21 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: angelic beings, by him were all things created, dominions, fills the universe with all things, gives strength for daily living, God's mighty power, hath put all things under his feet, have good success, heresy of angel worship, in heaven, in heavenly places, increase my awareness of you, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, made him head of all things of the church, make thy way prosperous, on earth, principalities, quiet my soul, raised him from the dead, set him at his own right hand, shall not depart out of thy mouth, slow my thoughts, the church is Christ's body, the fullness belonging to him, the hope of his calling, the riches of their inherited glory, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, this book of the law, thou shalt meditate therein day and night, thrones, visible and invisible, what a wonderful God we serve, wisdom, your love both surrounds and fills me
Ephesians 1:22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Well a good lazy-day Saturday morning to you my Scrip-Bit friends and family. And I do hope that you will enjoy a restful, lazy-day Saturday surrounded by the goodness and wellbeing of our wonderful God! Let’s remember that without Him we are nothing, for He is the vine and we are the branches, and if the branch doesn’t stay attached to the vine it’s of no use, because all the necessities for bearing fruit begin and end in the vine, the branch can do nothing of itself. (John 15:1-10) And so, to help us stay rooted and grounded in the vine, let’s declare (yesss!!!) our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with a sincere and grateful heart.
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 hopefully, as we offer up that simple but heartfelt prayer to heaven, all of our souls will be quietened, our muscles relaxed, our breaths deepened, and we’ll feel the overwhelming presence of the Lord enveloping us with His LOVE, mercy and grace! Wow! What a wonderful God we serve my fellow believers! And all God’s people said a rousing ‘That’s for Sure! There’s no God like our Jehovah! No! There’s no god like our Jehovah!’ and that’s the gospel truth! There’s no Infinite Being like, or except Yahweh! He’s the ONLY living God. all the other supposed God are dead, inanimate creations of man, and thus cannot do anything to help mankind. Matter fixed!
And it’s indeed refreshing to have a rousing Lazy-Day Saturday Bit! (smile) Now let’s get to the heart of the matter; that’s the prayer of Bruh Paul on behalf of the Ephesians that we were studying yesterday. It’s where he prayed that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation, with enlightened minds so that they would truly know Him, the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory they have inherited, and His mighty power that gives them the strength for godly daily living. (Eph. 1:17-19)
Now, since Bruh Paul was somewhat longwinded and worked towards perfection (smile) he didn’t just stop there, he went on to explain ‘the mighty power of God. ‘Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set (seated) him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world (age), but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth it all.’ (Eph. 1:20-23)
What powerful scriptures my fellow saints! Yes! But what does it all mean? (smile) Let’s hear what the scholars have to offer. They say: ‘Principality, and power, and might, and dominion refer to various classes of angelic beings. See note on Colossians 1:16.’ And for our further understanding, Col. 1:16 says: ‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in (on) earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities (rulers),or powers (authorities): all things were created by him and for him.’
And the scholars point out that ‘this verse provides the reason Christ is called the ‘firstborn’ in verse 15. Paul’s rationale is this: Since by him were all things created, then (1) Christ must have existed before the universe, and (2) He must be greater than all He made. Meanwhile “thrones” refer to angels who sit on thrones as rulers; “dominions” refer to domains or kingdoms over which these heavenly beings reign; “principalities” refer to rulers, and “powers” refer to angelic monarchs who wield regal power. Since Christ created these various ranks of angels, He is supreme over them. Striking a blow at the Colossian heresy advocating angel worship (2:18), this text forbids Christians to pay homage to angels or other heavenly beings created by God.’
Heavy stuff that friends. But it’s oh so important because sadly, today many people still pray to angels and all sorts of other terrestrial and extra-terrestial beings, who have no power or authority whatsoever. So we hope you understand that although there are all kinds of angelic beings, NONE are worthy of worship; ONLY the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit carry such eminence.
And as we get back to the scripture in Ephesians, the scholars continue by telling us that per verse 21, ‘God’s power has exalted Jesus far above all these spiritual creatures. And per verse 22, which says: ‘And gave him to be the head over all things in the church means God appointed Him head (ruler) over all things for the benefit of the church. Jesus is the divinely appointed ruler over the entire universe for the church’s benefit.’
Then, as per verse 23, the scholars say, ‘that paraphrased it reads, “For the church is His body. It is the fullness belonging to Him who fills the universe with all things.” That is, Jesus, who so wisely and skillfully fills the universe with all material elements necessary for its existence, also wisely and skillfully infuses His people (the church) with His own life and character.
This verse, then, explains why in verse 22 God made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church: the church is in such an intimate relationship with Him, and is of such character, that she is considered His own body. So it is for her good that Christ is the divinely appointed ruler of the universe. Since He filleth the church with His own life and character, she is a receptacle containing the graces and virtues of God Himself.’
Oh brother! Today’s certainly not one for milk, but for plenty meat and spuds! And yes, some of these scriptures can be difficult to understand, but only, if and when we keep reading, studying and meditating on them will we ever understand them and thus grow in spiritual maturity, exercise God’s divine plan that we all grow into Christ-likeness. Remember what the Lord told Joshua when he made him the Israelite Leader after the death of Moses?
‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be continually in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous , and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) And if the Lord said it my brethren, then it must be true. So please, let’s get wise, wake up and see that unless we sincerely read and study God’s Word, then put it into action in our lives, we will NEVER be as successful and prosperous as He desires us to be! Much LOVE!
