12 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stiffnecked people, a zeal for God, be renewed and revitalized, children of the Most High God Jehovah, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, establish their own righteousness, faith, generous grace and mercy, god moves in mysterious ways, God's greatest creation, God's initiative in grace, God's omnipotent power, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God, hearken unto the word of the Lord, heat advisory, holy spirit, hurry, if God spares life, ignorant of God's righteousness, in god's eyes, in thy mouth and in thy heart, Israel mistook the purpose of the law, Israel's foolish rejection of Christ, Jesus Christ, lift our heads and hearts to heaven, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, man's humble obedience to God's grace, mercy, mistook the scope of the law, not according to knowledge, others can come to know and love Christ like we do, pinned their hopes on their own religious achievement, promises of rain, righteousness is universally available, righteousness only attainable by belief in Christ, salvation, say not in thine heart, seeking redemption in God's mercy, share His love with my neighbours, substituted works for faith, Thank You Lord, thanks to God's goodness and mercy, the awesome truth, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the law points to, the purpose of the law, the word is nigh thee, the word of faith, to all who respond to God's revelation of Himself, to every one that believes, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesuss, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn from their rebellious ways, we can do anything within God's will, we praise and glorify your holy name, who shall ascend into heaven, who shall descend into the deep, wisdom, worry, your undying love
Romans 10:8. The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach;
And then it was Tuesday, with Monday being consigned to the confines of history. But unfortunately only the name has changed, for it’s still a very hot and humid summer’s day, with an ongoing heat advisory, although there are some vague promises of rain in the offing…but I wouldn’t count on that, because I’ve heard that story before. (smile) Anyway, however it turns out, let’s remember that we are children of the Most High God Jehovah, and can do anything we need to, within His will, and with His omnipotent power.
And all God’s children cried out in thanksgiving: ‘Thank You Lord for your undying LOVE, and generous grace and mercy, without which we would certainly be in an even bigger muddle than we currently are in! We praise and glorify Your Holy Name! Amen!’ And isn’t that the awesome truth! For without our hope, faith and trust in Almighty God, we’d be in really bad shape. But thanks to His goodness and mercy, we can lift up our heads and hearts, hands and eyes to heaven and be renewed and revitalized.
Now, I’m chuckling here, because our God is indeed a great God, and does move in mysterious ways, for a few minutes ago, I opened the Good Library in front of me, but never paid attention to where it opened. But just now I looked at it and saw it opened unto the epistle of Bruh Paul to the Romans, and right there was the stuff that we were just talking about. Bruh Paul, in writing to Israel about their foolish rejection of Christ, tells them:
‘Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record (witness) that they have a zeal of (for) God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth (writes about) the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.’ (Rom. 10:1-5)
And what does all of that mean? The scholars explain it thus: ‘Christ is the end of the law: Israel mistook the purpose of the law. The law pointed to the righteousness that is attainable only by belief in Christ. Israel also mistook the scope of the law. The righteousness to which it pointed was universally available to all who responded to God’s revelation of Himself through the law. But by Paul’s time many had substituted works for faith. Rather than seeking redemption in God’s mercy, they pinned their hopes on their own religious achievement.’
And Bruh Paul continues: ‘But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, who shall descend into the deep (abyss)? (that is, to bring Christ up again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh (near) thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach;’ (Rom. 10:5-8)
Now that certainly sounds like a mouthful, but as the scholars explain: ‘Paul skillfully weaves together quotations from Deuteronomy 9:4, and 30:10-14, which speak of God’s initiative in grace and man’s humble obedience to it. He then applies this truth to the gospel of Christ.’ And briefly, in the passage from Deuteronomy 9, Moses is castigating the people, letting them know that the Lord is not offering them the Promised Land because of their righteousness or uprightness of their heart, but because of the wickedness of the nations who then inhabited it. For Israel were a stiffnecked, or rebellious and stubborn people.
Meanwhile in Deuteronomy 30, Moses is telling Israel they can get away from their cursed life, if they turn from their rebellious ways and hearken unto the word of the Lord, and keep His commandments with all their hearts and souls. ‘For this commandment which I command thee this day, is not hidden from thee (is not too mysterious for thee), neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh (near) unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.’ (Deut. 30:11-14)
Ah friends, Bruh Paul had to know his scriptures to so skillfully weave those points from Moses into his own teaching. In other words, God’s commandments and Word is not far from us, that we have to depend on someone to get them for us. No! They have already been offered to us, and consequently are right with us; in our hearts, mouths, souls and bodies. Therefore it’s up to us to follow them. And I think we’ll stop there for today, because the Bit will get too long and heavy, if we continue with the rest of the stuff we want to talk about. So tomorrow, if God spares life, we’ll continue talking about Bruh Paul’s take, on the word of faith.
Now, for those of us who are doing our best to live the way we ought to, 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 said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…we don’t deserve anything from God…but because of His great LOVE and compassion for us…His greatest creation…He generously offers us all that He is and has…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a source of strength and resilience within us, accept God's gifts, as a blood bought truth, be not afraid only believe, be of good cheer, bombarding us with carnal things, cling to every promise of scripture, comfort, distract us from our witness for Christ, duty bound, experience one disappointment too many, faith, fearful times, go and pray into me, God will not fail us, God will not renege on His promises, great faith, greater is he that is in you, guidance, help me to see a shimmer of hope, hold on, holy spirit, hope seems naive, hurry, i have overcome the world, I rpay to know somewhere in my soul, I will hearken unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, in god's eyes, in me ye might have peace, in the name of Jesus, in the world ye shall have tribulation, In Touch Devotional, it takes work and faith on our part to believe, jaded moments, Jesus and Jairus, Jesus Christ, Jesus keeps all of His promises, life is not an easy road to hoe, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make it to the next day, mercy, move the world, nothing shall be impossible to you, on the hard days, one proviso, our Christian motto, prayers met with silence, refuge for our souls, remove and it shall remove, salvation, say unto this mountain, share His love with my neighbours, sincere prayer, something for a fool, surpasses all external forces, than he that is in the world, that it's safe to trust you, the beloved of God, the Christian life, the gospel truth, the power of God is stronger than the powers in the world, the rough and tumble times, these things I have spoken unto you, this earthly sojourn, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn to you, waiting in faith, when ye search for me with all your heart, whom we belong to, wisdom, with the whole wide world, worry, ye shall call upon me, ye shall seek me and find me
Mark 5:36b. Be not afraid, only believe.
So friends, it’s now Tuesday, we’ve successfully gotten past our nemesis, Monday, and are well on our way to a glorious week of work, all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! What a blessing it is to have Jesus in our lives, to help us travel the ofttimes rocky road we call life. But even with Jesus in our lives, this earthy sojourn is still not any easy road to hoe, for all kinds of ungodly things and powers keep fighting for our attention, bombarding us with all sorts of carnal things, trying to distract us from our witness for Christ.
