17 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a helmet, a time of fasting and praying, as do others, Ash Wednesday, be not found wanting, be prepared, build up each other, children of the day, cometh like a thief in the night, comfort yourselves, God hath not appointed us to wrath, halfway home, hands fixed on the plough, I'm not turning back, I'm so glad to be alive, keep God first place, Lent, Lenten season, let us watch and be sober, life eternal, LOVE, much thanks and praise, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, new mercies and compassions, seek ye first the kingdom of God, the breastplate of faith and love, the breath of life, the day of the Lord, the grim reaper, the hope of salvation, the preparation, the readiness, therefore let us not sleep, time of reflection, to a glorious future with Jesus, to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Wednesday Wail, when the roll is called up yonder
1 Thessalonians 5:6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (self-controlled).
Well it’s another new day, another Wednesday, with lots of new mercies and compassion for which we are eternally grateful! Therefore we will give the Lord much thanks and praise and enjoy the day as we sincerely, diligently and efficiently do His holy will! And His children’s voices were raised in a loud, grateful and spontaneous ‘Amen!’
Today is also Ash Wednesday, the day in our religious calendar that begins our season of Lent. And what is Lent, you ask? Basically it’s a time of fasting and praying, of reflection and thanksgiving, of abstinence and self-denial, of desiring to get more intimate with our God, of giving up some of the things that we enjoy, but which keep us from giving our all to Him. It corresponds to the forty days that Christ spent in the wilderness fasting, being tempted by the devil, while preparing Himself for His upcoming earthly ministry. (Matt. 4:1-11)
Likewise, every so often, not necessarily in the Lenten season alone, we ought to empty ourselves, get serious and talk as intimately as possible with our great and wonderful God; go to Him with life changing and puzzling questions and await His faithful answers. Oh friends, it’s only as we sincerely seek God that we can ever get answers. For as Jesus said so plainly: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33).
That’s why we should always endeavour to keep God in first place in our lives, for without Him in that Number One position, we will not be beneficiaries of all the wonderful and immeasurable benefits that He has prepared for us. And one of those immeasurable benefits is life – both earthly and eternal!
Ah mih people, it’s so good when you can wake up another day and don’t see your name listed in the obits. (smile) Yes, heaven might be wonderful and all that, but I’m sure that most of us are not quite ready to go there. There’s something about earthly living; could be the enticing promises of sinful living, (smile) or better yet, the desire to do God’s work here on earth. But whatever it is, in most of our hearts and souls, we’re not ready just yet to give up this tempestuous, troubled, evil, dangerous and uncertain earthly life. (smile)
I pray though, that we’re all ready, just in case the Grim Reaper shows up unexpectedly and calls our name, or Jesus happens to come again to receive His own unto himself. That is all important friends; the preparation, the readiness for heaven whenever it calls. We cannot be found wanting when Christ calls us to come home, whether it be in death or His Second Coming. When either of those times arrive, He must be our Lord and Saviour, or else we will not spend eternity with Him, and that will indeed be a crying shame, with much weeping and gnashing of teeth, but then it will be too late.
As Jesus clearly stated; when He shall return, and when we shall be called home, no man knows it. ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only…Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.’ (Matt. 24:36, 42) And since ALL options will be off the board when either of those situations occur, it’s of the utmost importance to always be in a state of readiness for either occasion.
‘Be prepared; be ready,’ should be our watchwords and motto in this earthly life, for we don’t want to miss out on the eternal and heavenly one with Jesus. The only other option; hell, eternal darkness and the lake of fire with Satan is unthinkable! So let’s just concentrate on being with Jesus nuh, which means putting Him first place in our lives, and doing whatever He requires of us.
And Bruh Paul spelled it out quite clearly in his first epistle to the Thessalonians. ‘For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night…But ye, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children (sons) of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (self-controlled).
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and LOVE; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.’ (1 Thess. 5:2, 4-10)
Yes my brethren, that’s exactly why we do what we do; so that we can live together with Jesus forever! And one of the ways to ensure that in this evil world, comes from Bruh Paul’s last command. ‘Wherefore comfort yourselves together (encourage each other), and edify (build up) one another, even as also ye do (are now doing).’ (1 Thess. 5:11)
Oh my people, it’s ever so important for the saints of Christ to encourage, teach and build up each other, especially in these times of rampant sickness, evil, loneliness, depression and inhumanity. So like now, when isolation is the norm, let’s try and stay in touch with each other nuh. We have the means and the technology to do it, but we need to dig down deep and find the will, for it’s what Jesus desires of us.
Now let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the 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 let’s not forget that if we endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious than our puny minds can even contemplate. Much LOVE!
…when the roll is called up yonder…will you be there…that’s the most important question…
13 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a matter of maturity, Attitude is a choice, Beauty for Ashes, Blessed are the peacemakers, blind belief in authority, but oh so rewarding, can dispossess the child of God, characteristics that believers in Jesus should espouse, don't see the newly opened one, Donald Trump, exult, for my sake, for the spirit of heaviness, Friend Anselm, from glory to glory, gospel truth, great is your reward in heaven, Happiness is a choice, hateful and resentful division in the U.S, If God is real, if heaven is to be gained, if the Bible is true, it is tough living for Jesus, jubilation, Kindness is a choice, look so long at the closed door, LOVE, lying and deceitful rhetoric, my grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness, no temporary earthly trouble, of growing in faith, Optimism is a choice, persecuted for righteousness sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad, Respect is a choice, say all manner of evil falsely against you, Sermon on the Mount, so persecuted they the prophets before yo, the Beatitudes, the children of God, the eternal destiny of all things, the garment of praise, the greatest enemy of truth, the indispensable absolute truth, the inner state of mind and heart, the oil of joy for mourning, the pleasures of a late night, the prospect of eternal glory, the travesty of an early morning, theirs is the kingdom of heaven, true Christian discipleship, whatever you choose choose wisely, when men shall revile you, when one door of happiness closes
Matthew 5:12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Oh friends, this lazy, hazy, bleak looking Saturday morning in the winter of 2021 has begun a tad rough on the ole fella. (smile) Ah the pleasures of a late night…but the travesty of an early morning. But as the ole people would say, when you do not listen you will feel, and believe me, I am feeling now. (smile) But that’s neither here nor there, God’s work needs to be done, and I know that He will give me the strength and wisdom to do it in a good and sound manner. Why? Because He has faithfully promised: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a)
Yes friends, that’s what the Lord told Bruh Paul after he had complained for the third time about a nagging and uncomfortable body problem. And that’s the promise He makes to all of us who are weak and pained; in our pain and weakness His strength and glory are shown forth. Please remember that in those times when you feel weak and in pain; the Lord’s grace will show out in you if you turn to Him in all sincerity. Enough preaching now though. And I know you’re thankful for that. (smile)
Let’s see what our friend Anselm had to say in his quotes this past week. And the first one, makes this dramatic statement. ‘Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth.’ Now that statement does have a lot of truth in it, but whether it’s the greatest enemy of truth, I don’t know. And we do have an exceptionally good recent example of it; the crowds of Americans who listened to the lying and deceitful rhetoric of Donald Trump and the other high up, powerful but oh so deceitful crooks around him, and blindly believed in the lies and deceits they so blatantly spouted. That is what has caused the wide, unamicable split, the hateful and resentful division we now have in the U.S. of A.
