30 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a friend of the world is the enemy of God, all that is in the world, and the lust thereof, apologize for my mistake, before it's too late, being reconciled to God, carnal lusts and pleasures of the enemy, cavorting with Satan, Christ the hope of glory, christianity, Christians, deepen my breath, do exactly as our hearts desire, do what needs to be done, drowsy and lethargic, enemies in your mind, eternal life, eternal separation from God, faith, flow into our hearts and souls, God suffered from unrequited love, God's enemy, he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever, hob nob wih the world, holy spirit, I marvel to think, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, I will do a new thing, I will even make a way in the wilderness, I'm only human, if any man love the world, if wishes were horses all beggars would ride, in all sincerity and truth, in his sight, in the body of his flesh, increase my awareness of you today, is not of the Father but of the world, Jesus Christ, Jesus death, know ye not, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, live for God and not Satan, logical reason, looking over your shoulder, LOVE, love not the world, lust of the eyes, make a way to turn from enemies to friends, mercy, neither the things that are in the world, no bosses telling you what to do, not subject to the law of God, now hath he reconciled, now it shall spring forth, our omnipotent God, personal desires, physical desires, please forgive me, present you holy and unblameable, quiet my soul, reconciliation stems from God's great love for man, relax my muscles, rivers in the desert, salvation, Satan's ultimate end is total destruction, self-interests, shall ye not know it, sincere and heartfelt prayer, sinuses acting up, slow my thoughts, sometime alienated, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the carnal mind is enmity against God, the divine means of achieving reconciliation with God, the evil and ungodliness of the world, the friendship of the world is enmity with God, the last day of May, the Lord never refuses a call for intimacy, the love of the Father is not in him, the lust of the flesh, the option of forgiveness and salvation, the pangs of unrequited love, the peace of God, the pride of life, the world is going nuts, the world passeth away, they that are in the flesh cannot please God, through death, to be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace, true wisdom, truth, wasting time, wicked works, wisdom, ye adulterers and adulteresses, you can't be contained, you can't ride the fence, you're either in God's or Satan's camp, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 May 2026 James 4:4a.
James 4:4a. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God?
And then it was Saturday, sunny and warm; our lazy-day Saturday, where we can do exactly as our li’l ole hearts desire, with no one to say us nay! (smile) And doesn’t it feel good! No bosses telling you what to do, as well as constantly looking over your shoulder to see if you’re actually working or simply wasting time. I wish every day could be like this one. That’s why they say that if wishes were horses, all beggars would ride. (smile) And would you believe that it’s already the last day of May, a month that just recently began? (smile) The year is surely slipping by quickly, so we had better perk up and do what needs to be done, before it’s too late.
And before I forget, let me apologize for my mistake in yesterday’s Bit, where I talked about declaring our Thursday Blessings, when it was Friday, and then rightly declared our Friday Chant instead. And was I ever annoyed when I discovered it, and though I fixed it in the Blog and the Podcast, it was too late to fix it in the original Bit I sent out.
And the only logical reason I can find for that contradiction is my having taken a tablet for my sinuses, which were acting up, and it making me feel somewhat drowsy and lethargic, and thus the ole mind not functioning properly. And what amazes me is that I read it over at least three times before I sent it out, and still never saw the mistake. Anyhow, please forgive me for that error, and I hope it never happens again. But since I’m only human, who knows? (smile)
Now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, in all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And if our prayer was sincere and heartfelt, then the warmth and peace of God will soon flow into our hearts and souls and calm them so that we can handle the evil and ungodly world that surrounds us. Yes! The Lord God, never refuses a call for intimacy from His human creations. In fact, that’s one of the reasons He created us in the first place. Why do you think He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to die and thus give us the option of forgiveness and salvation, of being reconciled to Him, and thus returning to His wonderful fold?
Because He desired greater intimacy with us, and His heart ached badly, when He saw so many of us had turned away from Him, and embraced Satan and his foolish worldly pleasures. Yes friends, our God was suffering from the heartfelt pangs of unrequited LOVE! And many of us know, either from personal experience or the experience of someone close to us, how devastating unrequited LOVE can be to the human psyche. Ofttimes making one desire death instead of life. And so, we have some idea of how God felt when so many of His wonderful human creation had moved into the enemy’s camp, intent on enjoying the carnal lusts and pleasures that he advertised and revelled in.
But remember what Bruh Paul wrote to the Romans: ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:6-8) That means if you’re cavorting with Satan, then you’re God’s enemy. And James tells it like it is, when he declares: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ (James 4:4)
It could not get any clearer than that my brethren! If we desire to hob nob with the world, then we become God’s enemy, and is set down for eternal separation from Him. And He could not take the heartache of so many of us being eternally separated from Him, so he made a way for us to turn around and come back to Him. Remember, He is the one who can make a way where there seems to be no way. As He promises in Isaiah. ‘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. 43:19)
Ah mih people, only our omnipotent God could have designed a way for us to turn from enemies to friends, to sons and daughters. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Colossians, when talking about Christ, the Hope of Glory. ‘And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled; In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight:’ (Col. 1:21-22) And the scholars explain: ‘Reconciliation is the act whereby God through Christ’s atonement, brings men who are at odds with Him back into a peaceful, proper relationship with Himself. Jesus’ death is the divine means of achieving reconciliation to God.’
So you see friends, this whole reconciliation business stems from God’s great LOVE for us, and His desire not to lose any of us to the evil enemy. And it only makes sense, that true wisdom dictates living for God rather than for Satan, for Satan’s ultimate end is total destruction or eternal death, while God’s is eternal life.
