The Overwhelming Importance of knowing on which side One’s Bread is buttered!

12 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 6:16.        These six things doth the Lord hate: yea seven are an abomination unto him (his soul).

Oh, it’s a beautiful lazy-day Thanksgiving Saturday in my neighbourhood; bright and sunshiny, though somewhat windy and cool. But it’s the middle of October in the northern climes, so what do we expect eh? We’re blessed that it’s not colder at this time of year, and temps are still getting up into the teens. 

But be that as it may, I certainly enjoyed the largesse of our lazy-day Saturday, by lolling around in bed quite late. That was only made possible though by my going to bed at a rather late hour this morning, consequently, the Bit is even later than usual. But it’s a lazy-day Saturday…and what’s a lazy-day Saturday for if not to loll around and do very little …or even nothing? (smile) 

Anyhow, enough of my excuses, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity. As one voice: ‘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!’ 

And, oh, how our lives and our world would benefit enormously if many more of us would turn to God and sincerely seek greater intimacy with Him! Remember, that’s one of the major reasons for which He created us; to have strong communion with Him, and share LOVE back and forth! But sadly, our world and many in our Christian faith don’t seem to see it that way, thus, comparatively speaking, there’s a big void, very little intimacy between our Creator and the millions of His creation who walk this ungodly and disaster-prone earth. 

And that could never be a good or pleasant situation my fellow believers. How could it be when we have little true and sincere communication between ourselves and the One who created us and still controls our lives eh? And it doesn’t make any sense when we’re down here struggling in these fearful times, having tried all of man’s solutions without success, that we simply refuse to turn to God, which is the best option there is. 

The one good thing about the Israelites of old is that when they strayed from God and He punished them for it, they had the good sense to run back to Him as quickly as possible in repentance and soul searching. But we, we have grown so big for our britches, so sinful and ungodly, with all our wonderful technology and modern inventions, that we don’t even give turning back to God a thought, a possible solution, when our world is falling apart around us. Hn! What foolish, arrogant, stubborn and hardhearted creatures we’ve become. 

Please my people, let’s remember these wise words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘These six things doth the Lord hate: yea seven are an abomination unto him (his soul). A proud look (haughty eyes), a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (devises wicked plans), feet that are swift in running to mischief (evil), A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren.’ (Prov. 6:16-19) And unless you’re living on some other planet, you will know that all those things that are abominations in the Lord’s sight are the very things that are currently very prevalent on this planet Earth! 

Now, if the Lord so strongly dislikes those practices, it’s obvious that He will also dislike and reject the people who practice them. And right there we have ample reason to contemplate the sad state of our world and all the disasters that are  suddenly befalling it with greater frequency than usual. I don’t know why, but with every new disaster, natural or man-made, I keep thinking that this is a warning from God. 

And even if I am wrong, what do we have to lose by sincerely turning back to God, giving up our evil ways, renewing our communion with Him, and thus getting back into His good graces. It’s foolish to be wanting to stay in Satan’s good graces when he can do nothing but negative stuff for us, when the One True God, Jehovah who created the word and all therein, is waiting with wide open arms to welcome us back to His magnificent fold. 

That’s the wise position we ought to pursue, but unfortunately Satan has so many of us so wrapped up in his evil doings, so caught in sinful bondage, while keeping us in total darkness, that it’s become rather difficult for us to break through the darkness and the bondage of sin. 

But friends, if we truly desire to do that, all we have to do is call on the name of Jesus and He will come and save us from both the bondage of sin and the oppressing darkness that Satan has us wrapped up in. He will break those bonds of sin and take us into the bright and powerful light that He represents, while offering forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life, instead of the eternal death and separation from God that followers of the enemy will suffer. 

As the Bible so wisely and truly tells us: ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom. 6:23) And the very important thing to notice there my brethren is the last phrase; ‘through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Yes, eternal life or any serious communication with God can only be accomplished through Jesus Christ, for, as the Son of God during His short tenure here on earth He outrightly declared (chuh!!!) ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) 

And that’s the gospel truth friends! If you want to see or associate with the Father, you have to go through the Son Jesus! Why? Because the Father has promoted Him to the highest name ever for His obedience and LOVE in taking the sins of the world on His sinless shoulders and dying on the cross at Calvary so that we sad and sorrowful sinners could be set free. 

So please, on this Thanksgiving Saturday, let’s contemplate all that we’ve said, and make a wise decision to sincerely seek Christ with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, for it’s what He truly desires! Much LOVE!

…man was made to live in godly light…not sinful darkness…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Thanksgiving – A time to offer thanks, but also a time to consider our sinful ways!

11 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 11:15.       He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And then it was Friday, the day that brings us light and hope of freedom from work, albeit for a measly two days. (smile) That means the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ rose to high heaven, especially in this good and grateful land of Canada, because this is our long Thanksgiving Weekend! Yes friends, we in the northern climes celebrate our Thanksgiving in mid-October, while those to the south of us, the U.S. celebrate theirs in November. 

