18 Oct 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sense of gratitude, abundance, appreciation for God, as for me and mine, asaph, blessings, call upon me in the day of trouble, Christ-like, Christian faith, cleansed from our sins, confidence, disbelieving, doubting, encouragement, eternal life, fellowship with other believers, free for all society, gather in the Lord's sanctuary, Give god praise and thanks, glorify God's holy name, glory hallelujah, God's Son, grace, grateful, gratitude, Hades, he that hath my commandents, he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, I discover God in my life, I know thy works, I love them that love me, I will deliver you, I will spew thee out of my mouth, Jesus Christ, jumping for joy, justice, LOVE, loving kindness, Lucifer, lukewarm, mercy, offer unto God thanksgiving, order of the Carmelites, our heavenly Father, our Lord and Saviour, pushing god out of our society, receive strength, repentance, reprieve from hell, ridiculing, sacrificed His sinles life, salvation, sinful nature, Society of the Little Flower, standards, Suday, thankful, thanksgiving, the church at Laodicea, the good old days, the greatest gift ever given to man, the Holy Spirit, the wages of sin is death, those that seek me early will find me, thou art neither cold not hot, time of harvest, understanding, we will follow the Lord, when I am grateful to God, wisdom
Proverbs 8:17. I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) will find me.
Aye mih people, it’s Sunday; the day we usually gather in the Lord’s sanctuary to fellowship with other believers, and give Him praise and thanks, to glorify His holy name, and in return, receive strength, encouragement and confidence to face another week in this wicked and ungodly world!
And all God’s people loudly declared: ‘All thanks and praise be to our heavenly Father and His wonderful Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who sacrificed His sinless life, so that we could be cleansed from our sins! Glory Hallelujah!’
Yes Friends, that’s the greatest gift ever given to mankind! And it was definitely not a gift that we deserved, given our abominable sinful nature, but one that came out of the LOVING-kindness of God’s heart. He knew that justice decreed the wages of sin be death, but LOVED us so much that He could not bear to see us lost forever in the depths of Hades with the master crook, his satanic majesty, Lucifer.
So from His never-ending store of grace and mercy, He gave us another option; that of salvation and eternal life, if we believed on His Son Jesus Christ and obeyed His will. Now how many of us are truly thankful and grateful for that reprieve from hell eh?
Hn! Certainly not as many as should be! It’s become so bad now, that lots of people are doubting and disbelieving, ridiculing and pushing God further and further out of society. Sadly too, a lot of us who claim to believe, don’t show real gratitude for God’s wonderful gift of grace, and many nowadays just take it for granted.
Ah friends, that’s not how it’s supposed to be. For such undeserving goodness we ought to be constantly jumping for joy and be extremely grateful and thankful; not the lukewarm approach that so many of us display.
Remember Jesus’ message in Revelation to the church at Laodicea. ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would (wish) that thou wert (were) cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.’ (Rev.3:15-16)
Yes my brethren, if we don’t have a real appreciation for God and His things then we’re not being truly Christ-like and adhering to our Christian faith as we should.
Now here’s an interesting comment on gratitude that I read earlier on, from a Between Friends Newsletter published by the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower (St. Therese). It was written by Fr. William J. Harry, of the Order of the Carmelites.
And he ended his thoughts on the abundance in our society around this time of harvest and thanksgiving with this paragraph. ‘Gratitude: It is only when we have a sense of gratitude, a gratitude that flows over into giving, that we truly meet God and experience His Grace in our lives. When I am grateful to God, I discover God in my life!’
Now that’s very true my people! The more gratitude we show, both to God and man, the more the grace of God works in lives. Unfortunately though, in these supposed modern times, gratitude is no longer a major part of our society. We’ve come to just expect things to be given to us, as though we are entitled to them, and words like ‘thank you’ don’t seem to mean much again. The standards of our parents have mostly fallen by the wayside, and we now live in a free for all society, where one is free to do almost anything one desires.
Ah Lord eh! No wonder so many of us long for the good, old days. Granted they were sometimes rough, but they certainly had better structure and more respect and appreciation for God and man.
Finally, turning to our Bit: ‘I LOVE them that LOVE me; and those that seek me early (diligently) will find me.’
What else can we expect eh my people? That’s just pure common sense and simple logic. If we don’t show LOVE for God, and diligently seek Him, how do we expect to receive His wonderful blessings eh?
Yes, so many of us have no appreciation for God and never, or hardly ever seek Him, but as soon as some hardship or problem crops up in our lives, the first words out of our mouths are ‘Oh God! Help me please!’
But that’s not the way our God works. If we come to Him in sincere repentance, He will forgive and help us, but just trying to use Him, or only know Him when adversity hits is not good enough. Remember, He is the Master and we are His servants, not the other way around.
Now listen to what God says through the psalmist Asaph, in Psalm 50 – God is the judge. ‘Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ (Ps.50:15-16) Please note Friends, that thanksgiving and the paying of vows come before calling out for help in time of need.
And we’ll end with these immortal words of Jesus when he promised the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. ‘At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that LOVETH me: and he that LOVETH me shall be LOVED of my Father, and I will LOVE him, and will manifest (reveal) myself to him.’ (John 14:20-21)
Yes Friends, Jesus spelled it out in clear and concise terms. If we sincerely believe in Him and keep His commandments, then He will be with us in the form of the Holy Spirit and we will enjoy God’s undying LOVE forever. What can be better than that eh mih people? Nothing whatsoever!
So please let wisdom and understanding rule in our hearts this Sunday morning as we praise and worship and give thanks to our wonderful God! Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we WILL…follow the Lord…
09 Oct 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better perspective, a just man falleth seven times, a modicum of circumspection, a roaring lion, a sense of purpose, a toehold, be sober, be vigilant, cast thy burden upon the Lord, come up over the enemy, Commit thy way to the Lord, delight thyself in Him, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, fellowship, fire and brimstone, Fret not thyself over evildoers, Friday chant, friends, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glory and dominion, glory to God, gospel truth, Granny's warning, he may exalt you in due time, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved, he shall sustain thee, his seed begging bread, humble beginnings, humble yourselves in the sight of God, Jesus, kiss and tell, LOVE, Lucifer, make you perfect, merciful, our Lord and Saviour, relaxation, resist steadfast in faith, rest, Rest in him, strengthen, stumble into calamity, thanks for getting me through another week of work, thanksgiving, the devil, the God of all grace, the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, the mighty hand of God, the righteous forsaken, the righteous seed of God, the steps of a good man, the wicked shall fall into mischief, trust in the Lord, we let our hair down, wisdom, your adversary
Psalm 55:22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).