And as John so rightly warns us in his first epistle. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interests), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.’ (1 John 2:15-17)
Oh my people, what a most appropriate scripture for us to ponder on this lazy-day Saturday, the last day of May, where our world is going nuts with all the evil and ungodliness that it’s currently filled with. Much LOVE!
make up your mind…you’re either in God’s camp or Satan’s…you can’t ride the fence…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sense of purpose, abide in me and I in you, all have room for improvement, backed up by strong faith, become better Christians, catch our second wind, Chrisitanity, come up higher, commit thy works unto the Lord, Easter celebrations, endure to the end with Jesus, except it abide in the vine, except you abide in me, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, finite minds, get left behind, getting closer to Christ, God always makes a way for us to endure our problems, God always pulled me through, God creating paths where it seems impossible, God is faithful, God will not suffer you to be tempted more than you can bear, good disciples of Christ, grown in faith and patience, halfway home, hands on the plough, he that abideth in me and I in him, holy spirit, how has our Christian witness improved, I am the vine ye are the branches, I will do a new thing, Jesus Christ, lose some of your enthusiasm when you're sick, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, mercy, more beneficial to go through the problem, need to pay attention, never give up, New Year's resolution, no more can ye, no one to blame but ourselves, not go along lackadaisically, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, not turning back, now it shall spring forth, on His timetable not mine, our duty is to bear good fruit, our faith needs to rise up and be strong, our sufficiency is of God, physical inability to get around, rivers in the desert, salvation, shall ye not know it, sickness is not easy road to travel, sit up and take notice, so glad to be alive, stay attached to Christ, stick to Jesus like white on rice, such as is common to man, thank God, the BIBLE, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the jet stream of quickly moving days, the living truth, the same bringeth forth much fruit, there hath no temptation taken you, thy thoughts shall be established, to a glorious future with Jesus, to follow Jesus more closely this year, to think any thing of ourselves, to truly live for Christ, truth, Wednesday Wail, will also make a way of escape, wisdom, with God's help, with the temptation, witha s sense of prupose, without me ye can do nothing, ye may be able to bear it
John 15:4. ‘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.’
So we’ve come to Wednesday…already? Yes, already, for the days are not waiting on us, and we’d better catch our second wind today before the week runs away with us. (smile) On a serious note though, that can easily happen if we’re not paying attention to what’s going on around us, and when it does happen, we have no one to blame but ourselves. So please, let’s sit up and take notice of what’s happening around us, if we don’t want to get left behind in the jet stream of these quickly moving days.
And talking about that, do you realize that tomorrow is the last day of April, a month which just recently began with the Easter celebrations. That means we’ve completed four months of the year already and it’s time to look at how our New Years resolution is going. Do you even remember that? Yes, we made a New Year’s resolution to follow Jesus more closely and become better Christians than we were last year. So how has that worked out so far? Have we indeed been getting closer to Christ, being like the branch that abides in Him, with Him abiding in us?
Remember what He said, ‘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.’ (John 15:4) And remember one of our duties as His follower is to bear good fruit, which we cannot do unless we abide in Jesus, stick close to him like white on rice. As he says: ‘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 15:5)
And isn’t that the living truth! Without Jesus we cannot do a whole lot; certainly not bring forth good fruit like He and the Father desire. That’s why, if we want to be good disciples of Christ, we have to always stay close, stay attached to Him, so the sap from His vine can flow into our branches and cause us to bear much good fruit. And Bruh Paul also reminds us that without the Lord we are not able to do much, when he writes: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;’ (2 C0r. 3:5)
So again, the question is, have we improved our Chrisitan witness in the last four months? I think I have made some improvement, but I’ve also slacked off some. The problem stems from my constantly being sick for so much of the year. The sickness wasn’t an easy road to travel, still isn’t, but I believe it has grown my faith and patience some. (smile) For at times I just had to rely on the Lord’s goodness and mercy to pull me through. And in all occasions, He eventually did, but on His timetable, not mine. (smile)
However, it’s also prevented me from doing some of the good things I wanted to do. For when you are in a state of poor health, you lose some of your enthusiasm as well as the physical ability to get around and make things happen. But the important things is that we haven’t given up, and we’re not going to either. We have to keep believing that whatever the Lord allows into our lives, is for a purpose that He considers necessary, even if we don’t, and He won’t give us more than we can bear, or if He does, He will make a way for us.
It’s like the scripture says: ‘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. 43:19) That’s one of God’s many promises to see us through our difficult times. Of God creating paths where there seems to be no way for Him to do so. But we need to be paying attention, we cannot just go along lackadaisically, but with a sense of purpose backed up by strong faith.
Meanwhile in Proverbs, Cousin Sol tells us: ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov. 16:3) That means first talking to God about our plans before trying to institute them in our own strength. And if He agrees, then we know they will be successful. Then we have this verse from Bruh Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, that so many of us use to quell our worries in difficult situations. ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13)
Yes friends, there are many times when we believe the Lord gives us more than we can bear, and sometimes He might, (smile) but He’s also promised that if that happens, He will always make a way for us to endure the problem. And that’s where our faith needs to rise up and be strong, for we always want to escape the problem, but sometimes it’s more beneficial for us to go through it with God’s help, because that’s where our faith and trust in Almighty God are truly increased. And today is a good day to sit and ponder how we’ve done so far in regards to our New Year’s resolution, and as always, with God’s help try to come up higher, for we all have room for improvement. (smile)
Now, let’s go home declaring 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 for those who stick with Jesus right to the very end, it’s been promised that they will enjoy a future so glorious that their finite minds cannot even imagine it. So let’s use that as ammunition to stick with Christ to the very end nuh, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…to truly live for Christ…Christ must be in you…and you in Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a broken world, a disicplined mind, a future guaranteed by Christ's resurrection, a journey toward wholeness, a journey with christ by our side, a new heaven and a new earth, a successful Christian, according to his riches in glory, all these things shall be added unto you, awaken from sinfulness, behold I make all things new, Christ's resurrection is not ancient history, christianity, Christians, come to know and love christ like we do, consequences of disobedience, Consider This Section of the In Touch Devotional, courage and strength to believe, declare my praise, disobedient to God, every moment of our life, faith, feel out of our league, felt God's wrath, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, free from the consequences of sin, give drink to my people, God shall supply all of our needs, God shall wipe away all tears, he that sat upon the throne said, holy spirit, hopelessness, hurry, I will do a new thing, in god's eyes, in the long run, Jesus Christ, Jesus has defeated death, Jesus' victory belongs to every believer, let the world know to whom we belong, living in mortal bodies, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, mercy, my chosen, neither consider the things of old, no more death, no more negative effects of sin, no more sorrow or crying, now it shall spring forth, of power love and a sound mind, pain my constant companion, prepared for the worst, remember ye not the former things, remind yourself of this truth, return to God's fold, rivers in the desert, salvation, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, sent Monday to the history dump, share His love with my neighbours, sincere repentance, successfully gotten through Monday, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the former things are passed away, the Lord will work everything out for our good, the resurrection is unfolding within us, there shall be no more pain, things will never get better, tied up in knots of fear and worry, to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose, trials and tribulations, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we are well able, we can do all things though Christ who strengthens us, we know that all things work together for good, we serve an ever-faithful God, wine women and song, wisdom, worry, write for these words are true and faithful
Revelation 21:5a. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
And then it was Tuesday…Yes, Tuesday, meaning we’ve successfully gotten through Monday, sent it to the History dump, showing that there’s no need to fear the opening day of our work week, that we can handle it just as efficiently and capably as we handle any other day! So, let’s hope that when another Monday rolls around, as it most certainly will, we won’t be fearful and feel out of our league, for we are well able.