So blind belief in authority does carry serious negative problems to overall truth. And the second quote proudly proclaims: ‘Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.’ And you really can’t find any problems with that statement nuh my people, for it’s totally true. All those characteristics are choices that one must make if you want to embrace them.
And furthermore, they are all characteristics that the believer in Jesus Christ ought to espouse, because they are all a part of his philosophy, a part of His wonderful gospel! That means choices are an invaluable part of our life, we can’t get away from them, but the essence of the whole thing is that we must be sure to choose wisely, for unwise decisions usually cause, or bring dire consequences, even life-changing, lifetime ones. And having said that, I would be amiss not to tell us that the best choice we can ever make in this life is to believe in Jesus Christ, make him our Lord and Saviour and follow him from now until eternity!
And interestingly enough, that last quote segues nicely into this next one. ‘When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth my fellow saints in Christ! Although we know that when the Lord closes one door He usually opens another, we get so caught up in what we might have lost, that we fail to realize and recognize the better things that the Lord is offering in the new situation.
I guess that’s just a normal human reflex action. We miss the good things we lose, more than we look forward to the better things that are ahead. But let’s not beat up ourselves over that fact nuh because mourning and grief over the lost all takes time. But we do have to make sure that we don’t make that sad time too long since it would just break us up even further. Remember the Lord doesn’t close doors on us, unless he has better ones to open. And when those doors close in future, let’s contemplate the promise He made to His people, Israel, through the prophet Isaiah so long ago; ‘to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.’ (Is: 61:3)
But as sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, ‘You can’t get the beauty until you give up the ashes.’ And that’s oh so true. We have to turn away from the closed door, though it may be sad and hard, else we’ll never see the newly opened one. It’s all a matter of maturity, of growing in God’s Spirit, of being lifted up from glory to glory!
And the last quote trumpets this eternal truth: ‘Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.’ And yes, that’s an indisputable fact! If mankind would only change its evil, wicked, inhumane and unjust ways, this world would be such a wonderful place! But I guess that’s never going to happen, at least until Jesus sets up His kingdom here on earth.
In the meanwhile though, He expects his faithful and sincere followers to exhibit those magnificent tendencies of truth, compassion, honesty and justice, and to stand up forcefully against the powers of greed, inhumanity, injustice and all the other negative things that make life so difficult for so much of mankind. And I believe the best way to close today is with some memorable words of Jesus taken from His Sermon on the Mount., the opening of His earthly ministry.
And it’s worthwhile to note that He began with the Beatitudes, statements that the scholars explain ‘deal with the inner state of mind and heart that is the indispensable absolute truth of true Christian discipleship. It delineates the outward manifestations of character and conduct of true believers and genuine disciples… It’s a life of grace and glory, which comes from God alone.’
So let’s listen to these last few Beatitudes. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’ (Matt. 5:9-12)
Oh friends, it is tough living for Jesus, but oh so rewarding. Hear the scholars as they explain just why living for Jesus is the most glorious thing we can do in this life. ‘5:12. Rejoice is the command that grows out of the blessedness of the believer. The phrase “Rejoice and be exceeding glad,” means even more, exult (triumph, jubilation)! Great is your reward in heaven focusses attention on the eternal destiny of all things. If God is as real as He claims, if the Bible is true, if heaven is to be gained, then no temporary earthly trouble or persecution can dispossess the child of God of joy in the prospect of the eternal glory that lies ahead.’
Let’s think on that nuh this Saturday my precious people. Much LOVE!
…blessed are those who believe in Jesus…and follow His example…
11 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a marathon race, a new day, at the right hand of the throne of God, clothing, courage, creativity, curse, despising the shame, divine protection, embrace all the promises of God, enables us to run our race, endurance, endured the cross, euphoria, examples of the champions, excessive body weight, faint in your minds, favour, finished the course, focus on Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, gain a strength and sense of purpose, give God some thanks and praises, heroes of faith, I want to jump and shout for joy, is set down, it feels so good to be alive, Jesus blazed the trail, Jesus is the best example, lay aside every weight, lest ye be wearied, let us run with patience, lift us from glory to glory, living by faith, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, negative word, promotion, prosper, rise to a higher level of humanity, seeing we are compassed, sing praises to my Lord and Saviour, so great a cloud of witnesses, succeed, the author and finisher of our faith, the extraordinary feeling, the feeling of peace and calm, the race that is set before us, the sin which so easily ensnares us, Thursday Blessings
Hebrews 12:1b. …let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us.
It’s a new day people, so graciously granted to us by our heavenly Father, so let’s give Him some thanks and praise for it nuh, and promise to enjoy it to the fullest, while doing His awesome will! Yes friends, it feels so good to be alive on this Thursday morning, that despite all my difficulties, I still want to jump and shout for joy and sing praises to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Wow! Hope you are also experiencing the same extraordinary feeling, because it is not a normal emotion that the world, that unbelievers can experience.
That feeling of peace and calm, of LOVE and goodwill to our fellow beings, even when we are in the midst of a dreadful storm ourselves! And that feeling of euphoria, even in the darkest times is only possible when Jesus has first place in our lives. When we focus on Him, our lives take on a different quality, we rise to a higher level of humanity, we gain a strength and sense of purpose that enables us to run the race that our Creator has set out for us.
Yes friends, when we embrace all the promises that our God has made down through the ages, we are then able to rise to the occasion, and allow Him to lift us from glory to glory, ever becoming more faithful and Christlike as we live this earthly life. And these awesome words from the Good Book epitomize all that I’m saying. The author of Hebrews, which resonate like the words of Bruh Paul, but which some scholars doubt, gives us this news of great assurance about running our race.
‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us.’ (Heb. 12:1) And I guess it’s only appropriate that I enclose the lengthy, but excellent explanation the scholars provide on that verse, so that we will get the real meaning and understand it perfectly. (smile)
‘12:1. The present exhortation to run finds its basis in the examples of the champions mentioned in chapter eleven. These heroes of the faith are like a cloud of witnesses. As “witnesses” (Gr. marturon) they are sometimes regarded as spectators (Gr. theatai) or as martyrs; yet the Greek word should be understood as referring simply to those who testify or witness. The emphasis is on the witness provided by their living by faith.
