21 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great cloud of witnesses, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a true disciple of Christ, a warning, absolutely necessary, an incorruptible crown, be disqualified, bring it under subjection, business, Christian celebrations, compassed about, competes for the prize, corruptible crown, denying the spirituality of the situation, despising the shame, disicpline our bodies, disobeyed your word, disqualified from Christian ministry, divine aid, earthly spiritual journey, ease the pain, Easter celebrations, Easter Monday, encouraged by the enemy, endured the cross, eternal life, every man that striveth for mastery, faith, fall by the wayside, finished my course, flails helplessly, food, for the joy that was set before him, forfeiting rewards, fought a good fight, frustrations, gifts, grace, greed of the world, have a part to play, he that abideth in me, heavenly help, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am the vine, I in him, I keep under my body, I myself should be a castaway, I therefore so run, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus' miraculous resurrection, Jesus' sacrificial death, keep Jesus uppermost in our minds, kept the faith, know ye not, lay aside every weight, lest that by any means, looking unto Jesus, lose sight of the essential facts, LOVE, mass confusion, material selfishness, mercy, not as one that beateth the air, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, one receives the prize, our sufficiency is of God, parties, peace and calm, personal sacrifice, practical advice, pray, run not as uncertainly, run with patience, salvation, self-control, selfless sacrifice of Jesus, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, share a partnership with Christ, sin, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, so fight I, so run that ye may obtain, spiritual strength, spirituality, steal our joy In Jesus Christ, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ta perishable crown, temperate, temperate in all things, Thank you Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the giver of life, the God who heals, the joy of the Lord is your strength, the material world, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the sin which doth so easily beset us, they which run in a race run all, throne of grace, to think anything of ourselves, traffic jams, trainig for a marathon, truth, turn from our evil ways, we have all sinned, when I have preached to others, wisdom, wise guidance, without me ye can do nothing, work diligently, ye are the branches
1 Corinthians 9:24b. So run, that ye may obtain.
And the Easter celebrations continue unabated on this somewhat cloudy Easter Monday! And why not eh, when we were given the greatest presents ever; salvation and eternal life through Jesus’ sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection! And the other good thing about today is that many of us don’t have to face the traffic jams and all the other frustrations involved in going out to work. And all God’s children said, a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Jesus!’
However, there’s always a warning needed in these Christian celebrations, a warning to not let the material selfishness and greed of the world to make us lose sight of what the celebration is truly about; the LOVE and selfless sacrifice of Jesus! For if we allow them, the material world, staunchly encouraged by the enemy, would just make it all about business, gifts, food, and parties, while denying the spirituality of the situation. So, as we celebrate, let’s keep Jesus uppermost in our minds today and every day, for He is the giver of life, health, wealth, LOVE, mercy, grace…in fact of everything that we enjoy!
Now, to always keep Jesus first place is no easy task, especially when the enemy’s main goal is to steal our joy in Christ, since, as the Bible says: ‘for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That means if we lose our joy in Christ then we’ll lose our spiritual strength and won’t be able to make the wise decisions we ought to, or have the peace and calm we desire.
