19 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a happier bunch of people, a slave trader, a song of worship, a testimony to God's strength, accept the praise I bring, all roads lead to God's house, Amazing grace, bless the LOrd o my soul, borne our griefs, boundless stores of grace, bruised for our iniquities, calms the troubled breast, carried our sorrows, Christ is our be all and end all, come unto me all ye that labour, crowns thee with loving-kindness, do justice to the song, drives away our fear, esteem him stricken, faith, find rest unto your souls, forget not all his benefits, forgives all thine iniquities, friend, guardian, have life more abundantly, heals all thy diseases, heals our wounds, heavy laden, holy spirit, how grateful we are to Jesus, How Sweet the Name of Jesus sounds, how weak the effort of my heart, I am meek and lowly in heart, I am the bread of life, I am the good shepherd, I am the light of the world, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way the truth and the life, I will give you rest, I would your love proclaim, in a believer's ear, in whom I will trust, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the embodiment of all human needs, Jesus' name resonates sweetly, John Newton, king, lay our problems before Him, LOVE, makes the wounded spirit whole, manna to the hungry soul, mercy, miserable believers, my burden light, my deliverer, my fortress, my god, my high tower, my never failing treasury, my shield and hiding place, my strength, my yoke is easy, praise, praise you as I ought, priest, prophet, receive his awesome blessing, redeems thy life from destruction, refresh my soul in death, salvation, satisfies thy mouth with good things, saved from mine enemies, shepherd, smitten of God, soothes our sorrows, sweet sacrifices of praise, take my yoke upon you, tender mercies, thanksgiving, the chastisement of our peace, the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep, the gospel truth, the great invitation, the horn of my salvation, The Lord is my rock, the music of your name, the rock on which I build, the Sabbath Day, thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, to the weary rest, truth, when I see you as you are, wisdom, with every fleeting breath, with his stripes we are healed, worthy to be praised, wounded for our transgressions, zealous disciple
Psalm 103:2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! A good day to be alive my fellow believers! Yes, since all roads lead to God’s house, where, along with praise and thanksgiving, we can lay our problems down before Him and receive His awesome blessing on this Sabbath day. And the good thing is that no other faith but Christianity offers that kind of renewal! So why aren’t we a happier bunch of people eh? Why are there so many grumpy and miserable believers, when Christ came to save us, that we could have life, and have it more abundantly?
Who knows? And with all we have going for us, we ought to be the happiest group of people in the world. However, that’s a question for another day, (smile) and today we have a beautiful song of worship that says how wonderful we feel about Jesus, and how everlastingly grateful we are to Him. The song ‘s titled, ‘How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.’ And is that ever the gospel truth to His followers.
And it’s certainly interesting and amazing how the author of this song, John Newton (1725-1807), who, though born into a Christian home became a licentious, abominable sailor, and eventually a slave trader, could write such beautiful Christian hymns, over two hundred, including that wonderful, popular Christian anthem, ‘Amazing Grace.’ But that just goes to show how the Lord down through History has used some of the most disgusting and unchristian men to do great things in His name.
Just think of Bruh Paul, who was a persecutor of Christians until the Lord called him to ministry, and he became one of the most loyal and zealous disciples despite all the hardships he faced. Anyway, in the same amazing kind of conversion, John Newton turned to Christ, became an abolitionist and eventually a Christian Minister. Enough talk though, (smile) it’s time to offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise, in a soulful, scintillating, midtempo version of the song, letting the whole world know, in no uncertain terms, how truly sweet the name of Jesus is to us!
Singing: ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear! It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest. Dear name! the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place, My never-failing treasury, filled, With boundless stores of grace.
O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring. How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I’ll praise you as I ought. Till then I would your LOVE proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death.’
Oh, what beautiful sentiments my people! And did we ever do justice to the song, so much so, that we had the whole of heaven singing along with us, because it’s not only here on earth that Jesus’ name resonates sweetly, but also in heaven too. And friends, the song is so chocked full of references to scriptures that I don’t know where to begin. So why don’t we begin like the song and talk about Jesus healing our wounds and restoring our wounded spirits.
And there’s no scripture that says it as comprehensively as Psalm 103. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-KINDNESS and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:2-5)
And then we have this most essential scripture, where Isaiah describes Jesus’ suffering on our behalf: ‘Surely he hath borne our griefs (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised (pierced through) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (wounds) we are healed.’ (Is. 53:4-5)
Oh my people, we couldn’t ask for more than that from Christ! He took all the punishment for our sins. Meanwhile, we also have Jesus calling us in the Great Invitation to ‘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 unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Now where else we can receive such a marvellous invitation eh? Nowhere else but from Jesus!
And when talking about the Lord being our strength etc. nobody says it better than Bruh David in Psalm 27. ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18: 1-4) What a powerful testimony to God’s strength and protection my brethren!
However, with time and space running out on us, I want to get in some of Jesus’ famous I Am’s, which cover so much of all He said and did. Like this one. ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:35) Then there’s this: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) Now listen to this one: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)
And what about this gem? ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) And we’ll close with this other gem, where Jesus said to Martha, Lazarus’ sister. ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live.’ (John 11:25)
There you have it friends, so many reasons why we ought to be grateful to Jesus and just burst out with joy when we hear His name. For He is indeed our Be All and End All! Let’s remember that! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the embodiment…of ALL that human beings need…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, a life of joy and peace, abolish the slave trade, Adam's sin brought death, Adam's transgression brought death to mankind, Amazing grace, as long as life endures, ascend up to heaven, been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, but now I'm found, by grace are you saved through faith, Caribana celebrations, celelbrate the Lord's day, christianity, created in christ Jesus unto good works, give God the praise, God ordained we should walk in, God who called me here below, God's free gift of grace, going to the Lord's house, grace alone brings salvation, grace my fears relieved, grace only comes to those who accept Christ, grace will lead me home, he will my shield and portion be, His word my hope secures, holy spirit, how precious did that grace appear, how sweet the sound, I have already come, I once was lost, in the sanctuaries of God, it is the gift of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus's sacrifice brings life, John Newton, lest any man should boast, LOVE, mercy, mortal life shall cease, no less days to sing god's praise, not of works, not of yourselves, one prayer away from Jesus' saving grace, one thing I know, possess within the veil, renewed confidence, salvation, salvation comes only through grace, sin causes all to die, slave trading, spiritual turmoil, spiritual up lifting, spiritually blind, spiritually refreshing Sunday, that saved a wretch like me, the awesome truth, the BIBLE, the dehumanizing slave trade, the earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the gift of grace, the hour I first believed, the Lord has promised good to me, the moral of the story, the sun forbear to shine, the transformative power of God's grace, the voices of prayer and worship, the work of Christ, then when we'd first begun, thoughts of Christ, through many dangers toils and snares, through the offence of one, tis grace hath brought me safe so far me, truth, twas grace that taught my heart to fear, until the end of time, was blind but now I see, we are his workmanship, when this flesh and heart shall fail, whereas i was blind now I see, will be forever mine, wisdom
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
So after a lazy-day Saturday, we come to a spiritually refreshing Sunday, where in the sanctuaries of God, the voices of prayer and worship ascend up to heaven and return with renewed confidence, faith and spiritual uplifting. And this long August weekend, with the Caribana celebrations on tap, is no different, although we might be doing a bit more celebrating than usual. (smile) But please, let’s not allow the secular celebrating to stop us from going to the Lord’s house and celebrate His day as we are accustomed to doing every Sunday.