…if Jesus Christ is the church…then the church should reflect the nature and character of Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
20 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: action is needed to complete the scenario, cease not to give thanks for you, crying out for help, divine strength in daily living, embrace your love and compassion, faith if it hath no works is dead, faithful believers, Friday chant, heavenly blessings, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, knowledge and understanding are not enough, living for Christ, LOVE, love unto all saints, making mention of you in our prayers, obedient to the word and will of God, omnipotent help, priceless treasure to God, return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways, spiritual maturity, step up our godly actions, the Father of glory, the knowledge of him, the mighty power of God, the priceless value of salvation, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, totally surrender our souls, turn from our evil ways, wisdom, your faith in the Lord Jesus, your mind's understanding be fully enlightened
Ephesians 1:17. the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
And this morning, as we declare (steups!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ a gentle rain is falling upon the land, providing some most needful nourishment, for lately, rain is not something we’ve been seeing much in our area. So we are indeed grateful for this heavenly blessing. And on this rainy Friday morning, I want to share an interesting prayer of Bruh Paul’s in his letter to the Ephesians. We all know that he had some interesting prayers, not so much for blessings in health, material and worldly things but more for spiritual maturity, and this one is a gem.
So let’s read, as he writes: ‘Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and LOVE unto all saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.’ (Eph. 1:15-17) What a powerful prayer that is my brethren, for it involves our spiritual understanding of Christ and the Father, that we might get to know and understand them better. The scholars term it ‘a disposition consisting of wisdom and revelation in knowing Him.’
Yes friends, it’s all about spiritual maturity, which is the Father’s eventual wish for us, for all to eventually be as close as possible to the character of Christ. That’s why we’re going through all the unfair, unjust and distasteful stuff we’re going through; to grow us into the likeness of Christ. And it’s not easy, but as we keep on saying, whatever God desires of us, He gives us the wherewithal to accomplish it. And if He wants us to be like Christ, then He’s given us the tools to do so, we just have to wake up and use them, and above all be committed to accomplishing God’s will for our lives! That’s where the wisdom and revelation of knowing Him comes in.
And furthermore, Bruh Paul sweetens the pot by continuing: ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.’ (Eph. 1:18-19) And yes, Bruh Paul can be extremely complicated, as though he’s speaking to scholars, and not ordinary, mostly unlearned people. But that’s the way it is with some very educated persons, they just can’t explain things simply. (smile)
However, the scholars explain those verses thus. ‘When the figurative terms are removed from the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, the clause means that “your mind’s understanding may be fully enlightened.” This clause further explains verse 17. That ye may know signifies that the believer comes to know three things upon being enlightened: (1) what is the hope of his calling; that is, he realizes how sure and certain is his heavenly destiny; (2) what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; that is, the illuminated Christian recognizes more and more both the priceless value of his salvation, and what a priceless treasure he is to God; and (3) what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe: perceiving how God’s power has changed him since conversion, he experiences to a greater extent this divine strength in daily living.’
Oh my people, what a glorious prayer for both the Ephesians and all believers! That the Lord will help us understand what’s going on in our lives, especially the spiritual aspect, so that we can wake up and more fully understand and believe, then totally surrender our souls and so truly enjoy the life that Christ died for us to have! Now, that’s what the majority of us need to learn and know and put into practice, if we are to ever turn this evil and ungodly world around. Because knowledge and understanding don’t cut it by themselves, action is needed to complete the scenario.
As James says, ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ (James 2:17) And that’s what’s wrong with our world today. We Christians claim to have a whole lot of faith, but our works, our godly actions are very negligible in the great scheme of things, consequently our world has fallen deep into the mire of Satan’s evil and ungodly power. Thus, it’s become of the utmost importance for believers to stop talking as much as we do, and instead, step up our godly actions.
But getting back to Bruh Paul’s prayer, he’s not done yet nuh. (smile) No, he goes on to explain about the ‘mighty power’ of God. But I believe we’ll leave the rest of it until tomorrow, obviously if God spares life, because it will make the Bit too long, and you know we strive to keep it as short as possible…not that we’re always successful (smile) So let’s consider what we’ve learned today, and try to put it into practice, pray for those we LOVE to be filled with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in Christ Jesus, that we can all truly know Him and all the benefits and riches His saving grace bestows on us.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace in confidence, but sincere humility, and through our Friday Chant, ask for divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one prayerful voice: ‘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 since the eyes of our understanding have been enlightened, (smile) we now know that the only way to get divine help is by turning from our evil ways and by being obedient to the Word and Will of Almighty God! So let’s do it nuh! Much LOVE!
…to truly understand living for Christ…one must spend serious and sincere time with Him…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
19 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life., a price to pay for disobedience, a reward for obedience, as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, as an ensign on a hill, as the light of seven days, be careful for nothing, be of good courage, blessed are all they that wait for him, by prayer and supplication, courage, crying out for rest, curse, give the rain for thy seed, graven images of silver, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, in every thing, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, leave all the consequences to Him, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, mercy, molten images of gold, negative word, obey God, passeth all understanding, the bread of adversity, the light of the moon as the light of the sun, the Lord is a God of justice, the peace of God, the still calm voice of the Holy Spirit, the sun shall be sevenfold, the water of affliction, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, Thursday Blessings, thy cattle shall feed in large pastures, turn from the straight and narrow path, wait I say on the Lord, wait on the Lord, with thanksgiving
Isaiah 30:18b. for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.
And then it was Thursday; the penultimate day of our workweek. And some of us are just dying to see Friday afternoon because the week has been so hectic and confusing, and our old bones are crying out for rest! But not to worry my fellow believers, for if you sincerely have Jesus in your heart, then He will calm your storm and get you to a safe port all in one piece. That’s what He promised, and He keeps His promises, unlike the selfish, greedy, evil and ungodly world of men, in which we live. So please stop fretting and being anxious and let Jesus hold your hand and guide you to a place of rest and quiet.
And in a world so filled with untold disaster and widespread tribulation, it will do us good today to remember these encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing 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) And that my friends is the best advice we can follow today! Just give it all to Jesus, for what we can’t handle, He’s most capable of handling.
