05 Nov 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dysfunctional family, a man after God's own heart, a plea for cleansing, a plea for forgiveness, a sensitivity to sin, according to thy loving kindness, against thee only have I sinned, an ambassador for God, be clear when you judge, bearing the guilt that stole his joy, blameless, blot out all mine iniquities, blot out my transgressions, brought God's name into disrepute, cast me not away from thy presence, catch our second wind, cleanse me from my sin, confessing our sins to God, create in me a clean heart, done this evil in thy sight, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, flowing through me, get away scot-free, glad to be alive, guilt and sorrow in our souls souls, halfway home, hands on the plough, have mercy upon me O God, hidden sins, hide thy face from my sins, holy spirit, I acknowledge my transgressions, in sin did my mother conceive me, in the hidden part, Jesus Christ, LOVE, make me to hear joy and gladness, make me to know wisdom, mercy, my sin is ever before me, Nathan, negative consequences to pay, not looking back, occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, purge me with hyssop, renew a right spirit within me, repentance, restore unto me, salvation, serve as a deterrent to willful sin, shapen in iniquity, sin is a normal human frailty, sin with Bathsheba, sincere confession, take not thy holy spirit from me, thank God, the bones thou hast broken may rejoice, the breath of life, the guilt that stole his joy, the joy of my salvation, the Lord also hath put away thy sin, the multitude of thy tender mercies, thou might be justified, thou shalt not die, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, truth in the inward parts, unconfessed sin, uphold me with thy free spirit, wash me, wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, when thou speakest, whiter than snow, wisdom
Psalm 51:1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-KINDNESS: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Oh friends, is it Wednesday already? Just a couple days ago it was Monday! (smile) Yes, the days are quickly moving along, not waiting for anyone or anything, so we’ve best get with the programme, or we’ll get lost in the big muddle that’s our world. And sadly we’re on the late, late bus on this windy, chilly, starting to drizzle, catch our second wind day, because after coming from my church group I had to take the duchess out to do some stuff, and you how that is? It always takes longer than you expect. But not to worry, we’re in full swing now, just waiting for the Lord to show or tell me what to write about. (smile)
And a few minutes after having opened the Good Library, I was drawn to one of the great psalms, Psalm 51, where Bruh David offers up a Plea for Forgiveness, after the prophet Nathan, on the Lord’s directive, had admonished him over his sin with Bathsheba. He begins with a heartfelt plea. ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-KINDNESS: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified (be found just) when thou speakest, and be clear (blameless) when thou judgest Behold, I was shapen (brought forth) in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.’ (Ps. 51:1-6)
Ah mih people, I know that many of us have hidden sins that we’ve been agitating over, but refuse to, or are afraid to take them to the Lord in prayer, falsely believing that the Lord will not forgive you. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth. For if the Lord forgave Bruh David for his terrible shortcomings, then He will also forgive us of ours. But the only way to stop them eating away at us, and causing immense guilt and sorrow in our souls, is by openly confessing them to the Lord.
And the scholars offer some interesting explanations on the psalm. They say: ‘The psalm gives expression to why David was “a man after God’s own heart”: he was not perfect but he had a sensitivity to sin that few knew about. Notice especially the use of the first person singular: mine iniquity, my sin (vs. 2), my transgressions (vs.3), and so on. The first two verses are an introductory petition, rich with meaning in the use of four figures for forgiveness.’
The problem though is that Bruh David was somewhat late with the confession. His sin had taken place about a year before Nathan confronted him, but he refused to confess it, and kept bearing the guilt that stole His joy, and it only came out because the Lord sent Nathan to confront him. And according to the story in the Book of 2nd Samuel: ‘And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die,’ (2 Sam. 12:13-14)
And we all know that prophecy came true, and also Bruh David never knew much peace in His life after that, and eventually had a very dysfunctional family, with one son Ammon, raping his half-sister Tamar, then her brother Absolom having Ammon killed, and later on the same Absolom rebelling against his father and causing him to flee for his life. The point here friends, is as the scholars tell us; ‘David’s sin had brought the name of God into disrepute. Such knowledge ought to serve as a deterrent to willful sin on the part of believers. (cf. 1 Tim. 5:14; 6:1)’
And that’s the awesome truth! Oh, we will all sin, and some might be worse than others, but the important thing is to confess them as soon as possible, and though we will be forgiven, there most likely will be some negative consequences to pay, for we can’t just sin willy-nilly, then confess it and expect to get away scot-free. Especially if you’re such a an important ambassador for God, as Bruh David was.
But the greatness of Bruh David lies in not being afraid of laying open himself to the Lord. For after his Plea of Forgiveness, He delivers A Plea for Cleansing. ‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit.’ (Ps. 51:7-12)
Oh my people, when we come to the Lord with those pleading words that come from a sincere heart, He will never turn us down. But we must have the necessary assurance to know that God will never turn down sincere confession, and will always help us to restore our lost joy. And scholars make an important statement here re ‘The prayer take not thy Holy Spirit from me: (vs.11) need never be offered by a New Testament saint, since the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian permanently (cf. 1 Cor. 6:19). David’s cry here may reflect only the fear, not the reality, of losing the Spirit, and being rejected by God. Thus, he asks God to restore the joy of his salvation, not salvation itself.’
