good and awesome benefits while walking in strong tandem with him. So why shouldn’t He do it again, if we sincerely seek Him and His awesome will for our lives? No reason whatsoever! So, for those of us who sincerely believe and diligently try to live for God, let’s go home now declaring (oh yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, proclaiming to the whole world, who and whose we are.
Altogether now, 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!’
And the obvious corollary to that is for us to now go out into the confused and godless world and gladly share Jesus’ awesome LOVE and friendship, so that we can overcome our ever so pressing problems! Much LOVE!
…our problems will diminish…in direct proportion…to our sincere longing for God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
23 Mar 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a child of the Most High God, a revival of godliness, be not proud, before he cause darkness, do not give up on your journey, for the Lord hath spoken, Give glory to the Lord your God, God doesn't make idle promises, he turn it into the shadow of death, hear ye and give ear, humble yourselves, I am the beloved of god, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I'm not waht I do, I'm not what I do, in god's eyes, in sincerity and truth, let us rejoice and be glad in it, listen to the truth of God's word, LOVE, my God can turn it around, no one can take that from me, pay the price for disobedience, return to His fold, return to the God of our fathers, swallow our foolish pride, the bowels of hell, the darkness of national catastrophe, there's no time to lose, this is the day the Lord has made, Tuesday Mantra, unprecedented times of woe and sorrow, while there is life there is hope, your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, your pricipalities shall come down
Jeremiah 13:15. Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.
One more time friends, one more time to get out there and work for the Lord! That’s why He’s given us another beautiful day to enjoy and do His wonderful bidding! So let’s say and do as Bruh David so wisely said and did nuh: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it!’ That’s the best decision we can make this day my people!
So forget, yes, disregard the problems and circumstances that are trying to keep you down, because you are a child of the Most High God Jehovah, and He won’t allow anything to break you down. And He does have the power to turn all the things that are worrying you around. I can testify to that because I have seen my God turn it around…many many times too…for many many people too, so there is no need to give up on your journey because your God can and will turn it around for you also!
And in these unprecedented times of woe and sorrow in so many of our lives, this is as good a time as any other to listen to the truth of God’s word. Hear the prophet Jeremiah to his people Israel on God’s behalf, when they were in a state of turmoil, just like we currently are. ‘Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.’ (Jer. 13:15)
And I guess you want to know what the Lord hath spoken eh? Well, please listen very closely. ‘Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.’ (Jer. 13:16)
Oh my people, my people, that is a direct word to us from our great God today in this time of pandemic and strife and all the other negative problems our world is currently experiencing! How can we try to get rid of the Creator and Controller of our universe and expect to live a good life eh? That’s not wisdom in the least! It’s pure foolishness!
Look at Lucifer, who was so proud and haughty because he was an archangel and wanted to overthrow God, His Creator? It just isn’t possible for the created to overthrow the creator. And where is he now eh? Living in the bowels of hell, the most despicable place in our world! And if we keep thinking we can throw God out of society we’ll suffer the same fate as Lucifer!
I don’t know why so many of us believe that our God makes promises and won’t keep them. Oh we believe the good ones, but the ones that will come upon us for disobedience, somehow or the other, we convince ourselves that those won’t come to pass. But my friends, let me remind us that our God doesn’t make idle promises. Anything He promises, He will do, if the situations warrant them. And don’t talk stupidness about that’s in the Old Testament, for Jesus made many of the same promises in the New Testament.
If you don’t believe and obey, you will pay the necessary price. And please, please, don’t try to prove it nuh, because once you die without Jesus, or He comes back and you haven’t received Him as Lord and Saviour, your options are ended. The only thing then would be automatic living with Lucifer! And believe me, that’s an option you don’t want to end up with for eternity!
So please look at what the Lord said to the people of Judah and understand that He is not a joking God! Oh He is indeed a LOVING God, and will give oodles of chances, but you WILL pay the price for gross disobedience, as the children of Israel did! Now let’s listen to the rest of the message.
‘But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.’ (Jer. 13:17) And there will be indeed weeping and gnashing of teeth and all sorts of other calamities, exactly like we are suffering right now, because we refuse to swallow our foolish pride and arrogance and return to the God of our forefathers!