And right now we’d like to remember and pray for those down there, especially in the State of Florida, who in the last couple of days have suffered the wrath of Hurricane Milton, after suffering that of Hurricane Helene a couple of weeks before. Who knows if in all the current disaster, both natural and man-made, that’s occurring all over our world, the hand of God isn’t somewhere in there giving us a warning. 

Remember all those times in the Bible where He wreaked destruction on overwhelmingly sinful and disobedient societies and nations, like Sodom and Gomorrah, and His own people Israel. And also turned away His wrath from sinful cities like Nineveh, who repented and became obedient to His will after the crying out of the prophet Jonah to them. 

So why couldn’t He be doing the same thing now, in this the most sinful state that mankind has ever been in? I don’t know the answer, but for our sakes and those of our children’s children, we’d be wise to consider it and act accordingly. For as Jesus says: ‘He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Matt. 11:15) 

And what does that mean? Listen as this commentary explains. ‘Jesus wants us to believe Him and His promises. For that kind of life, we need faith. And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. He who has ears to hear let him hear this: We should listen to the Word of God like our life depends on it because it does, both our eternal life and our life here and now.’ 

I could not have said it any better my people. So I’m pleading with us to take the time to consider the sinful state of our lives and do like Bruh David says at the end of his famous Psalm 139. ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try (test) me, and know my (anxious) thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps. 139:23-24) And this Thanksgiving weekend is possibly the best time to consider the state of our hearts, thoughts and society my fellow Canadians. 

Anyway, it’s obvious that there will be many joyful happenings this weekend in our free and native land, not the least of which is giving thanks to Almighty God for the numerous blessings He’s bestowed on our land and our society. Oh, we are not perfect, nowhere close, but we do have one of the best societies going. The strife and dissension are not as bad as many other countries, and thankfully there’s no brawling in the streets, although recently the spectre of crime, like shootings, stabbings, carjackings and fraud has raised its ugly head and is haunting us like it hasn’t done in a long while. 

But where there is a will, there is a way, and let’s hope that together, and with God’s help, we can attack and conquer the crime spree that’s now enveloping our land. And the sad part is that most of those criminal activities are being carried out by young people, as young as 13 and 14 years old, and by many who are either out on bail, probation or parole. It’s obvious that our laws are too lax, and we have not taught them enough about God, or given them a proper sense of responsibility and the work ethic. 

Let’s remember though, that Thanksgiving is not only a time to celebrate the Lord’s goodness and mercy upon us and our land, but also a time to take stock of what we’ve done right and what we’ve done wrong and make the necessary changes, to do more right than wrong in the upcoming year. And it’s never too late to change or turn things around my people, for our God is a God of many chances… even third, fourth, fifth, six and seventh chances – as many as we need! So once we’re alive, we can never say there’s no hope. 

And there’s no better time than at the beginning of this long Thanksgiving weekend to go to God, to go confidently to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and ask for divine help in these troubled and uncertain times. 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 my fellow saints, it’s all well and good to pray and ask for help, but then there must also be some change in our behaviour, if we expect to ever see divine aid. Let him who hath ears to hear…hear! Much LOVE!

…the joy of the Lord is our strength…let’s not allow Satan to rob us of it…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Importance of Giving Yourself over to God’s Ways…and then Delighting in them!

10 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 37:4-5.       Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.

And believe it or not, it’s Thursday, the second to last day of our work week. I don’t know if I’m happy or sad that the days seem to be passing by so quickly. The problem might just be that the older you get the fewer your days on God’s good earth become, and you get anxious that you’ve not done as much as you wanted to do, or more importantly, the things you’ve desired to do. And right now, that’s somewhat true for me, because there are several things I haven’t yet done that I greatly desire to do. 

When you’re twenty odd, you easily envision many more days alive and kicking, but at the ripe ole age of seventy odd, you know that the clock’s ticking and your days are not that many. But then again, when you trust God wholeheartedly, you’re not supposed to be worried or anxious about anything, for the Bible tells us, in the words of Bruh David from Psalm 37 – titled Trust in the Lord: ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:4-5) 

And what does it mean to delight thyself in the Lord? Here’s a short and simple answer from this commentary. ‘To “delight in the Lord” is to enjoy all the blessings found in Him, because they are from Him, not merely because they are to our benefit. It’s often said that the person who delights in the Lord values the Giver more highly than His gifts.’ Now that’s an attitude we should surely have towards our God; appreciating and valuing Him for what and who He is, than merely for what He can do for us in terms of worldly needs. 

It’s also something we should be seriously pursuing in our daily lives with other people; valuing them more as God’s people, our brothers and sisters in Christ, rather than merely thinking of them in terms of what they can do for us. And that brings us right back to what we’re talking about; foregoing all the selfishness, greed and deceit that our world today teaches as a way of life, and committing to God’s way, which is the exact opposite. (smile) 

Meanwhile, this other commentary shows delighting in God in a different light. It asks, ‘What is the biblical meaning of delight?’ And answers: ‘The word delight means “to gain great pleasure, satisfaction, and happiness.” Additionally, another meaning of the Hebrew word for delight is “to be soft, tender.” I think LOVERS of God are those who are soft and tender toward Him, always teachable, always pliable in His hands.’ 

