15 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: backsliders, became obedient unto death, being in the form of God, chaos, Christmas, disaster filled world, do as I have done to you, faith, Friday chant, grace of God, I have given you an example, if I wash thee not thou hast no part of me, Jesus Christ, Jesus humbled himself to serve His disciples, LOVE, made of himself no reputation, man's inhumanity to man makes millions mourn, mercy, new believers, only one leader in Christ's church, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the act of service, the Prince of Peace, the Son of man came not to be served, tlak the talk, to give his life a ransom for many, to minister (serve), truth, unexpected storms, wake up and smell the coffee, walk the walk, whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister, wise guidance
Mark 10:45. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (be served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.
At long last Friday is here and the joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been heard all around our chaotic and disaster filled world! It doesn’t matter that there’s war and rumours of war prevailing in numerous places, the start of the weekend is ever so important, especially as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And doesn’t it seem somewhat ironic that He is called the Prince of Peace, but so many of His supposed followers are actively engaged in war and untold evil deeds?
And I’m sure it hurts Jesus’ heart to see that those for whom He left His heavenly splendour and took on the fleshly human body and came to earth to save are now such warmongers. The sacrifice of His sinless body and soul obviously didn’t mean all that much to mankind, for brother is still fighting brother, while the inhumanity of man to man is still making countless millions mourn. When are we going to learn eh my brethren, that the constant fighting, anger, hatred, bitterness, resentment and atrocious deeds that are currently so prevalent in our world, are not helping any of us, just making us more satanic and less godly?
Right now, it’s much easier to count the places where some sort of peace prevails, than those where upheaval and chaos are running riot. Doesn’t that say something awful about us when the attributes of his satanic majesty, instead of those of Almighty God are much more prevalent in our world? It certainly does! It tells us that our sinful, warmongering nature has finally come to the forefront, while the compassion, grace and mercy of God have taken a sad backseat in our society. And many of us who still claim to be such devoted Christians are among the biggest haters, warmongers, evildoers and hypocrites in the world!
How then can Jesus’ church sincerely flourish under such ungodly situations eh? It’s certainly a difficult task to execute, but definitely not impossible. It just means that those of us who are sincere in our beliefs will have to make a greater effort to keep Christ’s church on an even keel, growing even under the worst of circumstances. And that’s made even more difficult because of the numerous divisions and dissensions among Christ’s people. And the sad part is that so many of those divisions and dissensions have come about over petty human jealousies, greed and everybody wanting to be the leader.
But friends, there’s ONLY ONE LEADER in Christ’s church, that’s Christ Himself! The rest of us are merely stewards, glorified servants of Christ, but we do exactly what He’s told us not to do, that’s exalt ourselves. Remember Christ’s words when His disciples were arguing who would be the greatest amongst them. Jesus specifically warned: ‘Ye know that they which are accounted to rule (are considered rulers) over the Gentiles exercise lordship (lord it) over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be (desires to be) great among you, shall be your minister (servant): And whosoever of you will be the chiefest (desires to be the first), shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (be served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (Mark 10:41-45)
But to this day, we all still rush to be the first, to be seen as leaders, although our servanthood doesn’t qualify us for leadership. Unlike us friends, Jesus didn’t just talk the talk, but He also walked the walk. Remember His conversation with the disciples when He washed their feet, a job that was usually done by the lowliest person in the household, so much so that at first Peter refused to let Him wash his. But Jesus stopped him in his tracks by saying. ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’ (John 13:8) As simple as that; if you won’t allow me to stoop and wash your feet, then you have no part in my organization.
And after Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, He explained His philosophy on the subject. He first asked: ‘Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master (Teacher) and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master (Teacher), have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord (master); neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’ (John 13:12-17)
Oh my fellow believers, it couldn’t get any more straightforward than that! But, unfortunately, how many of us in today’s church are truly willing to serve, even in the upper echelons, much less in some low capacity eh? Too many of us supposed believers just want to enjoy the perks of the church without contributing in any way to them. But that’s not what Jesus taught or exemplified. This commentary tells it like it is: ‘He (Jesus) was a servant because He dedicated his life to setting people free. He set them free by healing them, delivering them, and by teaching them. His life was a ransom; He lived in such a way that when He encountered people they would be set free in some way. Even though Jesus was God in human form, He humbled Himself to serve His disciples. This act of service showed His humility and LOVE for His followers.’
And these words of Bruh Paul written to the Philippians highlight the servanthood of Christ. ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (think like Jesus did); Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (emptied Himself of His godly privileges): And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2:5-8)
Now that’s the picture of a true servant! And I know that in this evil and ungodly world it’s difficult to model Jesus’ servanthood, but with the help of God, it’s not impossible. So, please, through our Friday Chant, let’s go to the throne of grace right now, to find the help we need to be a good example like Christ. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And having said all of that, our first priority now should be to truthfully and sincerely become and behave like faithful believers and set a good example to the world! Much LOVE!
…the world can only see Jesus nowadays…through the lives of His followers…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
14 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fulfillment of those things, a positive outlook on life, abundance, all generations shall call me blessed, blessed is she that believed, bounden duty, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, filled the hungry with good things, God's supernatural presence, God's supernatural wisdom, he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden, he that is mighty hath done to me great things, his mercy is on them that fear him, holy spirit, how much of Christmas is focused on Christ, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, my soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, negative word, Old Testament imagery, scattered the proud, the imagination of their hearts, the incarnate birth of Christ, the Magnificat, the mother of my Lord, the reason for the season, the rich he hath sent empty away, Thursday Blessings, truth
Luke 1:46-47. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
And then it was Thursday; the penultimate day of the work week, and also one day closer to the birth of Christ! And as I go around my neighbourhood, I can see all the activity, all the busyness that this time of year spurs. And it’s certainly the case in my home, as the Duchess is slowly ramping up the Christmas spirit. I can’t walk anywhere in the house without encountering some kind of Christmas decoration, some of which I don’t like, and I believe makes the place even more congested than usual. But apparently I have no say in the matter. (smile) However, the Christmas tree does look luverly.
