12 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a pot of gold, accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour, according to his glorious power, all that labour and are heavy laden, all things work together for good to them that love God, amidst all the anxiety and confusion, at the end of the rainbow, be filled with the knowledge of God's willl, be of good cheer, be responsible and stay safe, being fruitful in every good work, better Christian witnesses, by the example that we set, can disappoint very quickly, can wake up and smell the coffee, come unto me, crying out for help, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, delivered us from the power of darkness, divine aid, do not cease to pray for you, don't depend on others to make you happy, embrace your love and compassion, faith, find joy in Jesus, find rest unto your souls, Friday chant, gentle and humble, giving thanks unto the Father, happiness, happiness can be fleeting, hits the nail on the head, holy spirit, humans are irresponsible and unpredictable, i have overcome the world, I stand at the door and knock, I will come into him, I will give you rest, if any man hear my voice and open the door, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, in me ye ight have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, in whom we have redemption through his blood, increasing in the knowledge of God, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the only who will not let us down, Jesus never disappoints, joy, learn of me, life just gives us time and space, LOVE, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, my yoke is easy and my burden light, No one is guaranteed happiness, nothing can be better than living for Jesus, omnipotent help, our sinful world can wake up, place our trust in Almighty God, problems escalating, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, scripture of promise, show them the error of their ways, stand strong and steadfast in faith, strengthened with all might, take my yoke upon you, tests our faith through tough circumstances, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the forgiveness of sins, the joy found in Christ is everlasting, the most assurance of happiness, the throne of grace, these things I have spoken unto you, these ungodly times, time of need, to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, to them who are called according to his purpose, translated us into the kingdom of his Son, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storms, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, walk worthy of the Lord, we experience joy with Jesus, we must fill it with joy and meaning, who hath qualified us, will sup with him and he with me, wisdom, wise guidance
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Oh friends, at long last it’s Friday, and we can see a pot of gold, the weekend, at the end of the rainbow, this work week. And to make things better, although it’s cold and windy, the sun’s shining brightly, just the way we like it! No wonder we’ve sent up sincere prayers of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’
And today we’re going to look at interesting quote from my ‘I LOVE You’ Poster my young daughter gave me years ago. Now this quote sounds familiar, and I might have used it sometime ago, but like so many of these sayings, they are worth hearing over and over. And this one resonates with awesome truth. It says: ‘No one is guaranteed happiness. Life just gives us time and space. It’s up to us to fill it with joy and meaning.’
And that hits the proverbial nail right on its proverbial head. Happiness is not guaranteed, and often it doesn’t last very long. But we have to make ourselves happy, and the best way to do that is by starting off with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, for through Him, even if you don’t have happiness here on earth, you will certainly have it with Him wherever He is in the next life! And in Jesus we don’t experience happiness so much as joy, which is a much deeper and more lasting experience.
Now, we also have to pay attention to another aspect of the happiness situation, that is depending on others to make us happy. That’s not always wise, for human beings are so frail, fragile, irresponsible and unpredictable that if we depend on others to make us happy, in no time flat they can disappoint us, and the whole happiness house will come crashing down upon our heads. So it all comes right back to basing our happiness, our joy in Jesus, who is the ONLY One who will never let us down.
And why would He, after sacrificing Himself for our sins on the horrific cross of Calvary, and pleading with us through His Great Invitation to come to Him for rest and comfort. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (humble and gentle): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
He’s also constantly knocking at the doors of our hearts, so He can enter in and dine with us. He says it quite plainly: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (dine) with him, and he with me.’ (Rev. 3:20) Who else offers these faithful comforts eh? Nobody else but Jesus!
Oh, we humans might be faithful for a moment or a short while, but eventually we all disappoint to some extent. Jesus NEVER disappoints, if you understand His teachings and His commandments. Life with Him will not necessarily be easy, in some cases it might even be more difficult, as He tests our faith through tough circumstances, but we are assured that He will not let the devil have us, He will see us through to victory eventually. As Bruh Paul says in this awesome scripture of promise. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Yes friends, if we sincerely surrender to and place our trust in Almighty God, though we will suffer trials and tribulations, we are assured that the end we will fine. It’s like Jesus reassures us in the gospel of John, where He says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Now that’s not always easy to do, but if we put our sincere trust in Jesus, He will help us to do it.
And we’ll end with one of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible, and one that sets the basic standard for life and joy in Christ. It’s Bruh Paul’s prayer for the Colossians. So please pray with me: ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.’ (Col 1:9-14)
Wow mih bredrin! Tell me what can be better than living for Jesus eh? NOTHING! And where can we find the most assurance of happiness here on earth and in the next life? With Jesus; where else! And now that we’re convinced that Jesus provides the best scenario for happiness and joy in this world and the next, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant seeking help in this dire time of need that our evil world makes necessary.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And yes, our sinful world does need to wake up, but so do we Christians, and start showing better witness for Christ, if we expect to receive divine aid. Much LOVE!