Yes friends, it easy to lose the joy of our salvation, but we can never lose salvation itself. Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And added to that is the promise that whoever endures to the very end with Jesus, will enjoy a more than glorious future, one which we can never comprehend or imagine. So let’s be wise, and endure to the very end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…sin is a normal human frailty…but it should quickly be followed by confession and repentance…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 May 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a clean heart, a life of sin, Amazing grace, appalling hypocrisy, as white as snow, be as wool, Chrales Stanley, cleanse me, clenched fists, come now, condemnation, confess his sins, continual assurance, contradiction, convicts us, courteous words, create in me, cringe, disobedient subjects, eternal damnation, eyes fixed straight ahead, forgive, frantic, glad to be alive, God's Searchlight, grace, guilt, hypocrites, hyssop, impossible effort, invitation to all men, Jesus Christ, justified, leave all the consequences, let us reason together, light of revelation, looking to the future, LOVE, masked motive, most reliable being, Nathan, no rain, not turning back, obey God, omnipotence, omniscience, One Year Book of Bible promises, penetrating gaze, penitent heart, plead thy case, promises, purge me, purify me, put me in remembrance, raises its ugly head, red like crimson, remorse, remove, renew a right spirit, repenting, Ruth Harms Calkin, selfish act, shame, sinful nature, sins, splintered cross, steadfast, the Holy Spirit, the weather system, to escape, transgressions, turning to god, unchristian, uncoditional love, unreliable, utterly shattered, Wednesday Wail, your child, your sins be as scarlet
Isaiah 1:18. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
No rain! No rain! Glory be! But the skies on the eastern horizon do look a tad dark for this hour of the morning. (smile) And just to let you know that by lunchtime yesterday, rainy day Tuesday had turned into dry and sunny day Tuesday!
Oh the weather system is so tricky and unreliable these days. But thank God our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the most reliable Being in God’s great universe, so we don’t have anything much to worry about, just our own unnecessary worries. (smile)
And when I read this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin yesterday, it just spoke to me, saying ‘You’ve got to share me!’ So here it is. It’s titled ‘God’s Searchlight.’ Please pray with me: ‘O God If suddenly You were to reveal To my family, my friends, my neighbours Every real thought behind my courteous words If you were to point to my clenched fists While my other hand is openly extended
If you were to bring to light Every masked motive, every selfish act I would cringe with remorse And beg You to remove Your light of revelation. Yet, Lord, when the searchlight of the Holy Spirit Begins to reveal me to myself I so often close my eyes and turn my back In a frantic but impossible effort To escape Your penetrating gaze.
What a staggering contradiction, Lord what appalling hypocrisy. Apart from your grace I am utterly shattered. I ask you to sweep through me Purify me, cleanse me completely. From the depth of my penitent heart I thank You for Your continual assurance As I turn toward Your splintered cross. Because of Your LOVE I became Your child Because of Your GRACE I remain Your child.’
Oh friends, oh friends, that is all so true! We try to be tried and true believers, but that sinful aspect of our nature too often raises its ugly head and makes us behave very hypocritically! And don’t fool your fat, we’re all a bunch of ole hypocrites, just some to a higher or lower degree than others, because we all dislike things and people and otherwise for which we have no good grounds, and behave in ways that are very unchristian.
However when the Holy Spirit convicts us, hopefully we turn to the cross of Jesus and cry out for the help we so badly need! And those last two lines say it all: By God’s unconditional and awesome LOVE, we became His children, and by His amazing GRACE, we remain His children! Yes friends, it’s all because of our wonderful God that we’re saved from a life of sin, shame and eternal damnation!
And I like the scripture verse that Ruth uses for this poem ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’
Oh my people, which other supposed deity is willing to sit down and reason with His sinful disobedient subjects eh? Only the Lord God Jehovah, because He is sure and secure enough in His own omnipotence and omniscience to do so! But please note, that though He is willing to sit down and talk, He is still the one laying down the basic groundwork for our relationships.
And that is: ‘If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Is.1:19-20)
And for some reason or other we don’t tend to take the Lord’s promises as seriously as we should. The Israelites didn’t several times, and felt the wrath He promised. Now we’re doing likewise, and so many of us are falling by the sword and numerous old and new diseases, and we still aren’t paying attention to God’s Word! How unwise my people!
Now listen to the scholars’ explanation of those verses. ‘1:18-20. The prophet’s appeal to come and reason together reveals God’s gracious invitation to ALL men. It literally means to be “reasonable” by repenting and turning to God. Their sin is described as scarlet and red like crimson, referring to their bloodguiltiness before God.
The term ‘crimson’ also means “worm,” referring to the colourfast red dye of the scarlet worm. The eradication of this stain turns it snowy white and is symbolic of the life-changing grace of God, which delivers men from the guilt and condemnation of sin. Thus the prophet reminds his readers that God stands ready to cleanse and forgive all who will turn to Him.’
All praise and glory to our wonderful God! And it’s not the only time the Lord calls His people to talk with Him about their sins. Listen to Him again, later on in Isaiah: ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead (contend) together: declare thou (thy case), that thou mayest be justified.’ (Is.43:2-26)
Oh friends, what more can we ask for eh? We have such a wonderful God, who is willing and able to cast aside and forget our sins if we repent and become obedient to His Word. And that’s why the Lord LOVED Bruh David; he wasn’t afraid to confess his sins, even the most abominable ones.
Listen to him from Psalm 51, when Nathan drapes him up with his sin with Bathsheba. ‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me.’ (Ps.51:7-10)
Yeh mih people, though Bruh David looked good on the outside, He was suffering mightily with the immense guilt on his heart, but when he repented, that guilt lifted because the Lord forgave him, though he paid a serious price for his sin later on in life, a sin which brought serious disrepute to God’s cause. The same thing goes for us today; we can ALL be forgiven through sincere repentance, but more likely than not, there will be consequences to pay for our sins.
So fully knowing and acknowledging that, let’s go home declaring (yes!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know our wonderful and illustrious position in Christ. As one 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 yes my breddren, let’s keep on keeping on strong and steadfast, and that future will be indeed more than we can ask or ever imagine! Much LOVE!
As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) so rightly says…the best way to live this life is to…simply obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…
25 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man after God's heart, adultery, bane, Bathsheba, blameless, boon, broken spirit, Christian, Christian maturity, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, compare yourself to others, confess our sins, confessions, contrite heart, evil, failed God, focus on you, God is faithful and just, God of my salvation, gospel truth, guilt, holy spirit, iniquity, inner renewal, joy, justified, light, loving-kindness, magnanimous god, motivate yourself, motivations, Nathan, pleas, positive feelings, purge me with hyssop, rejected by God, restored to God's service, righteousness, sacrifices burnt offering, salvation, self-worth, sensitivity to sin, serve, tender mercies, things we take for granted, to forgive our sins, transgressions, truth, uplifting questions, vibes, wash me, what makes me happy, whiter than snow, wisdom, worship
1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Well my people, it’s that day we call Saturday; a boon for some, a bane for others, depending on how you choose to spend it. And there will be no trivialities this morning, (smile) we’ll get straight to our friend Anselm’s quotes because he has a couple of interesting long ones. He’s been really out to inspire us this week with a title of ‘How to Motivate Yourself:’
The first one says: ‘Compare yourself with yourself. Not with others. Comparing what you have and your results to what other people have and have accomplished can really kill your motivation. There are always people ahead of you. Most likely quite a bit of people. And a few of them are miles ahead. So focus on you. On your results. And how you can and have improved them.’