But that’s where sincere prayer comes in, it helps to quiet our souls, our worries and our fears. And today we’ll look at one such prayer from the July In Touch Devotional. So please pray with me. ‘Lord, when my prayers are met with silence or I experience one disappointment too many, hope seems naïve, something for a fool. In those jaded moments, I pray to know somewhere in my soul – deep, deep down – that it’s safe to trust You, God. On the hard days, help me to see a shimmer of hope and hold on, to turn to You and make it to the next day. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
And you know what friends, we all experience such days, especially in these fearful and crazy times our world is currently going through. But it’s worth noting that Jesus is our help in any and every situation, we just need to call on Him. But there’s one proviso, as stated in the Book of Jeremiah. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13)
Yes my people, we can’t only run to Jesus when life gets tough and forget about Him in the good times. We have to be continually having communion with Him, so that when those rough and tumble times come, we’re already in His presence and we don’t have to go searching for Him like crazy, as so many of us seem to do. And as long as we live, there will be problems, hurts, disappointments and all the other unfortunate moments of life. But let’s remember what Jesus said as per those times: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Now that’s much easier said than done, but if you truly believe in Jesus, then you will know that He’s faithful to keep all His promises, but it also takes work and faith on our part to stay strong and believe His words. It all doesn’t happen automatically like so many supposed believers think. No! It’s a two way street. God has a part to play, and so do we, but until we do ours, God won’t do His. So all the promises in the Bible are sincere and true, but in most cases we have something to do to access them, like believing and waiting in faith.
Remember the incident with Jesus and Jairus, the Jewish synagogue ruler who came to Him seeking help for his sick daughter? As He was on His way to heal her, He got waylaid by the woman with the twelve years issue of blood. But as Jesus was talking to the woman, He overheard them tell Jairus that His daughter was dead. He immediately turned to Jairus and said, ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ (Mark 5:36) And that ought to be our Chrisitan motto! Be not afraid, only believe, for when we do that, the powers of heaven align with us and take us through the tough times.
And I like how this commentary explains that verse. ‘So what does it mean for the Christian to not fear, but only believe? It means to cling to every promise of scripture as a blood bought truth and refuge for our souls. It means to trust that God will not fail us, that He will not prove to be deceptive, that He will not back out of His promises.’ And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! God will never renege on His promises, but we do need to hold on tightly to them, if we want to see them come true.
As Jesus said, ‘If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible unto you.’ (Matt. 17:20) That means with even a small amount of faith, we can do great things and overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. So can you imagine what we can do with great faith? Not only move mountains but move the world!
Then there’s this final question: why do we think we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within us eh? It’s to give us power and faith and hope, comfort and guidance to live the Christian life! But there again, we need to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and do what it commands us if we expect to have divine intervention in our affairs. So friends, let’s wake up this Tuesday afternoon in late July of 2025, and realize that the enemy is bearing down on us with all he has, but we have the power to withstand him, if we choose to do so, for as John writes in his first epistle. ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 1:4)
More indisputable truth my people. The Holy Spirit that lives within us is greater than the devil that’s in the world! As this commentary explains: ‘The verse emphasizes that the power of God residing within believers is stronger than any worldly power or challenge. It suggests that those who believe in God have a source of strength and resilience within them that surpasses any external forces they may encounter.’ But we first need to believe and then work with the power within us for any of it to come true!
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!’
Now, we’re duty bound to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…God’s given us all we need to live the life He desires…but we must first accept His gifts…then put them into action…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a brutish man knoweth not, a good living, as the heavens are higher than the earth, come to know and love him like we do, duty bound, finite understanding, God's infinite ways nd thoughts, holiday, holy spirit, how great are thy works, hurry, I will be glad and rejoice in thee, I will declare all all thy marvellous works, I will praise thee O Lord, I will sing praise to thy name, I will triumph in the works of thy hands, in every thing give thanks, in god's eyes, indisputable truth, internet connection, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, man's most important tasks, mercy, more heat warnings, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, neither doth a fool understand this, O thou most High, Praise the Lord, pray without ceasing, rejoice evermore, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, so are my ways higher than yours, the beloved of God, the big part the internet plays in our lives, the whole wide world, this is the day the Lord has made, this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, thou hast made me glad through thy work, thy faithfulness every night, thy thoughts are very deep, to love the Lord, to show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, with my whole heart, worry, your word is spread worldwide
Psalm 9:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth (tell of) all thy marvellous works.
So it’s Tuesday, the middle of the month of July, another hot day with more heat warnings, and thankfully I’ve finally gotten my internet reconnected. Yes friends, I need to apologize for not publishing a blog since last Friday. But that was because I lost my internet connection on Friday afternoon, and just got it reconnected today. It seems that that I wasn’t alone in my misery, (smile) there was a general outage in my area.
But Brother! You never realize what a big part that internet connection plays in our modern day lives until you don’t have it for some time. You simply feel lost; no phone, no television, no computer, no what’s ap messages! And you can only read so much. Although I have other things I could have done, I just was too lazy to do them, deciding instead to enjoy the holiday. (smile)
But that holiday is now over. Chuh man! Its’ back to the daily grind and common task; the everyday things that life is really about. So why don’t we do the appropriate thing in this situation, that’s give thanks to God for having our internet connection restored. For as Bruh Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:18)
And all God’s children said: ‘Thank you Lord for the restored internet connection through which your Word is spread worldwide. And we pray that it will not be interrupted again, because that means your Word will not be transmitted to those who sincerely need it. We pray it in Jesus’ Name! Amen!’ And to continue in thanksgiving mode, these words of Psalm 9 titled ‘Praise for God’s Judgement,’ seem to be very appropriate. Bruh David writes: ‘I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth (tell of) all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.’ (Ps. 9:1-2)
Oh friends, those are the exact things that we were created for! To be glad and rejoice in God, as well as give Him thanks and praise and spread abroad His marvellous works. So many scriptures point them out that we could hardly forget them, although in our busy world lifestyle, we do. And we’re talking about scriptures like this seminal verse from Psalm 118, one we all know and quote, but don’t live up to as we ought. The psalmist writes: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24)
How many of us get up and say those words and then go out and have a most miserable day because in the busyness of the day, we have removed God from our thoughts? That’s why Bruh Paul instructed us to ‘Rejoice evermore, and to Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-17) When you have a glad heart filled with God, and you keep Him continually in your thoughts, then no matter what the world or it’s evil associates do, you won’t lose your peace and joy. For remember the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh. 8:10) That’s why we need to keep our joy in God as strong and continuous as possible.