And how do we do that? We have to work sincerely and diligently at it. But obviously not by ourselves, for as Bruh Paul writes: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And Jesus corroborates that when he declares (yesss!!!) that well known statement: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5)
But unlike what some might think, that does not stop us from working towards the goal of spiritual maturity, for we share a partnership with Christ, meaning we both have a part to play. If we do our part, He will do His. But if we don’t do our part, neither will He do His, and we’d be left in the lurch. And what’s our part in all this eh? Here’s one practical bit of advice from Bruh Paul. He writes thus in his first missive to the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor. 9:24)
Yes friends, Bruh Paul is likening our earthly spiritual journey to a race, and in his last communication with Timothy, he uses that same imagery. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:7) Likewise, the author of Hebrews views our earthly journey as a race, when he writes: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:1-2)
So Jesus is our example for living this earthly life. But yuh know what, if we want to obtain anything positive and/or substantial from this race of life, we have to put out something. Therefore, Bruh Paul continues to the Corinthians. ‘And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown, but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air (flails helplessly): but I keep under my body (discipline my body), and bring it under subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’ (1 Cor. 9:25-27)
Ah mih people, like a runner training for a marathon, we too have to discipline our bodies and exert ourselves so that we will do well in the race of life. If not, we’ll fall by the wayside and lose the promised imperishable crown that Christ has laid aside for us. As the scholars explain: ‘The point is that the believer must discipline himself to avert being disqualified from Christian ministry, and forfeiting the rewards for such service.’ So we see that running this earthly race is not easy, but with the help of our wonderful God, we can do it, if we put out the necessary effort. And to help us do so, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, pleading for divine assistance.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And from our prayer, we see that there are some necessary steps we must take before divine aid is granted; humble ourselves, pray, sincerely seek God’s face with sincere repentance. So please, let’s get to them right now nuh, so that we’ll get heavenly help asap! Much LOVE!
…as a true disciple of Christ…personal sacrifice is absolutely necessary…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a special relationship with God, a thing of beauty, abstain from fleshly lusts, all God's creations, an holy nation, be led of the Spirit, Bible, bought with a price, bright sunshine on white snow, by your good works, called us out of darkness into His light, Christ's shed blood at Calvary, Christ's special people, Christians, come to know and love Christ, contrary to one another, do our bounden duty, faith, false believers, glorify God, glorify God in your body and spirit, God's Word, having honourable conduct, having your conversation honest, him shall God destroy, holy spirit, hurry, if any man defiles the temple of God, in god's eyes, in the day of visitation, Jesus Christ, keeping the old man at bay, know ye not, LOVE, mercy, moral life governed by the Spirit, not under the law, obtained mercy, pilgrims, proclaim the praises of Christ, renewing our minds, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the Love and friendship of Christ, speak against you as evildoers, strangers, the believer's moral life, the beloved of God, the enemy of God, the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, the friendship of the world is enmity with God, the people of god, The Spirit of God dwells in you, the temple of God is holy, the unsaved masquerading as saved, the whole wide world, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, untouched by man, walk in the Spirit, which ye have of God, wisdom, worry, ye are not your own, ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, your body is the temple of the holy Ghost
1 Corinthians 6:19. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
And then it was Tuesday, working time for all again. Thankfully, most of the serious clean-up has been completed after this weekend’s severe snowstorm. And it’s turned out to be another bright, sunshiny day in my neighbourhood, with the dazzling light of the sun reflecting so beautifully off of the white snow. It’s truly a thing of beauty, like all God’s creations, when untouched by man! (smile)
Now, yesterday we dealt with a somewhat touchy subject to some people, but a rather important one to God. So today, let’s clarify and expand on it nuh. It says: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (destroys) the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which ye are.’ (1 Cor. 3:16-17)
According to scholars those verses refer primarily to the people of the local church and not so much to the individual believer. They say that ‘Paul seems to have in mind unsaved people who may or may not be in the assembly, but who are in fact false believers. The prospect for such a one is fearful.’ Now if the penalty for the unsaved masquerading as saved is fearful, what can be said about the price that the saved will pay if they defile their bodies, which is also the Holy Temple of God?
Bruh Paul lays it out quite clearly later in 1 Corinthians, when He again asked, but on an individual basis this time: ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) So as the scholars say: ‘Not only is the local church a temple of the Holy Spirit, but the individual believer’s body itself is also a temple of the Holy Spirit.’
Yes friends, we are not our own, we do not belong to us, but to Jesus Christ who bought us with the enormous price of His shed blood on the cross of Calvary. That means we ought to keep our bought and paid for bodies as clean and wholesome as possible. And per being bought with a price, the scholars offer this interesting explanation. ‘The blessed fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit has two sides: one, that He is ours; the other, that we are His. The believer was purchased on Golgotha’s hill. The price paid was the blood of God’s only Son. (Acts 20:28). This has profound significance for the believer (cf.1 Tim. 4:10; 1 Pet. 2:9).’
