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
11 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a comforting reminder, a hot summer's day, a light to lighten the Gentiles, a red letter day, a state, above mine enemies round about me, all the days of my life, all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem, answer me, be of good courage, be responsible, by the example your faithful believers set, can a woman forget her sucking child, can wake up and smell the coffee, christianity, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, deliver me not unto the will of mine enemies, departed not from the temple, discontent, dissatisfaction, embrace you love and compassion, faith, false witnesses are risen up against me, fateful words of Simeon, gave thanks likewise to God, give thanks to god, God promises to never abandon of forget those who trust in Him, God's steadfast love, God's timing is not our own, have mercy also upon me, he shall hide me in his pavilion, he shall strengthen thine heart, hear O Lord, hide not thy face far from me, holy spirit, I had fainted, I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in the presence of mine enemies, in the secret of his tabernacle, in the time of trouble, in these ungodly times, in times of difficulty, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, lead me in a plain path, leave me not, led by the Holy Spirit, LOVE, mercy, my cup runneth over, my heart said unto thee, my heart shall not fear, neither forsake me, night and day, not have compassion on the son of her womb, now shall mine head be lifted up, O God of my salvation, offer in his tabernacle, offered up his trust and confidence in God, omnipotent help, one thing I have desired of the Lord, our sinful world, our witness for Christ leaves a lot to be desired, perceived abandonment, petition for deliverance from his enemies, problems escalating, put not thy servant away in anger, return backsliders to your fold, sacrifices of joy, salvation, served God with fastings and prayers, set me upon a rock, show them the error of their ways, sing praises unto the Lord, stand on the faithful promises of God, stand strong and steadfast, stay safe, such as breathe out cruelty, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, Teach me thy way O Lord, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, the BIBLE, the glory of thy people Israel, the lord will take me up, the prophetess Anna, they may forget yet will I not forget thee, thou anointest my head with oil, thou hast been my help, thou preparest a table before me, thy face Lord will I seek, to behold the beauty of the Lord, to bring revelation to the Gentiles, to enquire in his temple, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, truth, unexpected storms, unless I had believed, unwavering love, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on God's timing, when I cry with my voice, when my mother and father forsake me, when you said seek my face, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 27:14. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.
At long last it’s that most welcome day we call Friday! And the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have most assuredly being raised to high heaven from all over God’s great universe. And it’s a good day to give thanks to Almighty God, as we’re alive to see this partly sunny but hot summer’s day, with temperatures in the high twenties.
Now, today I want to keep looking at Psalm 27, that marvellous psalm of encouragement titled ‘My Heart Shall Not Fear.’ So, let’s continue from verse 4, where Bruh David continues to express his complete confidence and trust in God.. He writes: ‘One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.’ (Ps.27:4)
That reminds us of the red letter day in Christ’s life, when His parents brought him to the temple to be presented to the Lord. First, there was this older devout gentleman, Simeon, that hung around the temple, who had been promised life until he saw the Lord’s Christ. He was led by the Holy Spirit to the temple that day, and beheld Jesus, took him in his arms and blessed the Lord and spoke glowingly of Jesus being ‘A light to lighten (bring revelation to) the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Isreal.’ (Luke 2:32).
Then there was the prophetess Anna, a widow of about eighty four years, ‘which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.’ (Luke 2:37-38) Yes, there is something to be said for hanging around the Lord’s temple; you can experience His delightfulness and enquire about your life. (smile)
As Bruh David continues: ‘For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up (in honour) above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacles sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:5-6)
And having offered up his trust and confidence in God, Bruh David then presents his petition for deliverance from his enemies. ‘Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put (turn) not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my mother and father forsake me, then the Lord will take me up (take care of me). Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: or false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty (violence).’ (Ps. 27:7-12)
Oh my people, Bruh David opened up his heart to the Lord for assurance of His help. And there are certain promises of God for all that’s been asked.. He will protect His LOVED ones from the enemy. As Bruh David writes in Psalm 23: ‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’ (Ps. 23:5-6)
And as per forsaking us, hear this amazing promise from the writings of the prophet Isaiah. ‘Can a woman forget her sucking (nursing) child, that she should not have (and not have) compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.’ (Is. 49:15) Yes friends, as this commentary tells us, ‘That’s a powerful statement of unwavering LOVE and commitment, This verse emphasizes God’s promise to never abandon or forget those who trust in Him, even if a parent were to forget their child, which is considered a near impossibility. The verse is a comforting reminder of God’s steadfast LOVE and presence in times of difficulty and perceived abandonment.’
How much more reassurance do we need eh? Hopefully none. But as is Bruh David’s won’t, the scholars say: ‘Finally, he returns full-circle to the trust previously stated as the only proper attitude of one who must now wait for God to act.’ He therefore writes: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13-14)
And there’s the whole crux of the matter my brethren; waiting on God in faith after we have offered up our prayers and petitions. It’s where many of us get lost, by not realizing that God’s timing is very seldom our own, and we must wait until He judges it the right time to give us whatever was ask for. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help in these terrible times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And despite all our gushing words, we all know that our witness for Christ, leaves a lot to be desired, so let’s try and do better nuh. Much LOVE!