Then these wonderful words of Psalm 92, titled ‘Give Thanks to the Lord’ say it all, my fellow believers. So please read with me: ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name O most High: To shew forth (declare) thy LOVING-KINDNESS in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery (lute or lyre); upon the harp with a solemn (harmonic, melodious) sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish (senseless) man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.’ (Ps. 92:1-6)
What words of indisputable truth those are my brethren! We need to give thanks and praise to our great God, for it’s through Him that we have life and a good living, through His great works we enjoy all the benefits of the planet we’re living on, and it’s through His grace and mercy that we triumph in this difficult life. And it’s obvious that a senseless man or a fool cannot understand God’s greatness!
Even those of us who seek to do so will fall far short because as the prophet Isaiah declares on the Lord’s behalf: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9)
It’s as simple as that friends! The Lord God our Creator and Controller’s infinite ways and thoughts are so much higher than our puny and finite understanding. That means, as hard as we may try, we will never understand all that God does…not until we get to the other side. (smile) So it doesn’t make sense to fight what God says, just do it and say ‘Praise the Lord!’
And although all of that is much easier said than done, if we’re to be true believers and disciples of Christ, then we need to do what He says, remembering that He will never ask us to do something without giving us the wherewithal to do it. Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to do His will, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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!’
Now, we’re duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…man’s most important tasks are…to LOVE the Lord…and give Him thanks and praise…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things work together for good, another scorcher, as a father the son in whom he delighteth, be as a tree planted by the waters, be not weary of his correction, be not wise in thine own eyes, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, bring forth thy righteousness as the light., called according to His purpose, casting all your care upon him, cease from anger, christianity, come to know and love him like we do, commit thy way unto the Lord, delight thyself also in the Lord, depart from evil, despise not the chastening of the Lord, direct thy paths, faith, fear the Lord, feed on God's faithfulness, forsake wrath, fret not thyself because of him who prospers, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, give thee the desires of thine heart, god, God will cause us to succeed even in tough times, he cares for you, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he that comes to God, health to thy body, heat warnings, her leaf shall be green, holy spirit, honour the Lord with thy substance, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, hurry, I will not fear what flesh can do to me, in all thy ways acknowledge him, In god I have put my trust, In God will I praise his word, in god's eyes, in the year of drought, it only causes harm, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, let not your heart be troubled, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, marrow to thy bones, mercy, mut believe that He is, neither shall cease from yielding fruit, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, run from your kin to your enemies, s promised never to leave nor forsake us, salvation, shall not be anxious, shall not see when heat comes, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, so shalt thou dwell in the land, spreads out her roots by the river, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the fear of man bringeth a snare, the man who brings wicked schemes to pass, thy barns be filled with plenty, thy judgement as the noonday, thy vats burst out with new wine, to them that love God, trust in the Lord, trust in the Lord and do good, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trust my friend Jesús, truth, Tuesday Mantra, what time I am afraid I will trust in thee, whom the Lord loves he chastens, whoso puts their trust in the Lord shall be safe God, wisdom, with the firstfruits of all thine increase, without faith it is impossible to please God, worry, you believe in God believe also in me
Proverbs 29:25. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe (secure, lit. set on high).
It’s Tuesday friends, and another scorcher, with heat warnings. But we’ve gotten through the last two fiery days with God’s help, so why won’t we get through this one too? No reason whatsoever! For He’s promised numerous times in His word to never leave nor forsake us, if we put our total and sincere trust in Him. And I guess today is a day for reminding ourselves of scriptures that advise us to trust in the Lord God of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But there are so many that I don’t know which ones to choose, so for ease of understanding, we’ll choose some of them with which we’re already acquainted. (smile)
And we’ll begin with this one that shows Bruh David’s awesome trust in God, when he ran from King Saul to his deadly enemies, the Philistines in Gath, and they took him in. He writes in Psalm 56 – Times of Distress: ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God will I praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can to me.’ (Ps. 56:3-4) Now, if you can run to your enemies from your own kin, then that’s showing amazing trust in the God you worship.
And that’s what’s expected of us, when Isaiah awesomely declares: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed (sustained by) thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah (Yahweh) is everlasting strength (the rock of ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4) And if you don’t believe that, then read the rest of that passage, where Isaiah details God’s amazing strength. (Is. 26:5-11)
Now here is another dandy scripture, this time from the pen of the prophet Jeremiah. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8) Wow mih bredrin! That’s a scripture that’s just right for today, with all the heat and drought that’s currently assaulting us. Yes, with total trust in our great God, we have no reason to fear, because He will cause us to succeed even in tough times!
Meanwhile, Peter puts it this way: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) And remember, you can only truly trust when you are submissive to whomever, or whatever you claim to trust in. That’s why the author of Hebrews tells us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6)
Ah mih people, faith is born of trust, you cannot have faith in someone or something unless you have invested trust in the situation or the person. Then there are these verses from Psalm 37, aptly titled, Trust in the Lord, verses we continually quote but never quite live up to them. See if you remember them. (smile)
‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on God’s faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm).’ (Ps. 37:3-8)
So what else can we say about having trust in the Lord eh? Plenty! Just listen to these marvellous verses from the pen of the wisest one, Cousin Sol, also ones we know, but don’t put into full use. In Proverbs, he exhorts and admonishes us thus! ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength, refreshment) to thy bones.
Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:5-12)
And that’s wisdom to the nth degree! So why don’t we put those verses to better use eh? Who knows? But because we don’t, we cannot utilize the fullness of God’s promises and provisions. There’s also this one from Cousin Sol that might not be so familiar. ‘The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe (secure, lit. set on high).’ (Prov. 29:25) Another bit of wise advice.
Then there’s this famous verse from Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Now that calls for great trust to believe that in spite of all our problems, everything will eventually work out for the best. But that’s what our faith is about; trust in Almighty God. It’s like Jesus said: ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.’ (John 14:1) And that’s exactly what we need to do.
And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong 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!’
Now, we are required to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…sincere trust can only come from…strong hope, belief and faith…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: baubles and bangles, Beelzebub, begin to comprehend, brng us back to his fold, Christ came to save the world, Christ died for us, Christ din't come to condemn the world, come to know and love him like we do, duty bound, enduring, eternal separation from Almighty God, everlasting, God commendeth his own love toward us, God created us in His own image, God demonstrated his LOVE for us.', God lead the way to love and forgiveness, God sent His Son Jesus, God so loved the world, God will always love us, God's truth endures to all generations, gospel truth, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, heartache, heat and wildfires, hellfire, his mercy is everlasting, holy spirit, hurry, I feel like a blob, I know that you love me, in god's eyes, innumerable things, insinuate itself, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, no love like God's love, no one can take that from me, not what I do, not what I have, One Year Book of Bible promises, put it in your pipe and smoke it, rain and flooding, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, should not perish, soaring like a graceful eagle, the beloved of God, The Lord is good, the one great certainty of my life, the reality of life, the smart money is all on Jesus, the whole wide world, to die on the cross, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turbulent times, unchanging, walking our talk, whatever happened to disturb me, while we were yet sinners, whosever believeth in him, wildfires, wisdom, worry, You love me, you loved me, you'll love me
Psalm 100:5. For the Lord is good; his mercy (LOVE) is everlasting; and his truth (faithfulness) endureth to all generations.