That’s also true. We need to be like putty in God’s hands, obedient, and committing our ways to Him, meaning ‘invite the Lord to examine our desires and intentions—and change whatever does not fit his purpose or advance his plan for our life.’ And we wonder why God delighted in Bruh David with all of his abominable behaviour. Because he had a repentant, reverent, grateful and devoted heart. 

And we can see that from the words of this commentary. ‘Because of his knowledge of God, David refrained from killing Saul when he had the opportunity, content to wait for God to act in his perfect timing. David demonstrated delight in God through his obedience and praise to God despite his difficult circumstances.’ 

Ah friends, if only we could be so trusting and obedient. That doesn’t mean we won’t do wrong, but when we realize, it we turn asap to God and confess and repent of it. That’s what Bruh David did, and the Lord still considered him a friend and a man after His own heart. The whole point of delighting in God, and committing our ways to Him, is encouraging and challenging us to seek intimacy with God every day. And the greater the intimacy, the greater the obedience and the greater the blessing! 

It’s all a part of God’s great plan for us to commune continuously and deeply with Him. It’s one of the reasons He created us. So when we don’t seek to get close to God, then we’re losing out, missing a whole set of wonderful blessings and interesting adventures and situations. Now, they won’t always be a Sunday walk in the park, (smile) but they’ll surely brighten up your life and make you stronger; physically, spiritually and emotionally, in other words, more like Jesus. 

Now listen to this scripture from Isaiah, where he’s talking to the people about honouring the Sabbath. ‘If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shall honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places (hills) of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Is. 58:13-14) 

Yes my fellow believers, if we choose the Lord’s way, rather than ours, He will rain down blessings on us in such abundance that we won’t be able to handle them. But unfortunately, too many of us are following the foolish dictates of the world, to basically go against everything that God stands for. No wonder our world is filled with man-made chaos and natural disasters. So what are we going to do about this undesirable situation eh? The answer lies in our hands my fellow saints, and the Lord has most generously given us the tools to handle it. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare (chuh!!!) them right now, so that they can be activated in our lives. 

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 having made that declaration (yesss!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…delighting in our wonderful God…is the essence of our faith…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Beauty and Wisdom of putting One’s Total Trust in Almighty God!

09 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 4:8.       I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Ah friends, the cold weather seems to have finally found us! Yes, the past few days have been rather chilly, with temps barely meeting the mid-teens, and just now as I came down to write the Bit, I decided it was time to turn on some heat in the cold house. Some people might find it too early, or it’s not cold enough for heat, dressing up in a pile of sweaters to stay warm in the house, trying to save a few measly dollars, but I’m too old and cold for that foolishness. I like my comfort, and am willing to pay for it. (smile) 

And today we’re going to look at an interesting poem from Our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one is titled ‘Beautiful Things Happen:’  And I don’t think I’ve ever shared this one before, because it seems new and unfamiliar to me. But who knows, there are three hundred and sixty-five poems, and though I’ve been sharing them for a number of years, I’m sure I’ve not shared them all. Anyway, they are all interesting and worth hearing over and over. (smile) 

So please read with me: ‘O God such beautiful things happen When I meet you day by day In quietness and confidence. There is a deep inner wholeness And the assurance of Your guidance. I am not so easily disturbed By changing circumstances. I am less dependent on others And more dependent on You. My eyes may be full of tears But my heart is full of joy. In discovering Your hidden treasures I learn how deeply I am treasured by You. When day by day I am responsive To Your whispered secrets You do more for me in one day Than I could do for myself in a lifetime.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth my people! When we listen to God and respond positively to His guidance we are able to do much more in a short period of time than if we tried to do it in our own strength! And that’s the beauty of having a close and intimate relationship with Christ; we accomplish much more than if we work on our own. Oh, if the majority of believers, and the world as a whole could only realize that eh! Can you imagine the wonderful world we’d have! But unfortunately most of us don’t truly listen to the Lord and His Word, or the Holy Spirit that indwells us, and try to do things on our own! No wonder life can be so difficult and not as prosperous for many of us. 

Oh friends, it’s a habit we need to pick up and become addicted to. (smile) That’s meeting in quietness and confidence with God each and every day, so we can get the assurance of His amazing guidance, and not be running around every day, like chickens with our heads cut off as our circumstances change. And I can personally testify to the statement about being less dependent on others when you become more dependent on God. That has happened to me during the last few months of this year. 

And yes, when we realize how treasured we are by our Creator, Almighty God, then, though our prevailing circumstances might cause tears to fill our eyes, however our hearts can be bursting with joy, because we know that we are totally, unconditionally and irrevocably LOVED and our future is in God’s good and powerful hands! It’s not always easy to feel that way, but once we truly know God, our ever-changing circumstances won’t hit us as hard, as if we don’t know Him. 