…it pays to stand on the faithful promises of God…and wait on His wise timing…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life, a strong will, believers ought never to give up, blessed with God's supernatural widom, chores, christianity, Creator and Controller of the universe, curse, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God, David was greatly distressed, divine protection, do not fear, double figures, even mine enemies and foes, every man for his sons and daughters, evil and ungodly times, faith, favour, fear him which can destroy both body and soul in hell, fear not them which kill the body, fulfillment, give I unto you, good health, holy spirit, humans cannot harm the soul or spirit, in the name of Jesus, in this will I be confident, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, lifted up their voices to God, like a rag doll before a mad bull, LOVE, mercy, my heart shall not fear, my peace I give unto you, negative word, neither let it be afraid, nobody, not as the world gives, of whom shall I be afraid, onfidence, Peace i leave with you, physical harm, promotion, put our full hope and faith in God, salvation, self-control, share our undeserved blessings, stood strong in the comfort and encouragement of his God, strengthen our hearts, strife-filled and ruthless times, success, the Amalekites burned Ziklag, the BIBLE, the chaotic and fearful state of our world, the enemy will cast us aside, the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, the men blamed David for their woeful state, the people spake of stoning him, the soul of all the people was grieved, they stumbled and fell, though an host should encamp against me, though war should rise against me, to eat up my flesh, total assurance, truth, useful scriptures, we look for someone else to blame, we want to share in the fame and fortune, when the wicked came upon me, when things go right, when things go wrong, whom shall I fear, wisdom
1 Samuel 30:6b. …but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Ah mih people, we’re on the late, late bus this Thursday morning, or rather afternoon, where the sun has a decided edge over the clouds, but those clouds aren’t giving up very easily. Just like we faithful believers ought not to give up easily, or rather not give up at all, for there’s no giving up in Jesus’ kingdom! And on this penultimate day of our workweek, when July has hit double figures… imagine that nuh, is jut last week we celebrated Canada Day on the first of July, and it’s already up to the tenth. The days certainly are running away like they have some kind of wild animal running them down. (smile)
But I’m sure some of you are wondering why we’re so late today. Well it’s simple. I went to bed late, thus got up late, and there were a few chores to be done around the house that I could not put off any longer without earning the Duchess’ ire. And you know what that can be like! (smile) Anyway, we’re finally here, and kicking too, so let’s check out some useful scriptures…and be brief in doing so too. Hn! Hn! As if the ole fella knows how to be brief. But we’ll try. (smile)
And the scripture for today comes from that marvellous Psalm 27, aptly titled, ‘My Heart Shall Not Fear.’ And that’s something so many of us believers ought to get a grip on, for one of the things Jesus said most often while here on earth is ‘Do not fear.’ He doesn’t expect His followers to fear when they have His sovereign authority and marvellous promises at hand. And what can be more encouraging than these words of His. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Unfortunately though many Christians right now are experiencing much fear because of the chaotic and fearful state of our world. But that’s exactly where and when Bruh David’s words from Psalm 27 ought to strengthen our hearts, as he writes with total assurance and confidence: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1) And the correct answer to that question from the mouth of believers, ought to be a loud and resounding, ‘NOBODY!’
Yes friends, we ought to be afraid of NO ONE! Remember Jesus’ warning. ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28) And this commentary explains that verse thus: ‘It means that while humans may have the power to take away physical life, they cannot harm the soul or spirit. Therefore, one should not be excessively afraid of those who can inflict physical harm, but rather should fear God, who has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell.’
Now, I know it’s not always easy to not be afraid of man, especially in these strife-filled and ruthless times, but let’s weigh the thing in the balance here: man can only destroy our physical body, but the Lord can destroy both our body and soul, so whom should we fear most then eh? It’s obvious, the Lord God Almighty, Creator and Controller of the Universe and all therein!
So let’s stop fearing what man can do to us, and put our full hope and faith in God. Let’s begin thinking and saying like Bruh David did: ‘When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 27:2-3)
Oh my people, that’s the kind of thinking we have to embrace in these evil and ungodly times, otherwise the enemy will just cast us aside like a rag doll before a mad bull. And we all know that Bruh David’s life was far from easy, but he stood strong in the comfort and encouragement of His God. And there’s no better example of this than when Bruh David was living amongst the Philistines, running from King Saul, and he joined them to fight against his Jewish brethren. The Philistine princes didn’t trust him to fight on their side, and sent him and his men back home to Ziklag.
Unfortunately, they arrived there only to find that the Amalekites had invaded, burned it down, and took away all the inhabitants and their livelihood. Obviously when they discovered that sorry state of affairs, Bruh David and his men were very sorrowful, and they lifted up their voices to God and wept. But the selfish and distressful thing was that the men blamed Bruh David for their woeful state, not considering that his two wives were also taken captive. And here’s where Bruh David’s faith truly came through.
The Bible says: ‘And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved (bitter), every man for his sons and his daughters:’ (1 Sam. 30:6a) So, wasn’t Bruh David’s soul grieved for his family too? Apparently not, in the people’s estimate. But that’s how we feckless humans behave. When things go right we all expect to be a part of the fame and glory, but when they go wrong, we always try to lay the blame on someone else’s shoulders.
But thankfully Bruh David was up to the task…obviously with God’s help. The Bible further informs us that instead of being afraid and worried, ‘but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ (1 Sam. 30:6b) And that my people is what we all are expected to do when things get rough. And the example continues, for Bruh David enquired of the Lord what to do, and the Lord told him to go after the Amalekites. He and his six-hundred men did so, and with the Lord’s assistance recaptured all that they’d lost.
And today, there’s no need to worry, because the Lord has given us underserved blessings to do His earthly work as well as boost our faith; we call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere 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!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and use those underserved blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. And I know I promised to be short …but that’s the best I could do! (smile) Much LOVE!
…faith is hope in action…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a demon possessed man, a leper came and worshipped him, a woman with an issue of blood, appeal to the spiritual need in man, as thou hast believed, be of good cheer, believe only, cell phones, children are obese, computers, do thy way, endure to the end, faith, fear not, go in peace, go outside to play. video games, halfway home, hands on the plough, her issue of blood stanched, her spirit came again, holy spirit, I have not found so great a faith, I'm not turning back, Jairus, Jesus and the centurion in Capernaum, Jesus Christ, Jesus heals the centurion's servant sick with the palsy, Lord if thou wilt, LOVE, maid arise, mercy, miracles only happen through strong belief, Moses commanded for a testament, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, no not in Israel, not looking back at the past, offer the gifts, playing in thr rain, salvation, second wind day, she is not dead but sleepeth, she shall be healed, she would be healed, shew thyself to the priest, so be it done unto thee, so glad to be alive, still flowing through me, tell no man what was done, thank God, the breath of life, the cleansing of a leper, the healing of the blind beggar Bartimaeus, the resurrection of Lazarus, the Sermon on the Mount, the simple joys of life, they laughed him to scorn, thou canst make me clean, thy faith hath made thee whole, to a glorious future with Jesus, today's sophisticated children, too many sedentary activities, too much rich food, touch the hem of Jesus' garments, truth, virtue is gone out of me, Wednesday Wail, weep not, wisdom
Luke 8:50b. ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.’
