22 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: breatplate of righteousness, christianity, compare God to, deity, enthusiasm, helmet of salvation, holy spirit, humble servants, loving kindness, magnanimous god, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, renewed vitality, sandals of peace, shield of faith, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, sure conquerors, sword of the Spirit, unknown God, workweek
Isaiah 40:18. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Sorry mih people, but it’s Monday once again, which means it’s time to be up and about, fervently preparing yourselves for the opening salvo in the battle of this new workweek! And please remember to put on your powerful spiritual armour. As the man says, don’t leave home without it, else you’re liable to go down quite easily before the enemy’s aggressive attacks. Please don your helmet of Salvation, breastplate of Righteousness, belt of Truth, sandals of Peace, shield of Faith and the ever mighty sword of the Spirit, which cuts deeply to bring about conviction and repentance! Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to give us that jump start we all need on Mondays, to put us in the proper frame of mind to go out and wage unrelenting war against the forces and powers of evil. In one loud, harmonious voice now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Yes Friends, our motors are running, the breath of the mighty steeds we ride billow out from their powerful nostrils as their powerful hooves paw the hard ground in impatient anticipation of the excitement of the coming fray. Oh mih breddren, the ole fella certainly waxing learned and erudite this morning! (smile) With the Lord’s help of course. Now let’s check out our Bit, that question with immense implications, but a very simple and obvious answer. ‘To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?’ And all God’s people unhesitatingly shouted in answer: ‘NOBODY or NOTHING! Our God’s the greatest Being in existence! There’s none like Him, none that can even come close, much less compare to His power and majesty, for He’s the Creator of the entire universe and all therein!’ Gospel truth my brethren, gospel truth! Now let’s continue looking at examples of faithful men who had cause to see, feel and understand God’s greatness. And we’ll begin with the prophet Micah, who in talking of the moral sins of Israel, posed this question: ‘Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by (over) the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy (LOVING-kindness). He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their (our) sins into the depths of the sea.’ (Mic.7:18-19) What a merciful and magnanimous God we serve my Friends! No other supposed deity has that immense power and self-confidence to forgive and be merciful to sinful man. And the power of our God is so awesome that when Bruh Paul visited Athens, he was amazed by what he saw and declared to the people of Athens: ‘For as I passed by and beheld your devotions (objects of worship) I found an unknown altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship (worship without knowing) him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;’ (Acts 17:23-25) Yeh Friends, even the intelligent men of Athens felt the great pull of God, so much so that they raised a monument to Him and worshipped Him without even knowing who He was. Now isn’t that something! And we’ll end with some telling words from Isaiah, re the power of the Lord and the weakness of idols. ‘Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne (upheld) by me from the belly (birth), which are carried from the womb. And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar (gray) hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?’ (Is.46:4-5) That question again Friends! The Lord then tells them about the weakness of the dead, unresponsive man made idols (vs.6-7) and ends with this warning. ‘Remember this, and show yourselves (be) men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none else like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.’ (Is.46:8-10) That says it all Friends! So please, let’s forget about all the foolish, unworthy idols that the world holds before us today, like wealth, fame and power, for they never last and often corrupt one’s soul. Instead, let’s continue worshipping the ONE who made us and everything else in the universe – the Most High God Jehovah. For He is the only One able to make things right in our confused and troubled world. And all God’s children declared a loud ‘Amen!’ Much LOVE!…like children naturally gravitate to mothers…who bore and raised them…so should all mankind gravitate to the great God…who created us and gave us the breath of life…
18 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: action, appreciation, blind leading the blind, conviction, disbelievers, doubters, eternal life, forgiveness, foul weather, God is the greatest, grateful heart, Greeks, holy spirit, hypocrites, incredible relationship, Jesus' Second Coming, Jews, judgement, LOVE, mercy, Pharisees, relationship to God, reverence, Sadducees, salvation, selfless sacrifice, signs, spirituality, straight and narrow path, submit, surrender, tenderness, the BIBLE, the Good Book, tribulation, wisdom, worthless sinner