And whenever the devil tries to bring fear into our souls and spirits, let’s remember these most encouraging words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, and to consequently to all believers: ‘For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) That ought to keep us strong in the belief that we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:13)
And furthermore, that our wonderful, wealthy and generous God shall supply all of our needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) For He has promised that when we seek Him and His kingdom of righteousness first, that all of our needs will be met. (Matt. 6:33) So, considering all of that, there is no real reason for a believer to get tied up in stressful knots with fear and worry. End of Sermon! (smile)
And today, we’ll do some more contemplation from the Consider This Section of the In Touch April Devotional. So please consider this with me: ‘When the women arrived at Jesus’ tomb, (that’s on Easter Sunday morning), they’d come prepared for the worst. But they didn’t find a body to tend to – only a piece of cloth lying apart from the linen wrappings. They wept because they thought their beloved Teacher had been taken away. They didn’t understand that Jesus had defeated death or that His victory belongs to every believer.
We’re living in mortal bodies in a broken world, so it can be easy to forget something marvellous has already happened. The moment we said yes to Jesus, we began a journey toward wholeness – one we make with Him by our side. So when hopelessness is saying that things will never get better, remind yourself of this truth: The resurrection isn’t ancient history or a mysterious moment in the distant future. It is unfolding within us every moment of our life and will be complete when Jesus returns to make all things new.’
Now that’s indeed something to look forward to, because He’s promised in His Word: ‘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. 21:4-5)
Oh my fellow believers, what a joyful and glorious day that will be, when Jesus creates a new heaven and a new earth, and there’s no more negative effects of sin. In other words, that’s the day we’ll be free from the consequences and effects of sin. It’s a future guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection. And as one commentary says: ‘it fulfills God’s plan to restore, rather than merely replace the broken world.’
Yes friends, that promise of making all things new is ever so wonderful, because it offers us believers hope for a brighter and more glorious future while facing trials and tribulations here on this sinful and evil earth. And oh, I can’t wait to not feel the effects of pain, (smile) because it’s been my constant companion in one form or another over the last several years.
And having said all of that, we certainly cannot overlook possibly the most poignant and meaningful promise in all of God’s Word, one that we desperately need to cling to if we are to make it through this life with the success He’s planned for us. And yes, that’s a Bruh Paulian sentence, (smile) and it stems from his encouraging and reassuring words to the Roman church. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Oh mih bredrin, those words give us the courage and strength to believe that in the long run, despite all our trials and tribulations, the Lord will eventually work everything out for our good. Wow! Remember, the Lord never promised that it would be all wine, women and song down here on earth, but that the end will be much better than the beginning or the middle. And we know that He is an ever-faithful God who never reneges on His promises.
Now that was not even the first time that the Lord promised to make all things new, but simply the last. For long ago, through the prophet Isaiah, He promised His people Israel 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. The beasts of the field shall honour me, the dragons (jackals) and the owls (ostriches); because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth (declare) my praise.’ (Is. 43:18-21)
But unfortunately the Israelites were constantly disobedient to God, so they often felt His wrath. However, when the consequences of their disobedience were too great to bear, they would eventually awaken from their sinfulness and with sincere repentance, return to God’s fold, seeking His forgiveness. But sadly, with all the disobedience and tribulation in our current world, we’re not even wise enough to turn back to God with sincere repentance, seeking His forgiveness, so that He could make things better. That’s how prideful, foolish, egotistical and dumb we are!