And that’s gospel truth friends! The worst thing you can do to your self-worth is to compare yourself to others because there will always be people doing better than you, and as Anselm says, that can likely kill your get up and go.
And he continues with the motivational theme by advising: ‘Ask uplifting questions in the morning. Here’s what you do; every morning ask yourself five empowering three-part questions this way: What am I ______ about in my life right now? What about it makes me _______? How does it make me feel? Put in your own value in the blank space.
For instance, a couple of my questions are: What am I happy about in my life right now? What am I excited about in my life right now? It’s important that you really feel how it makes you feel. When I think about the last part about what makes me happy right now I really feel it. These morning questions are great because the way they are set up makes you recognize things you take for granted and then they really get you to feel those positive feelings.’
I can find no fault with that friends, because we always need to have positive vibes in our lives, and the best way to do that is to concentrate on the things for which we are truly thankful, the things and /or people who bring a flood of light and joy into our lives. That’s why we keep saying when we hit the rough times to remember the good things that God has done for us in the past, don’t just concentrate and mope on the negative things you’re currently going through.
So my people, when things aren’t so good, look up to heaven, rather than down to hell. The Lord’s on His throne, in full control of His universe and He will hear your sincere pleas and confessions and answer them. As our Bit so truthfully says: ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
And if you’ve reached a decent stage of Christian maturity, you ought to know and believe that and put it into practice. Now listen to one of the most sincere and heartfelt confessions of sin found in the Good Book; that when the prophet Nathan confronted Bruh David with the sin of his adultery with Bathsheba.
Hear Bruh David cry out to the merciful and forgiving God of his fathers from Psalm 51 – A prayer for cleansing. ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightiest be justified (found just) when thou speakest, and be clear (blameless) when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen (brought forth) in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desireth truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou desirest not burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’(Ps.51:1-17)
Ah friends, what a pouring out of the soul! Bruh David knew where his bread was buttered and realized that he had screwed up mightily with Bathsheba. Now here are some insights into the psalm from the scholars.
‘Psalm 51. The psalm gives expression to why David was “a man after God’s own heart”: he was not perfect, but he had a sensitivity to sin that few knew about. Notice especially the use of the first person singular: mine iniquity, my sin (v.2), my transgressions (v.3), and so on. The first two verses are an introductory petition, rich with meaning in the use of four figures for forgiveness. After confessing his guilt (vs.3-6), David prays for inner renewal (vs.7-12), and promises thanksgiving and ministry (vs.13-17).
This passage clearly teaches that those who have failed God may be restored to the service of God. The prayer take not thy Holy Spirit from me (v.11) need never be offered by a New Testament saint, since the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian permanently (1 Cor.6:19). David’s cry here may reflect only the fear, not the reality of losing the Spirit, and being rejected by God. Thus, he asks God to restore the joy of his salvation, not salvation itself.’
Ah mih people, I hope we can take comfort from Bruh David’s words, and not be afraid to come to God with EVERY problem, EVERY sin we feel deep inside, knowing that sincere confession and true regret will bring forgiveness EVERY time. For that’s the magnanimous and merciful and forgiving God we serve and worship. Much LOVE!
…a broken spirit…a contrite heart…that’s all God’s looking for…
24 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a worthwhile evening, adulterey, Bathsheba, believers, bitter fruit, blaspheme, Bodyguard, cleans us from all unrighteousness, confess, cupola, dancing, David, deterrent, disrepute, Ed Mirvish Theatre, entertainment capital, eternal life, favour, forgive our sins, forgiveness, frailties, frescoes, Friday chant, generous help, glorious kingdom, gracious, he is faithful and just, human, if we confess our sins, in Jesus' name, marble, merciful, murder, music, Nathan, rains, refreshed, renewed, righteous, singing, sins, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the enemies of the Lord, the gift of God, the seed of sin, the theatre, the time of my life, the wages of sin is death, the workingman, to die for, Toronto, Uriah, weekends, Whitney Houston, wisdom, worth her salt, Yonge Street
1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And then the rains, the early rains came to water the land to prepare it for the sowing of grain. Yeh friends, it’s not a bright sunshiny day like the last several, but cloudy and wet, however it’s also warmer. I think we’re actually in for a spring like weekend. Glory Be!
And something happened last night that has happened in years; the ole fella went to the theatre. Wow! I can’t tell when last I went to a place like that. (smile)
Anyhow I went down to the entertainment capital of the North, T.O. to the Ed Mirvish Theatre on the main drag, Yonge Street, to see the musical ‘Bodyguard,’ a take on the Whitney Houston movie of the same name.
I’ve never seen the movie, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out to be good show, with lots of nice rich music and dancing. I wasn’t sure whether the skits were meant to be serious or not, but the singing and dancing made up for whatever the acting lacked.
A British singer, Beverley Knight, played Whitney’s part. She was worth her salt, although some thought that the sister, played by Rachel John had a better voice. Anyway, it was a most worthwhile evening.
And the theatre itself was just to die for; all old world elegance; lots of marble, beautiful frescoes, chandeliers and a cupola over the auditorium featuring a splendid scene of what I can’t remember. (smile) But I know it was beautiful to the eyes. The Mirvish boys, Toronto’s current theatre impresarios did spend their money well to refurbish it.
But you know what? While I’m here regaling you with my evening’s activities at the theatre, the workingman, who couldn’t remotely afford the prices of the theatre, is outside having his simple, but heartfelt fun, declaring:
‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Spring is in the air! And who knows I’ll be where this weekend? But wherever that is, I’ll be drinking and eating and partying. Partying hearty for sure! Having the time of mih life! That’s why we have to thank God for Fridays and the weekends yes!’