Now, here are the Bible verses that pertain to this poem. I’ll give you the one in the Book first, that’s the New Living Translation. ‘You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine. I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.’ Now, let’s hear how Bruh David most likely wrote it. (smile) ‘Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn (grain) and wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.’  (Ps. 4:7-8) 

And we hear the same sentiments from Bruh David in Psalm 3 – The Lord Protects His People – written when he ran from his son Absalom, who rebelled against his kingship. He writes: ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up (the one who lifts up) mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill (mountain). Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.’ (Ps. 3:2-5) 

And you know my fellow believers that we cannot doubt Bruh David’s testimonies in those matters. When he was on the run from King Saul for all those years, he had a good relationship with the Lord, and the Lord kept him safe. And also when he ran from his son Absalom’s rebellion, although by then he had done much wrong, and that was one of the consequences of his wrong doing, he still had a good relationship with the Lord, and again it was the Lord who protected him, made him win the war and eventually be restored to his rightful place on the throne of Israel. 

So there’s great wisdom and assurance in placing one’s entire trust in the ONE TRUE GOD; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But unfortunately that assurance doesn’t come overnight, or easily. No, it’s built on time spent with God, with experience through the rough times and the good times, and gradually understanding that He is indeed who He says He is, and will indeed do what He says He will do. And these words from the author of Hebrews must form the basis of our belief. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) 

And with those poignant words knocking at our hearts, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and plan to meet there nuh! Much LOVE!

…one can NEVER go wrong…in putting one’s entire trust in Jesus…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Overwhelming Importance of Christians standing up RIGHT NOW and fighting for Their Beliefs!

08 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Philippians 2:8.       And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Tuesday, Oh Tuesday! How we LOVE thee! For thou hast pushed that ugly, ole, disruptive, overbearing Monday out of our way! And for that, we give thee much thanks, Oh Tuesday! Yes friends, many of us are happy to see Monday flushed into the dustbin of history, because it brings out too many negative things in us. But that’s just because we don’t do the right things in the first place. 

But nonetheless, we’re alive and kicking this Tuesday morning, so let’s give our wonderful God some thanks and praise for that, as well as for all of His new mercies and compassions that He’s poured out on us on this brand-new day, that’s sunny, but a tad cool in my neighbourhood. 

Please pray with me: ‘Oh heavenly Father, we thank You for the breath of life to see this new day, and ask that You let Your Holy Spirit lead and guide us in the way You desire us to go, so that we can be good and diligent servants as we engage in our daily walk. Please help us to be the salt of the earth and light of the world that You desire us to be. We pray it all in the holy name of Jesus! Amen.’ 

Now, that means listening to whatever the Holy Spirit has to say to each of us, then getting up and doing His bidding. And there’s oodles of work to be done, if we ever hope to make something godly and righteous of this sinful world. The point being, that we can only make any worthwhile changes with the help of Jesus and His Holy Spirit. 

But there’s so much work to be done, that we cannot only touch the surface with Jesus, but we have to dig deep down in and with Him; study and meditate on the Word like there was no tomorrow, then right away put it into practice. For who knows if there will be any tomorrow? Our biggest problem, I believe, is not so much knowing the word, but putting it into practice, which ofttimes takes more than what many of us are willing to give. 

Many of us know the word well enough to make some beneficial changes in our world, but the problem is getting us to make the effort, to put out the energy needed to make the sacrifices required to put those changes into effect. It’s all a matter of us being too lazy, too comfortable or too fearful. Remember, Jesus didn’t have to undergo the sufferation He underwent, but because of the Father’s great LOVE for his sinful creation, that’s us, and Jesus LOVE for the Father, He did it, without complaining too.  

As the Bible tells us: ‘(Jesus) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (emptied himself of all his privileges): And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2:6-8) 

Yes my brethren, that’s what Christ did for us, so why can’t we become a li’l uncomfortable and do His work eh? Because we’re just a bunch of talkative, no good, lazy, compromising, comfortable and fearful hypocrites, masquerading as Christians! Yuh think, with the number of supposed believers in the world, if each one of us would get out into the world and act like we should, not join or compromise with the world, that the sinfulness and ungodliness that’s currently permeating the land would be as bad? 

No way! But it’s just that we supposed believers are not prepared to stand up and sincerely fight for what we claim to believe in. And the longer we wait to pull up the reins on the soaring ungodliness, the worst it will become, until we won’t ever have a chance of stopping it. Oh my people, do we really want to see our grandchildren and their children living in a world that’s worse than this one? 

Of course not! But to make that happen, we have to stand up strong and fight the enemy RIGHT NOW! It’s high time to stop all the talking, which we’re so good at, like the hypocrite Pharisees of Jesus’ day, and begin walking that talk. That’s the only way we will ever make any serious changes in our current sinful and ungodly world. And what a wonderful world we can bring about if we would just walk our talk a bit more than we’re currently doing. 

But it actively requires Christ’s church, that’s His people, not the buildings, to get together and stop fighting against each other, to drop the animosity and petty differences that keep us apart. Christ is depending on us to do His work, and we cannot do it if we’re as divided and uncompromising as we are. 