But for the relative handful of us who see the problems and aspire to solve them, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
Now, we are beholden to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…to be a successful Christian…one must believe that things will eventually get better…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new creation, a tough row to hoe, acknowledge God is working everything out for our good, all things are become new, anger, apropos for these trying times, as you promised, be of good courage, both young and old men together, by faith, comfort them, developed a cold, did not appreciate God's goodness and mercy, discipleship, do a brand new thing in me, emotional fatigue, enable me to praise you, faith, give me rest from my sorrow, go through the trials of life, God knows best, God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, grow spiritually, He is faithful that promised, hold fast the confession of our hope, holy spirit, hurry, I will do a new thing, if any man be in Christ, If any man will follow me, in god's eyes, in these crisis days, it takes time and experience to build strong faith, it's not easy walking with Christ, Jesus Christ, let him deny himself, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, mercy, moving lethargically, my cross to bear, not a Sunday evening stroll, now it shall spring forth, old things are passed away, on the late bus, one more thing, one of the most difficult things to do, One Year Book of Bible promises, ought not to lose faith, paid a high price for rebellion, piercing pain, praise is just so hard to come by in trying times, praise is the hardest thing of all, praise lifts our spirits, ravages your body and mind, rejoice from their sorrow, resentment, rest from my feaf, rest from the bondage that binds me, rivers in the desert, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, self-centredness, separate the sheep from the goats, shall ye not know it, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, streams in my desert, strengthen thine heart, take up his cross daily and follow me, the beloved of God, The Hardest Thing, the Promised Land, the virgin rejoice in the dance, through all my lifetime, tied up in knots, to whom we belong, trials and tribulations, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn their mourning into joy, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, waiting on God's timing, water in the wilderness, wisdom, without wavering, withstand tough circumstances, worry, you promised to be my God, you will keep your word
Isaiah 43:19a. ‘Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
Ah friends, it’s Tuesday, and we’re on a somewhat late bus because the ole fella has developed a cold that has me moving slowly and rather lethargically. (smile) Like it wasn’t enough for me to be running around in T&T in the rain etc., but now to be doing it in the snow and get this flu, which causes a runny nose and ravages your body and mind like a cancer, and has you feeling lousier than ever. It’s a good thing I only get them once or twice a year. But right now it’s my cross to bear, and I will do my best to bear it valiantly. (smile)
And today we’ll look at a poem from Our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that is very apropos for these trying times in which we’re currently living. It’s simply titled ‘The Hardest Thing.’ So please read with me. ‘O God In these crisis days Of piercing pain And emotional fatigue Do a brand new thing in me. Give me water in the wilderness And streams in my desert. You have promised to be my God Through all my lifetime. Surely You will keep your word! As You promised Give me rest from my sorrow And from my fear And from the bondage That binds me. One thing more, dear Lord: Enable me to praise you when to praise is the hardest thing of all.’
And believe me friends, that last request is a tough but oh so necessary one, for when we are going through the many trials and tribulations of life, praising God doesn’t often seem like an option. Sometimes we feel that He’s let us down, not with us as He promised, and praise is just so hard to come by in those trying times. But yuh know what; it’s in those trying times that we need praise the most, because it lifts our spirits and brings us back into our sturdy and faithful relationship with God. We acknowledge that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Is. 55:8-9) and thus He knows best and has good reason(s) for allowing whatever hardship has come against us.
Most of the time, we don’t or won’t understand it, but by faith we must acknowledge that He is working everything out for our good, otherwise we will just get ourselves tied up in knots of resentment, anger, worry and self-centredness. And no, it’s not easy walking with and working for Christ. That’s one of the first things we ought to learn as believers. Following Christ was never, and will never be a Sunday evening stroll in the park. By it’s very nature, it’s a tough row to hoe, as Jesus indicated when He set out this definition of discipleship. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23)
Now that certainly doesn’t evoke or bring to mind any Sunday evening strolls in the park. No! It’s all about sacrifices and DAILY taking up our crosses and walking in whatever direction Jesus chooses for us. And in all of our trials and tribulations, there is one thing we must hold on to if we are to survive them; it’s as this scripture from Hebrews reminds us: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).’ (Heb. 10:23)
And that’s where the power and strength of our faith comes in. If we truly believe that God will fulfill all of His promises, in His own time, then we won’t’ be as worried and dismayed as if we don’t believe it. And right there is where we separate the sheep from the goats; those who sincerely believe and thus can withstand the tough circumstances, and those who’s faith is still too small to handle them. The real crux of the problem though is that it takes time and experience to build strong faith. Faith doesn’t just come overnight, so we will only grow spiritually when we go through the trials in our lives.
Now, in the poem we also ask God to do a new thing in us with water in the wilderness and streams in the desert. But haven’t you heard, don’t you know that the Lord promised that very thing a long time ago. Listen as Isaiah tells us about it. ‘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. 43:19) And that is exactly what the Lord did as He carried the children through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
The problem though is they did not appreciate His goodness and mercy and subsequently rebelled, then had to pay a high price in the consequences of said rebellion. The same goes for us today; we want everything quickly, but God does not move quickly unless it’s absolutely necessary. And that’s something we very badly need to learn. Nothing’s wrong in calling out for help, but when the Lord doesn’t answer right away we ought not lose faith, for in His mind there’s a good reason for not moving quickly. And remember we already said that His mind and ways are higher than ours, so we must learn to wait in faith.
And the new thing the Lord does begins when we come to salvation. As Bruh Paul writes: ‘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) Yes friends, when we come to Christ, we are completely changed into a new person with Christ-like behaviour and urges. We forget about, give up our past lives, all for the new one that Jesus gives. And as the Bible Promise for our poem today tells us: ‘Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.’ (Jer. 31:13)
Yes my people, that’s what the Lord will do for us, but we have to do like Bruh David says in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait(in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:17) Now that’s not always easy to do, but until we learn to do it, we will constantly be beset by numerous fears and worries that will substantially limit our faith. Now let’s go home declaring (chuh man!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, we are now bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…waiting on God’s timing…is probably the most difficult thing for Believers to do…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a belief in divine intervention, a future certainty, a heat warning, All glory be to Jesus, an expectation of positive outcomes, an optimistic state of mind, believers in Christ Jesus, bounden duty, christianity, come to a dead end, come to know and love christ like we do, down in the dumps, every morning is a fresh beginning, faith, faith walk, for what a man sees why does he yet hope for ir, give me new direction, goals vanish, God can make a path through the wilderness, guide my steps, handle anything that comes against us, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he that comes to God, holy spirit, hope, hope leads to faith, hope that is seen is not hope, hope thou in God, hope when facing adversity, hurry, I know you never fail, I shall praise him, I take your hand in this place, I will do a new thing, in god's eyes, In Touch Organization, In you I always have hope, Jesus Christ, joy and strength of God, light in the darkness, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, make a way where there seems to be no way, mercy, must believe that he is, now it shall spring forth, perseverance, rivers in the desert, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, shrouded in darkness, sing a song of praise, strong belief, tempted to feel all is lost, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the evidence of things not seen, the gospel truth, the health of my countenance and my God, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, the substance of things hoped for, the trail ahead, the whole wide world, to cherish a desire with anticipation, to expect with confidence, to provide solutions, trust in a higher power, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we are saved by hope, when plans evaporate, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with patience we wait for it, without faith it is impossible to please God, without hope you can't have faith, worry, You know the way
Psalm 42:11b. hope thou in God: for I shall praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Ah mih people, it was hot yesterday, and it will be hot again today, with a Heat Warning already been issued. But we’ve been longing for summer, and that’s what we’re getting. (smile) Anyhow, we believers in Christ Jesus can handle anything that comes against us, be it human, animal or weather related, for we are assured that we can do anything that’s necessary through our Lord and Saviour who strengthens us! (Phil. 4:13) And all God’s people shouted a loud and grateful: ‘All glory be to Jesus, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords!’