And today’s song of worship is one of the most popular Christian hymns ever, aptly titled ‘Amazing Grace.’ And why do we say it’s aptly titled? Because, as this commentary tells us, it is not a song of theology, but its author, John Newton’s own heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, who helped him turn from his profane and wicked life of slave trading and eventually fight against the ills he once practiced.
The song was written around 1772, by which time Newton had become and English clergyman and a poet, and thus was able to describe the transformative power of God’s grace, especially in his own life, after a period of spiritual turmoil and self-searching during the years of his life at sea, and his involvement in the lucrative but very evil and dehumanizing slave trade. And it’s rather amazing to hear the story of Newton’s life and subsequent transformation.
Apparently he went to sea from a young age, around 11, and though raised as a Christian by his mother, he rejected all her teachings, and was supposedly even more profane and debauched and coarse than what’s normally expected of sailors. But as our Lord is won’t to do, one night while steering his battered ship, the Greyhound through a particularly bad storm, he considered his ruined life, and thoughts of Christ began to fill his confused mind.
Obviously he considered himself beyond hope and saving, but sometime later he found a copy of the New Testament, and as he read Luke 11:13, ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ Now that is a very powerful scripture, claiming that God will save anyone who asks for it. And that apparently began Newton’s turn from evil to godliness.
To make a long story short, he gave up his slave trading occupation, became a minister, and even helped William Wilberforce who led the fight to abolish slave trading in the British Empire with the passing of the British Slave Trade Act in 1807. So now that we know the story behind the song, let’s lift up our voices in sweet sacrificial praise, offering up a soulful, scintillating, heartfelt version of Amazing Grace, because it’s God’s amazing free gift of grace that has saved all of us unworthy sinners.
Singing: ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures; He will my Shield and Portion be, As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun…. Yes, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth friends? Singing God’s praises is what we’ll be doing until the end of time!
Now, the song is about grace and salvation. And there are a couple of scriptures that illustrate that God’s gift of grace is our saving grace. (smile) Listen to this first one as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians: ‘For by grace are (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath ordained (prepared) that we should walk in.’ (Eph. 2:8-10)
And that’s the first thing we need to learn about grace; that’s it a gift of God, not of any works that we can do. We get saved by having faith in Christ and thus receiving God’s amazing grace. And that Grace alone, which brings salvation, means that God LOVES, forgives, and saves us not because of who we are or what we do, but because of the work of Christ. And that is further explained by Bruh Paul in his epistle to the Roman church when talking about Adam’s transgression causing death to all mankind.
He says: ‘But not as the offence, so also is the gift free (the free gift of salvation is not like the false step of Adam). For though the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many.’ (Rom. 5:15) In other words, Adam’s sin brought forth death, but Jesus’ sacrifice brings forth life. However, the important difference is that sin causes all to die, but grace only comes to those who accept Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Then there’s this interesting scripture from the gospel of John where Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath day by anointing his eyes with clay, then telling him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, which he did, and received his sight. (John 9:1-7) But as always, fast neighbours intervened and wondered if it was the same man. Then the Pharisees ever looking for a way to get something negative on Jesus, got hold of the situation and begun badgering the man and his parents about who healed him and how.
‘Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.’ (John 9:24-25) What a wonderful answer my brethren! That’s what the grace of God will do for you, make you see, when you’re spiritually blind, like it did for John Newton and so many of us.
And the moral of the story is that no matter how far gone you are, you are only one step, one sincere prayer, one cry away from Jesus’ saving grace and arms! That’s His promise to us. And let’s hope that we are all wise enough to take hold of that marvellous opportunity today. Much LOVE!
…God’s LOVE for mankind is so obvious…that only if we’re blind…we wont see it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Sep 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a life of joy and peace, a repentant sinner, African slave trade, Amazing grace, amazing grace how sweet the sound, another one bit the dust, fellowship with other believers, God so loved the world, grace my fears relieved, he truly saved a wretch like me, heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, if ye then being evil, John Newton, joy shall be in heaven over one repentant sinner, know how to give good gifts, LOVE, magnanimous grace, men loved darkenss rather than light, no less days to sing god's praise, than when we'd first begun, the awesome family of God, the earth shall soon dissolve like snow, twas grace that taught my heart to fear, undeserving of God's love, william wilberfoce, your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him
Luke 15:7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just (righteous) persons, which need no repentance.
What a glorious Sunday it is my people! One that just makes you want to get out to the Lord’s sanctuary, on His special day, and fellowship with other believers. For there’s no joy greater than actively participating in worship with our brothers and siters in the awesome family of God! Glory Hallelujah! So, let’s get right into the fellowship with some singing, And today’s song is one we all know and LOVE, one that’s been acclaimed all over the world and been sang for over two hundred years. We’re talking about ‘Amazing Grace.’
As one commentary puts: ‘This song isn’t a song of theology – it’s John Newton’s own heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, who helped him turn from his profane and wicked life and eventually fight against the ill’s he practiced.’ Yes friends, John Newton (1725-1807) was at one time engaged in the reprehensible, inhumane and ungodly slave trade of African natives to the New World. But God in His magnanimous grace and mercy turned him around.