1 Corinthians 1:22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom.
Oh Friends, every time I rise and shine to greet a new day, the Holy Spirit convicts me with more conviction (smile) that our God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is indeed the greatest! And in true fact, there’s NO other like Him! When I consider His undying, unconditional LOVE, His tenderness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace, not to mention the selfless sacrifice of His only Son Jesus to save a worthless sinner like me, all I can say, with a heart brimming over with LOVE and appreciation, is a grateful, sincere, ‘Thank You Lord!’ The fact that He made us to fellowship with Him, and simply refuses to let us be separated from Him by our sins, only endears Him more to me. Oh Friends, please search your souls today, this wet, rainy spring morning and truthfully ask, judge, measure your relationship and reaction to Almighty God. And if your entire being isn’t flooded with joy, sincere reverence and LOVE for Him, then something’s definitely and drastically wrong somewhere, and I’d advise you to quickly seek Him and fix it asap. For without Him your life will be unfulfilled, aimless and meaningless. If He’s not solidly secreted in that compartment of your soul meant ONLY for Him, then you’re missing out on an incredible, as well as an incredulous relationship. And all God’s people declared a loud, heartfelt, ‘Amen!’ Now here’s our Bit: ‘For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom.’ It’s the same as the last two days, because I want to touch on a couple more instances involving Jesus, where signs were spoken of. And this first one comes from Matthew 16, just before Jesus warns His disciples to beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matt.16:6) Anyway, the Good Book describes the scene thus: ‘The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting (testing) desired (asked) him that he should show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, when it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowring (threatening). O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall be no sign given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them and departed.’ (Matt.16:1-4) Oh Friends, I have to laugh whenever I read how Jesus put those hypocrite Jewish leaders in their place, anytime they tried to catch Him off guard. And please note that His answer was the same as when they’d earlier asked for a sign, as we discussed yesterday, (Matt.12:38-42) only that of Jonah, which melded well with His own upcoming tribulation on the cross and in the grave, from which He’d triumphantly rise on Easter Sunday morning. But as usual, they didn’t, or refused to understand His message of salvation and eternal life, and unfortunately millions of doubters and disbelievers are still doing the same thing today. How sad, my people. As the saying goes, there’s none so blind as he who refuses to see. And as Jesus so cleverly says of the Pharisees: ‘Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ (Matt.15:14) Gospel truth my Friends! And it’s still happening today; only with more blind leaders, leading many more blind followers, which makes the situation very scary. But it’s our job, my fellow believers, to try and open the eyes of those blind leaders and followers. We need to confront them and show them the error of their ways, through the Word and our generous, LOVING lifestyle in bristling, bustling action, so that they too can believe and successfully come to Jesus. And I just saw some scholarly info on the above scripture that I think is important to share. ‘The unbelieving leaders came seeking a sign from heaven, that is, an outward miraculous manifestation. Notice that miracles alone never save anyone. They serve only to authenticate and call attention to the message, which must be believed in order for salvation to be experienced in the soul. Instead of another miracle, Jesus points them to the signs of the times, eschatologically related (doctrine of death, judgement, heaven, hell) to the sky and His second coming. The sign of the prophet Jonah relates to His resurrection (see 12:38-40; John 2:18-22) This sign gives hope to the believer but is an indication of judgement for the unbeliever, who will be judged by the risen Christ at His second coming.’ Oh my people, that same blindness of the early Jewish leaders still applies to too many of us today. We can’t read the signs of the times, that they are drawing ever closer to Jesus’ second coming; the wars and rumours of wars and all the other signs Jesus gave to the disciples as the beginning of sorrows, until the gospel is preached to all the world. (Matt.24:6-14) Oh my people, that’s enough for us to ponder on today. We’ll continue this topic tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, please let’s get our act together as good and faithful Christians by seriously communicating with our God and Maker, genuinely submitting and surrendering our lives to Him, so that He can lead and guide us aright, down that straight and narrow path that leads to Him. That’s wisdom at its zenith. Much LOVE!…the Bible is our guide for earthly living…unless we read and pay close attention to it…we’ll surely go astray…
16 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: ambassadors of Christ, Christ, Comforter, compassion, delightful praise, embrace Jesus, eternal life, forgiveness, friend, Good Book, good cheer, Greeks, Guide, guilt, Helper, incredilbe journey, Jesus our everything, Jesus the only answer, Jews, lifeblood, Lord, LOVE, manifesto. the power of Jesus' name, mercy, peace, pilgrim, rejoice and be glad, religion, require a sign, rewards, salvation, saviour, seek wisdom, tenderness, today, tomorrow, undeniable truth, understanding, ungodly world
1 Corinthians 1:22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.
Oh Friends, as it was ordained from the very beginning of time, yesterday has passed away into history, the future, tomorrow, has not yet arrived, but thankfully, the gift of today, the present time is here! And all God’s people said a loud and delightful ‘Praise the Lord!’ So please, let’s use today wisely, because that’s all we have. As the psalmist so rightly declared: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps.118:24) And the people shouted a loud and thankful ‘Amen!’ Yes Friends, today is all we have, so let’s concentrate fully on it nuh. Yesterday’s done gone, and as Jesus said, tomorrow will take care of itself. (Matt.6:34) And I have an interesting quote to share, one that’s attributed to Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, a prominent American churchman. He proudly declares: ‘Religion can never be the answer to human problems. All of the religions of the world are inadequate. Christ alone is the answer. Christ alone understands. Christ alone forgives. Christ alone eliminates your guilt. Christ alone saves and then assures you that you are God’s child and the most wonderful person possible! Christ alone fills the human heart with LOVE – joy – peace – self-confidence. No wonder a genuine Christian LOVES himself.’ And if that isn’t the undeniable truth, my Friends, then I don’t know what is! For Jesus is indeed our everything; our be all and end all. In Him we find our purpose, our strength, our joy, and help to bear our sorrow. He is truly the very lifeblood of our lives. And I’m so sorry for those of us humans who don’t know, realize and recognize Him for what He is, because they’re missing such an incredible, interesting journey as a pilgrim following in Christ’s footsteps. As I keep saying my people, working for Jesus is often very difficult, but I can guarantee you, from personal experience, that it’s mightily interesting, much more interesting and lasting than anything the world has to offer. And oh my brethren, the rewards…the rewards are just to die for! (smile) The faithful promise of salvation and eternal life with Jesus in the hereafter, are way way more interesting and worthwhile than anything this evil, sinful, ungodly world has to offer. And what I don’t understand about human nature is that they’re willing to try every little nonsense, like diets and other fads that the greedy, deceitful world puts out, wasting time, effort and money on them, but they’re not prepared to spend one moment with Jesus. Jesus, whose manifesto is plainly stated in the Good Book, and has been proven to be undeniably true down through the ages. In addition, Jesus is the most generous and faithful leader there’s ever been, or will ever be! So why do people refuse to get to know Him? Why at the name of Jesus do so many people become angry, fearful and refuse to listen to what He has to say? Why eh? No other name in history has ever provoked such a reaction, and still does to this day. There must obviously be great power in the name of Jesus, else why would people react to it so fearfully, so violently and so negatively. There’s no such reaction to other names like Satan, Allah, Buddha, and the multiple other supposed gods and idols humans worship. Our wonderful Lord and Saviour certainly strikes fear in the heart of the heathen. But to those of us who truly know Him, it’s only LOVE, tenderness, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and those kinds of positive emotions that He conjures up in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. That’s because those are the attributes for which He is truly renowned. Peace, LOVE and Good Cheer was, is, and always will be His mantra! So why people get so confused and discombobulated over His name certainly boggles my mind. Instead of running to His always opened and inviting arms, they run away instead. How foolish! And I can personally testify to the ‘wonderfulness’ of Jesus! Our vocabulary is so inadequate, I can’t find a better or more appropriate word to describe Him. Anyway, I was testifying – testifying that this very morning, I came down here, not feeling too hot, or knowing what I was going to write, except for Dr. Shoemaker’s quote, but before I could even sit down and contemplate the situation, He engineered the thoughts in my mind and brought them to fruition in the words you’re reading. To tell the truth, I haven’t even had a chance to open the Good Book yet and look for a Bit. So why would I ever turn away from, and denigrate such a kind, thoughtful, gentle and generous leader eh? Not on yuh life, mih breddren! It simply doesn’t make sense, and it’s being proven everyday, especially in these fearful and troubled times. Just look at the nonsense yesterday, with the bombs exploding in and around the Boston Marathon. Ah Lord eh! Followers of Jesus would never do such a thing! Oh Friends, let’s tell the world nuh, let’s show them their dreadful mistake in not embracing Jesus and all the wonderful stuff He has to offer! They quickly embrace all the man made nonsense, but shy away from the One, True, Faithful Helper, Comforter, Friend, Guide and Saviour that’s available to us. They’ve tried everything else and failed. Let’s convince them that it’s time to try Jesus. I’m sure that once they’ve sincerely tried Him, and seen what He’s really all about, the blessings, mercy, forgiveness, the overall LOVING-kindness, so generously bolstered by the wonders of salvation and eternal life, they’ll never go back to worshipping the other non-gods they once worshipped. However Friends, the one big impediment to getting that done, lies with us, His followers. We don’t sincerely live the life that Jesus wants us to live, we’re too often hypocritical, which obviously turns off the non-believer. We talk a good talk, but fail miserably in walking that talk. Just look at all the divisions and petty dissension that permeates the church of Jesus. How could that ever draw unbelievers to Him eh? Oh my brethren, for Jesus’ sake, as well as ours and our children’s, let’s seriously try and improve the image we hold amongst the heathen nuh. Remember, it’s Jesus’ name and image we’re hurting and bringing shame and negative press to, which then holds back the progress of His earthly church and glorious, righteous kingdom, which we’re supposed to be promoting. Remember we’re His ambassadors. But we’re certainly not doing our ambassadorial job to the best of our ability, not to the standard of excellence that Jesus expects. So how can we expect His Name, His Word and His Church to prosper eh? Ah mih people, how sad it is that we’re not doing a better job for Jesus. And I just got a divine zeppo (smile) to stop here and look for a Bit, as time and space are running out. So soon come. Oh Friends, I found it, I found it! I found and appropriate Bit – in exactly three minutes! It’s so amazing that when the Lord gives you a task, He also enables you to perform it! Glory Hallelujah! Now here’s our Bit for today: ‘For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.’ And that still holds true for a lot of people today. However, as Bruh Paul so wisely continues to the Corinthians: ‘But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling bloc, and unto the Greeks foolishness: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor.1:23-25) That says it all in spades my brethren! Please embrace Jesus in wisdom and in truth, for He’s the ONLY ANSWER! Much LOVE!…but as for me and mine…we’ll certainly follow Jesus…regardless of what it takes…
08 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, body of Christ, church harmony, compassion, confidence, Creator of the universe, disunity of churches, enthusiasm, eternal truth, forgiveness, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God's children, holy spirit, humble servants, Jesus Christ, jobs, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, praise, raging sea, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, risen Lord, sacrifice, saviour jesus, steadfast faith, storms, temple of God, thanksgiving, the anchor holds, the things of Caesar, the things of God