And today, we’re going to look at a word that’s ever so important in our faith walk; it’s the word HOPE! And what’s HOPE all about eh? One commentary tells us that ‘Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines hope as “to expect with confidence” or “to cherish a desire with anticipation”.’
But then this other commentary says: ‘What is the Bible definition of hope? The Bible almost never uses the word “hope” the way we do. For us, “hope” refers to something like a “wish” or a “dream.” But in the Bible, “hope” refers to an “expectation”—a future certainty.’ And hope leads to faith, for without hope, you cannot have faith, that strong belief, which as the Bible tells us: ‘is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1)
That means hope and faith primarily involve believing for future things, for what is unseen or not yet attained, not something that’s the present reality, already visible, like Bruh Paul writes to the Romans. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25)
And having established our basic definition of HOPE, let’s now turn to the recently issued Prayer Cards by the In Touch Organization and offer up a prayer on that controversial but very important and relevant Christian attitude of HOPE! Please pray with me: ‘Thank You, God, for the hope I have today. The trail ahead is shrouded in darkness, but You’re my light. Though I’m tempted to feel all is lost, I know You never fail. Guide my steps, because You know the way. When plans evaporate and goals vanish, give me new direction. Every morning is a fresh beginning in Your great faithfulness. So I take Your hand in this place and sing a song of praise. In You I always have hope. Amen.’
That’s the end of the official prayer, but the card continues with this wonderful advice: ‘You may think you’ve come to a dead end. But God can make a path through the wilderness.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth, as He’s promised through the prophet Isaiah. ‘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, all through the scriptures the Lord has promised to make a way where there seems to be no way, for those who sincerely believe and trust in Him and His Son Jesus Christ.
As this commentary further explains. ‘The saying “God can make a way where there seems to be no way” expresses a belief in divine intervention and the power of faith to overcome seemingly impossible situations. It’s often associated with verses like Isaiah 43:19, which speaks of God making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. This concept is a common theme in religious and spiritual contexts, emphasizing trust in a higher power to provide solutions and hope even when facing adversity. The saying also offers comfort and encouragement to individuals facing difficult situations, reminding them that they are not alone and that solutions can be found through faith.’
And many of us who have been Christians for a while, will be able to attest to those sentiments, for we have indeed found solutions, comfort and encouragement in our faith journey with Christ. But getting back to the Prayer Card. It offers this verse from Psalm 42, as the basis of our prayer. It only quoted one line: ‘Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him,’ but we’ll quote the whole verse here because it’s very applicable and appropriate to the whole situation of hope and faith.
It’s that famous verse from the pen of the Sons of Korah: ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11) Oh my people, that is such a beautiful and encouraging verse of scripture that it’s quoted twice in Psalm 42 (vs. 5,11) and once in Psalm 43 (vs. 5) It just shows the wonderful, uplifting emotions we can gain from Almighty God when we are down in the dumps, and encourages us to never give up the hope, the promise, the light in the darkness, the joy and strength we find in Him.
Now, with all of that marvelous and miraculous hope built up in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, (smile) let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that statement, it’s now become our bounden duty to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do. Much LOVE!
…but without faith…it is impossible to please God…for he that cometh to God…must believe that he is…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him… (Heb. 11:6)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new and enduring way of life with Christ, a new creation, a part of God's great plan, accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, all things are become new, all things are of God, be fulfilled in us, be made the righteousness of God in Him, bear food for us to eat, born from above, born of water and the Spirit, change one's lifestyle to suit Christ, come to know and love God like we do, coming into union with the risen Lord, condemned sin in the flesh, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, except a man be born again, faith, favour, flora for us to admire, free creations, God reconciled us to himself by Jesus, God's goodness and mercy, God's Guiding Light, good friends, good health, grow in spiritual maturity, have greater intimacy with God, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, he's a new creature, holy spirit, I will do a new thing, if any man be in Christ, in the likeness of sinful flesh, Jesus Christ, live according to His dictates, LOVE, made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, make a way in the wilderness, mercy, my chosen, negative word, Nicodemus, no condemnation to them which are in Christ, now it shall spring forth, old things are passed away, our new friend the wind, prosper, rivers in the desert, salvation, shall ye not know it, share our blessings with others, success, supernatural strength, talent, Thank You Lord, that whcih is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, the beast of the field shall honour me, the ministry of reconciliation, the penultimate day of the work week, the righteousness of the law, the universal truth, to be in Christ, to givedrink to my people, to water the earth and seed it, truth, walk not after the flesh but after the spirit, walking in the Spirit, wisdom
Isaiah 43:19a. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
And we’ve worked our way down to Thursday, the penultimate day of the workweek, without any major problems. Give thanks and praise to Almighty God for that, for we could not have done it without His Guiding Light and Presence! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord for your goodness and mercy toward us, although we don’t deserve it! Amen!’