And it seems like our second wind day, Wednesday, is going to be another warm but cloudy day, with the possibility of rain later in the day. But once the stuff that’s falling isn’t white and cold, I don’t think we really care. (smile) And it’s certainly nicer to be playing in the rain than in the snow. I remember having fun doing that as a child. But I guess those simple joys of life no longer appeal to today’s sophisticated children, who refuse to leave their televisions, computers, video games and cell phones to go outside to play.
Oh no! Playing outside is not de rigueur, not fashionable in these modern times. That’s why the children are so sickly and obese; too much rich food and sedentary activities, not enough physical stuff. But who am I to tell these modern day wonders how to raise their children eh? (smile) So, since our good God has granted us the privilege of enjoying another day on His wonderful earth, let’s keep our promise to continue looking at some of the individual healing miracles that Jesus performed.
We stopped yesterday where Jesus was asked to leave the country of the Gadarenes on the other side of the lake after healing a demon possessed man called ‘Legion,’ then putting the demons into a herd of nearby swine, who promptly ran down a steep hill into the lake and drowned. (Luke 8 -26-33) But when he returned home, He found another crowd there waiting for Him, and amongst them was one Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, wanting Jesus to come and heal his twelve year old daughter who was on her deathbed.
But while Jesus was making His way there, with the crowd surrounding Him, a woman who had been sick with and issue (flow) of blood for twelve years, decided that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ garments she would be healed. And so she fought her way through the crowd ‘Came behind him and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue (flow) of blood stanched (stopped).’ Then Jesus asked who had touched Him? The disciples were astounded that He could ask such a question with the crowd surging all around him.
But Jesus said, ‘Somebody hath touched me: for I perceived that virtue (power) is gone out of me.’ Then the woman realizing what she’d done came and fell down before Jesus and confessed it all. ‘And he said to her, Daughter, be of good comfort (cheer): thy faith hath made thee whole (well); go in peace.’ However, while she was still speaking to Jesus someone from Jairus’ household came and told him to stop bothering Jesus, because his daughter had died. But when Jesus heard it, he said to Jairus, ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.’
Then Jesus went to Jairus’s house with Peter, James and John, and everybody wept and wailed over her death, But Jesus said to them, ‘Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn knowing that she was dead.’ But He put everybody out of the room, took her by the hand, and called, saying, ‘Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat (food). And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.’ And all of that friends, you can find in Luke 8:40-56.
What a busy and unpredictable day that must have been for Jesus. First the demon possessed man on the other side of the lake, then back home, the woman with the issue of blood, and Jairus’ daughter. All one after the other. Oh my people, there are so many individual healings that Jesus did we cannot talk about them all, and we’ll have to be very concise with those we share.
Like this one when Jesus came down from the mountain after the Sermon on the Mount, followed by great multitudes, ‘a leper came and worshipped Him, saying Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, See, thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testament.’ (Matt. 8:1-4)
And the scholars note some interesting things about that healing, like when Jesus touched the leper, instead of it bringing uncleanness to Jesus, as it would to any other person who touched him, it caused the total cleansing of the leper. And the purpose of Jesus telling him to tell no man was to draw attention away from the miracle itself and appeal to the spiritual need in man. In the gospels the crowds were often attracted by Jesus’ miracles, but not always by His message.
Shew thyself to the priest is in obedience to the Mosaic Law regarding cleansing. Offer the gift that Moses commanded. Those can be found in Leviticus 14:2-32, where a whole slew of things was laid out for the cleansing of a leper. The scholars say they are typical of Christ’s atonement and the cleansing it provided. For a testimony unto them: that is evidence to the priest that the leper had indeed been cleansed. Brother! It was a rather thorough interrogation, and took some eight days to work through all the stuff.
Then there was the miracle of Jesus in Capernaum when the Centurion asked Him to heal his servant sick of the palsy, (paralyzed and greatly afflicted). Jesus said he would go and heal him. But the centurion replied that he wasn’t worthy for the Lord to come under his roof. He could just speak the word and his servant would be healed. Then he explained about his authority over soldiers who obeyed his orders, and likened Jesus unto himself in that regard. ‘When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great a faith, no, not in Israel. …And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. and his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. ‘(Matt. 8:5-13)
Ah mih bredrin, Jesus was amazed at the strong belief in His healing ability that the Roman unbeliever possessed. Meanwhile His own Jewish people, ridiculed Him and treated His miracles more as a magic show than a real message. And those are just a few of the individual healing miracles Jesus did. You can read about others like the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:17-44), the opening of the eyes of the blind beggar Bartimaeus in Jericho (Mark 10:46-52) and several others if you read and study the life and soul-saving Word of God! (smile)
Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere 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 we’ll be wise if we hold on to the promise that all who endure with Jesus to the very end will enjoy a future more glorious than they can ever ask or imagine. See you there! Much LOVE!