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Oh Friends, hear this eternal truth nuh, on this second Monday morning of Easter, from one of my favourite songs which I heard yesterday. It says: ‘The anchor holds, though my ship is battered. The anchor holds, though my sails are torn. I’m down on my knees, although I face the raging sea. And yet the anchor holds, in spite of the storm.’ Oh my people, when Jesus is the anchor of our lives, though we are battered and torn, we can still stand strong, even down on our knees, because Jesus has us securely anchored in His LOVE, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and strength. And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All strength and power and majesty belong to our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus!’ So my brethren, even though you don’t feel like getting up and going to work this Monday morning, please remember that Jesus is still with you in that storm of tiredness, laziness, or just plain uninterested and unmotivated mood. And if we turn to Him in sincere faith, then He will indeed anchor us, keep us steadfast and strong while we go through those storms, and help us safely work our way back to shore. Now let’s use our motivational tool, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our motors running. As one loud, sweet, harmonious voice now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Awright mih people! That was great! The Lord even gave Jesus a high-five for it, and the heavenly hosts cried out for an encore! Wow! We certainly look like we’re in a battling mood this Monday morning. So let’s get out there into the evil world and battle for Jesus, but also be careful to do what He advises in our Bit. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render (pay) therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ And today we’ll look at some scriptures dealing with the last part; ‘and give unto God the things that are God’s,’ focussing on the writings of Bruh Paul. We’ll begin with when the Corinthians were arguing amongst themselves as to whom they belonged; Bruh Paul, Apollos or Cephas, because they all had a hand in their teaching. Bruh Paul pulls them up, by telling them that Jesus is the only foundation. ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor.3:11) Then he gets more explicit. ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ (I Cor.3:16) The temple here does not mean the individual believers, but the local church. ‘Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come: all are yours. And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ (1 Cor.3:21-23) Hear the scholars: ‘For all things are yours: The one who belongs to Christ is a child of God, and his Father will do anything for him. The absurdity of their division over allegiances to any of these men is that God gave them “all” to the Corinthians.’ That means we belong to no one else but God. Unfortunately though, today there are still many who seem to hold allegiance to men in the church rather than to God, thus another reason for the disunity of the church. Meanwhile, in chapter 6, Bruh Paul berates them. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor.6:19-20) This time he’s telling them that their bodies are also temples of God, bought and paid for by the sacrificial blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and that fact should be of supreme importance to all men. Then in chapter 12, he puts it all together. ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’ (1 Cor.12:27) The scholars have this interesting explanation. ‘The church in the New Testament is called the “body of Christ,” and reflects the spiritual organism of the whole church on earth. When the local church is called the body of Christ, the spiritual aspect is emphasized. Illustration: As the church is considered to be the body, so individual members are seen as parts of the body. For any church to function properly, every member must do his or her part in a harmonious spirit of cooperation with the other members. Had the church at Corinth learned that lesson, many of their problems could have been solved. Application: When Christians disrupt the harmony of a church, they bring reproach on the body of Christ. (Matt.16:18; 1 Cor.12:27).’ Sadly Friends, all the negativity of the Corinthians back then, still applies to the modern church, thus making it very difficult for the body of Christ to move ahead and prosper. And finally, in pleading for separation from unbelievers, Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in his second missive. ‘And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ (2 Cor.6:16) Yes Friends, though everything technically belongs to God, His biggest concerns are His earthly temples; the body of the church, and the bodies of the individuals who make up that church. So please, let’s not defile either, but offer them up with praise, sacrifice and thanksgiving, as becomes true followers of Christ. That’s wisdom for the ages. Much LOVE!… honouring God…is more important than honouring men…
04 Apr 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: absolute power, abundance, Advocate, blessed is the Lamb that was slain, Brotherhood, deliverer, eternal life, faithful words and actions, glory hallelujah, God's Sovereignty, good conscience, gospel truth, heaps, heathen, jump-started, king Hezekiah, living truth, local church, lord of hosts, LOVE, loving kindness, magnitude of blessings, mercy, Most Wonderful Being, obedience, pour out a blessing, praise, prince of peace, salvation, saviour jesus, spunkiness, storehouse, storehouse tithing, strength and guidance, thanks, tithes, true believers, windows of heaven
Malachi 3:10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, the ole fella’s up and about with surprising spunkiness this Resurrection Thursday morning! Yes my people, please remember that it’s only been a few days since our Lord and Saviour Jesus defeated that ole cowardly crook Lucifer, and triumphantly rose from the grave, which had no power to hold Him captive for long. And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful, ‘Glory Hallelujah! Blessed is the Lamb that was slain but rose again with absolute power and might, to whom all knees shall bow and every tongue confess that He is God!’ (Rom.14:11) Yes mih Friends, our Advocate, Deliverer, Leader, Prince of Peace, etc. etc. is riding high in the world this week. Please let’s keep Him riding high all year long, because that’s what He expects, desires and most assuredly deserves. The heathen will try to put Him down, try to make Him of no account, but we, His true believers and followers know that He is indeed the Most Wonderful Being in ALL the universe! Let’s make sure that others know it, and by our faithful words and actions, draw them into His ever increasing and most worthy fold, so that they too will experience the LOVE, the Brotherhood, the Salvation and Eternal Life that we’ve been guaranteed. And all God’s children said a loud and hearty. ‘Amen!’ Yeh mih breddren, the ole fella’s chuckling here because he certainly seems to be on a roll this morning. The Good Lord didn’t even give me a chance to ask for strength and guidance, but just got me going, jump-started me right away. No wondering what to write at all. And all I can say is a hearty, ‘Thank You Lord! You are so wonderful to me, that I don’t know what I’d do without You in my life! And thankfully I’ll never have to find that out, since You’ve faithfully promised never to leave or forsake me, but be with me all the days of my life, even into eternity. Thank You again Lord!’ Awright Friends, enough of that now, or else I’ll just get carried away and continue with much deserved thanks and praise to our wonderful God. (smile) And today we’ll continue with our Bit that deals with tithes. ‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’ And that’s the living truth, my brethren! If we do as God declares, we’ll be so blessed that we won’t have room to store the great magnitude of blessings He’ll pour down on us. And remember, that’s not because of what or how much we give, but because of our obedience, which signifies that we hold the Lord in true sovereignty and reverence. Now let’s look at a true example of tithing bringing great blessing. It deals with King Hezekiah’s provision for priests and Levites in olden Israel. Having set the work assignments for both groups, he then made provision for them to concentrate on their numerous duties without having to worry about food and shelter too. ‘Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of (due to) the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in (devote themselves to) the law of the Lord. And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps. In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps (lay them in heaps), and finished them in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store (abundance).’ (1 Chr.31:4-10) Yes my people, the Lord is indeed faithful to all His promises! Now here’s some info from the scholars that I think is very important to us all. ‘Tithing is the practice of giving 10 percent of one’s income to the Lord. It is called “storehouse tithing” by some who require that the tithe be given to the Lord through the local church. Illustration: while some Christians disagree, the principle of “God’s place” for worship is the basis for storehouse tithing. (Deut.12) The temple in the Old Testament (1) was the central place characterized by God’s presence; (2) possessed the symbols of redemption; and (3) was where the man of God served. In the New Testament, these three attributes characterize the local church. Hence the principle of storehouse tithing continues into the church age. Application: Some people withhold their tithe from their local church because they disagree with its expenditure of funds. These Christians should join another church where they can wholeheartedly make their contributions in good conscience. Because our actual tithe belongs to the local church, giving to parachurch organizations should be in addition to the tithe. (First Ref, Gen.14:20; Primary Ref, Mal.3:10; cf. Matt.22:21) Ah Friends, I know that that will complicate some of our lives, including mine, but we’ll just have to step up to the plate as best we can. And please, let’s not beat ourselves to death if we’re guilty of not fully tithing. The Lord knows our circumstances and the state of our hearts, and once we do our best to repair the situation, He will still look down favourably on us. Remember His mercy and LOVING-kindness know no bounds. Now let’s allow Cousin Sol to take us home with some of his wise words on the topic. ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov.3:9-10) And that my Friends is the gospel, gospel truth! So let’s try and catch up as best we can nuh, starting NOW! Much LOVE!…give to Caesar…the things that belong to him…and to God…the things that belong to Him… (Matt.22:21)
25 Mar 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, battle hymn, christianity, comfort, confession, enthusiasm, fear, glorious kingdom, god of all comfort, good tidings, holy spirit, Holy Trinity, hope, human anguish, human imagination, humble servants, invincible, jobs, Lent, lies, loving kindness, mercy, Monday Morning, purpose of living, rejuvenation of spirit, religion, renewed vitality, resurrection of christ, salvation, spiritual armour, spirituality, sure conquerors, surrender, tribulation, undeniable fact, ungodly world, useful purpose, weary souls, well rewarded, wicked taunts
Isaiah 51:12. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday…! And there’s a half-hearted cheer reeking with sarcasm for that unwelcome information. (smile) This is also the last Monday in Lent, where many of us gave up stuff to spiritually make a connection with Jesus fasting forty days in the wilderness before His death. But come next Monday, after the amazing resurrection of Christ on Sunday, I guarantee that there will be a much louder cheer when I announce it’s time for work. That’s because our souls will be a tad more joyous having regained the pleasures we gave up for Lent. And let me apologize here for not mentioning that yesterday was Palm Sunday. I don’t know what came over me, but I totally forgot about it, until I went to church and saw the palms there. I really don’t know how I could have forgotten such an important day in the annals of Christianity; the only day during Jesus’ earthly sojourn that He was actually recognized and publicly acknowledged as the worthy King, the Son of God, the Messiah He truly is. Anyway Friends, please forgive the ole fella, his mind obviously isn’t what it used to be. And I promise it won’t happen again, though I may forget something else. (smile) Now let’s move on to more immediate matters, like singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get us in the right frame of mind to go out and labour. Altogether now, with as much heartfelt enthusiasm as we can muster. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Oh mih people, that was only so so. We didn’t get a standing ‘O’ in heaven today, just some sporadic applause. But I’m sure by the time we hit the road, the enthusiasm, the flame of passion that burns deep in our hearts and souls for Jesus will have been reignited and we’ll be just rearing to get to the front lines of the battle and engage the evil enemy. (smile) And I’m not being overly optimistic here. One must have hope, loads of it. For if there’s no hope, what’s the purpose of living then? That brings us to our Bit: ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.’ It’s the same one as yesterday, and we’ll attempt to do what I’d planned to do back then, which is dissect it, before I was guided to talk about LOVE instead. There are three parts to it; basically comfort, fear and longevity. Let’s look at the first part; comfort. Our God says in no uncertain terms: ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you.’ And that’s an undeniable fact my brethren! Our God is the greatest comforter in existence! He prides Himself in comforting His people. Now let’s check out a few of the many scriptures on the amazing comfort our God provides. And we’ll start with Isaiah, who offers comfort to Israel in several readings. First off is: ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.’ (Is.40:1) That has to do with a day of salvation after Judah’s captivity in Babylon. Then in chapter 49, he exultantly declares: ‘Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.’ (Is.49:13) That’s regarding the Servant coming out of Israel, Jesus, the Messiah. He says basically the same thing in 52:9, re the Lord delivering His people from captivity. Meanwhile in chapter 61, proclaiming tidings of salvation to Zion, he boldly announces: ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (poor); he hath sent me to bind up (heal) the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.’ (Is.61:1-2) And we all know Bruh Paul’s famous words to the Corinthians: ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4) Oh Friends, how could we ever doubt the healing and comforting nature of our wonderful God eh? Just like in all the other blessings He showers down on us, His comforting us is meant to be shared with others, not kept solely and selfishly for ourselves. That’s one of the reasons why our world is in such sad shape today; too many people not willing to share their abundance with the less fortunate. And we’ll end, as I like to when possible, with the words of Jesus. Listen to this pronouncement from the Sermon on the Mount, from the Beatitudes, which mirrors the end of Isaiah’s in 61:2. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.’ (Matt.5:4) What a promise my brethren! And we know it’s gospel truth if spoken by Jesus! And the scholars elaborate on that passage thus: ‘Those that mourn…shall be comforted. The depth of the promise of these statements is almost inexhaustible. Those who mourn for sin shall be comforted in confession. Those who mourn for the human anguish of the lost shall be comforted by the compassion of God.’ So Friends, in this crazy, confused, turbulent, evil, ungodly world, where we are constantly beset before and behind by problems and anxieties, let’s not lose hope, and consequently faith in our most awesome Holy Trinity, because we know of, and have personally experienced their comfort and LOVING-kindness. There’s NONE OTHER like them in existence. Hang tight with them and you’ll be well taken care of, rewarded far above and beyond your human imagination. Now isn’t that true wisdom? It sure is, my brethren! Much LOVE!…thy rod and thy staff…they comfort me… (Ps.23:4)
05 Mar 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Alpha, awesome God, believing in jesus, blessings, children of light, fatherly LOVE, flowers fade, fulfilling life, glorious day, glory of God, grass withers, holy spirit, humble servants, Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, Omega, protection, reconciliation, sacrifice, thanks and praise, the beginning, the end, the first, the last, walk in light, Word of God
Isaiah 40:8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
One more morning, one more day, filled with new mercies, filled with new blessings, showered down from heaven with fatherly LOVE! Yes Friends, that’s what is happening on this new Today, and what happens on every new Today! And before we get too carried away, let’s realize that it’s not because of our goodness, or what we rightfully deserve, but because of our wonderful God’s LOVING-kindness towards us! His heart is so overflowing with LOVE and tenderness for us, that despite our lack of enthusiasm and strong faith, He has a hard time saying No to us. So in grateful appreciation, let’s offer a few words of thanks nuh. Pray with me: ‘Oh heavenly Father, we, your humble servants, created and so richly provided for by You, offer our sincere thanks and praise this new day. We don’t know what lies ahead, but we know that whatever comes our way, You’ll be right there with us to help us through it. Please continue to bless and protect us. We pray this in the holy name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His sinless life at Calvary, so that we could be reconciled and once again have glorious fellowship with You.’ And all God’s people declared a loud and sincere, ‘Praise the Lord! Amen!’ Ah mih people, I’m so glad that it was only supposed to be a few words. (smile) But yuh know, sometimes when you start giving our awesome God the praise and thanks He so richly deserves, you often get carried away by the deep LOVE for Him that’s in your heart. Now let’s turn to our Bit, which, as promised, is the same as yesterday. I’m trying my best to be like the Lord and keep my promises. (smile) And our Bit boldly proclaims: ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.’ And that’s no lie, my brethren! The Word of our great Deity will never depart from the life of this world, as long as it exists, be it in physical or spiritual form, because it comes from the Mighty One who created it and all it contains. Unfortunately many don’t believe that, and I’m genuinely sorry for them, because it means they are not enjoying the rich and fulfilling life that comes from believing and following the Word of the Most High God Jehovah. And as Isaiah confidently declares before our Bit, in this Chapter 40, that deals with comfort through trust in the Lord: ‘And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry (out), And he said, what shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the godliness (loveliness) thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit (breath) of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.’ (Is.40:5-7) Yes Friends, in the time line of our God, we certainly have short lives; lives comparable in our understanding, to that of the grass and flowers that spring up rich and beautiful one day, but by the next are withered and faded. However, the glorious Word of our omnipotent God will live much longer, indeed forever! Why? Because it comes from the One who is Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, who created everything that exists, controls it all, and can do whatsoever He wants with it! As the prophet Micah promises, when talking about turning swords into ploughshares: ‘And I will make her that halted (is lame) a remnant, and her that was cast far off (the outcasts) a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.’ (Mic.4:7) What an awesome promise my fellow believers! And it will eventually come true, because our God is ever faithful to keep His promises. Meanwhile, Isaiah solemnly delivers another of God’s promises in Chapter 24, that after judgement comes upon the earth: ‘Then the moon shall be confounded (disgraced or ashamed), and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients (elders) gloriously.’ (Is.24:23) Wow mih breddren! That will be such a glorious day that even the sun and moon will have to step back from the marvellous light of our enchanting God! And as we like to do whenever possible, we’ll end with some moving and meaningful words of the Master Teacher, Jesus. Here, He’s telling the people of His upcoming death, resurrection and ascension. ‘The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest the darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knowest not wither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.’ (John 12:34-36) Oh Friends, that’s the Word of our God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And yuh know what? It will certainly live on forever, so if we’re smart, we’ll consciously choose to follow it, so that we too can live on forever with Him. Much LOVE!…true believers…must use the wisdom generated by the Holy Spirit in them…to LOVE and obey the Word of God…
02 Mar 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: affliction, Christian walk, christianity, disobedience, fauthfulness, grace, great is thy faithfulness, heavenly blessings, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, oppression, peace, rewards, righteousness., sincerity, sorrow, steadfast faith, transgressors, truth, understanding, upright in heart, wisdom, wise of heart
Psalm 107:43. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the LOVING-kindness of the Lord.