Now, let’s see what the Lord had to say to His rebellious people Judah from yesterday, after promising that they would pay for their rebellious ways, and flee, till only a handful were left, ‘as a beacon (pole) upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign (flag, banner) on an hill.’ (Is. 30:17) The prophet Isaiah then talks of graciousness and mercy as he writes on the Lord’s behalf. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18)
And is that ever the glorious truth my fellow believers! Those who wait patiently and expectantly on Jehovah God will indeed be blessed when He is ready! And nowhere is it better said than in Psalm 27, in the words of Bruh David. ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14)
Then Isaiah continues with the good news. ‘For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.’ (Is. 30:19-20) That’s in direct contrast to yesterday where in their rebellion they didn’t want to hear the truth and caused the teachers and prophets to tell them lies to satisfy their lustful desires.
‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) Isn’t it the same way it is with us today? Whenever we turn from the straight and narrow path, to the right or to the left, we hear the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit encouraging us to turn back to the right way. The problem though, is do we listen to that still, calm voice? Let’s hope we do.
Then, having found the right way, Isaiah declares (yesss!!!): ‘Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous (unclean) cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Then shall he give the rain of (for) thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat (rich) and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise and the young asses (donkeys) that ear (work) the ground shall eat clean provender (cured fodder, good grain), which had been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach (bruise) of his people, and health the stroke of their wound.’ (Is. 30:22-26)
Yes, my fellow saints, that is what’s going to come that final day of judgement. God’s goodness and mercy is going to be there for those who walk the right path and wait on Him. The wicked and rebellious will be destroyed, but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth! And the scholars add these explanations. ‘Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him. He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God. The reference to the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction shows that God teaches us lessons through circumstances when we will not listen to our teachers who call us to walk in the way (i.e., the way of God).’
Oh friends, the moral of the story is that there’s always a price to pay for disobedience…and a reward for obedience… So let’s be wise and follow the path of obedience nuh, especially since God has gifted us with some undeserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, so that we can use them to do His work. Let’s now activate them by declaring (awright!!!) them out loud.
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!’
Now, having activated those blessings, it’s our bounden duty to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us! Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) would say…the best way to live this life…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
18 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a pipe dream, a rebellious people, archangel Lucifer, as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, as an ensign on a hill, blasphemers, boasters, covetous, disobedient to parents, endure to the end, evil lusts and desires, faith, get you out of the way, glad to be alive, halfway home, hands on the plough, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength, in returning and rest shall ye be saved, Jesus Christ, loll around and enjoy life, LOVE, men shall be lovers of their own selves, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not turning back, obedience, of whom shall I be afraid, prophesy not, proud, salvation, Satan, say to the prophets, say to the seers see not, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Holy One of Israel, the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, to a glorious future with Jesus, to cease from before us, topsy-turvy world, turn aside out of the path, turned away from God, unholy, unthankful, Wednesday Wail, whom shall I fear, will not hear the law of the Lord, wisdom, ye would not, you despise this word
Isaiah 30:9. That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:
Ah mih people, can you believe it’s already the 18th of October. The month which just began is already more than halfway through! And although I know that the days are going at the same pace they always have, these days just seem to be moving increasingly fast. (smile) Before you turn around the days, weeks, months and year is done. I guess it seems that way because right now our lives and our world are so topsy-turvy, filled with all kinds of tremulous, disastrous, unwanted and unforeseen stuff, and thus we can’t just loll around and enjoy life the way we desire, we have to be up and busy, ofttimes just trying to stay alive.
But there’s a very valid reason for the turmoil in our lives and our world, and a very obvious way to turn it all around. And the simple reason for our many problems is that we have turned away from the Lord God Jehovah, our Creator and Provider, and have become so enamoured of our own strength and advances that we’ve left the Lord behind, taken Him out of our schools and public places, even trying to remove Him completely from our society. But friends, that’s just a pipe dream! It will NEVER happen, because the Lord will not allow it to, although our world is now behaving like the Lord said about the people of Judah through the prophet Isaiah a long time ago.
‘Now go, write it before them in a table (on a tablet), and note it in a book (on a scroll), that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever. That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.’ (Is. 30:8-11)
Wow mih bredrin! Isn’t that just like what’s happening today? Of course! And that’s exactly why the Lord told the prophet to write it, so that future generations like ours, could see that rebelliousness does not pay. But who’s taking note eh? Not with all the false stuff, the deceits, treacheries and deceptions that are being promulgated today, along with all the evil and wrong stuff that’s passing for truth, and so many of the population turning away from God, not wanting to hear His Word because it doesn’t coincide with their selfish and evil lusts and desires.
It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy about the perilous times that were to come: ‘For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…etc. etc.’ (2 Tim. 3:2) And he goes on to list in the rest of that chapter, a whole lot of evil and ungodly things that are indeed prevalent in our world today. But yuh know what my fellow believers, this is all just a replay of the scenario that took place in heaven many moons ago, where Satan, as the archangel Lucifer, mounted a prideful, foolish plan to overthrow God and take over the kingdom of heaven.
It failed miserably and Lucifer was summarily kicked out of heaven with his handful of foolish followers to walk the earth in pain and disgrace for the rest of their evil days. And now, because he’s amassed a li’l power in the earth, instead of learning from his previous mistake, once again, he’s trying to get God’s children to side with him against the Father. But that deceitful and evil ploy will eventually fail too, because the wise will recognize Satan’s deceit for what it is, revenge against God, that will only cause them to suffer eternal damnation, and will have no part of it, for they know that the Lord is the ultimate in strength, power and majesty.
And all God’s people said, a loud and proud: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1) And the answer to those two questions is simply: ‘NOBODY!’ So hie thee away Satan! And despite our rebellious, evil and ungodly character right now, things will get better. Why? Because the Lord God Jehovah has promised it, and whatever He promises will eventually happen! First though, life will not be so rosy, for there’s this promise.
‘Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay (rely) thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling (bulging) out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potter’s vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it (among the fragments) a sherd (shard, broken piece) to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit (cistern).
For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke (threat) of one; at the rebuke (threat) of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of the mountain, and as an ensign (flag, banner) on an hill.’ (Is. 30:12-17)
And what’s that all about eh friends? The people of Judah’s rebellion was so deep, that while sending out queries to make peace with Egypt and the surrounding nations, they refused to make peace with God. And you know that anytime we look to others for help before looking to God, He becomes angry, thus the breaking up of the nation, in their iniquity and rebelliousness. They were so rebellious that they refused returning and rest, which meant repentance and faith, which are necessary to true salvation. Thus the Lord left them to their own foolish demise.