…miracles can only happen…where there is strong belief or true faith…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a daily habit, all manner of disease among the people, an herd of swine, and were drowned, ask for healing and strength from God, awed beyond belief, cannot make it on my own, come to know and love him like we do, commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, do Jesus' work with diligence, duty bound, enjoy the life He created us to have, epileptics, faith, give me strength to endure, had the palsy, healing all manner of sickness, holy spirit, I trust in your goodness, if God spares life, immediately the fever left her, in faith, in god's eyes, in his right mind, Jesus Christ, Jesus the great Physician, Jesus thou Son of God, Jesus took her by the hand, Jesus went about Galilee, lay sick of the fever, lifted her up, LOVE, mercy, possessed of devils, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, put an end to all pain, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, she ministered unto them, sickness comes knocking at our door, Simon's mother-in-law, sitting clothed at Jesus feet, teaching in the synagogues, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the country of the Gadarenes, the devils entered the swine, the Healing Ministry of Jesus, the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, the needs of my physical body, the paralyzed, there followed him great multitudes of people, too proud to ask for help, tragedy, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, vim and vigour, walk wit me, waning years, what have I to do with thee, wisdom, without the grace and mercy of God, your healing touch
Matthew 4:23. And Jesus went about all Galilee …healing all manner of sickness (every sickness), and all manner of disease (every disease) among the people.
Then it was Tuesday, a somewhat cool and cloudy day, and we can forget Monday…until next week that is, (smile) and go on about our Tuesday business, with vim and vigour, all in Christ’s mighty name. Today, we’re going to deal with the topic of healing, as expressed in a prayer form the Prayer Cards recently issued by the In Touch Organization.
So please pray with me: ‘Lord Jesus, You are the great Physician. When You walked the earth You healed the sick, and You still heal today. In faith I bring You the needs of my physical body. I trust in Your goodness today, knowing that one day You will put an end to all pain and brokenness. Walk with me and give me strength to endure. Thank You for Your healing touch. Amen!’
Oh friends, I don’t know about you all nuh, but I desperately need the Lord’s healing touch, each and every day, especially in these my waning years, if I hope to endure and do His work with diligence. And I’m sure a lot of you do too, but oftentimes we’re too proud to ask for help and healing. I certainly am not! I ask for it every single day, because I know that I just could not make it on my own without the grace and mercy of our wonderful God. So let’s promise ourselves to make it a daily habit to ask for healing and strength from Almighty God, so that we can do His work and enjoy the life that He’s created us to have.
And at the end of the prayer, they suggest that we ‘Read some of the many accounts of healing in the New Testament. Jesus is Your Healer.’ And he surely is! Praise the Lord! For without Him I don’t know what we’d do when sickness and tragedy dangerously come knocking at our door. And the first scripture on healing that we will read is the one on which the prayer was based, as Matthew talks about the Healing Ministry of Jesus.
He writes: ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness (every sickness), and all manner of disease (every disease) among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers (various) diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils (demons), and those which were lunatic (epileptics), and those that had the palsy (were paralyzed); and he healed them.’ (Matt. 4:23-24)
Yes mih people, Jesus was, and is indeed our Healer! Can you imagine the crowds of sick people that came to Him back then when doctors and other care givers were in short supply, and the level of human health care was rather low , plus most of the sick could not afford to go to the few health care providers that were available? Matthew says it thus: ‘And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis (the Ten Cities), and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.’ (Matt. 4:25)
Wow! At the end of the day Jesus must have been real tired. No wonder He so often had to escape to a solitary place and commune with the Father, so that His strength could be renewed. And that just goes to show that Healing was a prominent aspect of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now, let’s look at a few of the individual healings Jesus performed, beginning with Mark’s version of the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law.
‘And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon (at once) they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto (served) them.’ (Mark 1:29-31)
Then there was this most poignant and miraculous set of circumstances. Luke tells us of the time when Jesus and the disciples went into the country of the Gadarenes, which was on the opposite shore of the lake to Galilee. And as he stepped out of the boat, ‘there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils (demons) long time, and ware (wore) no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech (beg) thee, torment me not.
(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught (seized) him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters (shackles); and he brake the bands (chains), and was driven of the devil (demons) into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said , Legion: because many devils (demons) were entered into him. And they (the demons) besought (begged) him (Jesus) that he would not command them to go out into the deep (abyss).
And there was an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought (begged) him that he would suffer (allow) them to enter into them. And he suffered (allowed) them. Then went the devils (demons) out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked (drowned). (Luke 8:26-33)
Obviously the swine herders fled in fear back to the city and broadcast the happening. And when the crowd came back to Jesus, they found the demon filled man in his right mind, sitting clothed at the feet of Jesus. But the people were so afraid, that they asked Jesus to leave their place, and Jesus obediently got back into his boat and went back home. (Luke 8:26-39) Can you imagine being around then, seeing Jesus do those miraculous things. Even now, when He does them, and He still does, we’re awed beyond belief.
But we’ll stop here for today, for time and space are against us, and there are so many more healing miracles that we can talk about. However, if God spares life, tomorrow, we’ll continue looking at some more of Jesus’ marvellous healing miracles. Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration, we are 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!
…Jesus…the greatest Healer of all time…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a modicum of free will, a new work week, all sinned and disobeyed your word, always bearing about in the body, associte with Satan, behold who created these things, bringeth out their host by number, by the greatness of his might, cast down but not destroyed, christianity, created beings of God, delivered unto death for Jesus sake, don't adhere to God's commandments, ease the pain, even the youths shall faint and be weary, evil cohorts, fainteth not, faith, forgive our sins, free will, gives power to the faint, God's promised, God's will for our lives, goody two shoes, grace, hast thou not heard, hast thou not known, he calls them all by names, he increaseth strength, he is strong in power, heal our diseases, hear and answer our prayers, holy spirit, hot and humid, humble ourselves, humble servants, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, lift up your eyes on high, LOVE, mdae manifest in our mortal flesh, mercy, Monday Morning, mount up with wings as eagles, my way is hid from the Lord, negative situations, neither is weary, no searching of his understanding, or shall I be equal saith the Holy One, our youth is renewed like the eagle's, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, pray, redeem us from destruction, run and not be weary, salvation, satisfy our mouths with good things, separate the sheep from the goats, shower us with blessings, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerely seek your face, strong faith in Christ, surrender, thank you for life, the BIBLE, the crazy world we live in, the Creator of the ends of the earth, the dying of Jesus, the everlasting God, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the God who heals, the life also of Jesus, the living is not easy, the Lord will make a way where there's no way, the young men shall utterly fall, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, to earn a living, to our detriment, to them that have no might, to whom then will ye liken God, troubled on every side, trust and obey God's directives, truth, turn from our evil ways, walk and not faint, wisdom, wise guidance, with the help of Jesus, yet not distressed
Isaiah 40:25. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One.