Well Friends, that long awaited day, Friday, is finally here! And most of us are already shouting ‘Glory to God! TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here, especially this one; this Thanksgiving weekend! Brother! The partying and giving of thanks will be memorable! Thank You again God that it’s Friday!’
Ah Friends, what can I say eh? Not much really. This is indeed the weekend we in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving Day. We do it in October, unlike the Americans, who do it in November. And I have a little secret to share with you. I begun my celebrations yesterday, because it was the duchess’ birthday…
And don’t even venture to ask how old she is! (smile) Remember a lady doesn’t tell her age, just like she doesn’t kiss and tell. Oh I can just feel the fire and brimstone ready to fall on I, if I ever divulge that bit of information! (smile) But I’m a tad smarter than that. Anyway, the celebration wasn’t anything big, just a small family gathering, so there was no need to go overboard.
Now, I would be rather amiss if I did not remind us of Granny’s ever so important warning at times like these. ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’
Oh Friends, I know that it can be a bit of a drag, but it’s a good drag, reminding us not to get ourselves involved in any thing ungodly, or anything that will give the deceitful Lucifer even a toehold in our affairs. And that’s quite easy to do when we let our hair down and behave like we don’t have a care in the world.
Anyway, as usual, to give us a better perspective on how to spend the weekend, let’s chant our Friday Chant with a serious sense of purpose nuh. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
That’s more like it my people! As Jeeves would say, just a modicum of circumspection. And since we can’t ever hope to avoid or resist the tempter on our own, we need to do as our Bit so wisely advises us. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’
And that’s the gospel truth my people! Remember yesterday, we saw what Bruh David had to say about the situation in Psalm 37; Fret not thyself over evildoers, but Trust in the Lord…Delight thyself in Him…Commit thy way to Him…Rest in Him…
Yes my people, when we do those things we will come up over the enemy EVERY time!
Later on in the Psalm he also made this confident proclamation: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever (always) merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) is blessed.’ (Ps. 37:23-26)
And Bruh David should know whereof he speaks, because he rose from humble beginnings to be Israel’s most powerful king, not in his own strength, but in the Lord’s! Likewise my brethren, we can also rise from humble beginnings to great heights in God’s realm if we accept His Son Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and faithfully follow His commandments.
Now listen to Cousin Sol’s take on the subject from Proverbs. ‘Lay not wait (do not lie in wait), O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil (assault) not his resting place: For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov.24:15-16)
Sure words of wisdom from Cousin Sol my brethren! Regardless of how many times the righteous falls, the Lord will always pick him back up again! What a wonderful promise!
And we’ll end with these wise words from Peter. ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet.5:6-7) More words of truth and wisdom my people!
And here’s a li’l something extra from Peter, that’s especially appropriate for this Thanksgiving weekend. ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen’ (1 Pet.5:8-11)
That’s Granny’s warning in the long form! (smile) Now Friends, let’s go out and put all that we’ve learned today into action nuh, so that we can all be assessed as the righteous seed of God, for in that there is abundant wisdom! Much LOVE!
…on whom would it make the most sense…to lay all our cares and concerns on… than on the Creator of this universe…the omnipotent Jehovah God…who controls the world…and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…who died to pay for our sins…
18 Sep 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a believer in Christ, a no-brainer, another week of work, appear with Christ in glory, Christ comes first, Colossians, covetousness, death, disobedience, do it all over again, el numero uno, eternal damnation, eternal life, evil concupiscence, evil desire, eye candy, fellowship, fornication, Friday chant, furthering God's glorious kingdom, gazing heavenward, get with the programme, glory hallelujah, heavenly realm, heretical philosophies, I made it through, idolatry, if ye then be risen with Christ, in soul body and mind, inordinate affection, intimate relation with God, knowledge, legalistic practices, Lucifer, more important than Christ, mortify, mortify your members, number one, priorities, put to death, relaxation, renewed and refeshed, residing in your bodily members, rest, right perspective, salvation, seek those things which are above, Set your affections on things above, sins, sipping a bottle of ale, spiritual realm, susceptible to the wickedness of the world, Thank God it's Friday, the children of disobedience, the Christian life, the higher things of God, the lake of fire, the last days are in the offing, the lower things of Lucifer, the ungodly things of this world, the weekend's here, the wisdom of God, the wrath of God, uncleanness, ungodly world, vices, watch the chicks, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, wisdom, wisdom and knowledge reside in Christ, with your generous help, your life is hid with Christ in god
Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, as I opened my door this morning, I heard a group of workers singing: ‘Friday, oh Friday! Thank God it’s Friday! I’m starting my weekend early. Taking the afternoon off work, going down to the outdoor café and watch the chicks and chicklets come and go, while sipping a bottle of ale or two…or even three. Thank God it’s Friday yes, and the weekend’s here! Glory Hallelujah!’
Oh my people, that’s often the preferable way for mankind to spend their weekend, but it’s obviously influenced by Lucifer and the ungodly things of this world. And it’s definitely not the right one for a believer in Christ. So let’s chant our Friday Chant that gives us a better and brighter perspective on how to use our weekends.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Now that’s a much better way to spend our weekends my brethren, and it makes a whole lot more sense than spending it idly in a pub watching chicks go by, feasting on eye candy. (smile)
And that all segues quite nicely into our Bit. ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.’ Yes Friends, believers in Jesus Christ ought to be seeking the higher things of God, rather than the lower things of Lucifer and this ungodly world.
And Bruh Paul continues his admonition to the Colossians. ‘Set your affections (mind) on things above, not on the things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.
Mortify (put to death) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (passion), evil concupiscence (evil desire), and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.’ (Col.3:2-6)
Now let’s get some explanations on those verses from the scholars. ‘3:2. Set your affections on things above: The Greek word literally says, “Set your mind on things above.”
The readers are not to be preoccupied with things on the earth, such as current heretical philosophies (2:8), legalistic practices (2:16, 21-23), and vices (v.5ff); nor are they to dwell on things that are not wrong in themselves (houses, jobs, careers, ambitions, etc), but can be wrong should they become priorities above Christ.’