And friends, that’s exactly what’s happening in our world today. We have chosen to turn away in great drove from God and ally ourselves with Beelzebub. Consequently, the Lord has left us to our own way. You know He never intrudes where He’s not wanted, and we’ve made it ever so clear that we don’t desire His presence in our lives or our world. And I hope we’re seeing what happens when we’re left up to our own devices; war, hate, anger, resentment and all the negative actions and desires that fall under Satan’s portfolio. For all our sakes, let’s hope we wake up and smell the roses before it’s too late.
Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to hold on to God and His Word, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all the 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 believe me friends, if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s make a date to meet at that time nuh! Much LOVE!
…the three most important words in the scriptures…obedience…obedience…obedience…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
16 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according as he commanded them, divine help, enjoy the abundant life, face storms with a good attitude, faith, found grace in your eyes, his sons did unto him, hold on to God, humble ourselves, I will come again, it was a very great company, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep God first place in our lives, LOVE, mass confusion in our world, Monday Morniing Battle Hymn, negative situaions, obedience, only a prayer away, Praise the Lord, pray, sinned and disobeyed your Word, the days o his mourning, the God who heals, the land of Canaan, the mourning of Egypt, the threshing floor of Atad, weekend slumber, wise guidance
Genesis 50:12. And his (Jacob’s) sons did unto him according as he commanded them.
And as surely as the sunshine follows the rain, and the moon the sun, so does Monday follow Sunday. It’s a day that many of us don’t like because it wakes us from our weekend slumber, but it’s all a part of this thing we call life, and instead of complaining about it, we had better grab it by the tail and swing with it, if we want to enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. And all God’s people said, ‘Praise the Lord!’
Yes, for our own sakes, we had better hold on to God. Do like Bruh Joseph did despite his many trials and much tribulation, most of which were unfair and unjust. And as the Lord promised, when the time was right, He came through for him. The Lord will do the same for each one of us who faces our storms with a good attitude and keep Him first place in our lives.
Now, the last time we saw Bruh Joseph his father Jacob had died after blessing his sons and making them promise to bury him in the land of Canaan with his fathers, Isaac and Abraham. Bruh Joseph had therefore had Jacob’s body embalmed and the Egyptians mourned for the patriarch for sixty days.
The Bible then tells us: ‘And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace (favour) in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now, therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.’ (Gen. 50:4-6)
It’s obvious that Pharaoh was very proud of and understanding where Bruh Joseph was concerned. And he had just cause because Bruh Joseph had saved Egypt from certain ruin during the years of the severe famine, and even made Pharaoh richer than he had previously been.
Thus, the Bible relates: ‘And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. And all the house of Joseph and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.’ (Gen. 50:7-9)
Wow! Jacob certainly had a big, royal-like send off. But he deserved it for he was indeed royalty; the patriarch of Israel. And it’s interesting how the Egyptians treated the Hebrews in the early days, as opposed to four hundred years later, under the Pharaoh who supposedly didn’t know of Bruh Joseph and the history of the Hebrew children in Egypt.
And the Good Library continues: ‘And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and they mourned with a great and very sore (solemn) lamentation: and he made (observed) a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim (Mourning of Egypt), which is beyond Jordan.’ (Gen. 50: 10-11)
Imagine that nuh, the great sorrow expressed by the Egyptians over a Hebrew man. That was when the Hebrews were a mere handful of people, before they grew into such a substantial amount of people, that they threatened the Egyptian’s security, and had to be enslaved to keep them quiet.
‘And his (Jacob’s) sons did unto him according as he commanded them. For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.’ (Gen. 50:12-14)
Oh mih people, can you imagine the spectacle that funeral must have been? With Egyptians and Hebrews, chariots and horses, plus food carts and whatever moving over the land from Egypt to Canaan. And on the way to Canaan land, they stopped for seven days and partied on the threshing floor of Atad. It was such an immense spectacle that the Canaanites changed the name of the place to Abel-mizraim (the Mourning of Egypt).
At that moment in time, all of the great Hebrew patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, had finally been put to rest in the land that their God had promised to their descendants. And the Hebrew people went on growing and prospering in the land of Goshen in Egypt, through the generous auspices of their great God. Likewise, we can also prosper if we sincerely turn to Him for help… and do we ever need a monumental amount of help in our world right now.
So, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the throne of grace in confident humility and ask for divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘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!’
It’s obvious then, that our next step is to change our evil ways…if we truly desire to receive divine help. Much LOVE!
…with sincere obedience…divine help is only a prayer away…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fruitful bough, be responsible, blessings of heaven above, blessings of the breasts, crying out for help, divine help, Friday chant, Friday the 13th, he whom thy brethren shall praise, Him to Whom It Belongs, his clothes in the blood of grapes, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, Lion of the tribe of Judah, LOVE, on the crown of the head, on the neck of thine enemies, one truth from the Bible, return backsliders to your fold, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the error of their ways, the example your faithful believers set, the Messiah, the sceptreshall not depart from Judah, the twelve tribes of Israel, the unexpected storms, the weekend, thy father's children shall bow down before thee, until Shiloh come, wake up and and smell the coffee, washed his garments in wine, wise guidance, worth more than all the wisdom of man
Genesis 49:8. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: …thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
And it’s one of those Friday the 13th days, when all the old wives tales surface. Tales like don’t walk beneath a ladder today, or don’t let a black cat cross your path. There’s also the superstition that the number 13 itself is unlucky, that’s why you don’t find 13th floors in buildings or elevators. But be that as it may, we’ll still joyfully declare ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Although this was just a four-day work week. (smile) So, without further ado, let’s get down to the Father’s business. That means to continue looking at Bruh Joseph’s amazing and intriguing story, as we promised if God spared life. And since He most mercifully did so, let’s get to it!