Aye friends, as the song says: ‘Monday, Monday, Monday…Monday morning!’ And you better believe it’s another new work week, another of the numerous Mondays in our lives, where we get out into the crazy, misdirected world to earn a living. Let’s hope today is not as hot and humid as the last two days, especially when the living is already not easy. We don’t need the weather to make it any more difficult. (smile)
However, with the help of Jesus and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us we can make it successful, if we sincerely stand by their teaching and guidance. If we surrender, trust and obey God’s directives, then He’s promised to forgive our sins, heal our diseases, redeem us from destruction, shower us with blessings, with mercy and grace, and satisfy our mouths with good things, so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Ps. 103:3-5)
And who would not want those wonderful things eh? It seems like many of us don’t, because many of us don’t adhere to God’s commandments and His will for our lives. Why is that eh? Is it because we believe that we know more than God, and we don’t need Him to help run our lives? Granted, He gave us a modicum of free will, hoping that we would use it to choose His way and standard of living.
But apparently He was ever so wrong, since so many of us prefer to go our own way, and associate with Satan and his evil doing cohorts, than with Jesus and His goody, goody two shoes people. And when Jesus comes back and separates the sheep from the goats, (Matt. 25:31-46) and many of us end up on His left hand with the goats, we’ll wonder why, but it’ll be all because we did not value His importance enough to listen to Him and follow His directives.
Instead, to our great detriment, we followed idols and other man-made doctrines that have no power whatsoever. But there’s none that can compare to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created the world and still rules over it, although with all of the current confusion, strife and hardship that’s currently manifesting itself, some of us might not think so. Ah my people, it’s time we paid serious attention to this passage from the Book of Isaiah, where he expounds on the Greatness of God’s Might.
‘To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth (is missing). Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement (just claim) is passed over from my God?
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God , the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:25-31)
Yes friends, that’s what the Lord does for those who wait on Him! Can Satan or any of his evil cronies do that kind of thing for you? The obvious answer is a loud and resounding ‘NO!’ For they are created beings of God, just like us. So it’s utterly foolish to trust them and their evil and wicked schemes over the righteousness of God. And though life might be somewhat rough in this ungodly world when living for Jesus, we have these marvellous and encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth to bear us up.
‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.’ (2 Cor. 4:8-11)
Yes my fellow believers, though we suffer and are persecuted for Christ, even killed for His sake, we can stand on His faithful promise that if we die with Him, we will also live with Him. So let’s not give up on our faith when there seems to be no way out, for the Lord has promised that He will always make a way where there seems to be no way. (1 Cor. 10:13) And now having those words of encouragement lodged securely in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, let’s go to the throne of grace, seeking divine aid to help us turn our world around.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Ah mih bredrin, our own prayer shows what we have to do to receive divine aid: humble ourselves, pray, turn from our evil ways, and sincerely seek God’s face. So, let’s get on with that nuh, if we truly desire heaven’s help! Much LOVE!
…why would created beings listen to other created beings…instead of their Creator eh…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartfelt version, a temporary dose of the Holy Spirit, all filled with the Holy Ghost, as my Father sent me, as the spirit gave them utterance, began to speak with other tongues, Breathe on me Breath of God, breathed into his nostrils, cloven tongues like as of fire, do what you would do, Edwin Hatch, even so I send you, faith, fill me with life anew, for all eternity, for special ministries or tasks, glows with thy fire divine, God breathing life into Adam, God's breath of life, God's love grace and mercy, he breathed on them, holy spirit, I may be free, I was glad when they said unto me, it sat upon each of them, it's a joy to worship God, it's not a burden or a duty to worship the Lord, Jesus Christ, let us go into the house of the Lord, live with you, live with you the perfect life, LOVE, love the way you love, man became a living soul, mercy, my will is one with yours, peace be unto you, Pentecost day, receive ye the Holy Ghost, ruach, sacrifices of praise, salvation, set us free from all sin and ungodliness, so shall I never die, taking advantage of God's love, the breath of life, the breath of the Almighty, the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, the Holy spirit dwelling on the inside of believers, the Holy Spirit to transform the individual, the infusion of God's Breath of Life, the Lord's day. another scorcher, the simplicity of this profound hymn, the spirit of God hath made me, this earthly part of me, till I am earthly thine, to do and to endure, truth, until my heart is pure, wherever two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, wisdom, working on the outside
Job 33:4. The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
Now, after a scorching Saturday, with a big shower of rain in the evening that cooled the place down some, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, has opened bright and sunshiny with another scorcher in the offing. And if it’s the Lord’s Day, then we should be saying like Bruh David says in the opening verse of Psalm 122: ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ (Ps. 122:1)
And I like how this commentary explains the verse. It says: ‘It was not a burden, not a duty, alone to worship the Lord. It was a joy because that’s where God was in His mercy and His grace to His people.’ Now that’s how we also ought to feel when we go to church, or wherever two or three of us are gathered in Christ’s name. It’s not a duty or a burden to gather to worship Christ. No, sir! It ought to be a joy and a pleasure because we know we’re going where God’s LOVE, mercy and grace are found!
And as we gather today, I want us to sing this marvellous Christian hymn, ‘Breathe on Me , Breath of God,’ authored by Edwin Hatch in 1878. Hatch was a Church of England vicar and the Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. It’s a short and simple but oh so powerful hymn.
One commentary describes it thus: “The simplicity of this profound hymn belies the education and knowledge of its author.” But isn’t that the way it often is, although we have a great education, we can write very simple but powerful stuff. So enough talk. Let’s get to offering up our sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful, scintillating and heartfelt version.
Singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh breathe on me!’