And Jeremiah continues with the warning. ‘Say unto the king and to the queen (queen mother), Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory (your rule will collapse). The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.’ (Jer. 13:18-19) And it certainly was carried away captive, because of their obstinate refusal to turn back to God.
And please note that many of our cities and towns have been shut up in the past year because of the pandemic and awful strife that’s been taking place. So why can’t we at least contemplate that some of the recent happenings are because we have become a godless and disobedient society eh? Nothing we’re trying to do on our own seems to be working. There’s all kinds of rebellion and disobedience towards authority that’s only making matters worse. The only option we haven’t yet tried is a revival of godliness! So why not try it and see eh mih people? We have nothing left to lose, but a whole lot to gain.
Now here’s an interesting explanation from the scholars, re our text for today. ‘13:15-17. A third illustration (warning to Judah by Jeremiah) concerns a weary traveller in danger of being overtaken by the falling darkness of night. Such was Judah. It must renounce all pride and give God His rightful glory before the final darkness of national catastrophe engulfs it.’
And let’s hope that many of us today will compare our current situation to that of olden Judah, and don’t follow their foolish ways, because we are not coming out of our predicament with our own efforts. The vaccines might be helping a few, but there’s also strong reactions against taking them, and the racial problems are increasing rather than getting better. Strife, anger, jealousy, and all the negative emotions and actions are now prevalent in our world, instead of the godliness that we so desperately need.
But there’s good news friends, while we’re still alive there is always hope! And I know that our God can turn it around if we wake up and start doing right by Him. So for those of us who are prepared to stand up and fight for Him, let’s go home now declaring (awright!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the world know who and whose we are.
As one strong and sincere voice then: ‘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 get on with it nuh my fellow saints in Christ. There’s no time to lose, if we want to turn it around…sooner rather than later. Much LOVE!
…God can, and will turn it around…if we first turn ourselves around…return to His fold…in sincerity and truth…
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29 Dec 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a double-minded man is unstable, alive and kicking, ask in faith, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, but enough, calamitous times, doubt destroys fear, driven with the wind and tossed, every cluttered chamber, every hidden pretense, for he satisfieth the longing soul, free me from every shallow substitute, God never makes the same thing twice, he filleth the hungry soul with goodness, he will save us, hem and haw, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I hunger and thirst for you, I love you my Lord, I shall know, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, if any of you lack wisdom, in god's eyes, into every vacant hollow, let him ask of god, like a wave of the sea, MY Glorious Enough, no one can take that from me, nothing wavering, of my longing heart, one is enough, pour yourself lavishly dear God, put all our eggs in one basket, share His love with the world, thanks and praise, that giveth to all men liberally, the Beatitudes, the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our king, the Lord is our lawgiver, they shall be filled, this is the day the Lord has made, Tuesday Mantra, we will rejoice and be glad in it, with deep consuming conviction, You are My Glorious Enough
Matthew 5:6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Wowee, Wowee, mih bredrin! It’s another bright and beautiful day in God’s great universe! Wow! And the astounding, the amazing, the marvellous, the astounding – oh I think I’ve said that before, but it’s so good that we can say it again, (smile) yes, the astounding thing about this day is that we’re alive and kicking in it, with a wonderful plan of God highlighted for it! Now what can be better than that eh; our great God with a good plan for us? Nothing mih people, absolutely NOTHING!
So let’s respond as best we can by giving Him a li’l thanks and praise nuh, and agreeing with His marvellous word. ‘For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.’ (Is. 33:22) And for sure, He is all of that my fellow saints in Christ! Make no doubt about it! That’s why we can consequently say with the utmost sincerity and surety: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24)
And we’d be very foolish if we didn’t, because there’ll never be another day like today. Oh yes, there’ll most likely be many other todays, but never one again like this one, because our God never makes the same thing twice. Glory be! Otherwise, can you think of there being more than one of each of us? No siree! There’d be even more confusion that we have now. But the good God in His wisdom and power, wisely said, ‘One is enough!’ And it surely is.
