27 Aug 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: another round of the scourge, both shall be alike good, bowing to Almighty God, bread to the wise, cast thy bread upon the waters, chance and time, divine intervention, equalizing effects, evil deeds, eyes fixed straight ahead, fear God, glad to be alive, God will make it right, halfway home, hands on the plough, hell-bent trail, His everlasting sovereignty, I returned and saw under the sun, in His own time, in the evening, in the morning, keep his commandments, let us hear, lighten up, LOVE, mind boggling problems, not turning back, only repentance and a return to God, pandemic, questions, riches to men of understanding, sow thy seed, strife, the conclusion of the whole matter, the Lord will save a remnant, the race is not for the swift, the true answer to life, the works of God, this is the whole duty of man, thou knowest not, time to buckle down, time will reveal the answers, to a glorious future with Jesus, uncertainty of human industry, unfortunate times, Wednesday Wail, whether shall prosper, will save us, wisdom, withhold not thine hand
Ecclesiastes 12:13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ah mih people, the summer is quickly coming to an end… and many of us didn’t even have the time to notice it was summer and do all the things we enjoy doing in this wonderful season…and we all know why. (smile) And it wasn’t bad summer weather at all, hot – like you know where – with some rain and thunderstorms, what we would have termed a good summer if we were able to engage in all the usual summer activities. But now it’s time to buckle down for fall and the cold winter days ahead.
Who knows what life will be like then eh? Will there be school, will there be some ease in the pandemic and strife, or will we see another round of the scourge and more strife? Questions, questions! That’s all we have, and only time will reveal the answers! Oh what a wonderful philosophical statement! (smile) Lighten up mih friends, our wonderful God is still on the throne, still controlling things, and that’s all we need to know!
He’s the same yesterday, today and forever, which means we know exactly what to expect from Him, so there’s no need for us to hold our heads and bawl, He will make it right in His own time, when we are sufficiently repentant and have turned back to Him, sincerely welcoming Him back with open arms. Back to our homes, our schools, our society, when life once again focuses and throbs around His everlasting sovereignty!
The longer our serious, mind boggling problems persist, the stronger I feel that only repentance and a return to God will save us. The only problem is how long can we afford to pussyfoot around when more people are dying everyday through sickness and strife? Yes, the Lord will save a remnant, like He did with Israel every time He punished them for disobedience, but I believe the size of that remnant will depend on how soon we move to bring Him back to our society.
So in effect, the ball is in our court, we are the deciders of our faith – turn back to God and prosper, or continue down the destructive, hell-bent trail we’re now on and suffer divine intervention. Wow! Is the ole fella waxing philosophical this morning or what! (smile) But here are some interesting words from one who was ever so much wiser than me.
We talking about Cousin Sol, and writing as the preacher in Ecclesiastes, he says: ‘I returned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil (cruel) net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.’ (Eccl. 9:11-12)
And has an evil time ever fallen suddenly upon us my brethren! Oh some may say that it has not fallen suddenly because our evil deeds have been on a path of accumulation all along, and this is just the culmination. But however we parse it, these are indeed evil and unfortunate times. And I like the scholars’ brief explanations of those two verses above. ‘9:11-12. Five statements of unexpected results are followed by an explanation. Man’s ability cannot guarantee the results (vs.11) because of the equalizing effects of time and chance.’
Yes friends, our wealth, strength, wisdom, understanding and skill does not keep us from ‘sufferation,’ for we are all liable to the equalizing effects of time and chance, which happen unexpectedly to us all. Thus, the only thing we can be sure of in this life is the sovereignty of Jehovah God, who created us in His own spiritual image and still controls the reins of our lives, regardless of what the wise or evil man might think. And furthermore, as Cousin Sol says earlier in his famous treatise of a time for every purpose under heaven: ‘A time to LOVE and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.’ (Eccl. 3:8)
Oh precious people, these crucial and most critical times are ones for LOVE and peace, not hate and war! The latter two will only drive more nails into our already prepared coffin. Only the godly traits of LOVE, peace, mercy, grace, forgiveness, kindness, friendship and the like, can save us in these turbulent and unrelenting times. And yes my fellow saints in Christ, Cousin Sol has some really good words of wisdom and advice in Ecclesiastes. Hear these, as he enjoins us to charity, which is so badly needed in this time of lack and hardship.