And isn’t it wonderful when we feel the Lord’s presence upon us, like He’s breathing on us? It certainly is! And when we sing ‘Breathe on me,’ this commentary tells us we’re relating ‘directly to the biblical imagery of God breathing life into Adam in Genesis 2:7 and Jesus breathing on the apostles in John 20:22. Both passages emphasize God’s active role in imparting life and the Holy Spirit.’
So, here are those two passages. ‘The first says: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Yes friends, man only came to life when God breathed His breath of life into Him. And the next passage deals with when Jesus first appears to the disciples, after His resurrection. Jesus greets them thus: ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.’ (John 20:22)
That describes Jesus breathing on the apostles, anointing them with a temporary dose of the Holy Spirit, working on the outside, like it was given in the Old Testament for special ministries or tasks. But we see the marvellous moving of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, when it finally came to dwell on the inside of Believers on that fateful Pentecost Day.
The Bible recounts that the early believers were all in one place, when ‘suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire , and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance (enabled them).’ (Acts 2:2-4)
And that’s a very special moment in the church’s life, for it highlights the gift of God’s Spirit, His Breath of Life or ‘Ruach’ the Hebrew name for the Holy Spirit, to empower believers. Now, I guess these words of the hymn, ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine.,’ refers to the miraculous fire of cloven tongues that fell on the believers on that Pentecost Day.
Meanwhile, this commentary tells us that the words ‘Breathe on Me, breath of God, expresses the hymn’s desire for the Holy Spirit to fill and transform the individual, bringing new life, purity, and a deeper relationship with God.’ And friends, do we all ever need that new life, purity and deeper relationship with Almighty God in these disastrous and ungodly times. We need the Holy Spirit to breathe on us, to set us free from all the sin and ungodliness that’s currently wreaking havoc in our world.
We need that Ruach, that Breath of God, so that we can be transformed, with obedience and surrender, and never die, but live with him eternally. It’s like Job’s friend Elihu says; ‘The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.’ (Job 33:4)
Oh my people, no matter how godly and religious we might feel, or be, let’s not fool ourselves, we all need to pray for the renewal and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. So let’s seriously contemplate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives today, and then make the necessary changes so that our lives can be uplifted in Jesus’ name, and we can make a real difference here on earth. That’s my prayer for us this Sunday morning! Much LOVE!
…mankind cannot survive…without the infusion of God’s Breath of Life…so why are we so disobedient and ungodly…taking advantage of His LOVE…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Sunday afternoon stroll, an attitude of prayer, ask and it shall be given to you, be patient in tribulation, communication with God, continuing instant in prayer, deepen my breath, delve into God's Word, everyone that asks receives, everyone that seeks finds, eye-opening scripture, faith, for our benefit, frequent prayer, go and pray unto me, He spake a parable unto them to this end, holy spirit, I love them that love me, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I will hearken unto you, in Christ Jesus concerning you, in everything give thanks, in the face of adversity, in the morning, in the Spirit, increase my awareness of you today, intimacy with god, Jesus Christ, Jesus went out into a solitary place and prayed, knock and it shall be opened unto you, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, maintain gratitude, make time to be intimate with our heavenly Father, meditate and pray, men ought always to pray and not faint, mercy, not lose heart, patient in tribulation, perseverance, pray without ceasing, praying always, put the word into action, quiet my soul, refreshing ourselves, rejoice evermore, rejoicing in hope, relax my muscles, relieve frustrations, rising up a great while before day, salvation, search for me with all your heart, seek and you shall find, slow my thoughts, spiritual success, thank you for this tenderness, the armour of God, the BIBLE, the Christian life, the wronged woman seeking justice from the unjust judge, then shall ye call upon me, this is the will of God in Christ, those that seek me early will find me, to everyone that knocks, to him that knocks it shall be opened, truth, watching thereunto, wisdom, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints, with prayer and supplication, ye shall seek me and find me
Luke 18:1. And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).
And finally we come to another Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday, where we dare to lie about doing as little as possible, in the opening rounds of refreshing our tired selves and spirits from a mediocre and unpleasant week. And the best way to begin relieving our frustrations is by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth.
So, as one strong voice, let’s pray. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And there’s nothing better at relieving frustrations than seeking intimacy with our heavenly Father, because it lightens our spirits and renews our souls. Remember that eye-opening scripture we read yesterday from the prophet 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 friends, anytime we’re disheartened, discouraged, fearful, worried, lost or even just tired, the best way to relieve our anxieties is by sincerely seeking Jesus in prayer with all of our hearts. souls, bodies and minds. Cousin Sol also offer his two cents worth on the subject in Proverbs, when he writes of the Lord: ‘I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) shall find me.’ (Prov. 8:17)
This brings to mind this ever so important verse of the Bible, where it says: ‘And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) Then He told them about the wronged woman who kept seeking justice from the unjust judge, until he finally got tired of her and gave her the justice she desired and deserved. And prayer, sincere and steadfast must always be number one in our lives.
Look at how often Jesus prayed. Before and after almost every event He went away by Himself to pray, to seek intimacy, strength, renewal and direction from the Father. And this scripture verse on the subject just touches my heart. Mark writes: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
Now, if Jesus, the Son of God, thought it necessary to make time to be in the Father’s presence, how much more do we, miserable and sinful creations that we are, need to make time to be intimate with our heavenly Father eh? Much, much more! And there are a number of scriptures that do encourage, admonish and exhort us to pray.
So let’s look at a few of them now nuh, beginning with this famous one from Jesus: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8)
And the scholars offer this explanation of those verses. ‘The three imperatives, ask, seek, knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perseverance and frequent prayer. Fervent and continual prayer is to be made on behalf of those for whom we are concerned. God promises to answer all genuine prayer (vs. 8). Everything we need for spiritual success has been promised to us. God leaves us no excuse for failure.’ And that’s something we ought to grab hold of and hold on to quite tightly: we have no excuses for spiritual failure, because God has already given us what we need, and shown us the way to succeed.