Now, I’ll leave you to look up the first two references, and we’ll look at that from Peter, where he’s talking about believers being of a Holy Priesthood. He writes: ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (Christ’s special people); that ye should shew forth (proclaim) the praises of him who hath called us out of a darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation (conduct) honest (honourable) among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.’ (1 Pet. 2:9-12)
Oh my people, you know what all that says? Per the scholars: ‘The priesthood of the believer and his unique relationship to God are described by the terms a chosen generation … a royal priesthood … an holy nation. Thus, the New Testament church stands in a unique relationship to God as did Old Testament Israel.’ Now, isn’t that marvellous…we have a special relationship with God! But you know what that also means…we cannot defile our bodies which belong to God with too much sinful and carnal stuff. We’ll never be perfect like Jesus, but our job is to work as close to perfection as possible.
That means treating our bodies with holy respect as they now belong to God. And that’s why this warning from James is also very important. He writes: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is (makes himself) the enemy of God.’ (James 4:4)
It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. If we choose to associate with the world, and live by its tenets instead of God’s, then we automatically become enemies of God, and that’s the worst thing that can ever happen to us, because in the long run we’ll be destroyed with all His other enemies, separated eternally from His LOVE, mercy and grace.
And here’s the last scripture passage for today on the subject of keeping our bodies, the temple of God holy and clean. Bruh Paul writes thus to the Galatians: ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so ye cannot do that things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.’ (Gal. 5:16-18)
And that’s a fact; if we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, then we’re not going to continually participate in all the things this sinful world considers right and good. As the scholars explain: ‘The Spirit-led person is not under the law. The Christian does not need the restraints of the law because his moral life is governed by the spirit.’ And all God’s people said a loud and grateful, ‘Amen!’
Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that pledge, it now becomes our bounden duty to go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…keeping our bodily temples clean…means constantly renewing our minds with God’s Word…while keeping our old man at bay…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day to spend with families, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, act accordingly, awesome grace, be not deceived, Bible, Christians, deluge of snow, divine aid, do mind the things of the flesh, earthly problems, ease the pain, faith, faithfully promised to hear our prayers, Family Day Holiday, God is good, God is not mocked, God looks at our hearts not our outward appearances, God shall destroy him, Good Book, Good Library, he that sows to his flesh, he that sows to the Spirit, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, if a man defile the temple of God, if ye have not the Spirit of Christ, in accordance with God's will, in the Spirit, Jesus Christ, keep your promise to prosper us, know ye not, LOVE, make changes in our lives, mass confusion, mercy, mind the things of the Spirit, negative situations, not subject to the law of God, of the flesh reap corruption, of the many suffering from negative situations, our cordial relationship with God, pray, righteousness, salvation, shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life, show this evil world, sincerely seek your face, sinned and disobeyed your Word, strong faith in Christ, thank you for life, the body is dead because of sin, the busyness of society, the carnal mind is enmity against God, the God who heals, the many distractions we encounter, the Spirit is life because of righteousness, The Spirit of God dwells in you, the Spirit of God dwells within you, the temple of God is holy, the third Monday in February, the throne of grace, they that after the Spirit, they that are after the flesh, they that are in the flesh cannot please God, to be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace, truth, turn from our evil ways, undeserving mercy, what a man sows he reaps, wisdom, You are Jehovah Rapha, you are not Christ's, you are not in the flesh, you are the temple of God
1 Corinthians 3:16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
And the great deluge of snow has finally stopped. It did so sometime during the evening hours…and now it’s clean up time! And to enable us to do that in a somewhat easy manner, the Lord has seen fit to gift us with a bright and sunshiny Family Day Provincial Holiday Monday! Isn’t He a good God? For sure He is! Remember too that after the last snowstorm on Thursday, we also had a bright and sunshiny Friday to clean up. (smile) The problem today though is that there’s a strong wind that’s causing some havoc, blowing the snow all about the place, so that as soon as you’ve finished cleaning one spot, it’s very likely for the wind to blow more snow back there. But it’s a matter of simply pressing forward, until you’ve done all you can.