We’ve reached the point where the old patriarch Jacob, hitherto known as Israel, calls his sons together to bless them. And it’s from him that we derive the twelve tribes of Israel. Now there are actually eleven sons of his loins, but we’ve seen where He adopts or calls the first two sons of Bruh Joseph his. But when the Promised Land is divided up, Bruh Joseph doesn’t have a tribe, but his two sons do, which makes it twelve. Anyway, Jacob on his deathbed calls his sons together and blesses them according to the order of their birth, with Reuben the oldest first, and Benjamin, the youngest last.
The scholars tell us: ‘Jacob concludes his life as other saints who spoke a blessing before their end: Isaac (Gen. 27), Moses (Deut. 33), Joshua (Josh. 24), and Samuel (1 Sam. 12).’ Now, we don’t have either time nor space to go through all the blessings, so we’ll only go through the two most important ones, Bruh Joseph’s, because it’s his story we’re dealing with, and Judah’s because his line turned out to be the most influential. And just for interest’s sake, those two have the longest blessings.
So, let’s begin with Bruh Joseph’s blessing. Jacob said: ‘Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely (bitterly) grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength (remained strong), and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under (beneath), blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed (excelled) above the blessings of my progenitors (ancestors) unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.’ (Gen. 49:22-26)
Yes friends, though Bruh Joseph was separated from his brothers through envy and jealousy, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept him strong, showed him favour in his many trials, and eventually blessed him with great honour and material wealth, and he would go on to do well, if he kept walking with the Lord.
As for Judah, Jacob said: ‘Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in (on) the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee (reminiscent of Bruh Joseph’s dream). Judah is a lion’s welp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped (crouches), he couched (lies) down as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre (symbol of kingship) shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering (obedience) of the people be. Binding his foal (donkey) unto the vine, and his ass’s (donkey’s) colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with (darker than) wine, and his teeth white with (whiter than) milk.’ (Gen. 49:8-12)
And what does all of that mean eh? Let’s get some insight from the scholars. They say ‘The key thought is expressed as the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. The sceptre was a symbol of royal power. Lawgiver, according to Speiser, refers to a mace. Etymologically (in its origins), it is something pertaining to a legislator or one in authority, and from the context, an analogue of (comparison to) the sceptre. When a dignity was seated, the staff would rest between his feet.
Jacob was not saying his (Judah’s) rule would end when Shiloh came. On the contrary, this term denotes the turning point at which the superiority of Judah will continue, and at that time to be enlarged to embrace all nations. Shiloh is a hidden name for Messiah; it is made up of three grammatical parts (sh–l– oh) meaning “Him to Whom it (the Sceptre or Kingdom ) Belongs.” It is not to be taken as a proper name for Messiah, nor does it refer to the town where the tabernacle was later established, for this would be meaningless prophetically.
The phrase and unto him shall be the gathering of the people be means, literally, “And unto him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” This can refer only to the Messiah. Thus the reference to a lion in verse 9 points to that One who is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” (Rev. 5:5). Verses 11 and 12 describe the millennial prosperity (cf. Is. 11:1-9; Ezek. 34:23-31; Amos 9:11-15).’
Yes my people, it sounds very complicated and difficult to understand, but the long and short of the story is that Judah would be the tribe, the line from which the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would come. That’s why Jacob prophesied so mightily in Judah’s blessing. And it just goes to show all the foreshadowing that the Lord did when compiling His Word. Even from the days of Jacob a Messiah was in the works. That’s why we say the Lord is indeed the greatest dramatist there is! But He is also the Creator and Controller, the One to whom we need to go for divine help for our earthly problems. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant.
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 the operative words in that prayer my people are ‘by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ So please, let’s be about setting a good example nuh. Much LOVE!
…one truth from the Bible…is worth…more than all the wisdom of man…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
10 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great King above all Gods, being thankful keeps us spiritually healthy, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, every good and perfect gift, giving thanks gets easier the more you do it, giving thanks is a daily occurrence, giving thanks to God the Father, good manners, his mercy endureth for ever, in every thing give thanks, in god's eyes, it's good manners to say thanks, Jesus Christ, keep our priorities straight, let us make a joyful noise, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, lustful desires, mercy, O come let us sing unto the lord, O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, our one word ought to be thanks, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, share His love with my neighbours, Thank You Lord, thanksgiving magnifies God, thanksgiving reorients us, thanksgiving weekend, the beloved of God, the Lord is a great God, the rock of our salvation, the source of every good thing, the sun's shining, the thankfulness muscles respond to exercise, they sang together by course, this is the will of God in Christ, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, whatsoever ye do in word or deed, with the help of our great God, worry
Psalm 107:1. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
And though this Tuesday morning, post the Thanksgiving weekend, has opened somewhat cool and windy, there is at least one redeeming feature; the sun’s shining! And that’s a lot to be thankful for, as the days grow cold and cloudy, and eventually snowy. Look at it nuh, just last week we were enjoying exceptional summer-like weather, now we’ve been suddenly thrown into the throes of fall (smile) that has winter as its final dance partner. And try as you want, regardless of how long you spend in this land, unless you’re an outdoor sports enthusiast, you never seem to get accustomed to that season of darkness and dreary cold weather.
But, like all the other unpleasant and tough aspects of life, with the help of our great God, we handle it superbly whenever it raises its ugly head! Give much thanks to our gracious and merciful God for all that He’s done, is doing and has promised to do for us! And all God’s people said a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’ And just in case we’ve forgotten or gotten too busy to remember, now that the Thanksgiving weekend is over, it doesn’t mean we should stop giving thanks. No! The giving of thanks to our most wonderful God Jehovah, must be a daily occurrence, not just once a year, or when you’re pleading with him for something to satisfy your lustful desires.
