11 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fool's wisdom, a means of restoring faith in you, a society only grows through work, an injection of godly wisdom, avoid any more serious setbacks, be obedient, bring backsliders back to your fold, cause those that love me to inherit substance, driven with the wind and tossed, durable riches and righteousness, embrace your love and compassion, Friday chant, giveth to all men liberally, he that wavereth is like a wave, I lead in the way of righteousness, I love them that love me, if any of you lack wisdom, in the midst of the paths of judgement, introduce a new flock, keep the commandments, let him ask in faith, let him ask of god, LOVE, my fruit is better than gold, my revenue than choice silver, not doubting, nothing wavering, omnipotent help, our sinful world can wake up, riches and honour, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, show them the error of their ways, smell the coffee, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the anxiety confusion and havoc, those that seek me early will find me, time to party, true obedience, trusting faith, wise guidance
Proverbs 8:17. I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.
Then it was Friday, that long awaited day. And everybody shouted ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And the weekend is here! Time to party!’ Yes, it’s surprising at how eagerly and addictively we look forward to the end of the work week, as though work is such an enigma, such a problem, that we just want to be rid of it. But friends, the only way we progress, get ahead, succeed, is through work. And we do need a break from it every so often, but the disgust and hate that our current society shows towards work is very disheartening.
So many of us tend to think that work is below us, we shouldn’t have to work, and we are entitled to just pay, play and party. But unfortunately, that’s a fool’s wisdom. A society only grows by the amount of work its members put into it. No work equals no growth. Little work equals little growth. Plenty work equals plenty growth. That’s just the facts of life. And that’s why our society is slowly going down the drain. Not enough of us are working to keep the standards high. And when the standards of a society fall, so does the society itself.
And how do we turn around that situation eh? I believe it’s through an injection of wisdom into our society, that’s godly wisdom, not the wisdom of the world. And I just rediscovered a li’l gem from Proverbs 8, where Cousin Sol is talking about wisdom is everlasting. Now that gem says: ‘I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.’ (Prov. 8:17) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren. Those of us who seek godly wisdom diligently will indeed find it.
And James, Jesus’ brother, said it thus. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach), and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
Now it couldn’t be put any clearer than that! So friends, strong, unwavering faith is also necessary to acquiring godly wisdom. We can’t be wishy washy about it; one day up, the next day down, but need to walk a steadfast path. And if yuh think is joke we joking here, (smile) just listen to the things that godly wisdom does for its benefactors nuh.
‘Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable (enduring) riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead (walk) in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement (justice): That I may cause those that LOVE me to inherit substance (wealth); and I will fill up their treasures.’ (Prov. 8:18-21)
Oh my people, you see how godly wisdom gives you everything; riches and honour as well as righteousness and justice! And most important of all, those things are enduring. They don’t blow up unexpectedly in your face when some unfortunate situation occurs, like the stuff that comes from the world’s wisdom, because they come from God and are everlasting! Like Jesus said, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Ah my fellow saints, we only have two options, two ways of living this earthly life: either under the rule of Jehovah God, our Creator and Controller, or under the ham-fisted rule of Satan, the foolish usurper. And the truth is, that whatever Satan can give you, Jehovah God can give you the same, and more too. And what He gives you will be enduring and long lasting, not fragile and fanciful like Satan’s offering, without any real truth, substance, peace and joy to it. That’s because Satan’s storefront is only a pretty façade. When you go behind its fanciful front, all you’ll find is chaos, confusion, hellfire and eternal damnation.
And we do have to be ever so careful about where we will end up come the ending of this mortal life. That’s why it’s ever so important for us to choose to live by godly standards and wisdom rather than by that of the world. And yuh better believe that right now we desperately need God’s wisdom with all the problems that are engulfing our world and turning it into bloody battlefield, both literally and figuratively. So please, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Friday Chant, not wavering, but with steadfast faith, asking for His omnipotent help and wisdom to handle the massive storm that’s currently overwhelming us.
As one strong, but faithful and humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And we need to remember that to get a positive answer, we must keep the vows we’ve just made, be obedient and keep the Lord’s commandments. That’s wisdom to the nth degree! Much LOVE!
…true obedience to anything…only shows…when we keep the rules…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
10 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: accounted as sheep for the slaughter, be not forgetful to entertain strangers, consumed by the love of Christ, curse, divine protection, faith, favour, good health, I am above and not beneath, I am more than a conqueror, Joyce Meyer, let brotherly love continue, LOVE, make the most of the present, negative word, our God moves in mysterious ways, promotion, prosper and succeed, sincerely come from their heart, some have entertained angels unawares, something good is going to happen through me, something good is going to happen to me, stray from the straight and narrow path, surrender to Christ, the blessings of obedience, the future is promised to no one, the good actions, the head and not the tail, the mark of a true believer, through Christ who loves me, Thursday Blessings, time never comes back, time waits on no one, to go after other gods to serve them, who shall separate us from the Love of Christ
Hebrews 13:1-2. Let brotherly LOVE continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Now can you believe it’s already Thursday, and only a few days ago we were wondering if and how we were going to handle Monday. (smile) But these days, though they be turbulent, evil, ungodly and anxiety filled, they certainly are not making joke to move along at top speed. But as they say, time waits on no one, and time is also one thing that never comes back, we can never recoup or recapture it, so we have to make the most of it right when it comes along. Yes friends, we must make the most of the present, because that’s all we have; the past is gone, and the future is promised to no one.
So, on this damp, cloudy, Thursday morning, let’s look at the last few acclamations that I want to share. And the first one is familiar to us all. ‘I am above and not beneath. The head and not the tail.’ Now that’s exactly where believers are supposed to be; at the head and not the foot. But do we know where that comes from? It comes from a very significant scripture where Moses was informing the people of Israel on the blessings of obedience.
‘And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto (heed, listen to) the commandments of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them (be careful to observe them). And thou shalt not go aside (turn) from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.’ (Deut. 28:13-14)
Now please note that we only become the head and not the tail through obedience to God’s commandments, if we don’t stray from the straight and narrow path. So why do so many of us end up being the tail or the foot and not the head eh? It’s obvious: we don’t keep God’s commandments and allow the gods of this world, material stuff and other things to make us turn to the right and the left, and forsake the straight and narrow path for the wide and deadly one.
