05 Jul 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future with Jesus, a human phenomenon, a subconscious reaction, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, become discouraged in your souls, consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners, endure to the end, endured the cross despising the shame, glad to be alive, hands on the plough, have Jesus' desires uppermost in our hearts, I will come again and receive you unto myself, in my Father's house are many mansions, kept by the power of God, lay aside every weight, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds, let no your heart be troubled, living by faith, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, not looking back, outweigh the pain and suffering of earth, run with patience, sacrificing His sinless life, seeing we are compassed about, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, so great a cloud of witnesses, thank God, that fadeth not away, the author and finisher of our faith, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the crown of glory, the crown of life, the crown of righteousness, the imperishable crown, the joy of the crowns of heaven, the race that is set before us, the sin which doth so easily beset us, the swift of foot, through faith unto salvation, to be revealed in the last time, Wednesday Wail, witnesses of our faith
Hebrews 12:3. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (become discouraged in your souls).
Wow! It’s Wednesday already! I can’t believe it! I had to ask the duchess this morning if it was really Wednesday? As usual, she shook her head, looked at me with that strange look she uses when she doubts my sanity, and simply said, ‘All day.’ I don’t know about anybody else nuh, but I find that the days are passing by swifter than they ever have. July just started, and it’s already the fifth of the month.
I guess though that it’s all a human phenomenon; when you’re young, you feel like time isn’t moving along as quickly as you’d like, and when you’re older, like me, you feel that time is passing by much too quickly. It’s a subconscious reaction to know that your days on God’s great earth are numbered at the bottom end of the scale rather than at the top. But nonetheless, we old people will keep on keeping on. And all the old people shouted a loud and proud: ‘Yes we will!’
Yes friends, we cannot stop doing Jesus’ work here on earth until the last minute before He calls us home. While we have life, we ought to have His desires uppermost in our hearts, just like He had ours when He hung shamelessly on the cross of Calvary, sacrificing Hie sinless life for our sinful ones. Let’s never forget the pain and the shame He bore so that we could be set free form the bondage of sin.
As the author of Hebrews points out so poignantly. ‘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 is that ever so necessary my fellow believers. We have the heroes or witnesses of our faith who have gone before us as examples of living by faith, but to do that successfully we have to throw off whatever weight and sin that keep us back, and push forward with perseverance and endurance, because the race of faith is not for the swift of foot but for those who stay the course.
And the author of Hebrews further tells us that the best way to stay the course of faith is by ‘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. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (become discouraged in your souls).’ (Heb. 12:2-3)
Better and wiser words were never spoken my fellow saints, for Jesus is the prime example of what it takes to run this race of faith and earthly life. He began the journey for us, set the stage by disregarding all the hostility and suffering that came against Him, using the joy that He knew would be forthcoming, when He fulfilled the Father’s commission. That joy was the privilege of sitting at the right hand of the Father’s throne. Thus, He endured all the shame and suffering down here on earth, knowing that the joy of heaven would make up for it.
And that’s how we, His disciples, agents, ambassadors should also be thinking and behaving; knowing that the joy of being with Jesus in heaven will surely outweigh whatever shame and suffering we have to endure down here on this sinful and ungodly earth. Remember Jesus’ promise? ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwellings): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.’ (John 14:1-3)
Now, we all know that Jesus doesn’t make empty promises, so if He says He’s going to prepare a place for us, then coming back to receive us unto Himself, then we’ve got to believe it, and use it as encouragement to keep keeping on, to keep fighting the good fight of faith as Bruh Paul testified to, so that we can get the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous judge will give to all them that LOVE Him at the day of reckoning. (2 Tim. 4:7-8)
Then there is also the crown of life that James speaks of. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (tested), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.’ (James 1:12). That gives us even more ammunition to remain faithful to Christ and endure whatever comes against us, for remember too that the Lord won’t allow us to be tempted more than we can bear, but will provide a way out for us when the going gets too rough. (1 Cor. 10:13)
And Peter talks about the crown of glory that will be reserved for the church elders. ‘And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’ (1 Pet. 5:4) Above all friends, we need to realize and believe that the crowns of the earth will decay and rot eventually, they are perishable, but the crowns which we seek are imperishable, as Bruh Paul describes in 1 Cor. 9:24-25. And as Peter describes: ‘To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet. 1:4-5)
Oh my fellow believers, life will be somewhat rough and tough down here on earth, but if we keep walking in faith with Jesus, those tough times will pale in regard to the rewards, the joy that’s set aside for us in heavenly places. So please, let’s stand strong in Jesus and pursue our earthly purpose with the same joy, endurance and perseverance that He used during His earthly sojourn. Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus!
Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then it’s guaranteed that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Wow! That’s just one more enticement to keep fighting the good fight of faith! (smile) Much LOVE!