It seems that before a particular stormy encounter on the high seas that Newton was known for excessive profanity, and debauchery. But after the raging and debilitating battle with the storm, it seems Newton, who had earlier rejected his mother’s godly teachings began having thoughts of Christ. That was just God firing the opening salvo in the battle for Newton’s soul. (smile) And apparently after reading Luke 11:13, he seemed to finally believe that God could, and would still hear a sinner as base and profane as him.
And Luke 11:13 is Jesus talking about God’s overwhelming goodness: ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.’ And the answer to that is simply, much, much more. But enough talking, let’s get to some singing; a soulful, midtempo version, not the dirge-like way so many people choose to sing it. It’s a song of celebration, of a repentant sinner coming to Christ. Now what did Christ say about that type of situation? ‘I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just (righteous) persons, which need no repentance.’ (Luke 15:7)
And we’ll begin our version the way Gary Downey begins his, with this stimulating intro: ‘For God so LOVED the world that He truly saved a wretch like me. I’m so underserving of God’s LOVE. I have turned my back on Him time after time in my life. Yet…His LOVE for me is steadfast. Did He not leave the ninety-nine sheep and go in search of the one? I am that one. And this is my story.’
Singing: ‘Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound) That sav’d a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears reliev’d; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believ’d! Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promis’d good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease; I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who call’d me here below, Will be forever mine. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun…Than when we’d first begun.’
And just like Gary Downey ended his version of the song, we shall end ours. ‘Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it. He came into the world to save it. Please do not be deceived by the lies of men and the world. Turn away from sin and darkness. Turn to the Light. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. His truth will set you free. Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life. And this is the condemnation, that (the) light has come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Heavenly Father, For the sake of His sorrowful passion have mercy on us, and on the whole world.’
Oh my fellow believers what a wonderful version of the song! And we all know the scriptures quoted above there: in the intro, John 3:16, Luke 15: 7; and in the outro, John 3:17, John 14:6, John 8:32, and John 3:19. And we don’t even need to quote anymore scriptures for most of the most important ones have already been quoted. (smile) And such has been the universal appeal of the song, that it’s no wonder the remarks found in this commentary. ‘With the message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, “Amazing Grace” is one of the most recognisable songs in the English-speaking world. American historian Gilbert Chase writes that it is “without a doubt the most famous of all the folk hymns” and Jonathan Aitken, a Newton biographer, estimates that the song is performed about 10 million times annually.’ (Wow!) ‘It has had particular influence in folk music, and has become an emblematic black spiritual. Its universal message has been a significant factor in its crossover into secular music. “Amazing Grace” became newly popular during the 1960’s revival of American folk music, and it has been recorded thousands of times during and since the 20th century.’
And if that isn’t truly a popular song, I don’t what is. And the good thing about it all is that it turned Newton from a slave trader into a slave trade abolisher, for after giving up the trade and becoming a pastor, he was one of those in the forefront of the fight for the abolition of the ghastly system, along with William Wilberforce, who led the fight to pass the British Slave Trade Act in 1807, which abolished the slave trade in the British Empire.
So friends, another one bit the dust! Another of Satan’s infidels was converted. Yuh see, when the Lord wants you, and is ready for you, like Bruh Paul, He will get you. As the saying goes, the Lord always Get His man or woman. Please remember that, as well it’s never too late for you to turn to God, no matter how sinful and ungodly you are! He will always be there waiting with welcoming arms. Much LOVE!
…one can never fall so deep into the mire…that God’s amazing grace can’t reach down and lift you out…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
18 Sep 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a song of thanks and praise, come unto me all ye that labour, drives away our fear, every knee should bow, every tongue confess, faithful saints, heals our wounds, How Sweet the Name of Jesus sounds, I will give you rest, in the form of God, Jesus christ is Lord, John Newton, King of Kings, Lord of Lord, manna to the hungry soul, my burden light, my yoke is easy, obedient unto death, quells he power of death, soothes our sorrows, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe, to the glory of the Father, with God all things are possible
Proverbs 18:10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe (or set on high).
And another glorious Sunday is upon us my fellow believers! That means it’s time once more for praise and worship as one group of faithful saints, be we physically gathered in the Lord’s sanctuary or by technological means, for there is no distance in prayer and worship. So let’s begin, as we always do, with a song of thanks and praise.
And today’s song is another most aptly titled group of exceedingly praiseful words, ‘How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.’ Wow! And does the name of Jesus ever sound sweet to believers? It certainly does! For there’s no sweeter nor more important name than His in all the wide world! And what is particularly amazing about this song is that it was written by none other than John Newton, the same man who wrote one of our most favourite hymns, ‘Amazing Grace.’
Can you imagine that a former slave trader and unbeliever, although he grew up in a Christian home, could write two of Christendom’s most LOVED hymns? Yes, because with God ALL things are possible, and He usually looks for those at the bottom of the heap to raise up so that His great name can be glorified. He takes pleasure in using the weak to confound the strong, and the foolish to confound the wise. Thus, with the Lord’s miraculous intervention, John Newton turned from the slave trade and became a sincere abolitionist and eventually a minster.
Only But God, you say! Yes, only but for God! Anyway, nuff talking, let’s sing, let’s offer up our weekly sacrifices of praise in a sweet, harmonious, mid-tempo version of the song, obviously in sincere, heart-felt voices. (smile) Singing: ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear! It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.
Dear name! the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place, My never-failing treasury, filled, With boundless stores of grace. O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring. How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I’ll praise you as I ought.
Till then I would your LOVE proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death…And triumph in that blessed name, which quells the power of death…And triumph in the that blessed name, which quells the power of death…’
Oh friends, as always, that was marvellous! There was absolutely no doubt in heaven about our sincerity and awesome LOVE for Jesus! And these simple, but oh so precious words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs 18:10 prove why our LOVE for Jesus is so strong. He declares (yesss!!!): ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe (or set on high).’
Yes my brethren, it is an indisputable fact that the righteous find protection in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Just look at how Newton describes all the things that the name of Jesus does for a believer when He hears it spoken nuh. ‘It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.’