And that really goes for every acclamation that we can make; if we don’t believe and live by God’s rules, they won’t any difference in our lives. The basis for acclamations to work is our basic faith and steadfastness in Jesus, doing our best to live the way He desires, otherwise we are just wasting our time. And if we live for Jesus, then this next acclamation will be mighty indeed! ‘I am more than a conqueror, through Christ who LOVES me!’ Now that’s the living truth! As Bruh Paul tells us from that magnificent and oh so encouraging and reassuring chapter 8 of Romans.
‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35-39)
Oh my people, that’s what it means to be all wrapped up and consumed by the LOVE of Christ! Nothing can separate us from it! That awesome LOVE causes us to become conquerors over anything that comes against us! That’s the kind of power we wield when we surrender to Christ and put all our trust and faith in His omnipotent hands and Being!
Now this last acclamation has its basis in many scriptures, in fact we can say the entire Good Book, since it encourages us to do good from Genesis to Revelation. (smile) However, the acclamation itself is a compilation of sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer). She likes to acclaim: ‘Something good is going to happen TO me today! Something good is going to happen THROUGH me today!’
That certainly seems like something we all could declare over our lives every day that we draw breath. I like it because it’s a generous and unselfish prayer. We are looking for good things for ourselves, but like Jesus desires of us, we are also looking to share our good fortune with others. And it reminds me of that awesome scripture in Hebrews 13, which admonishes us thus: ‘Let brotherly LOVE continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ (Heb. 13:1-2)
And that’s no lie my faithful brethren! We never know who will come into our lives at some time and make a substantial difference. That’s why we need to be good to strangers, for who knows, we might be entertaining angels and we don’t know it. (smile) Remember our God likes to move in mysterious ways, and ofttimes our blessings come from the most unlikely source.
Anyway, since it’s Thursday, we must declare what we call our Thursday Blessings, if we want them to take root in our lives, because a blessing is not a blessing until it’s declared. So as one strong 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!’
Oh friends, with all of those godly blessings, we now need to go out and use them for the benefit of others, share them just as generously with our fellow man as Jesus shared them with us. That was His awesome purpose behind all that generosity! Much LOVE!
…the mark of a true believer… the good actions…which sincerely come from their heart…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
09 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a word to the wise is sufficient, acclamations of faith, be of good cheer I have overcome the world, by thy words thou shalt be condemned, by thy words thou shalt be justified, called me to his eternal glory in Christ, during the rough times, easy to be a friend in good times, endure to the end, Euripides, every idle word that men speak, fair-weather friends, friends show their love in times of trouble, friends show their true mettle, glory hallelujah, gospel truth, halfway home, hands on the plough, he shall direct thy paths, he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, I am an overcomer through Christ, I will be debt free in God's time, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in the day of judgement, Karen Del Tatto, keep the door of my lips, lean not unto thine own understanding, LOVE, more glorious than we can ask or imagine, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, night-owl activities, not turning back, restore me and make me strong, separate the sheep from the goats, set a watch O Lord before my mouth, sleeping all night experiment, social media platforms, the borrower is servant to the lender, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the God of all grace, they shall give an account of, time for Christians to stand up and be counted, to a glorious future with Jesus, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, Wednesday Wail, whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, who is he that overcometh the world, without fear of retribution
1 John 5:5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?’
Well, I don’t think I’m going to try that sleeping all night experiment again for a long while nuh, because my back hurt all yesterday – and still hurts today, despite pain medication! Yes, I’ll stick with my few hours of sleep here and there and continue with my night-owl activities since I believe I can handle the lack of sleep problem better than the back pain one. End of story! (smile)
So today we’ll continue with a few more acclamations, to enlarge our repertoire of sayings that can quickly raise the level of our spirits and keep our faith strong. And this first one is accredited to the famous Greek tragedian dramatist Euripides. It says: ‘Friends show their LOVE in times of trouble, not in happiness.’ Now isn’t that saying something? It surely is! And what is it saying you ask? (smile)
That true friends come to our help in time of need, of disaster, when we are desperate and can’t see up from down. Yes, it’s easy to be a so-called friend in the good times, but it’s during the rough times that real friends show their true mettle, show that they are not merely fair-weather friends. And that’s the type of friends we all need to encourage in our lives, especially in these sad and desperate times which we are currently experiencing. It’s now that we can truly separate the sheep from the goats, like Jesus will do when he comes back. (Matt. 25:31-46)
Now listen to this great Bible acclamation from the pen of Peter. ‘And the God of all grace, who has called me to His eternal glory in Christ, after I have suffered a little while, will Himself restore me and make me strong, firm and steadfast. Glory to God!’ (1 Pet. 5:10) Oh yes my people, that is the gospel truth! Our great God will indeed bring us out of any trouble when He’s good and ready, when He’s satisfied that we’ve learned something valuable from the situation. And yes, it’s somewhat long, but it’s worth learning if it can lift our spirits.
Then there is this one: ‘I will be debt free in God’s time! Glory Hallelujah!’ Now that is an acclamation that many of us need to declare, believe and do our part in working towards it, because it won’t come through if we keep running up unnecessary debt which is so easy to get nowadays. And for that we have to thank Cousin Sol as he tells us in Proverbs: ‘The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.’ (Prov. 22:7) And that’s more gospel truth my faithful brethren, for the lender indeed has the borrower over a barrel and can use them as puppets, pulling their strings whenever they choose.
Now this next acclamation is also one that most of us need to pray every day, the profound words of Bruh David from Psalm 141 – A Prayer for help in trouble – where he petitions the Lord to: ‘Set a watch (guard), O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door (keep watch over the door) of my lips.’ (Ps. 141:3)
And yuh better believe that the Lord will be busy all day if we ask him for that protection, because these days our mouths run like never before. Even when we don’t what we’re talking about, we all have opinions and desire greatly to express them. And the social media platforms don’t help at all. In fact, they exacerbate the problem, because we can say all kinds of things on them without fear of retribution, since they can also keep us anonymous. But unfortunately, right now talk is very cheap and plentiful and lots of people are using it for their own evil and perverted purposes.