Now here is another verse of scripture that encourages us to pray, from Bruh Paul to the Romans. When talking about overcoming evil with good, he says a part of our behaviour to enable us to do that, must be: ‘Rejoicing in hope, patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ (rom. 12:12)
Then to the Ephesians, when talking about the armour of God, Bruh Paul ends with this most important verse. ‘Praying always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for the saints.’ (Eph. 6:18) What he’s saying there is that despite all the godly armour you might have on, prayer is still very important, for without it, the armour won’t work.
And finally, to the Thessalonians, Bruh Paul exhorts them thus: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-18) Yuh see how he throws in that li’l gem in the middle: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ The scholars tell us that means we ought always to have an attitude of prayer, although we might not be praying audibly, and that constant attitude of prayer will help us to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.
No friends, living the Christian life is not easy, definitely not a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park,, but as we saw earlier on, our wonderful God has given us everything we need to live the successful Christian life, so it’s all up to us to delve into His word, meditate and pray on it, then put it into action in our lives. And there’s no better time to begin doing that than right now. So, let’s take some time on this lazy-day Saturday, the first one in July of 2025, and spend it in true and sincere intimacy with our marvellous God. That can only be to our benefit! Much LOVE!
…without prayer…there’s no communication with God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 4th of July, a delicate whispering voice, a few tears fell, A Friendship Observed, a future and a hope, a gentle internal prompting, a means of restoring faith in you, a modicum of circumspection, a still small voice, a strong wind rent the mountains, a very personal task, a way god commuinicates with individuals, a willingness to listen, affirmations, after being zealous for the Lord, after the earthquake a fire, after the fire, after the wind an earthquake, anguish, anxiety and confusion, be responsible, brake in pieces the rocks, calamity, call upon me, confessions, crying out for help, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, discipline, discontent, dissatisfaction, divine aid, dramatic displays of power, ecstasy, faith, father's death, Friday chant, God speaks to all His people, God whispers secrets to all of us, God's whispered secrets, godly information, groping, holy spirit, hundreds of memories encircled the room, I know the thoughts that I have toward you, I will hearken unto you, if you'll listen, insights, intense struggles, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, Jezebel, journals, joy, LOVE, make a positive difference, mercy, omnipotent help, One Year Book of Bible promises, our sinful world, pray unto me, problems are escalating, pull up our socks, purging, questions, record of life, recounting of his inner life, return backsliders to your fold, reuires attentiveness, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, seek me and find me, semons, spiritual encounters, stand strong and steadfast, stay safe, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the example we faithful believers set, the Lord passed by, the Lord was not in the fire, the story of Elijah, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end, to handle the unexpected storms properly, to live the godly life, trusting faith, truth, U.S.A Independence Day, ungodly times, wake up and smell the coffee, when ye search for me with all your heart, wisdom, wise guidance, zealous for the Lord
1 Kings 19:12. And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (a delicate whispering voice).
And today is another birthday celebration; the U.S.A’s Independence Day, when on the 4th of July 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the 13 North American colonies officially separated from Great Britain. And can you imagine the celebrations down there, especially since it falls on a Friday! There’d be more ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ shouts than normal for the long weekend. But again, we must issue the caution to have a modicum of circumspection during the celebrations for our world is already flooded with enough disasters to last us more than one lifetime, and accidents happen rather easily and quickly when we don’t pay particular attention while celebrating. End of sermon!
Today I want to share an interesting but not exclusive story from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s titled ‘A Friendship Observed.’ And I truly don’t know if I’ve ever shared this one before, (smile) but it does make very interesting and appropriate reading.
So please read with me. ‘After my father’s death, I sat in his quiet office sorting through years of sermons and journals. A few tears fell on the pages. My task was very personal. Hundreds of memories encircled the room. I was amazed, yet pleased, when I began to compare my journals with my father’s. Our groping and intense struggles, our affirmations and confessions were so often interlaced. It would never have occurred to us to share our journals while Dad was still living. Diaries, letters, journals, and even phone calls were private.
Today I reflect upon my own record of life – page after page of spiritual encounters. Anguish, questions, purging, joy, discipline, insights, ecstasy, faith – God’s whispered secrets. Suddenly the early beginning became very much alive: A little girl, seven or eight, hearing her father say, “If you’ll listen – really listen – God will whisper secrets to you!” My father had said something very beautiful and strange. How did he know that God would whisper secrets to me? But as I sorted through my father’s careful recounting of his inner life and journey, it suddenly became very clear: He too, had heard God’s secrets!’
And yuh know what friends, that’s a truth we all ought to know, for God speaks to all of His people, He whispers secrets to all of us…but like the story says, the qualifying statement is that we really, really have to listen to hear those secrets that God’s whispering to us. And if we don’t truly listen, then we won’t hear them, and then we’ll be lost or miss something(s) very useful and or necessary for us to live the godly life.
Remember the Lord and the Holy Spirit speak mostly in a still, quiet voice. And we have a magnificent example of that from the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19, hiding in a cave up on a mountain, running from Queen Jezebel’s promise to kill him, after he had killed a great number of her evil prophets. And the Lord came and asked him what he was doing there, and he claimed that after being zealous for the Lord, he was the only one left, and they were trying to kill him.
Then the Lord told him: ‘Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. and behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent (tore into) the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (a delicate whispering voice).’ (1 Kin. 19:11-12)
Yes friends, so it is, that oftentimes the Lord is not in the earthquake, the storm, the fire or whatever disaster might happen, but in a quiet voice thereafter. And I like how this commentary explains it. ‘The phrase “God speaks in a still small voice” originates from the biblical story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. It describes a way God communicates with individuals, not through dramatic displays of power like wind, earthquake, or fire, but through a gentle, internal prompting. This still, small voice is often interpreted as a quiet, internal whisper or intuition that requires attentiveness and a willingness to listen.’