And I bring all of that up because I want to find out just how much of all this Christmas activity is actually being focused on Christ and His incarnate birth, or are we more concerned about the time for gifts and feasting and secular celebrations? And for the many who proclaim, ‘Happy Holidays!’ What’s the holidays about eh? It’s about the birth of Jesus! Without the celebration of the birth of Jesus there would be no holidays, no shopping, with the cash registers merrily jingling every few seconds, no gift giving or joyful get togethers. So why can’t we acknowledge Jesus as the true reason for the season eh?
As our world becomes more evil, secular and ungodly, it’s becoming an uphill battle to remind people that Jesus’ birth is why we celebrate these supposed holidays. But let’s not give up my fellow believers, for if we keep on sending the message, in due course, the heathen, the ungodly, the evildoer, the greedy business person, will all come to recognize why there’s all the hubbub and hoopla at this time of year – the marvellous, miraculous, incarnate birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! There’s never before been a birth like it… and there will never again be another one as marvellous and miraculous!
And today I want to explore the situation of that incarnate birth a little bit more for there are some interesting ramifications to it, like what happens after Mary’s momentous encounter with the angel Gabriel. The Good Library tells us: ‘And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda. And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted (greeted) Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heart the salutation (greeting) of Mary, the babe (John the Baptist) leaped in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that (why should) the mother of my Lord come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation (greeting) sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance (fulfillment) of those things which were told her from the Lord.’ (Luke 1:39-45)
Oh my people, doesn’t it astound and astonish you at the amazing dramatics that our God has placed in Hs Word? Listen to that drama there as Mary, the Mother of Jesus greets Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. The Holy Ghost comes upon Elisabeth and John the Baptist jumps for joy in his mother’s womb, spiritually knowing that the One whom he is coming to prepare the way for is close by! Wow! Only our great God could engineer such a dramatic situation! Give Him thanks and praise for His awesome Word nuh!
But it gets even more dramatic as Mary then proceeds to sing this song, we call ‘The Magnificat.’ ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly state) of his hand maiden (maidservant): for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear (reverence) him from generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones), and exalted them of low degree (the lowly). He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed (descendants) for ever.’ (Luke 1:46-55)
Oh friends, what magnificent sentiments in praise of our God’s goodness and mercy, His strength and His faithfulness! How could an ordinary teenaged girl proclaim such things eh…not unless she was filled with the Holy Spirit! The Bible then informs us: ‘And Mary abode with her (Elisabeth) about three months, and returned to her own house.’ (Luke 1:56) Can you imagine the conversations between the two women, and the way Jesus and John the Baptist were carrying on in their mothers wombs during those conversations. (smile) Only in the Bible, you say! Yes! Only in the Bible!
And per the name of Mary’s soliloquy ‘The Magnificat’ the scholars tell us it’s based on the first word of the Latin translation (the Vulgate), and is rich in Old Testament imagery, for Jesus’ coming was in fulfillment of Old Testament promises. And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! From the very beginning of that noteworthy tome, there have been promises and talk of the coming of our Lord and Saviour. So please, as we go about our shopping and baking and all the etceteras of the season, let’s see if we can’t put a li’l more of our focus, our thoughts on the reason for the season, Jesus Christ.
Let’s try and keep Him first place in all we do, so that we won’t forget why we’re having this joyful period of the year. And to help us with all that stuff, the Lord has generously bestowed certain blessings on us that we call our Thursday Blessings, but to activate them we need to declare them out loud, so let’s do that right now nuh. Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance!
I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those underserved blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord gave them to us! Much LOVE!
…but for the incarnate birth of Jesus…there would be no holiday season…at this time of year…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: believing God's promises, endure to the end, eyes straight ahead, faith, frailties and weaknesses, God knows our hearts, guiding through the Holy Spirit, head knowledge alone is a waste of time, holy spirit, Jesus Christ, let my heart be sound, LOVE, mercy, not always a bed of roses, not looking back, obedience, obey me, One Year Book of Bible promises, revernce, Ruth Harms Calkin, thank God, that I be not ashamed, the attributes of Jesus, the breath of life, the choice to obey is always mine, the multifaceted character of God's word, Three Unalterable Truths, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, walking hand in hand, Wednesday Wail, worahip
Psalm 119:80. Let my heart be sound (blameless) in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
Oh friends, this mid-week Wednesday morning is bright and sunshiny! Exactly what the doctor ordered for the dark and cloudy times the winter season so often coughs up. One proviso though, it’s windy and cold. But once the sun’s shining brightly, I don’t care about the cold. The sunshine brings out the attributes of Jesus in me, and allows me to handle the cold with a good attitude! (smile) And with that good attitude in mind, this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin titled ‘Three Unalterable Truths’ is definitely an appropriate reading for today’s Bit.
So please read with me: ‘Lord, through the years Of walking hand in hand with You I have learned three unalterable truths: First, what You command me to do You consistently expect me to do. Never do You say, “Give the command a fair try.” Nor do You say, “Consider and then decide.” My natural weakness is never An acceptable excuse. Nor is my inability To reach unreachable standards. Rather, You tell me to seek And then to keep Your commands.
Second, all of Your commands Are always for my ultimate good. “Obey me.” Your Word says “So that I can do for you All the wonderful things I promised…” “In the keeping of My Word There is great reward.” Third, whatever You command me to do You fully enable me to do. As You give light to reveal a command So You give grace to fulfill it. Your divine energy is always at my disposal. The choice to obey is always mine. The power to obey is always Yours.’
Mama Mia! What glorious truths those are my faithful brethren! The Lord expects us to do exactly as He asks, and those commandments are always for our benefit, not His, for He desires nothing of us but our faithful reverence, worship and obedience! And furthermore, whatever He asks us to do, He always gives us the strength, energy and anointing to do it. So, it’s not like our great and wonderful God ask us to do things we can’t do then leaves us in the lurch figuring out how to do it. No! he enables us to do EVERYTHING He asks of us! And until we sincerely believe that, we’ll always be wandering around like lost sheep.