But here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that I believe we all could use today. It’s titled ‘My Glorious Enough.’ So please pray with me. ‘Oh, how I LOVE You, my Lord But not enough. How I hunger and thirst for You But not enough. Pour Yourself lavishly, dear God Into every vacant hollow Into every cluttered chamber Of my longing heart. Free me from every shallow substitute From every hidden pretense Until I shall know With deep, consuming conviction That You are my Glorious Enough.’
And mih bredrin, our great and wonderful God is indeed gloriously enough for each and every one of us! In fact, He is more than enough for ALL of us! But the sad truth is that we don’t truly believe it; our less than believing actions show it. When we need to put our sincere trust and faith in Him, we always hem and haw, wondering if He really can help.
Too many of us doubt, deep down in our hearts. And it doesn’t have to be a big doubt nuh, even a li’l one takes away so much of His awesome power in our lives. That’s why Jesus had to admonish His followers so often for being of li’l faith. Unless our faith is strong and unwavering, we miss out on so many good things God has in store for us.
No wonder Jesus’ brother, James, penned these wise and true words to the scattered diaspora of saints way back when. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
Oh friends, I couldn’t have said it any better. And the problem today with so many of us supposed believers is our doubt, our wavering, our double-mindedness, our lack of true faith! Yes, we talk a good talk, but our real walk is woeful. If it was really good, our world would not be in such a mess, and people would be running towards Jesus rather than dying to get away from Him!
But here’s a magnificent and most suitable word for us from our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus, and it’s the Bible Promise for today’s poem, and also our Bit. We all know it as one of the Beatitudes that Jesus delivered in the opening of His Sermon on the Mount. ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6) More gospel truth my people!
And the scholars offer this most interesting explanation of the verse. ‘5:6. These future possessors of the earth are its presently installed rightful heirs, and even now they hunger and thirst after righteousness. They experience a deep desire for personal righteousness, which in itself is a proof of their spiritual rebirth. Those who are poor and empty in their own spiritual poverty recognize the depth of their need, and they hunger and thirst for that which only God can give them. They shall be filled (Gr. chortazo) refers to a complete satisfaction. The psalmist proclaimed: “He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Ps. 107:9).’
And that’s the awesome, indisputable truth my brethren! Our God fills those of us who are sincerely hungry for Him and what He has to offer and sincerely seek Him for it. And believe me, those of us who are currently alive have never needed Him and what He has to offer more than we do right now in these disastrous and calamitous times.
So let’s wake up and turn to Him for the wisdom and spiritual righteousness that we so badly need nuh. And above all, let’s do it without any doubting or wavering nuh, for we have tried everything that we can do in our own strength and it hasn’t worked. So let’s now put all our eggs in one basket, that of the Lord’s, for He is capable of hatching them without breaking or spoiling any of them. (smile)
And for those of us who are sincerely seeking His righteousness, let’s go home now declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, telling the whole world who and whose we are! Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
So what we waiting for eh? Let’s go out right now and share that awesome LOVE and friendship of our friend and Saviour Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!
…only do not doubt…for doubt destroys faith… and we need faith to live successfully…
22 Dec 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: bowed their heads, cause lots of rejoicing in heaven, drive ole Satan mard, God is greatly to be feared, God's sure promises to David, having a good day, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, in god's eyes, in spite of rough or unpleasant circumstances, life intrudes on you, lifting up their hands, LOVE Revolution, make the enemy stand up and take notice, money can't buy true love, mourn nor nor weep, no one can take that from me, rejoicing and being glad, Revival time is here again, rise up and cheer each other on, share His love with the world, sincere tears of repentance, something good is going to happen to and through me, soulless houses, sour demeanour, the ability to enjoy our day, the masterful and magical thing called hope, the power of the Holy spirit, their faces to the ground, this Christmas season, this day is holy unto the Lord your god, to be had in reverence, to make matters worse, Tuesday Mantra, uninterested in the spiritual life, what a task it is getting old, who in heaven can be compared unto the Lord, with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness, worshipped the Lord
Psalm 89:1. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
Aye friends, why does life have to intrude on you eh? Chuh man! This morning I got up at a decent hour, did my chores, put out the garbage, then had a sip of water which choked me….Steups! And that set off a set of coughing, causing my asthma to act up. Brother! And yuh think the coughing would stop? No sir! All the puffers didn’t make a difference. So that now I have this wheezy chest and uncomfortable and sour demeanour. (smile)
And to make matters worse, some app on the bloody computer was so slow that I could not open anything else. Then my coffee got cold and I had to go back upstairs and warm it. Mama! And these days it seems like any li’l thing chokes me. What a task it is getting old oui! So please bear with the ole fella this morning, he’s shaking it somewhat on the rough side; life’s gotten to me. (smile)
But yuh know what? That isn’t going to stop me from having a good day, from rejoicing and being glad in it, and believe that something good is going to happen to and through me! Glory be mih bredrin! That’s the power of the Holy Spirit in us believers; it gives us the ability to enjoy our day in spite of rough or unpleasant circumstances.