…the joy of the crowns of heaven…far outweigh the pain and suffering of earth…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
11 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a marathon race, a new day, at the right hand of the throne of God, clothing, courage, creativity, curse, despising the shame, divine protection, embrace all the promises of God, enables us to run our race, endurance, endured the cross, euphoria, examples of the champions, excessive body weight, faint in your minds, favour, finished the course, focus on Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, gain a strength and sense of purpose, give God some thanks and praises, heroes of faith, I want to jump and shout for joy, is set down, it feels so good to be alive, Jesus blazed the trail, Jesus is the best example, lay aside every weight, lest ye be wearied, let us run with patience, lift us from glory to glory, living by faith, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, negative word, promotion, prosper, rise to a higher level of humanity, seeing we are compassed, sing praises to my Lord and Saviour, so great a cloud of witnesses, succeed, the author and finisher of our faith, the extraordinary feeling, the feeling of peace and calm, the race that is set before us, the sin which so easily ensnares us, Thursday Blessings
Hebrews 12:1b. …let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us.
It’s a new day people, so graciously granted to us by our heavenly Father, so let’s give Him some thanks and praise for it nuh, and promise to enjoy it to the fullest, while doing His awesome will! Yes friends, it feels so good to be alive on this Thursday morning, that despite all my difficulties, I still want to jump and shout for joy and sing praises to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Wow! Hope you are also experiencing the same extraordinary feeling, because it is not a normal emotion that the world, that unbelievers can experience.
That feeling of peace and calm, of LOVE and goodwill to our fellow beings, even when we are in the midst of a dreadful storm ourselves! And that feeling of euphoria, even in the darkest times is only possible when Jesus has first place in our lives. When we focus on Him, our lives take on a different quality, we rise to a higher level of humanity, we gain a strength and sense of purpose that enables us to run the race that our Creator has set out for us.
Yes friends, when we embrace all the promises that our God has made down through the ages, we are then able to rise to the occasion, and allow Him to lift us from glory to glory, ever becoming more faithful and Christlike as we live this earthly life. And these awesome words from the Good Book epitomize all that I’m saying. The author of Hebrews, which resonate like the words of Bruh Paul, but which some scholars doubt, gives us this news of great assurance about running our race.
‘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 I guess it’s only appropriate that I enclose the lengthy, but excellent explanation the scholars provide on that verse, so that we will get the real meaning and understand it perfectly. (smile)
‘12:1. The present exhortation to run finds its basis in the examples of the champions mentioned in chapter eleven. These heroes of the faith are like a cloud of witnesses. As “witnesses” (Gr. marturon) they are sometimes regarded as spectators (Gr. theatai) or as martyrs; yet the Greek word should be understood as referring simply to those who testify or witness. The emphasis is on the witness provided by their living by faith.
This race of faith is described by three modifying statements. First, it is to be run by laying aside every weight. This refers to impediments that weigh one down, whether clothing or excessive body weight. These things are not inherently wrong, but for the diligent runner, or the faithful Christian they must be removed.
Second, it is to be run by putting off the entangling sin. This seems to refer to the one sin above all others that defeats a Christian. This may be a different sin for each individual. Third, it is to be run with patience (Gr. hypomones). Since patience is not an attribute commonly associated with running, this word would be better translated as endurance. Endurance and persistence have been on the author’s mind since the end of chapter 10 (cf. 10:32, 36-38, 11:13).’
There you have it friends, our race is all about faith, learning from the faithful exploits of those who have gone before us and setting glorious examples, glorious witness and testimony for those who are coming after us. And remember our race is not a sprint, but a marathon, and those require much endurance and strength, both physical and spiritual, that’s why we need to practice, and practice seriously if we truly desire to win our individual races. And friends, the ability to do that is certainly enhanced when Jesus is our focus, cause remember we can do all things through Him, who strengthens us.
Thus, the second verse of Hebrews 12 boldly continues: ‘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) Oh my people, that verse is key, for it is Jesus who began our faith and completed the first race in it.
And the scholars declare it thus: ‘12:2. Just as verse 1 establishes some qualities for the entrance into and the actual running of life’s race, so verse 2 directs one’s eyes to the finish line. Jesus is the author and finisher in that He has already blazed the trail and finished the course.’
That makes Him the best example to follow in running our race. ‘For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (discouraged) in your minds (souls). Ye have not yet resisted unto blood (bloodshed), striving against sin.’ (Heb. 12:3-4)
And the scholars explain: ‘12:3-4. Though chapter 11 provides many champions for believers to emulate, the supreme example of endurance is Jesus Himself.’ Make no doubt about that my brethren! Jesus is the example that our heavenly Father wants us to emulate. Yes, He knows that it won’t be easy, but that’s why He has blessed us so profusely with all the parts and trappings to be successful.