However, please, let’s remember these very important statements of Jesus about talking. ‘But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’ (Matt. 12:36-37) So, as they say, a word to the wise is sufficient. (smile)
Now here is an interesting acclamation based on so many Bible verses. ‘I am an overcomer through Christ!’ Oh yeah! We ought to be friends, because Christ told us in no uncertain terms that He has already overcome the world, so we don’t need to worry about it. And we all know this scripture: ‘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 it’s up to us to sincerely believe it and put it to work.
And John corroborates Christ’s words in his first epistle, where he declares: ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:3-5) He could not put it any clearer friends. Those who are born again, who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, are the ones enabled to overcome this evil and ungodly world.
And this article on the subject by Karen Del Tatto on the growingtogetheringraceandknowledge.blog.com website tells us that the best way to be overcomers in Christ is by following these verses from Proverbs that we already know, but don’t seem to put them into practice like we ought to. ‘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 thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6)
Yes my fellow saints those are two verses that if we sincerely live our lives by them, that’s confidently trust in the Lord and carry all our problems to Him, He will guide us so that we can become overcomers. Let’s remember that and put it into action nuh, especially in these turbulent and uncertain times. Now is the time for Christians to stand up and be counted, for this is the time and occasion that we were born for.
And having said all of that let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful and definitely enviable 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 believe me, if we endure until the end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…why do we talk about trust in Jesus…but don’t show it in the way we live our lives…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
06 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all for sin could not atone, ascribe ye greatness to our God, Christ's redemptive wotk on the cross, find shelter, from the deluge of sin's guilt and power, from thy wounded side, give thanks and praise, he is the rock, his work is perfect, I will love thee O Lord, let me hide myself in thee, let the water and the blood, LOVE, my deliverer, my god, naked come to thee for dress, only a fool will say there is no God, receive inspiration and reassurance, Rev. Augustus Toplady, Rock of ages cleft for me, run to God for refuge, see thee on thy judgement throne, shed for us at Calvary, simply to the cross I cling, the Lord is mu rock and fortress, the sacrificial blood ofHIs Son Jesus, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, trust ye in the Lord for ever, when I soar to worlds unknown, when there is so much evidence to the contrary, whose mind is stayed on thee
Psalm 18:1 I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength.
It’s the first day of the week friends – Sunday, the Lord’s Day! That means it’s time to gather round to give thanks and praise, to hear God’s Word and receive inspiration and reassurance for the upcoming week. Now, some of our churches are still closed because of the Covid virus, but others are open, but with the many technological advances at our beck and call, none of us ought to miss attending worship in some form and fashion today.
And we are going to open today’s worship session with a golden oldie titled ‘Rock of Ages Cleft For Me.’ Yeh, it’s a favourite we’ve been singing for over two hundred years, and it still retains the flavour and delivers the message that we all need to hear, especially in these turbulent times.
The hymn was written by the English minister, Rev. Augustus Toplady around 1763, and the hymnary.org website tells us: ‘There is a legend that Augustus Toplady was inspired to write this hymn after finding shelter from a thunderstorm in a cleft (space, opening) in a rock at Burrington Combe in Somerset, England. While evidence to support that story is lacking, it does provide a vivid image through which to understand the hymn. Christ and His redemptive work on the cross are like that cleft (space, opening) in the rock, where we can find shelter from the deluge of sin’s guilt and power.’
And isn’t that the awesome truth! So with that in mind let’s offer a rich, soulful and sincere sacrifice of praise to our wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ, as we sing: ‘Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure. Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law’s demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Saviour, or I die. Wash me, Saviour or I die. While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death, when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee…Let me hide myself in thee…let me hide myself in thee….’
Yes friends, only the blood of Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary has the power to atone for our sins, and only through accepting Him as Lord and Saviour can we ever come to salvation. And once He comes into our lives, He’s always there with us, through His Holy Spirit, never leaving nor forsaking us.
And I like this excerpt from an article on the website Godtube, which states: ‘Even when we may feel like we are all alone, remember that God is always by our side and will never abandon us. He is truly our light in the dark and our rock that we can stand upon always. What an amazing feeling to be loved by such a kind Father and to give praise to His name with the beautiful hymn ‘Rock Of Ages.’ Hearing the story behind the hymn made this classic song even more powerful. What a way to worship!’
Ah mih people, our God is indeed a refuge from the storms of life; the solid rock that has a cleft or space under or in which we can always hide. And it’s a figure of speech, a metaphor that’s used throughout the Good Book to describe our marvellous Creator. So let’s check out a few of those scriptures nuh. Listen first to Moses as he sang his song of praise to Almighty God:…Because I will publish (proclaim) the name of the Lord; ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgement: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.’ (Deut. 32:3-4) Yes my brethren, those words describe our God to a T!
Meanwhile, the prophet Isaiah, in his hymn of praise, said it thus: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (or Rock of Ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4) Ah friends, more gospel truth about the attributes and excellence of our wonderful God.
But hear the definitive proclamation on the mighty power of our Jehovah, which comes from Psalm 18, from the pen of Bruh David, who knew the awesome majesty and power and faithfulness of the God of his forefathers. And though it took some twenty years after his anointing for him to become king of Israel, most of which he spent running for his life from the jealous king Saul, the Lord kept him safe. Even when Saul threw a javelin at him at close quarters, he missed twice. (1 Sam. 18:10-11)
Bruh David solemnly declares: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength (lit. rock), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (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)
And Bruh David did call upon the Lord, and he was saved from his enemies. We know his story, so what better or other testimony do we need eh my fellow saints to run to God for refuge when the troubles of this world threaten to overwhelm us? It’s a no-brainer! God created us and has saved us from the eternal damnation to which our sin originally relegated us, by the sacrificial blood of His Son Jesus shed on the cross at Calvary.
In His great LOVE for us, He reconciled us to Himself, what more do want eh? All He’s asking is that you believe in His Son, and come to Him for help in time of need. The choice is yours. But please note there are serious negative consequences for refusing His offer. So the wise man will gladly accept it. Much LOVE!