Unfortunately though my people, a lot of us mistakenly spend way too much time concentrating on just such things, making them of more importance than Christ, and thus having them become idols we worship. That is obviously not right, for Christ should always be NUMBER ONE, EL NUMERO UNO, in our thoughts and actions!
That means we have to clean up our acts and get with the programme, for you see what the last verse we quoted above declares: ‘the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.’ And that’s no lie my people!
‘3:3. Your life is hid with Christ in God (or, “Your life is deposited with Christ, who is in intimate relation with God”). As all wisdom and knowledge reside in Christ (2:3), so the believer’s new life is stored up in Him. This means that the Christian life belongs to the spiritual or heavenly realm.
Jesus is in intimate relation with God; so are His followers. Since the Colossians now belong to the heavenly realm and are intimate with God, they should seek those matters and interests pertaining to heaven and not to earth.’
Oh my brethren the same warning and message applies to us today! Our eyes are expected to be gazing heavenward, rather than towards the evil earth.
‘3:5. Mortify means to “put to death.” By a figure of speech members is put in place of the various sins that exist in, and seek to express themselves through different “members” of the human body. Paul urges his readers to “put to death all sins residing in your bodily members.”
Therefore looks back to verse 3: inasmuch as they “are dead” to sin, they are to make this death to the old life a reality in daily living.’
Oh Friends, those words are ever so applicable to our situation today! Believers need to die to self possibly more than at any other time in history, for the amount of evil and sinful things that abound today are way more than at any other time.
And to make matters worse, mankind has been, and is still being skillfully weaned off of God, so we are therefore more susceptible to the wickedness that the world puts forth as being okay.
So please realize that now is a very important time in our lives, the last days are in the offing, and we need to make serious choices, whether we are going to follow Lucifer and the things of the world, or Christ and the things of heaven.
To me it’s a no-brainer; Christ obviously comes FIRST! But everybody has to make his or her own decision. And please remember that where we spend eternity, depends upon that decision. Therefore, please let the wisdom of God guide us. Much LOVE!
…obedience to God’s Word brings salvation and eternal life with Him in heaven…disobedience brings death and eternal damnation with Lucifer in the lake of fire…
11 Sep 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, all them that Love Jesus, Bruh Paul, but against principalities, coerced, demonic forces, evil strategies, exuberant celebrations, fellowship, fodder for the enemy, Friday chant, fun, generous help, get ahead, glorious kingdom, grace, having done all to stand, having your loins girt about with truth, imprison our spirits, Jesus Christ, Labour Day, LOVE, love with faith, Lucifer, maelstrom, make ends meet, pay the price, peace be to the brethren, perseverance, physical warfare, praying always, relaxation, renewed and refreshed, rest, soul body mind, spiritual battle, spiritual warfare, stand our bounce, supplication for the saints, take up the whole armour of God, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the armour of God, the breastplate of righteousness, the evil day is at hand, the evil one, the fiery darts of the wicked one, the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, the protective armour of Almighty God, the right perspective, the shield of faith, the spiritual realm, the sword of the Spirit, the weekend's here at last, the Word of god, walk safely in god's light, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, week of work, whirlpool of madness, withstand in the evil day
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of ) wickedness in high places.
And then it was Friday…
And obviously the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here at last!’ are heard everywhere. And even though it’s been a short week, only four days, a lot of us are extremely happy to see it because we’re pretty tired from the exuberant Labour Day celebrations on Monday, then right to work without a refreshing break.
But Friends, if we want to party too heartily, knowing that work is right around the corner, then we will have to stand our bounce and pay the price it calls for. Anyway, the weekend is upon us, and we’re all glad that it’s here, so let’s chant our Friday Chant to find the right perspective, so we don’t mess up our lives any further. (smile)
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Ah Friends, I do hope we take that simple prayer seriously, because one of the negative things in our crazy world is that everyone is so busy and consequently so tired, trying to make ends meet or simply get ahead in this maelstrom, this whirlpool of madness, that our world’s become.
But my people, we have to be careful in this apparent madness, because it is not all instantaneous and/or unplanned. Not on your life! The evil one and his associates have planned a lot of it to throw us off balance, get us weary and disappointed and thus more easily coerced into their evil strategies and schemes.
And thankfully, our Bit so wisely informs us: ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places.’
Yes Friends, physical warfare is not the only kind that’s widespread in our world, but an even more vicious and threatening and dangerous one is being waged in the spiritual realm. This one to capture, enslave and imprison our spirits and souls in a dark and wicked dungeon controlled by Lucifer and his evil forces, from which the chances of escape are rather slim.
That’s why, as we saw yesterday, Bruh Paul strongly advised the Ephesians. ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph.6:13)
And believe me my brethren, we need to take that advice today even more seriously than the Ephesians, because the evil day is at hand!
Yes my fellow believers, the powers of evil and darkness are in the ascendance right now. Oh so sadly, they are indeed holding sway in our confused and troubled world, that’s why we so badly need to put on the protective armour of God, for that’s the only thing that will offer us protection from the attacks and machinations of the dark and evil powers.
And what, you ask, is this armour of God that’s so powerful to protect us from Beelzebub? As believers in Jesus Christ, we should all know it, but I’ll let Bruh Paul refresh our memory.
‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about (having girded your waist) with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (an eagerness and willingness to take the fight to the devil).
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph.6:14-18)
Yes Friends all that protection is absolutely necessary in the spiritual battle against the evil and demonic forces of this ungodly world!
And you’ll notice how Bruh Paul lays it out just like the armour of a soldier going into battle, with a helmet, a breastplate, waist securely girded, with proper shoes to handle the terrain, a shield, and a trusty sword, all backed by the power of prayer.
Oh my people, without the armour of God, we are simply fodder for the enemy. He will cut us down like a sharp scythe cuts grass or a lawnmower mows it; with no problems at all. So please, please let’s be wise and take this most important advice to heart nuh, provided you want to be saved from the unpleasant advances of the wicked world.
That’s enough for now. Tomorrow we’ll continue looking at the wonderful protective armour of God, delve into it a little deeper. Till then, please walk safely in God’s light.
Or as Bruh Paul would say: ‘Peace be to the brethren, and LOVE with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that LOVE our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.’ (Eph.6:23-24).