…happiness can be fleeting…but the joy found in Christ is everlasting…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a beacon of hope and light, a candle in every soul, a city set on a hill cannot be hid, a family whose hearts are blazing, a heartfelt version, a Spirit who brings a fire, afraid to stand up for Jesus, all things were made by him, all who practice evil hate the light, an unlit candle, being fruitful in every good work, brightly burning, calling us to worship, carry your candle, Christians being light in the dankness, Christians ought to shine, Christopher Rice, church bells are ringing, dark and cold, do what's required of us, expose it to the light, faith, fellowship, frustrated brother, glorify your father in heaven, Go light your world, habitually giving thanks in all circumstances, have the light of life, he that doeth the truth comes to the light, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, hid deeds may be made manifest, hiding in the darkness, his deeds be exposed, hold out your candle for all to see, holds a candle without a flame, holy spirit, hymns and psalms and spiritual songs, I am the light of the world, ignites a candle, in him was life, in the darkest times, in the darkness of this ungodly world, in the name of Jesus, increasing in the knowledge of God, it gives light to all in the house, Jesus Christ, Jesus embodies all that spiritual light light is and does, Jesus is the light and life of the world, Jesus power persuades us to do good, Jesus' teaching and example illuminate our path, Kathy Troccoli, lest his deeds be reproved, Let your light so shine before men, let's raise our candles, light has come into the world, light of the world, light up the sky, lighting up the darkness of this world, like the comfortable life, LOVE, makes his home, making melody in our hearts to the Lord, men loved darkness rather than light, mercy, neither do men light a candle, on a candlestick, praying to our Father, put it under a bushel, run to the darkness, salvation, seek out the helpless confused and torn, shine our candle in joy and thanksgiving, shining like beacons in the night, stepped up to the plate, stop calling ourselves Christians, stop calling us hypocrites, sweet sacrifices of praise, take your candle go light your world, the church is woefully divided, the darkness comprehended it not, the gospel truth, the life was the light of men, the light shineth in the darkness, the Lord revivies and renews us, the reflections of Christ, the Sermon on the Mount, the source of light that quickens our understanding, their deeds were evil, these dark and evil times, they are wrought in God, they may see your good works, this is the condemnation, tried to light his own candle, truth, unto all pleasing, walk in darkness, walk worthy of God, wisdom, Ye are the light of the world, your sister's been robbed and lied
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Sunday’s here again friends, the Lord’s Day, and those church bells are ringing, calling us to worship in His sanctuary with those of the same faith. Giving thanks with hymns and psalms and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts to the Lord. (Eph. 5:19) And when we do that, the Lord in turn revives and renews us so that next week we can go out into the world and walk worthy of Him, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col. 1:10)
Yes friends, that’s how it works. So, let’s get to singing a spiritual song, this one aptly titled, ‘Go Light Your World.’ It’s a song written by one Christopher Rice, around 2004, which basically reflects the theme of Christians being light in the darkness of this evil world. And today we’ll offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, truly heartfelt version of the song, a la Kathy Troccoli.
Singing: ‘There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle and makes His home. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world.) Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame
(Chorus:…Carry your candle…) ‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world… Repeat… Take your candle, and go light your world…Take your candle, and go light your world.’
Oh my people, that is exactly what so many of us supposed believers ought to be doing in these dark and evil times where Satan is effectively ruling the roost! And the song tells the truth; there is a candle in every soul, in every believer, and when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us, He is supposed to light that candle, so we can go out and shine it in joy and thanksgiving to the rest of the world, ‘the helpless, confused and torn,’ and bring them to the knowledge of Christ.
And are there ever many frustrated brothers out there who have tried to light their candle some other way besides Jesus and obviously were very disappointed. Likewise, many sisters who’ve been abused and lied to and who still hold an unlit candle. That’s not right! And it’s our job to run to these helpless and unfortunate people, holding up our candles high so that they can shine in the darkness of their lives. Oh friends, it’s ever so necessary for us to get up right now and shine, just shine in the tremendous darkness of our ungodly world.
And there are numerous scriptures to confirm what we’ve said, beginning with this one from Jesus Himself, when He curtly informed the Pharisees: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And that seals the deal right there my brethren! For Jesus is indeed the light and life of the world.
Listen to John in the opening verses of his gospel. ‘All things were made by him (Jesus); and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (understood) it not.’ (John 1:3-5) And that’s the gospel truth, for when light suddenly shines in darkness it blinds the eyes until one gets accustomed to it. Unfortunately though, many people prefer to stay in the darkness rather than come into the light.
And John says it quite plainly. ‘And this is the condemnation, that (the) light has come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:19-21) And we all know that, for when we’ve down wrong, we try to hide it in the dark, but when we’ve done right, we’re proud to expose it to the light.
Now some of us ask, how is Jesus the light of our life? This commentary explains: “Jesus is the light of life and the life of light. He embodies all that we know spiritual light is and does.” As we’ve seen from the above scriptures, Jesus is the light of life (John 8:12) and the life of light (John 1:4). And to put it in its most basic context, according to this commentary, Jesus is called the light of the world ‘because He is the source of the light that quickens our understanding, because His teachings and His example illuminate our path, and because His power persuades us to do good.’
And that’s an indisputable fact! When we have Jesus in our lives, and truly desire to live for Him, all we ever want to do is good! But there’s one more important matter we must note. While Jesus was here on earth, He was the light of the world, but once He went back to heaven, we became that light, as He says in the Sermon on the Mount.
‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14-16)
And that’s what we’re called to do as true believers in Jesus, but what we’re not doing to the best of our ability. The church is woefully divided, and individual believers either like the comfortable life or are afraid to stand up for Jesus, so how can we ever shine the way we’re supposed to eh? Oh my fellow believers in Christ, don’t you think it’s high time we stepped up to the plate and do what’s required of us, if not, then stop calling ourselves Christians! Then the unbelievers will also stop calling us hypocrites! Much LOVE!