…only a fool will say there is no God…when there is so much evidence to the contrary…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
05 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: ably aided and abetted by the Holy Spirit, against them that do evil, attitude of fairness, behind the eight ball, do good, doing the right thing, eschew evil, even the church reflects unfairness, he that will love life and see good days, his ears are open unto their prayers, his lips speak no guile, if any man will come after me, increased number of divorces, integrity, integrity gives you real freedom, keepin a commitment, lack of integrity, let him deny himself, LOVE, man's determination, nothing to hide, our moral conscience, our testimony is all falsehood, refrain his tongue from evil, seek peace and ensue it, stormy winter, take up his cross daily and follow me, the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, the face of the Lord, the Word of god, to be set free we need integrity, treat people with dignity, ungrateful sinners, when no one is watching, you have nothing to fear
Luke 9:23. If any man will come after (desires to follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Then it was Saturday…and some more cold temps, but no snow…no work…and plenty sunshine! Yeh friends, just a blast of a day in the northern climes! (smile) Unfortunately though, it seems that the U.S got hit with a bad snowstorm over the last couple days, even a tornado hit one of the mid-western states. Imagine that nuh; tornadoes in snowstorms. But I saw a picture of a house that the tornado passed through and it was just flattened right to the ground, nothing was left standing. There were also several bad accidents in several states, and thousands of people are still without power.
What a stormy winter it’s turning out to be, after all those other mild ones of the last few years. But what can one expect if you live in a wintry climate eh? However, with man’s determination and persistence, most ably aided and abetted by the Holy Spirit of Christ that dwells within us, we will come through it all victoriously. We must believe that, otherwise we are playing behind the eight ball from the very start. So, having confirmed our victory, let’s do what we usually do on Saturdays; check out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow.
And he seemed taken up with integrity this week, but we’ll deal first with the only quote that’s not about it. It says: ‘Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.’ Now, I guess that’s quite true, because out world in general is not a fair place, but in our current edition, brother, the word or attitude of fairness doesn’t seem to exist. Every aspect of our society, even the church, tends to reflect unfairness rather than fairness.
We’ve lost that thing called humanity, where we treat people with dignity and appreciation, in other words like we want to be treated. And sadly, we can no longer expect fair treatment from even those close to us. So we have to be ever so careful in all our doings with our fellow man. What a pity! But enough about unfairness, let’s turn to that thing called ‘integrity’ that Anselm was so taken up with this past week. And I guess the first question is what’s integrity? And he gives us a simple but profound definition in one of the quotes. ‘Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.’
Yes friends, that’s basic integrity; even when we are alone, we ought to do the right thing in every situation. Remember though, as believers, we are never alone, for God is always with us, and He sees all, and He is the righteous judge. So though no one else might know our lack of integrity, God knows it. It’s like Jesus says: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…’ And righteousness is basically doing what we know to be right. And between the Word of God, our own moral conscience and the leading of the Holy Spirit we should not have a hard time deciding what’s right from wrong.
Then there’s this quote that also defines integrity. ‘Integrity is keeping a commitment even after circumstances have changed.’ And by Jove, it does also mean that! Now that is something our world is certainly lacking; the keeping of commitments. We don’t even want to make them. Just look at all the young people who don’t want to get married, don’t want to get committed, but choose to live together with the mistaken idea that they can get out of that kind of relationship whenever they want to.
And even with the few who do get married, just look at the increased number of divorces that are happening daily, because they are not prepared, or committed to go through the difficult situations which arise in every marriage and every relationship. Ah mih people, integrity doesn’t mean always choosing the easy path, but rather toughing it out, even when it seems difficult and unfair. And that’s what Jesus desires of His followers: integrity! That’s what He had and showed to the nth degree.
Yuh think He wanted to leave the comfort of heaven and come to this sinful earth to die for a bunch of ungrateful sinners. Not on your life! But the Father asked Him to, and since He LOVED and revered the Father, and there seemed to be no other righteous or just way to save our sinful souls, He acquiesced to the Father’s desire.
Please note that last sentence carefully. Although the Father was all powerful, in His integrity, He still needed to show a penchant for rightness and justice. And since He had made the pronouncement that sin had to be paid for by death, to be seen as a just ruler and judge, He couldn’t simply wave His hand and eradicate our sins, someone or something sinless had to pay for them. And since Jesus was the ONLY sinless person beside the Father, the awful job of inhuman ‘sufferation’ fell to Him.
Now that’s true integrity; offering your only son as a sacrifice to show your justice and righteousness. And Jesus came to earth and showed that same integrity, that same sense of purpose, the stoic attitude in the face of all those who stood against Him. And that’s what He expects from those who believe in Him. Note what He said in terms of discipleship. ‘If any man will come after (desires to follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Yes my faithful brethren, every day we need to sacrifice our will to that of the Saviour, if we want to be true disciples. That means having integrity, oodles of it.
Now here’s something interesting that integrity confers on us. The quote says: ‘Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear since you have nothing to hide.’ And that’s the gospel truth! When you know that you are behaving right, you feel free, because there are no skeletons in your closet to hide or worry about. No wonder so many of us are very afraid in these trying times and hold everything close to our chests. Our lack of integrity has caused us to do so much wrong stuff that we can’t relax for fear that others will find out and realize that our wonderful testimony is all falsehood. That’s why to be set free, we need integrity!
And the last quote says: ‘Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity.’ Words of enormous wisdom my fellow believers! And I believe these words from Peter’s first gospel do accurately reflect them. ‘For he that will LOVE life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile (deceit): Let them eschew (turn away from) evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue (pursue) it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.’ (1 Pet. 3:10-12)
Yes friends, if we concentrate on doing those things, then we’ll be considered righteous, people of integrity, true disciples of Christ! Much LOVE!