This race of faith is described by three modifying statements. First, it is to be run by laying aside every weight. This refers to impediments that weigh one down, whether clothing or excessive body weight. These things are not inherently wrong, but for the diligent runner, or the faithful Christian they must be removed.
Second, it is to be run by putting off the entangling sin. This seems to refer to the one sin above all others that defeats a Christian. This may be a different sin for each individual. Third, it is to be run with patience (Gr. hypomones). Since patience is not an attribute commonly associated with running, this word would be better translated as endurance. Endurance and persistence have been on the author’s mind since the end of chapter 10 (cf. 10:32, 36-38, 11:13).’
There you have it friends, our race is all about faith, learning from the faithful exploits of those who have gone before us and setting glorious examples, glorious witness and testimony for those who are coming after us. And remember our race is not a sprint, but a marathon, and those require much endurance and strength, both physical and spiritual, that’s why we need to practice, and practice seriously if we truly desire to win our individual races. And friends, the ability to do that is certainly enhanced when Jesus is our focus, cause remember we can do all things through Him, who strengthens us.
Thus, the second verse of Hebrews 12 boldly continues: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:2) Oh my people, that verse is key, for it is Jesus who began our faith and completed the first race in it.
And the scholars declare it thus: ‘12:2. Just as verse 1 establishes some qualities for the entrance into and the actual running of life’s race, so verse 2 directs one’s eyes to the finish line. Jesus is the author and finisher in that He has already blazed the trail and finished the course.’
That makes Him the best example to follow in running our race. ‘For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (discouraged) in your minds (souls). Ye have not yet resisted unto blood (bloodshed), striving against sin.’ (Heb. 12:3-4)
And the scholars explain: ‘12:3-4. Though chapter 11 provides many champions for believers to emulate, the supreme example of endurance is Jesus Himself.’ Make no doubt about that my brethren! Jesus is the example that our heavenly Father wants us to emulate. Yes, He knows that it won’t be easy, but that’s why He has blessed us so profusely with all the parts and trappings to be successful.
And let’s thank our lucky stars, or should I say, our heavenly Father, (smile) that very few of us will have to undergo and endure the sad and brutal punishment that Jesus endured for our sinful sakes. That means we need to show gratitude by putting our best foot forward in supporting and promoting His wonderful cause. And He’s so magnificent and magnanimous that He’s even given us the tools to help us do His work. We call them our Thursday Blessings. Wow! So let’s remind ourselves of them as we go home this bright but cold Thursday morning nuh.
As one strong, confident but humble voice. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having declared them, let’s now go out, or stay in, or whatever, and share them with others, use them to benefit others, just as magnanimously as Christ has done with and for us. Much LOVE!
…the Lord knew we needed help in witnessing…that’s why He provided so many good examples…the best being Jesus…
07 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: about the tough rows that I've hoed, be in good health, because my cup has overflowed, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, blessings, bring forth fruit in old age, cause I'm happy anyhow, children of God, divine wisdom, Drinking from my Saucer, fat and and flourishing, grow like a cedar in Lebanon, he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, her leaf shall be green, I don't worry about that much, I'm reaping better than I sow, I've got a friend in jesus, I've never made a fortune, in the name of Jesus, in the presence of mine enemies, Javed, Javenius Walker, Lord hlep me not to grumble, LOVE, may I never be too busy, my cup runneth over, my faith wore sometimes thin, neither shall cease from yielding fruit, never give up, prosper, put our trust in God, seek after righteousness, shall not be careful in the year of drought, shall not see when heat comes, sometimes the going's rouch, spreadeth out her roots by the river, that makes me rich enough, the Lord is upright, the Lord's Day, the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, there is no unrighteousness in him, thou anointest my head with oil, thou preparest a table before me, time for giving thanks and praise, time for worship, to help others bear their load, whose hope the Lord is
Psalm 23:5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.
Sunday morning, Sunday morning; time for worship, time for giving thanks and praise on the Lord’s Day! And though it’s still only through technological means with no physical gathering, we don’t care, because we can worship our wonderful God through virtual reality just as well as in person…well, it does lack something, (smile) but it serves the purpose. It’s definitely better than no worship at all. So let’s get right to some praiseful singing. And this morning’s song is one we did some time ago, that I find so glorious and true. It’s something done by the artist called Javed, (Javenius Walker) and titled ‘Drinking From My Saucer.’
Wow! I wonder how many of you remember when tea was served in cups with saucers to hold the overflow or spillage. And sometimes when the tea was too hot, you’d pour it into to your saucer and drink it from that, as it would cool faster on the broader surface. You couldn’t put out a cup without a matching saucer. But that was many moons ago. Children nowadays don’t even know what’s a saucer. Anyway, that’s where the idea for this song comes from. So in a rich, soulful, sincere voice of sacrificial praise, let’s sing.
‘Intro: ‘We Worship You Lord, we worship You with all of our hearts souls, bodies and minds. It’s to Your throne we come, with praise and thanksgiving for your many blessings. (Verse: I’ve Never Made A Fortune, And It’s Probably not Too Late Now, Oh, but I Don’t Worry About That Much, Cause I’m Happy Anyhow. And As I Go Along Life’s Journey, I’m Reaping Better Than I Sow. I’m Drinking From My Saucer, Because My Cup Has Overflowed.
I haven’t Got A Lot Of Riches, And Sometimes The Going’s Rough, But I’ve Got a friend in Jesus, And That Makes Me Rich Enough. I Thank God For all His Blessings on me, And The Mercies He’s Bestowed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed.
I Remember Times When Things went Wrong, And my Faith Wore Somewhat Thin, But All At Once The Dark Clouds Broke, And the Sun Peeped Through Again, So Lord, Help Me Not To Grumble and complain About The Tough Rows That I’ve Hoed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed.’
(Monologue: ‘You know, right now you may be going through some rough times in your life, but I’m here to encourage you today, not to give up. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!I pronounce a blessing upon your life, upon your family. You must prosper and be in good health in the name of Jesus. I believe it with all my heart.’
(Verse: And If God Gives Me Strength And Courage to go on living, When The Way Grows Steep And Rough, I’ll Not Ask For Other Blessings Jesus, For I’m Already Blessed Enough, And May I Never Be Too Busy, To Help Others Bear Their Loads, Then I’ll Keep Drinking From My Saucer Lord, Because My Cup Has Overflowed! Yes, I’ll keep drinking from my saucer Lord, Cause my cup has overflowed, Oh my cup has overflowed…. Yes My cup has overflowed… ‘
Oh friends, indeed our cups have overflowed with the many blessings that the Lord has showered down on us His children! And if we refuse to acknowledge that, then we’re unworthy to be called children of God! I know I’ve been so blessed, that if I only open my mouth to complain the Lord will just take them away, because I have no reason whatsoever for complaining, although complaining is something we do so well in our wealthy society.