And let’s thank our lucky stars, or should I say, our heavenly Father, (smile) that very few of us will have to undergo and endure the sad and brutal punishment that Jesus endured for our sinful sakes. That means we need to show gratitude by putting our best foot forward in supporting and promoting His wonderful cause. And He’s so magnificent and magnanimous that He’s even given us the tools to help us do His work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. Wow! So let’s remind ourselves of them as we go home this bright but cold Thursday morning nuh.
As one strong, confident but humble voice. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having declared them, let’s now go out, or stay in, or whatever, and share them with others, use them to benefit others, just as magnanimously as Christ has done with and for us. Much LOVE!
…the Lord knew we needed help in witnessing…that’s why He provided so many good examples…the best being Jesus…
28 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cloud of witnesses, appointments, at the right hand of the throne of God, author, blazed the trail, blessings, broken resolves, champions, clothing, common sense, compassed about, consistent, control my impulses, despising the shame, discern motives, emotions, endurance, endured the cross, entangling sin, excessive body weight, excuses, failures, faith, faithful Christian, finished the course, firm, flimsy excuses, focusing on the glorious future of jesus, foolish blunders, gave thanks, glad to be alive, God's great earth, gratefulness, heroes of faith, hide from God, impediments, invincible power, is set down, joy, lay aside every weight, lift our voices in praise and thanks, living by faith, looking unto Jesus, magnificent and magnanimous God, martyrs, my hands are on the plough, never quit, new every morning, no leftovers, not looking back, omni-present, omnipotent, omniscient, One Year Book of Bible promises, originator, patience, penetrating gaze, perfecter, perseverance, race of faith, run the race, Ruth Harms Calkin, self-educated, shame, sin, steadfast, strengthen my will, surrounded, tender mercies, testify, the breath of life, unreached goals, valuable gems, wasted time, Wednesday Wail, wrong choices
Hebrews 12:2. 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.
Well my faithful brethren, we’ve been treated to yet another glorious day on God’s great earth! Wow! I sincerely hope that we gave much thanks when we awakened to this bright new day, for the Lord deserves our gratefulness for all the blessings He bestows on us, His beautiful children. (smile)
Remember His tender mercies are new every morning; we don’t get yesterday’s leftovers. So please, let’s not forget to lift our voices in praise and thanks every time we open our eyes to a new morn. It is very mete and right to do so.
Now listen to something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that is ever so appropriate to many of us believers. It’s simply called ‘EXCUSES.’
And it says: ‘O God I’ve become a self-educated master Of a thousand polished excuses. Hoping to avoid your penetrating gaze I clutch them to me like valuable gems. When I think I have myself thoroughly covered I’m caught short with the realization That You see right through me. My flimsy excuses are never really hidden.
I find an excuse for all my failures Wrong choices Late appointments Wasted time. I excuse my foolish blunders, my laziness My broken resolves, my unreached goals. I need Your help, Lord! To hide from You is as foolish As the Grand Canyon Attempting to hide from the sky.
O God, my only hope Lies in Your invincible power To make me what I am not yet But what You know I can become. Strengthen my will, Lord. Make me firm, steadfast, consistent. Control my impulses, my emotions. May I keep pursuing and never quit.’
Oh friends, unfortunately many of us believers try to hide or run from God with flimsy excuses, but common sense ought to tell us that we can never run or hide from a Deity that’s omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present, for He sees and hears all. His vision is so powerful that it can see right down into the very depths of our being and discern our motives, good or bad.
So please let’s wise up and stop trying to run and hide from our heavenly Father nuh. We might be able to do it with our earthly fathers, but definitely not with the One above. And to help us do that, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail with enthusiasm, sincerity and truth.
As one strong voice now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Oh my people, it’s so good to be alive, to feel that glorious breath of God just flowing through my body, letting me know that I am alive; alive and LOVED! Consequently, I’m not looking back, but focusing on the wonderful future that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has planned for me!
Glory to our most magnificent and magnanimous God! What a wonderful God we serve and worship my people! It never ceases to amaze me.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, which is the scripture promise attached to the poem above. ‘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.’
Oh my brethren, what wonderful words of advice! As we said above, our eyes and hearts ought to be focused exclusively on Jesus! Why? Because He is indeed the originator and perfecter of our faith! He began it all, and He will end it all!
And the first verse of the chapter, that before our Bit, gives us the basic reason for looking unto Jesus. ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about (surrounded by) with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside very 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)
Yeh friends, the author of Hebrews, which I firmly believe is Bruh Paul, uses the metaphor of a race to describe our earthly pilgrimage. Now hear is how the scholars break down that verse.