Wow! Is there any other name in the universe that can produce such an avalanche of good and safe feelings? Obviously not! Remember what Jesus said in 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 unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Now can anyone else seriously and sincerely make that marvellous offer! Of course not! That’s why Jesus’ name sounds so sweet in our ears! And listen up again, as He tells it like it is: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) So why shouldn’t we LOVE to hear the name of Jesus eh, when He’s the BE ALL and END ALL of everything?
And these words of Bruh Paul to the church at Philippi, explains why Jesus is so revered. He writes: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 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.
And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every other name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:5-11)
That says it all friends. Jesus became man for our sakes and was humble and obedient to the wishes of the Father, even to His death on the cross. No wonder the Father glorified Him with the name above every other name and insists that every knee should bow to him and call him Lord! And by the way, John tells us of the mighty name given to Jesus in the Book of Revelation, when He finally comes out to wage war against His enemies, riding on His white charger. John says: ‘And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:16)
And if you want to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus, you’d better believe that and be humble and obedient to His dictates, as best you can. (smile) Ah mih people, as I keep reminding us, there are only two options, two ways to live this earthly life; the way Satan desires, or the way Jesus desires. And believe me the smart money is on Jesus, because he has already defeated Satan by dying, going to hell and back, and thus taking away Satan’s keys, his hold over death, hell and the grave.
That means the devil is now a toothless lion, and has no power over us, except what we give him. And in the long run, Satan and all his evil minions will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed. Is that the way you want to end your life? I certainly hope not! Then the only logical conclusion is for you to follow Jesus and spend everlasting life with Him, the Father and the Holy Spirit in eternal bliss in heaven. Much LOVE!
…only heaven will be left standing…after Jesus wages the last war…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
28 Aug 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a kind of firstfruits, a life of joy and peace, Amazing grace, bright shining as the sun, but now am found, by grace you are saved through faith, come together, every good and perfect give is from above, for he satisfieth the longing soul, for His goodness to the children of men, God rescues us at our lowest point, he filleth the hungry soul with goodness, heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, how sweet the sound, I once was lost, I was glad when they said unto me, it is the gift of God, John Newton, lest any man should boast, let us go into the house of the Lord, LOVE, never too late for God's grace, no shadow of turning, no variableness, not of works, not of yourselves, oh that men would praise the Lord, that saved a wretch like me, the Father of lights, the truth of the Lord endures for ever, was blind but now I see
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
My fellow believers, let’s come together right now, to praise, worship and give thanks to our great and wonderful God, for that’s the major reason He created us! Consequently, Bruh David could joyfully declare (chuh!!!) in the opening verse of Psalm 122: ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ That’s where we’re supposed to be sometime this last Sunday in August of 2022.
And besides being made to praise and worship God, the psalmist also declares: (yesss!!!) ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’ (Ps. 107:8-9) That’s even more reason to praise and worship Him.
And as always, we have a marvellous song of worship to open the proceedings. Today’s hymn is one of our very ‘favouritest’ (smile) aptly titled ‘Amazing Grace.’ It was supposedly written ‘to illustrate a sermon on New Year’s Day of 1773.’ by the sailor, slave trader, turned Anglican priest and abolitionist John Newton (1725-1807). The story goes that Newton, who was brought up in a Christian home rejected his mother’s teachings and became a real profane and wicked individual.
However, during one of his voyages, a wicked storm (smile) enveloped his ship and threatened to drown them, but during the storm, his mind turned to Christ, and later, finding a New Testament he began reading it. And apparently Luke 11:13 changed his mind about being too wicked to be saved. ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’
Now that’s a terribly important question. And the answer is the Lord will give us ever so much more than we can give our children! Obviously, Newton must have asked for the power of the Holy Spirit and the Lord granted it to him. And isn’t that just the way our Lord LOVES to work; take us up, rescue us when we are at our lowest point. It’s a perfect example that we can never fall too low for the Lord’s grace and mercy to reach us and pull us out of the evil mire in which we’re ensconced.
Anyway, enough talk for now. If you didn’t know the general background of the hymn, now you know it, so let’s sing it in a soulful, harmonious, mid-tempo version. I hate hearing people sing it like a dirge, for it’s not a sad song but a happy one. A song of salvation should never be sad. So, with voices raised to the max, let’s offer up sacrificial praise, singing like we truly feeling the overpowering sentiments of the song.
‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures; He will my Shield and Portion be, As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.’
Ah mih people, that was marvellous! Heaven couldn’t doubt that we were sincere! And I particularly like this comment in an article on the song from the website Godtube. It says: ‘This song isn’t a song of theology – it’s John Newton’s own heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, who helped him turn from his profane and wicked life and eventually fight against the ills he practiced.’
Yes friends, it must be amazing when we can go from one end of the spectrum right to the opposite end! And although the song might not be a theological text (smile) it’s only God’s grace can cause that to happen. For as Bruh Paul wrote to the Ephesians: ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ (Eph. 2:8-9)
And I guess Newton full well recognized that fact, having later become and Anglican priest, for in the song, he acknowledged this most important fact: ‘’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far. And grace will lead me home.’ And that’s for certain sure my fellow believers, for as James, Jesus’ brother tells us: ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning. Of his own will he begat us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:17-18)
Yes precious saints of Christ, everything good comes from our heavenly Father, who is immutable, doesn’t change. And as we said at the beginning, He made us, His most important creation to have fellowship with Him, to be the first step in His redemption plan for all creation. And as the song concludes: ‘When we’ve been here ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we first begun.’
Now isn’t that the glorious truth? It surely is! As long as there’s’ life in our bodies, physical or spiritual, we’ll always have occasion to sing the Lord’s praises, for that’s why we were made! So, let’s remember that nuh and keep singing God’s most deserved praises each and every day of our lives as the Good Book instructs us to do. ‘O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise (glorify) him, all ye people. For his merciful (LOVING) kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah!)’ (Ps. 117:1-2)
And that only comes when we truly believe, and thus have the joy, the truth, and the grace of God moving majestically within us! Much LOVE!