And that’s one of the major reasons why our lives are so sad and miserable; we boldly ask for a whole lot from our heavenly Father, but don’t give sufficient thanks for what we already have. Somehow or the other, it just slips our minds that, as our parents taught us, it’s good manners to say thanks for whatever you’re given. Or, we simply don’t think or believe that such a great God as ours, needs or desires thanks from His puny human creation. But that’s a thoroughly incorrect supposition my fellow believers, for the Good Library, God’s inerrant and infallible word, says otherwise, and says it very often too.
But before we get into some of those many scriptures, let’s check out this commentary that tells us why it’s so important for us to give thanks to our God. It says: ‘What is the power of giving thanks to God? Thanksgiving reorients us to the center of all things. So, thanksgiving magnifies God: it makes him great in the sense of declaring his greatness. Here is the most foundational truth about biblical thanksgiving: it gives him the glory he deserves. It exalts him as the source of every good thing we enjoy.’
And that’s the indisputable truth friends! Giving thanks to Almighty God honours and exalts Him, for that was one of the reasons why He created us in the first place; to commune with Him and give Him honour and glory! Now here’s another commentary that adds further reason for being thankful. It reads: ‘But being thankful also has significant spiritual benefits. For starters, it keeps us spiritually healthy. When we live gratefully, we keep our priorities straight—focusing on God as the one who gives us “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17)—and we don’t accidentally put ourselves in God’s place.’
Yes friends, giving sincere and constant thanks keep us spiritually healthy and on the straight and narrow path. Now let’s hear some of those scriptures on the importance of being thankful. First up is this mighty one from Psalm 107: ‘O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 107:1) And in all truth, there’s no better reason than that. The Lord’s good and merciful, and therefore our thanks is necessary. It’s as simple as that. There’s no better reason for giving thanks than to someone who’s good and merciful to you.
I just wish there was much more mercy and goodness amongst us believers, and the world in general, and therefore much more thanks, for then that would make it something we’d do naturally with our good and merciful God. But unfortunately, goodness and mercy don’t exist in our world as much as they ought to, so it doesn’t naturally rub off on our dealing with the Lord. Then there’s this Scripture from the Book of Ezra, when the Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon and began rebuilding the temple.
‘And they sang together by course (responsively) in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.’ (Ezra 3:11) And yes, our God does like great shouts of praise from His people, but He’s also contented with a simple ‘Thank You Lord,’ because it shows that we are thinking of Him and gratefully acknowledging the fact that He is working in our lives. And that’s all He truly desires; a grateful acknowledgement of His presence.
Then there’s the song of thankfulness from Psalm 95. In fact, the Psalms is where the most thankfulness can be found in the Lord’s word. And just for our information here’s how many times the Bible mentions gratitude. ‘The Bible mentions the word “gratitude” 157 times. It does not appear as frequently as “fear not” (which is said 365 times), but it appears more than “thanks” or “thanksgiving” (mentioned 72 times).’ That ought to show us how important gratitude is to our God. (smile)
But back to the thankfulness of Psalm 95, which opens thus: ‘O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.’ (Ps. 95:1-3) And there’s definitely no denying those sentiments my fellow believers. Our God is GREAT! That says it all! (smile)
And don’t think that there aren’t thankful scriptures in the New Testament too, because they are, and some that tend to drive us crazy, especially this one from Bruh Paul’s first missive to the Thessalonians. ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:18) In ‘every thing’ you ask in disbelief? Yes friends…in every thing .That means whether the situation is good, bad or indifferent, we ought to give thanks. As this commentary tells it: ‘For this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.’
Then in his letter to the Colossian, Bruh Paul tells us: ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ (Col. 3:17) That’s another tough scripture, but one which we should all adhere to if we want to please our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as true followers. For remember, when He was here on earth, giving thanks was also one of His strongpoints. He never did anything without giving the Father thanks.
And we don’t have time nor space to go into it all, but you can read these instances for yourself. Jesus thanked the Father ‘for providing food (Luke 24:30), for listening to him (John 11:41), and for the opportunity to minister to others (Matthew 14:19, 15:36). Jesus began and ended his prayers with words of thanks and praise to his father and in the Lord’s Prayer he taught his followers to do the same (Matthew 6:9-13).’ And as always, if our Leader can do it, then we also ought to be doing it.
And this a most appropriate comment with which to close our li’l talk on the giving of thanks. ‘One of the best things about thankfulness is that the more you choose it, the easier it gets. The more you profess gratitude, the more you notice things to be grateful for. The thankfulness muscles respond to exercise!’ Yes, my brethren! Just try it and you’ll see it’s oh so true. (smile)
Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. In 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 that, it now behooves us 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!
…if there’s only one word to fall from our lips…it ought to be THANKS!…
P.S. Yes, it’s long, but oh so good, and so reenergizing! (smile)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
09 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: crying out, faith, for a fair share of the earth's wealth, glorify your father in heaven, go brightly into the dark world, greed, inequality, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Let your light so shine before men, light our candles, LOVE, makes countless thousands mourn, man's inhumanity to man, material wealth, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, rocket science, Satan's fold, selfishness, sincere repentance, sit on our laurels, strong faith in Christ, the downtrodden, the God who heals, the have nots, the haves, the marginalized, the poor getting poorer, the rich getting richer, the salt of the earth, the worst Christian is a comfortable Christian, they may see your good works, trodden underfoot of men, wisdom
Matthew 5:16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
And on this Thanksgiving Monday morning, all over this beautiful and blessed land of Canada thanks and praises are being offered up to heaven! And do we ever have a whole lot to be thankful for. The problem though is that those many blessings are not equally distributed throughout our land and our populace. And that sad state of inequality is unfortunately lowering the quality and level of our standard of living, and consequently causing much dissension, disunity and discontent in our society.
Now that’s not rocket science, because wherever there is blatant and widespread inequality, there will eventually be serious ramifications and consequences. And right now we’re seeing those unwanted divisions and disruptions occurring more frequently and more violently, not only in our country, but unfortunately all over the world, for the inequality is prevalent all over the earth, and the downtrodden and marginalized are crying out loudly for a fair share of the earth’s wealth, so that they can experience a reasonable standard of living.