And we do have to thank Almighty God for Fridays and the weekends, but not to such extremes. Our Friday Chant provides a much more balanced and practical way to do it.
So let’s chant it now nuh, in close harmony nuh. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my brethren the Lord will prefer that attitude, and it will also be better for us, physically, emotionally and mentally. And tied up with all of that is our Bit. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
Yeh friends, that ought to be a major part of our everyday life as sincere believers. Now yesterday we saw how the prophet Nathan draped up Bruh David for his hidden adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. Hear what happened after that.
‘And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.’ (2 Sam.12:13-14)
And the scholars offer these explanations of those verses. ’12:13. David genuinely grieved and repented (cf. Ps.32:5;51:3-4). However, the seed of sin was immediately to bear bitter fruit, for the child born of the adultery became grievously ill and died (vs.15-18).’
‘12:14. David’s sin had brought the name of God into disrepute. Such knowledge ought to serve as a deterrent to willful sin on the part of believers (cf. 1 Tim.5:14; 6:1).’
Yes my fellow believers, the disrepute that our sins cause to God’s name and the blasphemy it allows the enemy is what mars our godly walk, deeply stains our ministry.
Yuh see how quickly God put Bruh David in his place. And the sad part is that Bruh David was so righteous and walking so closely with Him. Just goes to show that we are all human and possess the innate frailties thereof.
The Lord knew that despite his terrible sins, Bruh David’s heart was all for Him, that’s why He did not take him home right away. But He could not afford to let such abominable sins be whitewashed, someone had to pay.
For as Bruh Paul so succinctly put it to the Romans: ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom.6:23)
And as the scholars explain: 6:23. Wages: Emphasizes what we deserve. Gift of God: Emphasizes God’s unmerited favour.’
So Friends, having heard and read all of that, I implore us to be rather careful in how we walk this earthly life, trying to sin as little as possible.
And when we do, not if we do, to immediately turn to our merciful and gracious God, sincerely confess our iniquity and humbly ask for His forgiveness. That’s the only wise and sensible way to live this earthly life. Much LOVE!
…to sin is human…but to confess and ask for forgiveness…is heavenly wisdom…
23 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, Absalom, adulterous affair, afraid, anointed, Bathsheba, blessings, clean up our act, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, cleansed, clear direction, clog our hearts, communication, confess our sins, confession of sins, creativity, curse, deserves to die, divine protection, forgive, forgiven, forsake sins, full weight of the law, God's grace, guideline, he is faithful and just, in sync with God, Israel, judgements, light, magnanimous god, mercies, mercy, Nathan, negative word, no pity, nobody, nothing to fear, pet, prosper, rebellion, repent, salvation, scriptural standards, secret places of our hearts, see the sins of others, sins, strength, success, supernatural, the Lord God of Israel, the strength of my life, Thursday's Blessings, to forgive us our sins, true motives, unrighteousness, whom shall I fear, wisdom
1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Welcome to another bright, sunshiny day friends in the early spring of 2017! It just doesn’t feel quite like spring, with a minus something temperature.
But that doesn’t truly matter once we’re alive and enjoying another day of new mercies and blessings specially prepared for this day by our magnanimous, merciful and magnificent God!
Yeh friends, we can handle anything once we are under the umbrella of God’s grace and mercy! Please remember that and let it be a signpost, a guideline, a lighthouse, or whatever you choose to call it, to our earthly journey.
Once we’re in sync with our heavenly Father there is absolutely nothing to fear!
As Bruh David so wisely and assuredly puts it in Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps.27:1).
And the big and bold answer to those questions my faithful, believing brethren is ABSOLUTELY NOBODY!
So let’s not be afraid of all the nonsense that’s currently happening in world; be concerned yes, but not afraid, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go. But by the same token, we also have to be with Him, for Him to guide and guard and keep us safe from all harm.
That brings us to our Bit. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
Yes my people, it also behooves us to clean up our act, otherwise we can’t walk sincerely with God. We have to make continual and constant confession of our sins, so that we can be forgiven and cleansed of them by our heavenly Father.
If we don’t, then our souls will be clogged and bogged down with unrighteousness and we won’t have good communication with the Father. Now listen to some scripture that corroborates our contention.
First up is Cousin Sol from Proverbs, where he authoritatively declares: ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13)
Please notice though mih breddren, that we don’t only need to confess our sins, but also forsake them, give them up. And that’s usually the difficult part, but try we must, for God doesn’t look at our outward actions, or listen to our talk, but looks deep down into the secret places of our hearts to discern our true motives.
And if you think that’s not true, just listen to how the Lord trapped Bruh David in his adulterous sin with Bathsheba. He sent the prophet Nathan to him with a nansi story about some traveler visiting a rich man, and the rich man, instead of taking one of his endless flocks to feed the traveller, he took the pet lamb of a poor man and fed the visitor. (2 Sam.12:1-4)
Now Bruh David got all hot and bothered over this tale and declared to Nathan: ‘As the Lord liveth, that man that hath done this thing shall surely die (deserves to die). And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’ (2 Sam.12:5-6)
And the scholars add an interesting note to those verses. ‘12:5-7. How easy it is to see the sins of others without applying the scriptural standards to ourselves (cf. Matt.7:3-5). David called for the full weight of the law to be applied (cf. Ex.22:1).’
And that’s no lie my brethren, we all do it. But was Bruh David in for one of the biggest surprises of his life.
‘And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things (much more).
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil (adversity) against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ (2 Sam.12:7-12)
Ah friends, yuh see, we can’t do evil in secret and expect the Lord not to notice it. And the scholars tell us: ’12:10-11. These judgements came to pass literally in the sins of his (David’s) own household (ch.13), the rebellion of his own son Absalom (ch.15), and the civil war that followed (chs.16-20). David was never to fully know rest again.’
Yeh mih people, our God doesn’t make empty promises, and He sees ALL, and knows ALL, so it’s no use trying to run and/or hide from Him. Now let’s go home invoking our Thursday Blessings. And remember, a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over someone or something.