…Christians are supposed to be reflections of Christ…therefore they ought to be shining like beacons in the night…lighting up the darkness of this world…not hiding in its darkness…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: A Daily Prayer for Wisdom, according to his glorious power, and with all thy getting, anything praiseworthy, as I seek your presence each day, bad air advisories, be careful for nothing, be filled with the knowledge of his will, be not weary of God's correction, be not wise in thine own eyes, being fruitful in every good work, bounden duty, Christians, confident that you'll direct my paths, courage, creativity, curse, delivered us from the power of darkness, despise not the chastening of the Lord, faith, favour, fear the Lord and depart from evil, fill me with the knowledge of your will, get understanding, giving thanks unto the Father, growing in spiritual maturity, guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus, guide me into your truth, have redemption through Christ's blood, health to thy navel, holy spirit, honour the Lord with thy substance, I acknowledge you, I lay down my anxieties, I trust you with all my heart, in all my ways, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, in everything by prayer and supplication, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, let your requests be made known unto God, live a life pleasing to you, LOVE, make straight your paths, marrow to thy bones, mercy, more than conquerors, negative word, not relying on my own understanding, nothing that comes against us will prosper, of the inheritance of the saints, presenting every need with thanksgiving, qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of, receive clear direction for my life, salvation, self-control. self-discipline, strengthen my faith, strengthened with all might, success, supernatural strength, the BIBLE, the forgiveness of sins, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the peace that surpasses all understanding, therefore get wisdom, thy barns be filled with plenty, thy presses burst out with new wine, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trusting that your peace, truth, unto all patience and longsuffering, walk worthy of the Lord, whatsoever things are true, wisdom, wisdom and understanding, wisdom is the principal thing, with joyfulness, with thanksgiving, with the firstfruits of all thine increase
Colossians 1:9b. to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Oh my people, can you believe it’s already the 7th of August; we’ve already completed a week of this new month. It seems to be going just as fast as the others, and also being just as hot and dry, with bad air advisories and little or no rain. But being children of God, we have the godly ability to handle anything that comes against us. As the Bible tells us, we are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37) and nothing that comes against us will prosper. (Is. 54:17) But be that as it may, all our God given help begins with prayer. And today we’ll check out one titled ‘A Daily Prayer for Wisdom.’ And as so often is the case, I cannot remember who sent it to me, but it’s still very viable. (smile)
So please pray with me. ‘Father, I trust you with all my heart, not relying on my own understanding. In all my ways, I acknowledge You, confident that You’ll direct my path. Today, fill me with the knowledge of Your will through all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so I may live a life pleasing to You. I lay down my anxieties, presenting every need with thanksgiving, trusting that Your peace which goes beyond all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Guide me Lord, into Your truth, and strengthen my faith as I seek Your presence each day. In Jesus name. Amen.’
And what I like about that prayer is that it’s a compact, combination of several verses of the Bible. As the card says, ‘This daily prayer is based on Scripture verses from: Proverbs 3:5-6; Colossians 1:9; Philippians 4:6-7.’ And what better time and place to review those foundational scriptures that we all know but don’t live up to as we should? None like right now! (smile) So let’s begin our review with these marvellous words from Cousin Sol’s amazing Book of Wisdom, Proverbs.
He wisely advises: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight) your parts.’ (Prov. 3:5-6) Oh friends, that’s wisdom to the nth degree! You know, if we would do only those things contained in those two verses, our lives would be so enriched, both spiritually and physically, that we would not know what to do with ourselves, for that’s the basic wisdom of our Christian faith; trust the Lord, listen to His commands and do them. And when we add these other words of that scripture passage to those above, we get such a beautiful picture of Christian living!
Listen up, ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) be filled with new wine. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as the father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:7-12) And right there friends we have a synopsis of the Bible in a few verses. If you followed them sincerely, you could not go wrong.
Then there’s this other beautiful scripture passage from the pen of Bruh Paul to the Colossians re his prayer for them. ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.’(Col. 1:9) Now that’s the verse quoted by the prayer, but we cannot leave out the other parts of Bruh Paul’s prayer which gives us such understanding into his prayers.
He then continues: ‘That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14)
Wow friends! What a wonderful prayer! Please note that Bruh Paul didn’t pray for them to be rich or healthy or have no problems, but for them to be totally anchored in God; learning His word and doing it, thus growing in spiritual maturity. And it’s a method of prayer that we can all adopt that rises above our physical and material desires. And the last scripture used in our earlier prayer is another marvellous passage, this time from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians, where he desires to introduce them to the God of peace.
He consequently writes. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) Yes my fellow saints, more foundational scriptures; we must not be anxious or fearful about anything, but take all our anxieties and fears to the Lord in prayer, and when we do that, His outstanding peace, which is greater than we can ever understand will keep our hearts free from worry, fear and anxiety.
And then in Bruh Paul’s practical style, he tells them what to think about. ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:8-9)
Oh my people! What more can we ask for eh? Not much. However, the Lord in His overwhelming generosity has given us, what we call our Thursday Blessings. That’s undeserved blessings, to do His earthly work. So let’s declare them (chuh!!!) and thus activate them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance!
I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord blessed us with them, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…wisdom is the principal thing…therefore get wisdom…and with all thy getting…get understanding… (Prov. 4:7)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a light unto my path, a rough row to hoe, according to his glorious power, an accurate perception, at all times in life, atonement, be filled with the knowledge of his will, Bible, blood, christianity, Christians, darkness, delve deeper into God's Word, duty bound, ever coming to know the Lord better, faith, forbearing the faults of others, forgiveness of sins, forsake her not, fruitful in every good work, get understanding, get wisdom, giving thanks unto the Father, growing spiritually stronger in Christ, happiness, holy spirit, hurry, in all wisdom, in god's eyes, in the habit of giving thanks, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jesus Christ, light, longsuffering, LOVE, love her and she shall keep thee, mercy, morality, of the inheritance of the saints, of the true nature of things, patience, persevering through trials, practical situations, prayer for the Colossians, productive in Christian service, qualified us, redemption, redemption through Christ's blood, sacrifice, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, she shall preserve thee, sincerely expressing gratitude to god, spiritual maturity, spiritual understanding, strengthened with all might, take the bull by the horns, the atonement by Jesus' death, the beloved of God, the Christian life, the ehtical condition in which God's children live, the fruit of the spirit, the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life, the religious stae of unbelievers, the skillful application of wisdom, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to be partakers, trust my friend Jesuss, truth, Tuesday Mantra, ungodly times, unto all patience and longsuffering, walk worthy of the Lord, wisdom, wisdom is the principal thing, with all thy getting, with joyfulness, worry
Proverbs 4:7. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.
And then it was a nice, sunshiny but windy Tuesday, ideal to give us hope for a better day than Monday, which was cold, snowy, and dreary. However it turns out though, we just have to keep moving forward, becoming wiser, as we delve deeper into the study of God’s Word, and thus getting better in the performance of the tasks He desires of us. That certainly brings to mind the effusive and all-embracing prayer that Bruh Paul prayed for the Colossians.
‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14)
Oh friends, that’s a mighty big prayer to wish on anyone, so can you imagine how the Colossians must have felt when they received Bruh Paul’s missive, not knowing him, since they were evangelized by Epaphras, Bruh Paul’s fellow servant in Christ. But Epaphras had spoken highly of them, and Bruh Paul, as always, wanted to invigorate and motivate them to greater works and heights. Thus, it’s a prayer that we believers today also are expected to take seriously, because it also pertains to our spiritual state which leaves a lot to be desired in these evil and ungodly times.
And though the prayer seems tough and long-winded, it’s fairly simple when you break it down. What’s Bruh Paul actually praying for eh? That the Colossians, and consequently us, will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will for their lives in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. And the scholars explain wisdom as an ‘accurate perception into the true nature of things. And understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations.’
Therefore, with those two things we’re set on the right path of the Lord, or as the psalmist says: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And being on the right path, we ought to be able to walk worthy of the Lord, allowing the fruit of His Spirit to flourish in our lives, so that others can see it and desire to know Him. But then too, Bruh Paul expects that all believers ought to keep growing in the knowledge of God’s Word; in other words, moving along the path of spiritual maturity to a higher calling in Christ Jesus.
Or, as the scholars explain; ‘Verse 10 expresses the reason that in verse 9, Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge of God’s will. That they walk (live) properly and fully please God. And in Greek the four explanatory participles of verses 10b-12 spell out and precisely define what a worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences in his life.’
Now that’s indeed a rough row to hoe, but hoe it we must if we intend to be true believers in Christ Jesus. And remember that the Lord does not call us to do anything in which He does not give us the wherewithal to perform it. That’s the beauty of our ever-LOVING God! And the scholars continue to explain some of the terms found in the above passages of scripture. They say ‘Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Longsuffering is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’
Meanwhile, verse 12 might also be translated “thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share in the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.” Light is the ethical condition in which God’s children live, namely, that of spiritual understanding with its accompanying morality and happiness. Then in verse 13, Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance with its attending immorality and misery. And in verse 14 Blood reminds the Colossians, and us, of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure their redemption. Redemption, then is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus’ death.’
And that’s it in a nutshell friends. Let’s hope that what we’ve said and read today will help us raise our spirituality to new levels. But that will only happen if we take the bull by the horns and begin delving deeper in the Word and putting it into practical application in our lives. Remember Wisdom tells us the truth, and Understanding tells us best how to apply it.
That’s why Cousin Sol was so emphatic in Proverbs when he admonishes: ‘Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from (turn away) the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: LOVE her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.’ (Prov. 4:5-7)
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all the 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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (awright!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the Christian life is ever about…spiritually growing stronger…in Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a grain of mustard seed, a hard row to hoe, a true relationship with Jesus, afraid, always striving to conquer our mountains, an opportunity to grow, because of your unbelief, belief, Bible, build a stronger sense of self-awareness, christianity, Christians, come up to scratch, cultivate new beliefs, divine aid, Dr. Robert H Schuller, earnest desire, faith, faith in christ Jesus, faithless, fasting, find a pass through, fruitful in every good work, giving thanks, God's will for our lives, have faith, holy spirit, humble servants, I will not quit, impregnable, in a better space, increasing in the knowledge of God, inroads into the enemy's territory, it shall move, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, joy, keep striving, lack of faith, living in joy and peace, look to heaven, LOVE, mass confusion, mercy, nonsense, not quitting, nothing shall be impossible to you, O ye of little faith, pateince, peace, perseverance, Peter walking n water, pray, prosper us, pryaer, rebuked the winds and the sea, refreshed, remove hence, repentance in our hearts, rested, salvation, simply stay, sincerely seek your face, spiritual lives, spiritual understanding, strengthened with all might, strong faith in Christ, take a toll on your resilience, tenacity, thank you for life, the God who heals, The Possibility Thinker's Creed, the power to solve our many problems, the throne of grace, to alleviate our problems, trials, tribulations, truth, tunnel underneath, turn from our evil ways, turn the mountain into a goldmine, underlying foundation of faith, until I climb over, walk worthy of God, when faced with a mountain, wherefore didst thou doubt, why are ye fearful, wisdom, wise guidance, with God's help, work week
Matthew 8:26a. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
So we’ve come around to Monday once more, and the ole work week nonsense begins again. (smile) But let’s hope and pray that we’re all in a better space than when we left work last week. That means we’ve rested and been refreshed in soul, body, minds and hearts, and strengthened with all might in the Lord, knowing His will for our lives with all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we might walk worthy of him, being fruitful in every good work, while continually increasing in the knowledge of God, exerting patience and perseverance in any trials and tribulations, nonetheless, giving thanks for all He’s done for us and thus living in joy and peace.
Wow! Now that’s a hard row to hoe, but it’s basically what Bruh Paul prayed for in the opening chapter of Colossians. (Col. 1:9-12) That was his earnest desire for them. He’s certainly asking a lot of and for them. And you’ll notice that in his prayers he doesn’t pray for the believers’ problems to go away or be easily solved, but for them to get the might and understanding to handle them.
Today though, we all want our problems to go away with no effort or suffering whatsoever, but the Lord in His awesome wisdom doesn’t do it very often, for He expects believers to come up to scratch, to get stronger and face each new problem with greater tenacity and faith. So, this Monday morning, let’s look to heaven and offer up that kind of prayer for ourselves and all our fellow saints, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s territory and cause the heathen to want to come to Christ for rescue, earnestly seeking salvation and eternal life.
That brings us to this little poem by Dr. Robert H Schuller called ‘The Possibility Thinker’s Creed.’ It’s short and simple, but bold and strong. So please read with me. ‘When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath, or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine – with God’s help.’