‘Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth… As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit (wind), nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper (which will succeed), either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.’ (Eccl. 11:1-2,5-6)
Now hear the scholars on those verses. ‘11:1-6. These verses contain a series of sayings about the uncertainty of human industry, and are held together by the fourfold occurrence of the expression thou knowest not. Although man cannot comprehend God’s work, nor predict success, he needs to be involved in life’s activities and trust God for the results.’ And that is exactly what I’m trying to get through to us my people! The only sure thing in this world is God, regardless of what we think or believe! And the only sure way to live this life with positive purpose is to interact sincerely with Him.
And Cousin Sol wraps it up thus: ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ (Eccl. 12:13-14) That’s it in a nutshell friends! To live successfully, we need to reverence God and be obedient to His will, nothing else will suffice!
And now that we’ve been reassured and re-indoctrinated (smile) to our earthly purpose, let’s go home declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus. All together now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And will it ever be glorious, if we endure to the end! Much LOVE!
…wisdom dictates…that bowing to Almighty God…is the true answer to life…
23 May 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bridle for the ass, a glorious future, a horse of a different colour, a rod for the fool's back, a whip for the horse, as the horse, as the mule, be with Jesus, Behold, better late than never, blaspheming God's name, breath of life, death throes, deliver their soul from death, depart from evil, desires life, destroy our lives, do good, doing our own thing, dread, embracing God, excessive heat, fires, glad to be alive, God will never let us down, greatest desire, guide thee with mine eye, hands on the plough, Hawaiian volcano, he that keeps Israel, herd mentality, hope in his mercy, in His own time, instruct, joy, keep them alive in famine, keep them in our prayers, keep thy tongue from evil, lava, loves many days, Maria Goff, need bit and bridle, neither slumber nor sleep, not getting burned again, not looking back, obsessing, off kilter, once burned twice shy, one of those days, plumes of steam, pursue it, seek peace, surrender our will, teach thee, thanksgiving, the eye of the Lord, the face of the Lord, the Lord hears, the righteous cry, them that fear him, thy lips from guile, wait patiently, Wednesday Wail, when the fire comes, wisdom, with expectancy
Psalm 33:18. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.
Ah friends, it’s just one of those days. Life interspersed itself into my circumstances, as it so often likes to do and threw everything off kilter, that’s why I’m only now writing the Bit at ten o’clock. But not to worry, as they say better late than never. (smile)
And I have an interesting quote to share from a lady named Maria Goff, from her book, ‘Once Burned Twice Shy.’ And Maria tells us that ‘It won’t be the fires that destroy our lives and our faith. It will be the obsessing over not getting burned again.’
How true that seems when we look at the way our society obsesses over stuff. We get that herd mentality over a particular thing, and then it’s ever so hard to break it. Dread of things to come, many of which never come, plays a large part in our current society. But friends, as believers, we know that when the fire comes, we won’t be around to get burned. So there is nothing for us to be worried about, much less to obsess over. (smile)
But on a more serious note, the fire, lava from the volcano in Hawaii is causing serous problems; it’s run through the jungles down to the sea, causing tremendous plumes of steam with excessive heat to rise into the atmosphere. It’s not even safe to go to the beach.
Ah Lord eh! As the ole people would say, when it’s not one thing it’s another. But thankfully it has not exploded in a serious explosion just yet. Now that would be a horse of an entirely different colour. Let’s keep them in our prayers.
And our Bit today is one of great assurance. ‘Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.’ Yes friends, that is ever so true! The psalmist tells us in Psalm 121: ‘He that keepeth thee, will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.’ (Ps.121:3b-4)
Oh how wonderful is our God, that He never slumbers nor sleeps so that he can keep a watchful eye over us! ‘To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.’ (Ps.33:19)
I don’t think there is any more we can ask of our God nuh my people. We just have to surrender our will to His and wait patiently, with expectancy, for Him to do His thing in His own time. One thing we’re sure of though, is that He will NEVER let us down, and will eventually cause everything to work in our favour. And Job concurs with the words of our Bit. ‘He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous:’ (Job 36:7a)
Meanwhile, we have these immortal words of Bruh David from Psalm 33: ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.’ (Ps.32:8-9)
Ah mih people, how often has our God promised and admonished us as to the way we ought to behave eh? Numerous times! But do we listen? Not really. We still insist on doing our own thing, even when that is not successful. We end up like the horse and the mule, which need a bit and bridle to guide them in the right paths.