And I just LOVE the words of the song. They are simple, but truthful and right to the point. So even if I’m not wealthy in personal possessions, that doesn’t bother me, because I’m still happy. And as believers, we don’t need worldly riches to make us happy, at least we ought not to. (smile) And anyway, as we go along the sometimes rough paths of life, with Jesus as our friend, we usually reap more and better than we sow.
That’s why Bruh David could write so emphatically in Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd. ‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.’ (Ps, 23:5) Yes mih people, when we walk sincerely with Jesus, that’s the kind of life we enjoy. It’s not easy, but it’s oh so rewarding and adventurous!
I’m also reminded there of these awesome verses in Psalm 92, where it talks about the righteous man: ‘The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing (plump and green); To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.’ (Ps. 92:12-15)
Now why would we want to be anything other than righteous eh? And as the song further states, when things go wrong and our faith ebbs, as we pray and remember the promises of our wonderful God and all that He’s done for us in the past, suddenly the dark clouds break and the sun peeps through and our lives once more return to some semblance of normalcy, but with a stronger anointing of faith!
And this magnificent and reassuring scripture from Jeremiah, says it in spades. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8) Even more reason to be righteous and trust in the Lord!
So my fellow saints, in these tough and trying times, let’s promise to seek after righteousness nuh, like Jesus desires of us; put out trust in God, help others bear their load in His name, and not grumble and complain when things get a li’l tough, as they will occasionally do. That way we will always be assured of drinking from our saucers, because our cups are overflowing with divine blessings. That’s divine wisdom! Much LOVE!
…God’s children don’t run down blessings…blessings run them down…
06 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a part of the problem, an insurrectionist, be in full possession of all the facts, be in the world, be of good cheer, be very careful in our criticism, but not of the world, can lead a lot of people astray, chosen the side of the oppressor, Christ has overcome the world, consider ways to right the wrongs, disinformation, disturbing the rulers' easy life, draw your own conclusions, for my name's sake, for this reason, half tuths, has been resurrected, he hath showed thee, hearsay, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually, I love T&T more than any other country, if they have persecuted me, it is dangerous to be right, labelled a traitor, learn to do good, lies, like o social media, look to Jesus, LOVE, love mercy, morally treasonable to the T&T public, neutral in situations of injustice, never know the full story, no criticism of the Prime Minister, not a part of the solution, our friend Anselm, our sense of injustice should rise up, pass over judgement, plead for the wido, release the captive slaves, right is always stronger than might, right or wrong, Scrip-Bit friends and family, seek justice, the aplomb of Jesus, the LOVE of God, the servant is not greater than his lord, the unsound opinions of others, the wages of sin is death, there can be no forgiveness of sins, they will also persecute you, this real moron thing - thinking, to do justly, unpatriotic and servile, walk humbly with thy God, what doth the Lord require of thee, what is good, when the established authorities are wrong, without the shedding of blood, woe unto you Pharisees
John 15:20a. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you:
And a good, lazy Saturday morning to you my Scrip-Bit friends and family, wherever you are in God’s great universe! Hope that you are having better weather than my snow-bound, bleak neighbourhood, but it’s all a part of life in this great country of Canada, so we’ll handle it with the aplomb of Jesus. (smile)
Anyway, there’s some good news to share today; our friend Anselm has been resurrected. Yes, he’s risen from whatever ailed him, and he’s sent us a full slate of quotes this week. A couple of them though are so highly politicized that I have no answer for them, so I’ll just throw them out there and let you draw your own conclusions. And we’ll get those out of the way early.
The first one says: ‘I LOVE Trinidad and Tobago more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.’ Yes, Anselm was born in T&T and apparently he still has a great affection for it, but what am I supposed to say about his claim that he has the right to criticize her in perpetuity eh?
I don’t know if you LOVE a country a lot that it gives you the right to criticize it. What I do know though is that we need to be very careful in our criticism, especially in these times of much negative opinions and criticism on all sorts of fronts, because most of us never know the full story behind whatever we are criticizing.
So although our criticism might look good and sound true, ofttimes it’s not the whole truth or even much of the truth and consequently can lead a lot of people astray, just like what’s happening on social media today with all the lies, half-truths and disinformation being bandied about there. It’s so bad in the U.S, that it’s causing rebellious tendencies there. So please be very careful with your criticism.
Then there’s this: ‘To announce that there must be no criticism of the Prime Minister, or that we are to stand by the Prime Minister, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the Trinidad and Tobago public.’ There we go again with the criticism regarding T&T. Brother Anselm must be in a real T&T frame of mind! (smile)
And again, all I can say is that our criticism must be fair, honest and truthful, though standing by the leader of a country, even when they are wrong, is not doing the country any positive service, just making matters worse. That’s been recently proven right down in the U.S of A, with ex-President Donald Trump making so many incorrect, lying and prejudicial statements that it has caused a large division and much disunity in the country.
Now listen to this one: ‘I do this real moron thing, and it’s called thinking. And apparently I’m not a very good Trinbagonian because I like to form my own opinions.’ My buddy Anselm seems intent on getting me into trouble with my fellow Trinbagonians. (smile) But thinking is a good thing, more of us should try it. (smile)
However, it’s also possible to overthink a situation, which could lead to personal opinions that are not welcomed by others. And again, let me remind us that before we form opinions, or better yet mouth them, we must be in full possession of all the facts. Sadly though, especially in governmental circles, the real truth, the true facts, are very difficult for the ordinary citizen to gather. All we usually get is a lot of hearsay and the unsound opinions of others.
Now don’t think that the other two quotes aren’t politically inclined nuh, but they can be handled biblically. And this is the first of the last two. ‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.’
That last part is obvious; the oppressed are never impressed with neutrality. The first part is a tad trickier, although as a believer, once we see injustice our sense of justice should rise up and cause us to consider ways to right the obvious wrongs. How does the saying go? If you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem.
Likewise, if you see injustice been perpetrated and you say or do nothing, for whatever reason, it will certainly appear that you are on the side of the oppressor. But friends and followers of Jesus, we have been instructed by Jesus Himself to follow justice and to right wrongs wherever possible.
As He said to the Pharisees. ‘But woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over (neglect) judgement (justice) and the LOVE of God: These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone (without neglecting the others).’ (Luke 11:42)
Yes friends, our God is a God of justice. Why do you think He sacrificed Jesus to pay for our sin debt eh? Because His just character would not allow sin to be forgiven without full payment, for the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), and without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins. (Heb. 9:22)
And these two scriptures tell the story in spades. ‘Learn to do well (good); seek judgement (justice), relieve the oppressed (correct oppression), judge (bring justice to) the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ (Is. 1:17) And Micah, puts it very plainly. ‘He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly (justice), and to LOVE mercy (kindness), and to walk humbly with thy God.’ (Mic. 6:8)
And that brings us to our last quote: ‘It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.’ And that’s oh so true! Jesus is also a very good example of that. He came to earth to bring justice and salvation, to heal the sick, care for the poor and release the captive slaves of darkness. All these things went against the very grain of the both the ruling Romans and their Jewish lackeys.