And it’s a beautiful, sunshiny Tuesday, this third day of June 2025. Temps are in the mid-twenties, and might even reach a record high according to the weather forecasters. But let’s hope not today, for the hot temps are already causing problems out in the Western Provinces, with several wildfires raging because of the hot and dry weather. It’s interesting, but also saddening that some places could be having oodles of rain, with floods threatening, while others are hot and dry, with wildfires in the offing. But that’s the reality of life in today’s world, with an unpredictable climate change scenario.
However, there’s one thing in this world that we know will never change. And what’s that you ask? Let’s read this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin and find out nuh. (smile) The title of the poem is simply ‘You LOVE Me,’ which I’ve most likely shared before, but it’s very appropriate for these tense and turbulent times.
So please read with me: ‘Yesterday, God, I was soaring Like a graceful eagle And You LOVED me. Today I feel like a blob and You LOVE me. Tomorrow I may ask “Whatever happened To disturb me yesterday?” And You’ll LOVE me. God, there innumerable things I cannot begin to comprehend But the one great certainty In all my life is this: I know that You LOVE ME.’
Oh my fellow believers that indeed is one thing we can ALWAYS be sure of! Whatever happens to us, or however we may feel, our great and wonderful God, the One who created us in His own Image and sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay for our sins and bring us back to his fold, that Same One True and Living God will ALWAYS LOVE us! There’s absolutely no doubt about that! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this marvellous verse of scripture, one of my favourites, as written by Bruh Paul to the Roman church.
‘But God commendeth his LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) what a marvellous God we serve my brethren! That means, God LOVED us so much, that He demonstrated that awesome LOVE while we were yet sinners. Yes friends, He didn’t ask us, or wait for us to change before He showed His wonderful care and compassion. No sir! He showed us how much He cared for His human creation, by leading, by showing the way to LOVE and forgiveness.
Oh my faithful believers, our God walked His talk before He even impressed it on us. And walking our talk – that’s our godly talk – ought to be something we continually aspire to, because right now too many of us supposed believers are not even talking the talk of Jesus, much less walking it, and that’s why our world is in such an ungodly mess.
But let’s get back to the fact that our God LOVES us unconditionally and always. Listen to these other scriptures that corroborate it. First off, this marvellous statement from Jesus on the subject. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
Yes mih people, if the Lord didn’t send Jesus to save us, we’d be all be certainly headed for Hades and the terrible consequences it holds for its inmates. But God didn’t want that happen to us all, so He sent His Son and gave us an option. Remember He gave us a certain amount of free will, and hoped that we would be wise and use it to accept His Son and the salvation and eternal life He offers, not the hellfire and damnation the fallen angel Lucifer, offers.
Unfortunately though, many of us still seem to prefer the shiny but worthless baubles and bangles that the evil one holds so alluringly before us to the real McCoy that Jesus offers. What a crying shame to allow the world to have such a foolish hold on us! But we all have to make our own choices, and for your information, the smart money is ALL on Jesus! Yes it is, for Beelzebub doesn’t have anything to offer but heartache and hellfire, and eternal separation from Almighty God, which I keep reminding us is the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul.
Just sit and imagine it nuh: if you choose Satan over God, there’ll come a time when you won’t’ be able to communicate with God, even if you desperately want to, because you’ll be in hell, truly catching hell, and He’ll be in heaven, enjoying life, and neither the twain shall ever meet. So please, please, I implore us to take time and consider our options, for eternity is a much longer time than this earthly life, and whatever you choose now, you’ll have to endure for ever.
And before I forget, with all this preaching, (smile) the Bible Promise for our poem today comes from Psalm 100: ‘For the Lord is good; his mercy (LOVE) is everlasting; and his truth (faithfulness) endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:5) So, let’s put that gospel truth in our pipe and smoke it, inhaling deeply with every puff, (smile) so that it can insinuate itself in all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, until we truly believe and begin to live it!
Now, it’s time go home declaring our Tuesday Wail, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice! ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…there’s no LOVE like God’s LOVE…unchanging, enduring and everlasting
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guest, and smiling did reply, but I have marred them, christianity, crying out for God's love, despising the shame, do our work in fine fashion, dragging their feet, drew nearer to me, endured the cross, enjoy the freedom Jesus offers, enjoy the fruits of His goodness and mercy, enjoying the sinful pleasures of the world, eteranl life, faith, for the joy that was set before him, forsaken and ungodly times, George Herbert, God invites us to sit, God's unconditional LOVE, grace, guilty of dust and sin, have not I the Lord, he that formed the eye, he that planted the ear shall he not hear, holy spirit, I cannot look on thee, I did sit and eat, I will serve, in god's eyes, interacting with God, Jesus Christ, let my shame go where it doth deserve, lock stock and barrel, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, love bade me welcome, love took my hand, make excuses, mercy, my soul drew back, never last, never satisfy, observing me grow slack, our sinful soul, Prayers through the Ages, questioning if I lacked anything, quick-eyed love, reparations for our sins, salvation, set a good example, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, shall he not see, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, Simone Weil, sit down and taste my meat, the author and finisher of our faith, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them, the ungrateful, the unkind, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, when will ye be wise, who bore the blame, who hath made man's mouth, who made the eyes but I, who maketh the dumb the deaf the seeing or the blind, wisdom, worry, worthy to be here
Hebrews 12:2b. 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 friends, it’s a sunny but somewhat chilly Tuesday now, time to get back to work. And I do hope we’ve done that with good spirits, abounding in the LOVE, diligence and strong work ethic that Christ desires of His people! (smile) Oh, no doubt some of us are still tired from all the celebrations over the weekend, but we must try and set it aside and do the work we’ve been contracted for in fine fashion, so that we set a good example for the unbeliever and Jesus can be glorified. Wow! What a wonderful notion! (smile)
Now, let’s turn to the Anglican Church, Diocese of Toronto’s recent publication titled ‘Prayers Through the Ages – Daily prayers for spiritual renewal.’ It’s a compilation of prayers from different people and places down through the years, a few of which we’ve previously shared. Today, I want to share this beautiful poem with obvious Biblical connotations, written by George Herbert 1593-1633.