And I’m chuckling here as I discover this bit of wisdom on the topic from Cousin Sol. ‘A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass (donkey), and a rod for the fool’s back.’ (Prov.26:3)
Oh friends, so many of us need a rod for our backs in these end times, because so many of us are behaving so foolishly! Turning away from the Lord, blaspheming His holy name, trying to run Him out of our society. No wonder our society is in the death throes that it’s in!
Please, let’s listen to Bruh David and do as he recommends. ‘What man is he that desireth life, and LOVETH many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile (deceit). Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.’ (Ps.34:12-14)
And you ask why should we follow that advice? Because, ‘The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.’ (Ps.34:15-17)
It couldn’t get any plainer than that my people. So why don’t we just show our great wisdom by embracing our wonderful God with joy and thanksgiving nuh? It’s oh so easy to do!
And now, for those of us who choose to do so, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know our true and ever-improving position with Jesus. As one voice, with a strong sense of purpose and sincere heart: ‘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!’
Ah mih people, what a great joy it is to be involved with Jesus! Life just doesn’t get any better than when we are a member of His fold! And the future will be even more glorious than we can think or imagine! Much LOVE!
…to be with Jesus forever…ought to be every human’s greatest desire…
31 Jan 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a believer's life, aches and pains, afraid to pray, all decisions, an integral part, and not faint, answer prayer, apostles, behind the eight ball, bellyaching, cold weather, communicating with God, consulting the Father, Creator of the universe, curse God, deliberations, direct line of communication, disciples, discouraged, ear heard, eye hath not seen, eyes focused, eyes looking straight ahead, fed the five thousand, fit the direction, for those who love Him, give up on Him, gospel truths, grin and bear it, halfway home, hands securely on the plough, he chose twelve, important decisions, in constant contact, in His own time, in the morning, into a solitary place, Jesus, Jesus went out, made time, miracles, most important aspect, most powerful medium, not looking back, Oswald Chambers, other plans, our benefit, pray everywhere, pray for the wrong things, pray without ceasing, pray your way, prayer, prayer imparts, praying always, refuse to pray, rising before day, snowy day, thank God, the breath of life, the future promise, the heart of man, the power to walk, the things God hath prepared, the urge to do wrong, there prayed, to a glorious future with Christ, too busy, Wednesday Wail, wisdom
Mark 1:35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.
Ah friends, it’s one of those days when you start out behind the eight ball. I went to bed fairly early, but `woke up late with my back aching like crazy. I don’t understand it nuh. The body calls for rest, but when I rest the body for any decent length of time, I wake up with more aches and pains than I went to bed with. Chuh! It’s just not right! (smile)
Then it looks like we’re going to have a bleak snowy day with temps in the minus something or other. Steups! And to make matters worse, I happened to glimpse the weather forecast for T&T and it was projected to be plus thirty. That’s where I ought to be!
And I’m not worried, because I know that I’ll be there at some stage of the game, but right now, the Lord in His awesome wisdom has other plans for my life in the cold weather, so I’ll just have to grin and bear it, while keeping my eyes focused on the future promise.
Enough of my bellyaching though, here are a couple of more important things for us to concentrate on. The first is a Daily Bread Thought for the day, which says: ‘Pray your way past the urge to do wrong.’ And the second comes from the great Christian writer, Oswald Chambers, who tells us that: ‘Prayer imparts the power to walk and not faint.’
Both those sayings are gospel truths my brethren and wisdom of enormous proportions. Why? Because prayer is the most powerful medium on God’s great earth! It’s the direct line of communication with the Creator of the universe! It couldn’t get any better than that.
Our problem is that we either refuse to pray, are afraid to pray, or pray for the wrong things, and when we don’t get them, we get discouraged and curse God and give up on Him. But remember God never promised to answer every prayer right away. He answers them in His own time and if they fit the direction He wants us to go.