The problem with the whole matter though, might be we refuse or are afraid to begin doing whatever God asks us to do, figuring that we can’t do it, so it’s no use to try. But friends, that’s exactly what the Lord expects of us; to at least sincerely try to do what He asks before giving up on it entirely. And I can certainly testify to that. When the Lord first broached the subject of the Bit with me, I laughed and said I couldn’t do it, because my scriptural knowledge was insufficient for such an important project. However, He kept badgering me in the way that only He can do, and eventually broke down my defenses.
But the truth of the matter is that my scriptural knowledge was somewhat spotty and insignificant, so at the beginning it was merely a verse or two of scripture without any knowledgeable comments. But as time went along the Lord helped me to improve. He was ALWAYS there with me, leading and guiding me through His Holy Spirit. And the more I wrote, the better informed I became, until now, some sixteen years later, instead of having a problem with writing too little, I have one with writing too much, as Today’s Bit exemplifies! (smile)
And believe me, over those years my obedience has improved a whole lot, and so have His rewards for it! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t do everything He asks me to do, or do it well, but He knows my imperfections and as we said with Zacharias yesterday, He knows my heart, that it’s for Him and not for Satan. And that’s all the Lord expects of us my people, to have a soft and tender heart towards Him and to do the best we can with what He’s given us. Nobody knows our frailties and weaknesses better than Almighty God, because He made us and put in everything that was necessary for the individual plan that He drew up for each of us.
So our foibles aren’t a surprise to Him, but He expects us to come to Him and ask for grace and mercy to do His holy will. And believe me, I discovered that in the early years of writing the Bit. When I didn’t know what to write, I simply turned to the Lord and cried out that fact, and He always helped me, though not necessarily right away. Sometimes when I opened the Good Library it opened right unto a suitable scripture. But at other times I had to go searching through the Word, until something appeared that I could get my head around. So it was not always a bed of roses; I had to work at it.
And today, when I don’t know what to write, I still cry out for divine help. And from past experience, I know that He will eventually show me something, because it’s His Word I’m trying to promote and He’s promised to ALWAYS help those who do that. How did Jesus put it after giving the disciples and us the Great Commission? ‘…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) The important thing my brethren is to first know the word of God, and then put it into practice. Having head knowledge alone is a waste of time. The word must sink into your hearts and soul then be manifested in your life for it be of any real use.
And that’s why the Bible verse for our poem comes from that long, but magnificent Psalm on the value of God’s Word, or as the scholars put it: ‘its multifaceted character.’ And it most definitely is multi-faceted or versatile, having a variety of different and important features or elements. Anyway the Bibe verse for the poem as quoted by the book from the New Living Translation is: ‘ May I be blameless in keeping your principles, then I will never have to be ashamed.’ (Ps. 119:80) Meanwhile the King James Version, my favourite, says it thus: ‘Let my heart be sound (blameless) in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.’
Oh friends, the only way we can do that is by sincerely reading and studying God’s Word, and then putting it into practice in our everyday lives. But then again, that takes time and practice and personal experience with God. However, as I’ve testified, if you turn to God when you don’t know how to proceed, He will always show you how to go. That’s His faithful promise. And that’s another ever important aspect of walking with Lord, believing His promises, which again only comes with time and practice. So the long and short of the story is to walk sincerely with the Lord, study His word, obey His commands as best you can in your own strength, then cry out to Him for help and believe His promises.
Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And there’s a li’l codicil at the end that says if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, hoping to see you there! Much LOVE!
…our God is faithful, strong and true…and if you are true to him…He will be true to you…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
05 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a secular time instead of a religious occasion, a token action, amplify our needs, be obedient even to death, by the things he suffered, Christmas Season, create more waste than ever, excessive celebrations, faith, he spake a parable unto them, hurry, I came not to judge the world but to save the world, Jesus Christ, like there was no tomorrow, LOVE, men ought always to pray and not faint, mercy, no help to be had except in Jesus, salvation, share His love with my neighbour, that which was lost, the beloved of God, the Son of man, the son of man is come to seek and to save, though he were a Son, to salve our consciences, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, worry, yet learned he obedience
Luke 18:1. And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).
And then it was Tuesday…another Monday has gone flying into the annals of History; a day which most of us will forget as the excitement of Christmas Season overtakes us. But a strange and confusing thought just entered my head: most of our world is in sad and disastrous conflict, but nonetheless, we’re still able to celebrate Christmas with gifts, food, joy and all the other things that are associated with the season. And it doesn’t seem to matter either that a large portion of our world is finding it difficult to find shelter and food, in fact many are homeless and starving, but yet still we amplify our needs and create more waste than ever during this period.
And I can’t help but wonder if this is the way to celebrate Christ’s birth with excessive celebrations when so many have nowhere to rest their weary heads and can’t put a nourishing bite of food in their mouths. Under those situations, I ask, would this be the way that Jesus wants us to celebrate His incarnate birth? Remember He came to serve, to serve the poor, the sick and the downtrodden, and to save the lost. ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:10)
In light of all that, how would He feel if He came to earth now and saw the many unfortunates that so dreadfully blot or darken our world, even in the supposed first world economies, but we who have more than enough are celebrating His birth like crazy? Truly I don’t know. And please note, I’m not casting aspersions or being judgemental or anything of the sort, I’m just throwing out a question that happened to fill my thoughts. (smile) And then again, would Jesus be thrilled with all the worldly things we do to celebrate His birth; the way it’s become a secular time instead of a religious occasion? Possibly not.
All I’m saying here is that with so much sadness and misery in our world, many of us are still going over the top in celebrations, when we should be paying more attention to the poor, downtrodden and sick, the way that Jesus desires us to do. Oh yes, at this time of year, we make a fuss, a token action to salve our consciences, by trying to get gifts and food for some of the unfortunate ones, but what happens to then the rest of the year eh? Doesn’t our consciences bother us for the other eleven months? Apparently not.