By the way, here’s another reason that our God is good: He chose the Family Day long weekend to aggravate our souls bodies and minds. Can you imagine if this was a regular Monday and everybody needed to go to work. There would be even more chaos than we already have. But the Lord in His LOVING-KINDNESS chose a day when most of us would be at home celebrating Family Day, which is a public holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February, that gives people a day off to spend with their families. It was introduced in 2008 to give provincially regulated workers a long weekend in February and most provincially regulated employees receive the day off with pay.
Many of the other Provinces have the same holiday, but not all call it Family Day. For example in Manitoba it’s Louis Riel Day, named after a Métis (Indigenous) leader who fought to protect French and aboriginal rights. Meanwhile, in the Province of Nova Scotia, it’s called Heritage Day. Unfortunately, Family Day is not a federally mandated holiday, so federal workers, such as post office employees and public servants, work on Family Day. So please don’t say our God is not good, for even in the midst of chaos and disaster, He still eases our path with His awesome grace and undeserving mercy.
And having said all of that, what shall we talk about scripturally today eh? (smile) Soon come. Let me check the Good Library…. And we’re back, a minute later. The Good Book opened to 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, where we find these interesting and rather appropriate words for these decadent and sinful times. Bruh Paul writes: ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (destroys) the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’ (1 Cor. 3:16-17)
And truthfully, many of us know that we are supposed to be God’s temple, because His Holy Spirit dwells within us, therefore we ought to keep our bodies as holy and clean from sin and it’s associates. However, with the busyness of our society and the many distractions steadily hurled at us, it becomes somewhat difficult to do, even if we remember it. But remember it we must my faithful brethren, for it affects our very lives, our cordial relationship with Almighty God.
Now, Bruh Paul also wrote something similar to the Roman church, where he proclaims: ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:5-8)
And that’s the gospel truth my people! If we’re living carnally, for and in our flesh, then we certainly cannot please God. However, here’s the good news as Bruh Paul continues: ‘But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit if life because of righteousness.’ (Rom. 8:9-10) Yes friends, let’s praise the Lord that the Spirit of His Son Jesus Christ does dwell in us, and we are going to do our best to live by it’s guidance.
But here’s one more interesting scripture we ought to pay attention to today, that’s this one from Bruh Paul to the Galatians: ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ (Gal. 6:7-8) Now that’s a scripture we should always keep front and centre in our lives: God sees it all because He looks at our hearts and not our outward doings, therefore we cannot fool Him, by saying one thing while doing another, as so many of us still foolishly try to do.
So, let’s go now to the throne of grace in confident humility, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid to help us with our many earthly problems. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And it’s all well and good to pray, but if we do not make changes in our lives in accordance with God’s will, then no divine aid will be forthcoming. Let’s remember that and act accordingly. Much LOVE!
…the Spirit of God lives in His temple…our bodies…therefore we need to keep them as clean and holy as possible…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Jan 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cloud of witnesses, a crown of righteousness, a name anove every other name, adrenaline, all knees must bow, all run, at the right hand, aura of love, author, blazed the trail, bolster our spirits, confidence, conquerors, Corinthians, dishonour, endured the cross, ensnare, enthusiasm, every weight, faith, finished my course, finisher, fought a good fight, further your glorious kingdom, gathering steam, glory to God, God's throne, heads held high, hit the road, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, Isthmian Games, Jesus' colours, jobs, joy, know ye not, lay aside, lights under a bushel, long distance, looking unto Jesus, Love his appearing, make excuses, martyrs, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, not for the swift, Olympic Games, one receives the prize, perfector, perseverance, plod along, race of life, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, righteous judge, run in a race, run this race, run with patience, saints, sally forth, sense of purposes, shame, sin, spiritual armour, sprint, spunk, strong of heart, sure of foot, surrounded by, talents, time to wast, truth, under Jesus' flag, useful purpose, weary souls, winning, work
1 Corinthians 9:24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain.
‘On your marks; get set; Go!’ Yeh friends the race of life continues in earnest this Monday morning after the brief respite of the weekend. As soon as the trumpet sounds, you have to be off and running, if you want to be successful in this race. It’s not a simple sprint, but a long distance venture.