So what happened? Jesus found Himself on the wrong side of the authorities because His philosophy did not match theirs. Consequently, although He had done no wrong, but simply because He was disturbing the rulers’ easy life, He was labelled a traitor, an insurrectionist and quickly removed from their sight by crucifixion.
Please note too friends, that as believers in, and followers of Christ, we are often on the wrong side of the authorities, so we too can also expect persecution and problems just because of that. Jesus warned His disciples, and consequently us, of the world’s hatred.
‘Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they kept my saying, they will keep yours too. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.’ (John 15:20-21)
That brings it all to the forefront my brethren. Remember, we are supposed to be in the world, but not of the world, and that very fact alone will cause us problems. So be prepared, but also remember that Christ has already overcome the world, so please be of good cheer. Much LOVE!
…eventually…right is always stronger than might…so in wisdom…please look to Jesus…
04 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a discernerof the thoughts and intents of the heart, a great family, alive and kicking, all things were created by him and for him, Alleluia, and God said, before the day was I am he, blessed be the name of Jesus Christ, Christian pilgrims, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, easier for a camel, even there shall thy had lead me, God booted Satan out unceremoniously, help in times of trouble, I will work, if I take the wings of the morning, in the beginning, LOVE, magnificent blessings, mighty thunderings, negative word, no purpose of God can be thwarted by mortal man, not a word in my tongue, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, Satan, self-control, sharper than any twoedged sword, than for a rich man to enter heaven, the Lord created the heaven and earth, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, the marriage supper of the lamb, the One and Only Living God, the voice of a great multitude, the voice of many waters, the Word of God is quick, there is none that deliver out of my hand, thou art acquainted with all my ways, thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, Thursday Blessings, thy right hand shall hold me, to go through the eye of a needle, whither shall I flee from thy presence, who shall reverse it, with God all things are possible
Isaiah 43:13. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let (reverse) it?
Oh friends, we’re just strangers here, Christian pilgrims on our way home to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the high heavens! So please give thanks and praise for our blessedness, because not everybody is blessed like us! And all of God’s people shouted proudly and gratefully: ‘Blessed be the name of Jesus Christ, blessed be the name of God the Father, and blessed be the name of the Holy Spirit, our triumvirate God!’
Ah mih people, there’s no God like ours! In fact, our God is the ONE and ONLY true living Deity! None other exists. That’s just the simple fact. You can’t be a God unless you’re alive and kicking, else how would you do things for your people eh? Dead gods can’t do anything for anybody.
That’s why our triune God is so wonderful; they are indeed alive and kicking! Glory be mih bredrin! That’s why they can be our help in times of trouble and keep their awesome promises…because they are alive and omnipotent! And today we’re just going to look at a few Bible verses that verify the fact that our God is omnipotent and can do anything, whatever pleases Him.
And I believe the verse that says it all is the very first one in His Word. ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ (Gen. 1:1) What can be more powerful than that eh friends?
Bruh Paul says it thus to the Colossians: ‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in (on) the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities (rulers), or powers (authorities): all things were created by him, and for him.’ (Col.1:16)
Yes friends, God, through Christ Jesus created everything by Himself, for Himself. So who the heck are we, a mere mortal creation to want to kick God out of His own universe eh? We’re boldfaced and stupid just like another creation, Lucifer, alias Satan, who wanted to overthrow Almighty God when he was a mere archangel, but God booted him out unceremoniously from heaven with all the other foolish angels who had joined with him to create the rebellion.
And the great thing about our magnificent God, is that He created it all through the spoken word, showing exactly how powerful His word is. The first chapter on creation is all about ‘And God said…’ and it happened instantaneously.
Hear how the Good Book describes the power of God’s word nuh: ‘For the word of God is quick (alive, living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’ (Heb. 4:12)
Yes people, God scrutinizes all our lives, that’s why we have to be careful how we live them. No wonder Bruh David could truly declare (yeah!) in Psalm 139 – The everlasting presence and power of God.
‘O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me, Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandeth my thought afar off. Thou compasseth (understandeth) my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether….
Whither shall (can) I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall (can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’ (Ps. 139:1-4, 7-10)
Yuh see friends, we can’t get away from God no matter how hard we try, for not only is He omnipotent -all powerful, but also omniscient – all knowing, and omnipresent – everywhere!
And the prophet Amos put it this way: ‘For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind (or the spirit), and declareth unto man what is his (God’s) thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, the God of hosts, is his name.’ (Amos 4:13)
Yes my people, that’s an awesome fact. It’s the Lord our God who is the Creator and Controller of this great universe in which we dwell at His command and desire. We’re here to do His bidding, not the other way around, like so many of the foolish think.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah, in his prayer said it with surety and praise: ‘Ah Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard (difficult) for thee:’ (Jer. 32:17) And the last two verses of that chapter tell us: ‘Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?’ (Jer. 32:26-27)
Ah mih people, the Lord doesn’t like it when we doubt Him. And by the way, the answer to His question is a big and definite ‘NO!’ Jesus made that quite clear in His sojourn on earth. When talking about it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven, He announced to His listeners: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God, ALL things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26)
And why shouldn’t it be eh, if He is mighty and omnipotent? Job said it in his submission. ‘I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.’ (Job 42:2) And that’s the gospel truth friends! Our God can do any and everything, and no purpose of His can be thwarted by mortal man.
So I don’t see why we keep on trying to hide ourselves and things about us from Him. As He says through Isaiah. ‘Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let (reverse) it?’ (Is. 43:13) And the obvious answer my brethren is ‘NOBODY!’
And this last scripture is oh so suitable to end with. Re the marriage supper of the Lamb, John the Revelator, says: ‘And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice (roar, sound) of many waters, and as the voice (roar, sound) of mighty thunderings, saying. Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.’ (Rev. 19:6) And He will reign for ever and ever my fellow saints in Christ. the marriage
So let’s go home now with all of that scripture securely embedded in our hearts and minds, and we declare (yesss!) our Thursday Blessings that the Lord God Almighty has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
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 everyday! Amen!’
Now it’s time to share those magnificent blessings just as generously with those around us. Much LOVE!
…if you don’t believe that the Lord is…omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present…then what do you believe eh…
P.S. It only seems long…but it’s not really. (smile) Much LOVE!