However, the powers that be; the rich and ruling classes are foolishly clamping down, trying to further devalue and bring even more devastation to the have nots. The rich are indeed getting richer, while the poor, if possible, are getting poorer. No wonder our world is currently buffeted by numerous wars, rumors of wars and overwhelming instability, and everyday a new theatre of dissatisfaction opens up with loud cries of injustice and degradation. And what’s the answer to our problem of inequality you ask?
Obviously a more egalitarian society, where people are seen as, or considered equal and consequently deserve equal rights and opportunities. And until our world seriously and sincerely moves toward a much more equal situation, where the ten% of haves don’t possess 90% of the pie, while the 90% of have nots only possess 10%, that sort of ridiculous inequity will always be cause for rampant dissatisfaction, and eventually chaos. It’s so sad when our world contains truths like, man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn. And by the way, it’s no longer thousands, but millions that are mourning because of mankind’s greed, selfishness and inhumanity.
And what’s so sad about the whole situation is that there’s more than enough to go around for all the have nots to be satisfied and the haves to still maintain a big portion of the pie, but certainly not 90%. And that’s where we believers in Christ come in. For if we don’t stand up for the poor, the downtrodden, the sick and the lame like our Lord and Leader did when He was here on earth, who else is going to stand up for them eh? Definitely not the evildoers of Satan’s fold. And until we Christians start to make some kind of serious efforts to right the wrongs of the world, things will only go from bad to worse.
And contrary to our excuses, the job is not impossible, or as big as we claim. It’s just that it will take more effort than we are willing to expend. For if the majority of Christians were to behave like true Christians, our world will be a helluva lot better place than it currently is. Just a li’l kindness and help on our part, a li’l standing up for some injustice or evil deed would bring surprising change. But sadly, too many of us supposed believers don’t want to be bothered with the problems of those less fortunate than us, we just want to relax and be comfortable in our li’l cocoon, insulated from the dire state of our world. And the truth is that a comfortable Christian is indeed the worst kind of Christian there is!
Jesus didn’t come and die so that we could be comfortable and don’t care about our fellow man. He was always concerned about the sick and suffering, those considered worthless by society, and so should we, His followers, be similarly concerned. But the material wealth of the world and the many amenities now available have killed our pioneering spirit and made us lazy and uninterested in improving things. We just want to sit on our laurels and enjoy the good life. But be it known, that any society which sits on its laurels and does not keep its standards high, will eventually finds itself in ruins, for it’s the standards of a society that make them prosper and keep them in a healthy situation.
It’s obvious that these words of Jesus have fallen by the wayside in our modern times: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men.’ (Matt. 5:13) And if we’re truthful, we’ll admit that we have lost our salty flavour, and that’s why so many are being trodden underfoot.
The same goes for these words of our Lord and Saviour: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an 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 to 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)
Oh my people, there again we have sadly not shone as a bright light in this world. Whatever light we have is hidden under a basket, or we’ve never lit the candle in the first place. But whichever it is, it is not good enough. Jesus desires us to follow in His footsteps and bring some peace and LOVE to our inflamed and hateful world, and we can only do that if we get up off of our fat fannies, and renew or recapture our salty flavour, as well as light our candles and go brightly in this dark and evil world! Let’s promise ourselves to do just that nuh, for our children’s sake! And we can begin by most appropriately asking for heavenly help this Thanksgiving Day, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
As one voice: ‘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 get up and get a sincere move on nuh, so that we can be assured of divine help! Much LOVE!
…without the salt and light of Christians…the world is dark and flavourless…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
07 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Canada, do our best to live a godly life, eternal life, found grace in thy sight, giving thanks for divine help, God's love surrounds and fills me, having a good attitude during trials, I may know you all the more, I praise you Lord, increase my awareness of you today, Israel bowed himself, Jesus Christ, keeping god first place, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, Peace and Love, pray without ceasing, prayer - one of man's greatest privileges, promise ourselves, quiet my soul, reflect on our lives, salvation, slow my thoughts, staying focused on God, sunshine lollipops and roses, the awesome power of prayer, the best big country in the wrld, the Lord d Jehovah is on your side, the time drew nigh, your unceasing nearness
1 Thessalonians 5:17. Pray without ceasing.
Awright, so the summer heat seems to be over, and though it’s somewhat chilly and pretty windy, on this first lazy-day Saturday of October, the sun is still shining brightly, and that’s the mark of a blessed day for me. Once the sun is shining, I’m contented, be it cold as ever. (smile) There’s something about the bright shining sun that lifts my spirit, that sort of says, all is not lost, the sun still shines.
And our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer quiets my spirit. So, with the sun shining and our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer being spoken, all is right with my world! Well, not quite, because we haven’t yet spoken our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. But let’s correct that situation right now by doing so.
As one sincere 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 my soul gets quiet…as my breathing deepens…my muscles slowly relax…and I feel God’s presence flowing around me in peace and LOVE! And all I can say is thank You Lord! Yes, friends, that’s the awesome power of prayer! When we’re sincere, it can do some amazing feats in our souls and spirits in an amazingly short time.
That’s why Bruh Paul told us to ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) It simply means keeping God first place in our minds, and every so often stopping to offer up a prayer, not necessary audibly; either for help in our activities, or simply giving thanks for the divine help we’re currently receiving. It’s an easy and simple way of keeping us focused on our great God throughout the day.
And I guess that’s how Bruh Joseph must have gotten through all those unfair and unjust trials he faced during the early days of his sojourn in Egypt. But keeping his mind focused on the God of his forefathers, allowed him to handle the tribulation with a good attitude, and thus God gave him favour even in the midst of the trials!
Oh my fellow saints, that’s the wonderful kind of God we serve! He looks after us even in the midst of our difficulties, especially when we keep a good and godly attitude, despite our problems. And so, we see how Bruh Joseph finally blossomed into the Grand Vizier or Prime Minister of Egypt through God’s skillful and dramatic machinations, eventually saving Egypt from destruction during the great famine, and also bringing his family down from Canaan to live and prosper in some of the finest lands of Egypt, and grow into the great nation, the seed of innumerable stars that God had promised his forefather Abraham.