Anyway, I’m chuckling here, because yesterday, before I even finished writing about it being sunshiny and bright, with the promise of rain in the afternoon, the rain apparently came pouring down, but I did not notice it here in the basement. And once it came down, it kept drizzling for most the afternoon and evening. Meanwhile, today, we’ve already felt it’s presence, with more to come later, with our new friend, the wind, also acting up out there. But it’s all good, because it’s all a part of God’s great plan to water the earth and seed it, so that it can bear food for us to eat and flora for us to admire. (smile)
And as I just went seeking something to write on from The Good Library, it opened unto the Book of Isaiah, and this amazing scripture caught my eye: ‘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. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons (jackals) and the owls (ostriches): because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth (declare) my praise.’ (Is. 43:19-21)
Oh my fellow believers, the Lord was there referring to making a way in the wilderness for His people Israel, after using Babylon to punish them for their gross disobedience and rebellion. It’s the same thing He’s doing for His chosen people today. That’s those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ, accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and live according to His dictates. The Lord’s always doing something new in us, trying to bring us closer to Him, so that we can grow in spiritual maturity, have greater intimacy and know Him better.
And these words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians attest to that fact. ‘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) Yes friends, as the scholars tell us, ‘that’s the universal truth that has been applied to Christ personally. Anyone who comes into vital union with the risen and glorified Lord, he is a “new creation.” Yes, we begin perceiving Christ in a new way, with our old man, our old way of life being left behind, and assuming a new abiding and enduring way of life in Christ.
It’s as Jesus said to Nicodemus the Jewish leader that came to Him by night seeking the truth. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3) And in response to Nicodemus’ question re ‘being born again,’ Jesus said. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirt. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.’ (John 3:5-7)
So my people, to come to Christ, we must be born again; that’s receive His Holy Spirit and begin living like that new person, we’re meant to be. And from thence we walk after the law of the Spirit, not the law of man. That’s why Bruh Paul could write thus to the Romans. ‘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 hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin (on account of sin) condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness (righteous requirement) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ (Rom. 8:1-4)
Ah mih bredrin, the law of the flesh could not help us deal with our sin problems, so God in His inordinate wisdom, sent His Son to earth in the flesh to deal with it; be crucified on the cross of Calvary bearing all the sins of the world, and give us the option of being reunited with God. As Bruh Paul further says: ‘And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor. 5:18) And He did that by laying all the burden of sin on Jesus’ shoulders to free us from the law of sin. As the scriptures say: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21)
And considering all the work that’s needed to keep us on the straight and narrow path, we must do our best to help the Lord in His difficult task. For, as Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) And just like God won’t ever give up on us, neither should we ever give up on ourselves or on God! For remember we’re now new, free creations, walking in the Spirit and not the flesh. Consequently, let’s go home declaring and activating our Thursday Blessings, undeservedly bestowed on us, to do God’s earthly work.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And now, having activated those blessings, it behooves us to go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…to be in Christ…one must change one’s lifestyle to suit Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: against the knowledge of God, all things are become new, anger, As God for christ's sake forgave you, be ye angry and sin not, be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind, Bible, bitterness, Casting down imaginations, christianity, climate change, coloured our days, deceitful lusts, endure to the end, every high thing, faith, forgiving one another, given themselves over unto lasciviousness, god, God-given wisdom, greediness, halfway home, hands on the plough, he is a new creature, holy spirit, I will do a new thing, if any man be in Christ, invite Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Christ, long term residents, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, neither give place to the devil, not turning back, now it shall spring forth, old things are passed away, put off the former conversation, put on the new man, remember ye not the former things, rivers in the desert, shadowed our nights, shorts and t-shirts, spring, thank God, that exalteth itself, the blindness of their hearts, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the cellars of fear, the crux of the matter, the neighbourhood of our thoughts, the sun of his love, throw out our old baggage, to a glorious future with Jesus, uncleanness, walk not as other Gentiles walk, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, worrisome thoughts, wrath
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Oh friends, if I didn’t know that we were still officially in the season of spring, I’d believe that today was a grand summer’s day. Yes, this Wednesday, has blossomed bright and sunshiny with temps in the high teens! And people are already out in their shorts and t-shirts. But this temperature is possibly an abnormality, and we will soon revert to true spring time temps. Anyway, who doesn’t like a summer’s day eh, at any time of the year! And with the climate change business making things topsy turvy and eccentric, we’ll take a good day whenever we can, be it spring, summer, winter or fall! (smile)
Now, let’s cool the enthusiasm a tad, with this snippet from the In Touch Devotional for this month, titled ‘Consider This.’ Please read with me: ‘Worrisome thoughts aren’t always intrusive – sometimes they’re long-term residents. In fact, we may not remember a time before they coloured our days and shadowed our nights. What would life be like in their absence? It’s hard to know. And not knowing is one of the most fearful things of all. But when we invite Jesus into the neighbourhood of our thoughts, He speaks gently to our worries – He calls us out of the cellars of fear and into the sun of His LOVE. All we have to do is reach out. And then let Him do what He does: make all things new.’
And isn’t that the gospel truth my fellow believers? Christ makes all things new when we turn to Him, when we entrust our very lives to Him in true surrender. And there’s no better scripture that details that fact than this one from Bruh Paul’s second missive to the Corinthians. ‘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) Yes friends, when we become believers in Christ we need to throw out all our old baggage, for we’ve become new people, and old stuff will tempt us back to our old way of life.
But we must also allow Christ to do new things in us, that He dearly desires to do. It’s like the Lord promised the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah. ‘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) And that’s exactly what Christ will do in our lives – make a new and godly person out of us… if we let Him.