So though you can’t run it all in one spurt, there is still no time to waste, no time to make excuses and just plod along. If we are entered under Jesus’ flag, then we have to give it our very best; make hay while the sun shines. So let’s get a move on nuh. The enemy’s runners are already gathering steam, and we can’t afford to let them get too far ahead of us.
And to help bolster our spirits, let’s declare our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with plenty spunk and enthusiasm, knowing that it will raise our adrenaline levels and give us the jolt that so many of us desperately need. In unison now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour.
We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah mih breddren, what an exciter and encourager that prayer is! (smile) Now let’s hit the road, dressed in Jesus’ colours, heads held high, with a strong sense of purpose; that being winning the race of life in His name. Glory to God!
And we all know Bruh Paul’s famous statement to the Corinthians about running their race, which is a most appropriate Bit for today. ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain.’ Yeh friends, we have to run so that we can win, otherwise it doesn’t make any sense running.
And the scholars offer this explanation of Bruh Paul’s remark. ‘9:24. Paul draws on a scene familiar to his Corinthian readers in order to drive home his point. The Isthmian Games were an athletic event known to all his readers. They were held on alternate summers in the vicinity of Corinth. It was an event not to be missed by anyone of importance in all parts of Greece. As a national institution, it was familiar to his readers as modern football to most Americans.’
I would probably compare it more to the modern Olympic Games, since more people know about that than American football. Anyhow my fellow believers, it is of the utmost importance for each of us to run our earthly race to the best of our ability. The Lord has given each of us the talents He wants us to use in running this race, so let’s use them nuh; stop hiding our talents, our lights under a bushel, let the world see them as the Lord desires.
Now here is another famous treatise on running our race, this time from the author of Hebrews. He eloquently and enthusiastically declares: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us.” (Heb.12:1)
And the great cloud of witnesses that he’s talking about, are the saints and martyrs noted in verse 11, who had run the race before us. People like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Abel, Enoch, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barack, Samson, Bruh David, etc. etc. So it’s not like we don’t have many earlier examples to follow. But in the process, we also have to remove any impediments that might be weighing us down, (physically or spiritually) and living by faith, so we can be lithe and light and move swiftly.
But then he mentions the greatest example of them all: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’(Heb.12:2)
Yeh mih people, there was none whatsoever like Jesus: He blazed the trail for us, perfected the course and won with significant achievement. He despised the shame and dishonour that was involved in sacrificing His life, to save us. That’s why the Lord exalted Him, to a name above every other name, and one to which all knees will eventually bow.
And yuh know what friends, if we run this race with faith and perseverance, we too will be honoured significantly at the end. Hear Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith: Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim.4:7-8)
And what a day that will be my people! So let’s keep running with faith and patience nuh, so that we can win our crowns when we see Jesus. It will all be worthwhile then. Much LOVE!
…the race is not for the swift…but for the sure of foot….and the strong of heart…
08 Dec 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a castaway, a compassionate heart, a positive outlook, a ruler, a Saviour, a strong race, amorous advances, athletic event, baggage, beats the air, Beelzebub, Black Friday, broken, but one receives the prize, Christ the Lord, Christmas, commercialism, competes, confusion of shopping, Corinth, Corinthians, courage, creativity, crown of righteousness, curse, Cyber Friday, discipline my body, disgrace, disqualified, divine protection, earthly sojourn, enthusiastic, excited, faith, faithful, family, favour, fighting the good fight, finished the race, fought a good fight, friends, get with the right programme, gifts, Greece, health, heaven, imperisahable, in the city of David, in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' greeting, joy, kept the faith, know ye not, mastery, material things, may obtain, minds souls and bodies, negative word, over many things, perishable, perishable crown, practice what you preach, preached to others, presents, promotion, prosper, pushing, resonating, run, run in a race, running, running the race, rushing, secular world, self-control, self-discipline, selfish, shame, shopping days, strives, subjection, succeed, success, supernatural strength, temperate, the birth of Jesus Christ, the first coming of Christ, the Isthmian Games, the joy of the Lord, the pearly gates, the real gift of Christmas, the reason for the season, the righteous crown, thou good and faithful servant, Thursday's Blessings, unto you is born, well done, wisdom