Oh my fellow saints, we desperately need to search our hearts and see what’s there and how we can make the necessary changes. It’s like Bruh David says in that great Psalm 139: ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my (anxious) thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Ps. 139:23-24) 

Yes my fellow saints, that’s what we all need to do TODAY, so that we can be on our way to becoming the true salt of the earth and light of the world as Jesus desires. End of Sermon! (smile) Now let’s go home declaring (oh heifer dust!!!) yes, my exclamation was much stronger today. (smile) Let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry 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 said all of that, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…what’s it going to take… for Christians…to get up and truly act like Christians eh…another world war…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Carnal or Fleshly Living should not be the Believer’s Modus Operandi!

07 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Romans 8:6.       For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

And the roller coaster ride keeps rolling on! Another day, another dollar! Yes my people, it’s another Monday, the start of a new work week and we have to get out into the evil world and make a living. And  Jesus did instruct us to seek God and His righteousness first, and all of our needs would be met; (Matt. 6:33) while Bruh Paul also promised that God would provide all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus; (Philp. 4:19) but all of that implies that we would get up and work diligently, fervently and efficiently, not just laze around, as so many of us are doing, and expecting our needs to be filled. 

Being a disciple of Jesus can be hard work. Remember how He described a disciple? ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That means we have to take up our cross, every day, and follow Him, wherever He may lead us, sacrificing our own desires for His. And that’s not easy to do, especially in this prosperous and amenity filled society in which we currently live. 

The word ‘sacrifice’ doesn’t even register with a large portion of our population, many of whom have no idea what it means, much less know how to put it into practice. But if we desire to be true believers, true disciples of Christ, then we have to learn how to do the job, how to forget ourselves and sacrifice whenever and wherever necessary, so that His desires can be achieved. 

And my fellow believers, we can say whatever we want, fool ourselves as much as we desire, but it’s obvious in this last generation, our witness, our sacrifice, diligence, fervency and excellence on Jesus’ behalf have not been very satisfactory. We have allowed the world and all its carnality, it’s fleshly lusts, to lessen our call to righteousness. 

That’s why Bruh Paul wrote these words of warning to the Roman church. ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.’ (Rom. 8:5-10) 

Yes friends, we have received the indwelling Spirit of God to help us lead a godly life, not turn back to the sins of the flesh that Christ died to save us from. When we become saints of Christ, we have to kill that old life. As Bruh Paul wrote in his second missive to the Corinthians: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor. 5:17-18) 

Now my people, that change in us to the new man cannot be just for a time… no. When we come into a new relationship with the risen and glorified Lord, we see things in a different light, and that change has to continue for the rest of our lives, so we can sincerely do the work Christ requires of us. And furthermore, we have to grow in faith, in spiritual maturity – from no faith, to little faith, to great faith! Otherwise we’d end up, and have indeed ended up just like Bruh Paul chided the Corinthians in his first letter. 

‘And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat (solid food): for hitherto (until now)ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions (dissensions), are ye not carnal (fleshly), and walk as men (according to man’s ways).’ (1 Cor. 3:1-3) 

And unfortunately that carnal and fleshly attitude still prevails in Christ’s church today. The majority of the people are not growing in spiritual maturity, they’re not seriously and sincerely studying the Word and living it. At this stage of their development when they should be eating solid food, they still can only drink milk, because there’s too much envying and strife and dissensions amongst the body of Christ. 

That’s why the negative attributes of the enemy are currently holding our world hostage, and unless we supposed believers get up and begin fighting back mano a mano, God’s great world is liable to implode with all the strife and talk of strife that’s currently in the air. We’re talking about World War Three, which won’t be fought with ordinary weapons, but will be a nuclear holocaust. So let’s start doing something about it right now nuh, by going to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine aid to help in this time of dire need. 

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!’ 

But first things first, we have to start changing from our evil ways and becoming true disciples of Christ before any divine aid will start flowing down to us. Much LOVE!

…it’s a crying shame…that Christ’s church…is still so carnally minded…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

God created Humans with a Special Need for Him

06 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 11:28.        Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Oh friends, thankfully we’re alive to enjoy another sun-kissed day on God’s great earth! And it’s a Sunday too, the Lord’s Day, which means fellowship and worship are in order in His sanctuary, or wherever two or three are gathered together in His name! And my church, St Francis of Assisi Anglican are celebrating our 50th anniversary service today, with all kinds of luminaries, from the first priest to the current Bishop. A fine time of worship and fellowship will certainly be had by all. 

And to open our worship today, is a contemporary Christian song titled ‘Lord I Need You,’ speaking of our overwhelming need for God in our lives. As one definition tells us: ‘A need is something that is necessary for an organism to live a healthy life.’ And without a doubt, our most important need to live a good Christian life is Jesus! So let’s sing this beautiful and most encouraging song, offering up sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, sincere, but lively and uplifting mid tempo version, a la that of the famous Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. 