Yes friends, when our mountains rear up before us, we are not supposed to give up or run from them in fear, because they seem so large and impregnable. One way or another we’re expected to make good use of those mountains…obviously with God’s help. The important thing is not quitting but always striving to conquer our mountains.
Remember what Jesus said to the disciples on the subject of mountains, when they could not cast out a demon spirit from a young child? ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.’ (Matt. 17:20-21)
Oh my fellow believers, nothing happens in God’s kingdom without faith! Some things need little faith, while others need big faith, some even need prayer and fasting, but nothing happens in our spiritual lives without the underlying foundation of faith in Christ Jesus. And until we fully understand that, our lives will feel empty and lost, without a true relationship with Jesus. As one commentary says, losing or lack of faith can ‘take a toll on your resilience and undermine your sense of belongingness. But it can also be an opportunity to grow, build a stronger sense of self-awareness, and cultivate new beliefs that are more closely aligned with your current values, goals, and needs.’
And Jesus also admonished the disciples for their lack of faith while they were crossing the Sea of Galilee and a storm arose that looked like it would bring about their demise, but Jesus was unconcerned asleep in the back of the boat. And they awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.’ (Matt. 8:25-26)
Then there was also the incident with Peter walking on the water with Jesus, but when he saw the strong winds, he became afraid, although he was in Jesus’ presence, and cried out for Jesus to save him. ‘And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Matt. 14:31) Oh friends, it was Peter’s faith that allowed him to walk on the water in the first place, and when he became afraid and faithless, then he was obviously going to lose that power.
Likewise, with us, when our faith is weak, we can’t do a whole lot, but when we keep our faith strong, we can do ever so many more things in the name of Jesus. We’re much more powerful and productive! So, for help to raise our faith, to get strong in Christ, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, let’s remember God’s requirement for giving divine aid; praying, humbling ourselves, sincerely seeking His face, and turning from our evil ways! So let’s get to doing them nuh! Much LOVE!
…it’s all about belief and faith…belief and faith in Christ Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things were made by him, alleviate our problems, an accurate perception, atonement for our sins, be filled with the knowledge of his will, being fruitful in every good work, Bible, cease not to pray for you, christianity, cycle of life, disobeyed your word, eternal destination, faith, forbearing the faults of others, fruitful in every good work, giving thanks unto the Father, god, happiness, holy spirit, immorality, in all wisdom, in him was life, In the beginning was the Word, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, joyfulness, logic, longsuffering, LOVE, made us meet, mass confusion, meditating on god's word, mercy, misery, morality, partakes of the inheritance, pateince, perseverance, practical situations, practical ways to apply theory, qualified us, ransom, redemption, sacrifices, sacrificial death, salvation, share in the salvation, sincere repentance, sincerely expressing gratitude to god, sinned, spiritual understanding, strengthened with all might, suffering, the Christian life, the crippling clutches, the darkness comprehends it not, the forgiveness of sins, the God who heals, the grim reaper, the life was the light of men, the light shines in the darkness, the saints in light, the skillful application of wisdom, the true nature of things, the Word was God, the Word was with God, this evil world, trials, tribulations, truth, walk worthy of the Lord, wisdom
John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the cycle continues unabated. Yes friends, the cycle of life never stops, it just keeps rolling along from Monday to Sunday…Monday to Sunday…and back again. It’s like a constantly revolving Ferris wheel that simply keeps going up and down, round and round, but never stopping to disgorge its anxious and fearful passengers.
And the only way you can escape the crippling clutches of that forever cycle is by allowing the Grim Reaper to escort you home to your eternal destination, be it heaven or hell. That means while you’re caught in the vicious cycle of life, you have to learn to handle it with some semblance of hope and fortitude.
And the best way to do that is by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. And why is that? Because as John puts it in his gospel: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not.’ (John 1:1-5)
Oh my people, logic dictates that if those words are true and Jesus was the Word and He made everything in creation, and life and light came through Him, then He should be the most knowledgeable about life and be the one most able to teach us how to handle it. Now, that sounds all well and good in theory, but how do we put it into practice?
And that’s the beauty of living for and serving Jesus; He doesn’t only give you theory, but also practical ways to apply the theory. And one of the best ways to put that theory above into practice is highlighted by the words of Bruh Paul’s prayer for the Colossians. He writes: ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14)
So those are some of the things we need to learn to help us handle the vicious cycle of life. Let’s try and break them down nuh. And the first thing we need to do is discern God’s will for our lives, through meditating on God’s Word and through the leading and guiding of His Holy Spirit that indwells us for those purposes. Bruh Paul says that we need to do so with all ‘wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Now what are those things eh? The scholars explain that ‘Wisdom is an accurate perception into the true nature of things, while Understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations.’ So basically, they are knowing the truth and knowing how to successfully apply that truth to our lives. And why do we need to know God’s will for our lives? So that we can ‘walk worthy of the Lord,’ or live properly and please Him.
And what does a worthy walk entail? According to the scholars: ‘the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might” or becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences in life.’
Now, the first thing we must understand about walking with God as a believer in His Son Jesus Christ, is that it’s not easy; it’s filled with sacrifices, and suffering and tough times and just life itself…however, it is the most interesting and rewarding life we can ever live on God’s great earth!
And here we’re talking about things like ‘Patience, which the scholars tell us is persevering through problems, trials and tribulations, and so forth. Also Longsuffering which is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’ And in all of that we still need to be ‘thanking the Father who made us fit to share in the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.’
And ‘Light is the ethical condition in which God’s children live, namely that of spiritual understanding, with its accompanying morality and happiness. Then we come to ‘Darkness, which is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance, with its attending immorality and misery.’
And last but not least, possibly the most important is ‘Blood, the Blood of Jesus, which reminds the Colossians, and also us, of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure our redemption. Redemption then, is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus’ death.’ His sacrificial death paid the price for our sins, or He ransomed us through His death, thus leading to forgiveness of sins, if one believes in Him. So, as we said before, living the Christian life can be a tough go, but by all accounts, it can’t be beat.