It’s also as Bruh Paul wrote to the Ephesians, re putting on the new man. He writes: ‘This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind. Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through (because of) the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness (hardening) of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness (licentiousness), to work all uncleanness with greediness.’ (Eph. 4:17-19)
Now that’s how most of us lived before we accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, and it’s how the other unbelievers still live, with hardened hearts and a stubborn will, adhering to fleshly lusts and licentiousness, that’s caused them to be separated from God. And Bruh Paul continues: ‘But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be ye 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. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members of one another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister unto hearers. And grieve not (don’t make sad) the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:20-32)
There you have it my brethren; some valuable practical steps we can all take to put on the new man, and then to keep him on! And keeping him on is the crux of the matter; keeping him on the rest of our earthly lives, because the devil will try mightily to make us go back to our old way of living. Yuh see how Bruh Paul also warned about not giving the evil one an opportunity to get into our heads and thus our hearts. And he wrote about that in more detail to the Corinthians: ‘Casting down imaginations (arguments), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ (2 Cor. 10:5)
And what does all of that mean. Check out this commentary. ‘Casting down imaginations (not accepting the devils thoughts, suggestions, visions) is a spiritual weapon that you must use to be victorious over the enemy. You must learn to actively fight to maintain God’s vision for you. You must only accept imaginations (thoughts) that line up with the Word of God.’ Yes my people, let’s remember that this earthly life is an ongoing battle with the devil, who fights with spiritual weapons, but we have already won the victory through Christ Jesus, we now only have to maintain it; not allow the wicked one to steal it back. And no, it’s not easy, but we have all the tools and weapons to do it, if we so choose.
Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the whole world know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus. Altogether: ‘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!’
Then there’s this proviso; if we endure right to the very end with Christ, that end will be even more glorious than we can either ask or imagine. So please, let’s use our God-given wisdom and plan to meet there nuh! Much LOVE!
…in Christ…we are all new creations…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
21 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, accept it from me now, all things are become new, create something beautiful, curse, divine protection, even make a way in the wilderness, except a man be born again, faith, from a shapeless chaotic mass, Glory to god in the highest, gloss over the tin and tarnish, goodbye spring, he cannot see the kingdom of God, he is a new creature, holy spirit, I will do a new thing, if any man be in Christ, it is marvellous in our eyes, it is the Lord's doing, Jesus Christ, LOVE, make me over, negative word, no condemnation to them which are in Christ, now it shall spring forth, old things are passed away, on earth peace good will to men, One Year Book of Bible promises, rivers in the desert, self-control, such a simple thing, supernatural strength, the headstone of the corner, the stone which the builders refused, Thursday Blessings, to divide light from darkness, to reconstruct me, welcome winter
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Oh brother, I don’t know what to believe anymore nuh; the computer tells me it’s minus 2 Celsius and mostly cloudy, but in my area, it’s sunshiny as ever and somewhat windy. I will take that over the cloudiness any day. (smile) But worse yet, they are predicting 3 centimetres of snow for Friday! Goodbye spring…welcome again winter! But like the world, we won’t believe it until we see it! (smile) And to help us remember that we serve a good and great God Jehovah, let’s check out this interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled ‘NOW.’ Obviously I don’t know whether I’ve shared it before or not, but as always, these poems are always worth sharing again. (smile)
So please read with me: ‘Lord I don’t ask You to renovate me Nor do I ask You to reconstruct me Or make me over. I don’t even ask You to patch me up Or pare out the bruised spots Or gloss over the tin and tarnish. Rather, dear Lord, I ask You To make a new species – Something that never before existed. Impart to me Your very own Life. After all, Lord It is such a simple thing for You To create something beautiful From a shapeless, chaotic mass. It is such a simple thing for You To divide light from darkness. Please do it for me – now. (And the Lord replied) ‘Child of My Infinite Plan Two thousand years ago All you have asked I did. Please accept it from Me – NOW.’
And that’s the gospel truth friends! Two thousand years ago, with the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus, the Lord recreated, reformed and refashioned man one more time, with Jesus as the foundation of the new process. As the psalmist so truthfully prophesied in Psalm 118, long before Christ’s coming: ‘The stone which the builder refused (rejected) is become the head stone of the corner (chief corner stone). It is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.’ (Ps. 118:22-23)
The Lord was always one jump ahead of us my people. He knew the plans He had in mind for us, plans and thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give us an expected end.’ (Jer. 29:11) That’s a future and a hope, so we could live with complete faith and trust in His magnanimity. Therefore, once Jesus came, all the old, unused, thrashy stuff was thrown away. As the Lord’s Word so rightly says in our Bible Promise for today’s poem: ‘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 there we have exactly what the Lord was speaking about in His answer to our pleas for recreation! It’s simple; if you want to be a new man, then all you have to do is believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and the work of recreation will immediately begin. As the scholars explain: ‘When a man comes into vital union with the risen and glorified Lord, he is a “new creation” (cf. John 3:3; 15:5; Rom. 8:1, 9; Gal. 6:14-15) and perceives Christ in a new way. And, Old things are passed away indicates a decisive break with the old life at the moment of salvation. Behold, all things are become new stresses the abiding results of the Christian’s union with Christ (cf. Is. 43:18-19; 65:17; Eph. 4:24: Rev. 21:4-5).’
Ah my people, those are all important and very valid scriptures, but we don’t have time to quote them all, so we thoughtfully suggest (smile) that you take a few moments to look them up yourselves. However, since we like to spoon feed you, (smile) we will quote a few of them, beginning with this total gem from Jesus when the Jewish leader Nicodemus came to him by night to ask about His ministry. ‘Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.’ (John 3:3)
Right there friends, Jesus shows the overwhelming importance of change, of new life, of new behaviour, if one desires to follow Him. And Bruh Paul opens that magnificent chapter of hope, chapter 8 of Romans, with these most convincing words. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ (Rom. 8:1) What a marvellous situation that is! When we become new creations in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and we cease walking after our carnal, fleshly lusts, but instead walk with the leading and guidance of God’s Spirit.