…what we do in darkness…should be able to withstand the light…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
04 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: after ye have done the will of God, be joyful and peaceful, bring backsliders back to your fold, cast not away your confidence, caught up in Christ's amazing love, Christ has already conquered the world. ye have need of patience, confident trust in the Lord, courage fails, embrace your love and compassion, even in the tough times, faith is trust in action, faith makes the difference, faithful believers, fears become overwhelming, filled with Christ's goodness, Friday chant, God's promises do not disappear, great recompense of reward, it is well with my soul, it stands firm, LOVE, One Year Book of Bible promises, pandemic, patient endurance, regardless of negative circumstances, Ruth Harms Calkin, serious setbacks, spirits running high, the supreme love of Jesus, the throne of grace, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, ye might receive the promise
Hebrews 10:35. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
Another snow packed day! Thankfully though, this second storm deposited its blessings in the evening hours and gave us a few hours between it and the first to do some cleaning up. It’s always easier to clean up a little twice than the total amount once, especially when you’re talking about snow. (smile) But it’s also Friday, the last day of the work week and consequently spirits are running high.
Hopefully, it’s not all because of that, but mainly because we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour to help us in ALL our doings, ALL our troubles, and ALL our good times. And as a result we can confidently say, ‘It is well with my soul!’ Oh how those few words lift our spirits and cause us to have blessed assurance, filled with Christ’s goodness, while lost in and inextricably caught up in His amazing LOVE! (smile)
Yeh friends, once you encounter the supreme LOVE of Jesus, it’s ever so hard, if not impossible to turn to anyone or anything else for help and comfort, because He has everything so under control! And He ought to, since He created the universe and all therein and still controls it with His mighty right hand.
Now this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin puts the whole thing in a proper perspective as regards the promises of God, especially in troubled times like we’re currently experiencing, and is aptly titled ‘God’s Promises.’
Please pray with me: ‘With increasing joy I am discovering that God’s promises do not suddenly disappear when our courage fails and our fears become overwhelming. Feeling or no feeling, when God gives a promise that speaks directly to our need, it stands firm regardless of negative circumstances. There may be times of questioning, and we may not understand God’s timing, but His promise remains certain through our deepest trial.
If we consistently rely on His immutable Word, we can disregard the darkness. Oswald Chambers says. “Are you in the dark right now regarding your circumstances? Then listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you are in the light.” God waits for us to trust Him when trusting seems the most difficult thing of all.’
And isn’t that the indisputable, gospel and unshakeable truth my fellow saints in Christ? It certainly is! It’s easy to trust God in the light of the good times, but it’s only when we can do it in the darkness of the tough times that we can truly call ourselves faithful believers!
And that’s exactly what He is waiting for in these dark, troubled and calamitous times that we’re currently experiencing; our sincere faith and trust in His promise to never leave nor forsake us, to work everything out eventually for our good, that we are mighty conquerors with His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us!
Yes my people, how many more promises do we need to actually put our trust in Christ Jesus when the dark times come eh? He never said that we won’t have trials and tribulation in this ungodly world, but that we should not be afraid, to be joyful and peaceful, even in the tough times, because He has already conquered the world. And the scriptures used to support today’s poem is very appropriate to our lack of trust in difficult circumstances.
The author of Hebrews tells us, in no uncertain terms, what we need to do when those doubting, distrustful moments surface in lives. He says: ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience (endurance, perseverance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.’ (Heb. 10:35-36)
And I’ll also share the version from the NLT (New Living Translation) which is used in the book, and which explains it in simpler language. It says: ‘Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.’
Now that’s what we ought to do in uncertain times, when our faith and courage is low, but we all know it’s not always easy. Although nobody said that life would be easy working and living for Jesus. (smile) But that’s where the big difference between believers and non-believers shows up or exists. We have the promises of Jesus to hold on to, while the unbeliever doesn’t!
And if we don’t make good use of those promises by holding on to them sincerely and tightly, remembering that He who promised is faithful, then our faith is useless. Remember, it’s faith that makes the difference between the believer and the heathen. One believes, and the other does not.
So, with problems and the darkness of evil raging all around us, let’s perk up our faith and do exactly what the author of Hebrews advises nuh; not casting away our confidence, but going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, so that we can receive help in these treacherous and turbulent times.
As one sincere voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible.
And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set.
Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now, let’s go out and act like faithful believers nuh, if we expect to receive God’s blessings. Much LOVE!
…faith is much more than talk…it’s trust in action…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
03 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a time of storm, and said unto the sea, calm the storms of our lives, carest thou not that we perish, curse, even the wind and the sea obey him, faith, favour, good health, he arose and rebuked the wind, how is it that ye have no faith, in the name of Jesus, Jesus is our Guide and Comfort, LOVE, negative word, our less than sterling lives, peace be still, prosper, reverential awe, shivering of the timbers, spur people to deeper trust, succeed, the instantaneous dissipation of a violent storm, the One and Only Living God, Thursday Blessings, what manner of man is this, why are ye so fearful
Mark 4:40. Why are ye so fearful? How it is that ye have no faith?
Once more unto the snow dear friends, once more! Yes, another beautiful snowstorm has inundated us overnight! But thank God, it’s not as bad as the last one a couple weeks ago – at least not yet, because they are calling for 10-20 cm of the darling white stuff to fall between today and tomorrow. In some places there are still high snowbanks from the previous storm, so can you imagine the mess if this one deposits much more than we already have.
But as I keep saying, that’s why we have Jesus, our Guide and Comfort through the times of storm! Oh give Him some thanks and praise my believing brethren for His most honourable, diligent, compassionate and ever-faithful work in our less than sterling lives!
And I guess because we are in a time of storm, both literally and figuratively, we ought to talk about that occasion when Jesus showed exactly who and what He was during one particularly rough storm. All three gospels tell the story – Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25, but we’ll use Mark’s description for our purposes today.
Now, he describes it thus: ‘And the same day (after Jesus was finished teaching), when the even (evening) was come, he (Jesus) saith unto them, Let us pass (cross) over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there was also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full (already filling). And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part (the stern) of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How it is that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this (who can this be), that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:35-41) Now that’s an easy question to answer my brethren: Jesus is the One who created the wind and the sea, therefore He is able to tell them to be peaceful and calm!