Oh friends, prayer is possibly the most important aspect of a believer’s life. Because that’ how we communicate with Almighty God. Look at Jesus, who though He was God Himself, still chose to live His earthly life through strong and consistent communication with His heavenly Father.
As the Good Book says in our Bit: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ He never made important decisions without consulting the Father.
Apparently on that occasion He was considering whether to continue preaching the gospel as the focal point of His ministry, which wasn’t being received too well, or to focus on the miracles aspects, which the people were lapping up. But He never left the Father out of His deliberations. And most important He ALWAYS made time to do it.
We claim to be too busy to talk our Creator, which in reality friends is nonsense. We find or make time to do every other worldly thing that seems important to us though. Whether we make time or not, just goes to show how important we consider communicating with the Father is to us.
But friends, if we want to have good communication with God, we have to make time to talk to Him, regardless of what else is happening in our lives. Look at Jesus again. After He fed the five thousand with the five loaves and two fishes, (Matt.14:15-21), He sent the disciples away on a ship over the lake.
‘And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart (by himself) to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.’ (Matt.14:23) Yuh see friends, Jesus MADE TIME to be with God. Look at this other example of Jesus’ full prayer life. This happened just before He chose the 12 disciples.
‘And it came to pass in those days, that he (Jesus) went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles.’ (Luke 6:12-13) Another example of Jesus consulting His Father before making big decisions.
But friends, the Lord doesn’t only want us to communicate with Him on big decisions, but on ALL decisions, be they big or small. That means He desires to be an integral part of our everyday lives. Whatever we’re doing, He wants to be involved in it.
That’s why Bruh Paul in his writings talks about praying always, (Eph.6:18); praying without ceasing (1 Thess.5:17); and praying everywhere (1 Tim.2:8) The Lord wants to be in constant contact with us, and prayer is how He does it. So let’s be wise and MAKE TIME to communicate with Him nuh. It’s for our benefit, not His.
Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, a prayer that shows how connected we are with our God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In one strong and sincere voice 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 yuh know what friends, our puny minds can’t even begin to comprehend the future that really awaits us. We know it’s going to be glorious, but just how glorious, we have no true idea. But hang in there, and we’ll find out eventually. Much LOVE!
…eye hath not seen…nor ear heard…neither have entered into the heart of man…the things which God hath prepared…for them that LOVE him… (1 Cor.2:9)
12 Oct 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faithful follower of Jesus, a foolish thing, a rainy day, a sovereign Being, a wake up call, a waste of time, action, almighty god, behind the eight ball, believe, bush fire blazing, California, carnage, cease from anger, claimed numerous lives, communication revolution, courage, creativity, curse, earthquakes, engulfed homes, evil ways, evildoers shall be destroyed, extinguish His presence, faith, fellow believers, fires, foolish games, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, friends, glamourous, glitzy, God is alive and well, God is in control, God's infinite movements, God's salvation, homes, hope, hurricanes, impatience, in His own time, inherit the earth, Israelites, Jeremiah, Lamentations, livelihoods, lost their lives, LOVE, moral ineptitude, natural disasters, negative word, now-for-now living, obedience, patience, perseverance, power mongering, punishment, puny imaginations, quietly wait, rain pouring down, rebellion, repentance, Rest in the Lord, self-control, self-discipline, take better care of our planet, the back burner, the beginning from the end, the God of their fathers, The Lord is good, the soul that seeks God, the way of the world, Thursday Blessings, tragedy, trust, unpredictable weather, wait on God., wait patiently, wealth, wicked schemes, work everything out for good
Psalm 37:7a. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:
It was a rainy day…a chilly one too…and mostly cloudy… Looks like today will be more of the same. Ah mih people, our weather is becoming so unpredictable that who knows what’s happening?
Meanwhile, with rain pouring down on this side of the continent, out on the West Coast, in California, another raging bush fire has claimed numerous lives and engulfed thousands of homes! Steups! So where is the rain that they need eh?
Sometimes, when we see all these natural disasters happening, it gets real hard to trust and believe and wait on our great and good God.