Singing: ‘Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart (Chorus) Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You) Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord I am free Holiness is Christ in me (Chorus) 

So teach my song to rise to You When temptation comes my way And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You Jesus, You’re my hope and stay (Chorus. Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You You’re my one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You…’ 

And yuh better believe it my people, we need Christ more than anything else in this whole wide world! As the opening verse of the song so rightly says: ‘Bowing here I find my rest. Without You I fall apart.’ And that’s the gospel truth! Without Jesus we have no rest and we therefore fall apart! 

That brings into play His Great Invitation: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Oh my fellow believers, where else in this world can you find rest, comfort, and LOVING care like that eh? Absolutely nowhere else but in Jesus! And the chorus tells it with heartfelt depth how badly we need Jesus; every hour. He’s also truly our ‘one defense and our righteousness.’ For because it’s on the strength of His work on the cross at Calvary that we’ve been made righteous, justified, sanctified, etc. etc. 

And there are a couple of scriptures that could possibly be quoted to satisfy the sentiments in the chorus. The first is this marvellous one from Hebrews: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) 

Then there’s this one from Peter which we’ll quote from the English Standard Version  as it makes it much simpler than our usual King James Version. (smile) ‘But in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.’ (1 Pet. 3:15) 

In other words, Peter is exhorting oppressed Christians to respond to attacks, not with mere reason, but with the Lord Christ sanctifying our hearts. To be always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope that’s in us through Christ Jesus, but to do it with gentleness like Jesus. 

And I like this line from the song; ‘Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more…’ because it reminds me of these majestic verses from the pen of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘Moreover the law entered that the offence (sin) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom. 5:20-21) 

Yes my fellow saints, sin doesn’t stop grace from flowing, but grace stops sin. And furthermore, whenever and wherever sin abounds, grace, that goodness of God, His unmerited gift that we don’t deserve, abounds even more. As sin increases, so does God’s grace. That obviously means sin cannot ever overcome God’s grace! Oh my people, what a wonderful God we serve! How can so many of us refuse to serve and worship Him eh? But maybe these two testimonies on the effects our song ‘Lord I Need you,’ had on two persons, might just turn some unbelievers around. 

The first testimony reads: ‘God has used this song so much in my live over the past couple of months. There are moments when we feel desperate, when we wonder why, we feel alone, we are so joyful, we feel so blessed…or we ask that God would show us what He wants from us and how to live. 

And that’s where these words touch my heart so much… ‘Lord I need You, oh I need You. Every hour I need you. My one defense, my righteousness, oh God how I need You.” He is ALL that we need. That’s what He wants from us. For us to run to Him, cling to Him and trust Him with everything we’re going through. Whether it’s painful and hard, or joy filled and exciting! We need Him!’ 

No doubt about that! And the second testimony is shorter, but just as sweet and riveting. It says: ‘This is a very beautiful song. It makes me look at God and see how much I need Him in every situation in my life. It makes me want to worship every time I sing it. It surely is a blessing.’ No doubt about that either my brethren! 

And having heard the song, the scriptures invoked by it, and the testimonies, I hope we’ll be encouraged to spend some time today contemplating just what God, His amazing LOVE and grace means to us individually. In our present disaster-filled world, we certainly need to look to Almighty God more than we’re currently doing! Much LOVE!

…we all need God in our lives…because He created us with that special need for Him…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Overwhelming Importance of Sincere LOVE in the Christian Life!

05 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 13:34.       A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.

Oh friends, it’s another beautiful sunshiny summer-like day in my neck of the woods. And I’ve been taking full advantage of the lazy-day Saturday laziness. (smile) I’ve just come back from out on my front porch enjoying the heat of the sun pulsing through my aging bones. You know, you never truly appreciate the heat of the sun until you’re getting on in age, and your bones keep needing more heat to keep them warm. Hope you understand the parable in that. (smile) And since we’re thankful for the breath of life that’s still flowing through us, through the new mercies and compassions of our great God, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth. 

As one voice: ‘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!’ 

And there’s no feeling our God enjoys more than when His children come to Him sincerely seeking His presence, seeking more intimacy with Him. And why is that you ask? Oh, it’s a simple but ever so beautiful answer. It’s because one of His major reasons for creating us was to have close intimacy with Him. That’s why He’s always so pleased and cannot refuse any sincere request to draw closer to Him. So, on this lazy-day Saturday let’s bask in the sunshine of God’s awesome presence, as He pours out His amazing LOVE and compassion on us. 

And  although I don’t want to spoil the quiet, peaceful moments in God’s presence, we do have to face the reality of our earthly situation. For the last few days we’ve been considering the state of our world as concerning the signs of the last days of the church age, and we’ve been sadly found wanting. Now to top it all off, here’s a most depressing and discouraging statement I received via e-mail today. It says: ‘4,200 religions in the world and 1 devil, yet they are still not winning.’ 