Now many of us will make light of the concerns of the disciples, because they had seen Jesus do several miracles, but I know from personal experience out on Lake Ontario, that when the winds and the waves buffet your small boat on a large expanse of water, it’s no fun.
Oh, on that memorable day, some years ago, I learned from first-hand experience what ‘the shivering of the timbers’ meant, having only read about it before, and at times did fear for my life, as well as the five, mostly inebriated others, who were on the boat with me. (smile) And I daresay that many of the disciples couldn’t even swim, so even though they had seen Jesus do miracles, that was a new situation for them.
But here are a couple of interesting notes from the scholars. Re 4:40, where Jesus comments on the faith of the disciples, they say that He constantly questions in order to spur people to deeper trust. Then give examples in Mark 2:8, 19, 25, 26; 3:4, 23, 33; 4:13, 21, 30.’ And if you look at those verses, you will indeed see Jesus posing questions that cause His listeners to think seriously about whatever He was saying.
And per 4:41, they claim: ‘The fear must have been a mixture of reverential awe and real fright – it would be chillingly eerie to witness the instantaneous dissipation of a violent storm.’ No doubt it was! But friends, that’s the kind of person; the immutable, unchangeable, omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present Being, the One and ONLY Living God, that we have as our Lord and Saviour! And right now, in these troubled and trying times of storm, He’s asking us the same questions: why is our faith so small, why are we so fearful, when we have the One who created the universe and all therein as our Guide and Protector?
Yes, we ought to be anxious when the storms hit us suddenly, but not afraid, because He’s not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, LOVE and a strong and disciplined mind! And an article on the biblestudytools.com website puts it this way. ‘The symbolism behind the story of Jesus calming the storm should bring great encouragement and hope for anyone facing a storm in life.. The apostles were shocked and still lacked faith that Jesus was the Son of God who “Even the winds and water obey.”
But since we know more about Jesus and His kingdom than the young disciples did, we ought not to be as afraid as we ofttimes are when the storms of life come upon us. Oh, we must be concerned and do whatever is in our power to calm them, but overall, we should know deep down that Jesus is with us, and that as He faithfully promised, will eventually work everything out for our good. What’s the purpose of having Him as Lord and Saviour if we don’t trust him to look after our welfare eh?
And furthermore, Jesus has been so wonderful to us that He’s even given us tools to handle the storms of life and to help advance His kingdom. We call them our Thursday Blessings. And since a blessing is not a blessing until it’s declared out loud, let’s do just that nuh. Altogether now: ‘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!’
Oh my people, when we are so abundantly blessed, how can we still live in fear eh? No way! Now let’s go about Christ’s business with diligence and excellence, and use those blessings to care for, comfort and bless others, just as generously as He’s done to us! Much LOVE!
…ONLY Christ…can calm the storms of our lives…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
02 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a breath of wind, a wicked spinner, blind like a bat, comfort you in sorrow, don't worry, endure to the end, enter the hallowed halls of heaven, from the storms of life, give you the abundant life, glory hallelujah, God shall wipe away all tears, hands fixed securely on the plough, hold your head and bawl, I am halfway home, I am here with you always, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, I am the way the truth and the life, it is the power of god unto salvation, Jesus is all we ever need, Jesus' Second Coming, laugh with you in times of joy, lead you home safely, led like a lamb to the slaughter, life is like a vapour, LOVE, more than we can ask or imagine, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my Holy Spirit, neither sorrow nor crying, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, no more death, not looking back, our eternal lives, personally testify, root for Christ, spend eternity with me, thanks God, that's life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the eternal home of the righteous, the former things are passed away, the grim reaper, the vicissitudes of life, throws you a curved ball, to a glorious future with Jesus, to every one that believeth, to love and protect you, to the mansions in the sky, today tomorrow and forever, trust in me, Wednesday Wail
John 14:6. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Ah mih people, I believe we might have gone back to the damp, inclement, wet-snow, possibly rain weather yes. Chuh! It’s 3 degrees and cloudy and damp. And I was just getting accustomed to the bright sunshiny and cold days… But that’s life! It never likes you to be comfortable, and just when you are getting there, it throws you a curved ball, a wicked spinner, that causes you to hold your head and bawl. (smile)
However, that’s where our Lord and Saviour Jesus comes in, kisses our brow and says in a most compassionate and caring manner: “Don’t worry my child. I am here with you always to LOVE and protect you from the storms and vicissitudes of life. Just trust in me, and let me lead and guide you through my Holy Spirit that dwells within you.
I will comfort you in sorrow, and laugh with you in times of joy, and give you the abundant life that I died for you to have, and lead you home safely to the mansions in the sky that I have prepared for you, where you will spend eternity with me. When I shall wipe away all tears from your eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Oh friends, what a marvellous promise, what a grand scheme to live our eternal lives under! No one else has ever promised anything better than that! Yes, life on earth might be rough, but this life is only a vapour, a short breath of air, while the promise of eternity is forever! What a reward for putting up with the troubles and tribulation of life! It could not get any better than that!
And that’s why it’s so important that we receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour, for it’s ONLY through Him that we can ever reap such a scintillating, life changing, everlasting reward. (smile) Remember what He said while here on earth. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6)
And that’s gospel truth my brethren! We cannot enter the hallowed halls of heaven, where the Father resides, unless we are in covenant relationship with Jesus Christ, His Son. The problem here though, is that we all want to go to heaven, but we don’t want to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. And if we don’t, then we’ll never lay eyes on that marvellous place called the eternal home of the righteous. Instead, we’ll most likely end up in the fiery dungeons of hell, where death and eternal damnation are the order of the day.
Now those are the only two choices available in this universe: heaven through Jesus, or hell through Satan. Which one will it be eh, my people? And one more thing…we have to choose our option right now, because if the Grim Reaper calls your number, or Jesus returns before you can cast your vote for Him, then you will automatically end up in hades, with the enemy. For there’s no choosing after death or Jesus’ Second coming. And since our life is like a vapour, a breath of wind, that’s here one moment, then gone the other, it’s of the utmost importance that we make the wise decision soon, preferably right now, that’s choosing to spend eternity with Jesus.