Oh, deep down, we know that He is in control and that all things will eventually work themselves out for good, but nonetheless we don’t want to see our fellow believers suffering such unbelievable tragedy. It hurts us to the very core of our beings, especially when we project ourselves in their positions.
And the number of folks who have lost their lives, homes and livelihoods in the last few months, to fires on the west coast of Canada and the U.S, and to hurricanes in the Caribbean and Southern U.S and to earthquakes in Mexico, is simply staggering.
I don’t know if so much natural carnage has ever occurred in such a short space of time in so many places before. But friends, all we can truly do is take better care of our planet and place our total faith and trust in the One who created us and the entire universe; Almighty God!
And as I keep reminding us, all of these natural disasters might just be a wake up call from God to cut out our intolerable evil ways and return to following Him in true repentance and obedience.
The Israelites suffered severe punishment whenever they drifted away from the God of their fathers, so why can’t it happen to us too, since we have also put God on the back burner of our lives, with every intention to totally extinguish His presence and place in our society.
Obviously that’s a very foolish thing to do, but nevertheless, many of us have done it, or are in the process of doing so. The way of the world; it’s glitzy and glamourous things and wealth and moral ineptitude have bedazzled us into thinking that God is a waste of time.
But my fellow believers that’s the furthest thing from the truth! Our God is alive and well, keeping a very watchful eye on everything, allowing mankind to play their foolish games of power mongering and rebellion.
He knows the beginning from the end and has all His plans laid out and will eventually bring them all to fruition…in His own good time! Now that last phrase is the all-important one… in God’s own time.
Remember God is a sovereign Being, full of might and power, whose thoughts and ways are much higher than ours. So in our finite and puny imaginations we can never truly understand His infinite movements and the time line for them.
Thus, regardless of how religious and holy and righteous we are, true wisdom can only be shown when we adhere to the immortal words of our Bit, which flowed from the pen of Bruh David as he wrestled with the same feelings and constraints that we are currently wrestling with. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:’
Oh friends, we’ll never find out how true those words are until we put them into action! Our God has made numerous promises, and He will keep them ALL, but in His own time and His own way! Until we learn to recognize and accept that, we’ll remain continuously behind the eighth ball.
Now listen to how Bruh David continues after our Bit: ‘fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only cause harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:7b-9)
Oh mih breddren, we all know how true those words are, so why aren’t we practicing them eh? Because we have been overwhelmed by the world’s impatience and desire for everything as soon as possible. Now-for-now living characterizes our society. We need to have everything immediately! That’s the unfortunate result of our technological and communication revolution.
Now hear this scripture that truly tells it like it is. Jeremiah, in his lamentations, tearfully but truthfully declares: ‘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.’ (Lam.3:25-26) How much clearer can it get eh my people?
But before we go home declaring our Thursday Blessings, there is one proviso to it all; waiting on the Lord doesn’t mean sitting on our fannies and doing nothing. It means still doing what is necessary, working, persevering in God’s will. For that’s when the Lord showers down these heavenly blessings on us.
So let’s shout them to the world, so that others can see the goodness of God and thus wisely desire to embrace Him too. ‘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 everyday! Amen!’
The next step is to now go out and bless others, because blessings are meant to be shared. Much LOVE!
…only as believers show patience and perseverance…will they be truly blessed…
22 Jan 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a believer, a bout of tiredness, a call to faith, a good time, a steady spate of rejoicing, all things work together for good, and again I say rejoice, believing on God's promises, blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul, blest assurance, buffet, Christ, circumstances, clarion call, Donald Trump, for my soul, future home, glorious thought, good reason to rejoice, harmony, heaven, hem and hawed, in death as in life, in His own time, indecisiveness, is our goal, it is well with my soul, Jordan, joy, laziness, like a river, looks into the future, my helpless estate, my sin, nailed to the cross, no pang, not the grave, o my soul, peace, praise, Praise the Lord, Rejoice in the Lord always, Satan, satisfied, sea billows, shed His own blood, sorrows, thankfulness, the bliss, the sky, them that love God, thy coming we wait, trials, trump of the angel, voice of the Lord, whatever my lot, whisper thy peace, worship
Philippians 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Ah friends, it’s just been one of those days. I got up early, but could not decide whether to write the Bit or go to the early morning church service. Hn! Consequently I did neither.