’12:1. The present exhortation to run finds its basis in the examples of the champions mentioned in chapter 11. These heroes of the faith are like a cloud of witnesses. As “witnesses: (Gr. marturon) they are sometimes regarded as spectators (Gr. theatai) or as martyrs; yet this Greek word should be understood as referring simply to those who testify or witness. The emphasis is on the witness provided by their living by faith.
The race of faith is described by three modifying statements. First, it is to be run by laying aside every weight. This refers to the impediments that weigh one down, whether clothing or excessive body weight. These things are not inherently wrong, but for the diligent runner or the faithful Christian they must be removed.
Second, it is to be run by putting off the entangling sin. This seems to refer to the one sin above all others that defeats a Christian. This may be a different sin for each individual. Third, it is to be run with patience (Gr. hypomones).
Since patience is not an attribute commonly associated with running, this word would be better translated as endurance (as it is in the cognate verb forms of vv. 2 –3). Endurance and persistence have been on the author’s mind since the end of chapter 10 (cf. 10:32; 36-38; 11:13).’
Now hear some words from the scholars on our Bit. ’12:2. Just as verse 1 establishes some qualities for the entrance into and the actual running of life’s race, so verse 2 directs one’s eyes to the finish line. Jesus is the author and finisher in that He has already blazed the trail and finished the course.’
Oh my people, this earthly race is often difficult to run, and to do it successfully we need to keep our eyes trained on Jesus, because He is the One who first ran the race and successfully completed it. In other words, He laid a path for us to follow. So please, let’s be wise and follow it nuh. Much LOVE!
…only as we stick to the path laid down by Jesus…with endurance and perseverance…can we run life’s race successfully…
P.S. Please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but I had a rather late night, which means a late morning too. (smile)
26 Apr 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a doer of the work, a forgetful hearer, a soft rain, assurance, Bobby Schuller, bondage, bounden duty, burdensome, by love, Christian, christianity, everything is right with our world, freedom, fulfill the law of christ, gentleness, glorifying God, God is on the throne, godly enthusiasm, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, Jesus' teachings, leaves budding, legalism, liberty, licence to sin, living by faith, Love thy neighbour as thyself, messianic King, moral condition, nothing to worry about, occasion to the flesh, overtaken in a fault, serve one another, shall be blessed in his deed, share His love with the world, show partiality, sin, sincerity, spirit of meekness, spiritual freedom, spring has finally sprung, stand fast, temptation, the annals of history, the beauty of our faith, the body of Christ, the grass is green, the perfect law of liberty, the principles of sin and death, the royal law, the yoke of bondage, transgressor, Tuesday Mantra, words of encouragement
James 1:25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (in what he does).
Aye mih breddren, it’s Tuesday; Monday has been relegated to the annals of History, so let’s not procrastinate and put off nuh, but use this present day to do what needs doing, above all, glorifying our wonderful, amazing, awesome God! Yes friends, for that’s the number One reason we were so wonderfully made.
And I believe we can truly say that spring has finally sprung in my area, because for the second consecutive day, there’s a soft rain falling gently on the land, the grass is green, and there are buds on the branches of the trees.
And more importantly, a few trees are even brave and bold enough to have some leaves already budding out. Oh glory to God, that winter has finally gone back to wherever it came from – for at least another few months! (smile)
So since our great God is still on His throne, and everything is right in our world, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with true sincerity and godly enthusiasm nuh.
All together now: ‘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 the world. Amen.’
Oh my people, my people, what beautiful words of encouragement and assurance! When we sincerely believe that mantra, then we have absolutely nothing to worry about. Oh, there will be trials and tribulations, Jesus promised that, but deep down we will be assured that they will be properly taken care of in God’s time and in His own particular way. That’s the beauty of our faith!
So please, let’s not allow the wily enemy to deceive us into thinking otherwise. As I said last week, using Cousin Bobby’s (Robert Schuler 111) testimony, if you’re not sure, not convinced, then please repeat the mantra everyday, several times a day, until you can feel truly assured in your soul.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, which I hope to conclude today – no promises though. (smile) ‘But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (in what he does). And that’s a sincere promise from our ever-faithful God!
And as we’ve been doing, we’ll continue looking at the references the scholars gave about the perfect law of liberty. ‘It is a law of liberty because it frees from the principles of sin and death.’
And today’s reference comes from Galatians, where Bruh Paul gives forth on Living by faith. ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’ (Gal.5:1)
And the scholars explain that verse thus: ‘5:1. The verse could be rendered: “For freedom Christ freed us. Therefore stand fast and do not again be subject to a yoke of bondage.” The “freedom” in view is freedom from the law, here called “a yoke of bondage.” Paul wants the Galatians to “stand fast,” that is, retain their spiritual freedom.’
And I’m asking us today to do the same thing my fellow believers: let’s not fall back, lapse back into the bondage of the law, but continue truthfully and vibrantly in the spiritual freedom that Christ died for us to have.
And later on in that same chapter, Bruh Paul further advises the Galatians: ‘For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by LOVE serve one another.’ (Gal.5:13)
And the scholars explain thus: ‘5:13. Having shown freedom from the law to be proper protection from legalism (vv.1-12), Paul now demonstrates it to be a proper antidote against unrestrained license to sin (vv.13-26).
Believers are not to abuse their liberty from the law for an occasion (opportunity) to the flesh (sinful nature). That is, don’t think freedom from the law means you can indulge in sin; it means instead that you are free to serve God by serving one another.’
Now that’s something we all seriously have to work on friends, since many of us falsely believe that because of that very freedom, plus the overwhelming forgiveness and mercy of our magnanimous God, we have a licence to willfully sin.
But that’s the furthest thing from the truth my brethren. When we truly come to God and truly have Him ensconced in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, then because of the great LOVE we bear Him, willfully falling to sin and temptation should not even enter our consciousness. It ought to make us strive not to sin.
And the last part of the explanation re the law of liberty is: ‘James also describes it as the royal law (2:8) for it is the law of the messianic King.’
And pertaining to that, James 2:8 says: ‘If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. But if ye have respect to persons (show partiality), ye commit sin, and are convinced (convicted) of the law as a transgressor.’ (James 2:8-9) I felt that last verse was necessary to show the true context of verse 8.
And that brings us to Galatians again, where Bruh Paul is talking about applications of new principles. ‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken (caught) in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness (gentleness), considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.’ (Gal.6:1-2)
Yeh friends, if we deliberately overstep those divine boundaries and fall into sin, those of us who walk by the Spirit, whose life shows the fruit of the Spirit, ought to talk to the Christian believer who has gone astray and try to bring them back to their normal moral condition.
And we need to do it all in LOVE, handle it delicately, while all the time making sure that we aren’t caught up in the same carnality, which is so easy to do.
And per verse 2, the scholars explain: ‘6:2. Contextually, the burdens are the moral faults of verse 1, but can have wider application to other kinds of burdens. The law of Christ is the sum of all Jesus’ teachings and desires; it is Christianity itself.’
And here endeth the lesson for today friends. (smile) We have indeed concluded the last message in the perfect law of liberty series. I do hope that we now have a much better understanding of what it means and how it applies to us, both as individuals and as the church, the body of Christ.
Please, let’s put all that we have learned into proper use nuh, so that we can advance the gospel of Christ, which is our bounden duty as believers. Much LOVE!
…Christianity…the law of Christ…is not as burdensome as legalism…the law of man…
18 Jun 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a comprehensive guide, Be exalted, blessed, bounden duty, circumcised, circumcision, delight, encouraging, estranged from Christ, faith, fallen from grace, favour, for by grace you have been saved, free from sin, gift of grace, glory, glory hallelujah, God will never leave nor forsake us, God's love is everlasting, God's planet earth, godly life, grace, greatest gift ever bestowed on man, grow in grace, hope, it is the gift of God, justification, justified by the law, living by faith, LOVE, my past is forgiven, not of yourselves, One Year Book of Bible promises, patience, peaks of delight, perseverance, Rare Moments of Delight, righteousness., Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, saved through faith, Scrip-Bit land, showing respect to our Creator, sojourn on earth, thanks and praise, the BIBLE, the ecstasy of feeling, the Holy Spirit, the sure knowledge of God, this is the day the Lord has made, truth, uncircumcised, under the protective umrbrella of Christ, uplifting, we shall win, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, words of thanks, You will guide me
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Well hello there all you beautiful people out there in Scrip-Bit Land! Welcome to a terrific Thursday morning on God’s planet Earth! The sun’s shining, the birds are singing and all nature is showing respect to our Creator. So, as God’s most important creation, it is only meet and right that we too should offer a few words of thanks.
Please say with me: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ Yes Friends, we don’t know how long our sojourn will be on this earth, so it is in our best interest to enjoy it as much as possible, and that can only be done successfully if we’re walking under the protective umbrella of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
And all God’s children said ‘Glory Hallelujah! All thanks and praise be to our wonderful God!’
Now hear these words from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s titled ‘Rare Moments of Delight.’ ‘
Because You are God and Your Word is unquestionable There are things I assuredly know Even when my heart is a brambled desert And every ounce of emotion is drained: I know Your LOVE is everlasting I know You will never forsake me Nor will you leave me comfortless I know I may come to you boldly I know you will teach and instruct me
You will guide me with Your eye I know my past is forgiven And my future is secure. But oh, dear God How I praise You for the marvel Of those rare, mysterious moments When suddenly, without a flash or a sound You add to my knowing The ecstasy of feeling And I am lifted to peaks of delight!’
Oh my people, aren’t those beautiful sentiments? They surely are! For when you have your sure knowledge of God enlightened even more by ‘the ecstasy of feeling,’ then you have the ultimate experience of godly life! And that can only work to our benefit.
And the Bible verse associated with that poem are words of Bruh David from Psalm 108 – Israel looks to God for help. ’Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.’ (Ps.108:5)
And that my Friends, is something we need to work very diligently at having come to pass. For it’s not going to happen on its own, especially in such a godless world as we currently have.
We believers have to make up our minds and then get out there and with patience and perseverance, make sure that our great and wonderful God is exalted over all the earth. That is our bounden duty, so please let’s not abdicate it.
Now let’s turn to our ever uplifting and encouraging Bit of so many previous days. ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:’
Oh my people, what words of heartwarming and absolute truth! I refuse to even think of what our lives would have been like without that awesome and free gift of grace from our ever-LOVING God! It would not only have been hell on earth, but also hell in hell too! (smile)
And all God’s people cried out with true and heart-felt gratitude: ‘Oh thank You heavenly Father for Your awesome gift of grace that set me free from sin and the damnation of hell, through the sacrificial shedding of the precious blood of your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary!’
Yes my brethren, that is the greatest gift that mankind has ever received! But unfortunately most of mankind has chosen to reject it. What stupidity! Now the unenviable task of making them see sense and reason has been giving to us the comparative handful of believers.
But you know what my people? We shall persevere, and with the Lord’s help, we shall WIN in the end! Please have no doubts about that. For the Lord won’t give us a task to perform that He knows we are unable to complete.
Now let’s look at some scripture passages in this the last message on this Bit about God’s awesome grace. And I hear a lot of ‘Thank the Lord!’ emanating from the supposed true believers. (smile) But seriously Friends, if we truly desire to learn God’s Word, we just can’t expect to deal with a different subject every day.
The Bible is a comprehensive guide to earthly living and to know and follow it, one has to delve deep, get deeply involved in it, not just simply a page, or a topic a day, but oftimes repeating the same page and topic for several days, until we fully understand it.
Now listen to Bruh Paul as he talks to the Galatians about living by faith. ‘Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do (obligated to keep) the whole law.
Christ is become of no effect unto you (You have become estranged from Christ), whosoever of you are justified (attempt to be justified) by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit (eagerly) wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by LOVE.’ (Gal.5:2-6)
And the scholars offer us these explanations on those verses. ‘5:2. If ye be circumcised: Circumcision was the external ritual symbolizing acceptance of the law (v.3). In such a case, one depended on legal works rather than on God’s grace as the means of salvation. Christ, then, shall profit you nothing.’
‘5:4. This verse could be translated: “You will be severed from Christ, if you try to be justified by law; you will forfeit the favour in God’s eyes which Christ won for you.” This does not teach the loss of salvation which one earlier possessed. Rather it means that if the readers truly renounces grace through faith alone as the way of salvation, if they depend on legalism to secure divine favour, then they show that they never really knew God’s grace in the first place.’
‘5:5. Through the Spirit means that by the Holy Spirit’s help, which is obtained by faith, believers wait for the hope of righteousness, that is, live the Christian life awaiting the consummation of their salvation.’
‘5:6. For justifies the importance given faith in verse 5. In Christianity one does not profit spiritually either by being circumcised or uncircumcised. Faith which worketh by LOVE means “faith that is produced by LOVE.” Faith is man’s response to God who LOVES him, and this divine LOVE that produces human faith results in his justification.’
Oh Friends, I do hope that these explanations help us understand God’s Word more fully, for that’s my intention of including them in the Bit. But you have to take them seriously and let them seep into, then steep in your souls, so that you can get the maximum benefit from them.
Now let’s end this series of messages on grace, with a final word from the Rock, Peter. ‘But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.’ (2 Pet.3:18)
Oh my people, I could not have put it any better! So please let’s go out and do what Peter advises nuh, for that’s indeed heavenly wisdom! Much LOVE!
…oh what joy it is…to be blessed with the grace of God…there’s absolutely nothing in this world to compare…
P.S. Yes Friends, it’s long and late, but it is ever so uplifting and encouraging that you can’t help but longingly delve into it. (smile) Much LOVE!
12 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversity, afflictions, aura of love, backbone, battle hymn, believer in Jesus Christ, belly, bombarded, buffeted, cast down, chains, confidence, conflict, covenant, despair, destroyed, distressed, divine grace, dying of Jesus, earthen vessels, enthusiasm, exhortation, faith, fateful words, finish the course, forsaken, fortitude, furtherance of the gospel, glorious heights, glorious kingdom, God's sake, godless world, good news of Christ, great things, hard knocks, high standard, holy living, holy spirit, human genius, humanity, humble heart, humble servants, imprisonment, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, joy, lacklustre endeavours, lies, living by faith, lord god almighty, manna, maturity in Jesus, Monday, mortal flesh, passion, perplexed, persecuted, petty excuses, rejuvenation of spirit, religion, renewed vitality, salvation, sincere prayer, sincere reverence, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, steadfastness, suffer for Christ's sake, suffering, sure conquerors, testify, the gospel, the grace of God, theological basis, theology, treasure, trials, troubled, true believer, true Christian, ungodly world, unspeakable truth, useful purpose, weakness, weary souls, wicked taunts, wiles, without fear, zeal
Acts 9:16. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday! Yes, it’s time to get ready to go out and labour! And I don’t want to hear any nonsense about yuh tired or blue, or any such selfish, petty excuse. If you’re a true Christian, a true believer in Jesus Christ, then you have the necessary parts to conquer whatever is holding you back.
So let’s be humble and cast our cares on Jesus, as He’s repeatedly told us to do, and ask for our daily bread, our share of divine grace to handle today. And like the Lord gave the Israelites manna, food sufficient for each day, for forty years in the wilderness, He’ll do the same for us if we come before Him and ask with a humble heart and sincere reverence.
So without further ado, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn as though we really mean it, because I want to finish this Bit on Bruh Paul today, and there’s still a lot to talk about.
With one, loud, harmonious voice then, let’s sing: ‘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!’
That was excellent singing Friends! Now let’s go out into this godless world and put it all into practice, like Bruh Paul did. And as we do, let’s remember to thank the Lord that we don’t have to bear the extremely hard knocks that Bruh Paul bore in spreading the good news of Christ. For the Lord certainly lived up to His promise to Ananias in our Bit. ‘For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.’
Now living for Christ means facing some adversity, but whatever they are, let’s hope we face them with the faith, trust and confidence that Bruh Paul did. Listen as we continue with his feelings and sentiments to the trials he experienced. This passage comes from 2 Corinthians. It’s one many of us know and use conveniently. Here, Bruh Paul is talking about living by faith.
‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.’ (2 Cor.4:7-11)
Ah mih people, that level of growth and maturity in Jesus that Bruh Paul exhibits there is not easy to obtain. But it is possible in conjunction with Christ, and as a believer, it’s expected that we’ll all seriously try to reach those glorious heights. And here’s some useful info from the scholars on verse 7 above.
‘Earthen vessels: In the wilderness under the old covenant, God’s presence dwelt in a tent, (the ark). Today He dwells in the believer’s heart. This is unspeakable truth and forms a theological basis for holy living (cf. 1 Cor. 6:19-20) But the stress here is on ‘earthen.’ An earthenware jar is brittle. It depicts humanity in its weakness. The gospel is not a product of human genius or clever intellect (humanity in its strength). Yet it resides in men of clay, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.’
Now let’s turn to Philippians, where Bruh Paul tells them: ‘But I would ye should understand (want you to know), brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen (turned) out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. So that my bonds in Christ (chains are for Christ) are manifest (well known) in all the palace (by all the palace guard), and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing (becoming) confident by my bonds (chains), are much more bold to speak the word without fear.’ (Phil.1:12-14)
Yes Friends, lots of people in and around the palace knew of Bruh Paul’s imprisonment for Christ’s sake and thus heard about the gospel, which pleased him immensely. And it even made some of the other believers confident enough to publicly promote the gospel. So in Bruh Paul’s mind, instead of it being a disappointment, his imprisonment actually spread the gospel more than if he’d been free.
Then at the end of that chapter, in exhorting them to steadfastness, he tells them: ‘For unto you it (salvation) is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.’ (Phil. 1:29-30)
Oh Friends, that means that salvation from God came to us and the Philippians because of Jesus’ suffering, so that if we want it, we’ll have to suffer some, like Jesus to get it. As well, some of the Philippians were then facing persecution like they saw Bruh Paul do some ten years before in Philippi, when he was beaten and imprisoned, and was again undergoing in the Roman prison, from which he wrote.
And we’ll end this series of messages on Bruh Paul with these fateful words to the Ephesian elders whom he called to Miletus to meet with him. ‘And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save (except) that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds (chains) and afflictions abide (await) me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.’ (Acts 20:22-24)
Oh Friends, in closing, my fervent wish and sincere prayer is that all believers will eventually come to a truly high standard of belief and faith in Christ Jesus, like Bruh Paul, and spread the Word as selflessly and unafraid as he did. Then and only then will God’s glorious kingdom be truly furthered with the zeal and passion that’s absent from our current lacklustre endeavours. Much LOVE!