…it’s never too late…or one’s never too far gone…to receive God’s grace…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
03 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: an earful of praise and worship, bindeth up their wounds, boundless stores of grace, drives away our fear, find grace to help in time of need, friend, greater love hath no man, guardian angels, he healeth the broken in heart, he that believeth on me shall never thirst, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, heals our wounds, How Sweet the Name of Jesus sounds, I am the bread of life, is become the chief cornerstone, John Newton, keep all my commandments always, lay down his life for his friends, let us therefore come boldly, LOVE, manna to the hungry soul, may the music of your name, My end, my high tower, my life, My Lord, My Way, O that there were such a heart in them, obtain mercy, priest and king, propeht, refresh my soul in death, sacrificial praise, shepherd, soothes our aorrows, that it might be well with them, that they would fear me, the day of the Lord, the horn of my salvation, The Lord is my rock, the stone the builders refused, unto the throne of grace
John 6:35. I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
It’s that beautiful day of the Lord again friends – Sunday! And all God’s children shouted a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All thanks, praise and honour be unto our wonderful heavenly Father, who created us in His marvellous image and blesses us with all we need to see life through, here on earth! We LOVE You and bless Your holy name on this Your day, as we gather to worship You, either physically in your sanctuary or by technological means.
There’s no distance in prayer nor worship, so it doesn’t matter whether we are together or far away, our prayers and worship still come as one to Your waiting ears and excited, expectant heart! That’s because we know Your great LOVE for us, and Your desire for us to only be blessed and not cursed, as You told Moses way back when. ‘O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever.’ (Deut. 5:29)
Yes Lord, we know that the cockles of Your heart are warmed when we live the way You desire of us, that’s why today we come to give you an earful of praise and worship. So please listen up Lord and accept our thanks and praise which sincerely come from the depths of our hearts. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!’
And our opening song of praise is one we know so well, and sincerely LOVE. It was written in the 18th century by that old rapscallion and slave trader turned slave abolitionist by God’s mighty hand. We’re talking about John Newton (1725-1807), the writer of that other masterpiece, ‘Amazing Grace.’ Today though, we’ll raise our voices in sacrificial praise to ‘How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,’ another of Newton’s beautiful hymns. That’s God’s mysterious working, where He takes pleasure in turning notorious sinners into amazing saints! Think of Bruh Paul.
So, in soulful harmony, in an up-tempo riddim, because it’s a song that conveys joy, let’s sing. ‘‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear! It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest. Dear name! the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place, My never-failing treasury, filled, With boundless stores of grace.
O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring. How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I’ll praise you as I ought. Till then I would your LOVE proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death… and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death…’
Ah friends, that was wonderful, because it was indeed sincere, and the name of Jesus sounds ever so sweet to our ears, as He is our Everything! As the song says, He’s our ‘Shepherd, Guardian, Friend, Prophet, Priest and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End.’ The only thing that’s probably left out is ‘Brother,’ and some versions do sing ‘Brother’ instead of ‘Guardian.’ So, when we say He is indeed our everything, it’s certainly no lie!
And though the song is fairly short it is chocked full of biblical references. So let’s check out a few. We’ll begin with Peter’s confident words to the High Priest. ‘This is the stone which was set at nought of (rejected by) you builders, which is become the head of the corner (the chief cornerstone). Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:11-12) Wow friends! Under those circumstances, what sweeter name can there be to us believers eh? None whatsoever!
And when the hymn talks about manna to the hungry soul, it refers to the Lord providing manna for the children of Israel in the wilderness in Exodus 16. But when the people brought their arguments to Jesus about Moses giving their ancestors bread from heaven to eat. He calmly disputed them by saying. ‘Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world. Then said they unto him, Lord evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:31-35)
Ah mih people, Jesus is indeed manna to our hungry souls, for when we believe in Him, we neither hunger nor thirst spiritually! And we know what Psalm 147:3 says: ‘He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds (sorrows).’ Now, it’s obvious that talking about giving rest to the weary, refers to Matthew 11:28, where Jesus declares His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’
And when we talking about building on the rock that’s Jesus, nobody says it better than Bruh David in Psalm 18. ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength (lit. rock), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (fortress).’ (Ps. 18:3) You can’t get any more faith and trust than that.
Now what about Jesus being our priest eh? Listen to the author of Hebrews. ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses), but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 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. 4:14-16)
What a wonderful person is our Jesus! He can sympathize with all our problems, yet be without sin. Now that’s an exceedingly good thing, otherwise He would not be able to redeem us. And we’ll do one last scripture, that’s where Jesus considers us friends. He clearly says to the disciples: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.’ (John 15:13-15)
And there are lots more scriptures that we can pluck from the skillfully created masterpiece of John Newton. I would suggest some valuable homework; you look through the song yourself and see what other scripture references you can find. That ought to be an interesting task for a quiet Sunday afternoon (smile). Much LOVE!
…there’s no greater or sweeter sounding name in all the world…than that of…JESUS…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
04 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Amazing grace, crapaud smoke yuh pipe, futile to run from God, How Sweet the Name of Jesus sounds, I shall not want, Jesus christ is Lord, John Newton, my cup runneth over, our magnificent and magnanimous God, personal experience, that every tongue should confess, The Lord is my shepherd, the name above every name, the power of God's grace, the valley of the shadow of death, to a believer's ear, to sweeten a sour soul -call out to Jesus, to the glory of God the Father, to whom all knees must bow
Philippians 2:11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gather round friends, gather round! It’s time to give thanks and praise to our magnificent and magnanimous God on His special day, Sunday, when He rested from all His labour, having created this wonderful universe and all therein in six days. Bless His holy name my faithful brethren, as we get together to hear His word and offer up songs of praise and worship. And yes, we are still gathering by technological means, although we are now allowed a few more people in the physical church, but it’s still not enough to warrant opening up.
And today, we are going to open the proceedings with a hymn by John Newton. Yes, the same John Newton (1725-1807) who wrote the awesome hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ and several hundred others, after being a slave trader then finding grace and salvation with Almighty God. The website Hymnary.org, offers us this brief insight into Newton’s life. They say he “was born into a Christian home, but his godly mother died when he was seven, and he joined his father at sea when he was eleven.
His licentious and tumultuous sailing life included a flogging for attempted desertion from the Royal Navy and captivity by a slave trader in West Africa. After his escape he himself became the captain of a slave ship. Several factors contributed to Newton’s conversion: a near-drowning in 1748, the piety of his friend Mary Catlett, (whom he married in 1750), and his reading of Thomas à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ.