Then I hem and hawed about whether to write the Bit or go to the later church service. I finally went to the ten o’clock service and did not get back home till after twelve, so that’s why I’m only now writing the Bit.
Steups! What a good day for indecisiveness and laziness! Let’s be thankful that that doesn’t happen every day.
And the church service was refreshing. Everybody was glad to see me back out, though they didn’t notice that at one stage during the pre communion prayers, I had to sit down because a bout of tiredness suddenly hit me. That’s because I purposely sat at the very back of the church. All in all though, it was a good time, and I hope it just gets better every week.
Now let’s get in some praise and worship with this old hymn which accurately describes my situation right now. My physical state might not be the greatest, but certainly, ‘It is well with my soul.’
‘When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. (Refrain) It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. (Refrain)
My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! — My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! (Refrain)
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. (Refrain)
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! (Refrain)
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul…’
Yeh my people, I do hope it is well with all of our souls, for that’s where it really counts. That brings us to our Bit, a serious clarion call from Bruh Paul. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.’
Oh fellow believers, that might sound somewhat difficult to do, what with all the difficulties we have in our current lives. But as a believer, it is essential for us to have continual joy, a steady spate of rejoicing, otherwise we won’t be able to handle our individual circumstances.
Now we don’t necessarily mean constant jumping and shouting, but more a quiet thankfulness that makes the heart and soul feel satisfied, regardless of the situation.
Listen to this explanation from the scholars. ‘4:4. The mention of believers’ names being recorded in heaven (v.3) causes the author to write rejoice in the Lord always.
Harmony among church members, as Paul assumes will be the result of his plea in verses 2 and 3, is another reason to “rejoice.” In adding and again I say, Rejoice, it is though the apostle looks into the future, considers all possibilities of sorrow, and in spite of them all repeats “the command.”
This command to rejoice at all times and in all circumstances is nothing less than a call to faith. For if the Christian believes that his life and all its circumstances are in the hands of a sovereign, wise, and LOVING God who is always working to accomplish good for him, then he can indeed “rejoice always.”
And Romans 8:28, tells us just that: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them that who are called according to his purpose.’
So there is good reason to rejoice always. Why do you think I’m keeping my peace and hanging in there despite my numerous ailments? Because I’m believing on God’s promises to make everything right in His own time.
Friends, that’s the only way to find some peace in this crazy, strife filled world, especially in the uncertain and apparently divisive era of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Let’s pray that he will soon wake up and smell the roses and not simply make matters worse than they already are. Remember, as the U.S. goes, most of the world goes, thus we are also praying for ourselves. Much LOVE!
…if heaven is your future home…then there’s no need to be sad on earth…
06 Oct 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook, abundance, all things must pass, almighty god, anger, at nights, blessings, breathless, broken, cast our care, clear direction, conviction, courage, creativity, curse, deliverance from death, divine protection, eclipses, endure for a night, enthusiasm, exhaustion, faith, favour, fear, fiery trial, fulfillment, give thanks, God's goodness, good friends, good health, great family, healed me, His anger endures but a moment, hold on to God's promises, hope, I cried unto thee, I will extol thee, in His own time, in Jesus' name, in the daytime, in the morning, intimate details, joy comes in the morning, kept me alive, lay our burdens down, life, lifted me up, loving kindness, my foes, my soul, neck of the woods, negative word, one truth from the Bible, One Year Book of Bible promises, positive action, prayer, promotion, prosper, resolute assurance, Ruth Harms Calkin, saints, self-control, self-discipline, Sheol, sincerity, sing unto the Lord, spoken, stomping pain, strong will, struggle, succeed, success, supernatual wisdom, supernatural strength, talent, thanksgiving, the grave, the last vestiges of hope, the precursor to Friday, the remembrance of His holiness, Thursday Blessings, to rejoice, tomorrow, tough times, triumphantly, trust, twisting pain, unalterably true, utterly spent, weeping, wisdom, work out for our good, worth more than all man's wisdom
Psalm 30:5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.