Much, much LOVE my people!
…one cannot walk this wicked earth safely…unless one has on the protective armour of Almighty God…that’s a proven fact…
10 Sep 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sense of urgency, against powers, ambassadors of Christ, battle of wits and wills, be strong in the Lord, Bruh Paul, but against principalities, cease-fire, cessation of hostilities, chaos, Christians, dark and desperate world, death, deceit, demonic onslaughts, demons, destruction, Easter morn, Ephesians, fallen angels, fear not, fighting a losing battle, flesh and blood, formidable foe, get a foothold in our souls, God's protective armour, God's provision.Christian witness, hand to hand combat, having done all, immediate action, in high places, Jesus conquered hell death and the grave, lies, Lucifer, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, put on the whole armour of God, resist the enemy, resisting Satan, rose triumphant, ruthless and wicked, Satanic assaults, spiritual battle, spiritual wickedness, stand against the wiles of the devil, stand up strong, the armour of God, the brilliant light of jesus, the evil one, the Good Book, the nature of spiritual warfare, the powers of darkness, the rulers of the power of darkness, the Son of God, the spiritual light of the world, to stand, truce, truth, warning, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, withstand in the evil day
Ephesians 6:12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of ) wickedness in high places.
Welcome to a terrific Thursday my brethren! The sun is shining brightly, though it’s still a tad cool in my area. And don’t even talk about the Son, the spiritual light of the world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…Oh my people, His light is just a-blazing! It’s so brilliant that if you aren’t careful, it will blind you! (smile)
But such is the amazing and awesome characteristic of the Son of God! And do we ever need the brilliant light of Jesus to shine in this dark and desperate world of ours Friends, because the powers of darkness are ramping up their activities to try and drive the Lord out.
But fear not Friends, they are fighting a losing battle, since our Redeemer has already conquered death, hell and the grave. When He rose triumphant on that Easter morn, all hold that death held over us was simply blown away. But the problem is that we have to sincerely believe that and consequently fight the powers of darkness with all our might.
Remember, if we let them into our souls at all, they will only cause chaos, destruction and death. And they will do anything at all to get a foothold in our souls; from simple lies to complex deceit. So we have to be very careful when we come into contact with them or their representatives.
For just like we are ambassadors of Christ, the evil one also has his ambassadors, and they are just as ruthless and wicked as him, taking no prisoners, destroying everything that’s godly in their path.
No wonder Bruh Paul in his message to the Ephesians, seriously warned them. ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (deceptive schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph.6:10-11)
And my people that warning is still viable today, possibly more so, since the devil has grown stronger and more devious, deceitful and wicked over the years. Now let’s get some explanations from the scholars on those verses.
‘6:10. Finally may be rendered “from now on” or “henceforth.” The spiritual battle Christians are engaged in exists “from now on” until the Lord’s return: there is no quarter given: no cease-fire, no temporary truce, no cessation of hostilities. “From now on” till the end there is all-out war.
The remainder of the verse may be paraphrased, “Let yourselves constantly be strengthened by the Lord, more precisely by His mighty power.’ Yes Friends, we are involved in a spiritual battle right to the end times.
‘6:11. Put on (Greek ingressive aorist imperative) denotes a sense of urgency, demanding immediate action. To stand has military overtones. This verb was used in classical Greek meaning to resist the enemy and hold a critical position in battle. The wiles of the devil (or, “the Devil’s strategy”): Satan carefully devises schemes and tactics against believers.’
But why do we need the armour of God? Because as our Bit informs us: ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places.’ Yes my people, we need God’s armour because we’re not in a fleshly but spiritual battle.
‘6:12. Wrestle, used of hand to hand combat, emphasizes the personal and individual nature of spiritual warfare waged against each local church and Christian. Flesh and blood refers to humanity. Such is not the church’s adversary. Instead she opposes principalities (rulers), powers (authorities), rulers (world-rulers), spiritual wickedness (wicked spiritual beings), that is, fallen angels, demons, and Lucifer himself.’
Oh my fellow believers, from all of that we can obviously see that we’re in a serious spiritual battle of wits and wills with an enemy who is not going to easily give up, even though he knows that his defeat is imminent.
‘Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph.6:13)
Yes Friends in our own power we are helpless, we cannot withstand the forces of evil, that’s why we need to put on God’s protective armour, which enables us to stand; to stand up strong against the enemy.
Hear this from the scholars. ‘6:13. Wherefore means “because of this,” that is, because we face such a formidable foe, we must avail ourselves of God’s provision lest the enemy destroy our Christian witness and ministry.
The evil day refers to the periodic demonic onslaughts and Satanic assaults. Having done all includes both dressing oneself in God’s armour and resisting Satan, Having done all these, be ready, for the Devil will attack again and again.’
Oh my people, those are words of indisputable truth, so please, let’s take them to heart and do what the Good Book says, that is if we want to resist the evil one and his evil cronies. The decision is up to each individual. Let’s hope we all make the right one. Much LOVE!
…it is not wise to go into any kind of battle… without good protective armour…
P.S. Sorry for the lateness of the Bit, but I just got up late and was a tad under the weather. Sister K, hope this epistle is short enough for you. (smile) Much LOVE!
04 Sep 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: a miserable experience, another week of work, Beelzebub, befuddled mind, corrections, dead in trespasses, divine punishment, ethnic groups, evil, faith, fellowship, for His great love, Friday chant, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, Gentiles, God who is rich in mercy, God's power, going down the wrong path, going to bed early is for the birds, grace, grin and bear it, hostile to God, in Jesus' name, Jews, labouring for massa, lifestyles, LOVE, Lucifer, made alive, mercy, opposed to God, philosophies, preparing for a fantastic time, pull up our bootstraps, quickened, relaxation, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, rest, right perspective, Satan, sinful children, sinners, stubborn, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the children of disobedience, the children of wrath, the course of this world, the dictates and wishes of Satan, the gift of God is eternal life, the long and short of the story, the lusts of our flesh, the prince of power of the air, the rules of God, the straight and narrow path, the wages of sin is death, the weekend's here at last, the world system, through Jesus Christ our Lord, time for thought, unconditional LOVE, ungodly, values, walking in disobedience, wherewith God loved us, wicked, wisdom, with God's help, with the help of Jesus
Ephesians 2:4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us.