Oh Friends, neighbours and fellow believers, may the grace, peace, LOVE, mercy and forgiveness of Almighty God be on us all this Saturday morning, as we enjoy the heavenly blessings of this new day. As the Good Book so reassuringly reminds us: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam.3:22-23) And that my brethren, should be our sure foundation for a renewal, for a strengthening of our faith and trust in the Most High God Jehovah at the start of each new day. For if we don’t have that steadfast, unbreakable faith, nothing much is going to happen in our lives. And all God’s people gave a mighty shout of: ‘Praise the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised!’ And as the Good Book again reminds us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Therefore Friends, to have a successful Christian walk we must truly believe that God is who he says He is, then we must seek Him sincerely, for those are the people whom He rewards. And even though our Bit doesn’t pertain in particular to those scriptures above, it still corroborates it all. ‘Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the LOVING-kindness of the Lord.’ Yes my brethren, the wise of heart will understand all things that have to do with God’s goodness, because they trust and seek Him with steadfast faith. Now let’s see what our Bit is specifically referring to. It comes from Psalm 107; God’s wonderful works to the children of men. The Psalm basically recounts some of the Lord’s goodness to Israel during their exodus from bondage in Egypt and exile in Babylon, despite their unfaithfulness and disobedience to Him. The verses before our Bit read thus: ‘Again, they are minished (diminished) and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness (void place), where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high (far) from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.’ (Ps;107:39-41) Oh Friends, the Lord’s power is unbelievable! It’s so awesome in its magnitude and scope, that our simple minds can’t really fathom it! He can quickly bring us to our knees for disobedience, or just as speedily, lift us up majestically in rough times, if we call out to Him in all sincerity and truth, for He is faithful and gracious to His people. No wonder the psalmist goes on to conclude in the verse before our Bit: ‘The righteous shall see it and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth (be silenced). (Ps.107:42) And the moral of the story my fellow believers is – quoting the scholars – ‘a knowledge of God’s steadfastness and LOVE will cause rejoicing among the righteous, silence among the wicked, and meditation among the wise.’ There’s absolutely no doubt about that! Bruh David agrees, and says it thus: ‘And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doings. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.’ (Ps.64:9-10) And the prophet Jeremiah, in talking about disobedience brings God’s judgement, has this to say on the subject: ‘And I will make Jerusalem heaps (a heap of ruins), and a den of dragons (jackals); and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?’ (Jer.9:11-12) Meanwhile, Hosea puts it this way: ‘Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall (stumble) therein.’ (Hos.14:9) Gospel truth my people! So Friends, today, let’s see if we can’t put it all together nuh! With all that encouraging and truthful scripture, let’s be wise; understand that the Lord is EL NUMERO UNO, NUMBER ONE in the universe He created. And even more importantly, let’s also act like He is indeed the top priority in our lives. For our God is indeed alive and kicking, a God of action, and one facet without the other is of no use. And furthermore, we need to believe that whatever He does IS RIGHT, and we were made to serve and worship Him in truth, faith, trust, complete surrender and LOVE! Only as we accept and faithfully do those things, will we be well rewarded, both on earth and in heaven. Much LOVE!…there is no wisdom…wiser than bowing to the dictates of Almighty God…
27 Feb 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: absolute hope, actions, Bible Study, blessed, Christian beliefs, christianity, confidence, darkest hour, deceitful, earthly pilgrimage, evildoers, exceedingly glad, faith, footstools, God's Word, hearts, heavy load, joy, maturity, mercy, minds, pain, powers of darkness, praise, psalm 21, religion, roadblocks, saviour jesus christ, sliding, slipping, souls, spirituality, surrender, thankfulness, treacherous, true believers, true wisdom, trust, unfortunate experience, uptempo dance, victory, virgin snow, weather forecasters
Psalm 21:6. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
Oh Friends, it’s now the hour just before the dawn, long celebrated as the darkest hour of the night. But contrary to that statement, my area right now (4.30 a.m) is bright and beautiful, as everything is covered in a dazzling display of virgin snow. Even the leafless trees are shrouded in white, as the strong wind has them doing an uptempo dance to its unrelenting beat. The housetops, roads and cars parked there are also covered with the white stuff. It won’t stay beautiful for much longer though, as mankind begins to traverse his difficult and unruly way through it. As promised by the weather forecasters, it began in the early evening. When I went out for a few minutes around 7.30 p.m. it was merely wet snow. However, by 10 p.m. everything and everywhere was completely covered in white, looking beautiful, but in reality ever so treacherous and deceitful, like so many other beautiful things …and people… in our tumultuous world. And I certainly know who’s not going out there today! (smile) Don’t want to risk another unfortunate experience like the one I suffered in the last big snowfall a few weeks ago. Yes Friends, no more slipping and sliding, damaging my old car, getting stuck in my driveway and the lane. No siree! Oh Brother, I forgot that today is Wednesday; Bible Study day! But we’ll see how the weather and road cleaning shape up by Bible Study time in the evening. Anyway mih people, despite all the roadblocks that are put in our way in this earthly pilgrimage, we still need to live the life that Jesus desires of us. It’s only when we write His Word deep in our hearts, minds and souls, then live it out in our actions, that we can confidently say we are true believers in and followers of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And here I’ll share a li’l poem about that, by Eva Rose York (1858-1935), editor, teacher, organist and composer in western Ontario. It simply says: ‘I will not pass this way again; Then let me now relieve some pain, remove some barrier from the road, or brighten (lighten) someone’s heavy load.’ Oh Friends, it’s so touching in its simplicity, but yet so poignant with its message to Christians, as it encapsulates our Christian beliefs in those few words…show you care and help somebody. It can be a sort of mantra for us my brethren. I believe I’ve shared it before, but it’s says so much about us, that I felt compelled to share it again, especially in these rough times when we believers are less caring and action oriented that we ought to be. That brings us to our Bit, grateful words of Bruh David from Psalm 21, superscripted; Praise for victory. ‘For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad (joyful with gladness) with thy countenance (presence).’ Oh Friends, that state of thankfulness comes with the territory; surrendering one’s life to the Lord, putting your absolute hope, trust and faith in the ONE who created us. It shows maturity and true wisdom; a stage that as true believers we should all be striving for. Hear how Bruh David continues after our Bit: ‘For the king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved (shaken).’ (Ps.21:7) Awesome words of truth, my brethren! Oh how I desperately wish our leaders and those in power could gain such wisdom and the amazing power, grace and mercy that go with dedicating one’s life to walking with Jesus! What a wonderful place our world would be! But unfortunately the powers of darkness and the evildoers who currently rule the roost will not bow out or give up the fight very easily. But that’s why Bruh David is also confident that: ‘Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger; the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.’ (Ps.21:8-9) Yes Friends, when we walk sincerely with God, our enemies are defeated, either exterminated or brought low as our footstools. (Heb.10:13) With that also go these words from Psalm 45; A psalm for the king’s marriage. ‘Thou LOVEST righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above they fellows (companions).’ (Ps.45:7) Ah mih people, our God blesses us intentionally when we keep Him uppermost in all we do, especially if we’re people of privilege and power. And we’ll end with another verse of truth and wisdom from Bruh David, from Psalm 16, where he seeks preservation and blessing. ‘Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy: at thy right hand there pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps.16:11) Yes my fellow believers, all those things are entwined and embedded in our lives when we choose to walk with Almighty God, our wonderful Creator and Caretaker! Today, let’s raise our level of involvement with Him nuh, as true wisdom dictates. Much LOVE!…only when we associate closely with God…will our wrongs be made right…and our enemies be defeated…forever… P.S. This weather is really crazy yes! Would you believe it’s raining now (6 a.m) turning the snow to slush. Let’s hope it washes away everything before the temp falls later and it all turns to ice. Please be careful all of you who have to go out there. And if you don’t have to go, don’t go! (smile) Much LOVE!