Thursday, oh Thursday! How beautiful you are in your own right! But sadly, you are simply considered the day before, the precursor to Friday, and thus your importance and natural beauty is denied. But don’t worry, because some of us do appreciate you for what you are – Thursday, and not merely the day before Friday.
Ah friends, it’s a beautiful Thursday morning in my neck of the woods, and we do appreciate Thursday for what it is. Now please check out this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is simply titled, ‘In the Morning.’
And it says: ‘Today, Lord I have an unshakeable conviction A positive resolute assurance That what You have spoken is unalterably true. But today, Lord My sick body feels stronger And the stomping pain quietly subsides.
Tomorrow… And then tomorrow If I must struggle again With aching exhaustion With twisting pain Until I am breathless Until I am utterly spent Until fear eclipses the last vestige of hope
Then, Lord Then grant me the enabling grace To believe without feeling To know without seeing To clasp Your invisible hand And wait with invincible trust For the morning.’
Ah mih people, how often do we prayer that kind of prayer eh, especially at nights, when fear seems to overtake us much more easily than in the daytime? We’re sick or troubled, and everything just seems so difficult from one day to the next.
But at least, as believers we know exactly where to go and lay our burdens down, where to cast our care, whom we can trust with the most intimate details of our lives – Almighty God, the One who made us and still cares for us. In tough times our faith must lead us to Him and nobody else.
And quite appropriately, the Bible verse for that poem is also our Bit, which comes from Psalm 30 – Bruh David’s thanksgiving for deliverance from death.
But before we get into our Bit, I think it’s important to hear the verses before it, how Bruh David began this wonderful psalm. He begins it obviously with thanksgiving, remembering God’s goodness.
‘I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave (Sheol – the place of the dead): thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (grave).
Sing unto the Lord, O Ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (holy name).For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy (a shout of joy) cometh in the morning.’ (Ps.30:1-5)
Yes my brethren, life does seem to hold much more sorrow in the nighttime, when it feels that our God has forsaken us. But as Bruh David says, the Lord’s anger doesn’t last very long, He always eschews life instead of death, and thus when the morning comes everything seems brighter.
Something about the daylight raises our faith to a higher level than at nights. I guess in the darkness it’s much harder to see, and thus more difficult to grasp the hand of God. But friends, we need to remember that all things must pass.
They might not pass as quickly or as smoothly as we desire, but if we hold on to that unbreakable faith and trust in our omnipotent God, then at some stage of the game, He will work it all out for our good.
Oh, I know that waiting on God’s timing under such difficult and painful circumstances is not easy, but what else are we going to do eh? No other supposed God has a better plan for our lives, so in wisdom, please, let’s hold on to the promises of our Creator, knowing that at the right time He will indeed come through for us.
Now let’s look at a couple of scripture verses from Isaiah, which reinforces the words of Bruh David. They deal with the Lord’s everlasting LOVE for Israel.
‘For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting (LOVING) kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.’ (Is.54:7-8)
Oh friends, though our God may occasionally get angry with us, His anger will not last forever, because He is basically a God of mercy and LOVING-kindness.
So please don’t be upset and give up, if it seems that He’s taking too long to come to your rescue. Just believe that He is walking by your side through the fiery trial, and in His own time, He will bring you safely through it. That’s what faith is all about.
Now let’s go home triumphantly declaring our Thursday Blessings…And who says Thursday is not important eh? It’s full of blessings. (smile)
And remember too that a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over some one. So as one now, with plenty enthusiasm and sincerity, faith and trust in Almighty God, let’s bless ourselves.
‘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 everyday! Amen!’
Now let’s go and put all those blessings into positive action, as Jesus desires of us, displaying heavenly wisdom. Much LOVE!