That’s why in this Christmas season – only 3 more days to the Big Day – I will, and we should do like Ethan the Ezrahite says in Psalm 89 – God’s sure promise to David. ‘I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.’ (Ps. 89:1)
The sad part of that though is we have not sung of God’s mercies enough, or sufficiently made known His faithfulness to this current generation, that’s why they are so ungodly and uninterested in the spiritual life that’s oh so important for each of us, seeing that our physical body only lasts a short while, but the spiritual one lasts forever.
But then, there is that masterful and magical thing called hope; which as believers, we are full of, so this Christmas season, when we can’t gather as we want to, and when we are finally realizing how much we truly need each other, let us all rise up and cheer each other on nuh. Let us find some way to encourage the sick and suffering, the poor and lonely, even the rich and well to do, who sometimes are even lonelier than others, fortified in their big, soulless houses, with all their inanimate, useless money, that can’t buy true LOVE!
And let us do, as best we can, like the Israelites did after the prophet Ezra read the law for them. ‘And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.’ (Neh. 8:6)
Wow! What a great day that must have been in ole Israel eh? How I wish that we could have a day like that in our time. It would just drive ole Satan mard, but cause lots of rejoicing in heaven! Glory be! How many of you remember those Revival times of long ago eh? When the big tents were full of worshippers every night and God’s name was all over the place – Number One in the land! Not like now, when half of the people don’t even know who God is…or even care! Steups!
And furthermore, as Nehemiah, the Governor, Ezra, the priest and the scribes and Levites who explained the Good Book to the people of Israel on that momentous and memorable day said unto them: ‘This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.’ (Neh. 8:9)
Oh how I long for an outpouring of sincere tears of repentance and understanding and knowledge and reverence on behalf of our great God! A true LOVE Revolution! It would make the enemy stand up and take serious notice, that the soldiers of Christ were on the move, bad and beautiful, and in no mood to be played with!
And these next words of Nehemiah to the people, are words that should also echo far and wide across our land today, like they did way back then in Israel. ‘Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10)
Oh my people, in these crazy and hard times of the pandemic and lack of work, food and money, it behooves those of us who have to share joyfully and generously with those who don’t have, especially in this Christmas season when we celebrate one of the greatest gifts ever given to mankind, the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Wow! We can do no better, give no better testimony to His wonderfulLOVEand grace, mercy and forgiveness, than sharing what He’s so magnanimously blessed us with!
Ah mih fellow saints, I’m chuckling here, hoping that what I’ve written makes sense, because the passion and excitement is flowing non-stop, though my chest is still wheezy. (smile) That is what happens when you all stir up the ole fella! And for good measure, let’s throw in these two wonderful verses of Ethan the Ezrahite, from Psalm 89. ‘For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had (held) in reverence of all them that are about him.’ (Ps. 89:6-7)
And for those of us who agree wholeheartedly with those words, and who do hold the Lord in reverence, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are! 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!’
Now, with the ingenuity of Jesus flowing in our veins, let’s go out, or even stay in, and share His awesomeLOVEand friendship this Christmas season, where joy and gratitude ought to abound!Much LOVE!
…can somebody shout…Revival time is here again…
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