So please read with me. ‘LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-eyed LOVE, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lacked anything. “A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here:’ LOVE said, “You shall be he.” “I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear, I cannot look on Thee.” LOVE took my hand and smiling did reply, ‘Who made the eyes but I?” “Truth, Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve.” ‘And know you not,” says LOVE, “Who bore the blame?” “My dear, then I will serve.” “You must sit down,” says LOVE, “and taste my meat.” So I did sit and eat.’
Now doesn’t that sound just like many of us interacting with God? We try to make excuses or reparation for our sins, but the Lord, through His wonderful unconditional LOVE, just waves our contentions away. That’s because He’s so glad that we had the wisdom to come to Him, and consequently He never turns away anyone who does that. And it’s been said that the famous but short -lived French Philosopher of Spirituality and Political Justice, Simone Weil (1909-1943) was converted after reading that poem, which she learned by heart. Now if that’s true, then it shows the awesome power of the poem.
And I particularly relish the statement ‘quick-eyed LOVE,’ because that’s just the way LOVE is. It’s quick to notice, to help and to share. Oh, how wonderful it would be if many more of us supposed believers would wave that godly wand of ‘quick-eyed LOVE!’ And isn’t it interesting that though we speak of being a guest, worthy to be in God’s presence, when He welcomes us as such, we still have that sinful weight on our conscience, and talk about, “I, the unkind ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee.’
But our God is so magnificent and magnanimous, that He takes our hand and with a soulful smile asks “Who made the eyes, but I?” And we have several scriptures that attest to that, beginning with this one from Exodus, where Moses is feeling inadequate in the power of speech, when the Lord wants to send him to talk to Pharaoh. ‘And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?’ (Ex.4:11)
Then in Psalm 94, the psalmist asks the brutish and the fools, ‘when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?’ (Ps. 94:8-9) And we can always count on Cousin Sol for a word of wisdom on any subject. (smile) In Proverbs, he confidently tells us: ‘The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.’ (Prov. 20:10) So there we have it; the definitive answer to who made the eye.
But still our sinful soul will not relent, claiming that we have marred the eyes God made, and our shame should not be absolved. However, the Lord turns it around and asks, if we don’t know who bore the blame for our shame? And indeed we do, Jesus Christ! As the author of Hebrews so vividly tells us: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (the 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. 12:2)
And knowing that, we decide that we will serve. But God isn’t finished with us. No! Not by a long shot. For then His awesome LOVE invites us to sit and enjoy the fruits of His goodness and mercy. And finally, we acquiesce and sit and enjoy His largesse, even thou we know we don’t deserve it, but He nonetheless wants us to enjoy it. Oh my people, what a wonderful God we serve! There’s none other like Him! But how could there be eh? Two like Him could never exist in the same universe!
But the bottom line is that we should be ever so thankful and grateful for His awe-inspiring majesty, and above all for His marvelous goodness to the underserving children of men, that we should not wait to be invited, but of our own volition, run to Him with open arms, crying out for His LOVE, mercy, grace and goodness, salvation and eternal life! Now, that’s how it ought to be! (smile) And some of us do it, but foolishly too many are still dragging their feet, trying to enjoy the sinful pleasures of the world that never last nor satisfy the soul, especially in these forsaken and ungodly times.
However, for those of us who have heeded the call, and are actively trying to spread the Word, 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!’
That now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus has already borne the blame, the pain and the shame…now…He wants us to enjoy the freedom He offers…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a mass reproduction of Christ, a season of inexplicable stuff, after that ye have suffered a while, all that is now so mysterious, all things work together for good, be the first born among many brethren, beholding as in a glass the glory of God, by Christ Jesus, by the Spirit of the Lord, called according to His purpose, called us into his eternal glory, changed from glory to glory, changed into the same image, christianity, Christians, clinging to you hopefully, confidently, conformed to the image of his Son, cry out for help, despite the drain and strain, determined to wait to trust, faith, faith means believing in what you cannot see, fresh depths of insight, from glory to glory, get a bit much to bear, grace grows best in winter, grin and bear it, grow in spiritual maturity, he also did predestinate, holy spirit, hurry, I anticipate new perspectives, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, judge not that ye might not be judged, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make you perfect, mercy, no easy steps in conforming, O God ...My God, One Year Book of Bible promises, pet peeves, process of transformation, puny understanding, rely on your faithfulness, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, saturated with the lustful and carnal things of the world, share His love with my neighbours, sit outside in shirt sleeves, some sense of understanding, spiritual maturity, teaching me, the abiding presence of God, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the conflicting things, the face of Moses reflected the glory of God, the God of all grace, the great truth, the Lord's intention, the whole wide world, to be conformed to the image of his Son, to conform his people, to the image of His son, to them that love God, totally hidden, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unveiled face, whom he did foreknow, wisdom, with open face, worry
Romans 8:29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first born among many brethren.
And then it was Tuesday, before which we had a lovely Monday, with temps in the twenties, and in the evening I got to sit on my porch in my shirt sleeves, enjoy a cool summer breeze and watch the people go by. Unfortunately though, I saw several dogs being walked, but no children. And you know that’s one of my pet peeves. The society seems more interested in dogs, rather than children. But who am I to judge them eh? Jesus said ‘judge not, that ye be not judged,’ (Mat. 7:1) and I’m trying, but sometimes it’s difficult to overlook certain things.
Anyway, today seems like it’s going to be another beautiful day, so let’s enjoy it without any more unnecessary contention, we already have enough in our world. Instead, let’s focus on an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. And this one is emphatically titled ‘O God … My God.’ And if you don’t need it, then I’m glad for you, because I certainly need it. as I’m going through a season of inexplicable stuff that I can’t make heads or tails of, but as we are led to believe, there is a reason for it all. I just can’t figure it out with my puny understanding. (smile)
So please read with me: ‘O God…My God Though You now seem totally hidden I am clinging to You hopefully Even confidently. Someday, some way, You will make All You are now permitting Blessedly clear. With fixed purpose, dear God I am determined to wait, to trust To rely upon Your faithfulness. Despite the drain and strain I anticipate new perspectives And fresh depths of insight Into all that is now so mysterious. O God, in ways unanticipated You are teaching me the great truth Of Samuel Rutherford’s words: ‘I see that grace grows best in the winter.’ Thank You, dear God Thank You for that!’
Ah mih friends, it’s definitely not easy when the Lord puts you through your paces without any reasoning or understanding…and in the real winter time too, which makes it even harder. But you just have to grin and bear it, and as the poem says, wait, trust, and rely on his faithfulness. And I’m certainly doing that, but sometimes the conflicting things get a bit much to bear, and all you can do is cry out for help and some sense of understanding, though ofttimes you won’t get an answer, but you are still expected to hang in there and trust in His timing and faithfulness. I guess it’s one of the ways in which we grow in spiritual maturity.