And as the prophet Isaiah prophesied to the Israelites, and also to us, long before Jesus came: ‘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) And He did it physically for the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness, and for us spiritually with the coming of Jesus. And all God’s people gave a grateful shout of: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will to men on the earth!’
Now that should be our earthly motto, but, unfortunately, Satan rules the earth with his evil doings, and hate and strife currently overwhelm our flailing world. But there is hope my fellow saints. Yes, once there is life, there is hope, in Almighty God! And the hope we have right now rests in what we call our Thursday Blessings. Undeserved blessings generously bestowed by God for us to do His earthly work, and turn this evil planet around. However, to activate them, we must vocally declare (chuh!!!) them. So let’s do that right now nuh.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) we are now compelled to go out and use those blessing in a generous manner to help others find Christ and come to LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…becoming a new creation in Jesus…is more important…and much easier…than buying a suit of new clothes…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
18 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a barrier breaker, a compassionate heart, a positive outlook on life, be made the righteousness of God in Him, break free from a limited mindset, curse, enlarge my vision, eternal damnation, eternal separation from Almighty God, experience god's favour, faith, give drink to my people, I will do a new thing, in every area of my life, Jesus Christ, living for Christ, living for Satan, LOVE, made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, make a way in the wilderness, negative word, now it shall spring forth, pleasure is fleeting, prosper, remember ye not the former things, rivers in the desert, salvation, seeds of greatness in me, shall ye not know it, shew forth my praise, success, the abundant life, Thursday Blessings, Today is my day, undergoing the passion, wisdom
Isaiah 43:19a. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
Ah mih people, this cold, cloudy day is already far gone, what with the ole fella’s late arising. (smile) But I do have some good news to share with us regarding Today. It says that ‘TODAY IS MY DAY!’ Yes friends, that’s an undeniable fact! And why is that you ask? Well, let’s read it, or rather declare (yesss!!!) it together.
‘Today is My Day! God has destined me to be a barrier breaker! He created me to be uncontainable. I have talent and potential given to me by the Creator of the universe. There are seeds of greatness inside of me. Today I choose to break free from a limited mindset and enlarge my vision. Today, God is taking me places that I’ve never even dreamed of before. Today, God is fulfilling His purpose and destiny in my life. Today I will experience His favour like never before in every area of my life.’
Now isn’t that good news? It certainly is! And the beauty of it is that EVERY DAY we can say it, because every day is a new Today, and thus it’s applicable to our lives! Wow! What blessed lives we live under God’s eternal and ever-LOVING guidance! The problem though, as with so many other promises of God, is that we have to believe it before we see it. And one of those wonderful promises entails making a way in the desert for us, making new things so that we can forget the old.
Listen to the prophet Isaiah on the subject. ‘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. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons (jackals) and the owls (ostriches): because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth (declare) my praise.’ (Is. 43:18-21)
What a magnificent promise my brethren! Our great God is always in the process of making things new. Now, that prophecy of scripture looks toward the coming of Christ and His marvellous work for mankind. And I like what these two commentaries point out. The first says: “Behold I am doing a new thing.” The coming of Jesus to earth is the new thing Isaiah’s prophetic words point to. The ultimate superhighway home to God’s presence, and ultimately, home to Him in heaven eternally.’ Wow! How wonderful is our God to provide a way for us abject sinners to be reconciled back to Him!
Then this commentary asks: ‘How is God making all things new? By undergoing the passion, Jesus paid the price for our human sin (death) and granted us the opportunity for salvation and relationship with God the Father. Thus, in the context of the film, Christ “made all things new” through his death and resurrection. Jesus died for us, so have we considered living for him?’ Now that last question is one of utmost importance, in fact, the most important question we’ll ever deal with, for it determines where we will spend eternity.
And if you don’t remember the question (smile) it’s ‘have we considered living for Jesus?’ Yes, the One who died for us on the cross of Calvary, to atone for our sins. That’s indeed the most important question in a human being’s life, and if the answer is not ‘YES!’ then you’re playing foolish games with your soul and your eternal life. For if you’re not living for Christ, then you’re obviously living for Satan, as those are the only two options we have, and living for the latter is utter foolishness for those who live for him will eventually perish in hell fire and be eternally separated from Almighty God!
And friends, I can’t ever stop reminding us that eternal separation from God is the worst thing that can ever happen to human soul. Please believe that. Oh, I know the sins and pleasures that Beelzebub gets us into nowadays are wonderful, but the pleasure only lasts for a fleeting moment, while eternal damnation will last for much, much longer than that, and when you experience the heat of hellfire, like the rich man Lazarus did in Luke 16:19-31, then you won’t have a chance to change your mind.
Choosing Jesus as our Champion, right now, today, is the wisest decision we can ever make, because with Him, we’ll live eternally in heaven. And furthermore, He’s already done so much for us, as Bruh Paul wrote to the Corinthians: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21) Right there friends, we have the best reason for surrendering our lives to Jesus! Yes, He gave His sinless life for our sinful ones. What can ever be more important than that eh? NOTHING! So why turn to the evil one who’s done absolutely nothing but get us into God’s bad books. That’s the height of foolishness!
And the great thing about living for Christ is that through the abundant life He died for us to have, you begin reaping rewards right down here on earth. And among those many rewards are what we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord’s bestowed on us so we can do His earthly work. And they are even more significant today, because of how we opened the Bit, with ‘TODAY’ being ours. So let’s activate those many undeserved blessings by sincerely declaring (awright!!!) them.
As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now friends, if with all those blessings under our belt, today isn’t our day, then I don’t know when will ever be our day nuh. So please, let’s go out into the world like blazing lights and salt-filled vessels and share those blessings with others, just a generously as Christ shared them with us. That’s our bounden duty! Much LOVE!
…every day we’re alive is our Day…buoyed by God’s awesome blessings…Wow!
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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
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