Now, after the famine had become so severe and Bruh Joseph had bought up all the land and the bodies of the Egyptians in Pharaoh’s name and made them tenant farmers, having to give the fifth of their produce to Pharaoh, life settled down for a spell. The Bible then tells us: ‘And Israel (the whole family) dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.’ (Gen. 47:27) Yes mih bredrin, when the Lord God Jehovah is on your side, you can grow and prosper at an amazing rate.
And the Word of the Lord continues: ‘And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was and hundred and forty-seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel (Jacob) must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place. And he (Bruh Joseph) said, I will do as thou hast said. And he (Jacob) said, Swear unto me. and he sware unto him. And Israel (Jacob) bowed himself upon the bed’s head.’ (Gen. 47:28-31)
Ah mih people, I’m chuckling here as I read about Jacob making Bruh Joseph sware not to bury him in Egypt but back in Canaan where his fathers were buried. And why am I chuckling? Because it reminds me of my request to my children to not bury me in Canada, but in sweet Tobago, the land of my birth. Now I have nothing against Canada, I consider it the best big country in the world and am proud to call myself a citizen. But there’s just something about my old bones spending eternity in this cold and unforgiving ground that doesn’t sit well with me. Call me foolish or whatever, but I simply want to be buried in the land of my birth.
There’s a sentimentality about being born and buried in the same land that I like and desire to see happen. I guess the constantly warm and coddling soil of Tobago will serve my bones in better stead, and I’ll be able to revisit my childhood memories. (smile) And don’t go getting the wrong impression, because those childhood days were not always sunshine, lollipops and roses, but like the life I live now in Christ, they certainly were interesting and eventually very rewarding.
So please, on this first Saturday in October of 2023, let’s all take a few lazy-day Saturday moments to reflect on our lives and promise ourselves, that from here on in, we’ll do our best to live the good and godly life that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ desires of us. It’s the least we can do in return for all the agony and suffering He experienced, so that we can enjoy God’s immense grace, through the gift of salvation and eternal life! Much LOVE!
…to pray to Almighty God…and yet to pray…it’s one of man’s greatest privileges…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
05 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundance, an extended summer, calamitous, constantly confronted by negative situations, courage, curse, faith, favour, few and evil have the days of my life been, Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Jesus Christ, just like life, LOVE, negative word, never know when things will begin or end, raise the drama potential, success, supernatural wisdom, talent, the days of the years of my pilgrimage, the famine is sore, Thursday Blessings, thy servants are shepherds, to sojourn in the land, trials and tribulations, undeserved blessings, went out from before Pharaoh, wisdom
Genesis 47:10. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
Well, my dear friends, I’m sorry to report that the awesome sunshine and good weather that’s recently blessed my area looks like it’s reached the inevitable end. Chuh! And it was all going along so nicely… But this first Thursday in October has begun on a somewhat cloudy note, although temperatures will be fairly high. Then, if the forecasters are right, there’ll be some long-needed rain tonight, with more seasonal temperatures tomorrow, in the low to mid-teens.
And we can’t say that we didn’t have an enjoyable extended summer! But it’s time to get back to reality now, with the cooler, less sunshiny weather. (smile) We always knew it would come eventually, but just not when. And isn’t that just like life…we never know when things will begin or end, which brings us to the amazing story of Bruh Joseph and the unlikely manner in which the Lord birthed the Jewish people.
And doesn’t the Lord fittingly raise the drama potential by having the children of Israel begin life in Egypt on a deceitful note, reminiscent of their founder Jacob’s name and early life, by pretending to be more cattle herders than sheep herders, on the wise advice of Bruh Joseph? (Gen. 46:33-34) For sure, since it will be something that comes back to haunt them in later years.
And we pick up the story where Bruh Joseph presents some of his brethren to Pharaoh. ‘Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren (brothers), even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pharoah said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.
They said moreover unto Pharaoh, for to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore (severe) in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity (competent men) among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.’ (Gen. 47:1-6)
Ah friends, our God can soften any heathen ruler’s heart to give abundant favour to His people, although in this instance Bruh Joseph had done marvellous, in fact miraculous work, for Pharaoh in stemming the disaster of Egypt during the days of feast and famine. So, it was not totally favouritism, but mostly just reward. Then comes the big moment when Jacob was presented to Pharaoh.
‘And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharoah: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage (sojourning) are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.’ (Gen. 47:7-10)
Wow! Jacob, even in his old age, did have backbone and belly to be blessing the mighty Pharaoh twice as he did. And on those first ten verses, the scholars offer these explanations. ‘Joseph’s wise advice in 46:33-34 enabled his brothers to express their desires before Pharaoh, and to receive exactly what they wanted…permission to live in the fertile land of Goshen. Evidently Jacob was not intimidated by Pharaoh; and he blessed Pharaoh in verse 7and 10. When Jacob said his days were few and evil does not mean “sinful,” but “calamitous, constantly confronted by anger, anguish, distress, and tribulation.’ Just like the lives of so many of us today.
The Bible then tells us: ‘And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished (provided) his father and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread according to their families.’ (Gen. 47:11-12) What a wonderful son, brother and family member Bruh Joseph turned out to be. Even after all his unfair trials and tribulations!
Can it be that we’re supposed to follow his example through our own trials and tough times? (smile) Yes friends, it’s all a part of being a good Christian, a good and true disciple of Christ Jesus. And to help us do just that, the Lord has bestowed un us a number of undeserved blessings, which we call our Thursday Blessings. So, let’s declare and activate them right now! And, by the way, we did spell declare (steups) right the first time, but not the second. (smile)
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 activated those blessings, we are now beholden to go out and use them in the betterment of the lives of our fellow man, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them upon us! Much LOVE!
…how you end up…is much more important…than how you begin…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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