Oh Friends, this going to bed early business is truly for the birds yes! Steups! I tried it last night – not that early, but earlier than my usual time – and was it ever a miserable experience.
Ah Lord eh! I got up several times during the night, turned and tossed, trying to find a comfortable position, but all to no avail. And being stubborn, I refused to get up, claiming I needed the rest as an excuse. Hn, hn! Well I got the rest, but I woke up feeling lousy, more tired than when I went to bed.
Ah mih breddren, what yuh going to do eh? Just grin and bear it and move on with the help of Jesus. And that’s my gripe for today. (smile) But wait nuh, today is Friday, isn’t it?
And the response to that question assured me that it was indeed Friday. ‘But what’s wrong with you boy? How come yuh don’t know today is Friday eh? Can’t you hear everybody shouting ‘TGIF. Thank God is Friday, and the weekend’s here at last? You’re possibly the only one not shouting that and preparing for a fantastic time! But later for you yes, we have preparations to make!’
And the throng moved away loudly mouthing ‘TGIF! Thank You Father God for Friday’s yes!’
Well I have been told, haven’t I? (smile) And I lay it all at the feet of going to bed early and getting up late with a befuddled mind. Anyway, to bring everything back into right perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant with much enthusiasm and true sincerity.
‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Ah mih people, that ought to give us pause, time for a little thought on how we’re going to spend our weekend, the valuable couple days off from labouring for massa.
That brings us to our Bit, a simple sentence, but one chocked full of meaning and glorious importance. ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us.’ Yes Friends, it all comes right down to God’s unstinting and unconditional LOVE for us sinful children.
The earlier verses of this chapter, which deal with grace and faith, have us looking real terrible. ‘And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world (age), according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
Among whom also we all had our conversation (conducted ourselves) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath. (Eph.2:1-3)
And what does all of that mean eh my people? Listen to the scholars. ‘2:1. Quickened means “made alive.” In 1:19 Paul prays for his readers to recognize what God’s power has done in them. As part of the answer to this prayer, verses 1-10 inform them of some of the effects divine might has accomplished in them.’
‘2:2. Ye walked means “you lived.” The course of this world: The word course signifies the tendencies, thoughts, pursuits, deeds, and so on, that characterize the present period of history. “This world” (kosmos) means “world system,” that is, those philosophies, values, and lifestyles that are opposed to God and hostile to Him.
Before conversion the Ephesians used to conduct themselves in accordance with such ungodly values. The prince of the power of the air may be read “the ruler of the kingdom in the air.” They also used to live by the dictates and wishes of Satan.’
‘2.3. We all had our conversation means “we all conducted ourselves.” In contrast to “ye” in 2:2 which refers to Gentiles, note the “we” of this verse, which refers to Jews. In essence Paul admits, “We Jews were no better than you Gentiles – both ethnic groups were sinful.” Children of wrath refers to people subject to divine punishment.’
Oh Friends, I know that some of those explanations can be a bit taxing, but the long and short of the story is that before God shone His wonderful LOVE on us, we were all a bunch of unworthy and terrible sinners, regardless of our ethnic situation.
However, and very sadly and disappointing too, two thousand years after God showered His LOVE on us through Jesus, we are reverting to that same position, worshipping the ‘prince of the power of the air,’ Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, whatever you choose to call him.
And right now our world can again be termed as ‘children of wrath,’ because we are so wicked and evil and ungodly and deserving of divine punishment. It’s definitely not a nice picture we paint today my brethren, and we have to pull up our bootstraps very soon, if we don’t want to be victims of that divine punishment.
For believe it or not, divine punishment ALWAYS comes to those who insist on thwarting the rules of God and walking in total disobedience to His Holy will, as we are currently doing. History proves it.
So as we end today, please, let’s make it our first priority to check our individual lives and see where we may be going down the wrong path, the wide and unfortunate one, instead of the straight and narrow one that leads to Jesus, and make any corrections that are necessary, with God’s help of course. For that my brethren, is the true meaning of wisdom. Much LOVE!
…for the wages of sin is death…but the gift of God is eternal life…through Jesus Christ our Lord… (Rom.6:23)
28 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a modicum of circumspection, be strong and of a good courage, clears our paths, confidence, do the Lord's will, ever-faithful, evil thoughts, faith, fear not, fellow believers in Christ, fellowship, Friday chant, friends, fun, garrulousness, generous help, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, glory to God, grace, He will not fail thee neither forsake thee, heirs with Jesus, in Jesus' name, invade your soul, Jay Douglas, jehovah god, Jesus carried me on His shoulders, Leroy Sibbles, let your guard down, let your hair down, LOVE, Lucifer, makes straight our ways, Merry Ole England, my grace is sufficient for thee, my Saviour, my strength is made perfect in weakness, nor be afraid of them, on the Lakeshore, perspective, Reggae music, relaxation, rest, smile, strong loving arms, tempestuous world, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the C.N.E, the Canadian National Exhibition, the fight is the Lord's, the fight's not ours, the Lord goes before us, the Lord thy God, the Lord thy God goes with thee, the Lord's bidding, the weekend's here, trust, unconditional LOVE, ungodly world, wicked ways
Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Well Friends, at last it’s Friday… And that statement, as usual, is greeted by joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday, and the weekend’s here! Glory Hallelujah! The heavy labouring is done for two days. Now it’s my time to let my hair down and do my own thing. Thank You again Lord for Friday!’
Yes mih people, it’s our time to do what we want now, but please be careful, for when you let your hair down, you also let your guard down, which gives the ole crook Lucifer a possible avenue to invade your soul with his evil thoughts and wicked ways.
And we definitely don’t want that to happen, so let’s chant our Friday Chant which gives us a somewhat better perspective on how to spend our weekend.
Please chant with me. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh Friends, a small modicum of circumspection – not a big one (smile) is necessary when we consider how we’re going to spend our short but oh so valuable weekends.
But let me let you all into a li’l secret here. For many people in Toronto and the surrounding area, the weekend actually began last night; yes Thursday night, with some rocking Reggae music down on the Lakeshore.
Yeh mih breddren, last night was Reggae Night down at the Ex; the C.N.E; the Canadian National Exhibition, that big, annual country fair that happens during late August and early September. I’m sorry, but to me it has always been just a big country fair, with hucksters of every nature and rides of different kinds. To me it’s always been more about children. I’ve only been to it about two or three times in my entire Canadian sojourn.