In 1754 he gave up the slave trade and, in association with William Wilberforce, eventually became an ardent abolitionist. After becoming a tide-surveyor in Liverpool, England, Newton came under the influence of George Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley and began to study for the ministry. He was ordained in the Church of England and served in Olney (1764-1780) and St. Mary Woolnoth, London (1780-1807). His legacy to the Christian church includes his hymns as well as his collaboration with William Cowper (PHH 434) in publishing Olney Hymns (1779), to which Newton contributed 280 hymns, including “Amazing Grace.”
Ah friends, that just goes to show the power of God’s grace. He can take the biggest sinner and turn him into the greatest saint! And although we often try to run from Him, when He’s really ready for us, we don’t stand a chance! (smile) And I can tell you that from personal experience. Yuh see who the Lord put Newton with in his latter years; the abolitionist William Wilberforce. That had Newton plugging to abolish the very same abominable trade in which he was previously involved. And then the Wesley brothers, amongst the founders of the Methodist Church, and finally turning him into a priest and hymn writer.
So my people, let’s wake up and acknowledge that it’s futile to run from God, but ever so wise and sensible to run to His always open and welcoming arms, as we sing this other wonderful song penned by John Newton, another of our church favourites, titled ‘How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.’ And does it ever sound sweet mih bredrin. Therefore, let’s just take a moment and roll it around our tongues nuh, as we quietly and proudly say: ‘Jesus…Jesus.’ (smile) Yes, it’s a name that just trips off the tongue my people!
Now, finally, let’s sing; in a medium tempo, with great gusto and sincerity, let’s raise our harmonious voices to high heaven. ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear! It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.
Dear name! the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place. My never-failing treasury, filled. With boundless stores of grace. O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend. My Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, My Way, my end, toaccept the praise I bring. How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I’ll praise you as I ought. Till then I would your love proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death.’
Oh friends, only the amazing and awesome grace of God can cause a human being to write such authentic meaningful and true words! And without a doubt, there’s no other name in the universe that can do or accomplish the things that the name of Jesus can. As Newton so eerily writes: ‘It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.’
Wow! Which other name in this universe can do all of that eh friends? None whatsoever! That’s because Jesus is all these other things to us: ‘the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place, My never-failing treasury, filled, With boundless stores of grace. O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,’ There again my people, no other person in this whole wide world can fulfill all those aspects of a human’s life. Only JESUS!
Why, you ask? Because He poured out His sinless lifeblood for us on the cross at Calvary, to pay for our sins, showing the wonderful LOVE He bore towards us. And when He rose triumphant from the grave, then He most generously invited us to come to Him for rest and solace, safety, grace and mercy, salvation and eternal life with Him in heaven for all eternity. Now why wouldn’t I jump for joy when I hear that sweet and beautiful name of Jesus eh?
Oh friends, I want to quote some scripture to back up all I’ve said, but time and space will only allow me to do a few. So here goes. Right up front, Jesus lets us know: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) Right away friends, we see that to get eternal life, one must believe in Jesus, otherwise, no dice!
And if you did not get that, then He clears it up even further with these immortal words: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) That sets the stage right there; nothing to do with God is possible without belief in Christ Jesus!
Then we all know how Bruh David characterized Him: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:1-6)
That’s simply talking about the perfect shepherd my people! And finally, as to Jesus’ glory, Bruh Paul had this to say: ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth.And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’(Phil. 2:9-11)
What else can I say eh friends? Jesus is the Greatest; El Numero Uno; Number ONE! And if you don’t know that already and sincerely acknowledge it, then please do so as soon as possible, otherwise, crapaud smoke yuh pipe! Much LOVE!
.
..to sweeten a sour soul…just call out…Jesus…Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
18 Oct 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a song of praise, Amazing grace, and not of evil, bounden duty, Buju Banton, Buried Alive, by hook or by crook, calamity, come together, day of our Lord, deserves a second chance, don't know what tomorrow may bring, faith, from freedom in Africa, going to keep us from worshipping God, gor religion, I am alive, I can do all things, I know the thoughts, I survived the worst of times, I've been blind, I've got a feeling, Jah made I brave, John Newton, judge not, living a life of sin, LOVE, move mountains in Jesus' name, my determination to win, my heart's still beating, no government, no pandemic, of whom shall I be afraid, once there's life, physically distanced, remember the Sabbath day, running against the wind, slave trader, that I think toward you, that ye be not judged, the awesome power of believers, the Lord is my salvation, the mote in thy brother's eye, the plank in thine own eye, there must be a reason, there's hope, thoughts of peace, through Christ who strengthens me, to keep it holy, to slavery in the Western Hemisphere, transported our forefathers, virtual technology
Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope.)
Let’s come together this Sunday morning my fellow believers to give our wonderful God much thanks and praise nuh! Yes, let’s come together on this Day of our Lord, whether it’s in a sparsely populated sanctuary with those few souls physically distanced, or by virtual technological means, for coming together is a must one day a week in keeping with the Lord’s command. ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.’ (Ex. 20:8) And by hook or by crook, we going to do just that. (smile) That’s the awesome power we believers have when we join up with our great God: nothing – no pandemic, or nobody – no government, can keep us from worshipping Him if we choose to do so.
And today we going to open our worship with a wonderful song of praise, though some might consider it somewhat contentious, or if it’s even appropriate to sing in church, not because of the song itself, but because of the artist who sings it. The name of the song is ‘Buried Alive,’and it’s done by the Jamaican Reggae artist, Buju Banton taken from his Upside Down 2020 album. And yes, the same Buju Banton who was released from prison last year, and for the record is now more popular than ever.
Now I know some of us are already turning up our noses and feeling mightily disturbed by the idea, but please remember who wrote the song ‘Amazing Grace’ that we consider such a splendid song and very worthy of being sung in church. It was the notorious slave trader John Newton, who transported our forefathers from freedom in Africa to slavery in the Western Hemisphere. It’s only after he got religion that he wrote that song. So for all we know Buju might have also gotten religion, and deserves a second chance, just like John Newton, who even became a minister after his slave trading days were done.