24 Feb 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: bitterness, choke hold, christianity, cursing, destruction, faithfulness, fallen creation, forgiveness, generosity, God's faithfulness, heartaches, heavenly hosts, human condition, justice, loving, mercy, misery, mornng by morning, Most High God, new mercies, pain, praise and thanksgiving, religion, sadness, saviour jesus christ, sincerity, spirituality, tears, testimony, trust, truth, worship
Psalm 5:9. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
And yet another glorious day in the life begins my Friends, so let’s start it with some thanks and praise nuh. Let’s sing a verse of the old hymn that could probably be called ‘Old Faithful’ because it’s been around for a long time and whenever we sing it, it also regenerates our faith in the faithfulness and trustworthiness of our Wonderful God. Sing with me: ‘Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All that I needed, thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth my fellow believers! We can all attest to the faithfulness of God in our lives; in the past, the present, and if we continue clinging to Him, also in the future. He’s just that kind of LOVING, trusting, generous and merciful God to all those who serve and worship Him in truth and sincerity. And all God’s people loudly and joyously declared: ‘All praise and thanksgiving be unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who made the earth, heavens, and all therein, and who controls it with LOVE, mercy, justice and forgiveness! Oh Lord, we your humble servants truly LOVE You, and this Sunday morning we bless and praise Your Most Holy Name! Amen.’ Oh Friends, did you see the big smiles on the faces of our heavenly Father and our Saviour, Jesus Christ as those heartfelt prayers reached up to heaven? Even the heavenly hosts were smiling and adding their own ‘Praise the Lord! For He is good and merciful and forgiving!’ Ah mih bredden, if there could only be such smiles and happiness down here on earth, instead of the many frowns, heartaches, sadness, tears and pain that currently envelop our world, that have us in an ever tightening choke hold. But I guess that’s the price we have to pay for being a fallen creation. And sadly, we’re not helping the situation by consciously steering our lives to the sinful side of our nature, instead of the righteous and godly side. We all have that pocket in our souls permanently reserved for our Maker, which nothing or no one else can fill, but unless we consciously venture to fill it with Him, our lives will end up a total mess. And if you don’t believe me, just take a look around at our society with so many people hurting and searching for relief from their many sorrows. Unfortunately though, they are searching in the wrong places, heading in the wrong direction. They’re turning to manmade aids; drugs, booze, shrinks etc, which are not helping, but making them worse, increasing their pain and sorrows. Ah Friends, there’s only one antidote for the human state, one prescription to ease his pain and suffering: that’s Almighty God, his Maker and Controller! And until we realize that and turn back to Him in droves, just like we’ve turned away in droves, the human state will remain one of exceedingly vile, evil, ungodly conditions. Tragic loss, pain and ‘sufferation’ will continue to be his unenviable lot. That brings us to our very appropriate Bit: ‘For there is no faithfulness (uprightness) in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness (destruction); their throat is an open sepulchre (tomb); they flatter with their tongue.’ And isn’t that the undeniable truth about the state of our society my fellow believers? It sure is! Now let me share a testimony of our Lord’s delightful faithfulness. When I began writing today, I had no clue what I was going to write about. I had not even opened the Good Book to look for a Bit. I just had the verse of the ‘Old Faithful’ Hymn written on a piece of paper, and contrary to my usual method of writing, where I do a rough copy on paper first, I just began writing on the computer and the words and ideas just flowed, so I continued, until I got to the unenviable lot of humans. Then I began chuckling, asked the Lord to guide me to an appropriate Bit, and opened my Bible. And, lo and behold, according to His great faithfulness, I found one in less than five minutes. Just goes to show Friends, that if we genuinely seek our God, we’ll find Him, and He will answer our prayers, especially where it pertains to His Word. Now let’s turn to some thought provoking scripture to corroborate our contentions. This comes from Bruh Paul’s writing to the Romans. ‘There is none righteous, No, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre (grave); with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.’ (Rom.3″10-18) Oh Friends, doesn’t that describe our world to a T? It certainly does. Bruh Paul uses his vast knowledge of the scriptures, using various bits and pieces to highlight our insufficiency and sad, degenerate state. Listen to the scholars comment on that passage. ‘Paul quotes scripture to prove universal guilt. Scripture, not Paul, is the judge. See Psalm 5:9; 10:7; 14:1-3; 140:3; Isaiah 59:7-8’ Those are some of the scriptures Bruh Paul uses in that very revealing section of Romans. And rather appropriately, just as we began, we’ll end with a glowing testimony from Isaiah on the Lord’s faithfulness. ‘O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.’ (Is.25:1) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! So let’s go out now and do as that great prophet just said; praise and exalt the name of the Most High God Jehovah, for it is right and meet so to do. Much LOVE!…only in the faithfulness of our heavenly Father…can man put absolute trust…
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