And to help us accomplish our earthly tasks with joy and thanksgiving, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn asking for divine help to do better than we’re currently doing. That’s also one of the big benefits of living for Christ; you can go to Him at anytime to ask for help.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Let’s remember though, that asking for divine aid also includes our sincere repentance and a serious desire to seek God more fully. Much LOVE!
…the cycle of life…can best be lived…in association with its Creator…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a declaration of hope, an accurate perception, be filled with, be filled with the knowledge of his will, be glad and rejoice, Bible, blessings, christianity, collect your beauty in my spirit, courage, creativity, curse, delivered us from the power of darkness, do not cease to pray for you, duty bound, eternal life, evil schemes of Satan, experience the sunshine, faith, favour, fruitful in every good work, giving thanks unto the Father, god, holy spirit, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jesus Christ, joint heir with Christ, joyfulness, longsuffering, LOVE, may my lightness be, negaive word, new mercies and compassions, partakers of the inheritance of the saints, pateince, practical circumstances, redemption, salvation, sit in heavenly places, smell the roses, spiritual understanding, strengthened with all might, success, supernatural strength, talent, teach me, Thank You Lord, the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, the penultimate day of our work week, the skilful application of wisdom, the true nature of things, the warmth of sunshine on my back, to appreciate the many colours, to celebrate your abundance, to look for beauty on heavy days, to revel in, trials, tribulations, truth, unto all pleasing, walk worhty of the Lord, wisdom
Colossians 1:10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
And then it was Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week. And thank the Lord we’re only one day away from our starlight day of Friday! (smile) Oh, the expectations we weigh Friday down with; hopefully it lives up to it’s name and doesn’t disappoint us. But, regardless of whatever day it is, once we’re alive to experience the sunshine and smell the roses, let’s be glad and rejoice in it, because that’s God’s desire. It’s why He’s given us a brand new day with new mercies and compassions. And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord for allowing me to see another day on this troubled, but still beautiful earth! Amen.’
Now, here’s this month’s prayer from the InTouch Devotional that helps us to do just that. Please pray with me: ‘God, teach me to look for beauty on heavy days, to celebrate Your abundance and brilliance. I want to revel in the warmth of sunshine on my back, to appreciate the many colours You’ve created. I want to pause when the wind moves the trees just so, to admire the quirk in a friend’s personality. Though disappointments, losses, and struggles continue, I pray to laugh easily, to be frivolous with joy. May I collect Your beauty in my spirit and draw from it. May my lightness be a declaration of hope in Your goodness, today and always. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Yes friends, that’s the way we need to live this life; in full hope and trust in Almighty God, enjoying His goodness and mercy and all the wonderful things He’s made, even in the midst of all the troubles and tribulations we might face. And I believe these encouraging words from Bruh Paul to the Colossians give us some insight how to practically do all of what we’ve spoken of above.
Bruh Paul writes: ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14)
Oh my people, that’s generally what’s expected of us: To know the Lord’s will for our lives, through studying and meditating on His Word and communing with Him through the Holy Spirit, with all wisdom or ‘accurate perception into the true nature of things,’ as well as understanding, ‘the skillful application of this wisdom in practical circumstances.’ And all of that is necessary so that we can walk (live) properly and please God.
And what does that mean in a practical sense? The scholars explain. ‘A worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant circumstances of life.’
Now I know it all sounds wonderful in theory, but it’s not always easy to do in real life, for patience, which is persevering through trials and tribulations is only gained through experiencing those same trials and tribulations. (smile) And so is longsuffering, or bearing the faults and offences of others with a compassionate heart and mind. In other words we can only learn patience and longsuffering by going through trials and tribulations. The more trials and tribulations we go through, the better, hopefully, we’ll get at cracking those two tough nuts.
But at the same time, we need to remember all that the Father has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ; bringing us out of darkness or bondage to sin, into the light of the truth of His Word, making us worthy to sit in heavenly places with Jesus, as joint heir with Him, redeeming us through the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross of Calvary, offering salvation, forgiveness of sins, all with the marvelous end of eternal life. Now with all of that done by the Father on our behalf through the Son, how can we not LOVE both Father and Son and listen to the Holy Spirit which enlightens us to their desires?
Oh my fellow believers, living and working for Jesus is the most important and beneficial thing this world has to offer. So please, let’s wake up and realize it, and forget all the foolish lies, deceptions and evil schemes that Satan tries to distract us with nuh. For only by being close to Jesus can we ever obtain salvation and eternal life. Now let’s declare (chuh!!!) our undeserved Thursday Blessings, so generously bestowed on us to do the Lord’s earthly work.
Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration (steups!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…true wisdom and understanding are only available…through sincerely living and working for Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 May 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be filled with the knowledge of his will, being fruitful in every good work, Bible, christianity, Christians arise and shine, delivered us from the power of darkness, faith, forbearing the faults of others, glorify your Father which is in heaven, god, habitually giving thanks in all circumstances, have the light of life, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, hurry, I am the light of the world, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, in whom we have redemption, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joyfulness, Let your light so shine before men, longsuffering, LOVE, of the saints in the light, partakers of the inheritance, patience, persevering through trials, productive in Christian service, purveyors of darkness, purveyors of light, sacrifice, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, shine like never before, sincerely expressing gratitude to god, spiritual wisdom and understanding, spiritually enlightened, spread the good news of the gospel, strengthened with all might, supremacy of darkness over light, the beloved of God, the forgiveness of sins, the grace and peace of God, they may see your good works, through his blood, to hell in a handbasket, translated us into the kingdom of his Son, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, walk worthy of the Lord, wisdom, worry, Ye are the light of the world
Colossians 1:9b. we might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Oh, what a beautiful Tuesday…what a beautiful Tuesday! Yes my brethren, this Tuesday is going to be sunny, warm and supposedly summer-like. What more can we ask for eh? Possibly only the grace and peace that comes from our great God, through Jesus Christ, with the added desire that ‘we might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.’ (Col. 1:9-14)
Wow! What a comprehensive prayer. But that’s Bruh Paul’s style. He doesn’t pray for us to have wealth and health as such, but more spiritual wisdom and understanding because growth in our Christian faith depends mostly on those two things. Oh, health and wealth are important, but if we don’t understand the Word and put it into action, then we will never grow spiritually. And what do all those spiritually minded words mean? (smile) The scholars give some explanations. They say that ‘Wisdom is an accurate perception into the true nature of things. Understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations.
And the reason why Bruh Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge of God’s will is that they may walk (live) properly and fully please God. In Greek the four explanatory participles of verses of 10b -12 spell out and precisely define what a worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences in his life.
Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Longsuffering is forbearing the faults and offenses of others. As per verse 12, it might be translated “thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share in the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.” Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely that of spiritual ignorance with its attending immorality and misery. Blood reminds the Colossians (and us) of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure their (and our) redemption. Redemption, then is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus’ death. See Ephesians 1:7 for “redemption.”
Oh friends, the wide scope of the prayer might be a lot for us to take in, but the good thing is that we don’t have to take it in all at once, we can take it piece by piece, learning each aspect before moving on to another. In any case, it should not be too difficult to do since most of us, unlike the Colossians back then, already know the basics of Christianity and what it entails, and the prayer simply puts it all together so that it encapsulates our faith. But as Bruh Paul was so emphatic in his teaching, we all need to be spiritually enlightened and continually growing in the will, knowledge and good works of God. That’s the only way to be a true believer.
And do we ever need those attributes in this currently evil and ungodly world, when darkness is so widespread because it’s purveyors are doing a good job of spreading it. And if darkness is spreading, that obviously means that light is not overtaking it. And why is that you ask? The answer is quite obvious: the purveyors of light are not doing their job. It’s as simple as that. And if we consider our scriptures to be right, that light is stronger than darkness and can readily overcome it, then we can only assume that the purveyors of light, Christians, are not doing as much as they ought to spread light and overcome the evil darkness that’s carrying our world to hell in a handbasket.
And sadly, if we are truthful with ourselves, we will acknowledge that our efforts at light bearing and spreading are nowhere near the level they ought to be, especially if we want to combat the current spread of darkness and evil that’s so rampant and fast moving. Oh my fellow believers, remember what Christ said to us, when He gave us the Great Commission? (Matt. 28:18-20) That it was our job to spread the good news of His gospel all around the world, in other words to spread His light over the darkness of the evil world.
Let’s recall these words of Jesus on the subject of light nuh. First off, He tells us: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) Then later on He clarifies it by saying: ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ (John 9:5) Now my brethren, now that Jesus is no longer bodily in the world, who is responsible for being the light that He shone when down here as a human being? He said it quite plainly in His Sermon on the Mount to those who believe in Him. ‘Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14, 16)
And you know who that refers to in these trying and troubled times? Those of us who call ourselves Christians, or followers of Christ. And with the current state of the world, the supremacy of darkness over light, it means that the body of Christ, His church is not doing it’s job. It’s a sad but very true comment. For if we were making a big enough wave, our world would never be in such a disastrous mess as it currently is. End of Sermon!
Now for those of us who are trying our best, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one 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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do. Much LOVE!
…it’s extremely urgent that Christians arise and shine…shine like they never shone before…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
24 Feb 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a refreshing prayer, brings forth fruit, climate cahnge, deepen my breath, delivered us from the power of darkness, desire that ye might be filled, disrupt God's, disrupt God's finely tuned mechanisms, faith, filled with the knowledge of God's will, grace be unto you, holy spirit, in all wisdom, increase my awareness of you, increasing in the knowledge of God, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, live the abundant life, longsuffering, LOVE, love in the Spirit, love to all the saints, ole man winter, patience, peace from God the Father, quiet my soul, redemption through Christ's blood, salvation, slow my thoughts, spiritual truth, spiritual understanding, stand strong in God's word, strengthened with all might, the forgiveness of sins, the truth of the gospel, truth, wisdom
Colossians 1:9b. and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
I don’t believe it, but it seems like it’s going to be another sunshiny spring-like day! Wow! So many spring-like days in a row in February…it’s too good to be true! But we better enjoy them while we have them, for who knows what might come next; ole man winter might just refresh himself and come howling back and cover us in the white stuff. Lord forbid, after all this nice weather. (smile) But that’s what climate change does; it just disrupts the finely tuned mechanism of the seasons that God set up. Leave it to man eh, always trying to disrupt God’s well balanced systems.
Anyway, since we can only do our small part to help improve the situation, let’s turn to our great God Jehovah, the One who created it all, and still controls it from His magnificent throne in the high heavens, and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. With sincere hearts and voices: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
That’s certainly a refreshing prayer my people! And it’s ever so appropriate for a lazy-day Saturday, after a hard and exhausting week’s work. It just soothes the senses and quiets the tumultuous soul, allowing us to relax and enjoy this day that the Lord has so graciously given us. And it reminds me of the kind of prayers Bruh Paul offered up for the churches he dealt with, like this one for the church at Colossae.
Please read with me: ‘Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the LOVE which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.’ (Col. 1:1-6)
Oh friends, Bruh Paul was a real prayer master! While giving thanks for the church at Colossae, he was also delivering them a sermon about Christ and His gospel, that’s been spread all over the world; that’s the Word of God that is all-pervasive and absolutely true, and also has the awesome power to bring forth good fruit. In other words, when the gospel is embraced with true faith, it’s able to produce ‘godly character and noble conduct in its converts.’ Bruh Paul also encourages them re their faith and their LOVE for the saints of Christ. As the scholars explain: ‘’Evidence of a person’s faith in Christ Jesus is his LOVE … to all the saints.’
Then he continues: ‘As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you (on your behalf) a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared (steups!!!) unto us your LOVE in the Spirit. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:7-14) End of today‘s sermon my brethren! (smile) And all of God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Thanks be to God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!’
Oh friends, you don’t need to hear another word from me, because Bruh Paul said it almost all in that first part of his letter to the Colossians. The story seems to be that Bruh Paul’s associate, Epaphras evangelized the Colossians, which was then a small and not very important town, and he was telling them that they should certainly not forsake Epaphras’ efforts to teach them the truth of Christ’s gospel and retain the local heretic doctrine. Especially since the ‘LOVE in the Spirit,’ or the Holy Spirit had instilled and nurtured in them affection for others.
But the heart of the message is verse 9, where Bruh Paul prays that they ‘might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual truth.’ And that’s the basis of all his prayers for the saints. He doesn’t ask for healing or health, neither wealth or any of the material things that so many of us are concerned with. He focuses on the spiritual aspect of their lives: that they might have knowledge of God’s will and spiritual understanding, so that they can walk worthy of him, while being fruitful and also increasing on the knowledge of God. Strengthened with His might, while learning patience and longsuffering and joyfulness, which obviously lead to giving thanks to the God who had taken them out of darkness of Satan’s world, into the wonderful light of His awesome Son Jesus Christ!
Oh my fellow saints, that is indeed our sermon for today, for it also applies to each and everyone of God’s people! We need to have the same wisdom and knowledge that Bruh Paul prayed for the Colossians to have, so that we, in these troubled and uncertain times can also stand strong in God’s word, be fruitful in good works and thus live the abundant life Christ died for us to have! And in closing, I pray that Bruh Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, will be prayed by all of us, over all of us, so that we can make a sincere and serious difference in our troubled world! Much LOVE!
…pray without ceasing…be filled with the joy of the Lord…give thanks always…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Aug 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: atonement, being fruitful in every good work, curse, deliveres us from the power of darkness, faith, favour, filled with the knowledge of God's will, fulfillment, giving thanks unto the Father, grab hold of the days, how to pray for others, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, increasing in the knowledge of God, joyfulness, longsuffering, LOVE, men ought always to pray and not faint, negative word, partakers of the inheritance of the saints, pass us by like a flash of lightning, pateince, promotion, strengthened with all might, supernatural strength, the Lord's prayer, Thursday Blessings, unto all pleasing, use them to the fullest, we have redmption through His blood
Colossians 1:9b. …desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Then it was Thursday, the second to last day of our work week…and is it ever here quickly! (smile) Yes, I know the days are moving by ever so swiftly, and if we don’t grab hold of them and use them to the fullest, they will just pass us by like a flash of lightning. But one can only do one’s best and leave the rest to the Lord, for no amount of worrying or anxiety on our part will change His plan for our lives, or even speed them up. (smile)
Now, I had intended to continue delving into Samuel’s story today, but I got a zeppo from above telling me to leave Samuel alone for today and deal with this more immediate subject; that of prayer for others. And we all know that prayer is possibly the most important privilege we have as believers in Christ Jesus, and He said very clearly ‘that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (give up).’ (Luke 18:1) And if Jesus stated it so plainly, then it must be important.
And one of the best things, or rather a part of our bounden duty is to pray for others. Now I believe we all do that, but how do we do it eh? Jesus gave us an example of how to pray for ourselves in what we call the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-15), but Bruh Paul gives us a fine example of how to pray for others in his letter to the church at Colossae. Let’s have a gander at it nuh.
After his opening address, talking about how he heard of their LOVE for the Lord and their walking in the Spirit and bringing forth good fruit, He declares (steups!!!): ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transformed) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14)
And it is indeed a mouthful, but what beautiful sentiments! You’ll notice that Bruh Paul doesn’t pray for them to be healthy, wealthy or rich in earthly things, but stays strictly within the spiritual realm. He prays for them to get wisdom and understand the will of God for their lives, that they grow in knowledge of God, so that they can walk worthy of Him, bearing much good fruit, strengthened through the power of Christ, thus enabled to handle patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, while giving thanks to the Father.
Yes friends, that’s the kind of prayers we ought to make for our friends, families and fellow saints, that they and us grow in the knowledge of God and walk in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. For as Jesus also plainly stated, if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all the earthly things we need will be added unto us through the Lord’s grace and mercy. (Matt. 6:33) And I know that we need to pray for help in times of sickness, both physical and emotional, as well as for financial problems, but overall, it’s more empowering to pray for the spiritual aspects of the believer’s life to improve.
Now here are some explanations from the scholars on those verses above. As per 1:9:‘Wisdom is an accurate perception into the true nature of things. Understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations. And for 1:10. This verse expresses the reason that in verse 9 Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge of God’s will. It is that they may walk (live) properly and fully please God. a worthy walk is spelled out by the things he says in vs, 10b-12.
A worthy walk entails the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life.’ As for ‘1:11. Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Longsuffering is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’
Turning to ‘1:12. This verse also might be translated “thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.” Light is the ethical condition in which God’s children live, namely, that of spiritual understanding, with its accompanying morality and happiness.’ And as per ‘1:13. Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance with its attending immorality and misery. Finally, for ‘1:14. Blood reminds the Colossians of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure their redemption. Redemption then is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus’ death. See Ephesians 1:7 for ‘redemption.’
And who says living the Christian life is easy eh? No way Jose! At least not if you live it right! And I do hope that we all now have a good and solid foundation re praying for others. However, remember that doesn’t exclude praying for stuff like health, wealth and a long life, but our spiritual encouragement, enlightenment and faith also need to be boosted so that we can walk in the Spirit and bear good fruit. And our God is so wonderful and gracious that He’s showered us with numerous blessings to enable us to do His earthly work!
So, let’s activate them now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And now that those blessings have been activated, it’s our duty to go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…What’s Christianity…a sometimes difficult journey…but always a joyful and rewarding walk through all aspects of life with Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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