Please note again, that to hear that still small voice we must be very attentive and ever so willing to listen, or else we’ll miss the godly information being shared. And interestingly enough, the Bible verse for our story today is one that we all know and like to quote, although we might not action it as much as we ought to. (smile)
It comes from Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I have toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). 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. 29:11-13) Yes my people, that’s what it takes to find the Lord and make Him listen; seeking Him with all your heart. Now let’s do that by going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant.
Altogether: ‘‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Oh my people, our world is very sinful, and our Christian witness needs to be much improved if we hope to make a dent in it. So let’s pull up our socks nuh so that we can make a positive difference, and also receive divine aid! Much LOVE!
…to listen…to listen…and to listen…that’s how you hear…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, a godless society, a great family, a positive outlook on life, a strong will, abundance, actions prove love, an expression of love, another day another dollar, arise and flourish, baptizing them in the name of the Father, be completely lost, Christians, complacent, curse, discarded on the dumping ground fo life, divine protection, even unto the end of the world, faith, favour, fear him which can destroy both soul and body, fear not them which kill the body, fight the good fight, glorify your Father which is in heaven, good for nothing, good friends, greed, hide your light under a bushel, highest level of innovation, his commandments are not grievous, holy spirit, I am with you always, if any man will come after me, if ye love me keep my commandments, in the name of the Holy Spirit, in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, keep arrogance and judgement from my heart, lack of faithful witness for Christ, lazy, let him deny himself, Let your light so shine before men, lost our salty flavour, LOVE, mercy, negative things, negative word, nigh impossible, not able to kill the soul, not putting fort the necessary effort, nothing can separate us from the Love of God, overrun by negative things, positive ad productive changes, preach Christ Crucified, promotion, prosperity, salvation, see your good works, self-aggrandizement, self-control, spread our salty flavour, stand strong in Faith, supernatural wisdom, take up his cross daily and follow me, talent, teach all nations, teaching them to observe all things, that we keep his commandments, the BIBLE, the Great Commission, the salt of the earth, this is the love of God, through him that loved us, to be cast out, trodden under foot of men, truth, we are more than conquerors, we can do anything through Jesus, whatsoever I have commanded you, wisdom, with Jesus in our lives, Ye are the light of the world
John 14:15. If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.
Another day, another dollar! That’s what we’re working for, on this Thursday morning in early July. But in reality, after taxes, inflation, pension plan etc. etc. we might only end up with about thirty five cents out of that dollar, and it’s definitely not easy, nigh impossible, to live on that in these dreadful times. However, as children of God, who have been made to see another sunshiny summer’s day on God’s great earth, we have the ability to make something from nothing, for we can do any and everything through Christ Jesus who strengthens and enables us. (Phil. 4:13)
Give Him the glory my people! For He’s been such a blessing to us, that without Him, we’d be completely lost and discarded on the dumping ground of life. But with Jesus in our lives, we can arise and flourish, for we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us. (Rom. 8:37) And how wonderful it is to further know that NOTHING can separate us from the marvellous LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39)
No wonder we stand strong in faith and fight the good fight that Jesus has called us to engage in on His behalf. We know it as the Great Commission, where He commands us to ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20)
Now that’s the job we ought to be doing down here on earth if we claim to believe in Jesus and all that he stands for. But unfortunately we’re not doing such a great job, judging by the overwhelming strife, anguish, poverty, hunger and sickness that exist in a world of plenty; a world that’s reached its highest level of innovation, knowledge, information and prosperity in its entire existence. But all these negative things exist because our world is also a generally godless society that is overrun by other negative things like greed, arrogance, entitlement and self-aggrandizement.
The truth of the matter though is that we supposed believers are not putting forth the energy and effort necessary to make positive and productive changes in our world. We’re either lazy and complacent, living in our comfortable little corner, not wanting to be disturbed or bothered to help anyone in need. Or, we are afraid of what man can do to us, if and when we preach and live Christ crucified. But please remember Jesus’ warning to that situation. ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28)
That means we’re not to be afraid of man, because all he can kill is our bodies, but our fear should be of God who can destroy both our bodies and souls. But that doesn’t seem to bother us in the least since we’re going about our selfish business as usual, without a qualm regarding our lack of good and faithful witness for Jesus.
Like we’ve also forgotten, or simply disregarded His entreaty, that we’re the salt of the earth, and should be spreading that salty flavour of Christianity all over the planet. And why aren’t we doing that eh? Is it because we have apparently lost our salty flavour? If so, then as Jesus says, we are good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. (Matt. 5:13) I would certainly hope that is not the case.
And what about Jesus’ other contention? ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.’ (Matt. 5:14) Yes friends, that’s what we’re supposed to be; bright lights shining forth like cities and lighthouses set on hills, to provide the light of Jesus for the numerous people who are still living in darkness today. But instead, we seem to be hiding our light under a bushel or a basket, so that it’s not getting to anyone else and lighting their way. But Jesus’ specific instruction was to: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16)
Ah mih people, how easily we disregard Jesus’ desires, but yet still insist on calling ourselves His ambassadors and disciples. Remember His saying on discipleship? ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Yes friends, that’s what a disciple of Christ looks like! And how many of us can truthfully claim to be doing that to the best of our ability eh? Not enough of us!
Let’s also remember the rather profound statement that Jesus made while comforting the disciples before His departure. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) It’s as simple as that my fellow believers. If we LOVE Jesus, we will keep His commandments. And this commentary explains the verse thus: ‘It emphasizes that LOVING Jesus is demonstrated through obedience to his teachings and instructions. The verse highlights that keeping commandments is not a burden, but an expression of LOVE and a way to experience a deeper relationship with God.’
And John corroborates that when he says in his first epistle: ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome).’ (1 John 5:3) No my brethren, God’s commandments are not burdensome, but we do have to come up a little higher than normal to keep them. And on that exhilarating note, (smile) let’s go home declaring (steupsss!!!) and thus activating what we call our Thursday Blessings, undeserved, but generously given to us by God to do His earthly work.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…you can’t say you LOVE someone…and not have actions to prove it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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