In unison now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life!
I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’
Now let’s go out and put it all into action my fellow believers! Much LOVE!
…sin will forever clog our hearts…and keep us from God…until we truly repent of it…
P.S. I know it’s late and long, but it’s ever so good! (smile) Much LOVE!
05 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a right spirit, aura of love, Bathsheba, broken spirit, burnt offering, cast me not away, celebration, confidence, consequences, contrite heart, create in me a clean heart, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, enthusiasm, eternal life, forgiveness, friends, Granny's advice, holy spirit, humble servants, inhumane actions, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, Labour Day, lies, LOVE, make me to hear joy, mercy, ministry, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my mouth shall show forth thy praise, Nathan, New Testament, obey God, open thou my lips, purge me with hyssop, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, sacrifices of God, salvation, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, TGIM! Thank God it's Monday!, thanksgiving, the nature of the beast, ungodly world, wash me, whiter than snow, wisdom
Psalm 51:15. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.’
Oh my beautiful people, I’m sure that this morning most of us are joyfully declaring: ‘TGIM! Thank God it’s Monday!’ The only problem is that we’re not declaring it because we’re excited and enthusiastic to go to work, but because we don’t have to go to work this Labour Day Monday.
Hn, hn! We certainly are something else yes! But what to do eh? That’s obviously the nature of the beast. However, unfortunately in this 24/7 society, some of us do have to go to work to keep the essential services running smoothly and allow our highly technological world to function properly and allow us to keep on enjoying all our wonderful amenities.
That means there is still the need for us to sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have to go out and labour on this Labour Day Monday, which was originally a celebration of the gains made in reducing the work week and other inhumane actions that were then sinfully perpetrated by the management class. However most of that has now been forgotten, and it’s just an occasion to party.
So in clarity and harmony let’s sing. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Ah friends, the voices were strong, but raucous and not harmonious. That’s because the ones who have the day off were the loudest, and they have already been celebrating, so their voices are a bit hoarse. I could see Jesus simply shaking His head and smiling, knowing full well the reason for the poor rendition. But nonetheless we’ll persevere, because through Jesus, who strengthens us, we can do infinitely anything and everything! (Phil. 4:13)
And so, we come to our Bit. ‘O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.’ Yes my people, that’s a very good line for us to follow. These words were written by Bruh David after the prophet Nathan draped him up over his sinfulness with Bathsheba. Having acknowledged his wrongdoing and pleading for mercy and forgiveness, Bruh David prays for inner renewal.
‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit. Then shall I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.’ (Ps.51:7-14)
Ah friends, Bruh David finally realizes the utter stupidity of his lustful liaison with Bathsheba, and having asked for cleansing, he then promises ministry and thanksgiving. And I have to chuckle, because like so many of us Bruh David obviously never considered the consequences of his sinful actions before he did them. But having eventually being found out, he had no qualms in confessing them and asking for God’s pardon.
Likewise, we should not be too proud to ask for cleansing and healing when our iniquities are brought to light. As Bruh David declares after our Bit: ‘For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ (Ps.51:16-17)
Yes my brethren, that’s what the Lord expects from us when we come to Him for forgiveness and mercy; humility and brokenness.
The scholars tell us: ‘This passage clearly teaches that those who have failed God may be restored to the service of God.’ What wonderful news friends!
And we’ll end with these important words from the scholars: ‘The prayer take not thy Holy Spirit from me (v.11) need never be offered by a New Testament saint, since the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian permanently (1 Cor.6:19). David’s cry here may reflect only the fear, not the reality of losing the Spirit, and being rejected by God. Thus he asks God to restore the joy of his salvation, not salvation itself.’
Now that’s something to celebrate my people! Unlike the folks in the Old Testament who only received the Holy Spirit for specific purposes and periods of time, we, through the selfless sacrifice of Jesus, instead have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us continually, leading and guiding us along the straight and narrow path, making it much easier for us to be obedient to God’s word.
But please remember, the onus is still on us to follow the Spirit’s guidance. So as we enjoy the day, in whatever way, let’s not forget Granny’s golden advice, which covers every aspect and occasion of life. ‘Sonny Boy, drunk or sober, please mind your business…’ Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say… the greatest wisdom is to obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…
07 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adultery, adversity, Bathsheba, believers in Jesus Christ, bitter fruit, blaspheme, blessings, closer to God, confessing sins, consequences, curse, declare in faith, deterrent to sin, disrepute, do not let me quit, Dr. Robert H. Schuler, eternal life, ever-generous God, evil, find a pass through, give me the patience to stay, Give me the strength. to keep on striving, grieved, I acknowledged my sin, I have sinned against the Lord, I will confess my transgressions, idle promises, learn from the mistakes of others, lightens our load, Lord when I face a mountain, LOVE, mercies, mine iniquity have I not hid, Mountain Mover's Prayer, Nathan, negative consequences, perception, possibilities, repented, reverence, sin, sinful people, sugar-coat, Thank You Lord, the enemies of the Lord, the gift of God, the mercy of God, the name of God, the sword shall never depart from thine house, the wages of sin is death, this is the day the Lord has made, thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, transgression, tunnel underneath, turning my mountain into a gold mine, until I climb over, Uriah, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, with your help
Psalm 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Well hello there my beautiful fellow believers in Jesus Christ! As usual, it’s a brand new day with brand new mercies and blessings flowing down from heaven on high! Oh glory to our great and ever-generous God!
So let’s be wise and accept them in the spirit in which they are being offered nuh, say a grateful thank you Lord, and acknowledge with sincere reverence His holy presence.
At the same time, let’s all declare this biblical truth: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ Yes my people, that’s the only option that makes any sense as true and faithful believers.
Now today I want to shake us up a little, raise our faith level some, get us coming up over our problems, by reciting the Mountain Mover’s Prayer, penned by Gramps Schuler (Dr. Robert H. Schuler).
Please declare in faith with me: ‘Lord when I face a mountain, do not let me quit! Give me the strength to keep on striving until I climb over; Find a pass through, or tunnel underneath. And if my best efforts fail, give me the patience to stay, And the perception to see the possibilities Of turning my mountain into a gold mine with your help. Amen.’