03 Feb 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all about obedience, and through the rivers, as to the Lord, better late than never, do it heartily, do it heartily as unto the Lord, every tongue that rises against you, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, glorify your father in heaven, gotten soft flabby and weak, halfway home, hands fixed securely on the plough, I am the Lord thy God, I have called thee by name, I will be with thee, I will give men for thee, I'm not turning back, Let your light so shine before men, LOVE, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, not unto men, obedience to god, obey in all things your masters, people for thy life, receive the reward of the inheritance, refuse to adhere to the rukes, singleness of heart, suffering economic and emotional loss, supposed Christians refusing to comply, talk the talk, thank God, the breath of life, the entitlement and easy living, the Great God Jehovah, the heritage of God's servants, the Holy One of Israel, the lockdown caused by the Corona virus, the opportune time, their righteousness is from me, they may see your good works, they shall not overflow thee, thou art mine, thou shalt condemn, thou shalt not be burned, thou wast precious in my sight, thy Saviour, to a glorious future with Jesus, walk the walk, we can handle whatever comes against us, Wednesday Wail, whatsoever ye do, when thou passest through the waters, when thou walkest through the fire, ye serve the Lord Christ
Colossians 3:23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Welcome, welcome one and all to a bright new day in God’s great universe! In my part of the world it’s sunny but brrrr… cold. (smile) The snow is still frozen on the banks and yards and roof tops, and it doesn’t look like it intends to move for a while yet, but who cares eh?
We know that with the great God Jehovah on our side, we can handle anything that comes against us. So be it flood, fire, earthquake, famine, disease, like the pandemic that has us all wrapped up now, we know that with God’s awesome and divine help we will be fine, and it will all pass eventually.
Why? Because He’s promised that ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) Wow! What a powerful promise!
And hear this other one nuh, from Isaiah too. ‘But now thus saith the Lord that created thee , O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel. Fear not: for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned: neither shall the flame kindle upon (scorch) thee.
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee (in thy place). Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable (honoured), and I have LOVED thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.’ (Is. 43:1-4)
Oh mih people, what marvellous promises from our Creator! The problem is do we believe them, and do we live like we believe them? And don’t tell me foolishness bout that is Old Testament scripture and don’t have any use today, because it’s in the New Testament that the Lord redeemed us through our Saviour Jesus Christ, His only Son, proving how much He LOVED us and wanted us to be able to spend eternity with Him. So, there are no excuses for not believing the Lord’s promises in His holy word!
But coming back to our earlier question about whether we believe the promises and live them out in our lives, I’d venture to say not as much as we ought to. Why? I guess our faith is just not strong enough, especially with the entitled, easy lives we’re accustomed to living in these hitherto prosperous times.
We’ve gotten soft and flabby and weak by the entitlement and easy living, lost what little backbone we had, and can’t handle hardship like our forefathers of even one generation ago. Just look at how so many of us are fumbling, bumbling and going under with the lockdown caused by the Corona virus.
Granted, many of us are suffering economic and emotional loss and that will surely cause concern, but plenty others are simply complaining and grumbling because they can’t go out and refuse to adhere to the few rules we have for keeping the virus in check. And it’s not like we don’t see the rebellious fools who take matters into their own hands dropping like flies.
But we so stupid and selfish that we still want to do it our way. Ah Lord eh. Even supposed Christians refusing to comply and holding physical church services as though the virus can’t harm them, when they seeing that it harming plenty others who behaving like them.
But what does the ole fella know eh friends? Apparently not a whole lot. (smile) I go out, when necessary, but I try and abide by the rules because I believe that the Lord will keep me safe if I abide by the rules. It’s all about obedience my people; obedience to God and to our earthly rulers, whom God has put in place over us. Obviously, we must put obedience to God first.
As Bruh Paul said to the Colossians: Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but with singleness of heart (sincerity), fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.’ (Col. 3:22-24)
Yes friends, whatever we do, we must do it as though we’re doing it unto the Lord, for as believers, in the overall scheme of things, it is the Lord that we’re serving. That means always doing our best work, not only when our bosses are watching, for the Lord is always watching, and He will eventually reward us with the promise of salvation if we are obedient to His commands.
So what am I trying to say in this message eh? Simply that if we call ourselves believers in Christ, then we must believe and show ourselves thus. We can’t just talk the talk, but even more importantly we need to walk it, to be worthy examples to the unbelievers and the naysayers. Just like Jesus was a worthy example to us, we must be worthy examples for His purpose, which we claim to represent.
Therefore, we can’t be wishy-washy and disobedient and insincere and all those other things that the unbelievers display. Oh my brethren we spout a lot of scripture, like we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, please, please let’s show that it’s for real nuh and not just idle talk nuh!
That’s what Christ expects of those who claim to be His followers. And now is the opportune time for us to show how wonderful, powerful and LOVING He is! And we promise to do exactly that! Glory be! So let’s go home now declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail letting all and sundry know of our wonderful and enviable position in Christ Jesus. Wow!
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 as we all know, if we endure sincerely until the end, that glorious future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! So let’s staunchly hang in there nuh mih people! Much LOVE!
…let your light so shine before men…that they may see your good works…and glorify your Father in heaven… (Matt. 5:16)
P.S. Sorry it’s a tad late, but both the computer and I had issues that ate up some valuable time. (smile) But as always, better late than never! Much LOVE!
31 Jan 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all the day long, are not worthy, blessed assurance, born of his spirit, celebrate the Sabbath, cleanses us from all sin, except a man be born of water and Spirit, Fanny Crosby, filled with his goodness, heir of salvation, heirs of God, I reckon the sufferings of this present time, if we suffer with him, in his own blood, Jesus is mine, joint-heirs with Christ, looking above, lost in his love, LOVE, perfect submission, Phoebe Palmer Knapp, praising my saviour, purchase of God, raise our voices in sacrificial praise, that which is born of the spirit, the blood of Jesus Christ, thinks good thoughts towards us, this is my song, this is my story, to be compared with the glory, washed in his blood, washed us from our sins, watching and waiting, we are children of God, we may also be glorified with Him, what a foretaste of glory divine, which shall be revealed in us
Romans 8:18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
One more time to celebrate the Lord’s Sabbath friends; one more time! Oh we’re going to do it thousands of times before this life is over, and we’re going to enjoy it every time, because we know it’s the Lord’s desire for us to celebrate it and be happy as we do it to praise and bless His awesome name! So, let’s begin, as always, with raising up our voices in sacrificial praise to our wonderful Creator.
And the song we’re going to sing today is one of our all time favourites, written by popular 19thcentury blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby, with her friend Phoebe Palmer Knapp adding the music. The year was 1873, and the hymn was ‘Blessed Assurance!’ Oh yeh friends, that’s certainly going to make for a rocking good time. Why?
Because as one web site says: ‘Each and every day we sing praises to His name. We are thankful forall of the blessings that He bestows upon us. The lyrics of the classic hymn ‘Blessed Assurance’ is the perfect way to worship. And when you hear the story behind the hymn, you will be even more in awe of His amazing grace. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for our sins!’