And of course, the promise for today’s poem comes from Peter’s tough but wise statement. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you.’ (1 Pet. 5:10) I guess that explains it all. The Lord is simply doing His intended work by bringing us into line with His wonderful Son, as Bruh Paul writes in Romans. ‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first born among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29)
And believe me, there are no easy steps in that task, especially when we’re saturated with all the lustful and carnal things and thoughts of the world. And this commentary explains it quite clearly and succinctly. ‘The Lord’s intention is to conform His people to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, making them His sons and brothers, as stated in Romans 8:29.
This process of transformation, known as being “conformed to the image of His Son,” involves a spiritual growth where believers’ lives reflect Christ’s character and LOVE. God’s redemptive plan includes choosing, calling, and glorifying those He foreknew and predestined. In other words, God’s desire, His intention, was to have many sons who are just like Christ. He wanted a mass-reproduction of Christ in humanity.’
But sadly, He doesn’t seem to be getting that right now, with all the turning away and questioning of His existence and sovereignty. However, as Bruh Paul says to the Corinthians. ‘But we all, with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18)
And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘Beholding as in a glass: The term beholding can have the sense of “reflecting.” The believer himself “reflects” the glory of the Lord just as the face of Moses reflected the glory of the Lord (vs.13). For Moses the glory eventually faded away, but under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of God.’
Oh my fellow believers, having read that, the question we must now ask is whether the glory of God is being truly reflected in our faces? Obviously our faces won’t shine as brightly as Moses did when he came down from Mt. Sinai bearing the two tablets of stone that had the Ten Commandments inscribed on them. Being in God’s presence caused the radiant light to reflect on his face. This bright countenance caused fear in Aaron and the Israelites, who initially didn’t recognize Moses because of the light, and he had to wear a veil to speak to them. (Ex. 34:29-35)
We won’t need a veil, but surely the unbeliever will see the glory of God shining in our faces, if we are a true reflection of Jesus Christ. And I do hope we’ll all hunker down and bear whatever inexplicable things that come against us, knowing as Bruh Paul so confidently proclaims: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Remember faith means believing in what you cannot see.
And with that in mind, let’s faithfully declare (steups!!!) 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 that means we’re now expected to share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…being changed from glory to glory…is never an easy transformation…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stream bubbling down to the open sea, a time of testing, acknowledge God's Lordship, apologies, because he delighted in me, becomes second nature, brought me forth unto a large place, caught him by his beard, christianity, Christians, confidence in the strength and faithfulness of God, courage, crying out to God for help, defied the armies of the living God, delivered me from my strong enemy, do it over and over again, encouragement, face adversity, faith, focus on the problems before m, from pillar to post, from them which hated me, go and the Lord be with thee, God's presence is a powerful fortress around you, hold God close to our hearts, holy spirit, hurry, I am strong, I can face anything, I fix my gaze on you, I will call upon the Lord, in god's eyes, in whom I will trust, its own merry way, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, look to you with confidence, LOVE, mercy, my god my strength, my heart would fail, not persistent enough, nothing takes you by surprise, out of the hand of this Philistine, rejoice in God's might, salvation, saved from my enemies, share His love with my neighbours, smoet him, strong and confidence only comes from experience, thank you for giving me courage, the ability to stand strong in the face of unbeatable odds, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the consequences of disobedience, the day of my calamity, the experience of going through difficulties, the Lord is my deliverer, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, the Lord moved heaven and earth to save him, the Lord was my stay, the Lord was my support, the Lord will deliver me, the struggle between faith and courage, the train to glory, this uncircumcised Philistine, through all the twists and turns of life, thy servant slew both the lion and bear, time isn't waiting on anyone, too strong for me, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, went out after him, wisdom, with you to steady me, words of wisdom, worry, worthy to be praised, you are a great God, you surround me in every challenge, you're my rock, your plans never fail
Psalm 18:2a. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
Prologue: Please accept my apologies for the lateness of the Bit, but I had an appointment with the dentist this morning, and spent longer than I expected. Thanks for understanding. (smile)
Now, what began as a somewhat wet and cloudy Tuesday morning, has thankfully turned into a dry one of more sunshine than cloud. Thank the Lord! And it’s certainly amazing and amusing that we are already into the sixth day of May, when the month only began a few days ago. But time is not waiting for lazy procrastinators, it’s moving forward on its own merry way, like a stream bubbling down to the open sea, and who doesn’t get on the train to glory, then they’ll be simply left behind. (smile)
Ah friends, there’s a lesson in there for all of us, we either get with Christ or get left behind to suffer the pangs, the consequences of disobedience and disbelief. And we know that living for Christ is not always easy, but it’s certainly doable if we use all the props the Lord has given us. And today we’ll focus on one of those props, that of Courage; the ability to stand up strong in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds. Now, to help us in this exercise, we’ll offer up a prayer on the subject from the Prayer Cards recently put out by the In Touch Ministry.
So, please pray with me. ‘God, thank You for giving me courage. If I were to focus on the problems before me, my heart would fail. But when I fix my gaze on You, I am strong. Help me remember that You surround me in every challenge. With You to steady me, I can face anything. You’re my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. Nothing takes You by surprise, and Your plans never fail. I will look to You with confidence through all the twists and turns of life. You are a great God!’
Words of wisdom, truth and encouragement, my fellow believers. But it all begins with our belief, our confidence in the strength and faithfulness of God! However, that belief and confidence doesn’t come without a price, that’s the experience of going through difficulties and crying out to God for help, and that struggle between faith and courage in one’s problems are shown most readily in the psalms, especially those of Bruh David. He went through many unfortunate trials and tribulations, through no fault of his own, but the confidence he developed with the Lord while out in the fields shepherding his father’s sheep, gave him the courage to keep on keeping on, even when crying out to the Lord for help.
When king Saul refused to let him go out and fight Goliath, Bruh David calmy informed him that while keeping his father’s sheep a lion and a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, ‘And I went out after him, and smote (struck) him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.’ (1 Sam. 17:34-37)
Oh friends, what more could Saul say to Bruh David after making such a good argument on God’s help and strength. But sadly, that kind of courage and confidence only comes from experience. And yes Bruh David went out and defeated Goliath, but he never realized that one day he would be up against a greater and more persistent enemy, the same king Saul, who spent many years trying to kill him. And although Bruh David was still confident and believed in God’s promise that he would be king of Israel, he never thought he would have to face so much adversity over such a long period of time, before it happened.
But that’s how our God works. He gives you a promise of greater things to come, then He puts you through a time of testing, to see if you can handle the promotion. And many of us fail the test simply because we’re not persistent enough; we don’t hang in there till God judges that we can handle the promotion. One thing our God does not encourage is giving up. And we see that in Bruh David’s life, where although Saul harassed him from pillar to post, he never gave up, even foregoing a chance to kill Saul.