And if a dogmatic and well-educated Pharisee like Bruh Paul could turn his life around, from being a hater and destroyer of Christ’s church and His people, and become the hardest working apostle of all time, then that must say a lot for the promises of Jesus! And you can see the total change in his mindset by these bold and confident words he wrote to the church at Rome. ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.’ (Rom. 1:16)
Now, if a man who was previously rounding up Christians to be jailed, and encouraging others to kill them, can have such a change of heart, then Christ and His gospel must indeed be powerful and mighty! And we can see that through his conversion, where, on his way to Damascus to round up more believers for jail, Jesus knocked him off his mount through a blinding light, then basically told him, Saul, which was his name before conversion, why are you persecuting me eh? It’s time to stop, for you can’t win. Now get up and continue on to Damascus, where you’ll be told what to do. You have plenty work to do for me.’
And Bruh Paul blind like a bat, went meekly along, like a lamb to the slaughter, and eventually became the voice of Christ to the Gentiles. And if you don’t like my paraphrase, (smile) then you can read the entire story in Acts 9. But that’s what happens when Christ decides that He needs you to work for Him.
And I can testify to that, on a much smaller scale of course. I always wanted to write, but never had the inclination, knowledge, desire or anything to write about the Good Book. However, when the Lord approached me about it, I laughed and made my excuses. But He never took no for an answer, and kept bothering me until I reluctantly agreed. And it’s been fifteen years now that I’ve been writing the Bit, and the Lord’s been with me every bit of the way. That’s why I can testify to His faithfulness.
I knew nothing much when I began, and still don’t know a whole lot, but the Lord worked with me and encouraged me every step of the way. And that’s how He operates. He never gives you a task without giving you the wherewithal to do it, and is always right by your side offering His help as you do His will. I can’t count the number of times I’ve cried out to Him for help in writing the Bit, and He’s always been there offering it, though not always right away.
So friends, like Bruh Paul, I don’t have much choice either but to root for Christ, to not be ashamed of His gospel. And I do hope many of you will eventually come to the same conclusion, that is, before it’s too late. Now, for those of us who have already voted for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful and most enviable position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and confident, but humble voice. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And I just want to remind and encourage us to endure to the end, because if we do, that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. Much LOVE!
…Jesus is ALL we ever need…today, tomorrow…and forever…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
01 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: blow our own horn, closer to spring, cnetral ingredients of spiritual life, come from different sources, covenant relationship, depressing times, end up in different places, everlasting covenant, exercise loving-kindness judgement and righteousness, God's ever-faithful help, his praise shall continually be in my mouth, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I am the Lord, I will bless the Lord at all times, In God we boast all day long, in god's eyes, in these things I delight, knowledge of God is man's glory, let him that glorieth glory in this, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let us exalt His name together, LOVE, loving kindness, my soul shall make her boast in the Lord, o magnify the Lord with me, praise thy name for ever, resultant consequences, Selah, share His love with the world, that he understandeth and knoweth me, the goodness and love of God, the true source of wisdom - the Lord Himself, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, worry
Psalm 44:8. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
Can you believe it friends, we are already into the exciting month of February! And you ask what’s so exciting about February? Well, there’s Valentine’s Day in a couple of weeks, but it also means we are one month closer to spring and getting away from these cold winter temperatures and the depressing times that they can bring. We have enough other depressants; we don’t need winter too. (smile)
And yes, we know that we must go through winter to get to spring and summer, but some days it just gets to us more than others. And as you get older it becomes more difficult to navigate all the obstacles that winter throws up in our paths. But with God’s miraculous and ever-faithful help we can overcome most of them though. As the sons of Korah declare in Psalm 44: ‘In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.’ (Ps. 44:8)
Yes friends, in all our doings, the Lord’s name should be uppermost in our mouths. Bruh David said it so well in Psalm 34. ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’ (Ps. 34:1-3) And I can’t think of anything better for believers to do in these sad and perilous times than to praise and magnify our wonderful God, Jehovah! That’s because knowledge of God is man’s glory!
Listen to how the prophet Jeremiah put it long ago. ‘Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise LOVING-kindness, judgement (justice), and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.’ (Jer. 9:23-24) Oh my people, what a wonderful God we serve! And it’s not for us to blow our own horn in whatever area or field that we might be uplifted, because that very upliftment comes from God Himself.
But hear this explanation of those verses from the scholars. ‘9:23-24. Having lamented the folly of his faithless people, Jeremiah turns their attention to the true source of wisdom – the Lord Himself (9:23-10:25). True wisdom was to be found in the consistent following of the three central qualities of spiritual life. LOVING-kindness (the exercise of true covenant loyalty;)’ And here they refer to a note in 1 Sam. 20, where Jonathan and Bruh David made their sensational pact.
The note says: ‘Kindness and LOVE are essential ingredients in the covenant stipulations of the ancient Near East. They speak of a relationship whereby each party treats the other as a full family member with loyalty, dignity, and devotion. Jonathan continues with recognition of David’s divinely established pre-eminence. The everlasting covenant between Jonathan and David will be remembered by David when he becomes king (2 Sam. 9).’
Now that’s what true loyalty and covenant relationship means my brethren. Because Jonathan knew that Bruh David was divinely chosen to be Israel’s next king, instead of him, he did not get worried and annoyed over the divine slight. Instead, he did his best to keep Bruh David from the maniacal and murderous hands of his father king Saul. And later on when David became king, He kept that covenant by returning to Jonathan’s crippled son, Mephibosheth, all the lands and wealth of his father and grandfather, and had him continually eating at his table.
How often do we see that kind of covenant relationship lived out in these modern times eh? Not very often. And I’m chuckling here, because I’ve wondered away from the original explanation that I was writing about on verses 23-24. But it seemed important to describe the true workings of a covenant relationship, and please remember that’s what we have with Almighty God. But getting back to the explanation of the three central qualities of spiritual life. The first was LOVING-kindness, the second is ‘judgement (the consistent application of true justice for all), and righteousness (the maintenance of what was right in the sight of the Lord in all of life).’