However Friends, with an interesting evening of Reggae promised down by the Bandshell of the Ex, the ole fella put on his brand new knee supports – bought them a couple weeks ago when my knees were acting up, but never used them – and along with my trusty ole cane – which just hangs up on my stairs for most of the time – I boldly and confidently ventured down to the Exhibition grounds, via the Go Train with the Duchess and a young cousin from Merry Ole England.
Now the walk from the Go Train Station to the Bandshell was indeed plentiful, but with my props I had no problems. And it was indeed a very rewarding evening, for local boy Jay Douglas and once upon a time Torontonian Leroy Sibbles of Heptones fame mash up the place with some lively and lovely roots music, such that I haven’t heard in many a day.
Reminded me of the times back in the seventies and eighties when T.O was a real Reggae Town, with numerous local Reggae bands, possibly the biggest and best outside of J.A.
Now that I believe was also my first real outing for the summer, and most likely my last. (smile) But it was certainly worth it, as me and my trusty ole cane partied down the place. Obviously not as heartily as once possible, but heartily enough to satisfy my soul.
The fairly large crowd was rocking – everybody stood up when Leroy came on – and sang boisterously to all the old songs from way back when. What better way to spend a somewhat cloudy summer evening down by the lake eh Friends? None really!
The rough part though began on the walk back to the train station. But as always my fellow believers in Christ, when my Saviour saw that it was getting a tad difficult for the ole fella, He just took me up in His strong, LOVING and comfortable arms, placed me on His broad shoulders and carried me safely back to the station. O Glory to God!
And you all wonder why I LOVE Him so much! That’s why; because He NEVER let’s me down, NEVER leaves me in the lurch, NEVER allows me to carry more than I can bear. Praise His Holy and ever-faithful name Friends!
And you’d think that my knees would be a mess this morning, but they’re not. It’s my back that’s acting up, because I laid in bed for too long. Steups! Explain that to me nuh.
Now I guess with all that garrulousness, it doesn’t leave much time nor space for our Bit. (smile) And it’s rather an appropriate one. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’
Yes my brethren, in this extremely tempestuous world, it is indeed necessary for us to be strong and of a good courage, because it’s rough out there. But thankfully the fight’s not ours, it’s the Lord’s. He it is who goes before us and clears our paths, makes straight our ways and imbues us with His strength and awesome grace.
So we don’t have to be afraid of anything or anybody, once we’re in thick with the Lord God Jehovah, once we’re one of His heirs with Jesus, to His heavenly kingdom.
Now I could have said yesterday that the walk and otherwise would be too long and difficult, and just stayed at home and be disappointed about missing the show. But the Lord caused a strong faith and strength to rise up in me, and I went merrily along my way, confident that He would enable me to do whatever was necessary.
Oh my people, please let that same confidence and faith and trust in our wonderful and omnipotent God be in us today, as we obediently go out to do His bidding and His will, bringing His Word and His unconditional LOVE for ALL to this ungodly world. Do not be afraid or anxious, for He WILL enable us to do whatever He desires of us. ALWAYS remember that. Much LOVE!
…my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power)…is made perfect in weakness (weaknesses)… (2 Cor.12:9)
15 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: arrogant, awesome God, bless us, blessed shalt thou be in the city, blessings, Bruh Paul, cause His face to shine upon us, Christ is our mainstay, Christ-like, commandments, curses, destruction, false wisdom, flee before the seven ways, glory to God, God be merciful unto us, God will make a way of escape, hearken to God's voice, human nature, humble and repentant heart, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Jesus Christ, live for Jesus, LOVE, Lucifer, mature, obedient to God's will, offspring, our anchor, our foundation, our rock of ages, Philippians, priestly blessing, proud, relationship with Jesus Christ, Selah, seven ways till Sunday, stimulus, the evil one, the fruit of thy body, The Israelites, the Lord be gracious unto thee, The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord give thee peace, The Lord lift up his countenanceupon thee, the Promised Land, trials and tribulations, walk in the Lord's ways, when thou comest in, when thou goest out
Psalm 67:1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. Selah.
Well Friends, how goes the battle this Saturday morning in the middle of August eh? I hope we are all winning, primarily because of our strong and wonderful relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for He is our mainstay, our anchor, our foundation, our rock of ages!
Without Him we can do very little, but as Bruh Paul confidently declares to the Philippians: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil.4:13)
Yes my brethren, when we live for Jesus, He enables us to adapt to our ever-changing circumstances. The Lord puts us through our paces, and He also gives us the wherewithal to handle them successfully.
So there’s no need to worry when various trials and tribulations come against us, for our wonderful God will either make a way for us to escape them, or help us to bear them and come out more mature and Christ-like on the other side. Oh glory to God!
Yes my fellow believers, we do worship a most amazing and awesome God! There is none like Him anywhere else in this whole wide universe. And how could there be eh, when He is the creator and controller of it all? That’s why it’s very unwise for us not to serve and worship Him faithfully, for He blesses those who are obedient to His will and brings the proud and arrogant to destruction.
Consequently the psalmist cries out in our Bit: ‘God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. Selah.’ However, it only makes sense to do that if we’re coming to Him with a humble and repentant heart, for those are the only pleas He answers.
And for those of you who don’t know the origin of prayers like our Bit, but have only heard stuff like that intoned by a priest at the end of a service, here is a li’l history lesson. (smile) Not surprisingly, it all begins with our great God while the Israelites were travelling through the wilderness enroute to the Promised Land after their exodus from slavery in Egypt.
‘And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, (the priests) saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put (invoke) my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.’ (Num.6:22-27)
Yes Friends, that’s the origin of the priestly blessing we hear our priests use at the end of a service, and which we also ought to use with our friends and families, because a blessing is not a blessing until it is declared, spoken out loud. And believe you me, we all need plenty, plenty blessings in these very turbulent and troubled times.
And talking about blessings mih people, the Lord left nothing to conjecture, He even spelled out the blessings obedience would bring. ‘And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.’ (Deut.28:1-2)
Oh my people, my people, what is there not to understand about those statements eh? And since our God does not change, that means they are also applicable to us in these current times. And please note that the blessings will come upon us, will overtake us! That means we don’t have to go looking for them, but if we are obedient to the Lord’s statutes, they will run us down and overtake us. Glory to God! Now how can that not be something we take very seriously eh my people?