Ah Friends, that is exactly the patience, the perseverance, the stick-to-it kind of faith we need to succeed in this dark and dangerous world! And there’s no better time to incorporate that into our souls and minds than at the beginning of this new year.
So with that strong foundation laid down in our spirits, let’s now turn to our Bit: ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.’
Yes my brethren, confessing our sins to Almighty God is one of the best moves we can ever make in this earthly life! It just lightens our load and brings us closer to our heavenly Father. And there’s nothing He desires more than that, because He is a holy God and cannot tolerate or associate with sin, or sinful people.
So when we clear our consciences in the name of Jesus, on the basis of the work that our Lord and Saviour has done, then it clears the way for the Father to work with us and on our behalf.
Enough of my moralizing though, (smile) let’s turn to the scriptures for enlightenment and encouragement on the subject. And we’ll start with one of the best and well known examples of confession of sin; that after Bruh David had taken up with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed in battle.
When the prophet Nathan confronted him with the secret sin, Bruh David confessed his transgression and threw himself upon the mercy of the Lord.
‘And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.’ (2.Sam.12:13-14)
And we all know how the child of Bathsheba became sick and Bruh David fasted and prayed for the child’s life to be saved, but it wasn’t. (2 Sam.12:15-23)
But please note too friends, that because Bruh David’s sin had been so disgusting, and though the Lord forgave him, He put a curse on him that he would have problems within his own house. ‘Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil (adversity) against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ (2 Sam.12:10-12)
Ah mih people, sin is indeed a grievous thing, with serious consequences, even though we repent of it.
And the scholars tell us: ’12:10-11. These judgements came to pass literally in the sins of his (David’s) own household (ch.13), the rebellion by his own son Absalom (ch.15), and the civil war that followed (chs.16-20) David was never fully to know rest again.’
Oh Friends, our God does not make idle promises, please remember that. Anything He says He will do, He will do it!
And we have some more scholarly explanations. ’12:13. David genuinely grieved and repented (cf. Ps.32:5 – our Bit; 51:3-4). However the seed of sin was immediately to bear bitter fruit, for the child born of the adultery became grievously ill and died (vv.15-18).’
And I think we should all pay particular attention to this next scholar’s note. ’12:14. David’s sin had brought the name of God into disrepute. Such knowledge ought to serve as a deterrent to willful sin on the part of believers (cf. 1 Tim.5:14; 6:1).’
Yes my fellow believers, as they say, one of the best ways to learn is from the mistakes of others, therefore please, please, let us learn from Bruh David’s serious mistake, for the Lord will not put up with continual sin in our lives.
Please remember too: ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through (in) Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom.6:23)
Now let’s ponder on that today, for it is indeed wisdom of everlasting proportions! Much LOVE!
…we can sugar-coat sin…but in the long run…sin always has negative consequences…
23 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future with Jesus, absolute power corrupts absolutely, Asa, Baasha, Bathsheba, Benhadad, Bruh David, Christ the Lord, Christmas, cleanse me, cry out to God, diseased in his feet, glory to God, God made him to prosper, Hanani, he sought God, I am halfway home, I'm not looking back, I'm so glad to be alive, iniquity, Jesus is the reason for the season, joyful and triumphant, leprosy, loving kindness, mark indelibly in our hearts, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, my sin is ever before me, Nathan, O come all ye faithful, O come let us adore Him, oppressing the people, power corrupts, relied not on the Lord thy God, relied on the king of Syria, repentance, sacrficially, sacrificial praise, selflessly, taking all his problems to God, the breath of life, the Christ child, the Lord gives power to get wealth, the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh, the priest's job, transgressions, truth, understanding in the visions of God, Uriah, Uzziah, Wednesday Wail, wisdom
2 Chronicles 26:5. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions (fear) of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
Well mih precious people, we down to two days now! Yes, only two more days to that wonderful and marvellous day called Christmas, when the Christ-child, our Saviour, Lord and Redeemer was born! So in honour of that most auspicious occasion let’s give some sacrificial praise and thanksgiving nuh, by singing this beautiful carol.
All together, in full voice now: ‘O come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant Oh come ye O come ye to Bethlehem; come and behold him born the King of angels; Oh come let us adore Him, Oh come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
God of God light of light Lo, He abhors not the virgin’s womb; Very God begotten not created: Oh come let us adore Him, Oh come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ The Lord.
Sing choirs of angels sing in exultation Sing all ye citizens of heaven above; Glory to God in the highest: Oh come let us adore Him, Oh come let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ The Lord.
See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle, leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear we too will thither hend our joyful footsteps; Oh come let us adore Him, Oh come let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.’
Oh Friends, I do hope that brought some Christmas cheer and joy into our spirits as we sang about the imminent birth of Jesus. We need to be continually reminded that Jesus IS the reason for the season! Glory to God!
And since it’s Wednesday, we also need to proclaim our Wednesday Wail. Again, as ONE, in full 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 isn’t that the glorious truth my brethren! We’re all glad to be alive, with our hands fixed securely on the plough, looking towards the wonderful future with Jesus that’s ahead of us. Give Him some well-deserved praise my people for what He’s done so selflessly and sacrificially for us!
Now let’s turn to our Bit. I believe today is the final day for it, but it’s something we should mark indelibly in our hearts minds and souls so that we can wisely do what it says.
‘And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions (fear) of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.’
Now that’s truth in spades friends! Whenever we seek the Lord in sincerity and truth, He will allow us to prosper in all facets of life. But if we don’t, then we’ll pay the price.
Yesterday we saw how Uzziah got ahead of himself when he tried to burn incense in the temple, when he full well knew that that was the priest’s job, and he was immediately felled with a lifetime of leprosy.
Today, we’ll look at another king Asa, who also thought he was above God’s power and presence, and after starting out good, ended up poorly by not taking all his problems to God, but tried fixing then himself. And the Good Book tells us that after Asa straightened out Judah, with the Lord’s help obviously, there was no more war for thirty-five years. (2 Chr.15:19).