So let’s not judge Buju, remembering Jesus’ words: ‘Judge not (do not condemn), that ye be not judged (condemned). For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote (speck) that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam (plank) that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold a beam (plank) is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.’ (Matt. 7:1-5)
And now that we’ve cleared up that li’l matter, (smile) let’s get on with the singing nuh. It’s a nice, simple, rocking reggae tune. I sent it to some of you by what’s app yesterday, so you should know it, but you can also look it up on you tube. So with voices strong, in perfect harmony, let’s sing these words of second chance, of forgiveness and thanks, with sincere hearts.
‘Oh Lord, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing. I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart‘s still beating. Buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart ‘s still beating.
Now all this time… I’ve been blind… only running against the wind. Friends of mine …pass with time… After living a life of sin. Now many give up, many give in. It’s my determination to win. I survived, the worst of times, I survived. Yeah, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. Oh Lord, Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart‘s still beating.
Oh, they made a ditch for one, but there would be two, In their attempt to out my life, The wicked things they do. But Jah made I brave, and I can’t care the grave, Oh no, The Lord is my salvation, Of whom shall I fear? Yeah, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling.
Oh Lord, Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart ‘s still beating… (One more time) Yes, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. Oh Lord, Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart ‘s still beating…my heart’s still beating…my heart’s still beating…my heart’s still beating…’
Oh mih people, those words are so true of all of us! Every day we wake up alive, we must be thankful, because there’s a reason for it, or else the Lord would just take us home during the night hours. That brings to mind Jeremiah’s words on the Lord’s behalf. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope.)’ (Jer. 29:11) That means the Lord has a good plan for our lives if He leaves us alive here on planet earth, and it’s our bounden duty to find it, through prayer and reading His Word, and then live it to the best of our ability.
Like the song says, we’ve been given another day, a second chance, so there must be a reason for it, and though we don’t know what today or tomorrow may bring, we have to take hold of the reins and stay with Jesus, stand strong with Him, have that determination to win! For as they say, once there’s life, there’s hope. And if we have hope, then anything’s possible.
And that’s exactly how we have to look at the current state of affairs of our world; we’re alive, God is still on His throne, in control of things, and He has a special plan for our lives, not calamity, which seems to be pressing in around us right now, but a future and a hope and we’ll survive the worst of times. So please let’s remember that awesome word ‘HOPE,’ which if held long and strong enough morphs into this other word ‘FAITH,’ with which we can move mountains in Jesus’ name! Much LOVE!
…I can do all things…through Christ who strengthens me… (Phil. 4:13)
11 Oct 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fountain filled with blood, be saved to sin no more, bouts od depression, crushed for our iniquities, dirge like music, faithful soldiers, forgiveness of sins, God hath chosen, God with us, greatest gift from God, has been my theme, Immanuel, Immanuel's veins, it's all about love, John Newton, lies silent in its grave, like sheep gone astray, lose all their guilty stains, love thy god, Love thy neighbour as thyself, melancholia, mental breakdown, paid our sin debt in full, pierced for our transgressions, plunged beneath that flood, poor lisping stammering tongue, praise for the fountain opened, redeeming love, sacrificial praise, saints of Christ, shall never lose its power, sin and uncleanness, sing thy power to save, sinners, suicide, Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, the day of the Lord, the dying thief rejoiced, the foolish things of the world, the greatest commandment, the Lord's mysterious movements, the ransomed chruch of God, the shed blood of Christ, the weak things of the world, there is no remission, thy precious blood, to confound the wise, to confound things that are mighty, undeserving sinners, wash all my sins away, william Cowper, without the shedding of blood
Hebrews 9:22. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
Well faithful soldiers and saints of Christ, that big day, the day of the Lord is here again, calling us to praise and worship in whatever way we can. And this Sunday is Thanksgiving weekend here in luverly Canada, so there is no better time than this to ramp up our thanks and praise to Almighty God, our Creator and Provider, who has done so much for us, a bunch of poor, pathetic, undeserving sinners.
And also, there’s no better song to sing today than this one which talks about our greatest gift from God; forgiveness of our sins through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. That precious fountain of blood which flowed from Immanuel’s veins and paid for our awful debt of sin, for evermore. And the official name of the hymn was ‘Praise for the Fountain opened.’ But now it’s generally known by its first line. ‘There is a Fountain filled with blood.’ It’s based on the Old Testament verse from Zechariah 13:1, re the cleansing of Jerusalem. ‘In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness.’
But before we get into this beautiful old hymn, let’s get a li’l background on it and its writer, William Cowper, an English poet of great renown. (1731-1800) Born to an English clergyman father, physically frail and emotionally unstable, which the death of his mother at six further complicated. He studied law, but when called to the bar he experienced a panic attack which led to a mental breakdown and attempted suicide. That consequently led to a stay in a mental asylum.
It’s claimed that during that time, while reading the Bible, he came across Romans 3:25 that Jesus Christ is “set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” And through reading of the Scriptures, Cowper realized his need for a Savior and the need for forgiveness of sins. Consequently, in 1764, at the age of thirty-three, he dedicated his life to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Bouts of depression, melancholia and attempted suicide apparently peppered his life, but they say that ironically some of his best hymns were written during those times. And wonder of wonders, whom do you think he linked up with later in life – the one and only John Newton, the slaver turned Anglican Pastor, and writer of ‘Amazing Grace.’ And they teamed up over the years to write ‘The Olney Hymns’ Hymnal, (349 hymns) named after the town where Cowper and Newton were then living.
Just more amazing instances of the Lord’s mysterious movements in getting His work done, through rather unlikely people. That’s why the Good Book says: ‘But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound (put to shame) the things which are mighty.’ (1 Cor. 1:27)
So let’s get to it now nuh: in full, soulful and sincere voice, in a slightly rocking tempo, like the live worship video done by the band, Shane and Shane, let’s offer up our sacrificial praise. No dirge like music this Thanksgiving weekend, especially for such a wonderful gift from our Creator.
‘There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel’s veins; And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains: Lose all their guilty stains, Lose all their guilty stains; And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains. The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day; And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away: Wash all my sins away, Wash all my sins away; And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood Shall never lose its pow’r, Till all the ransomed Church of God Be saved, to sin no more: Be saved, to sin no more, Be saved, to sin no more; Till all the ransomed Church of God Be saved to sin no more. E’er since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming LOVE has been my theme, And shall be till I die: And shall be till I die, And shall be till I die; Redeeming LOVE has been my theme, And shall be till I die.