And finally with deliverance from the hand of his enemies, including Saul, Bruh David wrote thus in Psalm 18: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength (lit. my rock)), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3)
Now friends, those are sentiments that we also should be putting forth, but it takes much more than just mouthing the words, although sincerely mouthing them might give us a smidgen of courage. (smile) We have to sincerely believe them and then act upon them. And we have to do it over and over, until it becomes second nature. That’s the only way to get that courage and strength that our Lord provides, to sink deep into our souls. So please, when the trials and tribulations of life come upon us, before we do anything else, let’s turn our minds to Almighty God, then cry out to Him for help. As Bruh David writes later in Psalm 18: ‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of (from) his temple, and my cry came before him, even unto his ears.’ (Ps. 18:6)
Unfortunately, we don’t have time nor space to review all that Bruh David said then, but the gist is that the Lord moved heaven and earth to save him. (Ps. 18:7-16) And at the end of it all, he joyfully proclaims: ‘He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented (confronted) me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay (support). He brought me forth also unto a large (broad) place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.’ (Ps. 18:17-19) And that’s what the Lord will do for all of us if we hold Him close to our hearts and sincerely acknowledge His Lordship.
Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…God’s presence is a powerful fortress around you…rejoice in His might…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a word picture, alleviate our problem, apt to make mistakes, asking questions, beat upon the house, beliefs, believers cry out to God in their confusion, built his house on a rock, choose time and again, christianity, Christians, consider and hear me.O Lord my God, Consider This, covered by prayer, don't fell guilty, doubt God's presence, doubts, enlighten me, faith, faith and doubt are vital to one another, felt ashamed, for ever, gently confronted honest skepticism, God wants to hear everything that's on your mind, good with bad, had doubts about God, having sorrow in my heart daily, he hath dealt bountifully with me, hesitating, holy spirit, how long must he struggle seemingly alone, how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me, how long wilt thou forget me, how long wilt thou hide thy face from me, human, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I have prevailed against him, I have trusted in thy mercy, I will sing unto the Lord, in god's eyes, in times of doubt, In Touch Devotional Magazine, indisputable truth, it behooves us, it fell not, it was founded upon a rock, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus did not shame him, lest mine eney say, let the world know to whom we belong, lighten mine eyes, liken him unto a wise man, live by Christ's teaching, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, loving-kindness, mercy, misgivings, more fully understand faith because of doubt, not uncommon emotions, only one person to turn to, our faith is founded on the solid bedrock that's Jesus, prayer is our number one recourse, rejoice when I am moved, salvation, seemingly alone, share His love with my neighbours, simply talk to God, sleep the sleep of death, sorrow and doubt, spiritual strength, take counsel in my soul, the author and finisher of our faith, the BIBLE, the floods came, the Lord has forgotten him, the necessary proof, the rain descended, the winds blew, their constructed life, Thomas doubted Jesus' resurrection, those that trouble me, times of uncertainty, to affirm our beliefs, to go out and share the love and friendship of Christ, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesuss, truth, Tuesday Manrta, turned his face away, uncertainty, whosoever hears these sayings of mine, wisdom, wondering, worry, ye must coexist with no
Psalm 13:5. But I have trusted in thy mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS); my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
Oh friends on this cloudy and somewhat warm, but rainy and windy Tuesday morning, let me apologize for a mistake I made in yesterday’s Bit, claiming that only Lot and his family were saved during the Great Flood, when it should have been only Noah and his family. Hopefully, most of you knew better and recognized it as the mistake it was. I don’t know where my head was when I wrote that and then reread it a couple of times too. But it just shows that I am human, and thus apt to make mistakes. (smile) And since you are beautiful Christians, you will also graciously forgive me. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your forgiveness, and I know that Jesus is proud of you for your forgiving spirit. (smile)
Anyway, today we’ll look at an interesting article in the April In Touch Devotional Magazine, under the heading of ‘Consider This.’ So please read with me. ‘No matter how long you’ve been a believer, you’ve probably had doubts about God and felt ashamed of them. However – just as yes must coexist with no and good with bad – faith and doubt are vital to one another. We more fully understand what faith is because we doubt.
By asking questions, wondering, and hesitating, we choose time and again to affirm what we believe. Remember that Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection, but Jesus did not shame him. Instead, He gently confronted honest skepticism with the necessary proof. Whenever you wonder about your faith or a trial makes you doubt God’s presence in your life, don’t feel guilty. Simply talk to God. He wants to hear everything that’s on your mind – even your uncertainty.’
And that’s the indisputable truth my brethren! Our God wants to hear everything that’s happening with us, because He LOVES us so deeply and desires to be involved in whatever we’re doing or thinking, even our doubts and misgivings. Once it’s a genuine doubt or question, the Lord will ensure that we receive whatever we need to ease or alleviate our problem. And please, let’s not feel guilty or unchristian if we ever have doubts or questions regarding our faith, because even the most righteous of believers sometimes have problems that cause them to doubt or question what’s happening.
And a great example of that is Bruh David, the supposed man after God’s own heart. Look at the problems he endured in the many years that he was anointed king of Israel before that event actually took place. His constant running from King Saul, in all innocence, must have caused him to question the truth and sincerity of God’s promise. And he certainly voices his concerns in Psalm 13 – A prayer for God’s Grace, when he cries out: ‘How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?’ (Ps. 13:1-2)
Now, if such a righteous believer could put forth those questions of doubt and uncertainty during his many trials, so can we, when we’re uncertain about what’s happening in our lives. And Bruh David continues his cry to God thus: ‘Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes (enlighten me), lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.’ (Ps. 13:3-4)
And this commentary explains Bruh David’s predicament thus. ‘Psalm 13:1–4 exposed David’s sorrow and doubt. These are not uncommon emotions, and Scripture includes moments when believers cry out to God in their confusion. In this situation, David feels the Lord has forgotten him and turned His face away. He asks the Lord how long he must struggle, seemingly alone.’
Ah friends, how often have we been faced with serious situations that we were unable to handle eh…and hopefully, we cried out to Almighty God for help. I know I have done it numerous times over my many years of life. But the difference between Bruh David’s cry and ours can possibly be summed up in the last two verses of the psalm, where, despite his problems, Bruh David acknowledges his absolute faith in God. ‘But I have trusted in thy mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS); my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.’ (Ps. 13:5-6)
And the scholars offer this explanation of the psalm. ‘The distance between four occurrences of How long, punctuated with question marks (vs, 1-2) and the confident and joyful song at the end (vs. 6) is covered only with prayer (vs. 3-4) and trust (vs. 5).’ Yes my faithful brethren, sincere prayer must always be our number ONE recourse in times of doubt or trouble, for our faith, though it can be sometimes shaken, it can never broken, because it’s founded on the solid bedrock that’ s Jesus.