Unfortunately though my people, none of those three central ingredients exist to any worthwhile degree in our current society, no wonder our troubled and disaster-prone state. We glory in our own doings instead of the Lord’s, corruption is rampant and justice seems non-existent, while righteousness, or simply doing right has been replaced by evildoing.
Yes my fellow saints, all the things of God have been replaced by the things of the evil enemy, and have become so firmly entrenched as ways of life in our current society, that the Lord no longer looks down on us with the favour He once did. He’s left us on our own, to do our own thing, like we so presumptuously desired, and thus to suffer the resultant consequences, like we’re now doing.
Oh friends, when are going to realize that the enemy doesn’t like kindness, compassion, goodness, and those godly things, but rather, prefers hate, evil, chaos and those ungodly attributes. And it’s obvious that if we follow him, those are the things we will get. The opposite is also true; if we follow the goodness and LOVE of God, then we will have that kind of society. But it all comes down to the choice or choices we make. And please remember that each choice has a resultant consequence, therefore wisdom dictates that we check the consequences first before making a choice.
And for those of us who have already checked the consequences and made the wise decision to follow Christ, let’s go home declaring (nooo!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. Altogether now: ‘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 the world. Amen!’
Now let’s go out and do just that; 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 can be no relationship between good and evil…because they come from different sources…and end up in different places…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
30 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a traditional gospel song, calamitous times, come alongside Christ in total faith, come out victorious, common sense, completely surrender to Jesus' will, draw nigh to God, for we walk by faith not by sight, for when I am weak then I am strong, give thanks and praise, God is our only hope, guide me gently to thy kingdom shore, he will draw nigh to you, I am the Almighty God, I am weak but thou art strong, if I falter Lord who cares, if ye forsake him he will forsake you, Jesus keep me from all wrong, Jesus-the only positive option, just a closer walk with thee, let me walk close to thee, LOVE, my grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness, none but thee dear Lord, our human inability to live righteously, receive rejuvenation and encouragement, righteous conquerors, spiritual strength, the father of our faith, the Lord is with you while ye be with Him, the Lord's Day, the prophet Azariah, this world of toil and snares, thrive in the midst of adversity, walk before me and be perfect, when my feeble life is over, who with me my burden shares
2 Corinthians 12:10b. …for when I am weak, then I am strong.
It’s the Lord’s Day friends – Sunday…with bright sunshine too! (smile) That means it’s time to gather for worship, to give thanks and praise and receive rejuvenation and encouragement for next week’s duties. And the days are not getting any easier, especially since we now have a new variant of the Omicron variant in the pandemic business. But, with God’s help and our wise and responsible behaviour, we will fight this virus right down to the end and come out victorious!
That’s our God’s promise, if we revere and stay close to Him. That’s why today’s song of praise is ever so important. You can tell that just from its title: ‘Just a Closer Walk with Thee.’ Oh friends, in these dark and dangerous times it’s ever so necessary to get as close to God as possible, because it’s only through Him that we can ever hope to be righteous conquerors.
‘Just a Closer Walk with Thee’ is a traditional gospel song, that most likely dates from way back when the African Americans were suffering significant adversity in the Southern States of the U.S.A. It’s been performed and recorded by numerous artists, and the fact that it’s stood the test of time, and is still very appropriate in our current adversity, says a great deal about its spiritual strength and reassurance.
So let’s sing a rich, up-tempo gospel version, with plenty background vocals, clapping and riddim instruments, like they possibly did down in those Southern African American churches, when times were really rough, and Jesus was the ONLY positive option they had.
Therefore, with that same assurance, let’s raise our voices in sweet and sincere sacrificial praise to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘I am weak but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. (Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.) Thro’ this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares? Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
[Refrain]When my feeble life is o’er, Time for me will be no more; Guide me gently, safely o’er To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore. (Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be…One more time my people… Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be…’
Now let’s hope that we were truly sincere in our praise, because, as I said earlier, we desperately need to walk with Jesus in these calamitous times, if we want to not only survive them, but even more importantly thrive in them. Yes, my brethren, Jesus can cause us to thrive even in the midst of serious adversity. But we have to come alongside Him in total faith and surrender ourselves completely to His will.
And on a point of interest, the website, Hymary.org informs us that, ‘In this song we acknowledge our human inability to live righteously, but we also express awareness of the grace and strength that God gives us in our daily walk. Even such an esteemed saint as the apostle Paul acknowledged his need for this grace:’
And when was that you ask? When he asked the Lord three times to remove the thorn from his side. ‘And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:8-10)
Ah my fellow believers, the same thing applies to us; when we think we are weak, because we cannot do something in our own strength, that’s when we are really strong because the grace and power of God will step in in our weakness and anoint us to do His will. Glory be!
There’s also this most applicable verse: ‘And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect (blameless).’ (Gen. 17:1) So friends, if the father of our faith was required to walk with the Lord, it’s obvious that we are also required to do the same, and in all seriousness too.
Then we are told that the title and lyrics of today’s song, ‘Just a Closer Walk with Thee,’ allude to the famous passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, which reads: ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ And that’s the gospel truth! Christians walk by faith, by what they see and believe in their hearts, not what they see with their eyes.
And Bruh Paul specified this more clearly when he said to the church at Rome. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) More indisputable truth my fellow saints! And the title and lyrics of our song, also allude to this critical passage from James. ‘Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you…’ (James 4:8a).
Now that was nothing new, for long before that, there was this warning from the prophet Azariah: ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.’ (2 Chr. 15:1-2)
Oh my people, that’s the same message that’s been sent to us today, loud and clear! If we seek God, we will find Him. But if we don’t, He won’t bother with us, either and allow us to go our own foolish way, like we’re currently doing. I don’t know what it will take for us to wake up and realize that He is our only hope. But I sincerely hope and pray, that for our sake, and that of our children…and their children, that we wake up soon and sincerely seek Him, before it all falls apart!
So please, let’s go to God nuh, as we’ve been so wisely advised, walk with Him and cling to Him as closely as possible, because in Him lies all of our hope for a better tomorrow, as well as today! Much LOVE!
…clinging to our Creator for dear life…doesn’t require much wisdom…just basic common sense…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries
