08 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a no-brainer, a nuclear holocaust, according to his promise, after centuries of war greed and lust, after hatred hostility jealousy and abuse, any more pain, as a bride adorned for her husband, behold I make all things new, cast into the lake of fire, choice between heaven and hell, endure to the end, He is faithful that promised, heaven wins out every time, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, I'm so glad to be alive, incentive to live godly lives, indulgences shamelessly practiced, loneliness and despair, long-suffering to us-ward, look for new heavens and a new earth, LOVE, murder and martyrdom, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, negative happenings, neither sorrow, New Jerusalem, nor crying, not looking back at the past, not willing that any should perish, One Year Book of Bible promises, Only Goodness, our sinful behaviour, please hurry a little, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, showers of blessings, showers of flooding, that all should come to repentance, the breath of life, the day of the Lord, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the former things are passed away, the heavens shall pass away, the holy city, the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, the tabernacle of god is with men, there shall be no more death, there was no more sea, these words are faithful and true, to a glorious future with Jesus, tragedy and catastrophe, wait on God's timing, Wednesday Wail, wherein dwelleth righteousness, whimpering cries from starving children, will come like a thief in the night
2 Peter 3:13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Well, my area finally got our deluge of heavenly water yesterday evening right through till early this morning. Let’s hope that for most of us it was showers of blessings, rather than showers of flooding, which has recently been happening to so many communities around the world.
Ah friends, our world is currently beset by numerous problems, which we seem unable to rise above, but I do have some good news for us this Wednesday morning in early September. Obviously it’s based on the wondrous promises of our great God. Please read with me this eye-opening and heart assuring poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This poem is aptly titled ‘Only Goodness.’
So let’s read: ‘What glorious words of wonder Come from the Apostle Peter. He wrote, “But we are looking forward To God’s promise of new heavens And a new earth afterwards Where there will be only goodness.” O dear God “Where there will be only goodness.” After centuries of war, greed, and lust After indulgences shamelessly practiced After hatred, hostility Jealousy and abuse. Murder and martyrdom Crime and cruelty Curses and rebellion. After whimpering cries from starving children After tragedy and catastrophe Loneliness and despair At last…at long last “There will be only goodness.” O dear Lord Your promise is Your guarantee But please hurry a little!’
Yes my people, after many ages of pain, anguish and all the negative happenings caused by our sinful behaviour, one day, the Lord has promised to eradicate it all, and replace it with pure goodness…yes, nothing else but goodness! The problem though is we have to wait on His timing, and waiting is not one of those things we do well in this modern have it when you desire it society. And yes, it is difficult to put up with all the negatives that still bombard us, even when we are doing the right thing, no wonder we want the Lord to hurry up and bring that time of ‘Only Goodness.’
Please note though folks, that every day we cry out to the Lord to heal us, heal our land, heal everything, but we persist in our sinful ways, in total abomination and disregard to the Lord’s desires. However, the Lord has faithfully promised to remove all the negatives from this world in His own time. And this passage of scripture from 2 Peter explains it as best as mortal man can.
He says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) That’s certainly true, as the scholars explain: ‘3:9. God is not willing that any should perish clearly expresses desire for the salvation of all who will trust in Him. Salvation is equated here with repentance.’
And Peter continues: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness. Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.’ (2 Pet. 3:10-13)
Ah mih people, if we believe in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then do we with all faithfulness and hope look forward to His promises! Because he is faithful that promised! Now hear some explanations from the scholars. ‘3:10-13. The day of the Lord here refers to the return of Christ in judgement, not the Rapture, since this day results in final apocalyptic judgement. The heavens that shall pass away with a great noise are the atmospheric heavens. The elements shall melt with fervent heat certainly could refer to a nuclear holocaust. Thus, Peter urges his readers to look beyond this present world to the new heavens and a new earth characterized by righteousness.’
And we certainly should do that my brethren, because it’s what our ever-faithful God promised. Listen to John from the book of Revelation, as it was revealed to him. ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful’ (Rev. 21:1-5)
What a wonderful time to look forward to my fellow saints! Wow! Just imagine it nuh; no more pain, sorrow, crying nor death, no more negative stuff, no more darkness nor night, but only day, and living in the very presence, the light of our great and wonderful God, being forever His people, and He our God! And though scholars seem to differ on whether the earth and heavens shall be completely destroyed and replaced by a completely new set, or they will just be refurbished, it really doesn’t matter nuh, because we will finally be with our God in paradise, for wherever He is, is paradise!
And all of that ought to give us great incentive to live godly and holy lives, so that we can be judged worthy to be amongst those living in the new heaven and the new earth, and not cast into the lake of fire, reserved for Satan and his followers. So friends, I’ve laid it our all there for us. It’s up to every individual now to decide where they want to spend eternity. There are only two options, we’ll call them heaven and hell for easy referral, and it all depends on us, on the earthly choices we make.
Now, for those of us who have decided to choose the straight and narrow path that leads through Jesus to our heavenly Father, let’s go home declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know 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!’
Remember though, that if we endure to the end, the future will be even more glorious than we can even ask or imagine! That’s how faithful and wonderful our God is to those who truly LOVE, reverence, and cling to Him in true faith! Much LOVE!
…the choice between heaven and hell…that’s a no brainer…for heaven wins out every time…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
01 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: born not of blood, but as many as received him, call out to Jesus for help, endure until the end, even to them that believe on his name, from the depths of your broken spirit and hurting heart, God sent not his son into the world, hands fixed securely on the plough, He came unto his own, He will immediately come running, his own received him not, I am halfway home, in bondage to sin, Jesus is the compassionate searching Herdsman, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, nor of the will of man...but of God, nor of the will of the flesh, not turning back, problems are weighing you down, saving work by faith and grace, seeking to save those who cannot save themselves, so glad to be alive, still flowing through me, thank God the breath of life, the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Saviour of this world, the safe and narrow path, the Son of man is come, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this day is salvation come to this house, this is the way walk ye in it, to a glorious future with Jesus, to become the sons of God, to condemn the world but to save it, to save all sick lonely and lost souls, to seek and save that which was lost, to them gave he power, too much stubborn pride, Wednesday Wail
Luke 19:10. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Well mih people, it’s Wednesday 1st of September 2021…and the cooler weather has already begun! (smile) Anyway, what’s new with you eh? Has Covid 19 and all the other problems we’re facing brought you so low down that you don’t know what else to do? I hope not, but just in case your problems are weighing you down, here’s the best advice I can give you….Call out to Jesus for help! Cry out to Him from the depths of your broken spirit and hurting heart! He will immediately come running to your side and offer whatever help you need!
Yes friends, that’s the name our world needs to cry out to right now amidst all the many problems we’re currently facing! He is the Lord and Saviour of this world; whose main job is to save all sick, lonely and lost souls. I didn’t say it, Jesus Himself did…and several times too. Listen to Him before He told His disciples the parable of the lost sheep. ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which is lost.’ (Matt. 18:11)
Then at the repentance of Zaccheus, the chief tax collector, He joyfully declares: ‘This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:10) Yes my fellow believers, as the scholars explain: ‘Jesus is the compassionate, searching Herdsman who seeks to save those who can by no means save themselves.’
Meanwhile, in the gospel of John, Jesus solemnly informs the Jewish leader Nicodemus: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17) Oh my brethren, it’s all about God, through Jesus, doing great saving work by faith and grace!
And I like how Stephen J Cole puts it in his commentary found on the bible.org website. He says: ‘When Jesus says in our text that “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,” He was thus referring to the fact that as the second person of the Trinity, He had taken on human flesh and had come to this earth to offer Himself in the place of sinners. He took our penalty on Himself, so that we could be saved from the penalty we deserve. God would not have taken such extreme measures as the incarnation and death of His Son if lost people were able to save themselves. They are lost and so they must be sought and found. Christ came to seek the lost.’
Ah friends, how wonderful is Jesus, our Lord and Saviour eh? He took the initiative and came to seek us worthless sinners out, so that we could be saved, be reconciled to the Father after being in bondage to sin for so long. And as Stephen J Cole continues: ‘Salvation is not due to the will of man, but rather to the will of God (John 1:12-13). His purpose in saving the lost is never frustrated by the rebellious will of sinners.’
And that’s an indisputable fact friends! If Jesus wants you, He will get you, one way or another! Your rebellious will certainly won’t stop Him. I can personally testify to that, as I continually refused to accept His offer to write the Bit, but He eventually wore me down, and here I am doing it for over fourteen years now, (smile) obviously with His awesome help! And just in case you don’t know the two verses that Mr. Cole talks about above, let me spoon feed us. (smile)
John writes about Jesus: ‘He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ (John 1:11-13)
That says it all my fellow saints! Jesus came to earth to save us, but many of us refused, and are still refusing, to acknowledge Him. However those who were wise and did, or do sincerely believe in Him, acknowledge His Lordship, He gave us the right to call ourselves children of God, which means we are spiritually reborn, we no longer take orders from the evil one, but from Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit which dwells within us to lead and guide us on the safe and narrow path that leads to salvation and the waiting and ever-LOVING arms of the Father! Glory be mih people!
I don’t know what else we need to wake up and heed Christ’s call nuh. He left the comfort of heaven, came to earth, died for our sins, paid a hefty price with His own sinless life, gave us all the tools we need, including the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us! What else can He do eh? It’s all up to us now friends. We either believe and live, or don’t believe and die! That’s the long and short of the story!
And re, the guiding of the Holy Spirit, I like how Isaiah said it way back when: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) And that’s exactly how it is! But the most important thing is, do we listen, are we listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as we live our lives and allowing it to guide us? That is what makes all the difference!
As they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. The same thing applies to finding Jesus – you can be led to Him, but you must make a conscious decision to follow Him. Now, for those of us who have made that conscious decision, let’s go home declaring (yeah!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one mighty voice 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!’
Yes my brethren, living for Jesus is wonderful, but we need to endure until the end, when that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…if God can come to seek and find us when we are lost…why can’t we accept His wonderful offer of salvation eh…too much stubborn pride…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
18 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new commandment I give unto you, adapt to various situations, all men shall know, and I know how to abound, be supermen, do christ's work, do miracles, endure to the end, ever-faithful promise, find ourselves in hot water, flowing through me, glory hallelujah, I am halfway home, I am the the vine you are the branch, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I have learned, I know both how to be abased, if ye love me keep my commandments, in need or in prosperity, in whatever state I am, living for Christ, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, Not that I speak in respect of want, out of our league, raise the level of our standards, speak in tongues, thank God, that ye are my disciples, that's life, the breath of life, the hard knocks of life, therewith to be content, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, without airs and graces, without me ye can do nothing, ye love one another as I have loved you
Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
So Wednesday has rolled around once more, in the quickly passing weeks of summer. And I wish someone could tell me why the weeks of winter don’t pass even half as quickly. (smile) They just seem to drag on and on and on. But that’s life in the northern climes, and with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we handle them just the same, though we need to be a bit more careful in the nasty weather. That means with Jesus guiding our lives we can do anything that’s necessary.
We have that ever-faithful promise from the Good Book, where Bruh Paul writes to the Philippians: ‘Not that I speak of in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:11-12)
Yes friends, in these contrary times we believers must be good examples of contentment so that others can learn from us. And yes, contentment is something that’s learned, not in the classroom either, or overnight, but continuously through the hard knocks of life. We have become so accustomed to easy living that we complain about every single thing, and that’s the wrong attitude for believers to have.
We need to be much more disciplined than we are; being able to tighten our belts in the hard times, or as the old people would say, band we belly when things rough, and then be able to live without airs and graces when the times get good. But it’s all a learning process, an acquired way of living. And what’s the basic underlying factor of our ability to do with or without? Bruh Paul tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13)
Glory to God my brethren! Yes indeed! Christ is the one who gives us the strength to live that contented life, both in need or in prosperity! Christ is the one who enables us to adapt to the various situations we encounter in this crazy and undisciplined world. Whatever He tells us to do, or wherever He sends us, He gives us the wherewithal to handle whatever comes against us. But the problem is that we don’t pay sufficient attention to Christ’s commands, that’s why we so often find ourselves in hot water, or out of our league.
Then we blame Him, but we are the ones who need to bear the blame for our lack of obedience to His instructions. Remember Jesus’ warning to the disciples: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5)
And I like how after all the palaver, Jesus throws in that last statement that clarifies the whole situation: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ And that’s a fact friends! Without Christ in our lives, we can’t do much of anything that’s really worthwhile. But with Him running the show, oh brother, we can be supermen, do miracles, show wonders, prophecy, speak in tongues, etc. etc.! That’s why Christ is such a valuable part of our lives.
And one thing I like about Jesus is that He does not mince words, but tells it straight and true. As He said above, ‘for without me ye can do nothing,’ later on He tells the disciples: ‘Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you.’ (John 15:14) And earlier on He was just as blunt: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) And again He tells them: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35)
Yuh see friends, our entire discipleship is based on keeping the commands of Christ, which basically boil down to having LOVE for each other, that’s treating each other kindly and with compassion, like Christ treats us. And only as we show that LOVE for each other to the world, will they recognize that we are indeed His disciples. And I’m sad and sorry to say that we are not showing that LOVE for each other to the world as much as we need to.
That’s why so many are turning away from God, or simply refusing to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. They see us supposed Christians as merely a bunch of ole hypocrites, who talk a good talk, but don’t walk it, like the Pharisees of old did! And they are quite right! There’s too much infighting, dissension and evil doing within Christ’s church; too many petty differences that breed unnecessary resentment and strife. And until we clean up our own backyard, we can’t fault the neighbours for not wanting to run with us.
So please my brethren, this time of much strife, sickness and natural disaster, is the perfect time for us to do that, the time to come together and show the real beauty of living for Christ. Remember Christ is depending on us, His ambassadors, His earthly agents to do His work with diligence and excellence, something we are currently not doing. Yes, my fellow saints in Christ, let’s raise the level of our standards nuh, instead of following the world and lowering them. That’s Christ’s desire for us in these trying times!
Consequently, with that on our minds, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ. 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!’
Oh my, my! And please remember friends, that if we endure to the end, the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! So please let that wonderful thought drive us this Wednesday morning as we go out to do Christ’s work. Much LOVE!
…until you start living for Christ…you will not know how wonderful it is…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
11 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a living sacrifice, a wonderful gift from God, be not conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, beholding as in a glass, being confident of this very thing, bring the utmost glory to God's name, by the Spirit of the Lord, carnal lusts, change our mindsets, daily dependence on God, Dedication to the will of God, doing your best to live for Christ, endure to the end, from glory to glory, glad to be alive, halfway home, hands fixed on the plough, have it abundantly, he which hath begun a good work, I came that they might have life, make the most of every opportunity, mundane lives, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, new compassions and mercies, not looking back at the past, stand strong and steadfast, that ye may prove, the breath of life, the peace and love of Christ, the perfect will of God, this is the day the Lord has made, to a glorious future with Jesus, transformation into the image of Christ, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, will perform it until the day of Jesus
Romans 12:2 a+b. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
Well, a great Wednesday to you my Scrip-Bits friends and family! I hope the peace and LOVE of Christ is flowing smoothly and sweetly through you this new day, and that you are doing your best to live for Him, as is expected of you. Yes my people, living for Jesus is wonderful, though sometimes difficult. (smile) But He gives us new, strong breath and energy every day to help us along our journey, plus new compassions and mercies so that we are not bowed down.
That means every day is a new and remarkable event, not a mundane, same old, same old, like so many of us think it to be, and thus behave in a mundane, lackadaisical manner. But every day is a present friends, a wonderful gift from God, and we ought to treat it like such, appreciate it and use it in a manner to bring the utmost glory to His holy name!
Consequently, we ought to begin the day with words like the psalmist of old did: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And then we go out and do exactly that; make the most of every opportunity that comes our way to live for Him as well as enjoy our lives. Because that’s what He desires of us. Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms that ‘I came that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly.’ (John 10:10b)
Now that certainly doesn’t mean we should live measly, merely eking out existences, but full and abundant lives with all that He has to offer. But it all begins with a change to our mindsets, because what we think, what we focus on, usually leads to the direction we follow and the actions we commit. So if we want to have different actions, then it’s obvious we need to think differently.
And Bruh Paul gives us this wonderful advice in his epistle to the church at Rome. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Yes friends, we need to stop conforming to the thinking and dictates of this world.
As the scholars say: We ‘are to resist being poured into the mold of the present thinking, value systems, and conduct of this world.’ And no, it’s not easy to do when the things and values of the world are always in your face, like the bombardment of commercials, infomercials and all the other worldly stuff we have targeted towards us every day. But we can thwart the continual bombardment to our carnal lusts if we seriously want to do it. Here’s how…by seeking God’s will for our lives every day.
And what’s God’s will for our lives? Listen, as the scholar’s talk about ‘Dedication to the Will of God. ‘12:1-2. God’s will refers to His purpose for the life of the believer. It implies His guidance or direction in all of life’s decisions. Dedication is an act of surrender or submission to His will for our lives whereby we become a “living sacrifice.” Daily dependence on God results in our transformation into the image of Christ.
Illustration: When we seek to discern the will of God, we must also be committed to doing the will of God as it is revealed in the Word of God (John 7:17). Application: The believer should evaluate every decision on the basis of biblical principles, knowing that obedience brings God’s blessing (First Ref. Gen. 22:12; Primary Ref. Rom. 12:1).’
So you see friends, we can beat the world system and it’s sinful and ungodly values, but it takes a lifetime commitment to seeking God’s will for our lives every day that we draw breath on this earth! And I like how the scholars say that ‘Daily dependence on God results in our transformation into the image of Christ.’ Glory Hallelujah my faithful believing brethren!
Now, you know that’s been God’s plan for us from day one; raising us from glory to glory, transforming us to the image and likeness of Christ, day by day. As Bruh Paul said to the Corinthians. ‘But we all with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18)
And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘3:18. Beholding as in a glass: The term ‘beholding’ can have the sense of ‘reflecting.’ The believer himself ‘reflects’ the glory of the Lord just as the face of Moses reflected the glory of the Lord. For Moses, the glory eventually faded away, but under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of the Spirit of God.’
And yuh better believe that the Lord will never give up on us! Once we stay connected to Him, continually seeking Him, He will continue to work His glory in us. Bruh Paul puts it thus to the church at Philippi: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) What encouraging words mih bredrin!
Once God begins our transformation to a Christlike image, through His awesome grace, He will never stop until the day Christ returns! That confers an amazing amount of security on us believers! But on the other hand my people, it’s ever so important that we do our part, that’s keep believing and trusting in Christ Jesus, and putting our best foot forward in doing His awesome will. We all know it’s not an easy lifestyle to maintain, but it sure is wonderful, adventurous and fulfilling when we sincerely try, because that’s the marvellous kind of God we serve!
And with all that encouragement and excitement bubbling up in our spirit, (smile) let’s go home declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus! All together 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 what a glorious future that will be, if we stand strong and steadfast and endure to the very end! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is so wonderful…it’s impossible to not LOVE Him…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
04 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: and when he is old, ceaseless care, celebration, endure to the end, fly banners, God must be taught at home, halfway home, hands fixed securely on the plough, he will not depart from it, in the way he should go, irresistible love, just one of those days, LOVE, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, nerve racking, not turning back, one generation shall praise thy works to another, One Year Book of Bible promises, raise flags, Ruth Harms Calkin, shall declare thy mighty acts, shout for joy, teach them diligently unto the children, thank God, the breath of life, the sad demise of the family unit, throw a festive party for ten thousand guests, to a glorious future with Jesus, train up a child, ungodly children, Wednesday Wail, write symphonies
Psalm 145:4. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
Just one of those days…just one of those days! Yes friends, it’s just been one of those days. I went to bed early, that’s by my standards, (smile) but the sleep wasn’t refreshing, the dreams though not nightmares, were nerve racking, as they always are. Then I got up late, with all sorts of aches and pains, so it took me some time to get going. Unfortunately, that’s what happens as the body ages – you never know what state of body you’re going to wake up in. (smile)
But my state of mind is excellent! Thank the Lord for that! Couldn’t handle it if both body and mind were in a state of sub-par health. And you wouldn’t like to see me now, after being up for a while – moving like an Olympic athlete! That’s the goodness of our great God. He never leaves you in the lurch for long. And that’s why this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, called out to me so powerfully this morning! It’s aptly titled ‘Celebration!’
So please pray with me: ‘’When I think of Your lavish goodness The longings You’ve satisfied The forgiveness You’ve granted The promises You’ve kept. When I think of Your irresistible LOVE Your ceaseless care Your unfailing protection… O Lord God I want to raise flags And fly banners and sound bugles. I want to run with lighted torches And praise You From the mountaintop. I want to write symphonies And shout for joy. I want to throw a festive party For ten thousand guests. I want to celebrate with streamers And bright lights And an elaborate banquet. (And the Lord excitedly replies😊) Fine dear child… I’m ready.’
Oh friends, that’s the way we should feel each and every day, joyfully worshipping and celebrating our wonderful God! And you know, nobody likes a party like Him, especially if it’s one thrown in His praise and honour. And the Bible Promise for our poem today is none other than that great psalm of praise penned by Bruh David – Psalm 145 – The Lord is gracious. So let’s declare the opening verses with the kind of sincerity and joy they deserve nuh.
‘I will extol (praise, exalt) thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding). One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.’ (Ps. 145:1-4)
Oh my people, that’s the way we ought to be worshipping our God, with much praise and thanksgiving! And yes, a minority of us are doing our best, but too many supposed believers are not even making the effort. And I especially want to point out that last verse there, which says that ‘one generation shall praise thy works to another, and declare thy mighty acts.’ Now, there’s no way we can say that we have done, or are doing that to the current generation. We have fallen down terribly in that department, no wonder this generation has produced such a high number of ungodly children.
Our parents taught us about God…even possibly forced it into our heads and behaviour too much. But we have gone the exact opposite route and not taught our children enough or as intently as we ought to. And that’s one of the major reasons that our world is currently in such an ungodly mess: the young people either don’t know about God, or their faith is very small, because we the parents haven’t taught them the way we should have.
And please remember that God is supposed to be taught and shown how He works first in the home, not in schools or churches. That’s because you don’t know what your children will be taught out in the ungodly world. If they don’t have a strong, basic foundation in God from home, they will fall for all sorts of nonsense out there in the big and evil world.
From the very beginning, God, through Moses, told the Israelites. ‘And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.’ (Deut. 6:6-7) Please note friends, the word of the Lord should be found in all walks of our lives, and should be taught ‘diligently’ to our children.
Now hear King Hezekiah when God healed him of his sickness. ‘The living, the living shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.’ (Is. 38:19) It’s indeed the job of the parents to teach the children about God! And why yuh think Cousin Sol wrote: ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov. 22:6)
That doesn’t mean that our children will always follow the good way if we raise them right. But if they learn about God at home, like they should, then when they go out into the world, they will have a better appreciation, more options, and a greater wisdom when the things of the world come against them. Our job is to teach them about God and show them how it works in a familial situation. What they do with that knowledge when they go out on their own, is up to them, and they will pay the price for whatever decisions they make. But one of their excuses should never be, ‘I was not taught about God, at home.’
And it’s sad to think that so many of us parents in this generation, have fallen down on the job. I guess the reasons can fall amongst the sad demise of the family unit, our busyness in making a living, and our own sad lack of faith. Now, I don’t know if we can ever repair the damage done to our children, but we certainly can try in whatever time is left to us. However, we should probably concentrate our efforts now on the younger generation, our grandchildren, and give them the start that we forfeited their parents of.
Enough preaching now though. (smile) But please remember this is not for condemnation, but for conviction, so that we can see the error of our ways and do better in the little time we have left. Now let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
All together now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And as the Good Book reminds us, if we endure right to the very end, then that future with Jesus will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. Much LOVE!
…the home…that’s where children should learn first…and the most about God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
28 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a still small voice, catching my second wind, endure to the end, fellow saints in Christ, getting myself in gear, glory hallelujah, God desires to lead, God doesn't brow beat or force you, God doesn't try to control, God's grace empowers us, God's Holy Spirit, I am halfway home, I'm not looking back, is still flowing through me, knocking on the door of your heart, listen carefully, living a life of peace and love, LOVE, most private of private spaces, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my grace is sufficient for thee, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, my strength is made perfect in weakness, obstinate disobedience, pay our sin debt in full, repercussions for unwise decisions, roadblocks, send faith to answer it, so glad to be alive, spiritual powers, temptations, thank God the breath of life, thankful for small mercies, the future will be even more glorious, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, when fear comes knocking, when ye turn to the left, when ye turn to the right hand
Isaiah 30:21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Where is the week running off to eh friends? I feel like it’s leaving me behind. (smile) Can you believe that it’s already Wednesday, and I’m only now getting myself in gear? When I should be catching my second wind, I’m only now capturing my first. But I am thankful for small mercies…at least I am catching my wind, late though it may be. (smile)
However, that’s the wonderful think about our God; though you may come late to His party, He makes sure that you don’t miss out on anything. All He has is always on display for you to check out. And all you have to do is talk to Him about whatever concerns you. He doesn’t try to brow beat or force you to do anything, just gives you the options and allows you to make up your mind.
Now which other supposed god is like that eh? NONE! All those other false gods try to instill their will upon you and make you do what they want, but the One and Only True Living God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gives you free will to do whatever you want. That doesn’t mean there are no repercussions for unwise decisions and obstinate disobedience, but you have the right to choose, He will not involve Himself in your affairs unless you ask Him to.
He will however keep knocking on your door, that’s the door of your heart, seeking entrance to come in and dine with you. But it’s all up to you whether you let Him in or not. Obviously, it’s wise to allow Him to enter your heart, because He can do so much good in your life, but that’s your personal decision…to allow, or not to allow Him into your heart, your most private of private spaces. That’s what He really wants, because He works best from the very inside.
And I just espied this wonderful and most appropriate scripture for what we are talking about. When the Lord enters your heart, the Good Book says: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21)
Ah mih people, that’s the beauty of our God; He doesn’t try to control, He desires to lead, and He leads you from the inside through His Holy Spirit that comes to dwell within you when you answer His knock on your heart door and allow Him to enter therein. But you have to listen, ofttimes very carefully, because He doesn’t shout either. It’s usually a still, small voice that He leads with, so unless you are paying serious attention you will often miss His awesome directions and thus suffer dire consequences.
So, once you allow Almighty God to enter your Sanctus sanctorum, your most private place, through your belief in His Son Jesus Christ, who paid for your sins on the cross at Calvary and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, it then becomes your responsibility to listen for His guidance. If you don’t, then you stand to lose out on some of the wonderful plans, adventures and good times that the Lord has in store for you. And you say that you didn’t know He had good things in store for you…But of course.
Listen to this other marvellous scripture of promise from the prophet Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end ( a future and a hope). (Jer. 29:11) And He kept that promise when He sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for our sins, and pay our sin debt in full! Glory Hallelujah!
Yes friends, Jesus is our future and our hope. He is the One that leads us to the Father, to salvation and eternal life! Only through Him do we get that glorious future the Lord promised. And all it takes is sincere belief in Him and living a life of peace, LOVE, helpfulness and selflessness like He did when He was down here on earth. Now how hard can that be eh?
To be truthful, that can be very hard, because there are all kinds of people and spiritual powers who don’t want you to live a life that’s worthy of Jesus, so they throw up all sorts of roadblocks and temptations in your way. But please remember, that the Lord, through His Holy Spirit has given us the power to refute and refuse all those evil and ungodly things that come against us.
And like God told Bruh Paul after he pleaded with Him three times to remove some affliction in his body: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness (weaknesses).’ (2 Cor. 12:9) Yes my fellow saints in Christ, the Lord’s amazing power does show out in times when our weaknesses show up. His grace, His anointing, is upon us all, as we walk worthy of Him.
And as Bruh Paul reminded Timothy, and I want to remind us now of this magnificent scripture: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Please, let’s never forget that. As long as we are walking with Christ, we will always be able to overcome whatever comes against us, for His grace empowers us to do whatever we need to do in His name.
So, for those of us who truly believe, and try to walk faithfully, 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 this last thing to remember…if we endure to the end with Jesus, then the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or even imagine. Now isn’t that something to look forward to? It certainly is! Much LOVE!
…when fear comes knocking…send faith to answer it…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
14 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundant life, bless the Lord oh my soul, captivating love, forget not all his benefits, forgive my vain grasping, forgiveth all thine iniquities, full of adventure, healeth all thy diseases, hold me when I struggled, I am halfway home, I'm not turning back, if we endure until the end, independent of transitory change, joy, life full of challenges, life's humming along, livens up the whole concoction, Lord You LOVE to Say Yes, LOVE, loving to a fault, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, no pushover, One Year Book of Bible promises, our actions have consequences, overwhelm me with joy, righteousness and justice, rocks the house, Ruth Harms Calkin, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's, thank God the breath of life, the middle day of the work week, the sugar and spice, thread my tears into a song, to a glorious future with Jesus, torn with grief, tunnel-visioned, Wednesday Wail, who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, willful pride, with every beat of our heart
Psalm 103:5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Well it’s Wednesday, the middle day of the work week, and life’s humming along, not necessarily wonderfully, but humming along it is! (smile) That’s the thing about life; nothing stops it from moving along, not rain, snow or shine, not war, famine or disease, not disaster nor good times. Despite all the many things that can, and do happen, life just keeps on chugging along as though nothing but itself exists.
And that’s why it is ofttimes so difficult to deal with life, since it seems like it doesn’t care. And to tell the truth, life doesn’t really care nuh, it has a job to do, and it just does it. Who can blame it eh? (smile) Wish we could be so tunnel-visioned about our job with Jesus.
And here is why we ought to be so focussed on Jesus and His work. This poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin shines a bright and eye-opening light on the beauty and benefits of serving Jesus. It’s aptly titled ‘Lord You LOVE to say Yes.’
Please pray with me. ‘Lord, I asked you for abundant life Rich, challenging, full of adventure And You said Yes. I asked You for an undisturbable joy Independent of transitory change And You said Yes. I asked You to thread my tears into a song When I was shattered and torn with grief And You said Yes. I asked You to steady me when I staggered – To hold me when I struggled To seize me when I resisted And You said Yes.
I asked You to forgive my vain grasping My foolish fears, my willful pride And You said Yes. I asked You to be my Helper, my Friend My light in the darkness And You said Yes. I asked You to guide me all my life With Your wisdom, Your counsel Your captivating LOVE And You said Yes. Sometimes Lord I feel like a spoiled child Who gets whatever he asks for. You overwhelm me with joy. For you LOVE to say Yes!’
Oh my fellow saints in Christ isn’t that beautiful…and ever so true? It certainly is! I’ve never thought about our life in Christ like that, but it definitely makes life a whole lot sweeter, better, more enjoyable and much easier to live, when you look at it from that perspective. We are indeed spoiled brats! With abundant life full of challenges and adventure. Then there’s joy everlasting…and even our tears and grief are threaded into a song. What more can one ask eh?
Well, what about help in our struggles and disobedient times? There’s that too! As well as forgiveness for vain and prideful attitudes. And what about being just a normal Helper and Friend, a Guide in the darkness of life? We also have that! And then we are showered with wisdom and wise guidance…But most of all it’s the captivating LOVE that is available, that’s what really rocks the house! It’s the sugar and spice that truly livens up the whole concoction!
Oh friends, please give our wonderful God much thanks and praise nuh for His amazing shepherding of our lost and inept souls nuh. And I really can’t say why we act the vapid and disobedient way we do, when He is so good to us. Instead, we should be more focussed on words and attitudes like those written about by Bruh David in Psalm 103, most appropriately sub-titled – Thanksgiving for God’s mercy.
So please pray with me again…this is a morning of prayer. (smile) ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases: who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:1-5) And that last verse is our Bit as well as the Bible Promise on which the poem was based.
Ah mih people, right there within those few verses we have a true exposition of God’s everlasting LOVE to His children, to those who choose to come under His big, marvellous and comforting umbrella called home. And the important thing to note there my brethren is that it’s a choice. The Lord doesn’t force us to come to Him and obey His dictates, for He has given us free-will in all our earthly doings. But to enjoy all that He has to offer, His magnanimous bounty, one has to consciously choose to enter His fold, believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and abide, as best as possible, by His regulations found in His Holy Word, the Bible.
And for the life of me, I just can’t fathom why so many people choose not to enter God’s fold when it’s so wonderful. I guess it’s just because we value our free-will so much, and entering God’s fold means walking a straight and narrow path instead of the broad, vain, prideful and destructive one our sinful souls think we ought to walk. But please remember friends, that all our actions have consequences, and though our God is kind, generous and LOVING to a fault, He’s no pushover. His other attributes of righteousness and justice also have to be met, if He is to truly be the just and righteous God, He declares himself to be.
That means there will be judgement and justice for wrongdoing. Yes friends, it’s not all fun and games with no penalties for disobedience and unrighteous behaviour. However, those who accept His fatherly guidance do enjoy a great life down here on earth, with the faithful promise of an even more glorious one in the near future. And for those of us who have bought into Christ’s promises, let’s go home now declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our oh so exciting and wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And please remember that if we endure until the very end, that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Much LOVE!
…to truly know Jesus…is to LOVE Him…with every beat of our heart…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
30 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a believer in Christ Jesus, a wide range of revelation, being confident of this very thing, conform to God's heavenly standard on earth, for therein I do delight, give me understanding, halfway home, he which hath begun a good work, I shall keep it unto the end, I shall keep thy law, I shall observe it with all my heart, I'm so glad to be alive, in a positive and godly manner, in the path of thy commandments, Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, leave all the consequences to Him, make me to go, moving on, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands on the plough, not looking back, obey God, oodles of promisesto help you feel better, our entrance exams for heaven, our road map to earthly living, permanent and unchangeable regulations, quicken me in thy righteousness, reap a bushel of blessings, stablish thy word unto thy servant, teach me O Lord, thank God, the breath of life, the entire gamut of human response to God's Word, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the storms of life, the way of thy statutes, the Word of god, thy judgements are good, to a glorious future with Jesus, turn away my reproach which I fear, turn mine eyes away from beholding vanity, uproarious love for God's word, Wednesday Wail, will perform it until the day of Jesus
Psalm 119:34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with all my heart.
Well, it looks like a new day, Wednesday to be exact. So I guess that means we’re moving on, hopefully in a positive and godly manner, for those are the only ways we will ever be truly successful! And if we’re being godly, then we most certainly will give, or will have given thanks for the wonderful blessing of being able to see another glorious day on God’s great earth, only rivalled by the exotic pleasures of heaven.
Ah mih people, if we’re down here now, we might as well enjoy it, since being miserable and unhappy won’t solve matters. And furthermore, if you’re a believer in Christ Jesus, then you have oodles of promises to help you feel better in the many storms of life and handle them in a positive manner, with your Lord and Saviour at the helm of your tossed and battered ship. Remember the joy of the Lord is our strength, and once we have Him bubbling up in us, we can handle anything that comes against us.
And if we’re finding it difficult to handle our current circumstances then listen to these words of comfort from Psalm 119, the section titled – ‘Give me understanding.’ Please pray with me: ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with all my heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto (cause me to long for) thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity (looking at worthless things); and quicken (revive) thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear (to fearing thee). Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgements are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken (revive) me in thy righteousness.’ (Ps. 119:33-40)
Yes friends, therein lies a path of prayer to understanding. (smile) Now, here are some explanations from the scholars on the meaning of some of the terminology found in the psalm. ‘The multifaceted character of God’s Word is revealed by at least eight key synonyms for it in the psalm. (1) Law (torah) is the most frequent of the words. It comes from a verb meaning “to teach,” and thus came to be applied to a wide range of revelation, from an individual directive to the entire Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). It emphasizes that God has taught us in His Word what He requires of us.
(2) Testimonies (‘edot) emphasizes the content of the Word as that which God has testified of Himself and His will. (3) Precepts (piquidim) refers to instructions from a superior regarding the duties of those under him, in this case, from God to man. (4) Statutes (huqim) is related to a verb meaning “to engrave” and thus implies permanent and unchangeable regulations. (5) Commandments (mitswot) is a word assuming the authority of the commander and the inherent necessity of obeying the content of the charge.
(6) Judgements (mispatim) or ordinances refers to decisions God has made as a judge in order to make earthly behaviour conform to His heavenly standard. (7) Word (dabar) is an all-embracing term for God’s revelation in any form. (8) Word (imra) might also be translated “promise,” though the translation does not distinguish it from the preceding term to whose meaning it relates closely. It comes from the verb “to say” and assumes that the content of revelations is from the mouth of God. Other terms that seem to speak of God’s Word include ways (vs. 3, 37), name (vs. 55), and faithfulness (vs. 90).
With these key words to express the substance of God’s revelation, the psalmist explores the entire gamut of human response to the Word of God: praise and thanksgiving for it, petitions that it may be kept, petitions that the psalmist may experience its comfort or conviction, confidence that its promises will be fulfilled, prayer for the ability to understand it, petitions that those who disregard it (the wicked) may be judged and so on. Because of this exaltation of the Word of God, this psalmist has sometimes been accused of worshiping the Word itself. However, his adoration of the Word always leads to its Author who inspired it. All believers should be accused of this kind of LOVE for the Bible.’
What a day that would be eh my people, when we are accused of such an uproarious LOVE for God’s word! Glory Hallelujah! But seriously though, that’s the direction in which our lives ought to be moving every day that we draw breath; a greater LOVE for God and His Word! That’s why we talk about moving up from glory to glory; everyday improving our understanding of the Word and becoming a li’l more like Jesus character wise.
Oh friends, if we’re not growing, becoming more mature in our faith, then we are not fulfilling the Lord’s desire for our lives. Remember Bruh Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to the church at Philippi, where he declares: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath began a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil 1:6)
Yes my faithful brethren, our God will not stop working His goodness in us until His Son returns. That means we also have a responsibility to learn what He desires of us and behave the way He has set out in His Word. We have no excuses whatsoever, for He has laid out exactly what He desires in His Law. His testimonies are sure and true. In His superior position, He has made clear His precepts, the duties He expects us to perform and live up to.
And because His Word is so important to our earthly lives, He expects His statutes, steadfast and unchangeable as they are, to be engraved in and on our hearts, so that we can dutifully obey His commandments as our Guide and Leader. And if we don’t conform to His heavenly standard here on earth, then we will be subjected to His divine judgement, which can be pretty tough at times.
So friends, the long and short of the story is that we are God’s creation, and He desires us to be obedient to Him and His dictates, otherwise there will be a price to pay. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say: ‘The best way to live is to obey God, and leave all the consequences up to Him.’ And that’s wisdom in spades friends. If we obey God to the best of our ability, we will reap a bushel of blessings.
And now, since it’s Wednesday, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus! As one strong, sincere and confident voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And we all know that if we faithfully endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious that we can ask or even imagine. Much LOVE!
…the Word of God…our guide, our road map to earthly living…our entrance exams for heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
23 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a remarkable transformation, always right on time, another beautiful day in the life, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, be ye angry and sin not, behold I will do a new thing, grieve not the Holy Spirit, he may have to give to him that needs, hte light of my life, I am halfway home, I'm not turning back, I'm so glad to be alive, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mystique, let him that stole steal no more, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, life-changing attirudes, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, my salvation and my glory, neither consider the things of old, neither give place to the devil, no condemnation to them which are in Christ, now it shall spring forth, put away lying, remember ye not the former things, rivers in the desert, sealed until the day of redemption, shall ye not know it?, speak the truth, thank God, the breath of life, the guiding light of our lives, the most wonderful gift ever bestowed, to a glorious future with Jesus, walk the narrow path, Wednesday Wail, what a joy divine, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit
Isaiah 43:19a. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
So now it’s Wednesday, another beautiful day in the life! Thank the Lord for His goodness to the children of men! Especially when it comes to His wonderful Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; the most beautiful, powerful and LOVING gift ever bestowed in this universe! And the saints of Christ, all lifted their heads, hearts and voices and sincerely declared: ‘Jesus! Jesus! The light of my life, my salvation and my glory! Thank You heavenly Father for giving Him to us. We LOVE You dearly, and we praise and bless Your Holy Name! Amen!’
Ah friends, what a momentous and joyful experience it is when Jesus comes into our lives! There’s nothing in the world to compare to or outclass it! You just simply feel a different vibe in your spirit, body and soul. Nothing like you’ve ever felt before. And you’re just astonished that such a remarkable transformation is possible, and wonder why you never experienced it before. But that’s just part of Jesus’ mystique; nothing happens before it’s time, before He is ready to come into your life. And it’s nothing to be afraid of; for He’s never late or early, always right on time with His well-drawn up and executed plans for each of his creations.
As the Father said so long ago, through the prophet Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) That’s a very pertinent scripture in the lives of all believers my people. It means that whenever you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, that is the exact right time, the time that He had planned from eons ago to come into your life. There’s nothing vikey-vie or wishy-washy in God’s economy. It’s all well laid out and executed. Every possibility and consequence have already been considered and plans made to countervail them.
The prophet Isaiah declared it thus: ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:18-19) Yes friends, when Jesus comes into our lives, it’s a whole new story, a rebirth! To all intents and purposes, we are born again, like He said to Nicodemus: ‘Verily, verily (truly) I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3)
And when Nicodemus looked surprised and asked: ‘How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily (truly), I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirt is spirit.’ (John 3:4-6) Yes my people, the rebirth we are talking about here is one of the spirit, one of life-changing attitudes, opinions and behaviour.
And here’s how Bruh Paul explains this rebirth. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17) And it’s of the utmost important that we understand the meaning of those words. Basically, it means that we give up the old lifestyle we lived and adopt a new one where Jesus, through His Holy Spirit that comes to indwell in when we receive Him, is our guide and leader. We now consider His ways and means as the guiding light of our lives.
Sin, or the rejection of it, now becomes of much more importance. We no longer live after the flesh, or as the world dictates, because then we are merely IN the world, but not OF the world! We take our direction, our orders from Jesus and the things He desires, not from what the world says. We now live life in the Spirit, not in the carnal and sinful desires of the flesh. As Bruh Paul puts it to the church at Rome. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.’ (Rom. 8:1-2)
Yes friends, when we come to Christ, the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives guides us in a new direction, to obedience and good works in Christ, not back to the old, carnal lusts and desires we once had. Oh precious people, receiving Christ brings us into a whole new ball game. Here is how Bruh Paul describes it to the Ephesians. ‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’ (Eph. 4:22-24)
And the scholars offer these explanations re those verses. ‘4:22-24. Christianity taught the addressees to (1) put off…the old man, to renounce their pre-conversion life and sins; (2) be renewed in…your mind, to be constantly changed, being brought more and more into line with God’s own viewpoint; and (3) put on the new man, that is, to assume a new nature (character) and conduct (life) at conversion.’ And yes, we all discover that changing our lifestyle in mid-stream is not an easy, or always a delightful task. But as true believers in Christ, it is absolutely necessary that we give it our all! And never fear, for Jesus is always there to help us!
Now, here are a few practical pointers that Bruh Paul gave to the Ephesians, which are still helpful to us today in this topsy-turvy, deceitful, evil and godless world. They run from 4:25 -32, 5:1-2, you can read them at your own leisure, (smile) but to save time and space, I’ll just list them as the scholars’ explanations. ‘4:22-5:2. …practical guidelines as to how “the old man” (vs. 22) can be laid aside and how the “new man” (vs. 24) can be assumed in daily living. The passage specifies five sins to be discarded, the virtues that are to replace them, and the motive for such an exchange:
(1) Lying is to be replaced by truth-telling, since Christians are fellow members (vs. 25). (2) Sinful anger is to be replaced by (briefly held) righteous indignation, that the Devil may not be given opportunity (vs. 26-27). (3) Theft is to be replaced by honest work, in order that one may have the means to meet the needs of others (vs. 28). (4) Foul language is to be replaced by gracious speech, that it may edify others and not grieve the Spirit (vs. 29). (5) Resentment and wrath are to give way to kindness and forgiveness, since God has forgiven us (vs. 31-32).’
That’s it in a nutshell friends! Nothing exotic, but very practical guidelines that we can all implement as we walk in LOVE, as Christ desires of us. Now let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the world know of our wonderful position on Christ Jesus.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And believe me, if we walk that narrow path right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…to walk in step with Jesus…oh…what a joy divine…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
16 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sense of shame or remorse, as we forgive our debtors, avenge not yourselves, endure to the end, feuds, forgive us our debts, forgiven me my tardiness, give us this day our daily bread, God forgives when we forgive, God is a good god, greater than we can ask or imagine, halfway home, hands fixed securely on the plough, heap coals of fire on his head, I'm so glad to be alive, inalienable right, lack of sleep, live like Jesus desires, LOVE, magnanimous god, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not turning back, quickest way to destroy a society, still flowing through me, thank God, the breath of life, the cycle of revenge will never end, the daily provision of God, the Hatfields and McCoys, the Lord's prayer, the salt of the earth, the shining light of a city on a hill, to a glorious future with Jesus, to me nelongeth vengeance and recompense, to seek revenge, unforgiveness, unforgiveness and vengeance, vengeance is mine saith the Lord, Wednesday Wail
Matthew 6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Ah mih people, the ole fella’s shaking it a bit rough this morning through lack of sleep. Went to bed pretty late this morning. What else is new eh? (smile) And that accounts for my lateness in rising and getting down to the Lord’s work. But our God is a good God, rather magnanimous I should say, and He has forgiven me for my tardiness. Let’s hope you do the same. (smile) Remember, He forgives when we forgive.
And I guess that’s the topic He wants us to look at this bright, sunshiny but cool Wednesday morning. And it’s an important topic friends, one that’s very near and dear to the Lord’s heart. Please note that it takes a solemn place in the prayer our Lord and Saviour Jesus taught us that we call, ‘The Lord’s Prayer. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:11-12)
You’ll notice that after giving the Father the glory and recognition He deserves, Jesus asks for daily bread, that’s the provision God provides for us each day, and then comes the petition of forgiveness, but it’s very dependent on the forgiveness in our own lives. And Jesus goes on to point it out Himself: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15)
Oh friends, as always, Jesus states it true and clear. He doesn’t mince words. If we don’t forgive our earthly brothers and sisters their trespasses, neither will He forgive ours. But right now, one of the biggest problems in our world, one that’s possibly causing the most anger, strife, resentment and negative situations is the overwhelming state of unforgiveness that’s dwelling in our hearts and souls! We have completely forgotten Christ’s message – you must forgive if you want to be forgiven.
It could not get any clearer than that! But yet, how many of us supposed Christians run to God for forgiveness while still harbouring lots of unforgiveness towards our neighbours in our hearts eh? Plenty of us, my brethren, plenty of us! And we expect God to forgive us, although we feel we have this inalienable right to seek revenge on those who have hurt us. That’s indefensible in our Christian faith friends. Remember what the Lord told the Israelites through Moses a long, long time ago? ‘To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.’ (Deut. 32:35)
And Bruh Paul in his missive to the church at Rome puts it even more clearly and powerfully. ‘Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends upon) you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with the good.’ (Rom. 12:17-21)
There it is again friends, the basic tenets of our faith: forgiveness with doing good, not avenging ourselves, but leaving it to God, because that’s His department. But yuh better believe that vengeance is ripe and overflowing in today’s society, with too many of us wanting to take revenge and repayment into our own hands. But my people that only breeds anger and strife and a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye. And if we follow it logically, the cycle of revenge will never end, because once you do it to me, I will have to do it back to you, and so we will go on interminably!
Just think about the overbearing feuds of the clans in Scotland, especially that infamous one of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s in the rough hills and valleys of Virginia and Kentucky. Apparently, the families were neighbours and friends, who even intermarried, but when the Civil War came they had to choose sides, and after the war that enmity remained and the killing, kidnapping and other forms of violence went on for a long time. And what did it achieve eh? Nothing but hate and violence!
Yuh see how easy it is to move from peaceful, coexisting neighbours, even family, to vengeful hatred and violence. And we’re definitely seeing too much of that in our selfish, me first modern society, and it can never bode any good for us or our societies. That’s why we have to be so mindful of forgiveness and repay evil with good my fellow saints.
Oh, before I forget, (smile) here are some interesting explanations from the scholars on the verses we quoted above. ‘12:19-21. Give place unto wrath: Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 to show that only God has the right to avenge, and He certainly will avenge. Heap coals of fire on his head (cf. Prov. 25:22). This may refer to a sense of shame or remorse engendered when we treat an evildoer kindly. Paul is discussing personal not national enemies. He is not teaching pacifism.’
Right there we see the benefit of knowing our Bible. It allowed Bruh Paul to quote from two separate sources and make one whole. And that’s the kind of Bible knowledge we all need to have, so that we could use it in our time of need, which sadly is every day, with the kind of antagonistic and strife-filled society in which we currently live. And it will only get better when we believers in Christ Jesus start to truly live the way He expects us to live; like the salt of the earth and the bright shining light of a city on a hill! We all know that! Matter finished!
So, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live like Christ desires, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in 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!’
Now, we must endure to the end…and then we’ll discover that that future is even greater than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…the quickest way to destroy a society or a relationship…unforgiveness and vengeance…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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