It’s like Jesus Himself described it. ‘Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a (the) rock.’ (Matt. 7:24-25)
And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains: ‘Jesus is using the word picture of building a house. This “house” is a person’s spiritual strength, their beliefs, and the life they construct as a result. Those who live by His teaching will be like a man who has built a house on a foundation of rock.’ And that rock is Jesus! Let’s never forget that my fellow believers!
Now let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) 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!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…in times of uncertainty…there’s ONLY ONE place or person to turn to…that’s Jesus…the author and finisher of our faith…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a celebration of life, a childhood friend, accept it change it or leave it, actively rejecting ideas, affirmations, against the knowledge of God, altogether vanity, any good that i can do, any kindness I can show to any human being, apply our hearts unto wisdom, as an handbreadth, as he thinks in his heart, based on fear or doubt, Battlefield of the Mind, bringing into captivity every thought, Casting down imaginations, come to know and love him like we do, contradict the principles of faith, depart this life quickly, Easter Tuesday, Etienne de Grellet, every high thing, every man at his best state, faith, false arguments, gain a heart of wisdom, Goat races in Tobago, his heart is not with thee, holy spirit, hurry, I may know how frail I am, I shall not pass this way again, I shall pass this way but once, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, let me do it now, let me not defer or neglect it, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made up my days, make hay while the sun shines, make me to know mine end, mercy, mighty through God, mine age is nothing before thee, positive affirmations, prayer, pulling down of strongholds, rest in peace, salvation, share His love with my neighbour, share the amazing Love of Christ, spiritual practices, spiritual warfare, sso is he, take root in the mind, teach us to number our days, that exalteth itself, the beloved of God, the goal is, the gospel truth, the measure of my days, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they become actions, they become character, they become habits, though we walk in the flesh, thoughts that do do not align with God's truth, three solutions to every problem, to replace the harmful thoughts with God's truth, to the obedience of Christ, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, watch your actions, watch your habits, watch your thoughts they become words, watch your words, we do not war after the flesh, went our separate ways, WentWorth Eccles, wisdom, worry
Psalm 90:12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom).
And then it was Easter Tuesday! However, instead of getting ready to go down to Buccoo village in Tobago to check out the Goat Race Celebrations, (smile) I was here in Canada watching the Celebration of Life for a childhood friend, Wentworth Eccles. And that’s why the Bit is so late. Ah Wenty, mih brother, we did have some good times during our long years of friendship, beginning as children, when I would come from Tobago to holiday with you, your mother and sister in San Fernando in Trinidad. But as we grew older, we went our separate ways.
However, we reconnected when I came to Canada and began attending the Labour Day celebrations in Brooklyn, New York, where I would sometimes stay with your mother. And boy, did we ever do some good partying during those early years. And though life, family and work separated us, every so often you’d write and tell me about your job and travels. Recently though, you began sending me a daily message titled ‘Today’s Quote,’ with interesting useful quotes. The last one I got on Friday April 11was this: ‘Three (3) solutions to every problem: Accept it, Change it or leave it. In other words, Lead, follow or get out of the way. Have a GREAT day, every DAY!!!!’
So, can you imagine my consternation when I received an e-mail a few days later informing me about a Celebration of Life, the new speak for a funeral service, for Wentworth. I don’t know exactly what happened, but it seems like it was a sudden occurrence. As the priest who conducted the service reminisced; he’d spoken to him at church on the Sunday, then on the Monday he was no more! Yes friends, that’s how quickly, without any notice whatsoever, that we can depart this earthly life!
That’s why we should all pray like Moses did in Psalm 90: ‘So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom).’ (Ps. 90:12) That’s also why this quote attributed to Etienne de Grellet (1772-1855), a French-American Quaker Missionary ought to ring true in all our lives. It says: ‘I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. I shall pass through this world but once.’
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! We only pass this way once, and we don’t know for how long either, so it’s best that we do the good that we’ve been created to do, as soon as possible, and as much as possible. Let’s stop procrastinating and making excuses, for we don’t know when our light will dim, or even go out unexpectedly on us. That’s why Bruh David could write in Psalm 39: ‘Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made up my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity (vapour). Selah.’ (Ps. 39:4-5)
Yes my fellow believers; man’s life is certainly one of innate frailty; today you’re here, then gone tomorrow, like a breath of vapour. Therefore, it’s absolutely necessary to be on our p’s and q’s all the time. Like this quote from Wentworth’s missive always had at the bottom. ‘Watch Your Thoughts: They become words. Watch your words: They become actions. Watch your actions: They become habits. Watch your habits: They become character.’ And that’s more gospel truth my people! For everything begins in and with the mind and filters down to every other part of our lives.
As Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs. ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.’ (Prov. 23:7) And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains it thus: This verse is interpreted as a warning about the importance of inner thoughts and motivations, as they are reflected in outward actions. It suggests that internal mental states shape external behaviors and ultimately determine who a person becomes.’
Consequently, ‘If someone believes they are capable, successful, and worthy, they are more likely to act in ways that align with those beliefs. Conversely, if someone is plagued by negative self-talk, doubt, and fear, their actions and outcomes will likely reflect that mindset, potentially limiting their potential and opportunities.’ That’s why we talk about the battlefield of the mind, for it’s right there that all the conflicting stuff, between good and evil begins, where the devil tries to infiltrate our defenses, and then, whatever wins that battle, filters down to our words, actions and character.
Now, we cannot stop thoughts from occurring in our minds, but we can certainly get rid of them if we don’t want or need them. It’s all a part of our spiritual warfare. It’s like Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after (according to) the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (fleshly), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations (thoughts, false arguments), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;’ (2 Cor. 10:3;5)
And this commentary explains; ‘”Casting down imaginations” refers to the act of actively rejecting and subduing thoughts, ideas, or visions that are not in alignment with God’s truth or that are harmful. It’s a spiritual practice where individuals combat negative or false thoughts, refusing to allow them to take root and influence their thinking and actions. This involves recognizing thoughts that contradict the principles of faith, are based on fear or doubt, or are simply not beneficial. Once these thoughts are identified, they are actively rejected and not allowed to take root in the mind. This can be done through prayer, affirmations, or other spiritual practices. The goal is to replace the harmful or false thoughts with God’s truth and positive affirmations.’
And that’s a good place to end this Easter Tuesday as we mourn the loss of our dear, departed friend Wentworth Eccles. May your soul rest in peace with the Lord my brother. Now, for all of us left behind, who are trying to cast down those ‘imaginations’ and do the good we can, 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!’
That now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…we don’t know the number of our days…that’s why it’s ever so important…to make hay while the sun shines…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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