Now, if the amazing number of religions is anywhere close to true, and we’re still not winning the war against the 1 devil, then things are really bad with us. What I do know is that there are many denominations within the Christian religion, but they are so divided and alienated on a lot of petty circumstances and doctrines, that the enemy has little or no problem in making our work for Jesus of no account. That’s why Jesus said to the disciples, and consequently to all believers: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.’ (John 13:34) 

And it couldn’t get any plainer or clearer than that. If we truly want to work for Jesus then true togetherness is required, otherwise we’d just be working at odds with each other and making no headway whatsoever. Yes my fellow believers, the first thing Christ’s church needs before it can make any real inroads on the enemy, is togetherness! For without it, the enemy simply divides and conquers us. In fact he doesn’t even have to do any division, because we do it ourselves. He just sits and waits for us to spoil each other’s testimony and witness. 

That’s why Jesus also told the disciples and all future believers: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:35) And that is certainly something the many denominations of Christ’s church don’t have for each other. There is so much petty bickering among the denominations, and even within the denominations that we spend more time fighting amongst ourselves than doing Christ’s work. No wonder the devil is winning! 

And the sad part is that Jesus kept pounding into our heads the great necessity for LOVE amongst the brethren. He said it twice more to them in John 15. ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.’ (John 15:12) Then again a few verses later. ‘These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.’ (John 15:17) 

Oh my fellow saints, why would Jesus say the same thing so often if it wasn’t very important eh? And it’s not like we don’t know the importance of LOVE and working together to make a dream or a purpose come true. But for some reason or other, we can’t seem to put it all together to do the work Jesus commissioned us to do. And John even reminds us of it in his first epistle, where he writes: ‘For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should LOVE one other.’ (1 John 3:11) 

Then John takes it a step further in his treatise on LOVE. He exhorts: ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE.’ (1 John 4:7-8)  Ah friends, John hits the nail right on the head there. So many of us talk glibly about LOVE, but it’s only lip service, for we don’t practice it, that means we don’t truly know God, for God is LOVE. And if we truly knew God, we’d be practicing LOVE like He demands of us. 

It’s as Jesus said of the religious leaders in His time. ‘This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’ (Matt. 15:8) That’s the very same thing that exists on a rather large scale today, that’s why Christ’s church is not more effective in spreading His gospel and thus bringing more people to Him seeking salvation and eternal life. 

And we’ll end with one more quote on the subject from John’s first epistle. He quite clearly explains: ‘Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:10-11)

 And if all this talk on LOVING God and each other, doesn’t make a dent in our hard , stony hearts and bring some improvement to our behaviour, then I truly don’t know what else to say! Much LOVE!

…with our great God…it’s all about LOVE…everything begins and ends with LOVE…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Last Days are drawing closer … with every passing day!

04 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Timothy 3:1.       This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

And He spake unto them a parable, saying, Late to bed, late to rise. Let him who has ears to hear, hear. And as always, there’s truth to Jesus’ parables. (smile) I did go to bed rather late this morning, thus I woke up rather late, and that explains the lateness of the Bit. But, nonetheless, we were able to shout ’TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at long last!’ Although I doubt it’s at long last, because the days are flying by so fast; they morph into each so speedily that before you can truly consider one, it’s another.  

Anyway, it’s also another beautiful sunny, fairly warm day in the month of October, for which we also give great thanks. And finally I get to quote some scripture on the last days of the church age that I’ve been trying to get in from the outset of our discourse on that topic, but could never find the time nor space to fit it in, (smile) and it’s oh so relevant and reflect Jesus’ words on the subject. We’re talking here about Bruh Paul’s wise words of warning to his protégé Timothy. 

Listen up, as he says: ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers (irreconcilable), false accusers (slanderers), incontinent (without self-control), fierce (brutal), despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady (reckless) highminded (haughty), lovers of pleasures more than (rather than) lovers of God; 

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers (varied) lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate (disapproved) concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs was also.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-9) 

Oh friends, every time I read those words of Bruh Paul, I wonder if he isn’t still alive, because those words so aptly describe our cultures, societies and our overall world today! The world is currently filled with perilous times galore, and mankind is all that Bruh Paul foretold they would be; greedy, with no LOVE for God, but plenty for worldly pleasures, covetous, liars, traitors, haughty, without thanks or holiness, and especially disobedient to parents. Now that last one we certainly cannot deny, as this generation is so disobedient it’s not funny. 

And the scholars explain the first four verses thus: ‘The last days began with the birth of Christ and will culminate in Christ’s return to the earth to set up His kingdom. The prediction of perilous times indicates that apostasy (turning away from God) will characterize the final days of the church age.’ 

And we don’t have to look very far to see that people are turning away from God in droves, while figuratively speaking, only a handful are coming to Him. That doesn’t say much for our world or Jesus’ church, meaning us, His supposed believers, disciples and ambassadors. We obviously have not been the worthy salt of the earth and light of the world we ought to have been, otherwise our world would not have fallen so far and fast on the way to hell in a handbasket. 