However, thereafter, Baasha, the king of Israel, the other Jewish kingdom, made war against Judah, but unwisely, instead of turning to the God of his fathers for help, Asa made a treaty with Benhadad, king of Syria. And although with the help of the Syrians, Judah won the war, the Lord’s displeasure fell on him.
The Good Book reports it thus: ‘And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host (army) of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen?
Yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward (at peace with, or loyal to) him.
Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.’ (2 Chr.16:7-10)
Oh friends, how come we so quickly forget what the Lord has done for us eh? So much so that when we get strong, we become too big for out britches and turn away from the Lord.
And the sad part of the story is that even after Asa was shown his fault, he never remembered that God had caused him to be all that he was, and was so angry with Hanani that he threw him into prison and began oppressing his people.
Now contrast that attitude with Bruh David’s when the prophet Nathan draped him up over his behaviour with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. His response was to cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness instead of getting on his high horse like Asa:
‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.’ (Ps.51:1-3)
Yes my fellow believers, that’s how we are to react when the Lord convicts us of our transgressions, not like Asa. And the Lord forgave Bruh David in his humble repentance. But listen to Asa’s fate for his foolish pride.
‘And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not the Lord, but to the physicians.’ (2 Chr.16:12)
Oh how sad my people! Even in the time of his tribulation, he refused to turn back to God! What happens to our minds when we get strong and powerful eh? How can we ever forget that it’s God who brought us to the dance and who will also take us home?
There must be something about strength and power that curdles our minds like milk gone sour and bad. I guess like the man says, ‘power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’
Please my people, let’s never forget where all our blessings and mercies and grace and forgiveness come from, so that we won’t have to be cut down to size by our heavenly Father. Now that’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!
…it is the Lord who gives us power to get wealth…the Lord also removes that power…therefore…the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh…please remember that…
P.S. Sorry about the lateness of the Bit Friends, but it was one of those late nights and thus late mornings. (smile) Much LOVE!
14 Sep 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a meaningful relationship with Jesus, adulterous situation, aura of love, Bathsheba, broad is the way that leads to destruction, Bruh David, by their fruits you shall know them, confidence, conquerors, consequences for disobedience, create in me a clean heart, Creator of the universe, depart from me, doeth the will of my Father, enter into the kingdom of heaven, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, evil fruit, false prophets, few are chosen, followers of Jesus, friends, further God's glorious kingdom, good fruit, good news of Christ's gospel, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, jesus army, Jesus Christ, lies, lord god almighty, LOVE, many are called, meet the enemy in battle, Monday Morning, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, Nathan, new workweek, obedience, of the abundance of the heart, rejuvenation of spirit, renew a right spirit within me, renewed vitality, sacrifice, salvation, saviour jesus christ, slackness, spiel, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, taunts, the evil things of the world, the first shall be last, the followers of Jesus, the good treasure of his heart, the last shall be first, the Light, the mark of a faithful soldier, the mouth speaks, the narrow gate, the powers of evil, the Way, true repentance, truth, ungodly world, unpreparedness, wiles, wolves in sheep's clothing, workers of iniquity, worthwhile inroads
Matthew 7:20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Come on my people, it’s Monday morning, the start of a brand new workweek, so let’s get up and get going! Time to join the battle against the infidel, and our Leader and Saviour Jesus Christ is already at the front waiting on us. So please let’s not keep Him waiting any longer than is necessary.
And if you’re tired, lazy and out of sorts this Monday morning, it’s your own fault. You knew that the battle would be joined early o’clock, but you just didn’t prepare yourself properly.
Now that’s definitely not the mark of any good and faithful soldier, much less one of Jesus’ army, fighting the most important fight in the universe against the powers of evil and darkness. That sort of slackness, of unpreparedness is definitely not becoming, and will not be tolerated amongst the followers of Jesus.
And now that I’ve railed at us, given us the management spiel, (smile) let’s see if we can do something about our tardiness and lack of enthusiasm by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with plenty zest.
As one harmonious choir now. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh Friends, that wasn’t bad, but we’ve surely done better. And though our choirmaster, Jesus, wasn’t displeased, He would have appreciated a much better showing. So to make up for that, let’s get out there and rail against the enemy, bombard them with the good news of the gospel of Jesus and thus enable them to see the true Light and the only Way to salvation and eternal life.
And remember what we were talking about yesterday? Re Jesus’ warnings about false prophets and entering through the narrow gate, and by their fruits you shall know them? Well today we’ll continue with that topic, headed by the same Bit. ‘Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.’
Yes Friends, that’s ever so true; by their fruits we shall know the good and true ones from the corrupt and evil wolves masquerading in sheep’s clothing.
As Luke so nicely puts it: ‘A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.’ (Luke 6:45) Oh my people, what indisputable truth!
So my brethren it will be definitely in our best interest if we plead to the Lord, like Bruh David did when Nathan castigated him for his adulterous ad murderous liaison with Bathsheba. ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me.’ (Ps.51:10)
And we should also pay particular attention to Jesus’ words after the Bit. ‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils (demons)? and in thy name done many wonderful works (miracles)? And then will I profess unto them; I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ (Matt.7:21-23)
Oh Friends, oh Friends, please remember the broad way that leads to destruction, and the narrow gate that opens unto the difficult road to heaven, which only a few find. (Matt.7:13-14)
Now listen to the scholars. ‘7:21-23. Not everyone professing Christ is genuinely saved. Even the outward verbal acknowledgement of His lordship is in itself not enough to save the unbeliever apart from true repentance and faith. A genuinely saved person is one that doeth the will of my Father, the Greek present tense suggesting that he is continually living in obedience to the will of God as the normal course of his life.’
I can’t put it any clearer and truer than that my brethren. If we want to enjoy salvation and eternal life with Jesus, then we have to make the sacrifice, forsake the evil things of this world and be obedient to His will, just like He was obedient to the Father’s will and sacrificed His holy and sinless life for us.
In the long run Friends, it all boils down to an individual decision to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus or not. Just remember that there are always consequences for disobedience. Much LOVE!