Ah mih people, I guess the ole fella is just in a philosophical mood this morning, considering the chaotic state of our world with both numerous man-made and natural disasters ripping through it, like there was no tomorrow. And as I opened the Good Book just now, it opened up unto an interesting scripture. ‘And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1)
And I guess that’s exactly what we are called upon to do right now in these turbulent and calamitous times; pray, and not lose heart, don’t be discouraged, hold on steadily and strongly to our faith in Christ Jesus, because that’s the ONLY thing that will get us safely and securely through these raging storms of life! Yes friends, without strong and sincere faith in Christ we’ll be lost. Tossed to and fro in the stormy sea of life, and eventually sink to the bottom in desperate agony, for there is no help to be had except in the company of Jesus.
And He said it as simply and plainly as possible. ‘He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself (of my own authority); but the Father which sent me; he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so speak I.’ (John 12:44-50)
Yuh see my fellow saints, Jesus wasn’t even acting on His own authority, but on the Father’s, who gave Him a commandment, a job to do, which He did with obedience and excellence, although it was a very tough row to hoe. The author of Hebrews tells us of Jesus: ‘Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, (in the Garden of Gethsemane) and was heard in that he feared (because of His godly fear); Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.’ (Heb. 5:7-9)
Oh my people, yuh see that! Although Jesus was the Son of God, in His fleshly state He still had to learn obedience and did so from the things He suffered. The same thing goes for us; to be His follower, we need to obey Him, be obedient even to death, if necessary. Thankfully, He won’t ask many of us to give up our lives for Him, but theoretically we should be prepared to do so.
Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to be obedient to Christ’s word, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that proclamation, we must now go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the three basic actions of a believer…obedience…obedience…obedience…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
04 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glowing example of faithfulness, abundant in goodness and truth, all men have not faith, do Jesus' work, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, faithfulness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, Glory to God for his faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, he is faithful and just, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, He is faithful that promised, hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, humble ourselves, humble servants, if we confess our sins, in thy light we shall see light, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and for ever, keep you from evil, longsuffering, LOVE, make a living, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, pray and sincerely seek your face, put our noses to the grindstone, steadfast love and faithfulness, strong faith in Christ, the God who heals, the Lord God merciful and gracious, the Lord is faithful, the Lord shall establish you, the undeserving children of men, thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds, truth, turning from our evil ways, unfavourable weather conditions, with thee is the fountain of life
2 Thessalonians 3:3. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil (the evil one).
Oh brother, what a cold, wet, windy, snowy, dreary weekend we’ve had! But thankfully, we won’t have to go out to work today under those same unfavourable conditions. (smile) The day has turned out to be dry with a touch of cloudy sunshine. (smile) Just having to get up and go out to work after a couple of restful, comfortable days is bad enough, but having to do it in such nasty conditions certainly doesn’t enamour us to it. Anyway, the important thing is we’ve got to make a living, as well as do Jesus’ work, so please, let’s get out there, enamoured or not, bad weather or not, and put our noses to the grindstone, knowing full well that Jesus will enable us to do anything He desires of us!
Glory to God for His faithfulness to the undeserving children of men! And there are so many scripture verses that talk about God’s faithfulness to mankind that we can go on for days on end and never completely finish them. (smile). But let’s check out a few anyway to remind us of His ever-faithful attribute. And the first scripture is a most appropriate one, where the Lord passes before Moses on Mt. Zion when He gave Him the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments.
The Good Library says: ‘And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth (steadfast LOVE and faithfulness). Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.’ (Ex. 34:6-7)
Yes friends, that was the Lord blowing His own trumpet. But who knows better than Him, what He’s about eh? Nobody! Meanwhile Hebrews 10:23, encourages us: ‘’Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ And that’s the gospel truth as Hebrews 13:8 reminds us: ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ Our Lord and Saviour does not change. If He was faithful yesterday, then He’s always going to be faithful!
Then Bruh David puts it this way in Psalm 36. ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-kindness), O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains (the mountain of God); thy judgements are a great deep (ocean): O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness (fulness) of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see thy light.’ (Ps. 36:5-9)
Oh, what wonderful and true sentiments of our most excellent God! And if those verses don’t convince you that our God is ever-faithful, then try these from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, where he expatiates (elaborates) with full confidence. ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 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. 3:21-23) Oh my people, truer words were ever spoken, for if it wasn’t for the Lord’s faithfulness and LOVING-kindness, we’d be consumed long ago!
And Bruh Paul said it thus in his second letter to the Thessalonians. ‘Finally brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course (run, rein), and be glorified, even as it is with you. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil (the evil one). And we have confidence in the Lord touching (concerning) you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts unto the LOVE of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ (patience of Christ.)’ (2 Thess. 3:1-5)
And we’ll close with these words of John on the subject, from his first epistle. ‘If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.’ (1 John 1:8-10) There again friends, the Lord is faithful to do what He’s promised; that’s forgive us of our sins, if we sincerely confess and try to turn away from them!
Now, those verses we’ve quoted are only a few verses on the faithfulness of our God, and if they don’t convince you of the Lord’s faithfulness, then I don’t know what will. But believe me, there are many more scriptures on the subject that you can check out, and I’m sure before you’ve exhausted them all, you will believe, (smile) Now, let’s allow our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to take us to the throne of grace, as we seek divine help in these desperate times of need.
As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And if we truly expect to see divine help, then we need to get the ball rolling by turning from our evil ways. No divine help will come until that matter is sincerely addressed! Much LOVE!
…faithfulness…one of God’s great, unchanging attributes…and also a must for true believers…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
03 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be of good cheer it is I, bid me come unto thee, big on talk but short on memory, but by your grace, ever to him i'll cling, faith, fellowship, he saith unto them, James Rowe, Jesus Christ, Lord save me, LOVE, love lifted me, mercy, not by my strength, o thou of little faith, O ye of little faith, of a truth, salvation, sinking deep in sin, souls in danger look above, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the Master of the sea, thou art the Son of God, walking on the sea, when nothing else could help, wherefore didst thou doubt, why are ye so fearful, wisdom
Matthew 8:26a. And he saith unto them, why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
Ah friends, these Sundays seem to come around ever so quickly, but we don’t really mind, because it gives us an opportunity to fellowship with other believers in the Lord’s house. And what greater time is to be had than there eh? None! For the singing and praising, the exalting and glorifying of our great God is ever so joyful, and that’s as it should be, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh. 8:10) Consequently, we have our souls and spirits renewed and refreshed, brimming with confidence, joy and strength to go out and face the upcoming week mano-a-man, strong and steadfast in the Lord’s name!
And to help us get the ball rolling, today we’ll open with a wonderful fairly modern hymn, (smile) written in 1912 by the Irish immigrant to the U.S, James Rowe. And the title is ever so appropriate to the fallen state of man: ‘LOVE Lifted Me.’ One commentary tells us that: ‘The Lyrics draw from the stories of Jesus and his disciples at sea from the book of Matthew, Rowe plays upon the idea of sinking in water to sinking in sin, and that Jesus can lift us out of despair to salvation.’ And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! Jesus is the ONLY One that has the awesome power to do such a miraculous work.
So, without further ado, let’s offer up sacrificial praise to heaven, in a soulful, mid tempo version of the song, sincerely exuding the joy that Jesus’ LOVE brings to our fallen human souls, as He lifts us out of the mire of sin and eternal damnation. Singing: ‘I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. (Refrain: LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me.)
All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling, In His blessed presence live, ever His praises sing. LOVE so mighty and so true merits my soul’s best songs; Faithful LOVING service, too, to Him belongs. [Refrain] I was a mess, lost in my sin. Your LOVE has lifted me from the pit. Thank you God, your LOVE lifted has lifted me. Not by my strength but by your grace sins on my master anymore, Hallelujah! Your LOVE has lifted me. (Refrain):
Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His LOVE out of the angry waves; He’s the master of the sea, billows His will obey He your Saviour wants to be, be saved today. [Refrain] LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me! When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me. LOVE lifted me! LOVE lifted me. When I thought my sin was too much, when I say I’m not good enough , when I think it will not be restored. Jesus will lift me. When nothing else could help, LOVE lifted me.’
What a glorious situation my people! Jesus lifting us from sinking in the storms of life. No one else has the capacity to do it. Only Him! That’s why we need to make Him our Lord and Saviour as soon as possible, otherwise we’ll end up drowning in the raging storms that are currently threatening to obliterate our world. As per the song, Rowe masterfully incorporates two stories of Jesus on the sea with His disciples in times of storm. The first one comes from Matthew 14, where after feeding the five thousand, Jesus sent the disciples away in a boat to the other side of the sea of Galilee, while He sent the multitude away.
The Good Book then informs us: ‘And when he had sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain apart (by himself) to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship (with the disciples) was now in the midst (middle) of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night (between 3-6 a.m.) Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit (ghost); and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer (take courage); it is I; be not afraid.’ (Matt. 14:23-27)
Oh friends, can you imagine the fear that must have come over the disciples, already tired and afraid, after rowing for the whole night and not making any headway, to be suddenly approached by this spirit like being walking on the water towards them. But as always, you can count on good ole Peter to pipe up with something impulsive. Matthew writes: ‘And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thee, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous (violent), he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt.’ (Matt. 14:28-31)
And then we all get on Peter’s case. But that is exactly how many of us behave: we talk a big talk, but when the storms of life burst around us, we get scared, lose our faith and cry out for help! So let’s not look askance at Peter. At least he had the manly parts to come out of the boat, and thus earned the sobriquet of the only human being who ever walked on water. The Good Book then continues: ‘And when they (Jesus and Peter) were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him (Jesus), saying, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God.’ (Matt. 14:32-33)
Now, we come to the second story on which our hymn is based; that famous crossing of the sea of Galilee, this time Jesus was in the boat with the disciples. The Bible tells us: ‘And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with water, but he (Jesus) was asleep. And the disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord save us, we perish. And he saith unto them, why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!’ (Matt. 8:24-27)
Oh friends, it is a rough life, but I’m still disappointed in the disciples. Why? Because those two stories that we just read about, regardless of which one happened first, it should have been enough for them to take Jesus’ deity seriously and not be afraid as they were. But sadly, its the same with all of us: the Lord does something big in our lives and our faith is boosted, then a short time later another storm arises, but by then we have forgotten about what the Lord did, and run scared again.
It’s just like the Hebrew Exodus. The Lord freed them from slavery in Egypt, and had them cross the Red Sea on dry land, then once on the other side, they began complaining about comparatively lesser things like food and water. If the Lord could part the sea, could He not also provide food and water in the wilderness. Of course! But that’s the kind of people we are. Big on talk, but short on memory. Much LOVE!
…how sad it is…that Jesus so often queried our faith…while He was here on earth…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
30 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook on life, be not wise in thine own eyes, bind them about thy neck, curse, despise not the chastening of the Lord, faith, favour, fear the Lord and depart from evil, fellowship, find favour and good understanding, God always comes first, he shall direct thy paths, health to the navel, honour the Lord with thy substance, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in the sight of God and man, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, length of days long life and peace, let not mercy and truth forsake thee, let thine heart keep my commandments, LOVE, marrow to they bones, mercy, my son forget not my law, negative word, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him, self-control, success, Thursday Blessings, thy barns shall be filled with plenty, thy presses shall burst out with new wine, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, truth, we can do all things though Christ who strengthens us, whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, wisdom, with the firstfruits of all thine increase, with the Lord's help, write them upon the table of thine heart
Proverbs 3:1. My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.
Well, the penultimate day of this work week, Thursday, and the last day of this month, November, has chosen to open bright and sunny, though somewhat cold. But this is the winter season, so what do we expect eh? (smile) Let’s at least give thanks for the sunshine, which I didn’t have when I was doing my errands yesterday. But with the Lord’s help we did handle them successfully though. And in the long run, that’s the important thing…We can do whatever the Lord desires us to do because He anoints and strengthens us to do it! All glory be to His blessed name!