…to move this wicked, ungodly world towards Christ…believers need to have…enormous amounts of faith, fortitude, belly and backbone…
17 Jun 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blaze of glory, a brand new life, affirmations, aura of love, blessings and mercies, broken promises, Christ is risen, christian heritage, compassion, cup of salvation, faithful promise, fakes, Father's Day, fellow believers, glorious kingdom, God's faithfulness, hangovers, holy spirit, humble servants, hypocrites, I believed, I have spoken, invincible, jobs, joy in heaven, lies, living by faith, Monday Battle Hymn, one body of Christ, petty grievances, Praise the Lord, proper perspective, rejuvenation of spirit, sacrifice of thanksgiving, sacrificial death, selfless act, sinful souls, steadfast faith, sure conquerors, the goodness of God, the land of the living, throes of death, walk before God, weary souls, wicked taunts
Psalm 116:9: I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday! But before you steups and make yourself miserable, just look ahead and you’ll see our great God’s faithfulness in another beautiful day breaking on the horizon.
Yes my fellow believers, the sun is rising in a blaze of glory, but please remember that the SON has already risen in His even bigger blaze of glory, which brought with it, the faithful promise of a brand new life for all of us who believe in Him!
With that selfless act, He redeemed our sinful souls from the throes of eternal death and damnation. And if that isn’t something to be extremely glad and thankful for, then I certainly don’t know what is!
So on this Monday morning when we’re faced with the difficult task of getting up to go to work, let’s remember what Jesus did for us, and put away all the petty grievances and ills, especially the hangovers from the too hectic Father’s Day celebrations yesterday (smile) and rise and shine like He asked us to.
Let’s allow that bright light of His that dwells in us to shine through brightly in our words and actions today as we interact with others in the work world, be they believers or non-believers! That’s the mark of a real follower of Jesus!
So with that proper perspective now running in our souls, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with great gusto, for Christ is risen indeed, and so have we, to another glorious day on planet earth, one chock-filled with God’s new blessings and mercies!
Now let’s sing in harmony, as one voice, one body of Christ Jesus, our wonderful Lord and Saviour!
‘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!’
Awright mih people! That was marvellous! Even the Father applauded and gave us a standing ‘O’! Wow!
There’s great joy in heaven this Monday morning Friends, so let’s replicate that joy down here on earth nuh. In light of what’s happening in heaven, it’s the only wise and sensible thing to do.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, which seems rather appropriate to all that’s gone before. ‘I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.’
Oh Friends, that’s certainly a powerful statement and promise for the psalmist to make! Now why did he feel obliged to make it eh? The psalm itself is superscripted ‘Praise for deliverance from death,’ and just before our Bit, the psalmist explains the reason for that most worthwhile promise:
‘The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped (saved) me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul: for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.’ (Ps.116:6-8)
Ah my brethren, that definitely sounds like a rather good reason for making a promise to walk before the Lord in the land of the living!
Now many of us have been saved from similar life threatening circumstances, but have we afterward ever made such a bold promise to God for showing us His infinite mercy and compassion? Not as many as should!
And for those few who have, are we keeping that promise? I surely hope so, since our God doesn’t take kindly to broken promises. Better not to promise, than promise and not pay. (Eccl.5:5)
And in the verse after our Bit, the psalmist makes another provocative statement: ‘I believed, therefore have I spoken:’ (Ps.116:10a)
Now though that sounds simple, it’s such a powerful and compelling scripture that Bruh Paul uses it in his second letter to the Corinthians, re living by faith. ‘We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;’ (2 Cor.4:13)
Oh my people, I ask us now, do we believe? And if so, have we spoken? I surely hope so, because it’s a very important part, in fact a necessity in our Christian heritage to speak what we believe, otherwise our beliefs are selfish and consequently useless to others.
It just shows that we don’t think highly enough of our faith to talk about what we believe, and that’s simply making a mockery of Jesus and His sacrificial death.
Please note Bruh David’s similar statement to our Bit in Psalm 27, ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation.’ He declares with certain confidence and trust: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps.27:13)
Oh my people, we too are in the land of the living, and likewise claim to believe in the same God, therefore we should also exercise and claim that same confidence and trust in the goodness and magnanimity of our God, otherwise we’re just fakes and hypocrites, which we obviously don’t want to be.
So just as we begun today with affirmations in the Lord, let’s end the same way nuh.
Listen to the psalmist: ‘What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people….
I will offer thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people. In the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. (Hallelujah) Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps.116:12-14, 17-19)
Oh Friends, that’s the proper response and reaction to faith, trust and thanksgiving to Almighty God!
Let’s go forth today and act in like manner nuh, since we all have put our faith and trust in Him, and we surely have a lot to be thankful for. Much LOVE!
…true believers ought to have a heart burning with LOVE…just like Jesus…and a life shining brightly…reflecting His awesome light…
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