Then listen to some of the particular blessings that have been promised. ‘Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shall thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body (offspring), and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine (cattle), and flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store (kneading bowl). Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shall thou be when thou goest out. (Deut.28:3-6)
Ah Friends, how much more can you get than that eh? Not much. But there are 8 more verses of general blessings, like victory over your enemies, who ‘shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.’ (Deut.28:7) I like that, for it shows how successful we’ll be against our enemies, scattering them seven ways till Sunday. (smile)
Everything we set our hand to will also prosper…we’ll be a holy people to the Lord, called by His name, and set fear in the hearts of the whole earth. But Friends, the great proviso is ‘if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.’ (Deut.28:9b) So no wonder our societies are all going downhill, because we are not obeying the commandments of our God, and instead are forcing Him out of our lives.
But you know what’s interesting and somewhat amusing about all the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience? The former takes up 14 verses of chapter 28, while the latter runs from verse 15 to 68. And I’d suggest that we all read them, for they are indeed frightful, and it might just give us a different outlook on the situation.
The scholars though have an interesting take on the great difference in space taken up by the curses. They say: ‘This is probably due to human nature. The threat of a severe judgement on the covenant-breaker seems to act as a stronger stimulus to correct behaviour than any promise of blessing.’
But clearly they did not take the very evil nature of this generation into consideration, for despite the many curses that are befalling us, we refuse to turn back to Almighty God, our Creator and provider, in humble repentance. We prefer to walk to the beat of our own false wisdom and the lies and deceit of the evil one, Lucifer. Therefore we shall pay the harsh price for disobedience my people. There are no ifs and s and buts about that! Much LOVE!
…if obedience brings blessings…and disobedience cursing…where is the wisdom in following the latter path…as we are currently doing eh…
09 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Abraham's seed, Christ's Church, Christians, compassion, covenant, encouragement, epitome of wisdom, eternal life, face the evil world, faith, fight a good fight, first day of the week, forgiveness, frail human strength, go to church, grace, hard hearts of stone, I am in the midst of them, I will be their God, I will forgive their iniquity, I will put my law in their inward parts, I will remember their sin no more, in my name, Israel, Israelites, know the Lord, LOVE, Lucifer, magnificent and magnanimous God, mercy, Moses, Mt. Sinai, One Body, one truth from the Bible, passion for Jesus, peace, planet earth, promises made to Abraham, prosperity, renew the strength, rulership of Christ, saith the Lord, salvation, shout for joy, sincerity and truth, sing and praise Jesus, sitting ducks, smile, soft hearts of flesh, Sunday, the abiding presence of God, the BIBLE, the Bible is God's word to us, the covenant I will make with Israel, the Greater Son of David, the Holy Spirit, the Most High God, the most joyful people on earth, the Promised Land, the second coming of Christ, they shall all know me, they shall be my people, through faith in Jesus, uncoditional love, we'll find God's wisdom on the Bible's pages, where two or three are gathered, worth more than all the wisdom of man, write it in their hearts
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts (mind), and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Well my brethren it’s the first day of the week, Sunday! And we all know what that means? It’s time to get ourselves out to God’s sanctuary, whether it’s a big cathedral, a secret basement hiding from persecution, or simply in the open air, under the blues skies of heaven. And there, in whatever physical space we’re located, however large or small our numbers, we praise and worship Him as one body; that of Christ’s church.
Remember Jesus promised ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20) And He is indeed a faithful keeper of His promises. So Friends, it’s time once again to renew the strength, faith, encouragement and passion for Jesus that we get when we come together to sing and praise Him in all sincerity and truth.
It gives us the spiritual wherewithal we need in the upcoming week to face the evil world in which we dwell, and fight a good fight of faith for Jesus. Without God’s grace propelling us on my people, we will just be sitting ducks for Lucifer, since we are unable to do very much in our own frail human strength.
And before we go any further, let me remind us of two things – I think it’s time to trot them out again. (smile) The first is that ‘The Bible is God’s word to us; still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages.’ It’s hard to argue with that eternal truth my brethren.
But how will we ever know what it says and gain the wisdom it details eh, when in too many cases God’s Word simply sits collecting dust somewhere in our homes; that is if we own a Bible at all?
And the second revelation is that ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man.’ And there’s simply no disputing that indisputable truth, (smile) although many try to and fail miserably!
But the point I’m trying to make is that we definitely need to do more Bible reading my fellow believers. And not simply reading, but more like studying and meditating, so that the Word of God can filter into our innermost beings and raise the level of our faith in and knowledge of God, two things we desperately need to live successfully down here on planet earth.
And all that rambling eventually brings us to our Bit. (smile) ‘But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts (mind), and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.’
Ah Friends, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! Here the prophet Jeremiah is declaring to the Israelites that God was going to make a new agreement with them to replace the old one made at Mt. Sinai, when Moses received the law on tablets of stone. However, this time, the law would not be written on stone tablets but in their hearts, so that everyone could know and reckon individually with Jehovah God. This will be the biggest and the best covenant; the one that will last for all time.
And as the scholars explain: ‘the new covenant assimilates the elements of the promises made to Abraham and channeled with progressive light through David, and brings them to full realization. Thus the final blessing of Abraham’s seed will find fruition in Israel’s possession of the Promised Land in perpetuity under the rulership of Christ, the Greater Son of David, the Seed par excellence.
Further, by faith in Christ, Gentile believers also become the spiritual seed of Abraham and members of the family of God. Although the new covenant is now operative, and is attended by the ministry of the Holy Spirit who is resident in believers’ lives, the full realization of the new covenant, as the capstone of all covenants, awaits the second coming of Christ.
He will give to Israel the promises distinctive to that nation, and will rule over the earth in an unprecedented period of universal peace, prosperity, and the full knowledge of the abiding presence of God’
Yes my people, that new covenant now just awaits Jesus’ second coming for it to be fully realized. Aren’t you grateful for all that? We surely ought to be. Note I didn’t mention any references in the scholars explanations because there just too many, and I know that most people would not check them out anyway. (smile) But a lot of it you can find on your own, if you are interested, through diligent checking, studying and meditating on the Word.