And today friends, all we’re going to do is read, peruse, study and find some useful insights into perhaps one of the most important and insightful passages in the entire Bible. Yes, friends, if we follow these simple, but ever so important commands as outlined by Cousin Sol in Chapter 3 of Proverbs, our lives will be filled with the Lord’s grace, mercy and understanding. So let’s read from Proverbs Chapter 3, verse 1. ‘My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.’
Wow! Right there we have the ultimate in fellowship and discipleship. The overwhelming need to remember the commandments of God, if you are a follower of God. Why? ‘For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.’ (Prov. 3:2) And aren’t those things that all of us desire? For sure! So we now know the way to find long life, length of days and peace…keep the commandments of God. We therefore have no more excuses. (smile)
Then the next verse kindly informs us: ‘Let not mercy (LOVING-kindness) and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck, write them upon the table of thine heart (thy mind). So shalt thou find favour and good understanding (high esteem) in the sight of God and man.’ (Prov. 3:3-4) There again we have the formula for finding favour in the sight of both God and man; the strong keeping of mercy and truth in our lives; so strong that they become like an adornment, like a necklace around our necks.
So now we know how to acquire long life, length of days, peace, favour and high esteem. Mama Mia! Are we ever going to go out and acquire them now! But wait a minute, not so fast, there are still a few other things we have to know and consider. (smile) Listen to the two basic, but perhaps the two most important verses in this section. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6)
Yes my brethren, if we practice those three things: trust in the Lord, don’t depend on our own native instincts and acknowledge God, that’s have fellowship and intimacy with Him all through our life, then He will guide our paths, make them straight before us. Now that doesn’t mean we won’t have problems, but when the problems come He will give us the wherewithal to handle them. So how can we ever go wrong if we do those three basic things eh? Never!
Then there are some other reminders that further build our lives in Almighty God. Hear this one: ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.’ (Prov. 3:7) Now that should be a no-brainer! It’s obvious we cannot put too much trust in our finite and puny understanding, while reverencing the Lord and staying away from evil are all important parts of being a Christian. And Cousin Sol tells us just how following that advice helps us. ‘It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov. 3:8) Now good health and strength are things we all desire. So now we know how to get them. (smile)
And here’s another bit of awesome wisdom: ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits 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) There we have it friends; if we want to be blessed with abundance, we need to honour God and man and give generously of our firstfruits, not from the remainder. God must ALWAYS come first!
And having heard all the comparatively easy things to do in this section of scripture, here comes another important but ofttimes difficult bit of wisdom to handle. And Cousin Sol puts it as nicely as possible. (smile) ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:11-12)
Ah mih bredrin, we know that’s a hard pill to swallow, but we won’t always do right, and just like our earthly fathers correct us when we do wrong in their sight, likewise the Lord corrects us when we do wrong in His sight, not because He just wants to punish us, but because He LOVES us. Allowing us to do wrong and not correcting us is not LOVE, but and absence of LOVE, more like encouragement to do wrong.
And the author of Hebrews, using Cousin Sol’s thoughts, puts it like this: ‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons). My son despise not thou the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.’ (Heb. 12:5-6)
Yes my fellow saints, even the best of us have faults and foibles that don’t belong in us, which stop us from becoming more Christlike, which is the Lord’s end plan. Therefore, He has to remove them by disciplining us. So let’s not be upset and disappointed when He chastens us nuh, for it’s only for our good. And He’s such a wonderful God that He’s even bestowed numerous undeserved blessings on us to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, so let’s declare (yesss!!!) them out loud now, so that they can be activated.
As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use them on the Lord’s behalf, just as generously as He bestowed them on us! Much LOVE!
…the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (very) beginning of knowledge…but fools despise wisdom and instruction…(Prov. 1:7)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
29 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: and all these things shall be added unto you, be careful for nothing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, casting all your care upon him, catch our second wind, childish intensity, distractions bombarding us, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, free to be myself, give balance to my boggled mind, hands on the plough, he careth for you, holy spirit, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, I'm frightened, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, infuse me with your poise and power, Jesus Christ, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, mercy, my total self is submerged in you, not easy times to navigate, not turning back, One Year Book of Bible promises, pull me off the merry-go-round, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, so glad to be alive, thank God, the breath of life, the peace of God, the tension etching my somber face, to a glorious future with Jesus, too many irons in the fire, Wednesday Wail, What's Myself Doing to Myself, which passeth all understanding, your plan for my personal fulfillment
Philippians 4:6. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And then it was Wednesday, the mid-week workday when we are supposed to catch our second wind and move on down to the end Friday with improved enthusiasm and excellence. (smile) Unfortunately, I don’t know if it actually works that way, because from my own experience, I’ve found that you get more tired as the week winds down. But it’s always nice to have something to fall back on to liven up our days, give us a reason to go on. (smile)
Now, let me apologize for the lateness of the Bit, but I had to go out the street early this morning and do some time sensitive errands, and by the time I got back from running around in the cold, cloudy, windy morning with the occasional snow flurries floating down from on high, hunger, thirst and tiredness and taken over my ole body, so I had to satisfy those needs before I could do a worthwhile Bit. (smile)
And today we’re going to get into this most appropriate poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, aptly titled ‘What’s Myself doing to Myself?’ And that’s surely a good question for many of us to be asking ourselves in these trying and difficult times.
So please read with me: ‘With childish intensity she asked “What’s myself doing to myself?” I couldn’t help but smile As she stood before the mirror Struggling so impatiently With a stubborn jacket zipper. But I’m not smiling now, Lord As I pass my own mirror and glance at the tension Etching my sombre face. I’m frightened, Lord. Her innocent question clutches me. “What’s myself doing to myself?” Frustrated, frantic So often breathless Too many irons in the fire…
What am I doing to my body – To my mind, my emotions? What am I doing to my family? What am I doing to Your Plan For my personal fulfillment? Why do I live like this, Lord As though Your world Couldn’t exist without me? Why do I so often Tear myself from Your control? Dear Lord, calm me. Pull me off the merry-go-round Of converging conflicts. Give balance to my boggled mind. This very hour, Lord Infuse me with Your poise and power Until my total self Is submerged in You – Yourself. Only then will I be free To be myself.’