Meanwhile, per the other five verses in the scripture passage, the scholars explain: ‘A form of godliness is mere religion without power or spiritual life. Paul commands Timothy to turn away from these false teachers who pray upon silly women laden with sins, who are especially susceptible to false teachers. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth condemns not intense study but some esoteric quest for truth apart from God’s Word. Jannes and Jambres, according to Jewish tradition were the two magicians in Pharaoh’s court who attempted to duplicate the miracles of Moses. (cf. Ex. 7:11; 9:11).’ 

Ah mih people, there’s absolutely no doubt that Bruh Paul’s prophecy holds true to the state of our current society. But the only unfortunate difference is that not only are silly women, but also silly men are being persuaded to turn away from God by the numerous false teachers out there. And the supposed quest for truth, apart from God’s Word, has never before been so intense in the modern world, with so many different types of truth abounding, and where everyone has his or her own truth.  

And though, deep down we might desire to turn things around, we all know we cannot do it without the help of Jesus, for He says, He is the vine, and we are the branches, and if we don’t stick close to Him, we won’t be able to do anything. (John 15:5) So please, let’s go to the throne of grace, right now, through our Friday Chant, seeking that divine aid to help us do what we cannot do in our own strength. 

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 having prayed that prayer, let’s not forget that nothing will change until we change, until we become better examples of true Christian living! Much LOVE!

…in a world that’s turning away from God…there’s an insatiable need for true believers…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Overwhelming Importance of Believers truly having the Peace of God ruling in Their Hearts.

03 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Colossians 3:15a.       And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

Wow! Is it really Thursday already? I can’t believe it. The week just began …and it’s already almost at an end. (smile) Something curious and serious is happening in the world; time and weather are moving along in extreme circumstances. The well-planned and hitherto normal cycles of God’s universe have been seriously disturbed by mankind; thus we are suffering the negative effects of their disruption. And that’s why they say B.S. baffles brains! (smile) 

Believe me though, there’s a lot of heifer dust out there that’s baffling the brains of many, else why would our world be in such a sad state of unbelief and heathenism eh? Why are we refusing to accept the truth of Jesus and His gospel, which leads to salvation and eternal life, but believing Beelzebub and his B.S. which leads to hell fire, damnation and eternal separation from God? 

Oh my people, in these trying times, which might just be the last days of the church age, we need the truth of Jesus more desperately than ever before, because of the great number of deadly and negative distractions fighting for our minds, bodies and souls. And Jesus is the only one who can bring us the kind of peace and understanding we need to handle all the unfortunate stuff that’s currently wreaking havoc in our world. That’s why, Jesus, before He left earth, reassured us with these encouraging words: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) 

Yes friends, when we have the peace that Jesus gives, which is nothing like what the world offers as peace, we don’t need to be troubled or afraid. That’s also why Bruh Paul wrote these words of encouragement and warning to the church at Philippi. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request 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. 4:5-7) 

And that’s all ever so true my fellow believers! If we are saved and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, then that’s more than sufficient cause to rejoice. And when we rejoice, we will most likely be gracious and reasonable with our fellow believers. 

And I like how the scholars explain the Lord is at hand. They say it means two things; ‘His return to earth is near. His imminent coming as judge encourages the Christian to be “gracious” unto all men, for He will judge the believer for all of his actions toward all people, and will avenge all wrongs committed by others against him. Second, “the Lord is at hand” spiritually. The Lord’s being presently near should free the Christian from fear and anxiety. Hence the command of verse 6. Be careful for nothing.’ 

Yes my people, when we hold close to Jesus and carry everything to him in prayer, with thanksgiving, we don’t need to worry about all the stuff that’s happening to and around us. And as the scholars remind us, ‘This is no summons to irresponsibility or an invitation to dismiss legitimate concerns.’ Not at all. We have to still be on our p’s and q’s but not given to overall worry, since God’s peace is with us. As the scholars describe it. ‘That tranquility of mind that frees the believer from fear and worry.’ 

And it passes all understanding because ‘it’s a peace that’s divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it.’ It also means that God’s peace far surpasses our understanding, and He is thus able to handle and solve our problems better than us. 

And this commentary gives us a brief, simple, but excellent idea of what’s meant by the peace of God that passes all understanding. It says: ‘This is a peace that transcends, outdoes, surpasses, excels, rises above, goes beyond and over the top of any other kind of peace. The implication is that people may try to find peace in other places, but there is no peace like the peace of God.’ And that’s no lie my brethren! There’s definitely no peace like that of our great God! 

That’s also why Bruh Paul in writing to the Colossians about putting on the new man in Christ, included this verse. ‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful.’ (Col. 3:15) Obviously the peace of God is very important for believers to possess if they are to be successful in living a truly Christian life, and spreading the gospel of Christ to all nations, to all the earth. 

And our God, who is so wise and wonderful, and knows all our needs, even gave us undeserved blessings to help us do just that. We call them our Thursday Blessings, so let’s declare (ah Lord eh!!!) them, so that they can be activated in our souls and spirits. 

As one 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 having made that declaration (yesss!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…if the peace of God truly ruled in the hearts of believers…His church would not be so divided and in such chaos…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

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