And we’ll continue with the verse after our Bit. ‘And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.’ (Jer.31:34)
And all God’s people loudly and boldly declared: Oh what a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve and worship!’ That’s for certain sure my brethren!
Oh Friends, there’s no other deity who is as interested in the lives and welfare of His people like Almighty God, and who wants everyone to come to salvation and eternal life through faith in His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And it’s all so wonderful that I just want to stand up, jump and shout for joy! (smile)
Yes Friends, Christians ought to be the happiest and most joyful people on planet earth, given all the stuff; the promises, the grace, the mercy, forgiveness, compassion and unconditional LOVE that the Most High God has for us. Wow!
So please let’s show that joy nuh through the way we talk and live our lives, so that we can encourage others to come to Jesus and be born again into a new spiritual life. That is the epitome of wisdom! Much LOVE!
…truly following Jesus…transforms our hard hearts of stone…into soft ones of flesh…like His…
08 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversities, affection, anger, blessed, Bruh Paul, busyness, christ jesus, Christian life, commandment, conforming to God's will, Corinthians, daily struggles, eternal reward, expectant faith, faith, fight the good fight of faith, flee these things, follow after righteousness, gentleness, god of all comfort, godliness, grace, hardships, hunger and thirst, hungry hope, in the sight of God, keeping up with the Joneses, lake of fire, lay hold on eternal life, lord jesus christ, Lord of Lords, LOVE, love for money, Lucifer, meekness, negative consequences, O man of God, obedience, patience, peace from God our Father, perseverance, Praise the Lord, resentment, reverence for God, salvation, sin, spiritual life, steadfastness, stress, striving for material wealth, struggle with sin, the Father of mercies, the King of Kings, the Lord jesus christ, the prize, things of God, things of the world, Timothy, wisdom, with every beat of our hearts, with every breath we take
1 Timothy 6:11. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness.
Aye Friends, on this summer Saturday morning, I greet you with the words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians. ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ! Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.’ (2 Cor.1:2-3)
Yes my brethren, we have indeed been blessed by seeing another day on God’s great earth! And grace, and peace, mercies and comfort are all ours for the taking. So please, let’s take them as we need them nuh, through expectant faith and hungry hope, turning to Jehovah God in every circumstance of our lives, with every beat of our heart, with every breath of life we take!
That’s what He expects of us my brethren, faithful followers that we are. And since we have lots of stuff to look at, I won’t ramble on today… ‘Praise the Lord!’ several voices mutter in the background. (smile)
So let’s get straight to our Bit, wise words from Bruh Paul to his protégé Timothy. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness.’ Wisdom indeed Friends! Bruh Paul had just finished telling him what not to follow.
And the scholars have a good explanation of that verse. ‘6:11. Flee these things means shun a LOVE for money (v.10) and the striving for material wealth (v.9) with all its resulting woes. Follow after means pursue. Righteousness is practical correctness, conforming to God’s will in one’s thinking and acting.
Godliness is proper reverence for, and obedience to God. Faith is a trust in God that grows stronger. LOVE is a maturing affection for God and man. Patience is perseverance or steadfastness in life and service. Meekness is gentleness.’
Yes Friends, it all applies to us in these troubled times too. And in simple language it means don’t run behind the evil, idolatrous, destructive things of the world, but rather concern yourself with the good, wholesome and everlasting things of God. I don’t know how many times we need to hear that before we believe it and put it into practice nuh.
But too many of us are still running behind the things of the world, especially material wealth and money and are suffering the resultant negative consequences like general unhappiness, busyness, weariness, stress, anger and resentment.
Ah my people, trying to keep up with the Jones’ is a rough scene yes, which could eventually cost your life, and there are no guarantees of success. So please pay serious attention nuh, and let go of the flimsy, worthless things that Lucifer and his evil hordes are pushing. It will serve you much better in the long run.
Then Bruh Paul goes on to tell Timothy: ‘Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim.6:12) Ah mih people, all of that also pertains to us in these dreadful and distressful times.
Hear the scholars’ explanation. ‘6:12. The good fight concerns the daily struggle with sin in the Christian life, and the hardships and adversities in the ministry. A genuine believer demonstrates the reality of his faith by being engaged in this warfare. Lay hold on eternal life does not negate the fact that a believer now possesses spiritual life (John3:36); rather, it speaks of fully realizing or appropriating salvation as the believer matures.’
Yuh see mih breddren, as we face the daily struggles and hardships of life with steadfast faith, we grow, we mature in the Christian life. Oh it’s by no means an easy journey, but when we consider the prize, the eternal reward that’s waiting for us, it certainly makes it all worthwhile.
I don’t know about you nuh Friends, but I surely prefer to have salvation and eternal life with Jesus amidst plenty hard knocks down here, than to satiate myself with the things of Lucifer, then end up in the burning lake of fire when the time of judgement comes.
And to show how most of the things of the world that we hunger and thirst for are a waste of time, just take a look around your homes and you’ll see that amongst those things that we had to have, most of them are languishing, or have languished in obscurity for ages, as the shine and desire wore off in the early days. Most of them we only want them until we get them, then our interest quickly fades. So why do we still run them down eh? The Lord alone knows!
And Bruh Paul continues: ‘I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth (gives life to) all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; (c.f. John 18:36-37). That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable (blameless), until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Which in his times he shall show (manifest), who is the blessed and only Potentate (sovereign ruler), the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; who hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.’ (1 Tim.6:13-16)
Oh Friends what glorious words of truth, what a perfect word picture of Jesus Bruh Paul paints there! Glory be!
And the scholars’ explain thus: ‘6:13. A charge is a command. Quickeneth contains the idea of giving life to. Since god gives life to all things, He can also enable Timothy to “fight the good fight” (v.12).’
‘6:14. This commandment refers back to the charge in verse 13 which embraces the injunctions of verses 11-12. Thus ‘this commandment” is the charge to pursue godliness (v.11) and to fulfill one’s ministry (v.12). Without spot, unrebukable means Timothy is to be meticulous in his obedience of verses 11-13, that is, without fault and failure in compliance.’
So Friends, there’s no more left to say today. Please pay careful attention to all we’ve said, and I do hope that the Most High God Jehovah will help us to understand it, then put it into practice, as soon as possible. Much LOVE!
…Jesus…the ultimate ruler…King of Kings…and Lord of Lords…Potentate of all He surveys…
Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries
SCRIP-BITS 