2 Timothy 4:7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.
And then it was Thursday…Wow! Only 16 more shopping day to Christmas!
Steups! Notice the language, the commercialism? That is how we count down the days to Christmas – in shopping days, not in days till the birth of Jesus Christ – the real reason for the season.
Ah Lord eh! After all the rigmarole of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we are still talking in terms of shopping! How much shopping can we do eh, especially when so many people are not working?
But that seems to be the overwhelming feature of our lives in these modern times. It’s all about gifts and presents and food and what not, all the material things!
There is precious little talk, if any at all, of Jesus being born, of Him being the real gift of Christmas, the most wonderful present ever from our heavenly Father. And then when things get rotten, or go sour, we wonder why. No wonder our world is in such a sorry mess.
Anyway friends, please, let’s not be found carrying that baggage of the secular and commercial world; let’s concentrate on the first coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, when the angels rocked heaven and earth with their great pronouncement; ‘For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’ (Luke 2:11)
Now that’s what we should be getting all excited and enthusiastic about! Not the rushing and pushing and confusion of unnecessary shopping.
So, having said all that, which might not make any difference to anybody, (smile) let’s turn to our Bit, the immortal words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’
Now that again is something that should be resonating in our minds, souls and bodies, rather than the shopping days till Christmas. What’s going to happen, how are we going to feel when the days of lives are coming to an end eh?
Will we be satisfied with what we’ve done down here? Will we be able to utter words similar to Bruh Paul’s? It’s ever so important that we can my brethren. Otherwise we would have wasted our earthly sojourn on things of the world, and stand the chance of losing the righteous crown that’s been set aside for us in heaven.
We stand the chance of losing Jesus’ greeting at the pearly gates of: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord.’ (Matt.25:21)
No Friends, we don’t want to be missing that wonderful greeting at all! So please, let’s smarten up and get with the right programme nuh; that of Jesus and not Beelzebub!
Now Bruh Paul thought that running a strong race was so important that he also spoke of it to the Corinthians. Listen up: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor.9:23)
And the scholars offer this explanation: ‘9:24. Paul draws on a scene familiar to his Corinthian readers in order to drive home his point. The Isthmian Games were an athletic event known to all his readers.
They were held on alternate summers in the vicinity of Corinth. It was an event not to be missed by anyone of importance in all parts of Greece. As a national institution, it was familiar to his readers as modern football to most Americans.’
So that shows the Corinthians knew what Bruh Paul was talking about. But he doesn’t stop there, He continues forcefully: ‘And every man that striveth for mastery (competes for the prize), is temperate in all things (has self-control).
Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown: but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under (discipline) my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’ (1 Cor.9:25-27)
Yes my faithful believers, to run a good race and fight a good fight for Christ, we must have plenty self-control and self-discipline, for that’s the only way we can reject the amorous advances of the world.
And even worse, what a shame and disgrace it would be, after we have preached to others about running the race and fighting the good fight, that we ourselves would be disqualified! Now I definitely would not like that, so I try, with God’s help obviously, to practice what I preach. (smile)
Anyhow, here’s the best part of today’s Bit nuh; we going home with the anointing of our Thursday Blessings. But remember, a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over someone. So in full voice and strong faith, let’s bless ourselves my people.
‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life!
I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’
Now my faithful believers in Christ, let’s go out strong and secure in those blessings and not be selfish, but remember to bless others too. Much LOVE!
…oh what a joy it will be…to win that crown of righteousness…
SCRIP-BITS 