We don’t have time to relate Fanny’s entire story, so a synopsis will have to do. (smile) Born in 1820 of Puritan ancestry in New York, she had an eye infection as a baby, and after a quack doctor placed hot poultices on her inflamed eyelids, she became blind. Then her father became ill and died a few months later, so her mother Mercy went to work as a maid, leaving her grandmother Eunice to raise her. And it was Eunice’s faith and direction and teaching that brought Fanny to her destiny.
Apparently the grandmother went so far as to vividly describe the physical world to Fanny. Then at 12 she entered the New York School for the Blind, and the rest is History; she ended up teaching there for 23 years, writing numerous poems and hymns. It’s reputed that one evening Phoebe was visiting Fanny, and after playing a melody, she asked Fanny what it sounded like, and Fanny responded, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.” And they went on to write the song. So who says our magnificent and magnanimous God doesn’t work in mysterious ways eh, going to great lengths to get us to worship and praise Him!
Now let’s worship Him with sincere hearts, strong voices, and plenty emotion, meaning each word we speak – sorry, we joyfully sing. On four: one, two, three, four. ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood (Chorus: This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.)
Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels, descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. (Chorus…) Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love. (Chorus: This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long…. Praising my Savior all the day long )’
Oh friends, how can we not praise our wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ all day long after all that He’s done for us eh? It would be a most criminal and unforgiveable act on our part. It’s a good thing that He’s so forgiving though, and still LOVES us and thinks good thoughts towards us even when we are not obedient. And He does give us a blessed assurance of the divine glory to come with Him in eternity. Now we don’t have time nor space to go through all the neat Bible references in the hymn, so we’ll just check out a few.
When it talks about ‘heir of salvation,’ listen to this most reassuring scripture. The words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’ (Rom. 8:16-18)
Yes friends, what a glorious day that will be when we are reunited with Christ as joint-heirs of the Father! Mama Yo! Will there ever be rejoicing in heaven…and we should be doing the same on earth right now too, because Jesus told us to be of good cheer down here despite our troubles, since He had conquered the world through His selfless sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection and ascension. (John 16:33)
And re ‘born of the Spirit,’ listen to Jesus’ words to Nicodemus. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ (John 3:5-6) And glory be, we are born of the Spirit by association with Christ my people!
And we’ll end with this most important point, ‘Washed in His blood.’ Ah mih people, that’s perhaps the most important aspect of it all, being washed in the blood of Christ. Why, you ask? First off, Hebrews 9:22 tells us: ‘And almost all things are by the law purged (cleansed) with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.’ That’s for sure my brethren, only through the shedding of blood can sins be forgiven. That’s why Christ had to go to the cross and shed His blood in our stead.
Then 1 John 1:7, tells us: ‘the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ Oh my fellow believers, Christ was the ONLY sinless soul around, the ONLY lamb without blemish, that’s why the Lord had no choice but to sacrifice Him if He wanted to set us free from sin. Only the best was good enough for us! Wow!
And we’ll close with these wonderful words from Revelation. ‘And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten (born) of the dead, and the prince of (ruler over) the kings of the earth. Unto him that LOVED us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Rev. 1:5-6)
Yes friends, to Christ be the glory for His great sacrifice on our behalf…and also to the Father who engineered it, even to the point of breaking His own heart. If that doesn’t tell us how much He LOVES us, then I don’t know what will nuh. Much LOVE!
…if believers in Christ…are not reassured by His message…then something’s seriously wrong with their faith…
30 Jan 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be nor proud, be ye also ready, blasphemy, blessed, blessed is he that watcheth, children of the Most High God, coming like a thief in the night, corona pandemic, cursing, darkness of national catastrophe, divine warning, dropped off the face of the earth, for in such an hour as ye think not, for the Lord hath spoken, found sadly wanting, free choice, Give glory to the Lord your God, God's top exhibition, he turn it into the shadow of death, hear ye and give ear, if ye will not hear, in the last days, lest he walk naked, like a mighty child of God, LOVE, mankind, mine eye shall weep sore, moaning and begroaning our circumstances, my soul shall weep in secret places, our friend Anselm, plenty to be thankful for, precious gifts, revelling in disobedience, rulers of the universe, run down with tears, the fateful words of god, the Son of man cometh, they see his shame, this too will pass, to test our true love for Him, too proud to ask for help, ungodliness, waste this day, watch ye and pray, while ye look for light, wisdom at its zenith, without God we're nothing, your feet stumble upon the dark mountains
Jeremiah 13:15. Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud for the Lord hath spoken.
Oh mih people, it’s Saturday! Wow! Already? And if you’re reading this, then it means that you have opened two of the most precious gifts man can ever receive; we talking about your eyes. (smile)
Oh friends, what a beautiful universe our great God has created, with mankind as its top exhibition! And if yuh believe that, then shout a loud, proud and grateful ‘Amen!’ Yes my brethren, let’s give thanks and praise to Almighty God for all the wonderful things He’s done, is doing and has promised to do for us nuh, for without Him we’re nothing!
And as they say, if you’re alive, you have plenty to be thankful for. And if you have food, clothing and shelter, then you’re more blessed than most of the world. And if you also have a LOVING family and good friends, then you’re blessed like a mighty child of God! Glory be!
So let’s not waste any time this day moaning and begroaning whatever unfortunate circumstance(s) that might have come our way nuh, for if we’re children of the Most High God then we know that they have not come to stay, that they too will eventually pass away and leave us stronger in body, soul, spirit and mind, for that’s the way our heavenly Father has set it up. Give Him a much deserved round of applause nuh mih bredrin!
And I guess, by now you have deduced that there are still no quotes from our friend Anselm. Sorry to say it, but that’s the truth. Don’t know what’s happened to him, like he just dropped off the face of the earth. Hope that he’s all right though. Please say a word of prayer for him, just in case he’s in trouble.
And while we’re doing that, let’s also remember these fateful words of the Lord to His people of Judah through the prophet Jeremiah, when they were revelling in disobedience and ungodliness, just like our society is doing right now.
‘Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.’ (Jer. 13:15-16)
Oh friends, that warning is so apropos for us in these trying and troubled times that we need to pay instant heed to it. For many of us are already stumbling in the darkness of sin, disobedience and doubt, and many are going through the valley of the shadow of death because of it. The corona pandemic isn’t helping us any either, just adding to our concerns.
So why aren’t we listening to the voice, the divine warning of our heavenly Father eh? Is it because we’re too proud to ask for help, or because we think we are the rulers of the universe and we know what we’re doing and nobody must tell us anything? Hn! What foolishness!
Why would we think such a stupid thing eh? Can any of us define our times or do anything to stop them? No! So why do we still insist on thinking of ourselves more highly than we truly are eh?