…so the last shall be first…and the first last…for many are called…but few are chosen… (Matt.20:16)
25 Mar 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 1 John, Adam and Eve, adulterous affair, agreed to disagree, almighty god, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, Bathsheba, belief in Jesus christ, best interests, blot out my transgressions, boss around, Bruh David, cancer, caring Deity, cleanse me from my sin, cleansing, come short of God's glory, confess sins, confession, confession of sins, conspirational tones, constant in our human nature, cover sins, Diana Chung Rampersad, draped him up, earthly suffering, eternal life, eternity, evil, faith, foolishness, for all have sinned, for mine own sake, forgiveness, forgiving nature, forsake sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, heavenly peace and joy, heinous sin, I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, if we confess our sins, iniquiry, Jesus Christ, joy, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, loving kindness, magnificent and magnanimous God, mercy, Nathan, obey God, peace, power, prosper, provision, remember thy sins, reserve a spot with Jesus, reunion in heaven, roommate, scourge of this generation, see eye to eye, serve, shock, sin, sinful nature, sinfulness, strength, successful surgery, surprise, surrender, susceptible to sin, tender mercies, the answer to all our prayers, the cross at Calvary, the prayer of the righteous, the shed blood of Christ, the straight and narrow path, the truth is not in us, time of mourning, to stand strong, transgressions, Uncle Charles, unconfessed sin, unfortunate news, unrecognizable, Uriah, wash me, wasted away, we deceive ourselves, wisdom, wrath
1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s heart is somewhat heavy this Wednesday morning after learning yesterday afternoon of the passing of my surrogate sister Diana Chung Rampersad in Trinidad.
You know it was one of those totally unexpected things. I saw the flashing red message light on the phone and idly wondered who was calling about what. Can you imagine my shock and surprise when I listened to the message bearing that most unfortunate news? She was younger than me. My condolences go out to her husband and two children and the rest of her family.
Ah Lord eh! And the sad part is that when I was in T&T last month I called her a couple times and left messages, but got no reply. I wondered why, but now I know that she was sick, on her death-bed with the scourge of this generation, cancer, in one of its many forms.
And it doesn’t seem as though the usual treatments made any difference to her condition. And I can imagine how wasted away she looked. For those of you who have had contact with the disease, you’ll know that it just eats you away, until sometimes you become unrecognizable. And she was always such a bright and perky person.
I first met Di many years ago when she became my mother’s roommate up here in Toronto. And though we didn’t always see eye to eye, we sort of agreed to disagree for my mother’s sake. I must say though that she cared a lot for my mother, even trying to keep that very independent lady on what she considered the straight and narrow path, which led my mother to refer to Di as her grandmother.
She was the only person who could boss around my mother and get away with it. Hn, hn! Sometimes though, Di would come to me and say in conspiratorial tones, ‘Randolph, your mother is something else yes!’ and then outline some unexpected doings of my mother.
My mother always considered Di to be the daughter she never had, and Di played that part very well and very faithfully, to the point of coming up here from T&T when my mother died and helping me with the funeral arrangements and cleaning up of her apartment.
Consequently, I can imagine their reunion in heaven must be a big one. They both have ended their earthly suffering and gone on to their heavenly peace and joy. There’s nothing better we can ask for.
This past week the Lord has also called home the fathers of two of my other friends, but they were somewhat older and been sick for a while, so it wasn’t so unexpected. I pray for all the families involved, that the Lord will give them the necessary strength and faith to stand strong in their time of mourning.
And last, but definitely not least, I pray for successful surgery in the U.S on my brother’s legs, for some vein problems. He had one leg done yesterday, and will have the other done tomorrow. Please offer a pray for Him too, since there’s great power in the prayer of the righteous.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, the same as yesterday. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
Oh Friends, I don’t know about you all nuh, but I am ever so glad and grateful for that very forgiving nature of our God! It means that though we make mistakes, we don’t have to fear His awesome power, His wrath, because it is always clothed in LOVE and forgiveness.
And since we have a sinful nature by birth, it means that we will always be susceptible to sin. And as John wisely says in the verse before our Bit: ‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’ (1 John 1:8) And that’s a fact my people. ‘For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God.’ (Rom.3:23)
So sin is an unfortunate constant in our human nature since the fall of our forefathers Adam and Eve. But our God is such a wonderful and thoughtful and caring Deity, that He has made provision for our sinfulness, through the shed blood of Christ on the cross at Calvary and through our confession of those sins.
Listen to Cousin Sol from Proverbs 28. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13)
Oh my people, my people, what news can be better than that eh? Only eternal life through Jesus Christ! No other Deity operates like our great God! And yuh tell me I wouldn’t LOVE and serve and surrender my will to Him! Chuh! Pure foolishness my brethren, pure foolishness!
Right there is the answer to all our prayers: forgiveness of sins through confession, and eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ! That surely is the way, my people. There’s no other way on this fallen earth that makes any sense.
And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Bruh David as he pleads for cleansing and forgiveness after his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, and arranging to have her husband Uriah killed in battle. He thought that he had gotten away with it, but when the prophet Nathan draped him up about it, he realized that the Good Lord had seen and taken notice.
So he pleads in Psalm 51: ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgression: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified (found just) when thou speakest, and be clear (blameless) when thou judgest.’ (Ps.51:1-4)
Yes Friends, though Bruh David had committed such a heinous sin, once he sincerely confessed it before Almighty God, he was granted mercy. The same thing goes for us even today. But we must confess the sins to be forgiven. ‘Unconfessed’ sin is definitely not in our best interests.
Now please don’t think that we won’t have to pay for our sins, because there are always consequences to them, but once confessed and forgiven they are thrown away, never to be remembered by God. Listen to this promise from Isaiah. ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ (Is.43:25)
Oh my brethren, we can’t ask for anything better than what our magnificent and magnanimous God has offered and provided; forgiveness from sin and eternal life through Christ Jesus.
So please let’s stop playing the fool here on earth with all its bright and glittering sin and shame, and instead get serious about our heavenly lives, reserve a spot in eternity with Jesus, for that’s the ultimate wisdom. Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) would say…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…that’s the best way to live this earthly life…
SCRIP-BITS 