Wow! What very appropriate but encouraging words! Yes friends, many of us are doing harm to ourselves, physically, emotionally and spiritually, trying to live up to the all the conflicting convergences that are engulfing our lives. And when we do stop and think about it, we realize that we can’t fix them all, if any. And furthermore, the only way to find peace in our daily struggles is by turning back to Almighty God and surrendering our all to Him. Placing all the conflicts in His hands, while receiving His grace and mercy to go about our many tough tasks in peace and contentment.
Now, that’s not always easy to do either, especially when the many distractions of this ungodly world are constantly bombarding us from all directions, and the bills, the rent-man and whoever else is breathing down our necks for what we owe them. No my bredrin, these are not easy times to navigate, especially on our own, but we’re so blessed to have the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, our Comforter, our Go-to -Guy, whom we can count on to help us in our troubles. However, if we desire His awesome help, we have to be confident and faithful enough to give ourselves and our troubles over to Him.
As the poem so rightly expresses: ‘This very hour, Lord Infuse me with Your poise and power Until my total self Is submerged in You – Yourself. Only then will I be free to be myself.’ Yes my fellow believers, if we sincerely ask the Lord for His poise and power, He will give it to us, fill us with His Holy Spirit that will allow us to be free to be ourselves once again, and not totally distracted and confuffled by the many headed dragons that the world is constantly sending against us. It’s the only way to win the battle against Satan and his evil doers.
And yes, the theory is very sound, but how does one go about it practically? Well the Bible Promise for today’s poem gives us some idea of how to do it. They are words of encouragement written long ago by Bruh Paul to the Philippians, but words which are still filled with strength and encouragement for today. He wrote: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7)
And that sounds oh so easy, but like everything else, it takes practice. The more often you do it, the easier it becomes. And when the world is coming at you, it’s not so easy not to worry, but please remember that He that is in You, the Lord Jesus Christ, is greater than he that’s in the world, Satan. (1 John 4:4) And that’s the awesome truth! But you have to believe it and then put it into action by humbling yourself and casting all your care on Christ. Peter says it quiet nicely: ‘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)
Now there’s the magical or miracle words my brethren: the Lord cares for us! And since He cares, He will not allow us to suffer more than we need to, if we bring all of our troubles to Him in a humble and sincere manner. And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul, John, Peter, or me, mayhap you’ll believe Jesus when He tells you:
‘Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought (don’t worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; ad all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:30-33)
Now, let’s hope that you believed Jesus! (smile) But for those of us who do, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus! Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And we’ve also been promised that if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s plan to mee there nuh! Much LOVE!
…only in Jesus Christ…can the answers to our problems be found…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
26 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a joy divine, Anthony J Showalter, Elisha Hoffman, everlasting security through Christ, faith, fellowship, fellowship with other believers, give his angels charge over thee, he hath set his love upon me, he is my refuge and my fortress, holy spirit, how bright the path grows, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim's way, I will set him on high, in him will I trust, Jesus Christ, leaning on the everlasting arms, Lord thou hast been our dwelling place, LOVE, mercy, no evil shall befall thee, the eternal God is thy refuge, thrust out the enemy from before thee, to find refuge in pur Father's arms, tread upon the lion and adder, underneath are the everlasting arms, what a peace is mine, what have i to dread, what have I to fear, where two or three are gathered, wisdom, with long life will I satisfy him
Deuteronomy 33:27a. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:
And would you know that it’s Sunday again, which means it’s time to worship and fellowship with other fellow believers in the Lord’s sanctuary, or wherever two or three people are gathered in His name. He’s promised to be there, and we all know that He keeps every promise faithfully. And today friends, when our world is in a state of deadly chaos and total uproar, when we all need something to hold on, to give us some kind of comfort, to be a bright light in our shining world, to lend encouragement to our puny efforts to turn things around, we’ll open with this old but ever favoured hymn written in the late 1880’s by Anthony J Showalter and Elisha Hoffman, most appropriately titled ‘Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.’
It’s reputed that the hymn came into being when Showalter was answering letters from two of his of his former pupils who had earlier written informing him of the death of their wives. And in answering them, this verse from Deuteronomy 33:27 inspired him. ‘The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.’ Yes my brethren, that is indeed a powerful verse of scripture. And it’s so powerful that later on Showalter realized that the verse would make a great theme for a hymn. Thus was born this great hymn for times of solace, as we are encouraged to lean on the Everlasting Arms of God when seeking comfort.
And I don’t know if there’s ever been a time in this modern world when we need comfort more desperately than right now. So let’s open our hearts and mouths and allow sacrifices of sincere praise to rise to high heaven, as we offer up a soulful, mid-tempo version of the hymn. And as one commentary advises, as we sing the hymn, let’s ‘contemplate what it truly means to find refuge in our Father’s arms in times of fear and trial, and to allow His joy and peace to replace our loneliness and anxiety.’ Oh friends, we could not get better advice than that this Sunday morning in these trying times. So please let’s do it.
Singing: ‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. (Refrain: Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.) O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way, leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms. [Refrain]What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms, Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning on the everlasting arms…leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus… oh how good it is to be, leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ my Saviour….’
And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! It doesn’t get any better than that! Even Moses in his only psalm acknowledges it, when he declares (steups!!!) in the opening verses of Psalm 90: ‘Lord , thou hast been our dwelling place (refuge) in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed (gave birth to) the earth and the world, even from everlasting thou art God.’ (Ps. 90:1-2) And Moses had so many close and intimate dealings with God, he ought to know what he was talking about! (smile)
Meanwhile, the author of Psalm 91, enlarges on the scene with even greater figurative splendour. (smile) Please read with me: ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God: in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler (bird trapper), and from the noisome (deadly) pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust (take refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (small shield).