When this poor lisping, stamm’ring tongue Lies silent in the grave, Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save: I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save, I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save; Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save….I’ll sing thy pow’r to save…’
Oh my people, what truthful and most magnificent sentiments! The precious shed blood of Christ is the greatest thing in this world, because it is the only thing that can take away our sins, when, like the thief who died on that fateful day with Christ, we come to the cross and let that crimson blood cleanse us white as snow! Mama Mia! No other faith can match the power of Jesus, because He is the Son of the One True God Jehovah!
And interestingly enough there’s a book titled ‘Immanuel’s Veins,’ by Ted Dekker. The author apparently says that Christ bled on the cross for us…’For the heart of man.’ And talking about ‘Immanuel, God with us – that he would leave the spiritual realm and be present in flesh and blood in such an act of humility is a staggering notion.’ And it surely is! ‘He willingly gave His blood, in the flesh, so that others might find life, for it is written: “He did not come by water only, but by blood” (1 John 5:6), and ‘Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.’ (Hebrews 9:22).
This why blood is required for us to have life. And He didn’t give ‘just enough to satisfy the requirement, to fulfill a covenant or agreement? No. He gave it all. He gave His life. For us. Because He LOVED us.’ Yes friends, Jesus sacrificed His sinless life because He LOVED us. As Isaiah tells it: ‘But he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us have turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’ (Is. 53:5-6)
And He did it all for LOVE, my brethren! That just goes to show the awesome power of LOVE! And I guess it’s appropriate here to quote the most important verse in the Good Book; the raison d’etre for it all: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) And that’s why Jesus said the greatest commandment is to LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, body and soul, and the second is to LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. (Matt. 22:37-39)
Consequently, if we don’t have LOVE, and show LOVE, then we are not true followers of Christ! Much LOVE!
…from the creation…to the revelation…it’s all about LOVE…
10 Nov 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a believer's ear, a ne commandment, Advocate, Alpha and Omega, Amazing grace, calms, come boldly, come unto me, Comforter, confident, covenant, empowered, encouragement, every knee bow, every tongue confess, everything in one, face our turbulent world, feloowship, find grace, fleeting breath, give thanks and praise, give thee rest, heals our wounds, heavy burdened, high priest, holy spirit, how sweet, I lay down my life, in death, in time of need, Jes is Lord, Jesus, John Newton, labour, LOVE, LOVE one another, manna, my burden light, my yoke is easy, name above every name, obtain mercy, other believers, pay heed, refresh my soul, refuel, revitalize, sacrificial manner, shall all men know, sinless, soothes our aorrows, spiritual energy, strong, testimonies, the good shepherd, the great invitation, the hungry soul, the Life, the Lord's House, the name of Jesus sounds, the Son of God, the troubled breast, the Truth, the Way, to help, to the glory of God, truth, unto the throne of grace, wisdom, ye are my disciples, your love proclaim
Hebrews 4:16. 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.
Time to refuel once again friends; time to revitalize our spiritual energy with a visit to the Lord’s house this Sunday morning, or evening, where in fellowship with other believers, we give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father, hear His awesome Word, filled with wisdom and encouragement and come away strong and confident, empowered to face our turbulent world for another seven days, diligently doing His holy will! Hn, hn! I like that sentence; though it’s long, it’s chocked full of truth! And as believers in Jesus Christ, that ought to be a major priority in our lives. As Bruh David says in Psalm 25: ‘All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.’ (Ps.25:10) If you are a true believer, you certainly can’t deny that.
Anyway, let’s get on with the praise and worship, beginning, as always, with a song of heartfelt LOVE being floated up to heaven. And today’s song is an old favourite, ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds,’ written by none other than John Newton (1725-1807); the licentious sailor, slave trader, abolitionist and priest, who contributed numerous songs to our Hymn Book, the most famous being the immortal, ‘Amazing Grace.’ So let’s sing out our souls in all sincerity to Jesus, letting Him know how much we LOVE, adore and appreciate Him.
As one voice, in perfect harmony: ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear! It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest. Dear name! the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place, My never-failing treasury, filled, With boundless stores of grace. O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring. How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I’ll praise you as I ought. Till then I would your LOVE proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death.’
Ah friends, there’s really no sweeter sound to a believer’s ear than that magical, mysterious, powerful and all-encompassing name of Jesus! Give Him much heartfelt thanks and praise for all He’s done for us miserable, sinful human beings nuh. I guess because of Newton’s ungodly early life, he was able to hit the nail on the head when writing this hymn. Most likely Jesus did it all for him; soothed his sorrows, healed his wounds, drove away his fear. I’m sure He made whole his wounded spirit and calmed his troubled breast…and undoubtedly, He was manna to his hungry soul, and in his weariness, gave him peaceful rest. And yuh know what my people, Jesus will do the same for each and everyone of us, if we will just accept Him into our hearts and be obedient to His will.
Listen to some of the awesome, but oh so truthful statements that Jesus made in His time here on earth. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but my me.’ (John 14:6) Right there the situation is explained in living colour: only through Jesus, by believing in Him, and living a lifestyle in concert with His, will we ever get to see the Father’s face and behold His immaculate glory! Then hear Him on the shepherd scene: ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.’ (John 10:14-15) And did He ever lay down His sinless life in a most sacrificial manner for us, the sinful and willful sheep of His pasture!
And as for obedience, hear Him: ‘A new commandment I give to you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) He also emphasized the LOVE factor later on in talking about the Holy Spirit. ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.’ (John 14:15-16) And He kept His promise, that’s why we have the Holy Spirit indwelling each and every believer today!
And there’s nothing in this whole wide world like Jesus’ 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 unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Coming obediently to Jesus is wisest way to find rest friends! I can certainly vouch for that, and so too can many of you.
And if you want more, He is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Tim. 6:15); the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last (Rev.1:8); The name above every name, to which every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9-11) He is also our Advocate, our lawyer in heaven. ‘And if any man sin, we have an advocate (intercessor) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous’ (1 John 2:1b) Glory be mih breddren!
And finally, Jesus is also our High Priest: ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God’ let us hold fast our profession (confession) For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 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. 4:14-16) That’s the best advice to end with today friends! Please pay significant heed to it. Much LOVE!
…Jesus is our Be All…and our End All…our Everything in ONE…
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