…one truth from the Bible…is worth more than all the wisdom of man…
10 Jun 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a matter of time, a vision of the night, abuse the weekend, afflict, boast, break in pieces, brutish, busy as bees, call them to account, comeuppance, condemn, doom, encouraging, excellency, faithful friends, favour of the poor, fly away as a dream, formed the eyes, Friday chant, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, godly, having fun, how long shall the wicked triumph, in His own time, innocent blood, insolent things, Jesus Christ, joy, knowledge, life of the righteous, LOVE, lustful, miserable, mount up to the heavens, our own fault, partying, physically, planted the ear, prospering, prosperity, refreshed, reinvigorate, relaxation, renewed, rest, restore their goods, righteous, senseless fools, sins, spiritually, teaches man, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the god of Jacob, the joy of the hypocrite, the Lord is my defense, the Lord knows, the Most High God, the offing of the wicked, the rock of my refuge, the thoughts of man, the weekend, thine heritage, tired, triumphing of the wicked, Triune God, ungodliness, ungodly times, unrighteousness, uplifting words, week of work, workers of iniquity, yoke of the wicked, Zophar
Psalm 94:3. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
Ah mih people, it’s that day called Friday again! And everybody is busy as bees preparing for the weekend. The Friday buzz is all over the land.
All you can hear is ‘TGIF! Thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends, cause that’s when we get to go about our business; our business of partying and having fun! Under those circumstances, how can we not shout ‘TGIF’ eh, and thank the Lord for Friday.’
Yeh friends, we need to be thankful for Friday and the weekend, but not simply for the opportunity to splurge and fete. The weekend was made for much more than that. So let’s chant our Friday Chant and discover the better way to use our weekends nuh.
As one new: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
So people, though there’s an element of partying involved in the weekend, it’s not only for lustful fun and games, but also to renew and reinvigorate us, both physically and spiritually, so that we can continue renewed and reinvigorated come the new workweek.
And that’s where so many of us fall down, we abuse the weekend, and come Monday morning we’re all beat up, tired and miserable and find it hard to get up to go out and labour. And then we complain as though we’re so hard done by, when it’s all our own fault.
That means we have to do a whole lot better in using our weekends more profitably my brethren. For listen to the questioning words of our Bit, taken from Psalm 94. ‘Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?’
Now that’s a very good question friends, for in these ungodly times the wicked does seem to be prospering much more than the righteous. And just like it bothered the psalmist, it bothers us today, so that like the psalmist we too can ask, can lament:
‘How long shall they utter and speak hard (insolent) things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard (pay attention to) it.’ (Ps.94:3-7)
Yeh mih people, the wicked are truly on a roll these days, doing as they wish to whom they wish and nobody seems to call them to account, and consequently they believe that the Most High God will not see or take notice of their iniquity.
But they are totally wrong my fellow believers in Jesus Christ, for as the psalmist warns the wicked. ‘Understand ye brutish (senseless) among the people, ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eyes, shall he not see?
He that chastiseth (instructs or disciplines) the heathen (nations or Gentiles), shall he not correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity (vain, futile).’ (Ps.94:8-11)
Yes my brethren, our great God who created everything in the universe, hears, sees and knows it all, and in His good and right time will repay the workers of iniquity for their unrighteousness and ungodliness, for their sins against the godly and righteous. But all in His own time my faithful friends, all in His own time.
I know we’re shaking it rough under the yoke of the wicked, but we just have to wait and be patient until our Lord and God decides it’s time to repay.
Now hear how Zophar, the Naamathite, Job’s friend, describes the offing of the wicked. ‘Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung (refuse): they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him. His children shall seek to please (seek the favour of) the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.’(Job 20:4-10)
Oh friends, the wicked are in for a very rough time when the Lord decides to strike. And you can read the rest of Zophar’s characterization of the fall of the wicked right up to verse 29. And it’s not a very pleasant image, so please don’t worry if the wicked seem to be overly prosperous and successful in their earthly sojourn, but rather be assured that their prosperity is short lived, and their doom is sure.
And listen to the final encouraging and uplifting words of the psalmist in Psalm 94. ‘They gather themselves together against the soul (life) of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness: yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off (destroy them).’ (Ps.94:21-24)
And that’s a promise we can all hold on to my faithful followers of Christ. The wicked will go up in flames when the time is right, while the righteous enjoy the good life with our triune God.
Please, let’s faithfully remember that and don’t allow the wicked to frighten us with their sinful ways, for our God is still on His throne running things. Much LOVE!
…it’s only a matter of time…before the wicked get their comeuppance…
P.S. Please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but the ole fella was somewhat under the weather. (smile) Much LOVE!
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