Now hear how Jeremiah continues with the Lord’s words. ‘But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.’ (Jer. 13:17)
Yes, the Lord will weep and be sorrowful for our demise, but being a God of justice and righteousness, He must band His belly and punish sin, like He had to do when Jesus died for us. And oh my people, are we ever proud and haughty in these days of the modern technological revolution!
We think we’re the cat’s pajamas! But in fact we’re not. We’re still God’s creation, and still beholden to Him for everything we have, receive or do! So listen to this explanation from the scholars on those verses above.
‘13:15-17. A third illustration (in the series of God’s warnings to Judah) concerns a weary traveller in danger of being overtaken by the falling darkness of night. Such was Judah. It must renounce all pride and give God His rightful glory before the final darkness of national catastrophe engulfs it.’
Oh my people, my people, what’s wrong with our minds eh? We claim to be the wisest civilization ever, but still, we turn away from our Creator with blasphemy, vehemence and downright cursing, and we yet expect to prosper forever? Hn! What fools we are my friends!
The Lord LOVES us like a real Father, but also, like a real father He’s not going to let us get away with sin and willful disobedience forever. Remember, He’s given us free choice for a reason, to test our true LOVE for Him. And believe me, we have been tested and found sadly wanting.
Now a lot of people are claiming that we’re in the last days, the days before Jesus’ return, and they just might be, because many of the signs He spoke about that would herald His Second coming are currently playing out. But who knows just when that will be? Only the Father Himself! (Matt. 24:36)
But be assured that the last days are much closer than they have ever been. (smile) Remember too, Jesus’ warning about Him coming like a thief in the night. (Matt. 24:43) And in Revelation: ‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.’ (Rev. 16:15)
Yes friends, Jesus’ Second Coming will be an unexpected affair, therefore we must take His warning very seriously. ‘Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt. 24:44)
Oh my fellow believers, I think those are very fitting words to leave us with this Saturday morning in this troubled year of 2021. Please, let’s ponder them seriously and make the appropriate decisions nuh. That’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!
…watch ye…watch ye and pray…watch ye and pray…
28 Jan 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a lifelong resistance to Christ, a refusal to confess Christ, according to his riches in glory, adulterous and sinful generation, brand new mercies and compassions, compassion, confess me, curse, faith, favour, fellow saints in Christ, from the hand of the enemy, God will supply all my needs, good health, he cometh in the glory of His Father, hemming and hawing, his mercy endureth for ever, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, LOVE, magnificent and magnanimous God, need to stand strong, negative word, one hand washes the other, one moment of denial, prosper, rich and fulfilling lives, succeed, thanks and praise to Almighty God, The Lord is good, the Son of man, Thursday Blessings, whom he hath redeemed, whosoever shall be ashamed of me
Psalm 107:2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Oh my people, let us give thanks unto the Lord this cold but bright and sunshiny Thursday morning nuh, for He is good: for His mercy, His LOVING-kindness endures forever! (Ps. 107:1) What a wonderful and obedient and wise way to begin our days.
Yes friends, every day that we draw breath in the Lord’s great universe, the first words that issue out of our mouths should be thanks and praise to Almighty God for allowing us to see another day and for having all the good things He has in store for us, like brand new mercies and compassions. For we can get that kind of wonderful treatment nowhere else, from no other deity but the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
That’s why the opening verse of Psalm 107 is so important in the believer’s life. And until we realize the utmost importance of giving thanks, our lives will never be as rich and fulfilling as they ought to be. Remember Jesus said that He came so we could have life, and have it in abundance. (John 10:10) And one of the ways of having an abundant life is by constantly giving thanks.
Now the second verse of Psalm 107 is equally as important as the first. ‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;’ (Ps. 107:2) Yes my fellow saints in Christ, if Christ has redeemed us from the evil enemy, which He has done, we ought to be bold and courageous and say so, not hem and haw like too many of us are wont to do when people ask us if we are Christians.
Remember, if you are ashamed to acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, He will refuse to acknowledge you before His Father as a follower and worthy entrant into the halls and corridors of salvation. And is not me who saying so nuh, but Jesus. ‘Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’ (Mark 8:38)
And yuh better believe this is indeed a sinful and adulterous generation, possibly the worse that’s ever been! So you see friends, Jesus is making a close connection between Himself and His words. And Jesus reiterates it when He speaks about the worth of mankind versus the worth of sparrows.
‘Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 10:32-33) It’s all very plain and straightforward my brethren, as Jesus is wont to be. Deny Him, be ashamed of Him, and He will do the same to you before His heavenly father.
It’s just like He says, if you don’t forgive others their trespasses, the Father won’t forgive you yours. It’s a situation of one hand washes the other my people. You sow what you reap, that’s the basic premise of God’s economy.
And the scholars share an interesting explanation of the above verses. ‘10:32-37. Confess me means “Acknowledge that you belong to Me.” In reality, secret discipleship is a practical impossibility. Jesus constantly called for an open confession of Himself by His followers. That our confession is to be before men clearly indicates that a public confession of true Christian faith is a virtual necessity.
The warning whosoever shall deny me is a comprehensive historical aorist tense, (hn!) referring not to one moment of denial (such as Peter’s), but to an entire lifelong resistance to Christ. Therefore a single act of denial does not make one unworthy of being a disciple, but a refusal to confess Christ at all eliminates one from being a true follower of Jesus Christ.’
But why should there even be one instance of denying Christ as our Lord and Saviour eh? It’s not like anybody is going to imprison or kill us in this society, But still, every day, hundreds of supposed Christians deny Christ, either by an outright lie, or the hemming and hawing that we like to do when asked about our religious beliefs in public.
Ah mih bredrin, it doesn’t say much about us, our faith, and strength and courage if we deny Jesus, especially in these troubled times, when we Christians are needed more than ever to show our true mettle, be the bright lights and flavourful salt that Christ expects of us. This is indeed a time when believers ought to be shouting Christ from the rooftops of their houses since they can’t go out and do it because of the Corona virus. (smile)
Oh friends, we believers do need to stand strong, despite all the stuff that’s coming against us, and as believers in Christ, we do have the wherewithal to do so. Remember these two scriptures we LOVE to quote. ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) And this one: ‘God will supply all of my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Whatever happened to their efficacy in our current tough times eh? This is when we ought to be living them. And our God’s so magnificent and magnanimous that He’s shone out by giving us a whole lot of blessings that we can do His earthly work. So, as we go home now, let us boldly and courageously declare (yeh!) those numerous attributes that we call our Thursday Blessings.
As one strong and assured 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 everyday! Amen!’
And with all of that divine blessing upon us, it’s obvious that we must now share it as generously with others as God has shared it with us. Remember friends, these are the times, and those are the blessings for which we were specifically made. So let’s confess Christ in the biggest way possible nuh! Much LOVE!
…to accept Christ is one thing…but to deny Him after that…hn…that’s really foolish…
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