Thou shalt not be afraid for (of) the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth (lays waste) at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh (near) thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation (dwelling place). There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh to thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder (cobra): the young lion and the dragon (serpent) thou shalt trample under feet.’ (Ps. 91: 1-13)
Ah friends, that’s the kind of security one will find when you make the Most High God your refuge and dwelling place. Obviously we will have problems, but they will not overwhelm us or make us afraid and anxious. But the psalmist left the best for last. As the scholars tell us: ‘There are two distinct voices in the psalm, and each speaks to the trusting believer in the Lord. The first voice assures the faithful of God’s protection (vs. 1-13). The second voice is that of the Lord Himself who likewise pledges His watchcare (vs. 14-16).’
Listen to them: ‘Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:14-16)
Oh my fellow saints, that’s the kind of stuff we have to look forward to when we place our trust in Jehovah God, when we lean on His everlasting arms. Fear doesn’t overcome us, a divine joy is ours, blessed peace envelops us, while our path grows brighter day by day. How can we ever refuse such security and blessedness for the only other option available, that of Satan’s evil desires and eternal damnation. Not if we are wise! Much LOVE!
…everlasting security…can only be obtained…through Jesus Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
20 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a roof over my head, another day of work, become anathema, committed to the mission of Jesus, discipleship is a lifelong process, discipleship is not cheap or easy, entitled to an easy life, faith, fans instead of disciples, food on my table, fuel for our fire, holy spirit, humble servants, if any one will come after me, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, let him deny himself, live the abundant life, LOVE, major downfall of christians, mass confusion, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, not content to watch from the sidelines, our passion for Jesus, sacrificing for Christ, sincere repentance in our hearts, strong faith in Christ, take up his cross daily and follow me, the God who heals, treasure in heaven, we have all sinned, without having to lift a finger
Luke 9:23. If any one will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Oh Chuh! Another Monday, another day of work!’ we complain. But let’s look at it from another perspective nuh. In the first place we should be thankful we do have a job to go to, for many of our fellow citizens don’t have one, and would gladly trade your situation for theirs. Then what about this perspective: I have a job and thus I am able to keep a roof over my head, and put food on my table. My family is not homeless or starving. We might be finding things a bit rough in this unstable and directionless economy, but we are amongst the blessed few.
And that ought to be fuel enough for our fire, for our passion for life and Jesus Christ, under whose safe umbrella we are sheltered and looked after in good style. But sadly, that’s one of the major downfalls of our Christian society; we think we should be entitled to an easy life, what with all the amenities in our technology driven world, and as soon as something doesn’t go the way we believe it should, we throw up our hands and complain from now till next never, and threaten to give up.
Oh, we Christians today are such wimps, it isn’t funny! As the body of Christ, His church, we’ve gotten both individually and collectively frail and feeble, forgetting the tough, but interesting and rewarding things we experienced with Christ at the helm of our earlier lives. But now, the words giving up something for Christ, sacrificing for His benefit, have become anathema to us. Yes, truly living for Christ has become repugnant and hateful to His believers, who only want to live the abundant life without having to lift a finger to enjoy it.
And I hope it will be of benefit to remind us here of what we signed up for when we became disciples of Christ. Jesus said it thus: ‘If any one will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Now that is explicit as it can get. One commentator explains it thus: ‘Jesus called those who wish to be his disciples to discipline themselves in their everyday life by living in a way that is honoring to him and others.’ There is no hemming and hawing about it. You either are willing to sacrifice on behalf of Jesus and others or you are not, and it’s a lifelong process.
And that’s why believers are the laughingstock of our community. We talk a great talk, but our walk is far from credible. Now here are a few more commentaries on discipleship. This one says: ‘A disciple of Jesus is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus.’ How many of us supposed believers can say we are truly committed to the mission of Jesus by the works that we do eh? Not a whole lot. For, ‘Being a disciple is more than just being a follower. In the time of Jesus, the relationship between a disciple and master (teacher) was deep commitment and loyalty by both the teacher and the disciple.’
Nowadays though, you certainly don’t see too many of us showing that deep commitment and loyalty to Jesus. What we are these days are more like fans of Jesus, rather than disciples, as this commentary explains. ‘In contrast to a disciple is what many call a fan. This is best illustrated by comparing the fan of a sports team with one of the players on the field. A fan sits on the sideline and cheers on their team. They may invest some time in learning about their team. And they may invest in purchasing some of the appropriate swag so that they can fly the team colors.
But the fan watches the performance from the stands or watches the game on TV. But they do not get directly involved. And if their team disappoints them, they may switch their allegiance to one they find more satisfying.’ Now that’s what so many of us do; watch from the sidelines and offer up glib, empty promises, and move from church to church seeking to satisfy our inner lusts. However, that’s not how true disciples operate.
‘Disciples are those who are not content to watch from the sidelines. Their commitment to the Savior means they are actively engaged in the kingdom even if it is inconvenient, or difficult, or even if they don’t fully understand what Jesus is asking of them. For example, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God, even without perhaps knowing all that would be required of her, she nevertheless responded with faith and declared, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38)
Yes friends, those are the realities of the true disciple. Yuh see the different responses to Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James and John, and that of the young rich man. Jesus said to the first four: ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.’ (Luke 4:19-20) They left lucrative business simply to follow a rabbi they didn’t know. But the pull must have been very strong for them to just walk away from everything they had spent their whole lives building. But that’s the kind of obedience and loyalty Jesus desires from His followers.
Meanwhile the rich, young ruler’s response to Jesus’ words was entirely different. When Jesus told him: ‘One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions.’ (Mark. 10:21-22) Who knows if Jesus really expected the fellow to sell all his possessions and give away the proceeds to the poor, but He was surely testing the level of his devotion to God. And unfortunately, that’s how many of us react to God’s challenges; with a sad, grieved countenance.
But please friends, although none of us wants to go through the fiery furnace, let’s remember what we signed up for: just that, if the Lord deems it necessary. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, asking for grace and mercy to live up to our promises. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now the seed we need to sow to get divine help is ingrained right there in our prayer…turn from our evil ways. Please, it’s high time we begun doing that! Much LOVE!
…being a disciple of Christ…is not cheap or easy…but the price is surely worthwhile…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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